Films of 2026 Part 1: A Golden Battle, End of an Era & A Quest For 9 Lives! 😁📺🎬📽️🎞️🎥

Hello world! Welcome back to another blog. As we’re three months away from the end of 2026, now is the perfect time to talk about films I have seen this year. For this piece, the films I will talk about include an animated film that was “golden”, a film that marked the end of an era for an iconic gangster in Birmingham, and the sequel to an iconic cat that wears boots. So without further ado, here is my first instalment of films I saw in 2026!

KPop Demon hunters:

The first film I’m going to talk about is KPop Demon Hunters, starring Arden Cho, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Ahn Hyo-seop, Ken Jeong and Lee Bryun-hun.

As explained on the Netflix website, the synopsis of the show does as follows:

“When K-pop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey aren’t selling out stadiums, they’re using their secret powers to protect their fans from supernatural threats.”

As a group, I loved the Huntrix. I can also totally relate to them in the sense of that I’m also a foodie and that whilst doing what I love is awesome, sometimes you just need a recharge. As solo members, they each had their own scars to fight. Rumi (voiced by Arden Cho, with ejae providing her singing voice and Rumi Oak as young Rumi), was the leading singer of Huntrix. Her voice was crucial for keeping the demons at bay and keeping the Honmoon in good shape. But her secret of being a half demon (with the demon side coming from her father), not only affected her voice, but her friendships with Mira and Zoey. I liked her journey from letting her shame get to her, to then using it in a positive light, and by the end of the film, accepting her stripes but also balancing them with self acceptance. The character of Mira, the choreographer of the band, was voiced by May Hong, with her singing voice provided by Audery Nuna. Mira is someone who you wouldn’t want to mess with, but her tough exterior was soon let down when she revealed of feeling like she wasn’t good enough in the past. I guess this comes from being the black sheep of a wealthy family, but the rest of the band love her for who she is, and that was enough, particularly when it comes to fighting demons. The character of Zoey was voiced by Ji-young Yoo and Rei Ami provided her singing voice. I definitely relate to Zoey on how disty she is, but that was revealed to be her insecurities when facing the demons. But everyone likes that about her, and if it wasn’t for her quirky personality, she wouldn’t have come up with some amazing rapping skills. So she was definitely a crucial member of the band. 

Their friendship was tested by the demon band Saja Boys. They was definitely had their mission gained to win over the fans and take over the world, but the lead singer Jinu (voiced by Ahn Hyo-seop with Andrew Choi providing his singing voice) had a side to him that made him question why he was doing what he was doing. Upon learning about Rumi’s stripes, he explained how the shame give the demons power, and we also saw how he felt for Gwi-ma’s manipulation and him becoming a demon himself. Despite a betrayal, he did the right thing in the end to help Rumi and the Huntrix crew, even if it did mean a fateful end. But it’s moments like this where sometimes you have to sacrifice the one you love in order to do the right thing. Other members of the Saja boys included Romance Saja (Joel Kim Booster with the singing voice by Samuil Lee), Mystery Saja (Alan Lee with the singing voice by Kevin Woo), Abby Saja (SungWon Cho with the singing voice by Nexkwav) and Baby Saja (Danny Chung). Whilst we didn’t get into much depth about those members, what I do know about them was that they definitely had the tactics of how gather in new fans, which in real life is amazing. But in this story, was definitely a dangerous move. There were other characters who made a real impact on Huntrix’s journey throughout the film. One of them was was their manager Bobby (voiced by Ken Jeong), who was oblivious to their demon battles, but I could see the care he had for the girls, knowing what’s best for them. We also saw former demon Hunter Celine (voiced by Yujin Kim and Lea Salonga as her singing voice), who was their mentor and also Rumi’s foster mother, who knew about her mother and stripes, but only wants why’s best for her, hence why she originally got her to keep them a secret. Daniel Dae Kim voiced the doctor Healer Han. He may have had only a small involvement throughout the whole film, but he definitely had me in his heart, as his expressive options to help Rumi’s voice was very entertaining. Then of course was king of the demons Gwi-ma (voiced by Lee Byun-hun who you may recognise as the front man in Squid Game), who let’s just say is not a villain to be messed with, also twisting Jinu’s brain on a different version of events when it came to his past. 

I absolutely loved the songs in the film. “Golden” for obvious reasons was a banger, amd “Soda Pop” is also an earworm song. After Arden Cho was talking about how much it meant to her at the Emmy’s, it gave a more emotional meaning on why the film is a success. I also loved “Free” which was sung between Rumi and Jinu, showing that not being ashamed of their fears can really make a difference on how you channel your emotions. 

I think my only few downside were that because this wasn’t on my watch list originally I struggled to get into it. But that didn’t stop me from watching it. I was also gutted about Jinu’s fate at the end of the film, hoping that he and Rumi would be together. But as mentioned before, sometimes you have to sacrifice tape things to help the people you love. 

Overall I would give it a 4.95. It was quirky, intense, with catchy songs that I definitely won’t get out of my head anytime soon. And it’s got an important message where it’s all about how you accept and how you move on the mistakes you make in your past 

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man:

The next film I’m going to talk about is Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, starring Cillian Murphy, Barry Keoghan, Sophie Rundle, Rebecca Ferguson and featuring Stephen Graham:

This film follows Tommy Shelby on a mission to save his son from a Nazi plot and protect his family. 

Cillian Murphy once again reprised his role of the iconic gangster Tommy Shelby. He definitely felt like his time was up, seeking solace in his old family house and writing his biography during the film, which sort of gives you a hint of what will happen. He also had a lot of guilt and grieve that he was carrying, which included Arthur’s absence (linking to why Paul Anderson wasn’t in the film), his health scare in season 6, and also leaving Duke behind. But pretty soon a wake up call gave him the strength he needed to be back to his usual self, and it was moments like this where Cillian Murphy's performance had me hooked onto him and nothing else! Let’s just say he definitely went out in style, and I know that Tommy's legacy will live on for a very long time! Barry Keoghan took on the role of Emarus “Duke” Shelby. Let’s just say he doesn’t want to be messed with when it came to getting on the wrong side of him, but deep down you could feel the pressure he was under to follow in his fathers footsteps, and also the emotion he felt for abandoning him all this years ago. At first he teamed up with John Beckett as revenge, but after a dreadful fate to Ada, he soon realised John’s true colours, and decided to work work his father to bring him down. I could also see how the end of Tommy really affected him, showing how deep down he truely loved his father. Even though Barry may not be in the new series, I know that Duke will carry on the legacy of Tommy and I can’t wait to see what work he does. Sophie Rundle reprised her role of icon Ada. Running in as MP whilst Tommy was gone, she definitely got mixed opinions from the general public given the shelbys reputation. I could also see she still cares for Tommy deeply, hence why she came to the old house to beg him to stop Duke and the new “Peaky Blinders” gang. But it wasn’t until a dreadful fate she suffered that gave Tommy the wake up call he needed. But all in all, she will forever be a memorable figure of the iconic franchise, and her memory will live on! Rebecca Ferguson took on the role of Kaulo Chiriklo, the twin sister of Zelda from previous series (which we got to see in a flashback as Tommy’s previous lover therefore Duke’s mother), and the auntie of Duke. She definitely caught Tommys attention (and let’s just say she used an intimate way to get through to him), but ultimately she wanted him to stop Duke from going too far. She also got him to see how Arthur really died, which gave him more of a reason to take on revenge. I think she also knew what Tommy was going to do at the end of the film, which gave her even more of a reason to get him to do the right thing. 

There were many characters who were loyal to Tommy until the very end. One of them was the legendary Johnny Doggs played by Packy Lee. Even though he was more of a right hand man, I could tell that he deeply cared for Tommy, and no matter what situation he gets himself into right or wrong, he always goes with his orders. I do hope he gets at least a cameo in the new series that currently being filmed, giving the new generation tips and tricks on how the business works after learning so much from Tommy all those years ago. There was also new villain in the form of Nazi agent John Beckett played by Tim Roth, who I felt really had an impact on ending Tommy Shelby’s journey. They say save the best until last, and this villain definitely did, as he wanted the iconic gangsters dead. Despite meeting a dreadful fate, he was definitely a villain to remember. There was also Tommy's former Peaky Blinder members Charlie Strong and Curly, played by Ned Dennehey and Ian Peck, who like Johnny stood by his side through thick and thin. Like Johnny Doggs, I do hope they get at least a cameo in the new series, so that they can give Duke some advice or come to his aid in times of need. Kasper Hilton-Hille on the role of Ada’s son Karl Thorne. I could tell how loyal he was to his mother, knowing that he would always have her back. I could also tell how emotional he was when Ada suffered the horrific fate, and did everything he could to help Tommy seek vengeance on John Beckett. With him being in the new series, I can’t wait to see how he’ll continue both Tommys and Ada’s legacy with the help of Duke. Stephen Graham reprised his role of Hayden Stagg aka the king of Liverpool Docks. I definitely thought that Hayden is a character that deserves more recognition, as even though he only appeared a few times in season 6 and near enough the end of the film, he was an essential part of the storyline. I could also tell that he was also concerned about Tommys wellbeing, particularly when it came to the plan to stop John, but what I do know is, he definitely knows his stuff when it comes to transportation leaving and entering the Liverpool docks. 

I think my only downside was that it was officially the end of an era for this icon gangster. I know it was only a fictional character, but the way it helped me distract myself from a horrific time along with the coronavirus pandemic (which was when I officially started watching it), was somehow what drew me into the performance. I was also gutted to not see an appearance from one of my favourite characters, which I went mention in this blog, but if anyone here has watched it from series 2 onwards and anyone recalls Tommy talking about bread, you’ll know what I mean. But I do hope he makes a cameo appearance or a guest appearance in the new generation of this franchise. 

Overall I would give the film a full house of 5 out of 5. It was tense, scary, and reminded me of how the franchise itself helped me through a turbulent time in my life. With Cillian Murphy now an Executive Producer on the new series, I can’t wait to see how his input shows on camera. I also can’t wait to see Jamie Bell take on this iconic role. 

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish:

The final film I’m going to talk about is Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, starring the voices of Antonio Bandaras, Salam Hayek Pinault and featuring the voices of Ray Winstone and Olivia Coleman.

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This sequel follows the adventure loving cat to search for a wishing star in order to gain his nine lives back.

Puss was once again voiced by the incredible Antonio Bandaras. This film saw a more vulnerable side to Puss, and how the impact of losing 8 of his 9 lives really affected him and how he takes on adventure. But the minute he hears about the wishing star, he was on a mission to get his life back. However, he realised the importance of having one life when confronted with his past selves, and used that knowledge to channel the real enemy of the film. Someone who was by his side was the return of Kitty Softpaws, voiced by Salma Hayek Pinault. Still the thief with paws so soft, you wouldn’t notice anything was gone, she also had her mission to gain the wishing star and wish for trust. We also got a glimpse as to what happened in Santa Caloma and why the pair drifted apart. Yes despite admitting neither of them weren’t ready to get married, she was furious when finding out his true intentions, but was able to trust him again after facing his demons. The pair got a new sidekick in the form of “dog”, later known as Perritto voiced by Harvey Guillén. Puss met him at the cat home, and he just seems to find the positive in everything, even with his past of how he got into his sock quite horrific. After mentioning he was wanting to be a therapy dog, he definitely did his training well when Puss had a panic attack, showing me how they work in those situations. And Harvey did a really good job at voicing this new character, where yes he was funny (and his language was surprisingly quite colourful) but also a vital part in Puss’ live. 

There was new characters in this films that also impacted Puss’ decision when it came to restoring his 9 lives. One of them, and the main villain was a wolf/Death, voiced by Wagner Moria. You know when a villain is done well, when even I thought he was scary. I know a wolf is my favourite animal, but let’s just say I wouldn’t want to mess with this one, particularly when he made Puss scared for the first time. There was also Goldilocks and the three bears, also known as Goldi (voiced by Florence Pugh), Papa, voiced by Ray Winstone, Mama, voiced by Olivia Coleman, and Baby, voiced by Samson Kayo, who were wanting a wish of their own. I loved this version of the classic fairytale characters, having a cockney edge to them, showing how they bonded since she came to visit their house. But she realised on how family was not just about blood but about love, and despite a confrontation on what she really wished for, she realised how important the three bears were to them. There was also the appearance of cat owner Mamma Luna, voiced by Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who looks after retired cats and certainly got Puss fully invested into retirement. But ultimately she was an integral part of the film as it gave Puss the chance to reset, and he wouldn’t have met Perrito during it. There was also the Doctor, voiced by Anthony Mendez, who gave puss the advice on retiring after going down to his one life. I know it’s an animation, but I thought Anthony voiced this role well, getting all the terminology correct without a stutter. The other villain in the show was Jack Horner, voiced by John Mulaney. The former Little Boy Jack who got his thumb stuck in a pie, his wish was to get control of all magic, and I also didn’t like how he handled things, and was truly quite evil. Even with the help of Ethical Bug, voiced by Kevin McCann that was literally a Jimminey Cricket parody, he was still wanting the wish all for himself. And that’s what makes a villain. There was also some cameos from Gingy (voiced by Conrad Vernon) and Pinocchio (voiced by Cody Cameron). They came when Puss’ past lives were explored, and it was a nice reminder of some of the characters from the previous Shrek movies! 

I think my two downsides to the film was the animation and the exaggeration. And what I mean by that was the animation in the film this time was slightly different, and I’ll be honest I wasn’t a fan. I would much prefer it if they used the animation style like in the original Shrek films and in the first film. There was also moments where some of the characters over exaggerated on some bits, particularly when Puss and Kitty were trying to have a “cuteness” battle. But I must remember that it was a family film, meaning that kids would also be watching. So what I find not funny might be funny to younger ones, so at least they have all basis covered. 

Overall I would give the film a 4.75. Whilst the animation change was abit weird for me, it was great to see a vulnerable side to Puss in Boots, which made him realise the important things in life. And the song “Fearless Hero” was certainly catchy. 

And those were my thoughts on these films. Let me know what you thought of them if anyone reading this has seen them, and keep an eye out for part 2 of my thoughts on films I saw this year! Equally let me know what films you want me to watch and review going into 2027.

See you soon for another blog. Until next time…

This is The Autistic Actress signing off :)