Bisou Sauvage and Szczerbowski Shine in This Thought-Provoking NFB Showcase

The National Film Board of Canada brings a striking range of animated storytelling to Victoria Film Festival. In part one, I take a closer look at Bisou Sauvage and Szczerbowski, two shorts that confront human duality, moral consequence, and the fragile space between love and harm.

National Film Board of Canada LOGOThe National Film Board of Canada

is presenting at the Victoria Film Festival, and what they’ve got is a wide range of adventures. From making statements about the society we’re in to a fun-filled twist on what a zombie pandemic can look like, even I have to be amazed. In part one, I’ll be taking a look at Bisou Sauvage and Szczerbowski.

This examination will be broken up into two parts to give the four pieces a decent look at why they must be viewed. And hey, Jay Baruchel is all-Canadian in this piece (you’ll have to read part two for that review), and I have to love the fact he’s broken away from his Hiccup past to show he has versatility with his vocal performances.

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Chinese New year 2026: The Essential Film Lineup You Need to See

The films offered during Chinese New Year 2026 is a mix of fun and action in the only way the leading film likes it. From animated bear sized chaos to desert-scale action, here are the releases worth tracking down.

Chinese New Year熊出没·年年有熊 (Bears Appear Every Year) Chinese New year 2026 2026 may feel late, but there’s a reason for that. In ancient times, the traditional calendar followed both the sun and the moon. That balance matters, especially when studios deliberately time releases to echo ideas of renewal, repetition, and harmony. This year’s holiday slate leans hard into that symbolism. Whether it’s animated bears stuck in a cycle, desert-bound warriors chasing destiny, or families barely holding it together over banquets, these films feel tailor-made for the season. This list highlights what to find, from international releases to local favourites.

熊出没·年年有熊 (Bears Appear Every Year)

The Boonie Bears are a chaotic duo who’ve become one of mainland China’s most recognisable animated exports, though comparing them to Yogi and Boo Boo only gets you so far. They’re operating in a different tonal universe, one where slapstick escalates quickly and logic is optional. Over the years, they’ve been joined by familiar faces like Vick, once an outright adversary, and Warren the raccoon, expanding their world beyond simple bear-on-human mischief. It’s almost expected at this point that a new Boonie Bears movie arrives every year, often timed squarely for Chinese New Year. That consistency has turned the series into a holiday fixture. The humour is broad, the pacing relentless, and the appeal is cross-generational. With 年年有熊 literally translating to “Bears Appear Every Year,” there’s a strong suggestion this entry leans into repetition, tradition, and cyclical time. If there’s a Groundhog Day-style loop involved, it would fit neatly with zodiac symbolism and the idea of patterns renewing themselves year after year.

镖人：风起大漠 (Blades of the Guardians)

镖人：风起大漠 (Blades of the Guardians)Styled as a full-throttle wuxia epic, Blades of the Guardians sends Dao Ma (Jing Wu), the “second most wanted fugitive,” on what should be a straightforward escort mission to Chang’an. Naturally, it isn’t. Set against the vast expanse of the Gobi Desert, the trailers suggest a Mad Max meets Wild West energy, with bandits, shifting allegiances, and violence erupting from every direction. The mystery surrounding the mission, and the involvement of the Mo family clan, hint at deeper political and personal stakes. With Jet Li in the cast and international distribution planned via Well Go USA, this one feels positioned to travel well beyond the holiday window.

Hong Kong Chinese New Year 2026 Releases

夜王 (Night King)

夜王 (Night King)Directed by Jack Ng, following the success of A Guilty Conscience, Night King explores Hong Kong’s nightlife through a comic lens. Set around the East Sun Nightclub, the story revolves around Brother Foon, played by Dayo Wong, as he battles a hostile corporate takeover. The threat comes in the form of V-jie, a ruthless CEO portrayed by Sammi Cheng, who also happens to be his ex-wife. Old-school values clash with modern corporate power, but the film frames that tension as comedy first, making it a familiar, crowd-friendly New Year watch with bite beneath the laughs.

双囍 (Double Happiness)

双囍 (Double Happiness)Few films align more neatly with the emotional pressure of Chinese New Year than Double Happiness. The holiday is built around reunion, even when families are fractured, and this film turns that tension into farce. Two incompatible families, two wedding banquets, one hotel, one day. The result is escalating chaos as a soon-to-be-married couple, played by Liu Kuan-ting and Jennifer Yu, try to keep everyone smiling. Weddings and Lunar New Year share the same promise of renewal and unity, and Double Happiness pokes at that promise without tearing it down. It lets the rituals spin out of control, then gently asks what family actually looks like once the ceremonies end. That mix of humour, recognition, and emotional release makes it an easy fit for communal holiday viewing.  

Guy Ritchie’s Young Sherlock is Boldly Changing What This Detective Hasn’t Done Before

Prime Video’s Young Sherlock looks like a confident new take on Holmes before the legend. The trailer teases action, Moriarty, and a mysterious royal played by Zine Tseng, with Guy Ritchie aiming to win over both new viewers and old-school fans.

Young Sherlock Poster\Whether we need another youthful take on iconic heroes before their prime may well depend on how Young Sherlock is received. With fond memories of the psychedelic mystery tale Young Sherlock Holmes still vivid in my mind, Guy Ritchie faces a challenge in winning over older fans.

The official trailer from Prime Video certainly looks promising. Fiennes Tiffin comes across as more enthusiastic than stagnant in the role of Sherlock Holmes, and overall the casting and reinterpretation work. It’s arguably more engaging than the Robert Downey Jr. version, though still a fair distance from what those raised on the Basil Rathbone classics might hold as definitive.

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Luc Bresson’s Dracula Has Enough Bite To Be Memorable

Luc Besson’s Dracula: A Love Tale reshapes the familiar myth with a sweeping origin, a centuries-long hunt for reincarnated love, and a boldly camp performance from Caleb Landry Jones. It’s uneven in its digital effects, but the pulp energy and gothic romance make it a surprisingly fun Valentine-season watch.

Luc Bresson's Dracula Movie PosterLuc Besson’s Dracula: A Love Tale is certainly a different beast. Just when fans of the vampire tale think they’re getting another retelling of Bram Stoker’s classic, what’s presented here begins elsewhere. It offers a great deal of backstory that may have been imagined but never fully dramatized. The novel itself is structured as a series of letters, memos, and recordings recounting how the Count made it to London.

In this auteur’s take, the broader backdrop remains familiar, but the narrative lens shifts. The universe is largely set in France, though any revolutionary parallels feel faint at best. Instead, the focus rests on the Ottoman invasion of Romania, and how young Prince Vladimir (Caleb Landry Jones) vows to save his people from this encroaching tyranny. His fear is not only for his homeland but for Elisabeta’s (Zoë Bleu) safety. Should the enemy breach their borders, she would be taken prisoner. He knows this all too well.

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Blades of the Guardians: What Viewers Need To Know Before the Live-Action Film Release

Yuen Woo-ping’s Blades of the Guardians arrives this Chinese New Year, adapting Xu Xianzhe’s acclaimed manhua Biao Ren. Here’s what viewers need to know about its historical setting, escort mission, and live-action potential before release.

BLADES OF THE GUARDIANS Movie PosterWell GO USA

Yuen Woo-ping’s Blades of the Guardians is ready to strike this Chinese New Year, and it’s worth examining why this adaptation carries so much anticipation. Originally titled Biao Ren (鏢人), the series was created by Xu Xianzhe and began serialization in 2015. The story remains ongoing.

The series quickly distinguished itself through its painterly art style and its grounding in historical context. Set during the waning years of the Sui Dynasty, the narrative unfolds against a backdrop of famine, rebellion, and a government losing its grip on authority. As of 2024, twelve collected volumes have been published. English editions have been slow to materialize, but for viewers curious about an on-screen interpretation, a donghua adaptation is already available.

Blades Stills Dao Ma, Di Ting

The story centres on Dao Ma (Jing Wu), a hardened warrior hired to protect travellers from the ruthlessness of feudal China. Banditry is widespread, and that danger is likely where the film will place much of its early focus. He accepts a contract to escort a living piece of cargo, a child who must be delivered safely to the city of Chang’an. The simplicity of that mission quickly erodes. Assassins, political agents, and rival forces converge on the convoy, each carrying their own agenda regarding the child’s fate. What begins as paid protection gradually reveals itself to be entangled in imperial succession, prophecy, and the unstable future of the empire itself.

In the manhua, the opening volumes establish these stakes carefully. No one fully understands why the child is important, but as the caravan pushes through the Western Regions, survival becomes as much environmental as political. Dao Ma’s commitment to completing the job is repeatedly tested. With his own son, Xiao Qi, travelling alongside him, the mission also becomes a lesson in honour, reputation, and perhaps fatherhood too.

To abandon the contract would not only risk the child’s life, it would tarnish his reputation.

Blades Stills Ayuya

Whether the film concludes with the convoy reaching Chang’an remains uncertain, and may depend on whether the production is designed as a self-contained story or the foundation of a larger series. The child actors in this work have yet to be identified, and if more films are indeed planned, keeping those actors around will require planning.

Also, according to the source material, the journey does not end upon delivery. Ma’s attachment will no doubt keep him around, especially after the child is destined for greater things. Both he and the audience will have to wonder why a lot of magistrates are interested in “the welfare” of the child. Could he be The Golden Child?

Another thought concerns how similar this narrative is to Lone Wolf and Cub. Both works follow lethal warriors guiding children through a world where violence is everywhere. To keep them safe is tough. Blades of the Guardians appears ready to translate that same intensity to the screen, with an emphasis on grounded combat and physical realism rather than spectacle-driven CGI. What’s emphasized is to show true grit over everything else.

With Yuen Woo-ping directing, expectations for the action are understandably high. The cast includes superstars such as Jet Li (Hero), Wu Jing (The Wandering Earth), Nicholas Tse (Raging Fire), and Max Zhang (The Grandmaster). Veteran performers Tony Leung Ka-fai (Election) and Kara Wai (My Young Auntie) also appear.

As this work is slated for simultaneous release in both China and America, fans of wuxia will no doubt be excited. Not only do we have a stellar cast, but we also have the following to marvel at:

Blades of the Guardians Teaser Trailer

A Fan Expo Vancouver 2026 Update. What’s Hot and What’s Not.

For those who need a capsule update, Fan Expo Vancouver 2026 has a huge lineup of repeat guests and fond favourites returning to interact with fandom.

Fan Expo Vancouver 2026Runs Feb 14th to 16, 2026
Vancouver Convention Centre

The guest list is shaping up to be intense in this Fan Expo Vancouver 2026 update. Rather than a scattershot mix of genres, this year leans hard into ensemble events. There’s now an added show bringing the Hobbits from The Lord of the Rings to make those last-minute choices easy, and there are almost certainly more events still to come that haven’t been announced yet. The cast of Hazbin Hotel is back!

With so many IPs represented, choosing what to prioritize is going to be tough. The big question is whether one big auditorium is enough to contain it all, and where it’ll be held. The hall in the East Building feels like the most likely candidate, since moving it off-site would feel unusual. That space was used years back when Kevin Smith was in town, and it turned into an amazing night to remember.

Whether that kind of magic happens again depends on the vibe, the crowd, and the programming. For now, here’s what’s been announced, plus who’s attached to the after-hours specials so far.

When Middle Earth Is the Spotlight

Fan Expo Hobbits! The heart of the guest list belongs to The Lord of the Rings, with multiple combinations of the Fellowship appearing. Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan headline a Shire-centric reunion, while expanded groupings add John Rhys-Davies and David Wenham for fans wanting a broader slice of Middle-earth. For those who prefer a more focused moment, Rhys-Davies and Wenham also appear together as a duo, spotlighting the franchise’s more battle-worn heroes.

On the Small Screen With Smallville and Battlestar

Tom Welling and Erica Durance Superhero television gets its due with Smallville, as Tom Welling, Erica Durance, and Kristin Kreuk reunite. For a lot of fans, this era of The CW’s superhero TV still feels personal. It helped set the table for how audiences would embrace long-form comic-book storytelling on television. There’s also an evening event with this trio built around reliving moments from the series.

Katee Sackhoff and Alessandro Juliani represent the newer Battlestar Galactica era, and their presence doubles as a reminder that genre favourites don’t vanish just because a reboot stalls out. It helps that they’re locals too, which gives this appearance a proper home-field feel.

Wizards, Wolves, and Vampires

The Phelps Twins at Fan Expo Even though the Stanley Park Forbidden Forest attraction closed its doors, the timing here still feels like a missed opportunity. With James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, and Matthew Lewis coming to town, the overlap is right there. Planning at this scale is rarely simple, but Fan Expo has been known to connect with local partners when the fit is right.

On the darker, moodier side, Twilight is well represented. Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Kellan Lutz, and Peter Facinelli appear in various groupings, including a paired photo op for Greene and Rathbone that leans into the romantic side of the franchise. It’s a reminder that this fandom remains loyal, organized, and very aware of its favourite dynamics.

The 80s Is Alive With Fond Classics at Fan Expo Vancouver 2026

Nostalgia runs strong with The Goonies, represented by Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, and Kerri Green. It’s a compact reunion rooted in one of the most enduring adventure films of the 80s, and a fun overlap year with several franchises represented across the show floor. Fans will keep hoping for Ke Huy Quan to join them someday.

On the flip side, cult cinema arrives with The Lost Boys, as Feldman reunites with Jamison Newlander, giving fans a chance to celebrate one of the genre’s most stylish eras.

The Goonies in Astoria
Sean Astin, Jeff Cohen, Ke Huy Quan, Kerri Green and Corey Feldman reunited for the premiere of “Love Hurts” at TCL Chinese Theatre on February 3, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)

Heroes in a Half Shell

One of the most ensemble-heavy appearances comes from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with François Chau, Kenn Scott, Brian Tochi, Ernie Reyes Jr., Robbie Rist, and Judith Hoag appearing together. It’s a deep cut for fans who know the voices, the performances, and the physicality behind the masks, even if the suits themselves stay off the convention floor.