Journey to the West
Journey to the West
Journey to the West
Journey to the West
Journey to the West
Journey to the West
Journey to the West
Journey to the West
Journey to the West
Journey to the West
Journey to the West

Kani

Journey to the West

$27.99
$27.99
$39.98
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Edition Type: Limited Edition Slipcover

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This Partner Label release is distributed through Vinegar Syndrome's sister company OCN Distribution. Vinegar Syndrome had no part in, nor are responsible for, the restoration, extras, quality control or any content(s) of this release. We hope you enjoy our growing roster of Partner Labels and the expertise and curation brought to each release by their dedicated staff!

Details

This special limited edition spot gloss and embossed slipcover is limited to 2,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.

Named after Yasujiro Ozu’s custom-made, tatami-level, crab-like tripod, Kani is a new home video label dedicated to leveling the gaze and furthering the understanding of Asian cinema in North America. Focused on genre-defying films, Kani aims to expand the canon, bolster up-and-coming filmmakers and reintroduce repertory classics in context. Vinegar Syndrome’s sister company, OCN Distribution, is thrilled to be representing this diverse and unique home video line!

The years have worn out Tang Zhijun (Yang Haoyu, Dead Pigs), the editor-in-chief of the foremost space exploration magazine in China. His entire life is now a paean to a space age long gone. When he hears of a collective UFO sighting in a remote village called Burning Nest, he glimpses a possibility for redemption. Flanked by a cynical staffer, a drunk and an insomniac groupie, he journeys westward to the Daliang Mountains of Sichuan to face the truth about the universe and himself!

Journey to the West transposes the classical tale referenced by its title to a group of new-age eccentrics fit for the times: seen here going deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole of their own convictions. Unfolding in the great tradition of the workplace mockumentary, Kong’s film is a delightfully deadpan road movie and a bold counterpoint to the recent blockbuster films of Frant Gwo (Wandering Earth I & II) – who serves here as an executive producer.

directed by: Kong Dashan
starrring: Yang Haoyu, Ailiya, Roy Wang, Qi Ming Jiang
2021 / 117 min / 1.85:1 / Chinese DTS-HD MA 2.0

Additional info:

  • Region A Blu-ray
  • High Definition Presentation
  • Director’s Introduction
  • Interview with Kong Dashan (2023, 24min)
  • Trailers & Promotional Videos
  • Booklet with stills and posters
  • English subtitles

              Overall rating: 4.5757575 / 5 from 66 reviews.

              AI Generated Review Summary

              Journey to the West is a limited edition Blu-ray praised for its excellent characters, marvelous film quality, and great release. It offers a unique take on the classical tale with a modern twist, featuring a well-received director's introduction and high-quality packaging.

              Summary topics

              • Character Realism: 16%
              • Film Quality: 24%
              • Release Quality: 14%

              Review topics: ["packaging","threads","buy","work","movie","film","characters","release","effects","humor","comedy","kani","fun","artwork","label","ending","cinematography","performances","transfer","storytelling","cinema","journey","interviews","story","stays","sequences","moments","ride","camera","flair"].

              Review highlights

              • "Another super Kani release, movie is great, transfer is stellar, booklet is cool, and slip looks awesome!" — Jakob P.
              • "Excellent trek movie with great characters and big questions" — Donald M.
              • "excellent road movie loved the director introduction and interview" — Chris Z.

              Reviews

              It's Mockumentary Style

              "Movie: The mockumentary style gives this an interesting flavor, although there's some tension between having people talk directly to camera early in the film, and then having the story develop such that there couldn't actually be someone diegetically filming. The humor mostly stayed at a level of just making me smile a bit, until there was one big moment when I LOL'd. There are also a few moments of pathos, although I don't feel like I got a solid takeaway from the film as a whole. It also doesn't help that I'm not particularly familiar with the classic Journey to the West, so I'm sure there were a lot of nods I didn't catch (although I did get a few). Extras: A short intro and a splid interview (in Chinese with subtitles). The multiple trailers for the movie are nice, especially the music video, which is more fun after you watch the movie. Book: Artwork for the movie, i. e. some posters. Packaging: The slip is nice, and has a lot of details from the movie."

              — Gideon M. (3/5)

              Funny and philosophical

              "I didn't know what to expect with this one and wound up liking it quite a bit! It is very funny with just the right amount of sci-fi philosophizing. Kani is quickly becoming one of my favorite labels thanks to releases like this one."

              — Jon B. (5/5)

              A fun watch!

              "A fun reimagining of a classic story."

              — J. H. (4/5)

              Movie.

              "Not a bad movie for the genre, slip case second to none, all good."

              — Derek M. (5/5)

              Minimalist, meditative slow cinema

              "A calm, contemplative film focused on movement, rhythm, and atmosphere rather than plot. Mesmerizing if you enjoy very slow, visual storytelling. The transfer is pristine and suits the film’s quiet tone."

              — Thomas L. (4/5)

              Fun

              "An interesting film and some great humor."

              — Christopher V. (5/5)

              Funny, heartfelt mocumentary. Fantastic, embossed,

              "Funny, heartfelt mocumentary. Fantastic, embossed, spot gloss slip cover."

              — Dominik W. (5/5)

              Journey to the West

              "Generally wonderful, but comes with a so-so ending, not quite sure what happened there (I have read it was not the director's intended ending, not sure how true that is). I need to watch it again. Oh, shaky-cam warning!"

              — Steven A. (5/5)

              Beautiful Mockumentary

              "The cinematography is amazing. The acting is amazing. The music is absolutely beautiful. This mockumentary blurs the lines of reality and imagination so well, you tend to forget the camera is real and you're there with the characters. It's funny and emotional. A must watch for anyone, and I will be showing this to my friends."

              — Tres L. (5/5)

              Journey to the West

              "excellent road movie loved the director introduction and interview"

              — Chris Z. (5/5)

              Q&A

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