Shell-A-Bration 2026 Updatess and TMNT! Upcoming Dates And Why This Reunion Shouldn’t Be Missed

A TMNT “Shell-A-Bration” reunion tour has been rolling through cons, bringing suit performers and voice actors together for fans who grew up on the 1990 live-action classic. With rotating lineups, raffle moments, and plenty of nostalgia, this circuit is a proper love letter to the people behind the shells.

TMNT Shell-A-BrationThe Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are having a “Shell-A-Bration” because when the tour began in 2025, the original film that started it all was celebrating a 35-year milestone. The reunion kicked off at Awesome Con in Washington, D.C. (March 4–6, 2025), and the main cast has been enthusiastic nonstop ever since. It’s not just about everyone getting older and wanting a retirement fund. Whether that’s part of the reality or not, seeing the voice talents and the people behind the first two live-actions film is a thrill all on its own. At each stop, they talk about the camaraderie, the laughs, and the stories from set, and I’m sure plenty of respect gets paid to the performers in the suits who handled the stunts.

Kenn Scott (suit/voice) is Raphael; Michaelan Sisti (suit) and Robbie Rist (voice) make up Michelangelo; Leif Tilden (suit) and Corey Feldman (voice) teamed up as Donatello (with Ernie Reyes Jr. providing the martial arts stunts); and David Forman (suit) and Brian Tochi (voice) bring Leonardo to life. The lineup changed between films, but I doubt anyone who wasn’t at the table this time was forgotten on the broader circuit.

Feldman was at least “there in spirit,” since he was also representing The Goonies. He arrived late in getting to Vancouver due to a flight kerfuffle, then sped down I-5 to make it to the border and into town. If he’d had the energy to celebrate both, the lineup with him included would have been truly Shell-tacular. Still, mixing performers and voice talent gives fans the best of both worlds. You’re seeing the people behind the costumes, and the ones playing the characters we all see in those films.

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7 Generations A Plains Cree Saga’s 15th Anniversary Release. On Why This Story Still Resonantes.

This may be the season to be jolly, but for others it can also be a time for reflection. 7 Generations A Plains Cree Saga invites that quieter pause, asking us to look back in order to understand what we carry forward. While it isn’t a holiday tale like Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, it shares a similar impulse, using reflection as a means of understanding responsibility, memory, and the path ahead.

7 Generations A Plains Cree Saga
This anniversary release includes mini-essays and a prologue to explain why this story matters, and to explain a bit of Cree culture. Available to purchase on Amazon USA.

David A. Robertson and Scott B. Henderson’s 7 Generations A Plains Cree Saga marks its 15th anniversary this year, and the newly released collected edition offers a powerful reminder of just how emotionally devastating, and quietly resonant, this story remains. It’s been recoloured and relettered, which makes its message all the more powerful. At its centre is Edwin, a young man who cannot find a reason to live. When his mother discovers him at death’s door during an unplanned visit, even a desperate rush to the hospital seems insufficient. The book opens not with hope, but with exhaustion.

It’s a moment many people encounter at some point, particularly during the holidays, when expectations, memory, and pressure collide. In that sense, Edwin’s despair feels painfully recognisable. I couldn’t help but feel for him, namesake coincidence aside. What changes everything, though, is the way life reasserts itself, not as a lecture or a solution, but through story.

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Aria the Animation at 20! Stunning Soundtrack Sets Sail on a Limited-Edition Vinyl

Celebrate 20 years of Aria the Animation with a soothing return to Neo-Venezia. The series’ original soundtrack sails onto vinyl for the first time—pressed in stunning clear blue and clear editions, complete with Kozue Amano’s original jacket art.

Aria the Animation Soundtrack Vinyl coverAvailable to view on Crunchyroll

In celebration of Aria the Animation marking its 20th anniversary, fans can look forward to a beautifully crafted 2-disc vinyl edition of the beloved soundtrack. This marks the first time this anime series’ original score will be released on vinyl—an elegant tribute to the tranquil spirit of Neo-Venezia and the music that helped define it.

The record features the same jacket artwork by manga-ka Kozue Amano that first graced the original CD soundtrack, keeping its gentle charm intact. For collectors and longtime fans, the first-edition pressings come in clear blue and clear vinyl, capturing the soft, translucent beauty of Aqua’s world. Don’t miss this special release that perfectly mirrors the calm, dreamlike aesthetic of the anime itself.

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International Rescue is Back! Thunderbirds’ 60th Anniversary Cinema Double-Bill

The classic British sci-fi series Thunderbirds is returning to UK cinema for a special anniversary engagement in true high def! FAB!

Thunderbirds Poster in 4KThunderbirds will be available in UK cinemas on 20th September

Nostalgia is going to fill the air next month with Thunderbirds celebrating 60 glorious years! From the press release, Anderson Entertainment and Kaleidoscope Entertainment are thrilled to announce a big-screen experience for fans of classic British sci-fi adventure to mark its 60th Anniversary. This cinematic double-bill brings together two of the most iconic episodes ever made:  Trapped in the Sky  and Terror in New York City. The double-bill will be in UK cinemas, in expertly restored stunning 4K UHD.

Bursting with action, suspense, and Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s groundbreaking Supermarionation, these fan favourites showcase International Rescue at its very best—combining daring rescues, stunning model work, and unforgettable characters.

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The NFB at imagineNATIVE’s 25th and F1RST Enters Its Second Year!

From Toronto, Ontario to Victoria, British Columbia, two film festivals will populate the month of June with works from Indigenous filmmakers guaranteed to entertain! And we got the info for both (spread out in two articles).

imagineNATIVE Film FestivalIn Person Events Runs June 3-8, 2025 with an online following.

June feels like Indigenous Month rather than the single day set aside based on the press releases I’ve been receiving. At the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival in Toronto, not only will there be four films from the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) to showcase the creations from this world, but also, this event will celebrate 25 glorious years! And so no one feels left out because they can’t travel there, an online version will be available from June 9 to 15 which will include these works!

And as a side note, I’ll be doing some coverage with the Victoria Film Festival’s F1rst: A Celebration Of Indigenous Films, which takes place June 19 to 22nd. They will screen Reel ‘Native American’ (not the actual title, as I feel the word used is still considered offensive) on June 21st as a free event, and Inkwo for When the Starving Returns later that day. The latter is a popular film, and details are provided below.

Ninan Auassat: We, the Children

Ninan Auassat- We, the ChildrenBy Kim O’Bomsawin
June 5, at 11:00 a.m. | TIFF Lightbox 3

Shot over more than six years, Abenaki director Kim O’Bomsawin’s Ninan Auassat celebrates the power and vitality of Indigenous youth from three different nations—Atikamekw, Eeyou Cree and Innu. Filmed from “a child’s eye-view” and without adult voices, the film reveals the dreams of a new generation poised to take flight.

Siksikakowan: The Blackfoot Man

Siksikakowan- The Blackfoot ManBy Sinakson Trevor Solway
June 7, at 2:30 p.m. | TIFF Lightbox 1 (screening in-person only)

Siksika filmmaker Sinakson Trevor Solway intimately portrays the lives of Blackfoot men as they navigate identity, kinship and the complex expectations of manhood. Through unfiltered moments set against the breathtaking landscape of the Prairies, Siksikakowan: The Blackfoot Man reimagines what it means to be a Native man.

My Friend the Green Horse

By Alanis Obomsawin
ONTARIO PREMIERE, filmmaker in attendance

Sensory Friendly Screening:
June 4, at 11 a.m., TIFF Lightbox 2

Short Film Program: FAMILY MATTERS
June 8, at 1 p.m. | TIFF Lightbox 3

My Friend the Green Horse

Often feeling alone in her waking life, a young Alanis Obomsawin found friendship with the Green Horse, a benevolent being she visited regularly in her dreams. In this short film combining stop-motion animation and live action, the Green Horse and other animal spirits guide Alanis to realize the immensity of the gift of life and the power of kindness.

Alanis will also take part in ReMatriate the Lens, a women’s roundtable discussion on Friday, June 6, at 4:15 p.m. at The Well, presented as part of imagineNATIVE Industry Days.

Inkwo for When the Starving Return

Inkwo For When the Starving Return PosterBy Amanda Strong
For a review, please check this link here.

Short Film Program: WITCHING HOUR | Friday, June 6, at 10 p.m. | TIFF Lightbox 3 | Filmmaker in attendance

Michif/Métis creator Amanda Strong’s Inkwo is a stop-motion animated adaptation of a short story by Richard Van Camp in which a gender-shifting warrior uses their Indigenous medicine (Inkwo) to protect their community from a swarm of terrifying creatures. Featuring such voice talents as Paulina Alexis and Tantoo Cardinal.

To note, they make up part of my top ten picks of must sees. The other works include:

13 Moon Calender

An Anishinaabe XR artwork that pays homage to each of the 13 Moons, sharing the teachings on the turtle’s back.

The Legends of Eternal Snow

The Legends of Eternal SnowWhen Khabyy is tasked with exchanging riches for the hand of a beautiful young bride for his old Chief, he does not anticipate the mission leading him back to a dark and haunted past. Accompanied by two other men, one bent on challenging Khabyy’s authority and the other softening to the bride’s strong will to escape, the group finds themselves battling the harsh Yakutia climate and barely surviving. Tensions rise throughout the long and arduous journey and when they seek shelter in an old abandoned hut, they discover it holds a subject of lore with which Khabyy is all too familiar.

Endless Cookie

Endless Cookie Movie PosterPete and Seth Scriver’s Endless Cookie is a refreshingly unique animated documentary, a testament to their singular vision and handcrafted charm. It’s a film that deftly navigates complex themes of race and identity through the lens of a deeply personal journey, tracing the bond between two half-brothers — one Indigenous, one white — as they traverse the stark contrasts between isolated Shamattawa and 1980s Toronto. The Scrivers’ animation style, imbued with a raw, unpolished energy, perfectly complements their candid storytelling.
The film’s humour is both sharp and endearing, weaving together anecdotes about documentary filmmaking amidst a chaotic household, grocery store escapades, and encounters with caribou. Beyond the laughter, Endless Cookie is rooted in a quiet yet powerful resistance to colonialism, offering a nuanced exploration of Indigenous life. It’s a film that finds beauty in the every day, weaving together oral histories and cosmic musings into a bittersweet tapestry of life.

Seeds

Seeds PosterKaniehtiio Horn’s Seeds is a sharp, unsettling thriller and black comedy that digs deep into Indigenous anxieties. Horn, pulling triple duty as writer, director, and star, crafts a taut narrative around Ziggy, a Toronto bike courier and emerging influencer drawn back to her community and into the orbit of a suspicious seed company, Nature’s Oath. The film’s strength lies in its ability to blend the familiar tropes of a thriller with the specific, often overlooked, suspicions of Indigenous communities, exploring the fraught relationship between land, reproduction, and corporate exploitation.
The remote setting and the increasingly strange happenings around Ziggy’s aunt’s house and the cache of seeds she protects amplify the palpable, creeping dread. Horn skillfully weaves Kanienʼkehá:ka perspectives into the narrative, creating a film that is both thrilling and deeply resonant. It’s a work that lingers, built on dark humour and subversion of genre, all with a very Mohawk twist.

Shorts Program: WITCHING HOUR

When INKWO is part of the package deal, it’s best to see all the short films altogether. Most of the times, just what storytellers from this nation tell is far more foreboding and imaginative when compared to what the mainstream pumps out. The other films are Uncommon Ground, Uasheshkun, Settler and Haze Over.

The Lost Tiger

Teo, a Tasmanian tiger found and raised by a family of wrestling kangaroos, feels out of place more than ever when his differences become apparent after his attempt to fit into the family’s travelling wrestling show. Recurring visions of his origins spark a journey to self-discovery and a mission to save his homelands from coloniz— “conservation.”

The Word is Out! Anime Expo Cinema Nights 2024/25 Schedule

Some movies are best experienced on the big screen and with what’s offered for Anime Expo Cinema Nights 2024/25, these gems are worth revisiting!

Anime Expo Cinema Nights LogoIconic Events Releasing, a company specializing in distributing limited engagement theatrical events to movie theatres, has announced an extraordinary lineup of acclaimed classic anime films scheduled to screen across the U.S. and select cities in Canada as part of the latest edition of Anime Expo Cinema Nights (“AX Cinema Nights”). These immersive, experiential community screenings commence in September and continue into Q2 of 2025. Subtitled and dubbed screenings will be presented for most titles.

Each film will be shown in more than 500 theatres throughout North America, and the lineup includes anniversary theatrical releases of some classic movies, and a concert!

Anime Expo Cinema Nights Event Schedule

Ninja Scroll 30th Anniversary (HIDIVE)
Screens Sept. 11th (sub), Sept. 12th (dub) Sept. 15th (encore of choice)

Ninja ScrollWhen Jubei saves a young ninja woman from the unthinkable, he assumes that’s the end of it. To his surprise, it’s only just the beginning. Together, the two investigate the mysterious deaths of an entire village which uncovers a conspiracy of demonic proportions! Getting closer to the truth, the demonic forces will stop at nothing to silence Jubei and his companion for good!

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