With The 8 Immortals Present, All Wishes Come True, Whether They’re Ready or Not for the Punchline

Although the tales of the 8 Immortals are part of the narrative in works like “The Journey to the East” and “Yellow-Millet Dream,” to give them their own animated special in All Wishes Come True gives newcomers a glimpse at what they’re capable of, and it’s a great adventure to boot too!

All Wishes Come True Movie PosterSpoiler Alert

I find Cineplex Movies‘ lack of faith disturbing. When All Wishes Come True! (八仙; lit. translation: The 8 Immortals) isn’t getting an even distribution across North America, and the chain may not be confident it can draw regular crowds in Canada. I can’t say I blame them. Nor can I speak to how the film is performing in other parts of the world. Usually, unless a Chinese production has a big name like Jackie Chan that audiences recognize, crowds aren’t guaranteed to flock to it. For writer/director Zhengyang Mu, a relative unknown, perhaps the film needs new posters that read, “From the studio that brought you Kung Fu Panda 3 and Abominable…”

That might help folks who are unsure about the film decide to see it. A few moments echo Pearl Studio‘s previous work and DreamWorks‘ design philosophy, making this movie an easier sell. The humour is evident, and everyone understands the Ocean’s Eleven reference. Who doesn’t want to see that? There’s also the promise of an animated action-adventure about the Eight Immortals, technically soon-to-be immortals, who must prove their worth as new heroes while the current ruling dynasty sorts itself out. This introduction establishes how they rose through the ranks and challenged the norm.

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The Latest Ne Zha 3 News. Is This Movie Coming in 2028 or 2030?

After scouring various Chinese website for the latest, the latest Ne Zha 3 news are as follows. Simply we, put, we have to be patient.

Ne Zha News; Ne Zha 3 Poster
(Artwork not final)

Neither year is official. The latest Ne Zha 3 news is certainly telling, and we’ll have to be patient. When Ne Zha 2 (movie review) smashed many box office records and left viewers with that doozy of a cliffhanger regarding Monk Wuliang’s fate and meeting with others of his sect, just what’s going to happen next won’t be inspired by any of the classical books of Chinese Literature! What’s presented is wild, and the wait will be long so creator Yang Yu (professionally known as Jiaozi) can craft a story that’s meaningful and action packed.

On Ne Zha 3’s Douban page, the potential year of release changed from 2028 to 2030 in February 2025. It was subsequently changed back to 2028. Since the Chinese answer ot the INDB can contain provisional information, neither alteration represented an announcement from the production company.

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Say Hello and Not Goodbye Monster When Luke Burnett Entertains the Dickens Out of Curiosity Seekers of this Short

In Goodbye Monster, a teenager’s imaginary friend decides it’s time to move on. Luke Barnett’s funny and thoughtful short film gives its coming-of-age premise a wonderfully monstrous twist.

Goodbye, Monster PosterWilson (Kue Lawrence) doesn’t want to grow up. In this hilarious coming-of-age story about a teen with a goblin for an imaginary friend, the creature is ready to pack his bags and move on. After a certain age, most kids are ready for that transition: dating, partying and, well, girls. Fans seeing Goodbye Monster in the Are You Afraid of Fantasia short-film block will laugh and root for Luke Barnett, who steals the show as the goofball monster under the bed. He thinks walking out of the bedroom and into freedom will be easy.

As for the now-teenage Wilson, he’s puzzled. Just when he thinks life will continue to be rough, Monster recounts something that foreshadows even more trouble to come. Honestly, I think Barnett has created a great proof of concept that could turn this short into a feature film. I want to know more about its mythology, and I’d love to see more from this multitalented actor turned writer and director.

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Who’s Bleating now? King Arthur’s Night, The Documentary in Review

John Bolton’s King Arthur’s Night blends documentary filmmaking with a filmed theatrical production, creating an unusual take on the Arthurian legend. While the hybrid approach doesn’t always work, the performances and music make it a memorable tribute.

King Arthur's Night Poster ImageScreening at the VIFF Theatre (Vancouver, BC) July 14 and 18th. Please click here to purchase tickets in advance.

Set against the backdrop of Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia, John Bolton’s King Arthur’s Night is a bold reimagining of the tale told by Thomas Malory. It offers a meta-look at the play through the lens of preproduction and filmmaking rather than focusing solely on the play itself. While that approach is not altogether bad, the presentation is misleading. When all I want is to see the two separate than apart, I can at least stay fixed to the fiction. The non-fiction can live in it own world.

Because we see bits of filming take place in-betweeen the edited cuts, I’m left begging for just the myth to be told. Perhaps that will change. Until there is an announcement that there is a story only cut, what we have is a work that feels like This Is Spinal Tap!

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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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Gotta Watch Them All. Fantasia Film Festival 2026’s Pearl Jubilee Top Selections! (Part Two)

In part two of our Fantasia Film Festival 2026 pre-event coverage, we dive into the zany and also include a blast of the past where needed.

Fantasia Film Festival 2026 poster
Event runs from July 16 to August 2, 2026. Montreal, Quebec.

When certain must-see lists get way too large, it’s best to split things up or subsection. This fact is especially true when planning on what to see at Fantasia Film Festival 2026; when this year has a lot more short film programs added to the party, it’s safe to say some people won’t be sleeping. Some enthusiasts may well be running frantically to catch the next work on their itinerary.

No big intro is needed, and that’s because with this part, I’ve included two movies freely available on YouTube that are required viewing before part three is viewed on the big screen!

The Fox

The FoxSet in a parallel world where animals talk, hustle, swear, and scheme, The Fox opens with Nick (Jai Courtney, Dangerous Animals, The Suicide Squad) discovering that his fiancée, Kori (Emily Browning, American Gods, Sleeping Beauty), is cheating on him. Forced to accept that their relationship has run its course, he’s devastated.

Everything changes when Nick captures a fox (Olivia Colman, The Favourite, The Lobster), who offers him some unconventional marital advice in exchange for her freedom.

Her suggestion? Push Kori into a magical hole, where she’ll emerge transformed into a woman who adores him unconditionally and will never leave. Not exactly a man known for making wise decisions, Nick thinks it sounds like the perfect solution, completely unaware that a much bigger plan may already be unfolding. – Fantasia Film Festival

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