Breaking Down the Trailer for ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’

February 18, 2026February 18, 2026 Mike Manalo

At its core Star Wars has always been about rebels and underdogs standing up to dictators using their own private armies to take over the galaxy. Since its debut in 2019, The Mandalorian strengthened those themes, centering on a ragtag duo of outcasts fighting the good fight against villains still trying their hardest to hold on to authoritarianism. Now the battle continues on the big screen as Din Djarin and Grogu return in The Mandalorian and Grogu!

Interview, Movies, Sci FiLeave a comment

Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi Brings ‘Predator: Badlands’ Home

February 17, 2026 Mike Manalo

This past year director Dan Trachtenberg, who brought us Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers introduced us to the franchise’s first Yautja protagonist, Dek, in Predator: Badlands! Portrayed by breakout star, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, both Trachtenberg and Koloamatangi infused pathos and complexity into Dek, bringing us something completely different; a sympathetic and richer side to Yautja culture.

Interview, Star TrekLeave a comment

Tawny Newsome and Cirroc Lofton Honor Sisko’s Legacy in ‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’

February 5, 2026February 7, 2026 Swara Salih

We speak with Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 5 co-writer Tawny Newsome and returning Star Trek: Deep Space Nine star Cirroc Lofton on honoring Captain Sisko and Avery Brooks in this week’s Starfleet Academy.

Interview, Movies, Sci FiLeave a comment

The Cast and Creatives of ‘Mercy’ Discuss Their New Sci-Fi Thriller

January 24, 2026January 23, 2026 Sophia Soto

While covering New York Comic Con 2025, I had the chance to speak with Mercy director/producer Timur Bekmambetov, producers Charles Roven and Robert Amidon, along with stars Chris Pratt and Kali Reis. We discussed the film’s unique concept, what audiences can expect, using time to create tension, and more.

Movies, Reviews, Sci Fi

‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ is a Technical Marvel Trapped in a Familiar Story

December 16, 2025December 16, 2025 Michael Lee

Every trip to Pandora brings in a visually stunning new adventure and family drama with Jake Sully and Neytiri. The new Avatar: Fire and Ash doubles down on both, throwing the family into a firestorm of grief, resilience, and jaw-dropping world-building that keeps expanding Pandora in bold, unexpected directions. Unfortunately, despite being epic in scale and scope, the film’s lack of a compelling story frustrates, and its many setups lead to surprisingly few satisfying payoff.

Interview, Movies, Sci Fi

Jayme Lawson and Daniel Ezra Break Down Edgar Wright’s ‘The Running Man’

November 16, 2025 Michael Lee

The Running Man is one of Stephen King’s bleakest futures, where working-class bodies are fed into state-approved spectacle. First adapted in 1987, the story now finds new life in Edgar Wright’s reimagining, with Glenn Powell in the lead and Jayme Lawson and Daniel Ezra grounding the reality TV carnage in emotional nuance and human stakes.

Movies, Reviews, Sci Fi

‘The Running Man’ Delivers Sharp Truths Even When it’s a Bit Overhyped

November 12, 2025 Michael Lee

In a world where entertainment thrives on dehumanization, Stephen King’s The Running Man remains one of the most unsettlingly relevant dystopias. The book made for a memorable 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, and now Edgar Wright’s adaptation pays clear homage to the source while recalibrating it for an era of algorithms, streaming spectacle, and disposable labor. The premise still excites, but the film’s frantic energy sometimes scatters its sharpest ideas.

Movies, Reviews, Sci Fi

NOC Review: ‘Predator: Badlands’ is an Enjoyable Sci-Fi Romp

November 11, 2025November 11, 2025 Mike Manalo

Redefining a classic franchise is a difficult thing to do. Countless remakes and reboots of beloved classics from Poltergeist to Child’s Play have withered and died at the cinema. The Predator franchise, specifically, has even seen its share of wasted potential (see Shane Black’s failed attempt from 2018).

Interview, Movies, Sci Fi

Into the ‘Predator: Badlands’ with the Stars and Director of the New Film

November 6, 2025November 6, 2025 Mike Manalo

It’s incredible to think that in just three years, director Dan Trachtenberg has reinvented the Predator franchise in such a profound way!

Interview, Movies, Sci Fi

Talking About ‘TRON: Ares’ with Arturo Castro

October 13, 2025October 13, 2025 Mike Manalo

I loved TRON: Ares! Based on reviews from my fellow colleagues, I’m glad to know I’m not the only one. TRON may be a niche franchise, but I simply can’t get enough of the crazy lightcycle sequences, the insane disc battles, buzzing techno soundtracks, and giant recognizers eclipsing the neon-lit skylines of The Grid! So I’m incredibly thrilled to share a bonus TRON interview with you all: a conversation with the hilarious and charismatic Arturo Castro!

Movies, Reviews, Sci Fi2 Comments

‘Tron: Ares’ and the Algorithm of Humanity

October 7, 2025 Ainsley 'LadyL' Landry

In IMAX, Tron: Ares doesn’t just unfold, it engulfs you. From the first neon pulse to the last flicker of light, I felt like I wasn’t just watching a film but being uploaded into it. The franchise that once imagined the world inside a computer now feels eerily close to our own, a mirror made of code and conscience.

Interview, Movies, Sci Fi1 Comment

Entering The Grid with the Cast and Director of ‘TRON: Ares’

October 6, 2025October 7, 2025 Mike Manalo

Fun fact: I’ve actually been obsessed with TRON for a long time. Both the original TRON and TRON: Legacy were films that were ahead of their time, with creator Steven Lisberger and future Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski exploring themes such as the dangers of corporate greed and the abuse of technology and power in both films.

Movies, Sci Fi

The Schwartz Awakens in New ‘Spaceballs 2’ Cast Photo

September 25, 2025September 25, 2025 Keith Chow

Amazon MGM Studios just confirmed production is underway on Spaceballs 2, the decades-in-the-making follow-up to Mel Brooks’ 1987 space opera classic. The film will reunite Brooks with original stars Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, and an unretired Rick Moranis. Though if history is any indication, they will never share any significant screen time together.

News, Opinion, Star Wars

We Have Friends Everywhere

September 19, 2025September 24, 2025 The Nerds of Color

Earlier this week, the Disney-owned broadcast network ABC abruptly pulled the late night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live from the airwaves after being pressured by the U.S. government. A few days prior, Dan Gilroy¹ and the show Andor, another Disney-owned entity, was being awarded an Emmy for outstanding writing for this powerful speech delivered by Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma — who was totally snubbed in the acting category, by the way — warning of “the monster who will come for us all soon enough.”

Interview, Sci Fi, Television

Erika Alexander on ‘Invasion’ Season 3, Representation, and Telling the Truth

September 18, 2025September 18, 2025 Ainsley 'LadyL' Landry

Apple TV+’s Invasion is back for its third season, raising the stakes and exploring the power of truth in the face of fear. In this exclusive interview, actress and activist Erika Alexander dives deep into her role as Marilyn Tanner, the passionate leader of Infinitas, a group fighting to expose the truth about the alien invasion and challenge the narratives controlled by the powers that be.

Animation, Interview, Star Wars

‘LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy — Pieces of the Past’ Cast and Creators on the New Series

September 16, 2025September 16, 2025 Michael Lee

LEGO and Star Wars open the door for creative remixes that could never happen in the original lore. From Jaxxon and the Old Republic’s Darth Revan sharing the same space to Porgs and Purrgils mashed up into a galactic chimera, fans use their imaginations to build and rebuild the galaxy far, far away in ways that are both hilarious and surprisingly heartfelt.

Movies, Reviews, Sci Fi

NOC Review: ‘The Long Walk’ is a Harrowing Journey Worth Taking

September 8, 2025September 8, 2025 Mike Manalo

At the time of writing this, I’ve had the opportunity to see The Long Walk twice. Once at a conventional screening, and another at an interactive experience where we walked on a treadmill for 3.4 MPH for the full screening to simulate the film’s experience. Why put myself through an emotionally devastating movie twice in a row, with a second experience being a physically exhausting one? Because this emotionally devastating movie is actually one of the year’s best.

Interview, Sci Fi, Streaming

‘Upload’ Star Andy Allo Reflects on Nora’s Journey and the Show’s Bittersweet Ending

September 2, 2025September 2, 2025 Ainsley 'LadyL' Landry

Prime Video’s Upload has always thrived on contradictions: funny yet tragic, romantic yet cynical, hopeful about technology while deeply critical of its costs. At the center of all those contradictions has been Andy Allo’s Nora who began the series as a young woman just trying to survive as tech support in a digital afterlife and grew into the show’s emotional compass.

Conventions, Sci Fi1 Comment

SDCC 2025: The ‘Predator’ Blasts Hall H into the ‘Badlands’

July 31, 2025July 31, 2025 Mike Manalo

There are very few staples in the world of pop sci-fi that have had the lasting impact of the Predator franchise. While the series has seen its shares of ups and downs since 1987, in recent years, it’s seen a considerable upswing thanks to the terrific efforts of filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg. Starting with Prey, continuing with Predator: Killer of Killers, and now coming up on Predator: Badlands.

Conventions, Movies, Sci Fi1 Comment

SDCC 2025: The Grid Takes Over Hall H at the ‘TRON: Ares’ Panel

July 30, 2025July 30, 2025 Mike Manalo

Friday was an epic day at Hall H! After panels for Lionsgate’s The Long Walk, and 20th Century Studios’ Predator: Badlands, Disney Studios capped off the day by digitizing its audience and transporting them to The Grid with TRON: Ares! The result: an incredible experience filled with lasers, lights, incredible music, and terrific talent!

Movies, Sci Fi, Trailers

‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Trailer Teases More of Pandora and Clan Rivalries

July 28, 2025July 28, 2025 Michael Lee

It’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since Avatar: The Way of Water hit theaters. And that was after the 14-year gap following the original film. Now, with multiple Avatar sequels lined up, the franchise is embarking on a new chapter, Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third installment of the long-running franchise.

Movies, Sci Fi

Worlds Collide in the New ‘TRON: Ares’ Trailer

July 17, 2025July 17, 2025 Mike Manalo

Holy crap! This looks amazing! I’ve mentioned before how much of a TRON fan I am. I’ve lamented when I found out we weren’t getting a direct sequel to TRON: Legacy. But after seeing the new trailer for TRON: Ares, any concerns have been completely derezzed!

Movies, Reviews, Sci Fi1 Comment

NOC Review: ‘Daniela Forever’ is Henry Golding’s Indie Star Turn

July 13, 2025July 14, 2025 Dominic Mah

What a lovely film is Daniela Forever, the latest effort from Spanish filmmaker Nacho Vigalondo, starring Henry Golding and Beatrice Grannò as the titular character. Vigalondo’s last feature as writer-director was 2016’s Colossal, which found Anne Hathaway clairvoyantly mind-linked to a gigantic city-stomping kaiju monster. Daniela Forever operates from a science-fanciful premise that is slightly less strange, but more gracefully executed: