Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Movie Reviews 2026 – your frighteningly good guide to film.
This week everything gets a little weird with a collection of films for those who favour the unusual. And yes, that probably means you.
On physical media, two Spanish TV movies from the 1970s get the Blu-ray treatment, while on streaming 2008’s The X-Files: I Want to Believe receives a new director’s cut subtitled: Vrach Frankenshteyn. And if that wasn’t enough, the summer blockbuster season serves up sci-fi thriller, The End of Oak Street.
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On disc…
Two Boxes: Televised Terror in Franco’s Spain (2026)
First up this week it’s over to physical media for the release of Two Boxes: Televised Terror in Franco’s Spain. This Blu-ray from Radiance Films includes two classic Spanish curios: La cabina and El televisor. Both movies aired in Spain during the 1970s and both are weird and wonderful.
La cabina (1972)
In La cabina (aka The Telephone Box), a shiny red telephone box is installed in a public square during the early hours of the morning. Various people pass the box on the way to work, but no one pays it any attention. However, after waving his son off to school, a seemingly ordinary father (played by José Luis López) steps into the box to make a call.
After picking up the receiver and discovering the phone is not working, he attempts to exit the box, but unfortunately the door is sealed tight and he can’t get out. As a crowd gathers around, numerous people including the emergency services try to break open the doors and smash the glass, but the box remains sealed.
As the time ticks on, the man becomes concerned he could be stuck for a while. And then things get worse.
Directed and co-written by Antonio Mercero, and originally broadcast on Televisión Española back in 1972, this 35-minute film is bonkers yet deliciously unnerving. The plight of the trapped man makes for a compelling watch, and is also the stuff of nightmares for any claustrophobics out there.
These days, if you can even find a phone box, the worst thing you’ve got to worry about is the stench of piss permeating your nostrils. But back in the ‘70s getting stuck in a phone box seemed entirely plausible, making the set-up to this short film truly terrifying.
La cabina then takes this fear and cranks things up a notch with a rather horrifying pay-off. It certainly makes you wonder if stepping into a box of any kind is really a good idea.
El televisor (1974)
Meanwhile, in El televisor (aka The Television), family man Enrique has always dreamed of owning a television. But so far, all his hard earned money from working at the bank has gone on the essentials.
However, the time has finally come for Enrique to have his wish granted and soon he is the proud owner of a colour TV. It’s a glorious and wonderful thing, which he devotes endless hours to.
At first this isn’t a problem, and his wife thinks it’s quite delightful just how happy Enrique is about the television. But this delight soon turns to horror when Enrique refuses to switch it off or even miss a moment of programming.
As the situation worsens, Enrique stops going to work and even locks the living room door to ensure he’s not disturbed. But the worst is yet to come, as Enrique becomes convinced the people inside the TV pose a threat to his nearest and dearest, and if something isn’t done about it quickly lives are in danger.
Directed and co-written by Narciso Ibáñez Serrador, and starring Narciso Ibáñez Menta, El televisor is a macabre tale very much in the vein of a Twilight Zone episode. It’s a story which starts off seemingly innocent, but goes to a very dark place before the credits roll, with a shocking ending which really injects a sting into proceedings.
Similar to La cabina, El televisor focuses its story on something which seems a bit outdated these days (i.e. the excitement of getting a TV), yet the premise still works, largely because of our ongoing addiction to screens. In fact, swap out the TV for a smart phone or a YouTube account, and this story could easily be remade today without too many changes.
Not that a remake is needed. This 70-minute jaunt into the bizarre is entertaining enough, and is the perfect companion to La cabina.
Should you wish to take a look at these two films, the pair can be found in Two Boxes: Televised Terror in Franco’s Spain alongside a wealth of extras which include interviews (new and old), and commentaries for each film. Critics and horror experts, Jonathan Rigby and Kevin Lyons tackle El televisor, while Inside No. 9’s Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton wax lyrical about La cabina.
Priced at £19.99, the limited edition Blu-ray also includes a reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Justin Coffee; a booklet featuring new writing from Alex Mentabil; and a removable OBI strip. The Blu-ray is available from all good entertainment retailers now.
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Now streaming…
The X-Files: I Want to Believe – Vrach Frankenshteyn (2008/2026)
Over to streaming now for The X-Files: I Want to Believe – Vrach Frankenshteyn. This is a director’s cut of the oft-forgotten second X-Files film, which was originally released back in 2008.
For those who don’t quite remember (or who have purposefully forgotten), The X-Files: I Want to Believe was a standalone supernatural thriller, which saw former FBI agents Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) called back in to help locate a kidnapped fellow agent in what appears to be a serial killer case. Along the way they encounter a Catholic priest who claims to be experiencing visions which could be useful.
Directed and co-written by X-Files creator, Chris Carter, and released six years after the TV show originally ended in 2002, The X-Files: I Want To Believe was initially conceived as a big screen continuation of the series. The plan was to give fans a new Mulder and Scully adventure, and if it was successful enough at the box-office to continue onward with more movies.
Did it work? Erm… not quite.
Further stories did come in 2016 and 2018, but in the form of a revival show rather than a series of movies, and not as a result of this particular film. While I Want to Believe isn’t terrible and is perfectly watchable, it’s not amazing either, and it didn’t do much to reignite interest in The X-Files back in ’08.
Why? Because it’s all a bit dull.
Not much happens, it’s fairly plodding, and the story just doesn’t feel worthy of an X-File. The movie leans into ‘monster of the week’ territory which is a plus point, but in general the film lacks the suspense and/or horror which made the monster stories so compelling.
But that’s where this new director’s cut, The X-Files: I Want to Believe – Vrach Frankenshteyn aims to turn things around. With this new version of the film, which is exclusive to streaming, Chris Carter has upped the horror elements and made alterations to the theatrical release, to bring fans a more sinister experience.
The result is a slight improvement, but don’t get too excited. While this film is a tad darker, shorter (1hr 38mins vs the original 1hr 45mins), and generally the best cut overall, it still falls into the same pitfalls as it did first time around.
The general problem with I Want to Believe is that it attempts to be a combination of two things. On the one hand it’s trying to be a classic, non-conspiracy X-File, while on the other it wants to be a crime thriller in the vein of The Silence of the Lambs.
Unfortunately it doesn’t pull off either successfully. It’s not scary or intense enough as the former, and it’s not as well written or directed as the latter.
There’s also the big sticking point that the show did a number of kidnappings/serial killer stories during its original run, and they were some of the best episodes of the series. Even with the tweaks which have been made for Vrach Frankenshteyn, the film still doesn’t feel like those top tier X-Files episodes.
That said, this is an improvement. It’s not radically different, but a few tweaks do help.
Should you wish to check out The X-Files: I Want to Believe – Vrach Frankenshteyn, the new cut is now streaming on Hulu and Disney+. If you can’t find it, search for the original version of I Want to Believe, and then take a look in the extras section.
But you really don’t need to rush to get to this one. Just keep it in the back of your mind until you’re doing your next re-watch of the show, and add this one to your watchlist instead of the original.
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In cinemas…
The End of Oak Street (2026)
And finally over to the cinema now for sci-fi adventure movie, The End of Oak Street. Written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, and starring Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella, and Christian Convery, the film tells the story of a family who begin to notice something strange in their neighbourhood.
In the film, the year is 1982 and the Platt family are living on Oak Street. It’s a seemingly ordinary US neighbourhood, until one night a huge white light engulfs the surrounding area and things begin to change.
In the morning, when the Platts wake up they discover something truly troubling has happened. Blood-thirsty dinosaurs now roam the streets, prehistoric plants grow in abundance, and there’s no way of escaping this perplexing predicament.
For those keeping track, the summer blockbuster season continues to roll on but things are beginning to slow down now. We’re midway through August and with not much longer to go before the season concludes, we have reached what is often referred to as the summer dumping ground.
It’s a point in the season when random or unexpected films begin to pop up, as the studios chuck pictures at the screen in the hope of attracting audiences who have already watched most of the big releases. As such, August can often be a bit hit and miss, and you have to take the rough with the smooth.
However, there can be some gold in August if you’re open to some madcap movies. Case in point: The End of Oak Street.
This bonkers adventure romp is a heck of a lot of fun and a movie to check out this summer if you want some sci-fi nonsense. The End of Oak Street is like a big budget instalment of The Twilight Zone, where reality is turned upside down and anything can happen.
And the film is especially recommended for those disappointed by the more recent Jurassic World films. The End of Oak Street is far slicker and far scarier than any of those movies, and it has more depth too.
The main thrust of the movie is the Platts finding themselves surrounded by deadly dinos. Monstrous creatures stalk every sidewalk, they fly through the air, and they slink through the houses.
No one is safe, no one knows what’s happened, and the best thing to do is try not to be eaten. It’s a nightmare scenario of horrifying proportions, as well as a great set-up for the adventure that follows.
However, don’t be fooled into thinking The End of Oak Street is just about dinosaurs attacking humans and nothing else. The film also dips into a dash of domestic drama too, with some relationship woes between main players Denise and Greg Platt forming the backbone of the picture.
The couple are experiencing marriage problems, with their relationship on the verge of imploding, so they really could do without this extra new wrinkle that seems to have come out of nowhere. Throughout the course of the film they need to overcome their troubles, while simultaneously keeping their kids safe and figuring a way out of their predicament, and the dinosaurs just happen to be getting in the way.
Do they achieve it? You’ll have to watch the movie to find out, but I can tell you there’s a bit of sci-fi timey-wimey hijinks along the way, as well as one or two sequences involving the dinosaurs that will have you squirming in your seat.
One scene in particular involves a prehistoric snake, which finds its way into the Platts’ abode. It’s a very unsettling scene, which definitely pushes the boundaries of the movie’s ‘12A’ certificate (‘PG-13’ in the US), but it’s wonderfully realised and marvellously macabre.
In fact, the whole movie has a real dark edge to it – but it’s entirely welcomed! Dinosaur action hasn’t looked this good in a long time, and it’s not been quite this menacing either.
Do you remember those Dinosaurs Attack! trading cards from the late ‘80s, that were a bit strange and twisted? Well, The End of Oak Street has a similar flavour, so if you’ve been craving this kind of stuff for a while, now is the chance to indulge.
Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor lead the movie and as you might expect, they are perfectly cast as the head of the Platt family. They really sell their strained relationship, as well as the love and respect they still have for one another, and you can’t help but cheer them on, as well as the rest of their family.
As for everyone else in the movie outside of the Platts, well, they are essentially dino fodder. But that’s fine, because this is what you want from a movie like this, so it’s best not to worry about anyone else and just go with it.
The End of Oak Street is an enjoyable film, which brings some wonderful visuals, some great action scenes, and of course, lots and lots of teeth. So, grab some popcorn and tuck in.
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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:
The Last House (2026)
“The Last House is a fairly solid picture, which is backed by a great cast and strong direction from Leterrier. The climax is a bit anticlimactic, but the journey is enjoyable.”
Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender (2026)
“The movie doesn’t reach the same heights as the series, and the script needs work, but there’s enough here to satisfy those who adore Avatar. Plus at just under 100 minutes it doesn’t wear out it’s welcome.”
Ice Cream Man (2026)
“Cut back on the kills, develop the mythology, and make things tighter and there’s something here. But as it stands, like two scoops of wasabi ice cream, it’s an acquired taste.”
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Movie of the Week
Onto Movie of the Week which this week goes to The End of Oak Street. Action, adventure, and dinosaurs a-plenty in this sci-fi romp!
And if you like The End of Oak Street you may also like:
- Jurassic Park (1993) – Steven Spielberg directs this iconic adventure movie about a dinosaur theme park which goes disastrously wrong.
- 65 (2023) – Adam Driver stars in this sci-fi thriller about an astronaut who crash lands on prehistoric Earth.
- Primitive War (2025) – In this Aussie sci-fi horror, the year is 1968 and a rescue team in the Vietnamese jungle find themselves battling for survival against dinosaurs.
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Forthcoming attractions
And that’s your lot for this week, but coming soon it’s time to say goodbye to the summer blockbuster season. What began in May with The Devil Wears Prada 2 will come to an end very shortly.
But before it does, expect Coyote vs. Acme, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, and Insidious: Out of the Further!
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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