I'm still not sure if it's better to create a designated thread for 2026 in film/TV or throw everything into this vague megathread. Either way, it's been quiet in the movies section and maybe some of my brain droppings will encourage others to come forward to talk about 2026 movies so far.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple - About a notch or two below its predecessor. This Part 2 of a trilogy took a 180 turn from the first film, abandoning certain plot and character arcs to go elsewhere. I wasn't too big on the new direction here, but Ralph Fiennes's expanded character was excellent. Cillian Murphy's cameo at the end was great too, building excitement for the next installment (although it's not 100% clear if/when it will happen).
Send Help - Enjoyable, though unspectacular. I think its issue for me was lack of originality, for it felt like a mixture of Horrible Bosses, Triangle of Sadness, Misery, Cast Away, and perhaps others I'm not thinking of. It's 2026 and there have been hundreds of thousands of movies throughout history, so I guess originality is hard to come by anymore. At least Send Help borrows from good sources, and manages to be decent in its own right.
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die - Already covered this on another thread. Gore Verbinski is just one of those directors who refuses to let studios put him in a box. He doesn't bring out movies as frequently as he used to, but when he does it's interesting indeed. The guy likes chaos, and being edgy and unsafe, and GL, HF, DD delivered! Unhinged Sam Rockwell saving the world from AI, dressed in the most ridiculous outfit that alone is worth the price of admission. Not a perfect movie, but a total blast!
People We Meet on Vacation - A forgettable rom-com.
Project Hail Mary - Possibly the most overrated film I have ever seen. I've spoken at length about my fondness for science-fiction. And boy, this was an absolute cop-out of a sci-fi film. It seemed like PHM was gonna be a treat with ideas stemming from Villeneuve's Arrival and Danny Boyle's Sunshine. It took those ideas and reduced them into what I can describe as Turner and Hooch in space, only PHM didn't even have that much charm, thought, or sacrifice. I hated this movie so much. I ran out of the auditorium after it ended to the men's room and barfed in a toilet stall for 10 minutes.
The Drama - But you know, movies sometimes have a way course-correcting. The day after I watched the worst movie of the year so far, I went back to the same exact theater and watched the best movie of the year so far. The Drama was such a pleasant surprise. It's a rom-com, but possibly one of the darkest and yet most original entries in the genre. It's not for everyone, for it touches upon some serious topics that may rub people the wrong way. But for me, controversy is what makes art intriguing, and personally I didn't take issue with how The Drama handled things. It takes you through a dark tunnel, leaving you with thoughts to linger on. All that plus it lands its humor, which I found to be a great achievement.
The Christophers - Latest film from Steven Soderbergh. Hell of a performance from Ian McKellan. The movie itself was good-not-great.
Obsession - Already covered in another thread. It's a decent thriller-horror. It's not the best movie ever, as the hype may suggest. The fantasy/supernatural elements don't work very well within its story. But hey, it's well acted and well edited, and by golly it's reawakened a boring aimless mainstream. I'm so happy at how well it's doing at the box office, and I'm proud to say I know a few other LA locals who worked on it. It gives me hope that maybe the future of cinema isn't so bleak, and that maybe more film productions will shoot in LA again (although at the same time, AI is getting used more and more, and thus I'm not sure about my job security right now, but I won't go there).
Disclosure Day - I wanted Spielberg's latest film to be better. Some things about it work, such as Blunt's amazing performance, as one would expect. A couple action sequences were cool. However the script had several issues. How Colin Firth's army of spies couldn't capture Josh O'Connor was unbelievable. Furthermore, the film made frustrating decisions on what plot information was given and withheld. The stakes were never made clear, thus it felt a tad tedious and pointless, and the very ending didn't land at all. Maybe I need to give it another watch.
Backrooms - Along with Obsession, Backrooms has upended the mainstream this summer. I wasn't crazy about the film itself. Nevertheless, it's wonderful that something original, creative, and R-rated is getting people out of the house and into the theaters.
The Invite - My second or third favorite movie of the year so far. A witty adult comedy about two couples coming together who couldn't be any different. Apparently it's a remake of a 2020 film called The People Upstairs. Gotta check that out. Anyway, four great performances and several great one-liners. I felt it was getting repetitive, but then a major plot turn leads to gut-punch third act.
Here’s my top 40 of the year so far (of the 75 or so features I’ve seen). I’ve seen a lot of extraordinary stuff so far, but I’lll admit that i‘ve been more underwhelmed by stuff I’ve seen the past month or so.
Totally! It's what cinema should be...ambitious, thought-provoking, well-shot and well-acted, multi-layered, multiple themes, open to multiple interpretations, etc. Personally I was mixed on it. And the film has been divisive. However, that should not stop anybody from seeing it and deciding for themselves.
Totally! It's what cinema should be...ambitious, thought-provoking, well-shot and well-acted, multi-layered, multiple themes, open to multiple interpretations, etc. Personally I was mixed on it. And the film has been divisive. However, that should not stop anybody from seeing it and deciding for themselves.
I'm looking forward to seeing it, quite a bit—
Anything this divisive and ambitious is always worth watching—
You think Cruise'll land Best Actor? _________________ Doubles & Conch
Totally! It's what cinema should be...ambitious, thought-provoking, well-shot and well-acted, multi-layered, multiple themes, open to multiple interpretations, etc. Personally I was mixed on it. And the film has been divisive. However, that should not stop anybody from seeing it and deciding for themselves.
I'm looking forward to seeing it, quite a bit—
Anything this divisive and ambitious is always worth watching—
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