There have been quite a few major releases the last few weeks. So, instead of doing full reviews for each, let’s catch up on 2026 by doing mini-reviews for a handful of noteworthy films and TV shows currently doing the rounds.
Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026)
Whether or not you’re a fan of Star Wars, a new film in the franchise has been a massive event. Seeing that yellow title suddenly appear on screen, projected over a shot of endless space, with John Williams music blaring, has always felt special. It makes the viewer excited in a way that few movies can. So, after the critical disappointment that was Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), it has been unclear what the long term plan is for this once proud series. For the last few years, the franchise’s greatest successes have been their various TV shows, including Andor (2022-2025) and The Mandalorian (2019 – 2023). Their next cinematic venture, The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) is a continuation of the similarly named series. We are re-introduced to Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), The Mandalorian bounty hunter and his adopted alien child. The pair are now working for the New Republic, hunting and arresting former imperial generals. On their latest mission, they break ranks in order to rescue famed gladiator Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White) from his criminal family intent on killing him. While The Mandalorian and Grogu is a relatively enjoyable adventure romp, it often feels like it could’ve just been another episode of the TV show, as opposed to a massive cinema release. Whether good or bad, Star Wars movies have always elicited a strong response, so it’s a strange feeling to watch a Star Wars film that feels unremarkable.
6/10
Best way to watch it: On TV, where it belongs.
Apex (2026)
As usual, Netflix is always on the hunt for their next streaming hit, which they hope will turn into a viral sensation. Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos continually claims that their business model will make cinemas a thing of the past, but he probably hasn’t realised that the majority of their output has made their platform the home for forgettable TV movies. As such, most of their films only occupy the public interest for a day (a week at max), and are forgotten very quickly. The briefly discussed survival thriller, Apex (2026), is one such film. The story follows Sasha (Charlize Theron), a rock climber and kayaker who has come to the Australian wilderness to scatter her partner’s ashes. Once she arrives, she is accosted by various locals, including Ben (Taron Egerton). Unfortunately, Ben turns out to be a psychotic serial killer, who enjoys hunting his prey before killing them. After giving Sasha a head start, the pair engage in a deadly game of cat and mouse across the treacherous terrain. Apex’s premise does offer some interest and tension, but the tone is too self-serious for how silly it is. Outside of one appropriately goofy scene, Apex is far too bland and boring to live up to its pulpy potential.
3/10
Best way to watch it: If you want to see some rock climbing, spend a day at Hardrock instead.
Disclosure Day (2026)
It’s curious to note that many iconic filmmakers have been looking back at their previous work with a hint of regret. Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman (2019) is essentially a three hour apology for his role in defining the modern gangster genre, while Steven Spielberg has repeatedly stated he would change the ending of Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) given the chance. Well, with Disclosure Day (2026), it seems Spielberg is making good on that promise. The story follows Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt), a popular TV meteorologist for Kansas City who starts exhibiting some strange, paranormal behaviour. At the same time, Dr. Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor) has discovered that the organisation he works for has been covering up proof of similarly strange paranormal phenomena for years, and he intends to release all the information publicly. Unlike Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Spielberg approaches Disclosure Day with far more emphasis on the story themes, as opposed to plot or characters. Thus, Disclosure Day isn’t a typical science fiction thriller, as it takes its time to really get going, and it doesn’t help the viewer emotionally connect to the various heroes or villains. However, if you manage to take in all of its dense ideas, you’ll experience a story which preaches peace and unity will be achieved through truth.
7/10
Best way to watch it: With your notepad.
The Invite (2026)
Director Olivia Wilde made her feature debut with the ambitious science fiction mystery, Don’t Worry Darling (2022). Despite that film’s noble intentions, it didn’t quite live up to it’s many exciting trailers. Wilde did prove that she has talent as a director, but she probably needed a simpler concept for her first film, so that she could hone her skills. With that in mind, it feels like The Invite (2026) could be her second attempt at a first impression. Based on the Spanish film Sentimental (2020) by Cesc Gay, The Invite takes place over one night, as married couple Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (Olivia Wilde) host their neighbours Piña (Penelope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton) for dinner. The one couple is sexually frustrated, while the other is sexually liberated, so it’s a matter of time before this casual foursome becomes something less casual. The four veteran performers make a meal out of the witty script, turning nearly every moment into an awkwardly hilarious joy. The pacing might be too fast for some, but if you can keep up with the manic energy, you’ll find that The Invite offers not only laughs, but a thought provoking analysis of desire, marriage and love.
8/10
Best way to watch it: Definitely not for a movie night with friends. They may get the wrong idea.
Supergirl (2026)
Last year, James Gunn kicked off his series of DC films with the critically acclaimed Superman (2025). At that film’s conclusion, the titular hero’s cousin Supergirl (Milly Alcock) made a quick appearance, teasing that she was soon to be the star of her own adventure. The last time Supergirl headlined her own movie was all the way back in 1984, with Helen Slater in the role. Despite that film’s massive budget, as well as the star power of Faye Dunaway and Peter O’Toole, it was a massive critical and commercial failure. So, it’s now up to James Gunn and Director Craig Gillespie of I Tonya (2017) fame, to redeem Supergirl in the eyes of moviegoers. This story follows Supergirl as she teams with Ruthye (Eve Ridley), a young girl out for revenge against a bandit named Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts), who murdered her family. Supergirl is on a similar revenge mission, wanting to take Krem down for poisoning her dog, Krypto. The pair chase Krem and his goons across space, with Ruthye learning a few life lessons from Supergirl along the way. The famous graphic novel Supergirl is based on, is known for its colourful imagery, surreal concepts and character driven depth. Unfortunately, Gillespie has delivered a film devoid of colour, imagination, likeable characters, or depth. There’s a handful of interesting sequences and enjoyable moments, but ultimately Supergirl is a disappointment.
4/10
Best way to watch it: The 1984 version is a total disaster, but that might make it more fun to watch.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)
With 10 Spider-Man films having been released since 2002, no one was really expecting or needing another one. When Tom Holland’s third outing as the famed superhero in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) seemingly wrapped up his story, and raked in nearly $2 billion at the global box office, it felt as though it was time for the young actor to move onto new things. However, that $2 billion haul was too much to ignore for Sony Pictures, so here with are with Holland’s fourth outing as the character, Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026). Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the story picks up with Peter Parker now spending the majority of his time as Spider-Man, working closely with police to clean up New York City’s crime problem. Peter has thrown himself into his work in order to keep himself away from MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon), his former girlfriend and best friend, both of whom have no memory of him, and whom he wants to keep safe from his dangerous life as Spider-Man. Things become complicated when a mysterious new threat emerges, one that keeps possessing civilians, and putting them in harms way. While Spider-Man: Brand New Day is mostly a remix of elements we’ve seen before, it turns out to be a highly engaging adventure, with fully realised characters, many surprising twists, and a charmingly emotional story. Not only that, but Cretton’s direction is a wonder to behold, as this may very well be the most cinematically gorgeous superhero film in decades.
8.5/10
Best way to watch it: Based on the box office numbers, you’ve probably seen it already.
The Odyssey (2026)
There’s no director working today who inspires more passion (and division) than Sir Christopher Nolan. With a filmography that includes many of the 21st Century’s most acclaimed and popular films, Nolan’s fans and detractors get into a frenzy every time he releases something new. This time, Nolan tackles Homer’s foundational epic poem, The Odyssey. While there have been 10 or so previous adaptations of the famed Greek Myth, none have been done to the blockbuster cinematic scale typical of a Christopher Nolan epic. Whether it’s good or not, this adaptation of The Odyssey will likely become the default version for our time, so it makes sense as to why it has generated such intense cultural discourse.
The film follows the original story closely, as Odysseus (Matt Damon) the King of Ithaca, sets sail for home after winning the 10 year long Trojan War with his famous wooden horse ploy. However, he and his men are waylaid on their journey, shot off course for many years, encountering all manner of gods, monsters and apparent magic. Back in Ithaca, Odysseus’ wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) refuses to marry another, even as many suitors make themselves comfortable in her home. Meanwhile, Prince Telemachus (Tom Holland) wonders what has become of his father, and goes on a quest to Sparta to find out why Odysseus never returned after the war. Telemachus must act quickly, as the most reprehensible of the suitors, Antinous (Robert Pattinson), plots to assassinate him.
Anyone familiar with Christopher Nolan’s filmography will be able to recognise the following aspects of his directing style: non-linear timeline structure, minimal computer generated imagery, practical effects captured in-camera, IMAX cinematography, and large scale stories following tormented men. Despite what many of the online controversies would have you believe, all of these qualities makes Nolan an obvious fit for a story as massive as The Odyssey. However, this doesn’t mean there weren’t some hanging questions once the project was announced. Namely, Nolan has always been preoccupied with grounded realism and scientific fidelity. Given that the Odyssey is a Greek myth from long before modern science, one has to wonder how Nolan would make sense of a world composed of monsters, magic and gods. After all, Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises (2012) showed just how embarrassed he is when approaching content that’s even mildly fanciful.
Happily, Nolan has clearly grown in confidence, as he manages to find the perfect balance between grounded reality, and fantastical reality. In Nolan’s vision of the Odyssey, magic spells are portrayed in the realm of medical alchemy, the monsters come across as either prehistoric humans or animals, and the gods are elemental and psychological forces which may or may not be real. Absolute purists of Homer’s text may still find reasons to be disappointed by this approach, but this balance of realism and fantasy is part of what makes Nolan’s Odyssey so effective. This isn’t a cartoon with magic spells and colourful creatures, but a living, breathing world with a strong sense of verisimilitude. In doing so, Nolan has produced a version of this epic which feels biblical without being ridiculous.
‘Epic’ is the best word to describe many of Nolan’s films, but it’s especially true of The Odyssey. Even with the grounded approach to this larger than life story, Nolan and his team have gone above and beyond in terms of sheer spectacle. The grand castles, vast open seas, and scores of armed warriors constantly fill the frame, and your jaw will drop when you realise that it’s all in-camera. These castles, oceans and armies aren’t models, sets, or CGI extras, but instead are actual locations, true bodies of water and real people. Nolan isn’t content with just taking his crew to a green screen studio, as he knows that nothing beats the tangibility of actually standing in an ancient dining hall, or sailing on a functional Bronze Age ship in the open ocean. Furthermore, the use of puppets, animatronics, forced perspective shots, and makeup, brings the creatures to vivid life in ways we haven’t seen on film in decades. One could argue that this isn’t particularly groundbreaking, as standard adventure films were achieved in this manner before the advent of computer effects. While that is somewhat true, Nolan has still pushed the envelope, regardless of whether you compare The Odyssey to current day filmmaking, or old-school filmmaking.
As is typical of a Nolan film, the cast is stacked with a who’s who of A-listers, all of whom could (and have been) the leads of their own movies. Nolan’s name seems to carry incredible weight, to the point where massive stars are willing to humble themselves in tiny roles if it means they contribute to his memorable work. The likes of Elliot Page, Lupita Nyong’o, John Bernthal, Mia Goth, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Himesh Patel, Bill Irwin, Corey Hawkins, Benny Safdie, Ryan Hurst and Tom Holland all share the screen, making strong and memorable impressions regardless of their screen time. Nolan has always subscribed to the idea that casting isn’t about finding the best actor, it’s about finding the right actor. This cast is proof of that, as every player fits perfectly into their role. Even among this incredible cast, there are a handful of standouts, that being Anne Hathaway, Samantha Morton, Robert Pattinson, John Leguizamo and Matt Damon. Pattinson and Morton send shivers down your spine in their own unique ways, while Leguizamo and Hathaway have never been more watchable and magnetic. That being said, it’s Damon who delivers possibly his best work to date, creating a man who believably changes under the weight of his years of torment.
It’s this vision of the hero, Odysseus, which has caused the most controversy, but is actually the film’s greatest strength. In Nolan and Damon’s interpretation, Odysseus is a symbol of civilisations collapse by its own misguided hands. Yes, ideas of guilt, war crimes and civil destruction weren’t part of the psyche of Ancient Greek warriors, nor was it a major factor of Odysseus as written by Homer. With that in mind, why bother retelling these old dead legends 3000 years on if we’re not going to interrogate them, update them, and find ways for them to speak to our current times? Nolan and Damon have clearly understood this, and have found a way to bridge the 3000 year long gap between the myth’s original inception and now. Most impressively, Nolan’s Odyssey updates the thematic meaning of this tale without ever losing sight of the most important aspects of what made the original text so endearing. Specifically, Homer’s Odysseus is a man who is humbled by the mistakes of his journey, and Nolan has captured that and then some.
Ultimately, The Odyssey is another massive step forward for the already iconic filmmaker. Between this latest offering, and his Oscar winning Oppenheimer, it’s clear that Nolan is currently preoccupied with the idea that mankind keeps finding ways to engineer its own demise. Thus, the fact that Nolan has managed to glean these themes from a text which is the foundational bedrock of all western literature, tells us more about ourselves than it does his directorial ambitions. In fact, let’s be amazed and thankful to Nolan for his efforts in bringing these ideas to light in such a spectacular, entertaining, and emotional fashion.
10/10
Best way to watch it: On repeat. My wife said it best as soon as she left the cinema – “I could watch it again right now”.
