Why Inertia Is A Low-Fi Slice-of-Life Sci-Fi You Can’t Miss

Breaking Glass Pictures’ Inertia tells the story of a teen (Brocagh Lynn) with involuntary temporal abilities, navigating adolescence in a small Pennsylvania town. The film blends sci-fi and emotional resonance, exploring loss, responsibility, and the quiet consequences of extraordinary power.

Inertial Movie PosterAnyone expecting Back to the Future in Breaking Glass PicturesInertia might be surprised. The film’s focus on a teen navigating existence under extraordinary circumstances can feel melodramatic at first, but it’s this very human lens that makes the story compelling. ‘s tale feels very rooted on his own experiences, and it shows. And both their struggles are relatable for anyone who has felt trapped by forces beyond their control: he never really had a chance to grow up.

The protagonist (Brocagh Lynn) is restless, and the film opens with a detailed introduction to his father, Dmitri (Aidan Everly), a temporal agent whose job is preventing paradoxes. The father’s work brings him into contact with Mariya (Jelena Uchev), and a one-night encounter results in the birth of the anomaly. The mother flees with her newborn, unaware of the boy’s latent temporal abilities, setting the stage for the story that unfolds fourteen years later in a small Pennsylvania town.

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Who’s The Dream Eater? When The Mythology Isn’t Wholly There.

Alex and Mallory flee to the woods to film his parasomnia, but Dream Eater never fully awakens its Lovecraftian or mythological promise. A found-footage descent into dreams and madness that teases Phobetor yet forgets his purpose.

Dream Eater Movie Poster 2025Alex suffers from a strange case of parasomnia in the movie Dream Eater, and he’s headed to the woods with his girlfriend to assist in his therapy. Their plan is to live in a cabin while she records his moments. The hope is that someone can study the footage and understand why this is happening. With Mallory Drumm and Alex Lee Williams not only starring but also writing and directing, I can’t help but wonder if taking on too many roles behind the camera is part of the film’s problem. Even Jay Drakulic, who has a minor role, shares a directorial credit.

Somewhere in a quiet corner of Quebec, the couple faces more than the usual relationship woes. They’re getting on each other’s nerves as Alex descends into a deeper psychosis. His inability to tell whether he’s dreaming or awake drives most of the film’s tension. The genuine fear lies in what he might do when his subconscious refuses to stop him. It’s a compelling hook, at least in theory, to keep audiences invested.

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Eephus – A Quiet Ode to Baseball, Memory, and Community

Eephus Movie PosterBaseball—often called America’s greatest pastime—takes centre field in Eephus. Even the title hints at its niche appeal: the “eephus” pitch is a slow, deceptive throw that only true baseball aficionados will recognize. But beyond its clever name, this film is less about the sport itself and more about the people playing it—a group of small-town locals in Massachusetts gathering for one last, low-stakes game on a fading field.

What makes Eephus intriguing, or perhaps alienating, is its minimalism. There’s no scoreboard tension, no politics, no conventional drama—just a handful of folks taking turns at bat as they wrestle with the minor frustrations of life. The camera observes quietly, offering a slice-of-life portrait of a community holding on to something simple and sacred before it all gets, literally, “mowed over.”

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In Erik Bloomquist’s Self Help, Helping Yourself May Be the Most Terrifying Act of All

Erik Bloomquist’s Self Help trades splatter for symbolism, using Halloween masks as metaphors for hidden selves. With Addison Timlin delivering a tense, layered performance and Jake Weber bringing cult-leader menace, this chilling horror drama is more about survival than scares.

Self Help Picture StillHalloween isn’t just a backdrop. And now that we’re approaching this annual event, some people are gearing up for more than trick or treating. In Erik Bloomquist’s Self Help, it’s a time for reflection. Here, young Olivia (Landry Bender) must confront what she’s done, accident or not.

This horror drama isn’t built on cheap scares; it’s about survival and the weight of feeling the world is against you. Some details are best left vague for those awaiting its VOD release, but after its FrightFest premiere, there’s every chance it’ll be fast-tracked for the spooky season.

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A Nerds’s Guide to the 2025 Victoria Fringe Festival

We offer our top ten picks on what to see at the 2025 Victoria Fringe Festival, and they span a wide range that includes comedy, burlesque and sci-fi!

2025 Victoria Fringe FestivalThe 2025 Victoria Fringe Festival will soon take over the Garden City and while I’m divided since it’s the start of Ghost Month, I’ll handle both in my own super and natural way.  This year’s lineup promises a fantastic mix of comedy, drama, sci-fi, and musicals from both local and touring artists. To help you navigate the packed schedule, I’ve put together a list of must-see picks that cover everything from improvised Shakespeare to a musical about Rapunzel and a drag sci-fi show. Whether you’re looking for something spooky, silly, or seriously thought-provoking, this guide has you covered.

20 QUESTIONS

20 QuestionsHINOX/TY WESLEY Victoria, BC
Created by: Hinox/Ty Wesley

Two paranormal investigators try to save their jobs until an annoying mysterious entity comes along and lures them into playing a game to save them from their ‘horrible fate’. Can they save themselves before their first date?

  • Showtimes: August 22 at 7:30 pm, August 31 at 5:00 pm.

THE DISNEY DELUSION

The Disney DelusionLEIF OLESON-CORMACK Edmonton, AB
Written by: Leif Oleson-Cormack

A hit at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe, this (unfortunately) true story follows a disastrous Disneyland trip that spirals into crime, delusion, and chaos on the night of the 2008 US election—featuring sinister sugar daddies, Sinatra impersonators, and a LOT of magical thinking along the way.

  • Showtimes: August 27 at 6:00 pm, August 28 at 7:15 pm, August 29 at 5:30 pm, August 30 at 12:00 pm, August 31 at 4:15 pm.

ESCAPE FROM VICTORIA

Escape from VictoriaTAMLYNN BRYSON Toronto, ON
Created by: Tamlynn Bryson & Rod Peter Jr.

It’s 1997, the future. Snake must clear his name and save Canada! The Canadian comedy hit of 2024 finally comes to Victoria.

  • Show Dates: August 20-31, 2025. Specific showtimes are not yet listed.

JUICY WOO-WOO!

juicy woo wooSOBOLTALK Burritt Rapids, ON
Created by: John Sobol

Juicy Woo-Woo! – the UFO Cabaret – features funky saxman and high-octane action poet John Sobol in a dazzling one-man show that offers a cogent and mind-expanding recap of the latest stunning developments in the weird and wild realm of UFOs.

 

  • Showtimes: August 21 at 7:45 pm, August 22 at 6:00 pm, August 23 at 3:15 pm & 2:00 pm, August 26 at 8:00 pm.

KIN

KinBECOMING THEATER Victoria, BC
Created by: Andrew Sawyer

An original musical based on the story of Rapunzel. When she learns she isn’t who she thought she is, Rapunzel travels down into the magical forest below her tower to find her name.

  • Showtimes: August 21 at 8:00 pm, August 27 at 8:00 pm, August 28 at 8:00 pm.

ORIGINS OF THE COAST

Origins of the CoastALECTORIA PRODUCTIONS Victoria, BC
Created by: Alectoria Productions

The creatures that live in those hidden places all around us have crawled out of the ocean and the forest and the mountains to speak with you at Macauley Point. They have been here since time began, and they are ready to share their story.

  • Show Dates: August 20-31, 2025. Specific showtimes are not yet listed.

POPURRÍ

PopurríPLASTIK THEATRIK Victoria, BC
Created by: Lore Andrea

From the nightmarish visions of an outcast Latina comes this surreal collection of short vignettes blended together with a whimsical and eerie flavour.

  • Show Dates: August 20-31, 2025. Specific showtimes are not yet listed.

RUBY’S POP UP PEEPSHOW

RUBY ENTERTAINMENTS AND EVENTS Victoria, BC
Created by: Ruby a.k.a Sarah Smith

By donation at the venue. People are pleasure! Doomsday got you down? Practice “radical joy” with us! Our travelling carnival-style entertainment has body-positive vibes. A community of celebration, with performances in the Pop Up circus caravan, accompanied by novel elements like popcorn, games, and prizes. It’s go-go on the go!

SPACE QUEEN

SPACE QUEENDRAG SUNDAY PRODUCTIONS Victoria, BC
Created by: Aaron Nickol/Shelita Cox

What do you do when the stories you needed growing up didn’t exist? This one-person sci-fi drag musical is a love letter to the queer futures we dream of, and a fight song for the histories we’ve lost. Sequins. Synths. And outer space.

  • Show Dates: August 23-30, 2025. Specific showtimes are not yet listed.

TRAGEDY OR TRIUMPH:
AN IMPROVISED SHAKESPEAREAN EPIC

Tragedy or Triumph- An Improvised Shakespearean EpicTHE SPONTANEOUS SHAKESPEARE COMPANY Vancouver, BC
Created by: The Spontaneous Shakespeare Company

Come see a once-in-a-lifetime Shakespearian epic, inspired by your story. Will it be a heart-rending tragedy or an epic romance? Join and find out!

  • Show Dates: August 20-31, 2025. Specific showtimes are not yet listed.

[Fantasia Film Festival] Five Ways Foreigner Exposes the Real Terror of Cultural Erasure

The real possession in Foreigner isn’t demonic—it’s cultural: the slow erasure of nuance, contradiction, and soul.

FOREIGNER - Poster 1 - 1
This movie played at the 2025 Fantasia International Film Festival on July 31st.

Ava Maria Safaid debut with her horror film Foreigner is sure to make waves. This standout exploring the Iranian diasporic experience is the opposite of Juliet and the King, which I reviewed a few days ago. While I’m more familiar with the mythic world of ancient Persia, this story echoes the dilemmas once faced by figures like Siavash and Mithra. Here, Yasamin (played with quiet intensity by Rose Dehgan) is an Iranian teenager whose family has moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, in search of a new beginning.

At home, Persian customs remain strong. But outside those walls, the world she faces is confusing and often against who she is. Her tale is the classic Hero’s Journey, with challenges that are both spiritual and social. Like Siavash, she wants to be seen for who she truly is—but has to prove herself in a place that doesn’t really get her. And like Mithra—a figure from an old Persian religion that isn’t really practiced anymore but still symbolizes things like truth and justice—she’s stuck between family traditions, society’s expectations, and figuring out her own identity. It’s that old struggle of holding on to who you are when everything around you says to change.

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