Films That I Saw: September 2026

 

More than 20 years ago today, Mike Judge released a film that received little-to-no promotion called Idiocracy as it came and went in its theatrical release. Since its release, the film has gained a cult following as it explores the decline of intelligence and rationality in society as it was meant to be a satirical comedy that also criticized consumerism, capitalism, commercialization, overpopulation, and anti-intelligence. What happened instead feels truer now than it has ever been as what Mike Judge and co-writer Etan Cohen have created feels more prophetic in how the world has started to come apart. Notably in America given who is in charge and how stupid everyone has become. Yes, this country is the stupidest country in the world while there is so much shit happening right now.

There has been so much happening right now as I have also been dealing with things at home as I learned a few days ago that my parents’ longtime family friends are coming back to Atlanta but will be staying in Canton instead of our house. Still, I am unhappy about them as I do not want to see them or talk to them as my sister and her husband want nothing to do with them either. I have no idea why my mother is still attached to them as I feel like they are manipulating her as I keep trying to tell her that, but she does not believe that. There is always a bad vibe whenever they are around and given my own apprehension over them coming last year which did lead to trouble. I know they will overstay their welcome as they have no respect for boundaries or anyone’s privacy.

Given all the chaos that has been happening, something good has come as I have started to watch more films again as I found the time to watch them. Some of it late at night on my smartphone as well as what I can watch on my laptop or in my living room. Some of it takes a while but I have managed to find a bit of time to watch things.

In the month of September 2026, I saw a total of 14 films in 7 first-timers and 7re-watches with 6 of the first-timers being films directed or co-directed by women as part of the 52 Films by Women pledge. A major improvement over the last few months as the highlight of the month is Carlos Reygadas’ Nuestro Tiempo.

Monthly Mini-Reviews/What Else I Am Watching

Discipline

The first of two shorts as part of the Women’s Tales series from Miu Miu that I saw on MUBI comes from Mona Fastvold. Featuring a special appearance from Amanda Seyfried, the short revolves around a group of faceless dancers working with life-like puppets as they all do everything together except for one. Featuring the music of Daniel Blumberg and the choreography of Celia Rowlson-Hall who both collaborated with Fastvold in The Testament of Ann Lee. The short is an extraordinary one that has these dancers and puppets in something that is just intoxicating to watch.

I Wanna Dance with Somebody

Kasi Lemmons is a filmmaker that does not get enough credit as she has made great films like Eve’s Bayou and Talk to Me. Her 2022 bio-pic on Whitney Houston does fall into the many tropes expected in a bio-pic as it does follow something that can be read on Wikipedia. However, Lemmons does manage to create something compelling in its character study of a woman trying to find her identity amidst the high expectations the world wants from her because of her gift as a singer. Naomi Ackie is great as Houston with some amazing supporting work from Stanley Tucci as Clive Davis, Ashton Sanders as Bobby Brown, and Nafessa Williams as Houston’s best friend/lover Robyn Crawford. It is a solid film that is flawed due to the schematics of what to expect in a bio-pic but Lemmons’ approach to the story and the cast is what makes the film work.

Beyond the Lights

Gina Prince-Blythwood is a director that deserves a lot more love as she is one of the African-American women filmmakers working today as her 2014 film is an absolute gem. It is the story of a pop singer who is about to release her debut album but is overwhelmed with her growing fame and a sexualized persona that she hates leads to a suicide attempt until she is saved by a policeman with aspirations into politics. Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s performance in the film is a major highlight as this pop singer that is struggling to find her true voice while also falling in love with the man who saved her who is played wonderfully by Nate Parker. The film also has great supporting work from Minnie Driver and Danny Glover as well as an amazing music soundtrack aside from the awful music of Machine Gun Kelly who is in the film acting as Mbatha-Raw’s wannabe rapper boyfriend. This is truly a gem of a film that needs an audience.

Bryan Ferry: Don’t Stop the Music



This 2020 documentary film by Catherine Ulmer for France’s ARTE TV program is about the British singer Bryan Ferry. The 53-minute film explores Ferry’s career as well as his infatuation with the world of art as he would be a founding member of the 1970s art rock band Roxy Music while also having a paralleling solo career at that time. The film also touch upon his background as the son of a coal miner as he still lives in the town of Washington in Britain despite the fame he had acquired throughout his life. It is also a film that explores Ferry’s love for fashion as it played a great role in not just his own persona but also for Roxy Music in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Roommates

For all the shitty films Adam Sandler and Happy Madison productions make, there are the rare moments where they do create something that is a gem as well as doing something outside of low-brow comedies. This film by Chandler Levack along with screenwriters Jimmy Fowlie and Ceara Jane O’Sullivan is a gem of a film that revolves around a college freshman who gets the worst roommate ever as it is told in a unique style by Sarah Sherman who talks to a couple of feuding roommates about these two women who are total opposites. Sherman plays the dean who is also in this story as a resident advisor as she is the best thing in the film as well as two great leading performances from Sadie Sandler and Chloe East as these two roommates who are the opposite of one another. It is a way better film than it needed to be as it is funny but also has a lot of heart. Especially as it has a great supporting cast that includes Nick Kroll, Natasha Lyonne, Aidan Langford, and appearances from Megan Thee Stallion, Steve Buscemi, Janeane Garafalo, Bailee Madison, Chloe Cherry, and Storm Reid.

Avec Kim

The second short film from the Miu Miu Women’s Tales short film series is from Claire Denis who presents an 11-minute short film set in Paris featuring music by Kim Gordon who makes an appearance in the short film. It plays into a mechanic who drives around Paris dropping things off while wearing this cool leather coat from Miu Miu. It is a short that does not have much plot, but it is still a fascinating short that features a superb performance from Suzanne Lindon in the lead role.

Dark Side of the Ring (season 6, episodes 6-8, episode 10)

Thanks to Hulu airing previous seasons of the series on the dark tales of pro wrestling, I was able to catch up on what I have missed from the past season. The four episodes from the sixth season that I did not get to see include one about “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert who was a popular wrestler in the 80s in the territory days while was also a creative force until his death in 1995. The episode on Billy Jack Haynes who was popular in the Pacific Northwest and had a stint in the WWE in the 1980s and later tried to sue them in the early 1990s over the steroid scandal. Haynes is currently in prison awaiting trial next year over the death of his wife back in 2024.

The episode on the original Sheik is among one of the most insane episodes I had seen about a man who was a top star in Detroit but also one of the most dangerous as it featured an interview with his nephew in the late, great Sabu. The season finale is on Marc Copani who would have brief fame in 2005 as Muhammad Hassan as his story is among the best as someone who was given a controversial character just 4 years after 9/11 as Muslim-American even though Copani is Italian-American in real life. His story is one of someone who rose too fast and had no control of his character who would become radicalized until the London bombings on July 7, 2005, where a controversial angle involving the Undertaker aired on that day. That killed his wrestling career though Copani is fortunate to live a much better life as an educator and working at upstate New York in the education department.

Ted Lasso (season 4, episodes 5-9)

I have been aware that this season has gotten mixed reviews although for me personally, I am enjoying it as I love the exploration of women’s football and the struggles women must go through. Tanya Reynolds is the real breakthrough star as coach Alice Chilton as she is someone that is going through an arc as someone who is frustrated that she cannot play anymore while Ted Lasso would briefly suspend her as it shows Lasso not repeating the same mistake he made with Nate back in season 2. Reynolds has made Chilton someone that is going through a lot while the eighth episode where she has a breakdown shows how much she does care about the team.

The season so far has this great guest appearance from Tracey Ullman as Zelda as she is a wildfire who also raises some red flags in her new role in the women’s team. Especially in a discovery Higgins makes about shareholders selling their shares to a mysterious figure where the last episode did make a reveal which was obvious but there is also a lot of intrigue. Yet, the episode however does on a sad note that is followed by a tribute to Anthony Head who died earlier this year as he played Rupert Mannion in the last 3 seasons.

Top 6 Re-Watches (that isn't Lost in Translation)

1. The Deer Hunter

2. The Edge of Seventeen

3. Queen: Live Aid

4. Popeye the Sailor Man Meets Ali Baba’s Forty Thieves

5. Big with Evan Rachel Wood and Darren Criss

6. The Secret of My Success

Well, that is all for September 2026. Next month will be devoted entirely to horror films and anything related to horror including horror-comedy and all sorts of weird shit. One of these films that I will watch will be one of my Blind Spots in Altered States by Ken Russell as I also hope to get a chance to watch his widely-controversial 1971 film The Devils which might be the only film this year I will watch in the theaters if it is playing nearby. That is what I have planned for October since it is Halloween season.



Before I bid adieu, I must acknowledge towards those who have passed away this month as for anyone here in the pro wrestling community. This month has been the hardest as earlier this month saw the shocking death of Andy Williams aka the Butcher who was also the guitarist for Every Time I Die. Another notable figure is a long-time WWE fan known as Rick the Sign Guy as he is beloved by the community as well. Another notable fan of pro wrestling everyone loves is actor Dennis Haskins who is famous for his role as Mr. Belding in Saved by the Bell as he will be missed. Yet, no death this month or year is as shocking as Benjamin Satterley aka Adrian Neville aka PAC who died this past Sunday at the age of 40 just less than a day after having a match with Andrade El Idolo on AEW All Out as there will be a tribute show tonight on AEW Dynamite as his death is the most shocking and saddest this year.



Also who have passed away this month include film editor John Grover, music producer/songwriter Manuel Seal, Mighty Sparrow, cinematographer Ryszard Lenczewski, Chuck Varga of GWAR, Angry Anderson of Rose Tattoo, Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory, film editor Elliot Graham, Duncan Sheik, filmmaker Patricio Guzman, Pete Byrne of Naked Eyes, the legendary costume designer Bob Mackie, Cheetah Chrome of the Dead Boys & Rocket from the Tombs, film producer Jeremy Thomas, filmmaker David Worth, professional wrestler Bill Dundee, music video director Jon Small, Gloria Steinem, Cassandra Wilson, and Presley Gerber. We will miss you all. This is thevoid99 signing off….



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