The Best Movies of 2026 (So Far)

We are halfway through 2026, which means it is time to look at the best movies of 2025 so far. I have seen 73 new releases so far this year (113 total, including film festival movies and movies that will be released later this year).

Last year at this time, I said 2025 was a “mixed year for movies”, and 2025 ended up being a spectacular year for movies. 2026 has been different, and in a good way. It has been a very strong year for movies so far. We’ve gotten a great mix of films from various genres, styles, and budgets, from filmmakers on the rise like Curry Barker and Boots Riley to legendary veterans like Steven Spielberg and Sam Raimi. There have also been some great performances this year that will surely be in contention at the end of the year for me. If the second half of 2026 is as good as 2025’s was, 2026 will go down as one of the great movie years of the decade.

Below you will find my picks for the best movies of 2026 so far. I am first going to rank my ten favorite films of the year in order. Then share my picks for the best performances of the year, ranking each category (Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress) in alphabetical order, with my pick for the winner being highlighted in bold. I will also give my picks for the best technical achievements of the year.

Best Picture

1. I Love Boosters

Boots Riley’s fashion-focused sci-fi-crime-comedy is a strange, colorful, uproarious film full of originality and personality.

2. Project Hail Mary

Ryan Gosling gives the best performance of his career in the great space epic of the 2020s from Phil Lord and Chris Miller.

3. The Invite

Olivia Wilde’s single-set dramedy is a masterclass in writing and features the best ensemble of the year so far.

4. Disclosure Day

Steven Spielberg returned to his extraterrestrial blockbuster ways with this thrilling chase movie about the search for truth.

5. The Sheep Detectives

The biggest surprise of the year finds a group of sheep solving a murder and trying to understand death. It’s delightful and surprisingly emotional.

6. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

Nia DaCosta’s dark, bleak, bloody journey into the hellscape of post-apocalyptic Britain is led by a remarkable Ralph Fiennes.

7. Send Help

Rachel McAdams gives a stellar performance in Sam Raimi’s devilishly fun stranded island movie.

8. Mother Mary

Featuring two stunning performances by Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, David Lowery’s audacious and beautifully crafted Mother Mary will have you in a trance.

9. The Furious

The best action movie of its kind since The Raid, with fight sequences that will take your breath away.

10. Obsession

The surprise smash of 2026 is Curry Barker’s twisted and surprisingly fun tale with the breakout performance of the year from Inde Navarrette.

Best Director

Nina DeCosta, 28 Years Later: Bone Temple

Phil Lord & Chris Miller, Project Hail Mary

Boots Riley, I Love Boosters

Steven Spielberg, Disclosure Day

Olivia Wilde, The Invite

• Riley brilliantly brought together several genres and techniques to make a wholly unique and creative vision.

Best Actor

Robert Aramayo, I Swear

Ralph Fiennes, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

Ryan Gosling, Project Hail Mary

John Magaro, Omaha

Leo Woodall, Tuner

• Fiennes is the heart of 28 Years Later: Bone Temple as the eccentric humanistic doctor guarding the Bone Temple and looking for a cure for the infected.

Best Actress

Emily Blunt, Disclosure Day

Rachel McAdams, Send Help

Inde Navarrette, Obsession

Amanda Peet, Fantasy Life

Kara Young, Is God Is

• A strong category so far this year, but McAdams showed a side to her we’d never seen before and is an absolute blast in a deceptively tricky part.

Best Supporting Actor

Sterling K. Brown, Is God Is

Brendan Fraser, Pressure

Ed Harris, How to Make a Killing

Edward Norton, The Invite

James Ortiz, Project Hail Mary

• Norton gives his best performance in years as the rug-obsessed, confident Hawk.

Best Supporting Actress

Barbara Auer, Miroirs No. 3

Michaela Coel, Mother Mary

Penelope Cruz, The Invite

Demi Moore, I Love Boosters

Maxine Peake, I Swear

• Coel is spellbinding as the counter to Anne Hathaway’s depressed pop star in David Lowery’s latest.

Best of the Rest

Best Original Screenplay – I Love Boosters

Runner Up – The Drama

Best Adapted Screenplay – The Invite

Runner Up – Project Hail Mary

Best Editing – Project Hail Mary

Runner Up – The Furious

Best Cinematography – The Furious

Runner Up – The Invite

Best Production Design – I Love Boosters

Runner Up – 28 Years Later: Bone Temple

Best Costume Design – I Love Boosters

Runner Up – The Devil Wears Prada 2

Best Visual Effects – Project Hail Mary

Runner Up – Masters of the Universe

Best Ensemble – The Invite

Runner Up – I Love Boosters

Best Comedy – The Invite

Runner Up – Nirvana the Band the

Best Action Movie – The Furious

Runner Up – Disclosure Day

Best Animated Movie – Hoppers

Runner Up – Goat

Best Horror/Thriller – 28 Years Later: Bone Temple

Runner Up – Send Help

Best Documentary – André is an Idiot

Runner Up – Lorne

Biggest Surprise – The Sheep Detectives

Runner Up – Obsession

Movie I Liked More Than Most – The Bride!

Runner Up – Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die

Biggest Disappointment – Scream 7

Runner Up – Michael

Worst Movie – Scream 7

Runner Up – Balls Up

 

 

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