The end of our season is here, and Chloe and I are proud to present the season finale of What The Hell Should I Watch as we prepare for another whirlwind time at the Vancouver International Film Festival for my eleventh year and Chloe’s third. We’re going out with a witchy franchise that I crash-coursed in last week, an “eat the rich” historical epic featuring the immense talents of Andrew Garfield and an early review of the next DreamWorks animated adventure!
First up, I give my thoughts in a weird out-of-order moment on the new 4K release of Practical Magic, a film I had never seen before. Shocking, I know! This film is clearly a generationally beloved film, which it wasn’t upon release, but because of this, I do tread lightly!
Then I dig into the sequel, Practical Magic 2, which proves that both Sandy and Nic can slide back into these witchy roles with ease and elevate it again with their star charisma. A follow-up that comes almost thirty years after the original, the film benefits from the decades of movies in between and gasp might be a better movie than the original! Don’t hate me, fans! I’m new to this IP!
Next up, Andrew Garfield leads a rebellion in England in the 1300s, revolting against a teen King Richard II in The Uprising from Captain Phillips director Paul Greengrass. Joined by very studious actors in Jamie Bell, Thomasin McKenzie and a scene-stealing Cosmo Jarvis, the movie’s faults lie in the cinematography that the filmmaker has become comfortable in, and it is a bit jarring from time to time. That Garfield, though. Guy’s going to be a star!
Then I get to give the early scoop on the new DreamWorks animated feature, Forbidden Island, an adventure brought to us by the duo behind Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, a surprisingly fantastic movie. This one, the first-ever fully animated Filipino story done by a major studio, satisfies in every way. A great story, vibrant animation that dazzles in every moment, a funny script and a heart on its sleeve constantly. This has all the marks of being a huge hit.
We then shift back to Blu-ray with another entry into what I call “culinary tension drama”, to pair up with The Bear, an absolute juggernaut in the genre. Out of the UK and done by Adolescence’s award-winning creator Phillip Barantini, Stephen Graham stars in Boiling Point, a one-shot, kitchen-focused drama that inspired a BBC-made series as well. If you loved The Bear and want more, I highly recommend this jump across the pond for all of your restaurant-focused predicaments.
To finish off my things, we take a look at the new streaming action film on AppleTV+, Mayday. Featuring the bankable movie stardom of Ryan Reynolds and the always dependable Kenneth Branagh, this feels like a big actioner that would’ve kicked some serious butt on the big screen. Coming from the directing duo of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, the film has great banter between our lead actors as well as some killer fight choreography for the sixty-five-year-old Branagh to astound with.
Finally, Chloe finishes off our season with her thoughts on Bob Odenkirk’s new action film, Normal, an absolute redemption for Ben Wheatley after his ocean-brined creature feature Meg 2: The Trench, depending on who you ask. Featuring Game Of Thrones’ Lena Headey and The Fonz himself as the mayor of this small town, Chloe contends that Odenkirk fans will enjoy this one, and it scored better than both Nobody films in her eyes.
What The Hell Should I Watch will return in October. Until then, stay tuned for our Vancouver International Film Festival 2026 coverage!
Steve Stebbing 