On the surface, this is a fantastical sword-and-sandals epic under Christopher Nolan’s guidance. There are creatures, gods, magic, battles, and enormous environments that make Odysseus seem almost impossibly small. Yet Nolan never lets the spectacle take over completely. No matter how strange or intense the journey gets, the world feels physical. The danger has weight. Every storm, wound, and loss feels real rather than something brushed aside once the next set piece begins.

That grounded quality makes the movie work so well. Nolan understands the appeal of showing Odysseus facing legendary monsters on the largest screen, but this film is more interested in the human cost than in mythology. Its creatures may be memorable, yet the emotional consequences of meeting them linger longer.

The film does take creative liberties with material that has been studied, translated, and argued over for centuries. Purists will undoubtedly find choices to debate. Still, Nolan does not treat Homer’s poem like an untouchable museum piece. Instead, he reshapes it into something cinematic, accessible, and unexpectedly relevant without taking away what made the original endure in the first place. Someone unfamiliar with The Odyssey can follow the film without feeling as though they should have completed a classics course beforehand. At the same time, it may leave those viewers curious enough to seek out the original Greek literature and discover what was changed, condensed, or reinterpreted.

Christopher Nolan delivers a visually staggering adaptation of The Odyssey that finds fresh relevance and real humanity within Homer’s ancient epic.

In many ways, Nolan’s version shares thematic DNA with Oppenheimer. Once again, he is fascinated by legacy, regret, loss, and the distance between how a man views himself and how history may remember him. Odysseus is a hero, but the film questions what that word actually means. His intelligence repeatedly saves him, though his pride exacts a cost others often pay.

Those ideas fit naturally alongside themes central to The Odyssey—particularly homecoming and the ancient Greek concept of guest-friendship. Hospitality can be an act of compassion. In ancient Greece, it can also test character or leave a person dangerously exposed. Nolan uses those traditions to depict a world where goodwill still matters, even when cruelty feels easier. As a result, the journey gains another level of tension and feels connected to the present rather than locked in the distant past.

The cast is excellent across the board. Even actors with limited screen time make their characters feel as if they existed long before Odysseus arrived and will continue to live after he leaves. More importantly, the performances keep the film emotionally grounded. Odysseus may be undertaking one of the grandest journeys ever told, but every person he meets is undertaking a journey of their own.

Visually, The Odyssey is phenomenal. In IMAX 70MM, the landscapes, ships, battles, and mythological encounters carry a scale that is a sight to behold. The sound design is just as impressive. Nolan surrounds the audience with crashing waves, breaking wood, distant voices, and moments of silence that feel just as overwhelming.

Yet for all its technical ambition, Nolan never forgets what Odysseus is fighting to reach: home.

That is what makes The Odyssey more than a beautifully constructed mythological epic. It’s a story about surviving long enough to return to the people you love, then confronting the uncomfortable possibility that neither you nor the home you remember has remained unchanged. Nearly three thousand years later, that journey still hits with remarkable force.

Rating: 5/5 atoms

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Based on Kei Urana’s manga, Gachiakuta did not take long to separate itself from the rest of the shonen crowd. The series has this grungy, grimy, graffiti-covered identity that immediately makes it feel different. The world is literally built around society’s trash. Still, the show somehow turns that into something visually exciting instead of just bleak.

A big part of what made Season 1 work was how they adapted it. Gachiakuta has such a specific look and attitude on the page, and thankfully, that translated really well into animation. The action had impact, the character designs popped, and the vital instruments power system gave the fights a different rhythm from the usual. In other words, it felt familiar enough to grab people quickly, but strange enough to keep them curious.

Season 2 looks ready to push all of that further. After the events of the first season, Rudo’s journey through the Pit is only getting more complicated. His powers continue to grow, but so do the threats around him. The new teaser shown at Anime Expo gave fans another look at his abilities and made it clear that the Cleaners will play a bigger role in what comes next.

This is the point where Gachiakuta starts to feel like more than one character just trying to survive. The world opens up. New allies enter the picture, and new enemies begin to move. Also, the story begins to dig deeper into the systems that created this broken society in the first place.

Gachiakuta Season 2 director Fumihiko Suganuma described this next chapter as a “big pivot” with “a lot of growth.” Gachiakuta already had the look and the attitude. Now, it has to show how far its world and characters can go.

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That is kind of the fun of Fantasia, though. Every year, the festival puts together this wild mix of horror, action, animation, crime, drama, weird comedy, and films that don’t really sit cleanly in one lane. It’s exciting, but it can also be a little overwhelming. There is only so much time in the day, and unless you’ve somehow cracked the code on not sleeping, you’re going to have to make some tough choices.

So, with that in mind, these are the films I would keep an eye on.

Colony

Yeon Sang-ho is back with another zombie film, and that alone is enough to make Colony one of the big ones for me.

After Train to Busan and Seoul Station, it feels fair to say he knows exactly how to build panic, tension, and momentum without losing sight of the characters stuck in the middle of it. That’s the part that matters. A zombie movie can throw all the chaos it wants at the screen, but if you don’t care about the people running for their lives, it turns into noise pretty fast.

With the cast attached to this one, Colony feels like it should be near the top of a lot of Fantasia schedules this year.

The Samurai and the Prisoner

Kiyoshi Kurosawa will probably always be tied to J-horror because of films like Cure and Pulse. Honestly, that’s not a bad legacy to have. But he’s never been a filmmaker who stayed in one box forever, which is part of what makes The Samurai and the Prisoner so interesting.

This time, he’s taking on a Japanese period mystery based on Honobu Yonezawa’s 2021 novel. I’m always curious when a director known for atmosphere and dread moves into something a little different. A director’s sense of unease and timing can carry over in really interesting ways.

Blades of the Guardians

Yuen Woo-ping is back, baby.

That’s honestly the pitch. Blades of the Guardians is based on the comic series. With Yuen Woo-ping involved, the action is automatically the main reason to pay attention. Wuxia is his playground, and when his name is attached to something, you don’t really need a long explanation for why it belongs on the list.

Okay, maybe it’s a little bit of nostalgia talking, but I don’t care. There are certain people whose names still carry weight, and Yuen Woo-ping is one of them. If Blades of the Guardians gives us even a fraction of that classic energy, then it should be worth making time for.

The Mouths / Village of the Eight Gravestones

Takashi Shimizu returning to J-horror with not one, but two films? Come on. That’s an easy yes.

The Mouths and Village of the Eight Gravestones seem to offer two different flavors of horror, which makes this even better. The Mouths looks like the more unsettling supernatural option, the kind of movie that crawls under your skin and stays there longer than you expected. Village of the Eight Gravestones, meanwhile, brings in Detective Kosuke Kindaichi, which gives it a different kind of hook entirely.

You could pick whichever one fits your mood. Or you could do what I would probably do and just watch both.

The Specials

I have a weakness for oddball comedies, and The Specials sounds like it was built specifically to get my attention. A Yakuza enforcer has to put together a dance crew so they can enter a competition and use it as cover to take out a rival. That is ridiculous. I mean that as a compliment.

It sounds like the kind of premise that could fall apart immediately if the tone is off. Still, if it works, it could be one of those festival discoveries people keep talking about afterward. Gangster movie, dance competition, absurd comedy—yeah, I’m in.

We’re Nothing At All

Fantasia is obviously a great place for genre films. Yet, some of my favorite festival surprises tend to be the dramas hiding between all the blood, monsters, swords, and ghosts. We’re Nothing At All is the drama that caught my eye this year.

The Hong Kong film follows three people whose lives become connected after a bus explosion on Valentine’s Day. That kind of setup immediately makes me think of films like Rashomon or Vantage Point, where one event gets reframed through different people and different emotional angles. Done poorly, that structure can feel gimmicky. Done well, it can be devastating.

If handled with the right amount of care, We’re Nothing At All could end up being one of Fantasia’s heavier, more talked-about films this year.

The Leader

The other drama I keep coming back to is The Leader, which chronicles the Heaven’s Gate cult and the mass suicide that made headlines in the late ’90s.

It is a horrifying, tragic story, and strangely, not one that has been explored in narrative film as much as you might expect. That alone makes me curious, but also cautious. A film like this has to walk a very fine line. It can’t just treat the tragedy as a shocking hook. There needs to be a real point of view there.

Still, I’m intrigued to see what Michael Gallagher does with it. This feels like one of those films that could sneak up on people.

For the full 2026 Fantasia Film Festival list of programs, click here.

The 2026 Fantasia Film Festival runs from July 16th to August 2nd.

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The first thing that stands out is the look. This is Marvel, but not quite the Marvel most people are used to. The game is not trying to copy the MCU or feel like another comic book adaptation. It takes familiar characters and locations, then pushes them through a very specific anime lens.

Still, the real question was always going to be the gameplay. Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls is a 4v4 fighter, but not exactly in the way I expected. Your team of four shares one life bar, so this isn’t like Marvel vs. Capcom. You can’t tag someone out, let them recover, and keep rotating through your roster. Here, your team feels more like one connected unit. Another interesting wrinkle is that only the first two characters are available right away. The other two have to be brought in through certain in-match conditions.

I can already see different kinds of players approaching this in completely creative ways. Some people are probably going to lean hard on one or two characters and treat the rest of the team almost like backup tools. Others will probably build around flexibility, picking characters who can cover a range of setups and matchups. It’s hard to say how deep that rabbit hole goes after only a short demo. However, the system already feels like it has room for players to experiment.

My biggest concern going in was whether the controls would be too complex. Arc System Works makes incredible fighting games, but they are not always the easiest things to pick up casually. Thankfully, Tōkon felt much easier to understand than I expected.

The inputs are familiar, with classic quarter-circle motions and shared special move commands across most of the roster. When you’re making a fighting game with characters as popular as Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Wolverine, you need people to feel like they can actually play it without needing a study guide open next to them (yes, Tekken, I’m talking to you). Tōkon seems to understand that.

There is also a simplified control option that lets players use specials and supers with a single button press. It was mapped to the right trigger in the build I played, and I can see how that would be a huge help for newer players.

As for the characters, I got to try a solid group, even though the full roster was not available. I spent time with Dr. Doom, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Wolverine, and a few others. I wanted Iron Man to be my favorite because, well, he’s my favorite character of all time. But Wolverine connected with me almost immediately.

He was fast, aggressive, and exactly the kind of character I like when I want to stay on top of my opponent. Once I got them pinned against the wall, Wolverine let me keep the pressure up. I was winning comfortably with him, while with other characters, I was either barely scraping by or getting myself into trouble. That probably says more about my playstyle than the game’s balance. However, Wolverine was still easily my early favorite.

My time with Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls was far too short to call it a sure thing. There is still a lot I want to know, especially about the single-player content and how online matches will feel once real players start tearing the game apart. Fighting games live and die by that stuff.

But as a first impression, this was extremely promising. It looks incredible, the controls feel more approachable than I expected, and the 4v4 structure gives it a different identity from the Marvel fighters people already know. It is easy enough to welcome casual players. Still, there seems to be enough depth here for competitive players to dig into as well.

For someone who loves Marvel but is only decent at fighting games on a good day, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls made a very strong first impression. If Arc System Works and PlayStation can nail the online experience and give players enough to do outside of versus matches, this could easily become one of my most-played fighters in 2026.

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During Anime Expo 2026, fans got a new look at what comes next for Frieren, Fern, and Stark. Season 3 is ready to premiere in October 2027, with the spotlight shifting toward the highly anticipated Golden Land Arc. More importantly, the new teaser visual gives fans a closer look at Macht, next season’s big bad.

The Golden Land Arc is one of the most anticipated arcs of the manga. Now, without spoiling anything, Golden Land pushes Frieren into darker, more complex territory. The arc explores a place shaped by tragedy, old magic, and unresolved history. There’s a lot of emotional weight behind it, which is exactly when Frieren tends to hit hardest.

Then there’s Macht himself. Macht is seen as the strongest of the Seven Sages of Destruction, and what makes him stand out is the way he challenges the usual idea of what a demon in this world can be. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End has always treated demons as beings that understand, imitate, and distort human emotion. Macht seems to sit right in the middle of that, and he’s the kind of villain who could have the ability to be terrifying for reasons beyond raw strength.

Season 3 will also bring back the creative team from Season 2. Tomoya Kitagawa will direct the season alongside Tomohiro Suzuki handling series composition, Evan Call returning for the music, and Madhouse once again producing the animation.

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Takanobu Mizuno is directing the series, with HAYATE Inc. overseeing production. The script is being written by Satoshi Maejima and Gen Urobuchi of NITRO PLUS, with Urobuchi also handling the series composition. Character designs are by Takashi Okazaki, while KAMIKAZE DOUGA brings the animation to life.

Ghost of Tsushima was released on PlayStation 4 in July 2020. The game also was released on PlayStation 5 in 2021 and Windows in 2024. The multiplayer expansion, Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, launched in October 2020, while its sequel, Ghost of Yōtei, was released in October 2025.

Unfortunately, that was all that was announced at the Crunchyroll showcase. While there’s still no premiere date, Crunchyroll says more details will be shared at a later time.

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Anime Expo attendees were the first anywhere to learn that Solo Leveling: Beyond the System is officially in production. The upcoming theatrical anime film picks up directly after Season 2, continuing Jinwoo’s story on the big screen.

The audience also got an early look at the project through a teaser key visual and a short promotional concept video.

Once again, the studio behind Sword Art Online, A-1 Pictures, will be handling the animation. At the same time, Aniplex, Netmarble, D&C MEDIA, Kakao Piccoma, and Crunchyroll will be producing the film.

Outside of the announcement and teaser materials, that’s all that’s been shared for now, with more information expected at a later date.

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You play as George, an older music lover finally chasing his dream of opening his own record shop. The core loop revolves around discovering songs and turning them into records you can actually sell. Each track drops you into a colorful representation of George’s imagination where you play through rhythm-based stages. When you finish a song, you put it on the shelf, then help customers find records that speak to whatever they’re looking for. Before long, I found myself caught in the cycle of collecting songs just to see who they’d connect with next.

The rhythm gameplay starts off approachable. Like most rhythm games, it mostly asks you to nail basic timing, but it doesn’t stay there. New mechanics gradually layer on top of each other, introducing directional inputs, trickier patterns, and more demanding sequences.

What really sells the experience isn’t the rhythm gameplay, though. It’s the people who walk through George’s front door. Every customer arrives carrying something—a memory, a regret, a crush, a loss. Thus, finding the right record becomes less about making a sale and more about understanding who they are.

There’s a surprisingly wide range of musical styles on display, which helps keep things fresh. Not every genre was something I’d normally seek out, but that almost became part of the appeal.

By the time my demo ended, I was gleefully surprised at how much I got into the game. I was entranced by the game’s rhythmic element. Then, I became happy helping the people I’d met and the stories tied to the records sitting on George’s shelves. That’s what makes Mr. Records stand out. It understands that music isn’t just something we listen to—it’s something we attach pieces of our lives to.

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Movement has a slight floatiness, but in a good way. Demi covers ground quickly, and that extra air time makes dodges, aerial attacks, and last-second adjustments feel surprisingly satisfying.

Combat is fairly straightforward. You have your basic combo attacks, charged attacks, aerial launches, ground slams, and a dodge mechanic that rewards good timing by powering up your Void abilities. There wasn’t much complexity in the demo I played, but it felt easy to pick up.

Not to mention, the adds are fairly easy to take down. Most of the mistakes I made came from mistiming dodges or attacks rather than the encounters themselves being particularly demanding. Once I got a feel for the rhythm, moving through combat became pretty effortless.

The final boss put up more of a fight initially, mostly because I needed a few attempts to understand what the game was asking of me. After the mechanics clicked, though, the encounter became much more manageable. If you’ve spent time with action-adventure games before, you’ll probably figure it out quickly.

The environmental puzzles don’t go out of their way to point you toward the solution, which I appreciated. A few had me wandering around for a minute, but the answers are usually hiding in plain sight. Paying attention to your surroundings goes a long way here.

Demi and the Fractured Dream launches February 2027 on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 1 & 2.

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Anyone expecting Disclosure Day to play like Ready Player One or War of the Worlds might be caught off guard. This isn’t that kind of Spielberg sci-fi movie. There’s action here and there, but the film isn’t really built like a traditional summer blockbuster. It’s slower, talkier, and more interested in the questions than the explosions. This is Spielberg working in a more reflective mode. He uses science fiction to explore fear, faith, uncertainty, and the strange comfort of searching for answers when everything around you feels unstable.

At the center of the film are Margaret and Daniel, played by Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor. The mystery surrounding them is easily the film’s strongest hook. Spielberg lets the story unfold piece by piece, never rushing to the explanation. There is a genuine pull to Disclosure Day’s way of keeping its cards close to its chest. You want to know what happened to them, and why the events around them feel so much bigger than they first appear.

Disclosure Day is a slower, thoughtful Spielberg sci-fi mystery, led by a fantastic Emily Blunt and built more on wonder than action.

That slow-burn structure works, but not without some drag. Disclosure Day has several scenes where the momentum noticeably softens. Characters stop to talk through broader ideas, explain pieces of the story, or unpack the themes Spielberg clearly wants on the table. To his credit, Spielberg is still one of the few filmmakers who can make these kinds of conversations feel cinematic. He knows how to frame silence, hesitation, and awe. He understands how to make a quiet exchange feel meaningful.

Emily Blunt is the emotional engine that keeps it all from becoming too distant, delivering one of the strongest performances of her career here. Her role asks for so much, and she delivers it in spades. Blunt makes Margaret feel like a real person caught in an impossible situation. She keeps the film grounded and, more importantly, gives the audience someone to hold on to.

Josh O’Connor has a harder time finding that same spark. He is not bad, but next to Blunt, his performance feels a little muted. Part of that comes from the writing. Daniel is often used as the character who explains the situation, fills in the gaps, or gives shape to the film’s larger ideas. That makes him important to the story, but less gripping as a character. O’Connor brings intelligence to the role, though he never quite matches Blunt’s charisma or emotional immediacy.

Overall, even with its slower sections, Disclosure Day lands because Spielberg’s sincerity still matters. The film offers a surprisingly hopeful message about what people do when the world starts falling apart. While it may not be the explosive sci-fi adventure some audiences expect, it has the warmth and craft of a storyteller who still believes movies can make us feel small, scared, hopeful, and human all at once.

Rating: 4/5 atoms

Disclosure Day hits theaters on June 12th.

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