D @ vA Have an idea for a story? M arts@theotherpress.ca ¢ Areview of the amazing band Kolohe Kai ¢ ‘Dispatches from Elsewhere’ thrives in the absurd ¢ Drama at Douglas ..and more Pixar almost offers the same high quality the studio is known for > ‘Onward’ film review Craig Allen Staff Writer wkweK KY wenty five years after changing animated films forever with Toy Story, Pixar is still producing some of the most seminal and thought-provoking films of all time. This streak continues with the magical adventure of Onward. The film is about two elf brothers in search of a stone that will resurrect their dead father for one last day together. The film is beautifully shot and contains tear-jerking moments—an aspect of storytelling that Pixar has excelled at throughout its history. Yet, since the company has produced such high quality movies for over a quarter of a century, Onward doesn’t quite measure up to the same lofty heights. Before reviewing the film, here comes a mini review of a short before the film. The short is a sequel to the 2013 Simpsons short called “The Longest Daycare” which features the silent pacifier sucker Maggie Simpson. In this short called “Playdate with Destiny,’ Maggie is smitten for a boy at the playground, but due to Homer’s unwillingness to take her to the same playground, Maggie is left frustrated in her attempts to reconnect with her far- off love. The short, which contains no dialogue, was made to celebrate Disney's acquisition of The Simpsons through their purchase of 2oth Century Fox last year. While the short was fine, inoffensive, and fun it was also surreal to see the often raunchy Simpsons fit into the family friendly realm of a Pixar film. Also, I will never be comfortable with the integration of The Simpsons into Disney. Even the Mickey Mouse in the Gracie Films logo for this short is unsettling. Three and a half stars for the short. Onward to the feature, this movie exists in a world where magic, of which only a few can master, has been sidelined by society in favour of creating easier alternatives like electric light bulbs and cars. lan and Barley are two elf brothers who find out that their father left them a wizard staff with a spell that can bring him back for one day. Jan is the only one who can summon magic to bring their father back so he, Barley, and the conjured bottom half of their father must go ona quest to retrieve a stone that can complete the spell to bring their dad back in full before the 24-hour spell is up. The film is emotional and touching— specifically when Ian realizes that his relationship with his brother is the relationship he always wanted with his > £ G S c ° — 5 2 & oS Ww father. The film does a great job at mixing real life technologies like cars and family restaurants with fairies and dragons to make up this world inspired by fantasy. What prevents this film from being in the same pantheon of other Pixar greats is that the characters outside of lan and Barley are not as well developed as they should have been. Additionally, the conclusion of the film—while satisfying for the characters—leaves audiences a little empty. One specific gripe is the story arc of lan. Throughout the film, lan is told that in order to be successful at wielding the wizard staff, he must perform spells with his heart. His lack of heart is apparently what gets in his way. However, the film also shows that Jan has a confidence issue, and Ian learning how to overcome this flaw would have been a much more interesting and relatable story to tell. Onward is an odd movie to rate. If this was released by any other studio, it would be unquestionably heralded as great. But, because it’s coming from a studio that has produced so many classic films, it does pale in comparison to the best of the company—like Monsters Inc. and Inside Out. For that reason, it only falls into the middle of the pack in all the Pixar offerings. That is still good enough to warrant four out of five stars though. This soulful Hawalian reggae cover will make you ‘Speechless’ » A review of the amazing band Kolohe Kai EG Manilag Staff Writer keen f youre up for some island and ukulele vibes during this cold and wet weather, then make sure to lend your ears to this cover of the song “Speechless” produced by the one and only island music band: Kolohe Kai. Originally, “Speechless” was written by Dan + Shay. The song gained fame for its poignant vibe that purely reflected the artists’ first year of marriage. The duo Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney were both happily married in 2017, and in the following year, they each utilized their wedding clips into an official video for the song. The video currently has 81 million views on YouTube. The lyrics of this love song surely captivated the hearts of many young couples. As well, the overall progression of the music and story line left the listeners in awe. Fans are not just merely listening to a song, but they’re also following two stories of how great love truly is. Kolohe Kai’s cover version did not cast the song’s loving tone to the side. Instead, their version is true to the warm feeling of the original song—yet they have skillfully blended some of their classic Hawaiian style music into it. Using ukulele and bass, the band adds a spectacular short intro to the song that is as peaceful as an ocean- wave filled paradise. The reggae parts of this cover aren't overpowering. The song is slow and romantic as the original, which makes it a slow reggae song. Other than string instruments, the sounds of percussions also dominate— especially the famous wooden djembe and bongo drums. The drums bring an amazing beat to the piece. Not to mention their awesome harmony singers that really embody the essence of the cool and chill Hawaiian reggae theme. One minor issue about this cover: it disregards the soulful guitar solo of the original song. It is very typical for a reggae band like them to have little to no solos though. Nonetheless, the cover version is truly wonderful and magnificent. It really brings you a relaxed and groovy sensation. The one thing that ultimately inspired me to write this review is Kolohe Kai’s lead vocalist Roman De Peralta. His voice is just otherworldly! His voice is not the typical raspy type that you would probably hear on many reggae albums. The voice he possesses is soft and childlike—he really has a fresh voice! You need to hear his voice in this cover. If you have not listened to the original song though, I highly suggest that you hear it first—before listening to Kolohe Kai’s version. Photo by EG Manilag # issue 21// vol 46 ‘Dispatches from Elsewhere’ thrives in the absurd. » The show’s first episode succeeds with offbeat storytelling and equally offbeat characters Jonathan Pabico Contributor lhe season premiere of Dispatches from Elsewhere—a show written by, directed by, and starring Jason Segel—is delightfully puzzling and highly relatable. The story of this show excels with its fantastical surrealism and charming oddities, yet it remains grounded through its contemporary settings. Segel plays the main protagonist Peter: an everyday man and lonely introvert. The episode’s use of following camera shots and obstructed close-ups convey how trapped Peter feels in his bland life. An ethereal soundtrack, dry colours, and gloomy lighting also illustrate how emotionally disconnected he is from the world. Regardless of all these factors however, Segel has a mixed performance. He is very underwhelming in some scenes. Yet, he does bravely explore Peter’s growth through relationships with other characters. Of the entire cast, Eve Lindley and Jerrison Oracion Senior Columnist here are singers turned actors—like Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, and Lady Gaga—but there are also a few actors that transitioned to performing music that are very successful. Examples include Hailee Steinfeld, Donald Glover, and Gen Hoshino. Hoshino was well known in Japan for his acting work before he began his music career. Yet, for the past 10 years, his fame has come from his musical talent. International fans know him mostly for his pop career. His music is fun, comedic, folksy, personal, and a shining example of essential J-Pop. Before his solo career began, he was in an instrumental band called SAKEROCK. He released his first album Baka no Uta in 2010 which includes his first hit single “Kuse no Uta.” “Kuse no Uta’ offers his early sound of alternative folk music and pays homage to his hometown of Saitama—a neighbouring city in the Tokyo area. The music video of the song was filmed on 8mm film. In the video we see Hoshino going around the town and animation being drawn on the video. A similar thing happens in the music videos for the next few hit singles such as “Futon’”—where he goes back to his Richard E. Grant are terrific standouts. Lindley plays her character Simone, a tough and confident trans youth, with an endearing attitude. She has perfect chemistry with Segel, and that creates a humanizing and heartwarming friendship between their characters. Grant as Octavio—the omniscient narrator who orchestrates the story's strange events—portrays his character with riveting charisma. His monologues have the perfect tone to evoke compelling philosophical themes about existence and truth that enrich the plot’s bizarre world. Beyond the cast, the episode has social satire about how entrenched commercialism has become in our daily lives. This commentary is achieved by Peter’s unusual fascination with street advertisements that provoke his immersive fantasies. Subsequently, these sequences supply the story with enjoyably strange humour. The premiere also uses its characters to relay the idea that happiness can be found, even when leading unconventional lives with strange new experiences. However, the episode's beginning suffers from slow pacing. The story takes a long time to set up Peter’s life as bleak as possible before anything substantial happens. Consequently, the plot may not appeal to viewers that prefer a more fast-paced and straightforward narrative structure. Still, when Peter’s adventure begins, the story drastically improves through a more vibrant atmosphere and visual style. Aside from slow pacing, supporting characters Janice (Sally Field) and Fredwynn (André Benjamin) have little J-POP SPOTLIGHT Gen Hoshino » Actor turned singer offers cheerful electronic folk rock house after a day at the mine; and “Film, where he plays a reporter while zombies are appearing.His music starts to get more upbeat in his next hit single “Out of a Dream.” This song and “Monster” both have extensive choreography in their music videos. The video for the latter shows us contemporary dance and Hoshino playing the marimba. It is a playful and fun song. In 2012, Hoshino had a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Soon after, he wrote the song “Why Don’t You Play in Hell?” In his later music he puts both electronic music and orchestrations in his songs. This fresh new sound attained him even more attention. Songs like “SUN,” “Koi,” “Doraemon,” ? “Idea,” and “Pop Virus”—from his recent album Pop Virus—are examples of his unique sound. “SUN” is the song that introduced me to Hoshino. With its poppy 1970s electronic disco sound, it gets everyone excited. During this album, his music videos were choreographed by Perfume’s choreographer MIKIKO. He also began collaborating with Sakanaction’s guitarist Motoharu Iwadera. In the music video of “Crazy Crazy” and “SUN,” we see Hoshino’s alter ego, Nise Akira —a 1970s guy with long hair. “Family Song,” is a cheerful song about typical day with family fun times. The video for this hit introduces us toa housewife character named Mrs. Ogen. Photo of Gen Hoshino via Natalie.mu he Rw AA CO Promotional image for ‘Dispatches from Elsewhere’ involvement in the episode. Although their story arcs will undoubtedly develop as the series continues, their entrances into the plot feel last minute. The two have some decent screen time with Peter and Simone, yet the supporting characters ideally should have had more time. It’s the integral premiere, so the interconnection of all characters should be clear. Overall, the season premiere of Jason Segel’s Dispatches from Elsewhere promises a series of provocative absurdities and exciting performances from a talented cast. Although this episode has drawbacks, the show offers a story eager to please viewers with its zany characters. This video actually led to the creation of Hoshino’s occasional NHK show—Ogen- san to Issho. Last August, the multi- talented singer/actor started offering his music on streaming services. Hoshino also did a world tour which included a stop in New York City. In the city he performed with his friend and famous producer Mark Ronson. Recently, Hoshino released a digital EP called Same Thing which includes a song of the same title. In the song he collaborates with Superorganism and sings in English. Surprisingly, they filmed the music video for the song in Australia. The song talks about his fame and in its chorus it’s as if he’s saying that he still loves his fans but sometimes, f**** off to them. He is seen everywhere in Japan: from commercials for mobile phone operator DOCOMO to noodle company Nissin. During his acting career, he was on the original Japanese versions of two hit anime films—Mirai and The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl. Favourite Gen Hoshino Songs “Film” “Monster” “SUN” “Snow Men” “Family Song”