Sony and Netflix Bring us the Story of Friendship with WISH DRAGON

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on Netflix from Sony Pictures Animation, writer/director Chris Appelhans and Jackie Chan comes the heartwarming story of friendship and understanding with WISH DRAGON.

Din (voiced by Jimmy Wong) and Lina (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) discover in elementary school that they have so much in common. From their love of mischief comes a friendship so deep that when Lina moves away with her father, it is a sad day for Din. As the city grows around him, Din still finds a bit of trouble missing school and keeping up with his delivery job.

Making a delivery, he is given a teapot for no reason at all but is told all the answers he needs is with the teapot. There is someone who is equally interested in the teapot and that’s the slightly villainous looking Mr. Wong (Will Yun Lee) who will stop at nothing to get his hands on it.  

After a chastising from Mom (Constance Wu) about his schoolwork, Din is more interested in who he is excited to see. The teapot has other plans when it opens up and he meets Long (John Cho), a dragon who let him know that he gets three wishes. After trying to get to know one another, Din lets Long the Dragon know he wants to see his friend Lina again.

That can be kind of difficult as Lina is now living a big life. Din crashes her birthday party only to discover that the change from childhood to adulthood can be painful. Trying to explain things to Long is difficult but the very colorful dragon has another take on how humans behave and there is a very good reason for it. It is time for each of their stories to be told and friendship to find them once again and not just the two-legged friendships!

All that glitters is not gold.

Wong as Din is a young man who has hung onto his childhood memory and the belief that one day he will see Nina again. When Long enters his life, things become more complicated than Din could ever have imagined. Wong gives his character a wonderful sense of life, love, friendship, loyalty and a bit of comedy thanks to his dragon friend.

Bordizzo as Nina is as mischievous as Din when they are children. As the years go by, Nina’s father is part of the business world, and it affects her life in ways she could not have imagined. Bordizzo gives her character such a lovely and fun aspect but also a sense of responsibility that keeps her away from the people she truly wants to be with.

Wu as Mom only wants the best for her son and works hard to make sure he is taken care of. There is a sense of community and family that are there with her and it is something that Nina gets to experience.

Other cast include Bobby Lee as Tall Goon, Jimmy O. Yang as Small Goon, Ian Chem as Young Din, Alyssa Abiera as Young Lina, and Gabriel Lee as Wen.

Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated entertainment for audiences around the world. The visually groundbreaking and critically acclaimed SPIDER-MAN: Into the Spider-Verse is the studio’s latest release, and the winner of the 2019 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Other amazing films include THE SMURFS, CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS and HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.sonypicturesanimation.com.

WISH DRAGON is a colorful, beautiful, loving story of friendships and loyalty surrounded by community. It is also the story of Din and Lina and, with a little push of faith, remembering what is important in life once you tear down the materialistic things that become traps.

There is also the story of Long and his journey of being a dragon which is equally important. Watching Long experience the modern world is entertaining to be sure, but it is also rediscovering his connection with people that is sweet, caring and sometimes very funny.

The animation is stunning and brilliant which lends to the enjoyment of the film in so many ways. So, gather the family and prepare to make a few wishes of your own when the WISH DRAGON comes into your home for a visit.

In the end – three magical wishes and one life changing adventure!

 

 

The Legend of the IRON MASK

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Blu-ray from Lionsgate Home Entertainment and writer/director Oleg Stephchenko is the story of the IRON MASK.

Miss Dudley (Anna Churina) is miserable since the day her father Lord Dudley (Charles Dance) chased off the love of her life Jonathan Green (Jason Flemyng).Still receiving letter from him, she learns he is in Russia making maps for Peter the Great (Yuri Kolokolnikov) - or so he thought. Ending up in jail, Jonathan also meets Cheng Lan (Yao Xinglong) who is kind to him.

Receiving word to let Jonathan go, he makes one request and that is to take the young Lan with him. Their run on the road takes them to China where Lan is free to fight for the cause of her people. In an English prison, jailer James Hook (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has a mysterious Master (Jackie Chan) and a masked man Peter. Fighting for freedom, the two come together to find a way to escape but it is Peter who runs free.

Agreeing to take a medallion to the master's daughter, another journey takes place only to discover that Jonathan and Lan are already there, along with the surprise of Miss Dudley! The medallion is needed to take on a Princess who wants the medallion to rule the world.

But not if those who fight for the people can help it!

Chan as the Master once again plays a quiet character who does not have much to say, but rather takes everything in and then makes the call. Chan has the chance to give us a little martial arts action as well watching feats of drawer checking heights. Of course, having the final scene with Schwarzenegger, he gets the chance to lament truths that are universal.

Schwarzenegger as Hook is the ruler of an English prison but, according to some, has a heart. Translated that means if you can beat him and get to the top of the ladder - well, you are free. When you are as big as Hook, you must give points for bravery at whoever tries it. This seems like a fun role for Schwarzenegger and it shows.

Flemyng as Green is a map maker and a artist that has been away from Miss Dudley a little too long. From England to Russia to China, he sees fantastic creatures as well as how people in power treat one another. Churina as Miss Dudley knows only one thing, she wants her man back and nothing is going to stop it from happening.

Xinglong as Cheng Lan know the culture and mythology of her people and has spent her years trying to bring back what has been lost. Lan's travels are equally as extensive as Jonathan's and fate bringing them together is just what they both needed to get to their destination. Kolokolnikov as Peter has been long away from his own home, but he is not about to return without helping those who made his freedom possible.

Lionsgate is a global leader in motion picture production and distribution for theatres, television, home entertainment and more. Theatre franchises include THE HUNGER GAMES, and DIVERGENT along with JOHN WICK. Now, adding this film to its 16,000-motion picture and television titles you can see everything coming soon as well as available now at http://www.lionsgate.com.

IRON MASK is a fantasy film filled with creatures, martial arts and a mixture of mythologies. As with many films from Asia, the film is colorful and filled with flights of fancy. There are secrets and twists that weave this tapestry of storytelling with a cast that is as vast as the miles the story puts on the screen. There is also a moment to see Rutger Hauer giving us a look at his final performance.

It is actually fun to try and pick out the places the characters are, the creatures and their story as well as the final place and the story behind the dragon! Being a fan of dragons in all their guises, IRON MASK gives us a beautiful story about them and the loyalty of those who protect theirs.

In the end - sometimes you just need to really see the beauty of the world!