Usually it takes a bit of time for the best movies of 2026 to roll in (they don’t call it Dumpuary for nothing). But the first half of the year has been surprisingly full of solid material, with a handful of films that could make it onto the year-end list. Even the streaming-only fare hasn’t felt like a total waste of time! A solid mix of genres, budgets, and new and experienced filmmakers has made for an exciting anticipation for the second half, and a formidable list of the best movies of 2026 so far.
Honorable Mentions
- Disclosure Day
- The Drama
- GOAT
- Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die
- Hoppers
- I am Frankelda
- Obsession
- The Rip
- Send Help
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
My love for last year’s entry is well documented, but it’s a little surprising that Nia DaCosta’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple managed to live up to expectations – and, in some ways, surpass them. What began as a coming-of-age story of Spike (Alfie Williams) mutates into a story of belief. Belief in a higher power, personified by Jimmy (Jack O’Connell), the psychopathic leader of a cult of lost souls dedicated to exacting his personal revenge. Belief in a higher calling for Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), dedicated to finding a cure for the rage virus through his compassionate treatment of Sampson (Chi Lewis-Parry), the alpha zombie. DaCosta may not have been as weirdly experimental as Danny Boyle’s directing style, but Alex Garland’s screenplay contains as many layered ideas and British cultural references to make for a thematically rich horror thriller. As of this writing, it remains unclear if 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple will be the last entry in this franchise or if the trilogy will be concluded, but either way, it’s a worthy entry in a long-dead series that’s been brought surging back to life.
Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D)
What the heck does a 3D concert film look like and does it need to be made that way? In the hands of director James Cameron (and co-director Billie Eilish), Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour can technically be viewed the traditional way, but the 3D component adds a new, unique way of being part of the show. Maybe it’s my inherent love for concert films showing through, but Eilish further establishes herself as a consummate performer, regardless of your familiarity with her music catalog. Cameron and Eilish’s direction cements the viewer with the best seat in the house, immersing you in the energy of the moment, including a few behind-the-scenes transitions. Concert films mostly stick to a similar, tried and true formula, and while Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour doesn’t reinvent the wheel, even with the 3D bonus, it’s no less worthy of being listed as one of the best films of 2026 so far.
The year’s most talked-about indie debut, Blue Heron, is a layered, melancholic look at memory and regret, and it could only have been made by writer-director Sophy Romvari. A semi-fictionalized autobiography of Romvari’s life after moving to Canada in the 90s, the film presents itself as Romvari’s stand-in Sasha (Eylul Guven) and her parents reckon with her older brother Jeremy (Edik Beddoes) and his increasingly erratic and destructive behavior. But it’s the unexpected second half and its time jump which brings Blue Heron its resonating power. Comparisons have been made to Aftersun and its depiction of half-remembered truths, and while it’s not an outlandish selling point, Romvari makes the film feel like something fresh. Every year brings new discoveries of talent, but it’s been too long since an exciting presence like Romvari has come along.
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie
A goofy time-travel comedy, and a love letter to male friendship, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie represents another achievement for our neighbors to the north. No, you don’t need to be familiar with Matt Johnson and Jay McCarroll’s web series in order to understand the film adaptation (I was not). Nor do you need to have memorized the plot of Back to the Future, which Johnson and McCarroll pay heavy homage to in the film. The duo’s fictional band, and their relentless pursuit of performing at the Rivoli, provide an abundance of bits – both scripted and unscripted – when they’re unwittingly sent back in time to 2008, and wacky shenanigans ensue. Theatrical experiences received a jolt of electricity with the horror releases in recent weeks, but Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie was appointment viewing made better by viewing in a crowded room. With just a small sampling of feature films as a director, Johnson has already proven himself as a formidable talent by subverting genre trappings while staying true to his unique sensibilities.
Friendship cinema has been the vibe so far in 2026, and Project Hail Mary showed that friendship can exist across galaxies between two entirely different species. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel blends big-screen sci-fi spectacle with genuine emotion, brilliantly personified by Ryan Gosling and puppeteer/voice actor James Ortiz. Somehow both grand and intimate with a years-best score from Daniel Pemberton, Lord and Miller puncture through the space drama with genuine human drama. Indeed, my heart soared just as much in the fraught moments between Gosling and Ortiz as it did during the amazing space exploration moments. As the year marches on towards more awards-friendly fare and we get more big-screen films like The Odyssey and Dune Part Three, Project Hail Mary was a welcome jolt to the theatergoing experience.
The Movie State 