How to reboot HIGHLANDER

There Can Be More Than One:
Hunter’s Guide to a Proper HIGHLANDER Reboot

by "Doc" Hunter Bush, MovieJawn Podcast Director and Staff Writer, cohost of the Hate Watch/Great Watch Podcast 

Highlander (1986) was the little film that could. Released in March 1986, the film underperformed, grossing only $13 million against a $19 million budget, before eventually finding a second life via the home video market. Its cult popularity led to a franchise including multiple sequel films, TV and web series, novelizations, action figures, and of course the phrase "There can be only one" becoming a part of the cultural lexicon. As of the time of writing this, it seems that plans for a franchise reboot from Lionsgate Films, starring Henry Cavill (The Witcher, Mission: Impossible - Fallout) and directed by Chad Stahelski (the John Wick series) are moving forward. So I figured: why not offer my expertise as an appreciator of fine cinema, a fan of Highlander, and a script doctor for hire?

Highlander has always felt special to me. It's an inherently violent film that (SPOILERS from here on, I'd say) ends with the revelation that the much sought-after "Prize" was not the typical ultimate power cliché, but a connection, a oneness, with all life on Earth that leaves our hero wanting to help mankind; to be a guiding force in bringing us into a more perfect future. I would hate to see that altruism sullied a second time by wasting a potential fresh restart. To that end, I've compiled a list of eight suggestions on how to do a Highlander Reboot correctly. Your mileage, as they say, may vary.

On the surface, and thus to new fans, Highlander runs the risk of seeming like just another sword and/or sorcery franchise attempt--think Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones, and the numerous films and series that have failed to take the monocultural baton from them--but it actually has the potential to be something much more interesting and unique. From the jump the Highlander franchise was compromised--the first film has a firm ending that made it difficult for the screenwriters of the 1990s to build upon--leading to an overall fairly confusing lore that must ultimately, largely be jettisoned for a reboot in favor of following through on the spirit of the original with this new potential franchise.

In the lore of the Highlander films, there exists a species of Immortals. They look and behave just like humans, and do not intrinsically know they are anything but human, until they suffer a wound that would kill a normal person. This essentially activates them, connecting them to a larger life force shared by all living things but also turning them into something akin to a beacon for other Immortals. Now they can be tracked, which is dangerous because inside nearly every Immortal is a biological imperative that tells them There Can Be Only One. There also exists a prophecy among Immortals that there will come a contest called The Gathering, where all Immortals will compete in gladiatorial combat until only one remains to claim The Prize (an unknown ultimate final power). Immortals can only be killed via beheading, and if that beheading is committed by another Immortal, he or she collects the residual life energy formerly held by their fallen foe in a transference event known as The Quickening.

So, to summarize: if you're an Immortal, and you kill another Immortal, you become stronger and, probably, a more noticeable target. And your ultimate goal is to be the last living Immortal to claim your Prize. Makes sense, right?

Below, I've compiled a relatively short, but well reasoned, list of lessons that can be taken from the previous Highlander franchise, beginning with key lessons to be taken from the original, and most successful film, and then focusing on lessons that can be learned from its sequels.

Part I : Lessons from HIGHLANDER (1986)

First - Swords and Other Weapons:

Then: In the original Highlander, a man who we will come to know as Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), attends a professional wrestling match in New York's Madison Square Garden, but leaves mid-way through to have a sword fight in a the parking garage that ends with him beheading his opponent and being infused with magical energies. This establishes that at any time, dozens of normal, and not so normal-looking people are traveling major cities with enormous, cumbersome concealed bladed weapons upon them. And that's a good thing for a movie! It’s fun! So why not lean into it?

Now: Let's get this one out of the way. When I think "Highlander", I think swordplay! Battle-hardened titans clashing steel in exotic locations, whipping each other's magical energies into a froth, summoning storm clouds, calling down lightning, and shaking the earth! But. What we need is variety. Yes, there are numerous different styles of what could swords; the Scottish claymore, Indonesia golok machetes, Egyptian shamshir; a full armory's worth of other variations, but there are so many other bladed weapons. After we've seen nu-Connor (or our Connor equivalent main character) dispatch a few swordsman goons, just when we think we know what's coming, have some obvious baddies reach behind a pillar and produce a 10-foot pike! And have them be good with it; have it be a genuine challenge for Connor. Maybe someone unassuming, like a paperboy, produces a pair of sickles out of his newspaper bag! The attacks could come from anywhere, from anyone, using any style of weapon in an attempt to remove Connor's head from his body! A metal whip, a bladed flail, etc. Shake things up!

Second - Blindness to Ethnicity:

Then: The titular Highlander of the franchise is the Scotsman Connor MacLoad--”Highlander” being a term for someone from the Scottish Highlands--who is played by the French-American actor Christopher Lambert who was raised in Geneva giving him a very unique accent, especially when he attempts a Scottish one on top of it. His mentor character is one Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez, who despite his Spanish-sounding name is actually Egyptian and is played by noted real-life Scot Sean Connery who never even attempts to wrangle his native burr. And even though it's the black sheep of the franchise--which I will get in the second half of this piece--the villain of Highlander 2 is an actual space alien played by Canadian genre legend Michael Ironside, who is named after a Japanese sword: Katana.

Now: Whereas in the past, actors have gotten flack for poorly attempting accents (Kevin Costner in 1991's Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves), or even faced backlash for ethnic miscasting, this approach is part of the off-kilter charm of the Highlander films for me. It's a feature, not a bug, as they say. The cognitive dissonance of an actor's real world ethnicity clashing with that of their character gives a tangible quality to their backstories. They've existed for so long, and traveled so far from their points of origin that, like an Army brat, their accents are a melange of influences gathered over time. I'm sure that's not how it was intended, but that's how I've always read it. So cast Flula Borg as an Irishman with a battle axe, Rosie Perez as a fencer from the Netherlands, Luis Guzmán as a Australian mercenary wielding a sabre.

Third - Artful Scene Transitions:

Then: I will be the first to admit that the original Highlander is a bit of a mess. The entire franchise is beset by creative interference and alternate edits of the films, but one thing that shines through in the first film especially is the scene transitions. Panning up from a parking garage in 1985 to emerge in the Scottish Highlands in 1536; pulling back from a dying Connor MacLeod in the 16th century through the pupil of his eye as he remembers his death from the 20th century; A truck shrieking past the screen in modern New York, transitioning to a drunk in the Renaissance with a graveyard of teeth leering into the lens; they're all incredibly pulpy and capture a sort of EC Comics genre feel like few other films. Russell Mulcahy (director of the first two Highlander films) establishes the giddy energy of the franchise, which is a huge part of what has made it an enduring hub in the pop cultural landscape.

Now: With Chad Stahelski helming the reboot, I at least have faith that the combat will have chutzpah, but one thing I do not associate with Stahelski is whimsy. Highlander demands whimsy, if for no other reason than to differentiate itself from the proliferation of deadly self-serious sword-swinging IPs out there, but it would also be nice if something in the modern era--aside from the excellent Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)--truly embraced the flamboyance and swashbuckling fun that is possible within this subgenre.

Fourth - A Concept Record Soundtrack:

Then: Queen was approached to do a song for the original film's soundtrack--having written the fantastic theme for 1980’s Flash Gordon adaptation--and were given 20 minutes of footage from the film to work off of. Although only asked to create one song, they ended up writing the better part of an entire album, which would become A Kind of Magic (also released in 1986). Songs like “One Year of Love”, “Gimme the Prize (Kurgan’s Theme)”, and of course "Princes of the Universe" are all tremendous, but I honestly don't think there's a better song on that soundtrack than "Who Wants to Live Forever"?

Now: There are rumors that Queen's music will be used in the reboot, and while that's fine to a degree, I think merely reusing the original (or juicing it with other hits from Queen's catalogue) is a misstep. What the reboot needs is its own version of the Queen approach. Find a band or artist with whom the material will resonate, who can expand those concepts and feelings into a full suite of songs. I'm not as plugged into current music as I once was certainly, but off the top of my head Lady Gaga would probably do a tremendous job, or perhaps this could be a surprise release from the long-rumored-to-reunite My Chemical Romance. Or hey, why not both? Or a dark horse choice: The Mars Volta. Whomever you go with, have them record a cover of "Who Wants to Live Forever?" for good measure.

In the first half of this piece, I mentioned that the 1986 fantasy film Highlander, underperformed at the box office and was designed with a closed ending; there was to be no sequel. But as home video rentals and television broadcasts increased its cult fandom, inevitably sequels were made. Per the original, a race called Immortals has always existed alongside humanity, unseen, following their own pursuits. Specifically, winnowing down their numbers until only one final member would exist, surviving what they called The Gathering (or The Great Game) to claim The Prize, which was undiluted access to the life force shared by all living things, but to which Immortals had a greater connection.

The many sequels add to this lore as sequels have a want to do, and even putting aside Highlander 2 (1991)--which I will talk about shortly--the expanded lore becomes both confusing and generically bland. By the end of the fifth film, it is revealed that the famous franchise mantra "There Can Be Only One" ties into the ancient Source of the Immortals’ power and represents a good-vs-evil dichotomy reminiscent of  the TV show LOST, which is an idea that could be interesting if done well, or could end up feeling like a watered down version of Star Wars' Light Side of The Force / Dark Side of The Force conflict.

Christian mythology, secret techno-cults within the Immortals, out-and-out illusion magic, progenitor demigods, and more '90s and 2000s -era genre silliness were folded into the lore over time in an attempt to ground and expand the world of the franchise, but only succeeded in making it feel less uniquely mystical and elemental. The second and fifth installments--subtitled The Quickening (1991) and The Source (2007), respectively--also try too hard to explain things (and further confuse audiences by roping in dystopian futures for some reason) muddying the waters to the degree that The Quickening was wholly ignored by the films that followed and The Source effectively killed the franchise.

So, to paraphrase Queen's "Princes of the Universe", here we are. There hasn't been a Highlander film in 18 years, there's never been a firm lore, and if we must update the series for modern audiences, we should have the sense to learn from the past. For those who do not do so, as the famous adage goes, are doomed to repeat it.

Part II: Lessons from the HIGHLANDER Sequels

Fifth - Absolutely No Aliens:

Then: Ok, let's address it quickly. Since Highlander ended with Connor MacLeod as the last surviving Immortal, when it came time to plan a sequel, the trio of credited writers--Brian Clemens, William N. Panzer (story), and Peter Bellwood (screenplay)--chose to retcon the vague but mystical-feeling backstory of the Immortal race to make them have secretly been aliens from a planet called Zeist all along. Weirdly and confusingly, not all the peoples of Zeist are Immortals (so they're still a biological oddity with no explanation) but the ones who come to Earth do so as a punishment, and the Great Game was to see which one would be allowed to return to Zeist. This is inarguably ambitious, and maybe even--if I'm feeling generous--could have been cool but is wildly mishandled in the film, coming off as unnecessarily confusing. Worse, it fully conflicts with the overall feel of the origin film. Just imagine if Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) opened with Linda Hamilton saying "An unknown future rolls towards us. I've been studying the Necronomicon in prison to learn a magic powerful enough to stop it!". It's a tonal clash and a bucket of cold water to the face.

Now: It's so simple, baby. Embrace the magic! There's something very specific about the feeling of the magics of the original Highlander. It's more spiritual and elemental--implying an innate connection with nature--than out-and-out, Harry Potter-style magical, which is why the emphasis on hard magical rules and especially the prevalence of illusory magic in Highlander 3 (1994) feels so out-of-harmony with the rest of it. We've long understood that science fiction has different aspects, hence the terms hard sci-fi and soft sci-fi, so why not learn to embrace different approaches to the magical component(s) within fantasy? But I digress.

Sixth - Careful Lore and World Building:

Then: Highlander established a certain lore: Immortals, a race not dissimilar from humans, existed parallel to us, largely unseen, living lives and battling to become the last surviving Immortal. It ends with Connor MacLeod achieving that goal and experiencing an existential oneness with all life on Earth. This implicitly mystical backstory is then changed to a science fictional one in Highlander 2--see above--and quickly changed back in Highlander 3 which doubles down on magic but leans too heavily on sorcery over the more elemental and ethereal magical vibes established in the original. It's honestly a bit of a mess; tonal discord.

Now: My educated guess for all the wild swings--which I admire, even if they don't work--is that, since the original Highlander ends so firmly, with the eternal struggle of the Immortals now finished, that it seemed there was nowhere to take the story. My pitch? Any human could be an Immortal without knowing it, until this secret bloodline is activated by their near death (which, to be clear, would kill a normal person), at which time they gain access to the sort of central world-mind at the heart of the Quickening energies. Thus, any time there is a war, a whole new crop of Immortals appear, syphoning off their share of that energy, and tacitly alerting the previous Immortals to their existence. Seems obvious, doesn’t it?

Seventh - Gore and Practical Effects:

Then: Many of the Highlander films have suffered from producorial meddling, sometimes resulting in differing releases--there was a "roughly 8 minute" difference in the original film’s run times between the U.S. and U.K. releases; the third film is known by two different names depending on which version you watch, and so on--and much of it has to do with the violence depicted. You can actually spot practical effects heads that never pop (or whatever they were designed to do) in at least two of the films. For a franchise built around the concept of severing an enemy's head with a weapon, as a franchise, Highlander sure is a bit gun shy when it comes to depicting the act.

Now: I think we can all agree that, while I'm sure they are easier on some metric, CGI blood effects never look great. I'm not saying we should abandon them entirely, but an emphasis on, and a showcase of, practical effects would go a long way with fans. It would also embrace the aforementioned genre history while simultaneously balancing the implicit silliness of the concept I mentioned at the top. In the original Highlander, villain The Kurgan (Clancy Brown) gets his throat cut in the past, but survives, leaving him with a nasty scar. Imagine a Rob Bottin / The Thing (1982) level of practical effects showing an almost fully severed head re-connecting to the shoulders (which you can achieve by recording it coming apart, then playing the footage in reverse). Make the audience squirm a little! Show 'em something unique. You can even futz with it digitally if you feel like you need to, but I think the weight that practical effects bring to the screen would go a long way towards making the danger feel tangible, and thus grounded and real.

Eighth - Fan Service and Elbow Nudges:

Then: Fan service doesn't really become much of a thing for the Highlander franchise until you start getting into the various TV series and spin-off materials, which almost always tie themselves into the original film via some connection to the MacLeod bloodline. Highlander: The Series (1996-1998) had Lambert show up as Connor to ease the audience into the story of main character Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul), a clansman of Connor who had, up to that point, remained hidden by choice. But that kind of fan service isn't really my concern in adding this bullet-point.

Now: You know what I'm worried about. I don't want or need any heavy-handed, Eric Idle-level elbow nudging to give fans a brief burst of recognitory serotonin and make them feel, briefly, pleased. You can acknowledge what came before without having it go over like a lead balloon. Obviously the phrase "There Can Be Only One" will reoccur, and that’s great! It's the mantra for the franchise--although quite ironic for a franchise I think you’d agree. I do not think we should have things like CGI de-aged Christopher Lambert, or a "posthumous performance" from Ramírez, like Ash in Alien Romulus or Grand Moff Tarkin in Rogue One. Sorry gang, that shit is ghoulish. Instead, let's approach these with intelligence. Give Lambert a small cameo as an unimportant character who, and I cannot state this clearly enough, doesn't say anything winky and then just walks away. None of that "I used to be quite good with a sword..." stuff. No "Oh, you're from the Scottish Highlands? Get outta town! Me too!". None of it! Consider having Lambert and Clancy Brown record some dialogue heard during a quickening, maybe as two of many voices inside The Prize, explaining that it is both power and harmony. With fan service: Less is more.

As I said at the opening of this endeavor, I am available as a script doctor for hire. So, Lionsgate, Chad Stahelski, Henry Cavill, whomever: get at me. I have an odd affinity for this franchise and would love to be paid to help make a masterpiece that will stand the test of time. To be sure, there are more suggestions--the main villain’s name should start with a K, as is tradition--but these are the make-or-break guidelines that seem most imperative to me.

If that somehow doesn't come to pass, I hope at least that this list has piqued the interest of some folks reading it. Highlander (1986) is truly a unique beast and should not be judged by the overall mediocre sequels, ambitious though they may be, that followed. It's imperfect, but like a punk record or a Turkish rug, the imperfections only enhance the charm and beauty for me, and grow my affinity. Check it out, maybe you'll feel the same.

Above all: Chase your passions. I didn't set out to write several thousand words of unsolicited advice about a film released during my toddlerdom, but I've found considering these points to be a very rewarding experience. I hope you've enjoyed reading them. Until next time, Long Live the Movies!

Fantasia International Film Festival 2026 - Week One

FANTASIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2026
Week One

by "Doc" Hunter Bush, MovieJawn Staff Writer and Podcast Director, and cohost of the Hate Watch/Great Watch Podcast

Fantasia International Film Festival runs until Aug 2nd in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Get your tickets HERE.

For three decades, something has been happening, and you probably didn’t even notice. Right under your nose, something has been growing. Well actually, it's happening in Canada, so if you're a U.S. resident like I am, it's right above your nose. Regardless, from the great snowy north, the Fantasia International Film Festival is once again upon us!

Fantasia 2026 has kicked off, for me, with a bang. I've been sorting through their generous list of available titles that check off so many different boxes: martial arts / combat films, psychological dramas, unconventional love stories, elegant monster movies, animation, faux documentaries, and so much more! Below I've highlighted just a few stand-out viewing experiences that I think you should keep your eye on:

NO REST FOR THE WICKED
Written by Rasmus Birch, Kasper Kalle, Karl Heinrich Ulrichs (short story)
Directed by Kasper Kalle
Starring Egor Venned, Pilou Asbæk, Sofia Nolsøe, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Kjartan Hansen

No Rest For the Wicked was high on my list (and mentioned in my Fantasia 2026 preview) and it still managed to completely blow me away. A queer romance with a supernatural angle, set in a fishing village on a pastoral island, you can bet this one has its fair share of seamen. I kid, but the romance is genuinely handled incredibly sensually and delicately. It also features one of the most unique takes on the concept of the "vampire" that I've seen in recent years. But what really truly took my breath away was the cinematography by Jacob Møller, which captures the cold light of the Faroe Islands and makes it as vital and beautiful as the love story at the film's center. 

YOU ARE THE FILM
Written by Makoto Ueda
Directed by Makoto Ueda
Starring Marika Ito, Kai Inowaki, Riko Fujitani, Takafumi Imai, Gôta Ishida

Another film that I was highly anticipating was You Are the Film, the directorial debut of Makoto Ueda, who is more traditionally a screenwriter known for his high concept "tiny loop" films. Here he plays with space rather than time, where two young people, each in the middle of some personal strife, find that they are each the star in a movie that the other is watching. Ueda wastes no time in exploring these concepts, and finding unique ways to twist expectations and the film is just genuinely delightful. I am a big fan of his work overall and hope more people will seek it out. You Are the Film makes a solid starting point.

DANCE FREAK
Written by Robby Rackleff, Alan Resnick
Directed by Alan Resnick, Robby Rackleff
Starring Robby Rackleff, Megan Koester, Stavros Halkias, Sheila Mears, Conner O'Malley

2026 has been a big year for filmmakers previously known for their YouTube offerings making more officially recognized movies, like Kane Parsons or Curry Barker, so I was very excited to see what Robby Rackleff and Alan Resnick had on offer, having previously worked together on shorts like Unedited Footage of a Bear (2014) and This House Has People In It (2016). While Dance Freak isn't as polished or digestible as Backrooms or Obsession, it is a huge step forward in Rackleff and Resnick’s creative output. With fantastical, mostly black and white imagery and cartoonish characters inhabiting an extremely heightened world, Dance Freak will make a perfect midnight movie for those who are so inclined, but don't be mistaken: the film has a strong emotional core that comes through as much on intuition as dedicated dialogue.

CORPUS
Written by Lily Cowles, Corrin Evans
Directed by Corrin Evans
Starring Jeff Wahlberg, Brodie Townsend, Michael Vlamis, Lily Cowles, Nuha Jes Izman

Warm up the Doofenshmirtz meme, because Corpus is another film with unbelievably beautiful cinematography (by Charlie Cole) and a queer love story that has supernatural elements at its center. There are parallels that can be drawn to other horror films, but what sets Corpus apart is its serene pacing. Three friends attempt to navigate the internal tensions of their relationships long enough to go to a very exclusive high society party and once they're there, the heat rises like the proverbial frog in the pot of water and before you know exactly how bad things have gotten, it's far too late. Great, sensuous performances and dreamlike visuals only add to the appeal.

ATTACK ON PARADISE
Written by Saïd Boumazoughe, Sven Huybrechts, Salahdine Ibnou Kacemi
Directed by Bob Colaers
Starring Saïd Boumazoughe, Clara Cleymans, Achmed Akkabi, Soroush Helali, Fatima Khanfour

This Belgian action film will rightfully be compared to The Raid: Redemption (2011), and those are big shoes to fill. Both are physical combat-heavy gauntlets where the gimmick is watching the characters fight and claw their way, floor by floor, to the top of an apartment block and while Attack on Paradise doesn't come close to the gonzo creativity and energy of The Raid, it has a lot more character development without sacrificing much momentum. I think there's enough room in cinema for more than one single location action film, even if The Raid does whip all varieties of ass. Dredd (2012) for example does the same basic thing and it rules, so don't let those comparisons dissuade you from checking out an enjoyable flick.

ROUNDING (2025) - Music Box Selects

Rounding
Music Box Selects

Original Release Date Feb. 14th, 2025
Written by Alex Thompson, Christopher Thompson
Directed by Alex Thompson
Starring Namir Smallwood, Sidney Flanigan, Michael Potts, Rebecca Spence, Bradley Grant Smith
Language English

Get your copy HERE from Diabolik, or HERE from Orbit

by "Doc" Hunter Bush, MovieJawn Podcast Director and Staff Writer 

Overview:

Rounding comes to Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome partner label Music Box Selects. Director Alex Thompson, and his co-writer brother Christopher draw on the family business to bring a medical thriller that blurs the lines between reality and fantasy. Music Box Selects' release of Rounding features a respectable video transfer and audio package with a somewhat middling selection of bonus features.

The Movie Itself: Good

After the death of a patient shocks him into a breakdown, young doctor James Hayman (Namir Smallwood) transfers to a more rural hospital, hoping to start over somewhere that he could reset, do some good, and hopefully make some strides in his career. But he may not be as ready to return as he'd like to think. When a young girl with a perplexing diagnosis comes to his notice, James begins to see something sinister happening under the surface of this idyllic new situation.

Rounding is a moody, cold, alienating experience that is nonetheless a pretty fascinating watch. A character study with a really engrossing lead performance, its biggest problem is that it keeps trying to distract the audience from what the real story is, which does it a disservice. As James becomes obsessed with "solving" Helen (Sidney Flanigan)'s case, he begins to put his personal life, health, and sanity on the line in ways that feel visceral to the audience and impressively visualized.

I want to like Rounding more than I ultimately did. The trailer, which is included as a bonus feature, obviously leads you to presume something more unique is happening at the story’s core, and that subterfuge being a red herring takes away from the emotional core of the story. Without the visions of floating girls or beasts lurking in the hospital’s dark corridors, the movie is essentially an episode of House M.D. (it even has its obsessed medical professional limping through the film’s back half!) and there’s really nothing wrong with that. House was on TV for eight seasons, so obviously there is an audience for this kind of medical mystery-solving, without necessarily needing to include a Scooby-Doo style ruse.

None of this is to say that the film is bad. Every other facet, aside from that story contrivance, is actually quite good. The writing itself, the acting, the look and sound of the flick are all very polished and professional, which even for a sophomore effort is quite impressive.

The Packaging: Average

This is another solid but unremarkable physical release, from a design perspective. The case here is the usual, slightly wider, sturdier clear plastic Blu-ray case. The cover is an excellent, evocative image of James with some surreal touches alluding to his growing obsession over Helen's case. The interior image is James staring out from a black void. Nothing incredible, but it does have one of the more eye-catching covers.

The Video: Good

Rounding looks great. Cinematographer Nate Hurtsellers has a very varied list of previous works, including music videos, which I always say speaks to a great versatility and creativity. Without spoiling anything, there are some supernatural visuals in Rounding that are incredibly competently handled for such a low budget film. Golden or amber lights, cool greens and blues, and deep shadows run throughout much of the film, and all look very appealing, even as they add to the increasingly spooky tone.

A reoccurring event in James' life is that he goes running early in the morning every day before his shifts, no matter the weather. There's a very tangible cold dampness that's most noticeable in these scenes, but persists throughout much of the film. This inhospitable feeling helps to put you in James' mindset as he increasingly feels he is the only one truly committed to Helen's care.

The Audio: Average

I noticed no issues with Rounding. There's one sequence where a code is called and rather than wait for the elevator, James runs up several flights of stairs. It turns out this code was called in error, and an exhausted James then throws up in a nearby trashcan. For some reason, this moment is underscored by a kind of goofy clarinet movement? Other than that though, the score is very non-invasive and overall pleasant and fitting for whatever is happening onscreen. 

The sound mix is perfect for what it is. My three channel soundbar had no issues with the mix, so no buzzing or anything like that, and I had no issues with the volume, so I wasn't constantly adjusting up and down to hear dialogue. That's always my biggest gripe (aside from maybe muddy audio in general), and Rounding was a real "set it and forget it" situation.

The Supplements: Average

The bonus features here are decent, but nothing to write home about. My favorite bit was the Interview with Michael Potts who plays James' attending, Dr. Harrison. It's clear that Potts put a lot of thought into who this man was when he wasn't on screen, including some backstory and a personal obsession, none of which are important (or even mentioned) in the film, which leads me to believe these were the actor's choices. And I applaud them.

I couldn't let this one thing go, however. The BTS feature is made up of cast and crew interviews and while they do feature some interesting observations and context (like what it was like for them making the film during COVID, etc.) but then the following Interview features are just the same footage. There's a little extra meat on each of the bones, but not enough where it feels like it warranted a multiple separate entries, and if it was that interesting, just fold it all into the main BTS feature. It almost feels like it was done to artificially inflate the bonus feature count? A weird choice.

• Commentary with director Alex Thompson and editor Mike Smith
• Behind the Scenes of "Rounding" (15:38) (HD)
• Interview with director Alex Thompson (5:14) (HD)
• Interview with co-writer Christopher Thompson (4:20) (HD)
• Interview with Namir Smallwood (3:43) (HD)
• Interview with Sidney Flanigan (2:27) (HD)
• Interview with Michael Potts (2:50) (HD)
• Deleted Scenes (4:47) (HD)
• Outtakes (6:13) (HD) (Unmixed audio)
• Trailer (1:34) (HD)

Final Thoughts: Worth a Look

Rounding is a very well-made film that tries to obfuscate its concerns with too much misdirection, which ends up robbing the third act of some of its impact. The supernatural imagery, even though I liked it, quickly becomes such an obvious misdirect that I could feel myself not fully engaging with the film's stranger scenes because I presumed they would just end up being revealed to be another dream sequence or the like. But the story at Rounding's core is very interesting and ultimately tragic.

There is a way to just tell this story without as many unnecessary complications and allow it to be a story about obsession, dedication, and self sacrifice (to a fault), and I feel like that version of Rounding would have me recommending it with my whole chest. As it stands, I feel this is definitely worth seeing, for the excellent cinematography and lead performance, but will only earn a place on specific folks' shelves.

TAHARA (2020) - Film Movement

Tahara
Film Movement

Original Release Date January 25th, 2020
Written by Jess Zeidman
Directed by Olivia Peace
Starring Madeline Grey DeFreece, Rachel Sennott, Daniel Taveras, Shlomit Azoulay
Language English

Get your copy HERE from Orbit, or HERE from Vinegar Syndrome

by "Doc" Hunter Bush, MovieJawn Podcast Director and Staff Writer 

Overview:

Tahara comes to Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome partner label Film Movement. The first feature from director Olivia Peace, the film is creative and well-executed. Film Movement's release of Tahara looks and sounds solid, but is light on bonus features.

The Movie Itself: Good

Tahara isn't anything wildly original, but it is done quite well. Two best friends, Carrie and Hannah (Madeline Grey DeFreece and Rachel Sennott, respectively) attend the funeral service and the mandatory post-funeral discussion session in the synagogue for a recently deceased classmate. Their attentions, however, are on a million other things: Tristan (Daniel Taveras) the cute boy Hannah is crushing on, the performative grieving of some other classmates, and a recent party attended by Hannah and the deceased, but NOT Carrie. The fact that the two are never quite on the same emotional wavelength creates subtle but constant friction in a way that feels authentically like high school. When Hannah cajoles Carrie into sharing a "practice kiss", a variety of new feelings bloom in Carrie for her frustrating and somewhat self-centered bestie.

But Tahara avoids melodrama. Since almost the entire film takes place in the presence of others, there can be very few histrionics. When Carrie and Hannah argue, it is done through looks and brief gestures, or hushed tirades delivered just around the corner, all of which adds to the frustrations inherent in the high school melodrama genre. The characters can never get it all out of their system, and just have to let off enough steam so they won't immediately explode, then continue carrying this weight until the next opportunity to turn the pressure release.

The performances are what stays with you. Carrie and Hannah’s friendship feels real because it’s so nuanced. Hannah is kind of a jerk and when the film opens, you don’t know whether that’s just how she is or not. The fact that Carrie seems so put-off by her behavior is your first inkling that something is going on that we’re not being told, and that very small scale mystery, that question, is what keeps your attention. Everything else that happens, internally or externally, all functions to make aspects of that central relationship clear(er). As a character piece, its strength is in its nuance.

If you’ve ever had complicated feelings for a friend, or had to deal with the slow realization that someone you cared about is not who you thought they were, Tahara will likely hit home even if you weren’t a young, black, Jewish, queer girl at the time. Some things, like bad friends and messy emotions, are universal.

The Packaging: Good

This is the slightly sturdier, clear plastic Blu-ray case traditionally used by Vinegar Syndrome and its partner labels. The cover presents Carrie and Hannah's heads positioned counter to each other and sideways, with a cloudy purple, pink, and blue background. The interior image on the back of the cover is of the two friends looking at each other, tinted fully purple.

The release comes with a handsome booklet featuring an essay from entertainment journalist Sara Clements discussing the film's themes and highlighting the more unique aspects of its story. There's nothing unique about the release, physically, but it is quite handsome.

The Video: Good

With the caveat that this is an independent production from a first time feature director, I think Tahara looks pretty good. The vast majority of the run time is spent in a classroom, and related hallways and bathrooms, which leads to a predominance of overcast, slightly desaturated lighting, but it's a very pleasant, soft look overall.

But there are some really inventive and creative moments here. When Carrie and Hannah share Hannah's "practice kiss", the film's dimensions expand. Initially shot in a square aspect ratio, the kiss literally expands Carrie's world in a way that's extremely clever, ambitious, and quietly melodramatic. There are also brief animation and claymation interludes that further elaborate on the characters' inner turmoil. They're not long, or especially involved, so don't expect to see Mad God stuff here, but they feel authentically like the flights of fancy that kids experiencing these feelings might imagine. It's good stuff that stands in contrast to the comparatively dull everyday of their real world.

The Audio: Average

Similarly, I have no real complaints with the sound mixing of the film itself. Though it's light on score, the dialogue mixing is very good. Again: most of the film is in a synagogue, with a few scenes in bathrooms and the like, but there's no wild sound echoes, squeaky shoes, or anything else I associate with my time in similar buildings.

The mix through my three-channel sound bar was perfect, and I never had to reach for the volume knob because of a sudden volume change ...except, for some reason, the menu is incredibly loud when compared to the film itself. This seems to happen sometimes, and I just do not get it. Obviously, I didn't notice this at the start of my viewing experience, but once the flick ended and the menu started back up, whatever mumbly r&b track that ends the film burst, with renewed vigor, from my speakers. It was not the most pleasant experience.

The Supplements: Average

Listen, I know this is a small production, and the cast and crew were all relative newcomers at the time (I believe this is Rachel Sennot's first feature) but I'm certain there's something that could have been thrown together to give me what I always look for from these kinds of features: context. Though it lacks anything like outtakes or behind-the-scenes interviews, the commentary track is charming, and reasonably informative, with five of the people involved in bringing the film to fruition all sharing their perspectives and memories.

• Commentary with director Olivia Peace, writer Jess Zeidman, cinematographer Tehillah De Castro, editor Troy Lewis, and sound designer Justin Enoch
• Trailer (1:48) (HD)
• Alternative Trailer (2:30) (HD)

Final Thoughts: Worth a Look

Let's address the elephant in the room: While it IS funny that both this and Shiva Baby are films about young female Jewish queerness centered around funerals released in 2020, AND that they both feature Rachel Sennot in a prominent role, I think that their differences in subject matter, concerns and execution are more than enough to set them apart from one another.

I'm not wild about Tahara, but I fully acknowledge that it does have some truly unique points of interest. First of all, Cassie is played by Madeline Grey DeFreece, a black actress and while her race is not a direct component of the story, it is still a very unique thing to see a film with a black, queer, Jewish, female point of view character. And not for nothing, but DeFreece is very good and engaging in the role. Her performance is more than enough to justify giving this one a watch, whether you decide to own a copy or not.

The Rat-Horse Demon Ska Burger Mural (Slaughterhouse Rock)

I watched the movie Slaughterhouse Rock (1988) last night, and it's fine. It's really rambling and kind of silly; frequently unintentionally funny, etc. But. It has a lot of fun effects for the kills and whatnot, and has a really zany style.

Case in point: Early on, the main guy, Alex (Nicholas Celozzi) goes to dinner but can't focus because he's distracted by the horrible visions he's been having, and they do a riff on the effect from A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) when Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) pushes through the wall above Nancy (Heather Langenkamp)'s bed. Instead of a bedroom wall, it's the restaurant wall behind Alex.

But that homage is not the point of this post. The wall itself is:

That's the wall. I don't know exactly what kind of restaurant this is supposed to be (they get burgers), but I kind of love this weird mural! What IS that thing?

A rat?

A horse?

A rat-horse?

I guess it's some kind of demon, what with the spines down its back and the spade-tipped tail. But I also love the shaggy mullet and the underground comix-esque pants and shoes. All that, combined with the checkered everything-else is an aesthetic I absolutely love, and I would absolutely frequent a burger joint with this vibe. Wouldn't you?

THE PHANTOM (1996) - Kino Lorber

The Phantom
Kino Lorber

Original Release Date June 7th, 1996
Written by Jeffrey Boam, based on the comics by Lee Falk
Directed by Simon Wincer
Starring Billy Zane, Kristy Swanson, Treat Williams, Catherine Zeta-Jones, James Remar
Language English (subtitles available)

Buy your copy HERE from Diabolik, or HERE from Orbit

by "Doc" Hunter Bush, MovieJawn Podcast Director and Staff Writer 

The Movie: Good

For those who came in late... The Phantom is widely regarded as the first costumed comic book hero! Inspired by swashbuckling, globetrotting serial adventure stories, Lee Falk created The Phantom in 1936. Also known as The Ghost Who Walks, The Phantom defends the fictional jungle nation of Bengalla from pirates, poachers, and other ne'er-do-wells with the help of his two pistols, his peak physical conditioning, assorted assistants, both human and animal, and perhaps strongest of all: generational wealth!

In the wake of Tim Burton's 1989 Batman, Hollywood raced to find other super heroes to plaster on the big screen. Presumably, as more high-profile characters would be prohibitively expensive, the suits chose lesser-known indie characters like The Crow, The Mask, or the Rocketeer, or older ones like Dick Tracy, The Shadow, and ...The Phantom. Director Simon Wincer's film picks up with the same words I used to open this review; a call-back to the adventure serials that partially inspired the character. In a fun parallel, Superman (2025) also opens with a similar trick, designed to reproduce the feeling of picking up a story in the middle, as used to happen quite often. The difference is that Superman is a character that has consistently been in the public consciousness for decades, while The Phantom was a very obscure character in the U.S. in the mid-'90s.

Billy Zane might be the perfect casting here as The Phantom, in that he not only has leading man charisma, but a real vintage Hollywood marquee look to him. Fun fact: in a previous attempt to adapt this character, which was to be driven by Joe Dante (Gremlins, The 'Burbs), The Phantom was to be played by Bruce Campbell who has a similar classical action hero look. The rest of the cast includes Kristy Swanson as Diana, a spunky debutante adventurer working with her newspaper-owner uncle to investigate the film's villain, wealthy industrialist Xander Drax, played by a gleefully scenery-chewing Treat Willaims.

Drax's plan is to collect three mysterious artifacts: the Skulls of Touganda which, when combined, yadda yadda yadda absolute power; you get the idea. Drax is aided in his quest by mercenary Quill, played with a globe-trotting gravitas by the always great James Remar, and Sala (Catherine Zeta-Jones), the captain of an airborne all-girl gang of pilots. The flick is also almost overflowing with character actors including Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, John Capodice, and Patrick McGoohan, just to name a few.

As the film bounces from Bengalla, to New York, to a mysterious unmarked third location gathering the Skulls, and our heroes survive one dynamic action sequence after another, I fell in love with this character all over again. Zane plays The Phantom with all of his natural charm, he and Swanson banter well and Diana is an incredibly capable female co-lead. Yes, she gets captured and held captive, but then again so does The Phantom. Treat Williams is an incredible sleazebag, with a penchant for reminding you that he's the Bad Guy in the best, most creatively fatal ways. Even though such broad-strokes white hat heroics and black hat villainy can feel a little outdated, The Phantom overcomes these stylistic hurdles to make a truly entertaining adventure yarn!

The Packaging: Good

There's nothing wildly special about the packaging here. It's just very much in line with the traditionally high quality that Kino Lorber puts out. There is a slip cover and a reversible insert with two of the film's posters recreated in the correct 4K Blu-ray dimensions. One is The Phantom punching into the camera with light shining from his skull ring and the tagline SLAM EVIL! at the top, which is also the image on the sleeve. The reverse shows The Phantom sitting on the carved stone throne (did I not mention he had one of those?) inside his skull cave lair (oh, I didn't mention that either?), with a shaft of cold light illuminating the tagline, his sobriquet "The Ghost Who Walks".

It might not be anything overly elaborate, but it's a solid and handsome addition to any physical media library shelf.

The Audio + Video: Excellent

This is where Kino's release of The Phantom really takes the cake. This film looks incredible! As it happens, I had watched the DVD transfer of the film earlier in the week to prepare for an upcoming episode of my podcast, Hate Watch/Great Watch (look for episode 190 if you're so inclined), so I am perhaps uniquely qualified to tell you that this is a definite upgrade. The colors are better; deeper and smartly adjusted. For instance, in most of the film, the deep blacks of the shadows add to the comic book graphic design quality (think of something like Sin City, but not nearly as stark) while in some later sequences in caves, the color has been tweaked to where the shadows are a deep brown, which avoids these darker locations becoming too one-note or flat.

A minor downside to this video upgrade is that some of the CGI assets look worse in comparison. For example, in an opening scene (perhaps a nod to the bridge sequence from 1977's Sorcerer?), one of the cables on a rickety bridge over a steep drop snaps and the CGI dust hit as it goes looks pretty rough. On the plus side, there are actually pretty few such inclusions, and off the top of my head, the other really notable one (involving sparks added to an elevator shaft sequence) looks pretty great, as do the sparks that occur FOR SOME REASON when bullets hit trees during a police chase.

The sound has been restored to the same level of quality. I didn't notice any specific deficiencies in my initial watch of the previously-available Phantom, but in paying attention to review this disc, I found that everything was extremely clear and well-balanced. My three-channel soundbar didn't have any issues; no vibrations, no muddiness, etc., and I never had to pump up the volume in between action scenes. There's also a neat bonus feature interview with composer David Newman, where he describes how little time he had to work on it, that made me really appreciate the score in a new light.

Special Features: Good

Speaking of the bonus features: I'm not mad at them, but I wouldn't have minded more. I almost never would. What I personally really enjoy are interviews or features that give greater context. I would love, for instance, a deep dive into The Phantom's journey to the screen because there were allegedly a number of ultimately less fruitful attempts and I'd love to know more about that. But as I mentioned above, the David Newman interview was very illuminating, as was the one with Billy Zane.

• Commentary track by director Simon Wincer, moderated by filmmaker Douglas Hosdale
• Kismet in the Jungle - interview with Billy Zane (27:08)
• Slam Evil: Scoring The Phantom - interview with composer David Newman (14:49)
• Trailers
• The Phantom (1996) (1:24)
• Treasure of the Four Crowns (1983) 2:01)
• Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985) (2:18)
• Hudson Hawk (1991) (2:05)
• Mystery Men (1999) (2:24)

In Summary: Must Own

If you're at all a '90s kid at heart, OR a scholar of comic book movies, OR action films, OR you have kids who might fall into one or more of those categories, I not only recommend The Phantom as a film, but I heartily stan for this specific release which, it cannot be overstated, restores The Phantom to a visual and audio quality that it has been impossible to find for decades.

I don't mean to sound hyperbolic. It's not as though The Phantom is some lost masterpiece; it's a fun Saturday morning with a bowl of cereal movie that's been consistently available since it made the jump from VHS to DVD. BUT. That DVD-era version is muddy, dull, and thoroughly underwhelming, which does the movie a sincere disservice. I'm glad to see The Phantom making the leap to an upgraded format, and hopefully finding a new audience because of it. This Kino Lorber release really Slams the Evil of underwhelming physical media presentation, so why not add it to your library?

Fantasia International Film Festival 2026 - Preview

FANTASIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2026
The Renowned Festival Turns 30!

by "Doc" Hunter Bush, MovieJawn Staff Writer and Podcast Director, and cohost of the Hate Watch/Great Watch Podcast

2026 has already been a great year in film, which I say with the caveats that A) it's barely half over, B) I haven't seen all of the films released in the first half, and C) the Fantasia International Film Festival hasn't even happened yet. Fantasia is a highly anticipated festival each year, for me (and others, don't get it twisted) because of its focus: smaller, largely independent films and shorts, with a focus on offerings from Asian countries. This appeals to me personally because, odds are, if an indie film that I might like is released in the U.S., it's more than likely I'll end up hearing about it. But international films have that extra barrier of distance to overcome.

For the past handful of years, since I've been covering Fantasia, the festival has routinely exposed me to some of my favorite films of each year. Films coming from creators with different influences, different styles of storytelling and different goals. Expanding your horizons is healthy, and I think everyone should try to do it as often as possible. The festival runs from July 16th - August 2nd, and features a number of exclusive screenings and events for anyone interested in attending in person. 

To that end, below are a handful of films screening at the 2026 Fantasia International Film Festival that I'm very excited to check out. These are the titles that jumped out at me immediately, either because I'm familiar with some other project(s) from the folks involved, or in some cases, the concept hooked me, but as with every year I look forward to discovering new filmmakers and new ideas at this year's fest!

Get tickets HERE

YOU ARE THE FILM
Directed by Makoto Ueda
Written by Makoto Ueda
North American Premiere
Acquire tickets HERE

Madoka (Marika Ito) and Kazuma (Kai Inowaki) are young people separated by about three kilometers (or a 45 minute walk), who seem to be able to communicate with each other through the movies playing in their respective local cinemas. As the title implies, they are each other’s movies! I'm guessing, given writer / director Makoto Ueda's previous work, that this is a romance with some unique twists I won't even see coming. I know Ueda from his screenplays for films like Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (2020), and River (2023) which each involve unique, small-scale approaches to familiar time-loop concepts. If You Are the Film, which is his directorial debut, is anywhere near as sweet and creative as those films, I'll be very, very happy.

LOS VAMPIRES
Directed by Craig Mitchell
Written by Craig Mitchell
World Premiere
Acquire tickets HERE

Famously, while director Tod Browning filmed the 1931 Dracula by day, director George Melford filmed the Spanish-language version on the same sets by night. This is true, look it up. What writer / director Craig Mitchell's Los Vampires does is take a fictionalized spin on this arrangement and add in a rivalry between the two stars (Henry Ian Cusick and Thomas Kretschmann, respectively) and a series of murders happening around the set. As with the TV show Dragnet, “...the names have been changed to protect the innocent”. This story set-up really appeals to me, not just because I love vampire films, but because the whole fictionalized events on the set of a formative vampire film gimmick reminds me of the 2000 film Shadow of the Vampire (check it out if you haven't!).

THE GLORIOUS DEAD
Directed by John Adams, Toby Poser
Written by John Adams, Toby Poser
World Premiere
Acquire tickets HERE

I was already a definite fan of the Adams family (with one 'd'; the family who've brought us the films Hellbender (2021), Where the Devil Roams (2023), and Mother of Flies (2025) among others) but after they personally reached out to say they'd read a review I'd written, I'm ride-or-die. Turns out they're as gracious and down-to-Earth as you'd hope. Their latest, The Glorious Dead, finds Toby Poser and Zelda Adams playing a small town sheriff and her deputy who wake up to find out everything is wrong. According to the description "...blood drips from faucets, people and pets are missing, and fleshy creatures walk the woods". Whatever is behind the events of the plot, I trust the steady hands of the Adamses to deliver a good time.

NO REST FOR THE WICKED
Directed by Kasper Kalle
Written by Rasmus Birch, Kasper Kalle, Karl Heinreich Ulrichs (short story)
World Premiere
Acquire tickets HERE

A fisherman and a stranded whaler begin a secret, queer love affair in this Danish vampire flick that's being described as "haunting" and compared to the work of Robert Eggers (director of The Lighthouse (2019), and Nosferatu (2024) among others). Based on the 1884 (!) story "Manor" by Karl Heinrich Ulrichs, what little I could find about this flick (which unfortunately shares a title with an SEO-dominating video game franchise) looks splendidly dark and sensual.

RUBBERHEAD: THE LIFE & MONSTERS OF STEVE JOHNSON
Directed by Nick Taylor
Written by Joseph Krings, Nick Taylor
World Premiere
Acquire tickets HERE

I love the increasingly lost art of practical effects just a hair more than I appreciate the innovations of digital, and while I didn't recognize the name Steve Johnson right off the bat, a cursory glance at his credits shows that I certainly should. With titles ranging from popular blockbusters like Spider-Man 2 (2004), to genre classics like Big Trouble in Little China (1986), to cult faves like Brainscan (1994), to series like The Tick (2001-2002), and music videos from Primus and Slipknot; the man has had some hand in such a great many entertainments that I've personally enjoyed! I'm very excited to hear his story told by many of the folks he's worked with as well as the man himself!

Honorable mention titles that nearly made it into this write-up include Colony (dir. Yeon Sang-ho), the bio-hacking zombie outbreak flick from the director of Train to Busan (2016); Kung Fu (dir. Giddens Ko), Taiwan's first martial arts fantasy film in 40 years; AnyMart (dir. Yusuke Iwasaki), a gory satire set in a convenience store in a corporate dystopia; and Dance Freak (dirs. Alan Resnick and Robby Reckleff), a dance-virus take on an outbreak film from creators known for their genre-hopping short films like Unedited Footage of a Bear (2014) or This House Has People in It (2016). 

Those are just the titles I felt like I had enough of a handle on that I could attempt to explain them. There are so many other films where I won't truly know what I'm watching until the credits roll (and sometimes not even then). If none of them sound like your thing, it's most definitely worth taking a look at what else is on offer this year. The Fantasia International Film Festival is truly a smorgasbord of cinematic treats. Look around, you're sure to find something delicious.