It’s is time to reveal my favorite films of 2026 so far! Usually, I try to make sure my list is complete and whole before July arrives. But this year, it’s been different. I’ve been catching up on some hidden gems that haven’t come out in my area and I’ve been exceptionally busy in my personal life. So now that the month is slowly passing by, I think now is a great time to highlight some great films that premiered under the past 6 months. Before I even get to the meat of my list, I want to mention some Honorable films that need to be addressed here.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
The Furious Directed by Kenji Tanigaki
A movie so good, I had to list it TWICE!!
The Furious is a knuckle-punching throwback to the classic style of ’90s Hong Kong martial arts cinema, as it features some of the best fight choreography I’ve seen since The Raid films. Several actors from The Raid appear here as larger-than-life caricatures of good and evil. What really sold me on this film was the energetic attention to every fight sequence, the precise cinematography and blocking, and the committed performances from the entire cast. As soon as the first punch lands, the film hits the ground running and never stops giving you exactly what you want. If you’re fiending for some good action on the big screen, this might do the trick!
Wasteman Directed by Cal McMau
Please watch this before David Jonsson becomes a household name with his new casting as T’Challa in Black Panther 3. Remember, I was the first person to tell you about the David Jonsson Nation!
Wasteman takes the familiar tropes of the prison drama and flips them on their head by telling the story of two polar opposite inmates. David Jonsson’s character wants to move beyond his crimes and does everything he can to stay on his best behavior. Then Tom Blyth’s character arrives and disrupts the natural order of the prison system. The film immediately gives the audience a sense of what really happens inside prisons, using cell phone footage of inmates doing some of the most devious things imaginable. It’s a mixture of hope and suffering throughout. Even if you can tell where the story is headed from the beginning of Jonsson’s performance, you’re still rooting for him to escape his circumstances. These types of stories still need to be seen because the prison system remains corrupt and is filled with people who want to profit from the tragedy of others. This film offers a compelling counterbalance to that reality, making it well worth your time.
The Blue Trail Directed by Gabriel Mascaro
You have a Brazilian grandmother who is no longer allowed to work because it’s illegal to keep working once you reach a certain age. The law in the film even extends to traveling beyond the city in which the main character lives in. The Blue Trail dissects this absurd premise and transforms it into a dreamy tale about anarchy, acceptance, and the freedom to choose your own path.
Denise Weinberg’s performance balances believability with pure honesty, capturing everything her character is forced to endure and cherish. Without that emotional grounding, the entire film could easily fall apart. It’s like a Brazilian Ray Bradbury novel brought to life in Portuguese!!
Nino Directed by Pauline Loquès
Théodore Pellerin is, in a way, the French-Canadian version of Timothée Chalamet. He has the same expressive eyes, the same twinkish body frame like Tim Tim, and the same on-screen perseverance. Pellerin also had a great year last year with the criminally underrated film, Solo. The emotional depth he showed in that performance carries over into this film.
Here, he plays a young man who is diagnosed with cancer just before a gathering with his friends later that night. Out of sheer embarrassment, Nino (Théodore Pellerin) races against the clock as he struggles with whether he’s ready to tell the people around him the truth about his diagnosis. The film unfolds in real time, following Nino from his medical appointment all the way to the moment he finally reveals his diagnosis at the party that evening. Pellerin portrays this terrifying discovery with such tenacity and an incredible attentiveness to the actors around him. It reminded me of the Dardenne brothers’ classic approach to working-class dramas. Their characters slowly unravel in real time while the audience is left trying to catch its breath through all the pain. I think this is absolutely worth seeking out if you or someone you love has experienced something like this in real life.
Hadestown: The Musical Directed by Brett Sullivan
I’m fully aware of the cultural impact this musical has had over the years. I’d never seen the stage production myself, but watching this pro-shot completely changed the way I view filmed theater. The Hamilton pro-shot a few years ago showed just how important it is to bring Broadway musicals to audiences who can’t afford to see them in person.
My colleague Michael goes much deeper into why this musical has maintained such a strong presence in the cultural underbelly of the theater scene, and I implore everyone to read his review on this site. Personally, though, I had an absolute blast seeing this in theaters with my mom, who had never seen the show either. It really reinforced how pro-shot musicals can save lives, metaphorically speaking.
This reimagining of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice gives the myth a renewed sense of purpose, continuing the recent wave of compelling takes on Greek mythology in popular culture, such as The Odyssey. I’ll just say this: you’ll be crying during “Wait for Me (Reprise)” every single time that note echoes through the theater speakers. That is all!
Project Hail Mary Directed by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Miller and Lord have adapted a great book and translated it into the ultimate “nice guy” phenomenon. I could accuse this film of being the “Le Reddit” movie of the year, but that would almost be an understatement and a compliment. This is easily the most Reddit, normie-coded film you’ll see on this list.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fun thrill ride with a great performance from Ryan Gosling. I just think it’s a little too wholesome for its own good. It’s a reflection of what Hollywood can cook up when it returns to the functional blockbuster aesthetics of the pre-digital era. The overt sentimentality of the story might be a little YUCKY for some people, but I had the same reaction I did with Top Gun: Maverick. It’s just a grand ole time at the movies! And yes, they don’t make em like they used to!
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Directed by Nia DaCosta
Danny Boyle’s 28 Days franchise has been an exciting one as of late. Boyle’s kickoff to this new trilogy upset a lot of normies and horror enthusiasts with its ferocious attention to themes of assimilation and religion in the U.K. The Bone Temple pushes those ideas even further by showing how The Doctor (Ralph Fiennes) attempts to save humanity through his psychedelic treatments for the HUNG DONG-ed Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry). It goes even further by exploring the power of organized religion through the martyr narrative surrounding Lord Jimmy (Jack O’Connell).
This film is dirtier, meaner, and more interested in showcasing the horrors of humanity when organized religion goes unchecked, whether a civilization is just beginning or has already collapsed. The Duran Duran and Iron Maiden needle drops also serve a purpose, illustrating how pop culture survives after the U.K. falls to the zombie virus. Those bands stand the test of time, while the likes of Benson Boone or Harry Styles become completely irrelevant in the apocalypse. Nobody is blasting “Sign of the Times” during a zombie outbreak. Well… at least not unless you’re floating through space in Project Hail Mary.
I really hope we get another 28 Years Later film soon because this absolutely deserves all the praise and love from the TRUE believers of the franchise.
LifeHack Directed by Ronan Corrigan
Just like Red Rooms a few years ago, LifeHack taps into the brain-rot commodification of pen-testing, hacking, and societal manipulation. Four teenagers hop on Discord one day and hatch a plan to steal financial data from one of the most corrupt figures in the Bitcoin industry. Once the plan succeeds, they’re forced to confront what they should actually do with all the money now at their fingertips.
The screenlife genre has been dormant for the past few years. There haven’t been many films that truly capture the nature of modern humanity, but LifeHack reminds you of what the genre can and should be. You become morally invested in these characters and their journey of self-discovery. Once shit hits the fan, you’re right in the center of the madness.
The attention to detail with every window opening, closing, and overlapping is presented with a real sense of beauty and appreciation for the technology itself. The film also subverts and contorts the conventions of the genre by using espionage aesthetics to heighten the characters’ motivations. The final mission is nearly impossible and absolutely nail-biting from beginning to end. My jaw dropped during several key moments once that final mission kicked off.
I genuinely believe this genre is capable of so much more than simply putting webpages on a screen. LifeHack proves that. I fucking loved this crazy ass film!
The Voice of Hind Rajab Directed by Kaouther Ben Hania
Technically, this is a film that premiered during last year’s fall festival season, but I was able to catch it this year during its wider theatrical release.
The film tells the true story of Hind Rajab and how she was brutally murdered by the IDF after becoming trapped in the crossfire of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The Red Crescent, the humanitarian organization trying to rescue civilians, works to maintain communication with Hind as they desperately search for a way to get her out safely. Of course, the story ends in tragedy, and with every passing scene, the film makes its perspective increasingly clear about the deliberate targeting of civilians.
Kaouther Ben Hania incorporates the real recordings of Hind Rajab’s conversations, moving back and forth between a dramatized retelling of the events and documentary techniques. By the end of the film, you’ll understand how evil operates. For that reason alone, I think this is absolutely worth seeking out on your own terms.
OTHER HONORABLE MENTIONS
American Doctor Directed by Poh Si Teng
One of the best documentaries you’ll see this year, American Doctor mirrors The Voice of Hind Rajab in the way it immediately immerses you in the reality of doctors and help professionals trying to communicate with one another amid the violence of the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Doctors from around the world are tasked with saving lives while setting aside their political beliefs and personal grievances. Everything has to be left at the door because the only thing that matters is keeping people alive. This documentary fully commits to that idea. You see what it truly takes to be a doctor in a war-torn region while also witnessing the darker realities of the conflict, including the repeated bombing of hospitals by Israel under the justification that terrorists are operating beneath them. This gets debunked in real time in one sequences that is so jarringly frustrating that, you’ll start to become angry for all the propagated stories planted from the country itself. The documentary directly challenges that narrative, presenting evidence against Israel’s wrongdoings in such a ferocious matter.
I found this to be disgustingly powerful.
Is God Is Directed by Aleshea Harris
This film is a throwback to the classical blaxploitation films of the ’70s, remixing those aesthetics for a new generation of Black audiences. Two sisters are brutally abused by their father and grow up to despise him. After their mother begins to leave this Earth, both sisters decide to hatch a plan to kill their father as a form of emotional relief. Is God Is dares to ask the question of what the right way to grieve is and how we overcome that pain.
On one hand, Racine (Kara Young) aggressively wants to end everything by burning everything down in her path. Meanwhile, Anaia (Mallori Johnson) compassionately wants to take a different approach and talk things out. The film never lets you choose a side, and that’s a good thing. You’re supposed to be frustrated by the way these women are handling their trauma, but more than anything, you’re still rooting for both of them.
Kara Young and Mallori Johnson brilliantly showcase the different sides of grief through their committed performances. They aren’t afraid to reveal the flaws of these characters as their journey progresses. Sterling K. Brown, as The Father, delivers one of his most unhinged performances, creating a character that will trigger a fight-or-flight reaction once the final confrontation arrives.
The grindhouse and blaxploitation aesthetics work entirely to the film’s advantage, bringing out the vibrancy and intensity of the story being told. I’m glad Black filmmakers are still willing to use the aesthetics of this genre for subversive purposes.
I Love Boosters by Boots Riley
Boots Riley’s takedown of the evils of capitalism and worker abuse is quite spectacular. Sure, it’s retreading some ground that was already established with his debut, Sorry to Bother You, but there are still plenty of creative ideas and a strong awareness of originality within the story.
Several characters indulge in criminal activities to prove a point about the sickness that capitalism has created in modern society. Workers are grinding day in and day out without having any real voice or power in their daily lives. It’s only when a group of Boosters, people who steal clothes from stores and resell them at discounted prices, begin to challenge the system that the balance of power starts to shift.
Riley presents all of this through his colorful storytelling and visual reflections of films like Jacques Tati’s Playtime and Věra Chytilová’s Daisies. I’m incredibly happy to see an anarchist filmmaker willing to work within the capitalistic Hollywood system while still finding ways to tear it apart with such joy and creativity.
Never change, Boots Riley. Never change!
BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions Directed by Kahlil Joseph
Kahlil Joseph has been a prolific figure in the music industry. He has created several music directorial efforts for artists like Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar. This documentary showcases Joseph’s skills as a musical storyteller through a collection of clips and a subversion of what it means to be Black in America and around the world.The idea of a futuristic world where Black people have their own news channel is explored through the dichotomy of how these communities are still treated under constant scrutiny. The African diaspora is deconstructed through clips of African newscasters and guests discussing the importance of the gold trade, hip-hop, and their influence on everyday life.
Images of my fellow Black people twerking to industrial music are juxtaposed with visuals that showcase how far we have come in reshaping the stereotypes placed on Black people through the media. Kahlil Joseph embraces that understanding and never loses sight of the beauty within it all.
This is another documentary on this list that needs to be experienced with open eyes and open arms.
Mother Mary Directed by David Lowery
Lowery’s long-awaited film about poptimism is certainly worth the wait. As a big fan of Lowery’s previous works, A Ghost Story and The Green Knight, this film continues his exploration of ghostly matters and the emotional weight behind them. A musician played by Anne Hathaway is attempting to make a comeback as the biggest pop star in the world. She is in the “Khia asylum,” as the kids say nowadays, and she is clawing her way back to the top with a vengeance. Her on-hand fashion designer, played by Michaela Coel, is creating a stunning dress for Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) ahead of her upcoming shows.
Lowery presents this entire situation through a bottle-like film structure. You feel trapped in a basement with these two characters as they reminisce, confront their pasts, and attempt to resolve their natural grievances with one another. Lowery never babies the audience with the themes he explores throughout the film. Instead, he wants viewers to have a deeper understanding of how modern art can be contorted and reinterpreted.
The act of creating the dress for Mother Mary represents a sacred heart that needs to be brought back to life. In some ways, this reminded me of Vox Lux, where poptimism has evolved into a newfound critical respect within modern music culture. Fans of pop music have the ability to let their emotions flow freely and turn the mythology surrounding a pop star into something larger than life.
The film doesn’t spell everything out for you, but if you allow yourself to surrender for those 100-plus minutes, you’ll find a catharsis within the art of pop music.
TOP 10 LIST
10. Our Hero Balthazar Directed by Oscar Boyson
I wrote a really long review for this film on the site. If you want to take a look at my reasoning for why I think this film is worth your time, please do so. I will say that this film does an incredible job of showing the underbelly of anarchy through the eyes of men who are struggling to understand themselves. Men who are unable to express themselves internally and externally in a society that has discarded them is a fascinating concept to explore. The film goes even deeper by showing how performative activism can become destructive for everyone involved, no matter which side of the political spectrum you find yourself on.
Asa Butterfield and Jaeden Martell deliver their best performances to date as two incels who unexpectedly find themselves in love with each other. They channel masculinity and pure rage through semi-homoerotic scenes involving guns and violence. It’s the type of film that will certainly rustle some jimmies, and honestly, that kind of reaction is needed in today’s increasingly divided film landscape.
9. Blue Film Directed by Elliot Tuttle
Queer disruption in both media and society has become regressive ever since gay marriage became the law of the land. Being queer without some sort of fear has become the norm. Back in the ’80s and ’90s, queer filmmakers were able to express themselves without the same monetary boundaries or restrictions. Since then, queer cinema has entered a more comfortable state. Every year, we get a queer coming-of-age film that is either amplified through tragedy or self-reflection in a more intimate sense.
Blue Film brings back the edge that feels like it has been lost over time in our current era of *shudders* THE WOKE ERA. Without spoiling the essence of the narrative, the film follows Aaron Eagle (Kieron Moore), a CAMBOY whose way of expressing himself is through becoming the dominant force in any sexual situation. He is hired to go to a client’s home and perform sexual acts for a large sum of money. The client, Hank Grant (Reed Birney), is someone of great importance to Aaron. The significance of their relationship is revealed early on, setting the tone for how these characters interact with one another.
From the beginning, the audience is forced to confront the excess of guilt, both internally and externally, that these characters carry with them. Novelist Dennis Cooper feels like the blueprint (no pun intended) for this film. His writing style is built around provocation, forcing audiences to squirm in their seats and confront uncomfortable ideas. Director Elliot Tuttle does an excellent job of translating Cooper’s confrontational style into a cinematic experience.
Reed Birney and Kieron Moore are unafraid to show their bodies while also exploring the darker depths of human depravity. At the end of the day, we need more queer artists who are willing to push boundaries, and I think this film does a tremendous job of doing exactly that.
8. The Drama Directed by Kristoffer Borgli
If you don’t necessarily look into Kristoffer Borgli‘s past life, you’ll find something genuinely progressive with this film. Borgli asks questions about how far a person will go to save themselves, even when their past actions have negatively affected others. The absurdity of that concept alone is what makes this film so compelling. Zendaya continues to showcase her range by playing a woman who is at odds with the person she is about to marry. Those same sentiments are reflected through Robert Pattinson, whose character is forced to process and confront the newly discovered information about Emma’s (Zendaya) past.
Borgli pushes every single cringe button imaginable while still delivering an adult drama that has something meaningful to say about the emptiness and dysfunction of modern society. Alana Haim’s performance will make your skin crawl, and for all the right reasons. Through that uncomfortable and unforgettable portrayal, the film proves why stories like this are still necessary in an era where theatrical experiences/stories have become increasingly safe and sorta predictable.
7. YES Directed by Nadav Lapid
I haven’t particularly been a fan of Nadav Lapid’s work. There has been some sparse ground that needed to be addressed with his previous films, but I think this film redefines Lapid’s own artistic sensibility. A musician who is proficient in his field is hired to write a national anthem for the country of Israel. Throughout the creation of this music, bombs and gunfire are going off near the West Bank. The musician is forced to confront whether he believes in his country’s actions during wartime or if he stands against everything happening around him.
The morality of war and terror is explored through a blend of surrealism, blunt observations of the material at hand, and a critique of the commodification of information warfare. Lapid directs this film as if it could be his last. He channels the spirit of Federico Fellini, allowing each scenario to unfold with a surrealist bite and a strange, dreamlike intensity. The musical numbers are joyous and expressive, never feeling like distractions from the narrative. There is no stalling or unnecessary detours that take away from what the film is trying to say about artistic integrity. The final act is filled with intense monologues about war and the ways it changes people. This is one of the most defining films to address the ongoing devastation in Gaza, not because it provides a simple solution, but because it forces you to sit with the humanity and suffering of others.
6. Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie Directed by Matt Johnson
Two crazy Canadians have created a satire about commercialism and the fears of being an artist in a world where everything feels increasingly closed off. Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol are best friends in real life, and they bring that same dynamic into this continuation of their beloved web series. The film adaptation is easily their biggest feat to date. Matt and Jay want to perform at the infamous Rivoli Cafe in Toronto. They’ve attempted so many stunts over the years, only for them to fail miserably. So, out of sheer ignorance for anyone around them, they decide to use a time machine to travel back to 2008 and change the trajectory of their lives.
Maybe they have to kill their past selves to change the future? Or maybe not? Either way, Matt Johnson’s comedic style thrives on death-defying stunts and endless “HOW DID THEY DO THAT?” moments throughout this mockumentary.
You don’t need to watch the original web series to understand what Matt and Jay are doing here. You just need to embrace the absurdity of it all and let yourself live in the chaos of these buffoons.
5. Disclosure Day Directed By Steven Spielberg
The placement of this film is controversial solely because of what it was marketed as to wider audiences. This feels like a return to form for how Spielberg used to operate within the sci-fi space. Sure, it feels like a film that is a relic of its time, but I think Spielberg earnestly brings back the curiosity of alien life and explores how the world would change if extraterrestrial beings were finally disclosed to the people of Earth.
Emily Blunt delivers one of her finest performances as a weatherman who unexpectedly becomes the central figure in an extraordinary phenomenon involving extraterrestrial life. The film’s message about empathy feels incredibly needed in a time when it seems to be disappearing from the deepest corners of society. At the same time, Spielberg still has fun with the action set pieces and spy elements that drive the story forward.
Don’t let the spoilers surrounding the ending fool you. This film is about the journey and how these characters navigate their lives while the world slowly collapses beneath their feet.
4. Obsession Directed by Curry Barker
Imagine a YouTuber with a relatively small $700k budget completely mogging the hell out of the Hollywood system in 2026. To me, that is a wild statement to even process. But Curry Barker did exactly that, and he did it with incredible confidence.
Obsession exists in the long line of “elevated” horror films that take a wild concept and push it to unexpected heights. If you’ve been living on the internet for the past few months, you already know what this film is about. Without spoiling anything, I will say that the film absolutely lives up to the hype, and I’m incredibly pleased to see it become such a phenomenon long after its premiere at TIFF last year. I never would have expected to see this film successfully transition from a smaller festival audience into a wide theatrical release. I hope Hollywood takes this as a lesson about investing in emerging artists who have something meaningful to say through their original stories. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be a horror film.
Younger artists deserve the resources and opportunities to get the ball rolling. Older artists shouldn’t gatekeep the keys to the city or the fundamentals of theatrical release strategies.
3. The Invite Directed by Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde survived the onslaught of media hatred following her flop, Don’t Worry Darling. She has gone back to basics with The Invite, a bottle film about two couples coming together to discuss their sexual desires and personal boundaries.Wilde plays a version of herself in the film alongside Seth Rogen, Edward Norton, and Penelope Cruz. All of the performances are stunning and hilarious to watch unfold in real time. Rogen, in particular, dives deeper into the tragedy of marriage and how relationships can slowly fall apart when two people are unable to communicate on common ground.
The screenplay and acting are both impeccable, making this a beautiful experience to witness with your own two eyes. It’s easily the funniest, laugh-out-loud comedy of the year so far. I’m genuinely disappointed that this didn’t find a wider audience financially in theaters, but now is the perfect time to seek it out before it becomes I become your annoying cousin during this year’s awards season.
2. Blue Heron Directed by Sophy Romvari
The apt comparison of this film to Aftersun is definitely warranted to a certain extent. While yes, this film deals with grief through the eyes of a family member trying to dissect a certain pain from their past, I do think it takes a different approach compared to Aftersun. The scrappy digital video aesthetic mirrors the audience’s own distance from these characters and their memories of the past. The actual reveal of what happened to Jeremy (Edik Beddoes) in the future takes a backseat until the story truly needs to explain it. Sophy Romvari understands this and never holds the audience’s hand by over-explaining the situation.
You are placed in the perspective of Sasha (Eylul Guven/Amy Zimmer) as they navigate their daily challenges and their relationship with their brother, Jeremy. If you’ve grown up in the ’90s or remember any part of your childhood, this film might bring back memories of the pain caused by a family member or friend. The kind of person who metaphorically and spiritually stabbed you in the back, leaving you to live with the grief of losing someone who was once important to you.
Obviously, bring your tissues for this one because it will absolutely fuck you up!
1. The Odyssey Directed by Christopher Nolan
It’s painfully obvious that this is my favorite film of the year so far. I’ve seen it three times while writing this list, and I genuinely think it’s one of the most defining films of the 2020s so far. Please read my full review for this film to understand why I feel that way. Nolan has done it again, and at this point in his career, this man simply cannot be stopped!!!! The chuds on the internet have tried to derail him financially/critically, but the people have spoken about this film and how reflective it is of our current moment in the cultural zeitgeist.
A man tested by the sins of the gods is somehow transformed into a flawed hero who must find a fundamental sense of common ground within today’s societal norms. Odysseus (Matt Damon) is constantly challenged by his desire to make his men feel seen and heard while also being forced to follow the laws established by Zeus. No matter what you think about the casting choices for these mythical characters, Nolan brilliantly utilizes every actor by giving each of them their own moment in the sun.
The only way to cap this blurb off is to say: FUCK THE CHUDS. LONG LIVE CINEMA!
Conclusion
Thank you for reading this long list. I hope you find my recommendations and analyses on these films is worthwhile to venture out on your own. Please share your favorite films of 2026 so far in the comments below!