Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of Movie Reviews 2026 – your sun-packed, fun-packed guide to film.
And speaking of sun and fun, we’re midway through the summer blockbuster season. May and June have been polished off, and now all eyes are on July and August.
But before leaping onto the next round of big summer movies, here’s a quick reminder of what blockbusters have already been released. Notable titles include The Devil Wears Prada 2, The Sheep Detectives, Apex, Mortal Kombat II, Hokum, Swapped, Obsession, Remarkably Bright Creatures, The Mandalorian and Grogu, Finding Emily, Passenger, Tom & Jerry: Forbidden Compass, Masters of the Universe, Backrooms, Tuner, Disclosure Day, Scary Movie, Office Romance, Toy Story 5, Supergirl, Jackass: Best and Last, and Voicemails for Isabelle.
OK, so that’s what has already been served up, and now onto what’s next. And the summer blockbuster season continues with sleuthing sequel, Enola Holmes 3, as well as animated fantasy film, Minions & Monsters.
The former sees Millie Bobby Brown set out to solve yet another mystery, while the latter sees the Minions head off to Hollywood to make a movie! Yes, that movie includes monsters.
And then, in addition to Enola Holmes 3 and Monsters & Minions, Little Brother arrives on streaming. The comedy stars John Cena and Eric André and is the first film to be reviewed this week…
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Now streaming…
Little Brother (2026)
Directed by Matt Spicer and now streaming on Netflix, Little Brother is an oddball comedy about a realtor who finds himself looking after his younger brother. Only problem is, he doesn’t have a younger brother.
In the movie, John Cena plays Rudd Landy – a fairly successful realtor. But Rudd’s success in the property business is continually overshadowed by his older, and ridiculously wealthy brother, Josh.
This is Rudd’s biggest problem until he receives a call saying his brother has been involved in a car accident. But it’s not Josh who is in the hospital, it’s Marcus Pinchel – a blast from Rudd’s past.
Back in 1998, Rudd took part in a special foster program, where he temporarily acted as Marcus’ big brother. Ever since their brief encounter, Marcus – played by Eric André – believes he and Rudd are still siblings, and he got into a car accident on his way to visit his brother.
After Marcus is discharged from hospital, Rudd is guilted into looking after his so-called little brother. But the pair are nothing alike, and everything Marcus does seems to anger Rudd.
Now, if you cast John Cena in a comedy you expect to get a lot of laughs. Cena has excellent comedic skills, was a highlight in films such as Jackpot! and Ricky Stanicky, and was so strong in The Suicide Squad it led to the starring role in TV spin-off, Peacemaker.
So, it’s somewhat of a shame then that Little Brother does Cena a bit dirty. The film fails to utilise his talents in an effective way, doesn’t push him in any new direction, and doesn’t play to his strengths.
It’s clear Cena is doing his best with the material he is given, but what he has to work with is fairly average stuff. Little Brother could have been a raucous affair, with Cena front and centre, but unfortunately it’s not.
And the same goes for Eric André. This movie feels like it is built to take advantage of the sort of comedy he can bring to the table, but no, it falls short there too.
On the plus side, Little Brother is an easy watch, there are a couple of heartfelt scenes, and it isn’t awful. There are occasional moments that gently stroke the funny bone in Little Brother, so it’s not devoid of all humour, just don’t expect to have every rib tickled.
Arguably the film’s greatest faux pas is that it’s just an average picture. There are also no major surprises, as the story goes exactly where you expect it to go, but if you’re fine with this then you may have some fun.
Ultimately, opportunities are missed, which is a shame, but it’s not the worst movie in the world. Little Brother feels on par with most streaming original titles these days, so it is what we’ve all come to expect – sadly.
Adjust your expectations accordingly and you may be OK with what’s on offer. Oh, and let the end credits run for the outtakes, which are surprisingly funnier than some of the takes included in the film.
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Now streaming…
Enola Holmes 3 (2026)
Sticking with Netflix for this next offering, the mystery sequel, Enola Holmes 3. Directed by Philip Barantini, and starring Millie Bobby Brown, Louis Partridge, Henry Cavill, Helena Bonham Carter, Himesh Patel, and Sharon Duncan-Brewster, the film picks up after the events of 2022’s Enola Holmes 2, with Sherlock missing and Enola set to marry.
In the film, it is the day of Enola’s wedding to Tewkesbury and en route to the ceremony in Malta, Enola becomes aware of a grave situation. Her brother, Sherlock has disappeared, feared kidnapped, with few clues to his whereabouts.
As Enola begins to investigate Sherlock’s disappearance, the mystery takes another unexpected turn – Tewkesbury’s mother has also vanished under suspicious circumstances. Are the two incidents related and if so, why kidnap Sherlock and Lady Tewkesbury?
In order to get to the bottom of the problem, Enola, Tewkesbury, Watson, and Eudoria Holmes must put their heads together to crack the case. But can they solve the problem before it is too late?
Those who have followed the Enola Holmes movie series so far will be aware the two previous instalments were delightful affairs. The mysteries were engaging, the cast wonderful, and the visuals superb.
For this third offering, it’s largely more of the same. So, if you’ve been having fun with this quirky collection of films over the past few years, you’ll not feel particularly short-changed this time around.
That said, do lower your outlook a tad. While the cast and the visuals are still on par with what came before, and Malta has never looked more gorgeous, the mystery isn’t quite as sharp.
It doesn’t take a great deal of effort to work out an initial clue, and it takes even less effort to decipher who is pulling the strings. The whys and wherefores are a little more difficult to get a bead on, but you can still make a good stab at it, resulting in a bit of a wishy-washy case for the young sleuth.
The good news is, even if the central puzzle isn’t quite as puzzling as it needs to be, and does run out of steam quite early, Enola Holmes 3 remains an enjoyable adventure romp. There’s action, spectacle, a few laughs, and Millie Bobby Brown continuing to break the fourth wall with absolute glee.
The film also benefits from a rip roaring third act, which involves a shoot-out, a horseback chase, and a showdown between Sherlock and his mystery kidnapper. This gives everyone a chance to shine, including Henry Cavill as a seriously cheesed-off Sherlock, and it’s difficult not to get caught up with what’s going on.
However, arguably the film’s biggest selling point is that despite a notable misstep in the mystery department, the film still leaves you with the desire to see more. Enola Holmes 3 feels like an end point, but if this series does come back for a fourth entry it wouldn’t be a bad thing.
While there’s no denying Enola Holmes 3 is less effective than its two predecessors, and I’m sure some audiences will be less than happy Enola’s big pay off is to simply get married, there’s still plenty to like about this third outing. The move to Malta brings a dash of summer sparkle to the story, the cast continue to give it their all, and the Enola/Tewkesbury relationship reaches a satisfying conclusion.
The series pivots to love and romance for what appears to be the final fling, which does seem to overshadow the story somewhat, but hey, there’s enjoyment to be had. If you want to spend another couple of hours in Enola’s company, then have at it.
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In cinemas…
Minions & Monsters (2026)
And finally, it’s off to the flicks for the animated comedy, Minions & Monsters. Directed by Pierre Coffin, and featuring the voice work of Coffin, Trey Parker, Allison Janney, Christoph Waltz, Jesse Eisenberg, and Jeff Bridges, the film sees the yellow fellas head off to Hollywood to direct a movie!
In the film, it’s the 1920s and the Minions accidentally stumble onto a movie set. The director is of course furious, but when the executive producers of the film see potential in the Minions, they are hired to star in a series of pictures.
In no time at all, the Minions become the talk of Tinseltown. However, as the silent era makes way for sound, the Minions quickly fall out of fashion when it becomes evident they talk gibberish.
Struggling to remain in the movie business, Minion James comes up with a new idea. Rather than starring in movies it would make more sense to make them!
As James sets out to direct his first film, he decides it is going to be a monster movie. But when James attempts to put real-life monsters in his film things don’t quite go to plan.
Initially conceived as a spin-off of the Despicable Me films, the Minions movies have proved popular with audiences and have been very successful so far, becoming huge box office successes. The quirky characters and slapstick antics of the little yellow guys appeals to young audiences, while parents find the sight gags and crude humour an enjoyable watch, and this is what puts bums on seats time-and-time again.
And do you know what? It’s likely to put even more bums on seats for this latest entry, because Minions & Monsters is a heck of a lot of fun.
Presented as a stand-alone affair, this new movie is not only very accessible, it’s also incredibly silly and really quite appealing. The gag rate is high, the pratfalls are plentiful, and the animation is lovely to look at.
Setting Minions & Monsters around Hollywood also proves to work in this film’s favour. It gives the movie the opportunity to utilise lots of ideas from the early years of the film industry, from silent pictures through to sci-fi flicks and of course monster movies.
This in turn creates lots of bonkers little scenes which will have adults chuckling along, and young moviegoers completely enthralled. Minions & Monsters works for the entire family, but it’s the kids who will get a real kick out of this picture and rightfully so.
Highlights include a shark attack, an aerial battle, and a large orange monster named Irene. There’s also much fun to be had with a cyclops, while a robot alien invader gets many of the best lines.
However, it is the Minions themselves who are the real draw here. It doesn’t matter if most of what they say makes no sense at all, it’s easy to understand their intentions, while their commitment to serving their master(s) should be commended.
If you’re already a fan of the Minions movies then seeing Minions & Monsters is a no-brainer. Likewise, if you have youngsters that need entertaining this summer, this film is likely to be a winner.
Minions & Monsters is daft nonsense, but it’s daft nonsense which works rather well. Should you wish to take a look, the film is now playing in cinemas.
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Recent Releases
Not quite done yet? Want more movies? The above suggestions aren’t enough?! Well, here’s what’s also doing the rounds:
Voicemails for Isabelle (2026)
“Voicemails for Isabelle is genuinely delightful stuff. Occasionally it breaks your heart, but like all good stories it finds a way to fix it again.”
Jackass: Best and Last (2026)
“View Jackass: Best and Last as a final hurrah and a goodbye to a time that has now passed. If this isn’t your sort of thing give it a wide birth, but if you are a fan, grab some tissues to mop up the tears of sadness and the tears of laughter.”
Supergirl (2026)
“Take Supergirl as it is being presented. As a sci-fi character piece, which looks to provide entertainment, while at the same time giving audiences an understanding of what’s really going on in Kara’s head.”
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Movie of the Week
Onto Movie of the Week which this week goes to Minions & Monsters. The little yellow guys continue to bring some laughs and this film should do rather well this summer season.
And if you like Minions & Monsters, you may also wish to check out these other animated monster movies:
- Hotel Transylvania (2012) – Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, and Andy Samberg are amongst the voice cast of this monster comedy from director Genndy Tartakovsky.
- Frankenweenie (2012) – Tim Burton directs this supernatural comedy about a boy who brings his dog back from beyond the grave.
- The Addams Family (2019) – Gomez, Morticia, and the rest of the Addams clan get up to their usual kooky, spooky, ooky hijinks in this fun animated romp.
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Forthcoming attractions
And that’s your lot for this week, but coming soon Moana, Evil Dead Burn, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Plus, The End of Oak Street, Insidious: Out of the Further, and Coyote vs. Acme.
Oh, and Christopher Nolan is offering up The Odyssey. You might want to clear some space in your diary, this one is set to be an epic.
Alex
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Thank you for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this edition of Movie Reviews 2026. For more posts be sure to check out the recommended reads below.
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