Category: Movie Reviews

By the Power of Grayskull… Does Masters of the Universe (2026) Have Enough?

Masters of the Universe returns as pure popcorn fantasy, mixing 80s toy-box nostalgia, pulp adventure, cosmic mythmaking, and big IMAX-scale battles into one loud, colourful ride.

Masters of the Universe 2026 Movie PosterSo what does it mean to be one of the Masters of the Universe? That’s the question raised in the first few minutes of the movie. We are introduced to the fantasy world of Eternia and a creation myth: before time immemorial, the power of the cosmos ran unchecked and was named Greyskull.

A castle sits at the heart of that power, and still does, as part of a greater whole, a cosmos that appears bound inside a gravity well. Eternia, the planet Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) comes from, may well exist within that anomaly, and whoever wields the singularity can reshape destiny. The visual clues are there in the opening frame: When we see a cosmic being hammer an entire black hole, accretion disc included, into the Sword of Power. Whether intentional or not, it evokes the idea that the blade contains a singularity, giving new meaning to the phrase “I have the power.”

When the Filmation series touched upon similar ideas in “Visitors from Earth,” it suggested that such a possibility already existed within the mythology. If the struggle centres on claiming a cosmic weapon capable of shaping reality itself, then the reason the franchise is what it is makes a great deal more sense.

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Sherman Alexie Heads to Victoria for 3rd Annual F1RST Celebration of Indigenous Film

herman Alexie headlines the third edition of F1RST Celebration of Indigenous Film at The Vic Theatre in Victoria, July 17–19. The festival brings a newly restored print of The Business of Fancydancing alongside a full slate of Indigenous cinema.

F1RST: A Celebration of Indigenous FilmIf you grew up reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian or caught Smoke Signals (or its spin-off, made years later, Hey Viktor! featuring Cody Lightning; review link), let’s just say this year’s F1RST Celebration of Indigenous Film is worth checking out, locals and tourists to Victoria, BC alike.

Now in its third year, this event is bringing Sherman Alexie to The Vic Theatre. The writer behind some of the most recognized Indigenous storytelling in contemporary literature and film is headlining this edition, and the centerpiece is a newly restored print of The Business of Fancydancing, the film he wrote and directed, followed by a post-screening Q&A. He’ll also sit down with actor and physician Evan Adams (Smoke Signals, Bones of Crows) for a featured conversation on acting, writing, and directing.

From the Press Release:

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Netflix’s Swapped Shows Who Is More of A Strange Animal

Rather than saying, “You’re a Strange Animal,” maybe the creators of Swapped were humming along to Gowan’s song when world-building a mystical realm where safety must come first rather than mixed breeding through magic.

Swapped Movie PosterNow streaming on Netflix

Netflix’s Swapped feels familiar. While it differs from Pixar’s Hoppers, where a human can masquerade as a beaver through technology and must walk a mile in another’s shoes, what’s presented here concerns a secret valley that is far more mystical than grounded in reality. This tale follows Ollie (Michael B. Jordan), a Pookoo, a groundhog-like creature, who meets Ivy (Juno Temple), a strangely Big Bird-like animal. The pair must work together if they are to thwart a looming threat.

There’s an angry Firewolf (Tracy Morgan) who has grown jealous of the peace bestowed upon the valley by enormous elephantine trees known as the Dzo. From that point on, I could swear I was watching a film that leaned heavily on the imagination of Jim Henson back when he conceived The Dark Crystal. While Swapped is brighter and more naturalistic, favouring cheerful colours and innocent charm, the similarities do not end there.

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Beyond the Curse: About Heather O’Rourke. She Was Here, Then and Now

Rather than lean into the urban legend behind the Poltergeist trilogy, She Was Here-The Heather O’Rourke Story honours the life, promise, and spirit of a child actor gone far too soon.

She Was Here - The Heather O'Rourke Story Poster
Available on Prime Video, Apple TV, Vimeo On Demand, Fandango at Home, and home video.

When Steven Spielberg and Tobe Hooper saw something in Heather O’Rourke during casting for Poltergeist, although nobody knew it as the time, a star was born. All she had to say was, “They’re here,” in Poltergeist. All those details are well explored in She Was Here – The Heather O’Rourke Story.

She went on to play the adorable Heather Pfister in Happy Days, along with a handful of other roles, before she suddenly passed away. Medical professionals at the time couldn’t pinpoint exactly which condition precipitated the eventual cardiac arrest, and to call it a result of the film’s paranormal origins is urban legend rather than fact.

What’s presented here is less about the curse and more about how a star is born. For anyone unfamiliar with the trilogy, a bit of history: four people connected to the franchise died before, during or after the release of each film.

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The Truth is Out There. Siksikakowan The Blackfoot Man Delves Beyond the Movie Myth of Masculinity

Siksikakowan The Blackfoot Man offers a visually grounded look at Blackfoot masculinity, but its slow pace and loose structure may leave some viewers wanting a stronger throughline. Still, its intimate perspective and rejection of old screen stereotypes make it a worthwhile watch.

Siksikakowan The Blackfoot Man
Free to Stream on the NFB

For decades, pop culture has sold masculinity through bodies in motion: the fighter, the cowboy, the indian and Hercules, the man who never flinches. But everyday life rarely works that way. Siksikakowan: The Blackfoot Man offers a different view from an Indigenous perspective, shaped by a specific community and their own sense of cultural identity.

That’s what makes this documentary special. Even here, we see one young adult have posters of Bruce Lee and other screen icons plastered around his room. Nearly every culture has absorbed those images. It’s nearly impossible growing up with media that presents idealized heroes as the model for what men should become. However, it’s about what not only him and other men do every day which matters more. The masculinity portrayed here is not about adulation, but about coming of age and finding one’s place.

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Better Late Than Never, But Is Mortal Kombat II Too Late To Matter?

Mortal Kombat II delivers the gore, mythology, and live-action cartoon energy fans expect, with Karl Urban having a blast as Johnny Cage. But while the action lands, Kitana’s story gets less room than it deserves.

Mortal Kombat II Movie PosterMortal Kombat is one of gaming’s great guilty pleasures. In arcades across North America, the gore you could dish out in a brawler had enthusiasts lining up for more. In the cinematic adaptation that continues in Mortal Kombat II, the lore leans into Robert E. Howard-style worldbuilding, mixing Bushidō-adjacent pulp fiction more than philosophy with enough mythology to make the stakes feel real. That blend is everywhere in the ongoing fight over who gets to claim the Earthrealm, with some cowboy diplomacy thrown into the mix.

This multiverse runs deep: there’s the Outworld and Netherworld, and the Realm of Order and Chaos, each with its own chosen champions. After the events of the first film, casual viewers may not remember enough to follow why Johnny Cage (Karl Urban) is being pulled into the conflict. The film opens with a flashback that introduces Emperor Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) as the primary antagonist. After defeating King Jerrod (Desmond Chiam) in Mortal Kombat, he claims the kingdom of Edenia for the Outworld and takes two unwilling prizes home with him. Queen Sindel (Ana Thu Nguyen) and Princess Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) don’t go quietly.

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