Category Archives: 2026 Reviews

Scrubs: My Ex’s Ex [S2:E3] – TV Review

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TL;DR – An episode that brings that old-school feel before kicking you in the face.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service that aired this episode.

Charlie stuck in-between JD and Carla.

Scrubs Review –

When I was reviewing Season 1 of Scrubs, or Season 10 depending on your perspective, one of my main criticisms was that it felt isolated from the older episodes because most of the supporting cast didn’t make the jump. Today is the first episode where it felt like we were finally getting back to that level.

So, to set the scene, at Sacred Heart, there are three relationships on show. JD (Zach Braff) and Charlie (Rachel Bilson) are in that first stage of romance, Carla (Judy Reyes) and Turk (Donald Faison) are working through living together after so many years of marriage, and for Elliot (Sarah Chalke), well, she is single again. Which makes it the perfect time for JD to run into Sean (Scott Foley), his ex’s ex. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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The Diplomat: Windsor [S4:E1] – TV Review

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TL;DR – Delightfully chaotic as we get to watch a masterclass in dialogue.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Netflix service that I used to view this series.

Hal and Grace look out different windows during a car trip.

The Diplomat Review Introduction

My background is in International Relations, and it does not come up here as much as I would like, other than the occasional The Hitman’s Bodyguard jaunt. Well, today, given the situation of the world, I thought I would take a chance to have some wishful thinking in a world where the right things still matter, integrity still matters, to pretend for a couple of hours that everything hasn’t just gone to shit everywhere. Which is what I wrote when I dived into Season 3 of The Diplomat, and looking out at the world today, it still applies to Season 4.

So, to set the scene, everyone at the embassy is still dealing with the fallout of the Americans stealing a nuclear device from a grounded Russian submarine in British waters, which Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) did not know about, poor form, given that her husband Hal (Rufus Sewell) was the one who planned the covert military action with President Grace Penn (Allison Janney). Especially since Grace just got out from the cloud that she set in motion the events in Season 1 that led to the explosion on the British naval vessel. A lot of stuff went down last season. As both the President and Vice President made their way back to Air Force One, protestors blocked the highway. So, there is only one thing you can do: camp out at Windsor Castle for a while. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Street Fighter (2026) – Movie Review

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TL;DR – A complete mess of a film, with conflicting targets, wants, vibes, and narratives all colliding together in whatever we got in the final product.

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Post-Credit Scene – There is a mid-credit scene.

Disclosure – I was invited to a press screening of this film.

1993 World Warrior Tournament II banner.

Street Fighter Review Introduction

If you had asked me a year ago if I was excited for a Street Fighter film, I probably would have looked at you oddly. The original was a bit of a camp mess, and video game adaptations in general have not been kind. However, the more we heard about this film, the more the dial shifted, and I became genuinely intrigued to see whether they could pull off such a chaotic premise. (Editor’s note: I was optimistic here before I watched the film; it does not go well for me)

So, to set the scene, for a long time, Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) and Ryu (Andrew Koji) were best friends, inseparable. That is until fate tore them apart in a way that only best friends can be ripped asunder: the death of their master Gouken (Don Lee). Many years later, in 1993, the next World Warrior Tournament is upon the world, and Chun-Li (Callina Liang) is on a mission to reunite the former friends and get them to fight. Still, none of them knows just what M. Bison (David Dastmalchian) has cooking in the background.

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Other Mommy – Movie Review

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TL;DR – Great production cannot save a profoundly hollow film from falling like a thud.

Rating: 1.5 out of 5.

Post-Credit Scene – There is a post-credit sting that you do not have to stay for.

Disclosure – I paid to watch this film.

Warning – Contains scenes with flashing lights.

A soft toy vulture on the top of a ball pit.

Other Mommy Review Introduction

Today we look at a film that is an odd duality. From the outside, this is a strongly constructed movie with a strong cast, engaging editing, strong cinematography, and an interesting spin on the supernatural monster mythology. It is also an insipid, hollow, dull exercise that turns a ninety-minute film into a slog.

So, to set the scene, on the surface, the Martin family of Ursula (Jessica Chastain), Russ (Jay Duplass), and little Bela (Arabella Olivia Clark) are the perfect unit. Maybe mum works a bit too much, maybe dad should have more going on in his life beyond painting miniatures, oh, and maybe Bela should not see Other Mommy (Jessica Chastain) in her closet at night.

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The Love Hypothesis – Movie Review

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TL;DR – A very straightforward romantic comedy, with a touch more going on under the hood than you would first suspect.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription used to watch this film.

The gang looks in shock at a kiss.

The Love Hypothesis Review Introduction

Today we are looking at a truly interesting film. On the surface, it is a very well-executed, if straightforward, romantic comedy. Two oddball characters who have nothing in common find love through the prism of shenanigans. We have gotten Solo Mio, One Night Only, & Finding Emily with the same underlying structure this year already. However, the moment you dig even a centimetre under the surface, it becomes one of the more fascinating films I have seen all year.

So, to set the scene, Olive Smith (Lili Reinhart) is not having the best day when some expired contact lenses make her whole world blurry on the day of her graduate school interview. But disaster averted, Olive makes it into Stanford University, where she meets her bestie Anh (Rachel Marsh), her unrequited crush Jeremy (Nicholas Duvernay), and roommate Malcolm (Jaboukie Young-White), which is good because Olive is all alone in her life outside of university. The one thing Olive wants is to work in Dr Thomas Benton (Arty Froushan)’s lab, and he just let her know that he will be teaching in Stanford for the next month. It is a major opportunity, or a walking disaster waiting to happen. Which is what is happening when she cons Anh into thinking she is in a relationship, so Anh feels okay dating Jeremy, which leads to her maybe kissing ‘Dr Evil’ Dr Adam Carlsen (Tom Bateman) to keep up the ruse, and shenanigans follow as Dr Carlsen agrees to set up the pretence of a relationship for the review committee … making a love hypothesis.

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Sense and Sensibility (2026) – Movie Review

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TL;DR – A delightfully charming film, filled with camaraderie, humour, and exquisite performances

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I was invited to a press screening of this film.

The Dashwood family arrive in Devon.

Sense and Sensibility Review Introduction

One of the bonuses of this job is that you experience a full range of classic literature that you missed growing up because your school picked different titles, such as One Flew Over a Cuckoo’s Nest, or there was one English teacher who made the thought of doing literature a non-starter. This is how I have discovered the joys of such classics as Emma, Little Women, Murder on the Orient Express, and Wuthering Heights. Okay, some more than others. However, today, I get to add to this as we dive back to the era of Jane Austen with all its pomp and circumstance.

So, to set the scene, tragedy has struck the Dashwood family as their father Henry has passed away, and after some prodding from his wife Fanny (Stacy Martin), John (Tom Brooke), Henry’s son, has decided not to financially support his stepmother (Caitríona Balfe), or half-sisters Elinor (Daisy Edgar-Jones), Marianne (Esmé Creed-Miles), or Margaret (Bodhi Rae Breathnach). Thankfully, a distant relative, Mrs Jennings (Fiona Shaw), has announced that  Sir John Middleton (Turlough Convery) has heard of their plight and offered them a cottage in Devon that they could move into for a low rent. This is a big change for all the girls, but with all change, there is frustration and opportunities. Some of those opportunities may be potential suitors, including the shy Edward Ferrars (George MacKay), the distant Colonel Brandon (Herbert Nordrum), and the far too forward John Willoughby (Frank Dillane). This could be a source of much relief for the family, or possibly much pain.

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Lanterns: Dirt and Stars [S1E8] & Season 1 – TV Review

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TL;DR – The finale does not quite end in a big crescendo, but in the slow release of stress, almost like a pressure cooker being opened after cooking dinner.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

End Credit Scene – There is no end credit scene.

Warning – Contains scenes which may cause distress.

John and Hal walk across a dead alien planet.

Lanterns Review Introduction

As we come into the season finale of Lanterns, there are a lot of unanswered questions sitting around. Such as: Who is the murderer? Who is the jailbreaker? Who committed the genocide? Who is worthy of the ring? Are the Lanterns the good guys? And potentially the most important question: can the show stick the landing?

So, to set the scene, back in 2016, in the ruins of Rushville, Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald) finds Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) collapsed under the ruins of the motel. He is sorry for all that he has done, and not done, but also aware that he is about to be hung out to dry by the Green Lanterns. A neat way to sideline him without killing him. In 2026, he has been released from jail, and Kerry is there to pick him up. But Rushville does not forget, and soon that danger will catch up to Hal in many ways. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode and season as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Scrubs: My Mentee [S2:E2] – TV Review

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TL;DR – A good example of one of the sillier episodes that still sneaks some commentary under the shenanigans.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Disclosure – I paid for the Disney+ service that aired this episode.

Sam with a blown up plastic glove.

Scrubs Review –

When you have a reboot series where you bring back the old cast, you can pretend that nothing has changed, or you can incorporate that time into your narratives. Today’s episode does the latter as it gets into the core of the characters.

So, to set the scene, Dr Cox’s (John C. McGinley) treatment has been going well, and he is in remission. The only problem is that each of his infusions costs $35.000. As they struggle to work out how to fix the American healthcare system, JD (Zach Braff), Turk (Donald Faison), and Elliot (Sarah Chalke) have to see their lives through the prism of their mentees. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Pretty Lethal – Movie Review

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TL;DR – An absolutely solid action film that understands the visual language it wants to engage with and makes it shine.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription used to watch this film.

The ballerinas.

Pretty Lethal Review Introduction

I have been on the hunt for a good action film lately, and unfortunately, I have been hit by a wave of disappointments. When you are on a bad run, it is time to remove your preconceptions and try for something outside of the box and today that means dancing as if your life depended on it.

So, to set the scene, a group of ballerinas, Zoe (Iris Apatow), Princess (Lana Condor), Chloe (Millicent Simmonds), Grace (Avantika), Bones (Maddie Ziegler), and their instructor Thorna Devonport (Lydia Leonard), were on their way to a showcase in Budapest when their flight got diverted, and the transfer bus broke down in the middle of the forest 300-odd kilometres away from the capital. No service, cold and drenched from rain, they stumble into the one hotel in the little town in the mountains. A short wait for a minibus should have been fine, but when bullets start flying, it will be a fight for their lives.

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Brothers Under Fire – Movie Review

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TL;DR – This is a film that is 80% set up, and I am not sure the ending was worth it.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure –I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription used to watch this film.

The five members of the platoon in a photo.

Brothers Under Fire Review Introduction

Today, we are looking at a film that I knew nothing about until it appeared on my feed, an enigma of a movie. But it was also an intriguing mystery, because it is something of an occupational hazard that I know about most films released out of America. But that mystery is a potential promise until proven otherwise.   

So, to set the scene, in Syria, east of the Al Omar mountain oil fields, an American platoon is under attack, with only a very close air strike saving them. A good thing because Alberto Castillo (Tommy Martinez) is getting married, and the whole troop, including Capt. Jordan Wright (Kiefer Sutherland), Danny Walton (Solly McLeod), Lieutenant Carson (Ashton Sanders), and Marco Hino (Laird Akeo), are invited to Columbia for the nuptials to Isabella Perez (Laura Osma). What no one realises is that the local cartel is on the move after a messy takeover of a rival organisation, and soon everyone is caught up in the storm.

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