Category Archives: No Spoiler Reviews

Documentary, Music, No Spoiler Reviews

KYLIE (2026): The Things I Liked…

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‘She was like this sort of beam of light. With this incredible positivity. Just this sort of bold brightness.’ 

That’s musician Nick Cave describing Australian singer/actress Kylie Minogue. A description that doesn’t surprise me in the slightest, since in my mind, Minogue has always come across as one of the most charming, likeable and unproblematic pop stars around.

Director Michael Harte’s documentary Kylie explores her life, career, personal losses, illness, and how she navigated public scrutiny through interviews and Minogue’s personal archives.

As someone who’s always liked the little I knew of Minogue, it was satisfying to learn more about her story and how she pulled through all the challenging phases of her life. The most satisfying part for me was seeing her finally find her voice. 

If you’re a fan of Miss Minogue, whether it’s her music, acting, or simply the person she appears to be, watch Kylie and spend some time with one of pop music’s true princesses.

Happy Film Loving,

G

Action, Adventure, Fantasy, History, No Spoiler Reviews

THE ODYSSEY (2026): The Things I Liked…

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I finally got to watch my most highly anticipated movie of 2026, Christopher Nolan’s action/adventure/fantasy epic, The Odyssey.

Starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson and Tom Holland, to name just a few, Nolan’s adaptation was full of pleasant surprises for me because my knowledge of The Odyssey and Greek mythology has always been fairly vague.

Ever since 2010’s Inception, tears have become part of my Nolan cinema experience. The Odyssey was no exception. Partly because of moving moments in the story, but largely because nothing makes me appreciate my access to cinema quite like a Nolan film. So, yes, the gratitude I felt meant that I cried. Whereas for previous Nolan films, tears usually flowed at the end, this time it happened in the midst of the story, where it hit me that all the elements of Nolan’s particular kind of cinema magic were unfolding right before my eyes.

Some of the key highlights for me include Sinon’s (Elliot Page) monologue, the monster scenes, and the moment the Trojan horse is in place and the action begins.

I especially enjoyed Hathaway as Penelope, Damon as Odysseus, Holland as Telemachus, and all the other characters involved, including Pattinson’s rather hateful Antinous.

My minor complaint, if one can call it that, is that it took longer than usual for Nolan’s signature coming together of music and brilliantly captured action to kick in. And when it finally did, it was certainly worth the wait. 

Watch The Odyssey because it’s suspenseful, well-paced, and impressively executed. It’s also one of the greatest stories ever written in the hands of one of the most rightly celebrated directors of our time. And for one last bit of great news, it’s under three hours long. Two hours and fifty-three minutes, to be precise.

Happy Film Loving,

G

Comedy, Drama, No Spoiler Reviews

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 (2026): The Things I Liked…

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The Devil Wears Prada 2 is one of those sequels that made me happy for the people who’d been waiting years for a follow-up and finally got one they enjoyed.

I’m not mad the sequel happened, but having now seen it, I can’t say, for me, that watching it was a fully worthwhile experience.

The exciting fashion, the behind-the-scenes look at life inside a high-fashion magazine, the fish-out-of-water story, and the humorous quips that made the first film so enjoyable all felt less special this time around. That could be blamed on having recently rewatched the original, but what’s more likely is that my cautious optimism after seeing the trailers proved wise.

The writers didn’t do a terrible job of capturing today’s media landscape. The problem is that the story they chose to tell within it felt too much like a repeat of the first film, rather than giving me a reason to be glad I was back with these characters.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026), Emily Blunt, 20th Century Studios
The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026), Emily Blunt, 20th Century Studios

While watching the film, I made a note that one of my favourite scenes was the ‘wing-woman’ moment. But as I type this, I’ve completely forgotten the details of the scene that inspired the note; not that I would ever spoil it for those interested in seeing it, of course. My memory isn’t always the best. Even so, it probably doesn’t bode well that I’d forgotten one of my favourite moments so quickly.

Additionally, perhaps I’m growing cynical, but did I believe the scene when a certain character was finally recognised for their contribution? No, because it felt more like a convenient way to wrap up everyone’s story with a happy ending instead of showing the outcome that seemed most likely.

Lastly, the fashion in director David Frankel’s sequel isn’t bad. I just didn’t find it as exciting as the style in the first film. As you can imagine, much of the styling joy I’m referring to came from everything Streep’s Miranda Priestley character wore so well in The Devil Wears Prada 2006.

Watch The Devil Wears Prada 2 if you’re curious.

Happy Film Loving,

G

Comedy, Drama, No Spoiler Reviews

FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER (2026): The Things I Liked…

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Father Mother Sister Brother (2025), Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Madman Films
Father Mother Sister Brother (2025), Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Madman Films

At first, I was impressed by Father Mother Sister Brother, the latest Adam Driver, Cate Blanchett, and Mayim Bialik comedy/drama about unresolved tensions between estranged siblings.

A specific thought that entered my mind before things took a turn for the worse was, ‘I love how not much is happening, yet it’s so very engrossing, likely thanks to the writing, visuals, editing, and cinematography.‘

Sadly, that feeling didn’t last. Just before the thirty-minute mark, I chose happiness and aborted the mission.

Patience is not my strongest virtue, and even though the subtly humorous moments I saw were well written and acted, writer/director Jim Jarmusch’s film moved far too slowly for my tastes. Making his movie unlike the kind of ‘ slow burns’ I find satisfying, such as The Good Nurse (2022).

Did you watch Father Mother Sister Brother and have a good time? Maybe I’m missing out, but right now, I find myself unbothered.

Give Father Mother Sister Brother a chance if you’re curious. After all, the trailer was so very promising.

Happy Film Loving,

G

Action, Adventure, No Spoiler Reviews, Sci-Fi

THE RUNNING MAN (2025): The Things I Liked…

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Baby Driver (2027) writer-director Edgar Wright’s latest action-adventure, The Running Man, starring Glen Powell, proved adequately entertaining at best.

The performances weren’t bad; however, in a movie about hunters chasing the contestants of a game show to kill them when caught, my chase-sequence-loving heart simply didn’t rate the film’s chase scenes as highly as the unforgettable one in Apocalypto (2007). 

To be clear, I’m not saying I wasn’t at the edge of my seat during certain scenes, but the execution of the film wasn’t as satisfying as hoped.

My main issue with Wright’s film is how tired the ‘my child is ill, so I make unwise decisions to save them’ premise feels. I’ve seen this too many times before, which made this rehashing feel lazy, even though it’s based on a Stephen King book written in 1973 and published in 1982.

Additionally, the world the film occupies felt unreal, but not in the way good sci-fi movie worlds are unreal yet interesting and exciting. Instead, I found myself wondering why more effort hadn’t gone into making the world feel distinct, interesting, and visually memorable, rather than vague and surprisingly dull.

I don’t remember much about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 The Running Man movie. Yet, I have a feeling I prefer it to this remake. 

Have you seen The Running Man? Perhaps you had a better time with it.

Happy Film Loving,

G