Mexico 86 (2026) Review

I love Football and it has been great watching this World Cup and seeing the sport really thrive. I saw that there was a new football film coming to Netflix, so eventually I decided to watch the Spanish film Mexico 86 and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film shows how one man masterminded his way to get Mexico the World Cup in 1986. 

Main Character

The great Diego Luna plays Martin De La Torre and he is great. It is nice seeing him speak in his native tongue and really seem energised in the role. He is clearly passionate about playing this character and he gives it his all to give a pretty memorable main character. 

Supporting Characters

Karla Souza plays Susana and I thought she was good. She had good chemistry with Luna and their scenes together really added a lot to the film and some of the more impactful scenes. 

Daniel Gimenez Cacho plays Emilio Azcarraga who is basically De La Torre's boss throughout the film. He was pretty good and fit into the role well. He is a pretty generic character but I did like his character and the way he is used here. 

There aren't really any other characters who have prominent roles which is a shame, and I wish we could have seen some more characters developed but the film rushes through to avoid all of that. 

Story

The story is easily the weakest part of the film. I have no doubt that this could be an interesting story and I am sure the real story had its twists and turns. But the film rushes through everything and it doesn't allow anything to linger. When you start to get slightly interested in something, the film moves onto another aspect and it just doesn't give it the time it needs. 

Script

There is some decent dialogue here both from a comedic and dramatic effect. Obviously, it is a bit different when you are reading subtitles but I think again due to the pace of the film it led to things missing the mark and not quite delivering. 

Style

The style of the film at times does feel very slick, it has good direction to it and is pretty nice on the eye from a visual point of view. But as I have mentioned, its pacing is really poor. It rushes through so much and I really do feel like this could have been a Mini Series to fit in all of the interesting content. 

Overall

Overall, Mexico 86 is an Average Movie. It has a really good lead actor but other then that it doesn't offer to much. Even if you are a big Football fan like me, it isn't really worth your time. 

Rating - 5/10

The Invite (2026) Review

Wasn't sure what really to see at the Cinema this week, so I remembered that I saw the trailer for The Invite and was quite intrigued so I found the time to watch the film today and here is my review. The premise of the film sees a struggling couple have their neighbours over for dinner where things take some interesting turns. 

Main Character

Seth Rogan & Olivia Wilde play Joe & Angela and they are both really good. 

Starting with Rogan, he kind of plays the same role that he always does but it really works here. He gives charm and anger to his role and it just felt like a really human performance. Credit to Rogan for somewhat stepping out of his comfort zone for this role. 

Wilde not only stars but does a great job at directing the film. She is really struggling in the film and you can just tell that she is frustrated with her lot in life. She conveys it incredibly well and this is a great comeback for her. 

Supporting Characters

Penelope Cruz & Edward Norton play Pina & Hawk and they are excellent. 

They work so well in tandem here and the film does a great job in making them seem really interesting and making you question their characters and motivations. This is the best work that either performer has done in years and it is great to see them work. 

There is literally nobody else in the film and credit to the 4 actors for their excellent performances that really carry the film. 

Story

The story is interesting. It is intense throughout and keeps you on your toes. It has twists and turns and this is really driven by the excellent acting. However, by the end of the film it feels pretty low stakes and though I liked the ending it definitely made me question parts of the film. 

Script

With a film that has very few actors in one location it heavily relies on the writing and this film excels at it. It is so well written and has a great mix of humour and drama, the biggest credit I can give is that it feels very real and just like people would talk in real life. 

Style

The style of the film is pretty fascinating. It is really well directed and I really liked how the film flowed as a whole and took this interesting concept and run with it. But it does have a slight pacing with it, I mean it barely goes above 90 mins but it still lulls at times. 

Overall

Overall, The Invite is a Great Film that really forces you to focus. It has great acting and writing and if you have patience then it is really worth a watch. 

Rating - 8/10

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 (2026) Review

After watching the first season of the show for preparation, I have now watched the second season of Avatar: The Last Airbender and here is my review. The premise of the season sees Aang continue to learn to bend the different elements, when he must try to find a new Earthbending teacher. 

Main Character

Gordon Cormier is back as Aang and he is a lot older here. It actually took me a minute to get used to an older Avatar but it really worked and I felt like this as a more mature version of the character. He feels more human this season and as he grows up he makes mistakes and realises what is important. 

Supporting Characters

Kiawentiio is back as Katara and she is a good character. She has a story arc that involves her trying to step us and being more of a hero. It continues her arc from the first season and I think she does a pretty good job with it. 

Ian Ousley reprises his role as Sokka and he is a fun part of the show. He is kind of given a story arc but it isn't really in depth and it feels like he is slightly moved to more comic relief. I like him in the role and think he is clearly having fun. 

A real show stealer is Miyako as Toph and she was such a fun addition to the cast. She has great lines and a great character and I think this show really needed her. She adds so much and she really owns every scene that she is in. 

Dallas Liu is back as Zucko and they decide to take the character in an interesting direction. Liu does his best and does a good job in the role and I thought like they added some depth to the character. 

The rest of the cast are all also great and the acting and characters are the real strength of the show. 

Story

The story has some okay character arcs, mainly for Aang, Katara and Toph. They are developed and given enough time to make you care about their progression. But some of the character arcs aren't handled so well, mainly Zucko's. The ending of his arc was just confusing and I didn't like it at all. The story feels like its just build-up for another season and I thought the ending was incredibly rushed and forced. 

Script

The script is okay, it is more serious this season and has quite a bit of seriousness to it that is handled well. The humour is a mixed bag and okay at times, but it is the inconsistency of those character arcs that left me frustrated with the writing. 

Style

The show has clearly got a bigger budget this season and it looks amazing. The action scenes are so much better then the first season and way more creative. It was great seeing more action and different powers being used. However, the season has awful pacing. The first few episodes move at a breakneck pace, but then it really slows down and then the last episode rushes towards its conclusion. 

Overall

Overall, Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 is another good season of television. It hasn't really improved from the first season which is a shame. But it is still an enjoyable watch and a fun time. 

Rating - 7/10

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 1 (2024) Review

The 2nd season of Avatar: The Last Airbender came to Netflix recently and I am interested in the franchise, so I thought that I would go back and watch the first season, so I can watch the new season. I finished the season this morning and here is my review for the first season of Avatar: The Last Airbender. The premise of the show sees after 100 years missing, The Avatar returns and aims to save the world from The Fire Nation. 

Main Character

Gordon Cormier plays Aang and he is good in the role. I liked Aang and I thought the balance of likeability and depth was there and credit to the young actor for delivering that. I do wish there had been more focus on Aang's story but it is nothing to take away from a good lead character. 

Supporting Characters

Kiawentiio plays Katara and she did a really good job here. We get a lot of character development with her and she saw the best progress over the show. I mean, I wish more focus had been on Aang instead but she did good work with what she was given. 

Ian Ousley plays Sokka and he was a good character and part of the crew. He has some character development but it isn't as strong as some of the other characters but he was a fun addition and a good character. 

Dallas Liu plays Prince Zuko and I thought he was a really cool character. Though he clearly has villainous origins, there is a lot of depth to him that makes him more then just a straight up villain. I liked the comparisons and mirroring between him and Aang. 

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee plays Iroh and I really liked him here. His relationship with Zuco adds humanity to both of them and expands the idea of The Fire Nation not being completely evil. He also adds some humour which is nice in a show like this. 

Story

The story is interesting. There is a lot of lore put onto the screen and I found a lot of it interesting as you get to learn about the world and how these different nations have ended up at war with each other. But, the story feels a bit like a side mission building towards a bigger event which I assume will happen in the second season, which made it a bit episodic. I also felt the development of Aang wasn't as big as I wanted and again feels like it is taking its time to get going. 

Script

The script is again okay, it has some funny moments and some dramatic moments but none of it really sticks. It isn't very memorable and holds back the story and characters from being better presented. 

Style

The show has pretty good action scenes that use the different powers pretty well. It makes for pretty creative and exciting action sequences. But the pacing is a bit slow, it does feel like the main story moves at a snail pace and it is all just set up for a second season. 

Overall

Overall, Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 1 is a good show and a fun watch. It does plenty right but it also makes some misfires and feels like setup, so hopefully the second season really delivers. 

Rating - 7/10

Supergirl (2026) Review

After her small cameo in Superman last year, I have been heavily anticipating Supergirl and the film came out last week. After getting through the heatwave, I found the chance to watch the film earlier today and here is my review for Supergirl. The premise of the film sees Supergirl team up with a new ally in order to aid her and save her closest ally. 

Main Character

Milly Alcock plays Supergirl and she is the best part of the film. She has lots of charisma and charm here and it makes her a fun character to root for. I think the film does a decent job in explaining her story and I thought this was a really fun new protagonist. 

Supporting Characters

David Corenswet as Superman was involved in the marketing and he is a glorified cameo but actually, I think it was a really effective appearance. They explore some interesting concepts and ideas and Corenswet is still awesome in the role. 

Jason Momoa gets his wish to play the Bounty Hunter Lobo and he is awesome in all the scenes he is in. He isn't in the film loads and there isn't really a great reason for him to be in the film but who cares because he is really good. 

Eve Ridley plays Ruthye and unfortunately her character is one of the weak elements of the film.  She is meant to be a sidekick to Supergirl but she is so bland and the writing for her is really undercooked. This made her an important part of the film that didn't click for me. 

Matthias Schoenaerts is the villain here as Krem and he is super bland and just you generic supervillain. There is nothing unique about him and nothing memorable about him which makes him utterly forgettable. 

Story

The story is okay. I liked Kara's story and I thought the mixture of her present day arc and her flashbacks on Krypton worked really well and I kind of wished we got a little more of it, and her character motivations are very personal and something everyone can relate to. But the rest of the story is bland and lacking any real substance. The villain is just here because we need a villain and the rest of it has little depth. 

Script

The script does have some fun and emotional dialogue. But I can't really tell if it is just Alcock's charisma or if it is good writing. It definitely missed at times and I would have liked some better writing to really give the actors more to work with. 

Style

The film looks decent enough, with different locations and some decent action scenes. I also thought the film breezed by and it is nice to have that. However, there was some really poor CGI used and there isn't really any memorable action scenes. The pacing, though fast is a bit all over the place and I think the film tries to do so much that it can't fit it all in. 

Overall

Overall, Supergirl is an Above Average Superhero Film. I think it is just totally serviceable which is a shame. Decent lead but I think this is a step back for the relatively new DC Universe. It is okay and I think it has good bits but I wouldn't rush to watch it and just wait for it to come to HBO Max. 

Rating - 6/10

Voicemails for Isabelle (2026) Review

Netflix releases lots of films over the year and some are more popular then others and over the last week this film has been very popular which has led me to watch it. So here is my review for Voicemails for Isabelle. The premise of the film sees a woman leave voicemails for her deceased sister, when a man realises he is the one getting the voicemails. 

Main Character

Zoey Deutch plays Jill and she is fantastic in this movie. She is literally the perfect romcom protagonist, but there is more to her and she is funny but has so much depth and emotion to her. This is an easy character to root for and this is a really big performance for her. 

Supporting Characters

Nick Robinson plays Wes and I thought he did a good job in his role. He isn't as big a standout as Deutch but he is good. The chemistry between the two of them is fantastic and he certainly plays a big part of that. 

Nick Offerman plays Chef Bastien and I just loved watching him in his smaller role. He is so dramatic and over the top. It made him really funny and I thought he had some of the funnier moments of the film. 

There are a lot of smaller roles but they are all performed really well and everyone does a good job in the film. 

Story

This film does a really good job of showing the grief and despair that Jill is going through but in a really human way. The dynamic between Jill and Wes is really good and both performers have really good chemistry as I mentioned above. However, this is a RomCom and it is a pretty generic plot and though executed well it made it incredibly predictable and it just holds it back a bit. 

Script

The script is excellent, the balance between drama and humour is really well realised. It hit all the emotions but it didn't feel forced. It felt like these were real people and they talked like real people and I really appreciated that. 

Style

The film is paced pretty well and I was pretty engaged throughout. It had some nice backdrops but It does feel very much like a made to Netflix film and I think it can't quite rise above it. I also wish the first act was a bit shorter and I think that it really would have helped the film.

Overall

Overall, Voicemails for Isabelle is a Great Film and one of the shocks of 2026 so far. I had a great time with the film and felt like it was a great watch that people should give a go, even if you aren't a huge fan of the genre. 

Rating - 8/10

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War (2026)

I have spent the last month or so watching the Amazon Prime show Jack Ryan and that was in prep to watch this film. Today, I watched Jack Ryan: Ghost War and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees Jack dragged back into working with The CIA to stop an old enemy from Greers past. 

Main Character

John Krasinski is back as Jack Ryan and this is one of his better performances in the role. He seemed to have a bit more life to him here and the charisma was really back. There wasn't loads of character development and I do wish there were more chances for him to be an analyst but overall I really liked his performance here.

Supporting Characters

Wendell Pierce is back as James Greer and to be honest it feels like the emotional impact of the film relies on him. I feel like he could play this role in his sleep and he is great again. There are some good scenes with him and I would say he is the real heart of the film.

Sienna Miller joins the cast as Emma Marlow and I liked her addition to the group. They like to compare her to Ryan and I think she did a good enough job and was a worthwhile addition to the cast. 

Michael Kelly reprises his role as Mike November and he is just so much fun in his role and I think he was clearly enjoying being back in the role. The chemistry between him, Krasinski and Pierce is off the charts and really carries this film. 

Story

The story of Greer and his connection to the villains was well realised and I think they did just about enough to add a personal element to the story. However, this plot is pretty paper thin and is definitely leaning towards the more generic nature of action films with the ending being a bit too clean and rushed for me. Also, an event that takes place in the film that annoyed me and felt forced to just add some emotional weight. 

Script

The script is okay, I have to say that the dialogue is a lot sharper and quicker then it was in the show with more humour. There was some decent drama, mainly through Greer and his situation. But I wish Jack has more drama in the show and that their had been higher stakes for what was exactly going on. 

Style

There was some good action scenes here that definitely kept me on edge and there were a lot which made the film move at a quicker pace then the show. It was really nice to feel like this film was higher paced and kept me pretty invested throughout. Though, the film does feel like an extended TV Episode of the show and I wish it had got a bit of a bigger budget to make it feel really like a major film. 

Overall

Overall, Jack Ryan: Ghost War is a good action film. I think I am in the minority, that I actually enjoyed watching this film and think if you are a fan of the show you will enjoy it too. It isn't blessed with a great script or plot but it has good performances and fun action and that was enough for me here. 

Rating - 7/10