All The Conjuring Last Rites does is to lean heavily on callbacks to earlier films. While Judy Warren’s expanded role adds some novelty, the result feels more like a greatest-hits package than a true conclusion.
The Conjuring Last Rites may mark the end of the franchise on the big screen, but HBO Max’s TV series to continue the story will keep the Warrens alive. Just this week, the streamer announced Nancy Won as showrunner, with Peter Cameron and Cameron Squires joining the writer’s room. While Ed and Lorraine Warren claimed to have investigated countless cases, only the most sensational ones ever made it to theatres—often as overblown, fictionalized spectacles. What’s missing are the controversies surrounding the couple’s methods and credibility, which can take the franchise to a level other films never explore.
At the heart of this latest film lies a familiar question: who—or what—is the evil that continues to pursue the Warrens? Earlier entries teased a hidden hand behind Annabelle and The Nun, but ultimately the lore hinges on one figure: Valak.
AnimEigo and MediaOCD bring the historic 1968 anime Sasuke to North America for the first time. Restored from original film elements and featuring a new English dub, this collection showcases a gripping ninja tale set during Japan’s Sengoku period. Fans of historical drama and classic anime can now experience this influential series in full.
AnimEigo and parent company MediaOCD remain dedicated to preserving classic works of animation. Their next major release is the historic 1968 anime series Sasuke, arriving this fall. While the series has long been celebrated across South Asia, this marks the first time North American audiences can properly experience it in its entirety. Fans of historical and character-driven drama will find much to appreciate in this milestone release.
Restored from its original film elements, Sasuke is being presented as a complete collection. This edition features not only a carefully produced subtitle track, but also a newly recorded English dub created specifically for this release—making it accessible to both purists and new viewers alike.
From the Press Release:
Directed by Kiyoshi Onishi and based on the manga by Sanpei Shirato, Sasuke follows the harrowing life of a young ninja during Japan’s Sengoku period, one of the nation’s most turbulent and violent eras. Unlike many productions of its time, the series did not shy away from dark themes—war, vengeance, survival, and the crushing cost of loyalty. Its stark depictions of violence and the struggles of a child ninja set it apart from other works of the late 1960s.
The Giggling Iguana is back and is now known as 31 Iguanas. It’s a wonderful merger with Outpost 31 as the creative minds behind these two local theatre companies aim to bring more pop culture into the scene. Their first production was Welcome to Croglin at the Victoria Fringe Festival, and now they’re organizing site-specific works, like High Moon: A Werewolf Western!
In the past, Ian Case‘s Halloween-themed productions at Craigdarroch Castle were very well received. He knew how to deliver atmosphere. They helped make productions like The Fall of the House of Usher andDracula: The Blood is the Life sing. Also, when the weather cooperated, spooky moments like witnessing the narrator emerge from the fog were unforgettable. But his work is not limited to just putting on local productions. He’s also performed, represented and managed other acts. After receiving a job offer at the University of Victoria’s Farquhar Auditorium, he shifted gears.
David Elendune is equally prolific as a writer and producer and is well known on the island and off. His works are often a part of the Victoria Fringe Festival and most of his plays are available to license online for other groups to perform. Good Night Uncle Joe is a play that, he says that refuses to die. He said, “It pops up often. Even my take on Winnie the Pooh was produced and staged in the States.”
When I met up with the two, I asked how they first made contact and decide to collaberate?
DE: Janet Munsil is to blame. Years ago, I took a playwriting course when Ian ran Intrepid Theatre. I wrote a Sherlock Holmes pastiche called Bucket Full of Bees, which eventually became Sherlock Holmes and the Curse of Moriarty. Janet suggested Ian read it, and we had to meet.
Just whether this new comic book attempt on The Greatest American Hero will be flyin’ away on a wing and a pray’r depends on the artistic talent attached to this project!
Believe it or not, AMP Comics secured the publishing rights to the cult classic The Greatest American Hero! The new instalment won’t arrive until 2026, giving fans plenty of time to revisit the original series either on Amazon Prime (streaming) or by purchasing the set while they wait. Some may also recall the short-lived Arcana Comics version from 2008. That mini-series barely registered on most readers’ radars, despite William Katt’s involvement, and only lasted three issues.
Created by Stephen J. Cannell, the show is best remembered for its theme song, which inspired an entire generation. Its upbeat message encouraged people to aim high instead of settling low. While other power ballads like Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now would follow in later decades, Joey Scarbury’s anthem remains timeless. His contributions didn’t end with that one hit; in the pilot episode, his voice can be heard covering Rocket Man and Space Oddity. Throughout the series’ three-season run, he provided additional music as a studio-employed house singer. His presence gave the show an added layer of charm that still resonates today.
The 2025 Vancouver International Film Festival is less than a month away! And we got our guide on what to see.
The 2025 Vancouver International Film Festival guide is out, and it looks amazing compared to prior years! That’s because the lineup includes a piece from Steven Kostanski. Without him, I would not be planning a trip to the mainland to see this film! While this event rarely offers a proper Midnight Madness mini-festival within, this year looks like it may well be a star. Let’s hope so, because who doesn’t want a bit of terror this Autumn season?
Chasing a rainbow through the woods, Iris encounters Arco, a boy who has stolen a time-travelling suit from his scientist parents and crash-landed in 2075. This charming animated fantasy blends futuristic adventure with heartfelt storytelling, offering a visually inventive world that appeals to all ages.
Bienvenu’s work has always blurred the line between retro charm and forward-thinking sci-fi, making this a must-see for animation enthusiasts.
Dir. Steven Kostanski
(read our interview with him here)
As the Dreadite horde cuts a path of destruction across the land, one man wields the power to rid the world of their evil — Deathstalker, a relentless and courageous hero. FX master Steven Kostanski conjures a bloody, entertaining hack-and-slash adventure, brimming with over-the-top action and dark humour. This reboot of the original film from _ is sure to please, and with this creative mind behind the production, it’s sure to be bloody! And for those unable to visit Vancouver for this cult classic, Shout! Studios will release it Oct 10th, 2025.
With Kostanski steering the gore and fun, this could very well be the new gold standard for fantasy revivals.
A foul-smelling gravedigger’s romance ends in tragedy, prompting her to attempt resurrection through a series of madcap scientific experiments. Glowicki and Ben Petrie inject zany, DIY horror energy into this modern twist on Mary Shelley’s classic themes of love, loss, and reanimation.
Glowicki’s quirky, hands-on aesthetic makes this one to watch for fans of experimental Canadian cinema.
An Iranian teenager who recently immigrated to Canada struggles to fit in at her new high school. Pressured to conform, she unintentionally unleashes a demonic force rooted within her. This darkly humorous coming-of-age horror explores identity, cultural tension, and the supernatural in clever, unsettling ways. By weaving cultural anxieties with supernatural dread, this film echoes the grounded terror of early Cronenberg.
A bawdy deconstruction of Romania’s most notorious legend, Radu Jude’s Dracula parodies the use of AI in filmmaking while delivering a cinematic feast of irreverent humour. The film is a multi-layered, genre-bending experience with six interwoven narratives designed to amuse and provoke.
Jude’s fearless satire might make this the most divisive entry of the festival — and that’s exactly why it belongs here.
After awakening from a coma with memory loss, Diane is taken to an experimental treatment centre in the wilderness by her husband, Homer. As visions of past trauma surface, Diane slowly uncovers dark truths about her marriage in this tense psychological drama that blends horror, mystery, and emotional depth. Sims-Fewer and Mancinelli excel at intimate, unsettling character studies — expect this one to linger long after the credits.
Two eccentric dreamers experience a freak accident that propels them back to 2008. Their inadvertent meddling wreaks havoc on the timeline, unleashing a riot of pop culture references, copyright-defying antics, and surreal gags. The result is a wildly inventive, meta-comedic journey through nostalgia and absurdity. Expect this to be a fan-service riot for those who followed the original cult TV series — and a trip for newcomers, too.
A computer nerd finds himself transported into a video game fantasy world when his dog is taken by the evil demon Ixaroth. Birney’s lo-fi adventure fuses analog horror with RPG mechanics, creating a nostalgic, black-and-white vaporwave aesthetic that celebrates retro gaming and DIY ingenuity.
This project feels like a love letter to gamers who spent nights with VHS rentals and pixelated screens.
Can a filmmaker depict the future without AI? Damien Hauser crafts an Afro-speculative fable set in a resurrected African kingdom, blending romance, war, and epic storytelling. A micro-budget yet ambitious cinematic experiment, the film is fueled by digital innovation, imaginative visuals, and deep emotional resonance.
This feature could be the sleeper hit of the festival, showing how vision and creativity can eclipse budgetary limits.
In a fractured reality where humanity has lost its ability to dream, a Fantasmer becomes a puckish outlier, slipping into the dreamworld and reincarnating across a century. Each rebirth unfolds within a different film genre, offering a kaleidoscopic exploration of imagination, memory, and the enduring human desire to create.
Expect cinephiles to adore this genre-shifting ride — it’s practically a love letter to film history itself.
Sizzle Reel for the
2025 Vancouver International Film Festival
From Menton3’s stark white spaces to Bill Sienkiewicz’s nightmare faces, Monocyte remains unmatched in horror comics. We revisit its world & soundtrack—and link it to today’s genre greats.
As part of the “From the Vault” series, I revisit a horror comic that truly stands the test of time and is a rarity in the hobby. IDW’s Monocyte is one of those titles that has a companion soundtrack! As a striking artistic centerpiece that any horror art or comic collector should treasure, it’s rare to see an additional release offered by the creators.
This four-part saga tells of an uprising led by a one-eyed demon—Monocyte—literally hell-bent on destroying the Conduit, a machine created by the Olignostics. They are immortals born from a fusion of politics and technology. Their origin traces back to an MIT scientist’s experiment harnessing the mysterious power of “Absolute Zero.” What that truly means is left vague in the dense two-page text spread that introduces the Olignostics and their rivals, the Antediluvians.
The Conjuring Last Rites may mark the end of the franchise on the big screen, but HBO Max’s TV series to continue the story will keep the Warrens alive. Just this week, the streamer announced Nancy Won as showrunner, with Peter Cameron and Cameron Squires joining the writer’s room. While Ed and Lorraine Warren claimed to have investigated countless cases, only the most sensational ones ever made it to theatres—often as overblown, fictionalized spectacles. What’s missing are the controversies surrounding the couple’s methods and credibility, which can take the franchise to a level other films never explore.
Believe it or not, 
The 2025 Vancouver International Film Festival guide is out, and it looks amazing compared to prior years! That’s because the lineup includes a piece from Steven Kostanski. Without him, I would not be planning a trip to the mainland to see this film! While this event rarely offers a proper Midnight Madness mini-festival within, this year looks like it may well be a star. Let’s hope so, because who doesn’t want a bit of terror this Autumn season?
Dir. Ugo Bienvenu
Dir. Steven Kostanski
