Tag: 2026

At Fantasia 2026, Let’s Dance! Or Should That Break Free From the Everyday?

Actually, the title of this film is Kunio’s online identity. He yearns to Break Free from his roots, and this gangster comedy shows how he does it!

Odore! Yakuza, known as Break Free in America, movie poster
Played at Fantasia Film Festival 2026 on July 18 at the Auditorium des diplômés de la SGWU (Théâtre Hall)

The Japanese movie Odore! Yakuza, known as Break Free in America, has style and nearly everything I want from a film featuring rhythmic music, yakuza fighting one another, and J-pop on top. It’s the perfect movie to begin my coverage of Fantasia Fest 2026 too! In this world, an anti-organized crime law enacted by the government has forced many gangs to either pack up or shut up. Whether that’s meant to mirror real Japanese law or simply serve the plot, I honestly can’t say.

The film is wildly gorgeous under Yu Nakamoto‘s direction. He delivers pathos and ethos in droves, while his focus on Kunio (Akito Fujii) shows just how deep a rut the character is in. He’s fiercely loyal to his crew, but they’re struggling to remain who they are rather than getting real jobs. That’s where the commentary comes in. Since Kunio can’t smack people around without getting tossed in jail, his protégé, Kuzunari (Atomu Mizuishi), comes up with the idea of recording him “dancing.” Goto (Kenta Kiritani), their boss, approves!

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What SDCC 2026 Comic Book Exclusives Are Worth Waiting In Line For? (Part Two)

As there a tons of SDCC 2026 Comic Book exclusives being offer this year, we take on the tough task on which 10 titles are worth waiting in line for!

SDCC 2026 Comic Book ExclusivesWhen some fans are seeking out SDCC 2026 comic book exclusives, the big question some may ask will be which titles are must haves? That’s because with these exclusive variant covers, they make great display pieces rather than gold mines for speculating (i.e. resale value). It’s not to say they are all going to make a solid investment, and that’s why a lot of these offerings are limited in scope, so no one can scalp.

As for which titles I’d personally go after, I continue in my list to focus only on the comics offered by the following companies. Sorry Marvel and DC but there nothing from your list of announced goodies that doesn’t strike me as special.

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Which SDCC 2026 Exclusives Are Worth Waiting in Line For?

Titan Entertainment, Mondo, and artist Chris Uminga are the highlights of this year’s must-grab SDCC 2026 exclusives; with a lottery system back in play, fans will want a game plan before hitting the show floor.

SDCC 2026 ExclusivesThe big convention down in San Diego is almost here, and while I feel divided over where my allegiances should lean to first, I still have to see what I can ask my friends attending to pick up for me. Yes, some of these SDCC 2026 exclusives may be worthwhile grabbing while they are hot.

As for movies and special screenings, the biggest upcoming films naturally get a massive Hall H push, but that’s not why I follow this event from afar. I have to love Image Comics for their cheeky release, Dread the Hall H, and that read is simply spot-on!

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When Wounds Run Deep. Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert Proves Danger is Everywhere!

When Yuen Woo-ping’s Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert is available to screen at Fantasia Film Festival, stream online and is ready for home video relaease in October, the big question should be this: which presentation is best to understand it all? We answer that.

Blades of the Guardians Wind Rises in the Desert poster
Playing at Fantasia on Sunday, July 19, 2026

Well Go USA
Coming to 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, and DVD on October 6, 2026

If you love intense, bloody action, Yuen Woo-ping’s Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert is the movie for you. When nearly every bounty hunter, ruffian, and vigilante wants a piece of Zhi Shi Lang (Yi-zhou Sun), the question of how well he can be protected needs to be asked. That’s because when we see  Dao Ma (Wu Jing) gets called in by his old friend (Tony Ka Fai Leung) who runs the the Mo Cla, to escort this highly valued target safely to the imperial capital of Chang’an is going to be challenging!

That’s because Zhi Shi Lang is a radical political revolutionary whose ideas about equality threaten the Emperor. When he is the most wanted man in the land, everyone is gonna want a piece of him, or just want to claim the prize for themselves.

But for Ma, he just wants this job done and over with. And once anyone sees that his destination is a place where dynasties can rise and fall, it’s going to be tough to not get involved. Whether that’s because of the allegiences made or whom he believes deserves to be on the throne, that isn’t the question. After watching other films like 1,000 Miles to Chang’an, it becomes clear that understanding the depth of this film requires more than passing knowledge of the period. The story is dense. And with all the wranglings going on, it’s easy to lose track of why certain people matter.

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AnimEigo Brings Home Five New Licenses (and Why I’m Excited for The AD Police Files) From Anime Expo 2026

AnimEigo is dusting off another shelf of anime history, bringing long-awaited classics, namely the The AD Police Files, and the underdogs into the spotlight for a new generation.

AnimEigo logoAt Anime Expo 2026, AnimEigo and parent company MediaOCD announced a handful of titles set for release next year. And one of them has been desired for a long time. And for fans of the Bubblegum Crisis saga, it’s about time The AD Police Files is getting a Blu-ray release.

No, we are not talking about the television series. Instead, it’s the three original video animations that predate Bubblegum Crisis. So the story goes, it seems some of the original material was lost, and it was impossible to remaster back then. But now, with someone discovering what’s needed to finally get it done, it now is! And who knows, maybe afterward, there may be a Mega Tokyo Mega Set that packages them all. While that’s hard to say if that will happen, this fan wants to be hopeful.

But there’s more than just one announcement. The two companies also said they will be releasing the following series to North America.

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Exploring Fantasia Film Fest’s Science Fiction Showcase 2026 Where Debates Are Sure To Rage

This year’s Science Fiction Showcase 2026 at Fantasia Film Festival is timely, especially as technology comes to head and AI is a topic to be debated.

Science Fiction Showcase 2026
Event runs from July 16 to August 2, 2026. Montreal, Quebec.

At Fantasia Film Fest, the International Science Fiction Showcase 2026 edition shows why they are no strangers to exploring humanity’s relationship with the evolving world. It will be explored on July 19, at the Cinéma du Musée. During this presentation, presented are works from six countries with visioniaries who have tales to tell that examines humanity’s evolving relationship with technology.

From artificial intelligence to social media to virtual reality, these shorts examine the promises and pitfalls of innovation, offering glimpses into futures that may not be as distant as they seem. And perhaps those catching a look into a probable future may want to reconsider why that dystopia future isn’t that far off. Images are provided for those pieces that has my attention as must sees.

Algorithm

Algorithm poster

Evie (Leonie Federle) just broke up with her beau, and as a means to cope, she thinks confiding to an AI Algorithm, is a good idea. Not only is it a p0pular personal assistant, social media manager, and the voice of the smart home hub, but also it may be alive.

Well, that’s the idea. Howeverf, when that ex arrives to maybe mend fences, can Cora (Virginia Hartmann) deal with all the technology that’s around her? I won’t say if this work is one part horror and another part revenge fantasy, but it’ll have plenty of folks curious!

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