It’s Not Just Love and War in The Legend of Hei II, It Waxes Philosophical

The Legend of Hei II expands Xiaohei’s world with a denser story focused on politics, philosophy, and the growing divide between humans and spirits. While the material may have benefited from a serialized format, the action and emotional stakes make this sequel a rewarding continuation.

The Legend of Hei II Bluray
Available to purchase on Amazon USA

GKIDS

After viewing The Legend of Hei II (罗小黑战记2) on home video, a few more watches and catching the web series to spot the shift in narrative direction feels like a must. The bonus material helps fill in a few gaps, but that wasn’t enough. The chronological order is easy enough to figure out, but making sense of everything requires paying close attention to every detail and reveal. What’s presented could easily have stretched into a new web series, or even a regular television show, and for Xiaohei (Shan Xin) to stretch his legs and explore the world makes sense.

His shifu, Wuxian (Liu Mingyue), is under house arrest after being framed for an attack at a hall where several humans possessing supernatural abilities are assassinated. Someone claims to have seen him there, and although he has no alibi to truly exonerate him, he’s willing to be placed under watch.

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Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter 25th Anniversary Review, A Holy Cult Classic Returns

Twenty-five years later, Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter returns with a restored 2K scan and renewed midnight movie energy. This Canadian cult classic remains as delightfully absurd as ever.

Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter Poster
Special Screening, June 11, 2026 at Mayfair Theatre (1074 Bank St) in Ottawa.

Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter is celebrating a milestone. After twenty-five years of being very, very quiet, Lee Demarbre’s cult classic is being honoured with a fresh revival. Library and Archives Canada provided a new 2K scan of the original 16mm negative for restoration, and a new DCP has been created to bring out the colours. It’s ready to sing! During the first week of June, the film had a party with Demarbre and superstar Phil Caracas attending special screenings. And this movie will keep preaching cross-country in the coming weeks, if not months, so the herald can be heard. This is the type of midnight madness cinema even Rocky Horror fans should attend!

This very beloved work was made on a shoestring budget, and it has enough romp to make a B-movie director blush. Its hilarity often feels right at home with a Troma production. But there’s more! There’s music, grindhouse attitude, and kaiju involved. Okay, not kaiju, but had it included some, I’d be beside myself. I was more impressed with the sentai influence. It’s not full-on Power Rangers style, but that flavour is clearly there. We even get some 70s-style Bruce Lee foolery when it matters.

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By the Power of Grayskull… Does Masters of the Universe (2026) Have Enough?

Masters of the Universe returns as pure popcorn fantasy, mixing 80s toy-box nostalgia, pulp adventure, cosmic mythmaking, and big IMAX-scale battles into one loud, colourful ride.

Masters of the Universe 2026 Movie PosterSo what does it mean to be one of the Masters of the Universe? That’s the question raised in the first few minutes of the movie. We are introduced to the fantasy world of Eternia and a creation myth: before time immemorial, the power of the cosmos ran unchecked and was named Greyskull.

A castle sits at the heart of that power, and still does, as part of a greater whole, a cosmos that appears bound inside a gravity well. Eternia, the planet Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) comes from, may well exist within that anomaly, and whoever wields the singularity can reshape destiny. The visual clues are there in the opening frame: When we see a cosmic being hammer an entire black hole, accretion disc included, into the Sword of Power. Whether intentional or not, it evokes the idea that the blade contains a singularity, giving new meaning to the phrase “I have the power.”

When the Filmation series touched upon similar ideas in “Visitors from Earth,” it suggested that such a possibility already existed within the mythology. If the struggle centres on claiming a cosmic weapon capable of shaping reality itself, then the reason the franchise is what it is makes a great deal more sense.

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Sherman Alexie Heads to Victoria for 3rd Annual F1RST Celebration of Indigenous Film

herman Alexie headlines the third edition of F1RST Celebration of Indigenous Film at The Vic Theatre in Victoria, July 17–19. The festival brings a newly restored print of The Business of Fancydancing alongside a full slate of Indigenous cinema.

F1RST: A Celebration of Indigenous FilmIf you grew up reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian or caught Smoke Signals (or its spin-off, made years later, Hey Viktor! featuring Cody Lightning; review link), let’s just say this year’s F1RST Celebration of Indigenous Film is worth checking out, locals and tourists to Victoria, BC alike.

Now in its third year, this event is bringing Sherman Alexie to The Vic Theatre. The writer behind some of the most recognized Indigenous storytelling in contemporary literature and film is headlining this edition, and the centerpiece is a newly restored print of The Business of Fancydancing, the film he wrote and directed, followed by a post-screening Q&A. He’ll also sit down with actor and physician Evan Adams (Smoke Signals, Bones of Crows) for a featured conversation on acting, writing, and directing.

From the Press Release:

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The Search for Gluscap Proves Not Every Giant Is Paul Bunyan

Brandon Mitchell’s Adventures of the Pugulatmu’j: The Search for Gluscap expands Mali and Puug’s journey with richer Mi’gmaw mythology, environmental themes, and folklore-driven adventure.

The Search for Gluscap
Available on Amazon USA to purchase

Portage & Main Press

When exploring Brandon Mitchell’s Adventures of the Pugulatmu’j graphic novel series for young readers, it’s best to begin with the first volume. I had to find a copy to understand how it all started before diving into volume two, The Search for Gluscap, which came out last month (May 5). In particular, I wanted to learn how Mali first met Puug, a guardian of the woods. Without that context, jumping in with a later volume is not quite the same as watching a film series, where important events are often recounted early in the narrative.

What makes this series appealing is how naturally it presents Mi’gmaw culture and daily life in New Brunswick, where the tale takes place. Rather than treating tradition as something distant or historical, Mitchell shows a living world where ancient beliefs remain intertwined with the present. The series also trusts that readers have been following the story since book one rather than pausing to repeat key details. Once I realized that within the first few pages, I knew I had to stop, find the first volume at a local library, or simply buy it.

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Can You Sweetly Smell What’s Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You Ahead of it’s Debut?

Amusingly, just who Sasaki meets at till number two is a cue that life may well change for him. If Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You borrows from Mötley Crüe, he may have just met the girl all the bad boys want.

Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You
©Jinushi/SQUARE ENIX,Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You Production Committee

Crunchyroll
Streaming link here.

From manga to anime, fans can now sample what’s cooking in Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You (スーパーの裏でヤニ吸うふたり). The series will make its official debut on July 4, and the first 12 mini-episodes offer an early taste of why this story from Jinushi has built such a loyal following. What is presented is more than another adult romance, and its appeal comes from how gently it observes loneliness, routine, and the small moments that make life feel less grey.

Sasaki (Takuya Satō) is an overworked office worker whose life has settled into a dull, joyless rhythm. One of the few bright spots in his day is a local supermarket, where the cheerful smile of cashier Yamada gives him a small reason to keep going. When another woman, Tayama (Seena Hoshiki), invites him to smoke behind the store, what follows plays with identity, attraction, and the difference between how people present themselves at work and who they become after hours.

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