Films That I Saw: July 2026

 

Rising gas prices, rising temperatures, rising chaos around the world. This is another typical summer where so much shit is happening as well as the fact that it is fucking hot out there. Not just here in America but around the world as Europe is going through a heatwave while there are also other things happening as there was an earthquake in Japan recently and more shootings here in the U.S. I have become numb to it as I have this feeling of “not again” as it has become normal and not in a good way. I am glad to have the World Cup being a distraction as I watched it mainly because of my dad as I wanted to keep his love of the game alive. I have a lot to say about this year’s World Cup, but I am half-finished with my thoughts on the whole event as that will be a completely different thing I will talk about when it is finished.

Even though I use this blog to discuss cinema, right now I have been disenchanted and disconnected with what is happening right now as I have been struggling to return to watching films. I only saw a couple of short films this month on YouTube. I have not been to the movie theaters since November of last year and I have no clue what will get me back to the movie theaters. I wanted to see The Odyssey, but I have issues with the different presentations of the film. The fact that it is in 3 different formats in 4 different aspect ratios is jarring as Christopher Nolan shot the film entirely only IMAX 70mm as there are two versions of the film in the full 1:43:1 aspect ratio for IMAX theaters and 1:90:1 aspect ratio in IMAX while there is also a 70mm version non-IMAX version in 2:39:1 aspect ratio. There are only 45 theatres around the world that show films in true IMAX form as it is expensive and there are not a lot of locations where people can get access to see it. Audiences who will go to their nearest multiplex will watch the film in a 1:85:1 aspect ratio but will be missing certain things in a shot from other versions of the film as they will not be getting the whole story.

I have a problem with that, and I know Christopher Nolan wants to bring an immersive experience to audiences, but this is not the way to go. If you cannot get audiences to see the film in the way you intended, it to be where they will not see everything you are presenting. Then you are being an asshole. Sorry Nolan but you lost me. I know I will be called a hypocrite since I did see The Hateful Eight in 70mm with an aspect ratio of 2:76:1 back in December of 2015 but that was a rare event as I was able to afford it at the time. Plus, the version that everyone else saw in theaters in version that was 20 minutes shorter did not have many alterations on the visual front despite being in a slightly different aspect ratio.

Then there is what is happening with Marvel with the release of the teaser trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, their recent appearance at Comic Con, and the announcement of new films at Comic Con. I had expressed my own frustrations on the MCU, and I have not caught up with some of their recent films and TV projects. The trailer for Avengers: Doomsday is underwhelming and it feels desperate in trying to get people to watch the film as was the big announcement at Comic Con with the cast. The appearance of Ryan Reynolds disguised as Deadpool made me cringe as I do not like Reynolds at all. There are rumors he is in the film and if it is true. The rumors about some production issues as he did not have a good relationship with some cast members suggests that his standing in the film industry is starting to wane after that whole debacle involving his wife over that awful movie, he produced that I never want to see.

I am intrigued by the announcement for the third Black Panther film as I knew Ryan Coogler would come back to direct the film while he was joined by Letitia Wright and Winston Duke in the announcement that included David Jonsson to play the role of the adult Toussaint/T’Challa II as this is good news. It is sad that Chadwick Boseman passed away a few years ago as it is impossible to recast the role, but this is an excellent idea. The news about Ghost Rider started off fine when it was announced that Ryan Gosling would play the lead role as I was excited until I heard that Shawn Levy would direct the film. I do not like Levy as a filmmaker as he is the definition of mediocrity and he is someone with no sense of style as a filmmaker. We have now entered the dark ages of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Monthly Film Reviews/What Else I Am Watching

Return to Mortville



Released as part of a special features extra for the Criterion Blu-Ray release of Desperate Living, this 13 ½ minute documentary short film about the making of the film has its director John Waters revisiting the locations where he made the film. It is a short film that fans of Waters would want to see where he reminisces about the film and the places near his home in Baltimore where he shot the film. Even when he talks to people who live in these locations where some of them are fans of Waters as it is a wonderful short documentary to watch.

The Mastodon in the Room



It has been more than a year since the passing of Mastadon’s founding guitarist Brent Hinds as the remaining members of the band in vocalist/bassist Troy Sanders, guitarist Bill Kelliher, and drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor speaking at the Lefont Plaza Theatre in Atlanta about Hinds through archival film footage as they continue to struggle with his passing and how their relationship with Hinds had deteriorated years before his death where they reluctantly cut ties with him months before he died. It is a sobering documentary short film that is about grief as the band is about to release a new album in Marrow Deep with new guitarist Nick Johnston and keyboardist Joao Nogueira coming in late August.

King of the Hill (season 15)

I am happy that the show made its return last year as it was great to see these characters all over again. This season can be summed up in one word. Perfect. This is a rare thing on television these days as this season saw some amazing character arcs that happen. While I admit I was not fond of Ronny Chieng as the new voice of Kahn Souphanousiphone as the character was previously voiced by Toby Huss in the original series. Chieng’s voice has grown on me as he has provided a lot of nuances to Kahn who has now been divorced and living with Bill of all people in this season. Yet, their odd couple dynamic is among the funniest moments in the season while the season also explore AI frauds, cosplay conventions, menopause, and other bits. The episode also touches upon a few things that fans wanted to know in the previous season as it also relates to the passing of the Hill family dog Ladybird as Hank and Peggy got a new dog in Caesar Salad as the former was not initially fond of but would grow to care for that dog. The scene where Hank and Caesar Salad visit Ladybird’s tombstone is among one of the most emotional moments of the revival as it plays into grief and why losing a pet is so hard.

The season also has what I think is one of the best season finales ever where it is about why and how Hank and Peggy Hill went to Saudi Arabia in relation to why Hank left Strickland Propane. The episode also reveals how their son Bobby found his passion through cooking as it is an episode that also has one of the best endings ever where Hank has finally become King.

Dark Side of the Ring (season 7, episodes 1-5)

While I had not watched all the episodes of the last season as many of them were unavailable on YouTube as I do not have access to VICE nor cable TV (the latter of which is now unnecessary). I am glad VICE is posting the episodes of the new season on YouTube as the first 3 episodes is about Jeff Jarrett and the company he created in TNA. Jarrett has been a polarizing figure in professional wrestling, but this season has allowed to be seen in a positive light in relation to his wrestling career as well as creating Total Nonstop Action (TNA) following the death of WCW. The three episodes on TNA revealed its early struggles where it would financial stability in collaborating with Panda Energy CEO Bob Carter and his daughter Dixie as the latter would become TNA’s president. Dixie Carter declined to be interviewed though the episodes do not paint her in a good light as the various people interviewed in the series do not have kind stories about her.

The other 2 episodes that has been shown on YouTube so far includes the infamous IWA match between Samoa Joe and Necro Butcher in the mid-2000s that was created through the Internet wrestling culture as the match finally happened between these two different wrestlers who are both interviewed in the film along with wrestler Eddie Kingston and AEW referee Bryce Remburg who was the referee for this match. It is a dark episode but with some light-hearted moments that kept it from being dark. The fifth episode is on Ray Traylor aka the Big Boss Man who was a popular WWE superstar in the late 80s and early 90s where he started off as a heel but then became a much popular babyface in the early 1990s. Upon his return to WWE in 1998 following a stint in WCW that did not go anywhere, he would be in some infamous moments and feuds that were quite comical but was starting to cope with an addiction to painkillers that nearly killed him until the death of fellow wrestler Curt Henning got him to clean up and leave the wrestling business. Sadly, he would pass away at the age of 41 in 2004 as his family still struggle with his passing though they are happy that he remains beloved by wrestling fans.

Spartacus: House of Ashur (episode 1)

I am a fan of the Spartacus TV series from the 2010s as it is a great show that had a lot of action, graphic violence, hardcore nudity, and all sorts of shit. This spin-off is an alternate universe take of the story on what if the traitorous gladiator was the one who killed Spartacus. It plays into a former slave and gladiator who now runs his own house where he has slaves as gladiators while trying to gain his stature in Roman society. The first episode so far is amazing though it is a shame the show got cancelled by Starz as it is a reason the streaming service has lost a lot of subscribers. I was fortunate to buy the season at a nice discount price from Fandango at Home as I can now finish the series.

Well, that is all for July 2026. I have no clue what I will watch for next month despite having pre-written reviews for Carlos Reygadas’ Our Time and Sofia Coppola’s Marc by Sofia. I am doubtful I will return to the theaters unless there is something that will motivate me to see it. The only thing I know I will be releasing is my World Cup post-mortem while I am trying to figure out how to re-start my Blind Spot Series now that I have purchased another film that I wanted to see for the series.



Before I bid adieu, I must acknowledge on those who have passed away this month that include the people in Japan who have died tragically at the recent earthquake along with recent incidents around the world. Also who have passed away this month and will be missed include Sir Sam Neill, Glen Hansard, Kavinsky, Jennifer Finch of L7, Bonnie Tyler, Lou Keller of Sick of It All, Italian football legend Franco Baresi, Spanish actor Manolo Solo, Arlene Smith of the Chantels, actor Johannes Krisch, actor Tom Chadbon, actress Hope Clarke, film producer Luiz Carlos Barreto, filmmaker Chuck Russell, actress Kaylee Hottle, English football legend Kevin Keegan, baseball legend Duane Ward, singer Freddy Cannon, wrestler Siva Afi, the legendary cricket player Sir Garfield Sobers, Brenda Fricker, Capricorn Records founder Alan Walden, actor Hal Williams, screenwriter William Wisher Jr., actor Scott Bryce, MTV veejay Dave Kendall, production designer Barbara Ling, actor Peter Van Norden, American football legend Greg Hawthorne, Canadian actor/writer Mark Messier, actress Louise Lasser, and Beaky of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick, & Tich. We will miss you all. This is thevoid99 signing off…





© thevoid99 2026