Halfway Report: Best Films of the Year (So Far)

Since we are officially halfway through 2026, I figured it’d be the perfect time to write about my favorite movies of the year thus far. And since there’s been a bunch of phenomenal performances this year, I decided to do a whole other post talking about such exemplary feats of acting, which you can read here.

In my estimation, this year’s slate of movies has mostly been pretty solid, with a fairly healthy balance of accessibly entertaining blockbusters and the more challenging character studies. In terms of the most recurring themes that I’ve noticed across ths year’s films, I’d say there’s certainly a palpable societal anxiety regarding the increasing overreliance on technology, an advocacy for the importance of ethical journalism and transparency, an eagerness to interrogate traditional gender dynamics and toxic relationships, and as always, there’s a general longing for escapist comfort as the real world devolves further into chaos. What’s also exciting to consider is that although various noteworthy films have already come out, many of the year’s biggest releases are still yet to come, and it’ll be interesting to see the kinds of motifs and ideas that feel most resonant as 2026 comes to a close. Next week I’ll write all about my most anticipated movies of the rest of the year, so look forward to that.

But for now, let’s get to the films from 2026 that have already resonated with me the most. Before we get to the top five, here are some honorable mentions that barely missed the cut, and they are all remarkable films that deserve the considerable admiration they have received: Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s Project Hail Mary, Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama, Nia DaCosta’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, John Carney’s Power Ballad, Steven Soderbergh’s The Christophers, Kane Parsons’ Backrooms, Sam Raimi’s Send Help, Joe Carnahan’s The Rip, Gore Verbinski’s Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, and Kenji Tanigaki’s The Furious.

Without further ado, here are my top five favorites of the year so far:

5.) Toy Story 5 - Directed by Andrew Stanton

A commonly voiced opinion (shared most famously by Quentin Tarantino, a guy known for expressing strong opinions once or twice, to say the least) is that Toy Story 3 should’ve been the end of the franchise. It’s a completely understandable take, given that the ending of the third film is indeed a beautiful conclusion to Andy’s story, the final shot of the clouds is a perfect bookend to the first movie, and thus Toy Story could’ve been the ultimate animated trilogy that everyone would revere till the end of time.

I certainly shared this sentiment for many years, fully believing there was no need for the franchise to continue, that there just wasn’t anything left to say… that is until I saw Toy Story 4 in the summer of 2019, soon after my high school graduation, right around the time that a lot of my closest friends were moving away, and at that time I was the only one who stayed in town. Needless to say, I was in a very vulnerable state when I watched Toy Story 4, and of course, it absolutely destroyed me. I’ve gotten emotional at the theater plenty of times, both before and since then, but to this day I don’t think I’ve ever felt as overcome with raw emotion as that first viewing of Toy Story 4, especially in its last ten minutes. The way that film deals with characters expanding their horizons, entering a new phase of their life, saying goodbye to those from the past, all that stuff obviously resonated with me on a very personal level. It’s because of that special experience that the fourth film is actually my favorite of the franchise (I know, that’s the hottest take you’ll find in this blog post), it just means the most to me, and I’ll always defend it.

This is a long wind-up to say that I had a great time watching Toy Story 5. It’s become clear to me that although Pixar’s general track record as of late can be somewhat hit or miss, when it comes to the Toy Story films, they only make a new one when they have come up with an excellent idea that is worth bringing to the silver screen, and I really thought that was the case here.

In worse hands, it could’ve easily been a didactic treatise on why technology is exclusively harmful and that toys shouldn’t become obsolete, but in classic Pixar fashion, the empathy that this film extends towards all of its characters, including its technological figures, is just remarkably mature and moving. The decision to give Jessie the spotlight for this installment was also an inspired choice, as the conclusion to her character arc was very satisfying to see. Along with the reliably stunning animation, the excellent humor, the committed vocal performances, and the heartwarming feeling that stays with you as you leave the theater, Toy Story 5 is first-rate family entertainment, solidifying the sense that the Toy Story franchise is easily one of, if not the most, consistent franchises in Hollywood.

So if they decide to make a sixth one (given that the Pixar team has alluded that they want to conclude the Bonnie trilogy), I trust that they will come up with yet another good idea. There’s just something so undeniably affecting about those damn toys, and how much these movies continue to resonate with you, especially if you grew up with them.

As I get older, I’m thankful that I can go back to these movies, and I can remember what it was like to be a kid lost in my own boundless imagination.

4.) Obsession - Directed by Curry Barker

Now we get to what is perhaps the most talked-about film of the year thus far, and it’s certainly worth the hype, though at this point it’s admittedly hard to say anything that hasn’t already been expressed by many others.

What I will say is that for me, the experience of watching Obsession in a theater was definitely the most purely intense moviegoing experience I’ve had in a while. Without spoiling anything for those who haven’t seen it, the feeling of dread you’re left with at the end of the movie is so overwhelming and unforgettable that I remember stumbling a bit on my way out of the theater, almost like in a shell-shocked daze. As overdramatic as it sounds, that’s how much of an impact the film had on me.

How crazy is it that a film made for merely $750,000 has now become the most-profitable live-action English-language original film of the 2020s (try saying that three times fast 😂). It really is so encouraging to see a talented YouTuber like Curry Barker make such an impressive cinematic achievement. His tonal control throughout the film, his ability to elicit darkly comedic laughs only to shift directly into territory that is truly disturbing, that’s the kind of fearless filmmaking that you rarely see nowadays, especially with so much thought put behind it.

I think that’s the main reason this film in particular has resonated so much with audiences, because it’s not just another typical horror film with senseless violence and jump scares galore. The audience that keeps showing up to see this movie is not merely looking for the memorable kills you get from slasher flicks. This is a terrifying experience precisely because its subject matter feels distinctly real, as its themes of codependency, abusive relationships, consent, denial, and dissociation are vividly evoked without ever letting the visceral nature of the film get bogged down by the discussion of those ideas.

That’s perhaps the most impressive magic trick of the movie: That it simultaneously remains quite simple on paper, and yet its lingering impression is anything but. It is an excellent showcase of Curry Barker’s skills as a storyteller, and I’m incredibly excited to see whatever he does next… I’ll just keep in mind that it’ll likely be just a smidge traumatic.

3.) Disclosure Day - Directed by Steven Spielberg

We go from one up-and-coming director to another, as this Steven Spielberg fella surprisingly seems to know what he’s doing behind the camera. WHO WOULDA THUNK?!

In all seriousness though, Disclosure Day is such a special mixture of early Spielbergian spectacle and late-period Spielbergian reflectiveness. On the one hand, it’s a chase thriller about aliens and government secrets, full of astonishing camera movements, pulse-pounding action sequences, and the kind of unabashedly melodramatic storytelling that only happens in a movie like this. It’s got more reaction shots of the instantly recognizable Spielberg Face (people looking off into the distance with a wondrous look in their eyes, as a bright light shines upon them) than any other film, with the possible exception of its spiritual predecessor Close Encounters of the Third Kind. On the surface, this very much so feels like Spielberg going back to the blockbuster mode that made him a household name.

Except the experience of watching the film is a lot more bittersweet, surreal, and contemplative than that of a typical blockbuster. This is the film that’s coming off the heels of The Fabelmans, Spielberg’s masterful semi-autobiography, and he’s certainly continuing his introspective journey here, as the trio of main characters essentially serve as representatives for different sides of his personality (the empathic listener, the technical communicator, and the visionary director who brings it all together). What also stood out to me is that out of all the films about aliens that Spielberg has made, this one feels the most interested in not just how humans would process the existence of aliens, but more importantly, how such a game-changing revelation would then cause us to reevaluate the values we’ve forgotten as a collective species.

I’ve seen a fair amount of cynicism regarding the sheer concept of the movie, as many people believe that in a world this broken and messy, the confirmed existence of aliens would go practically unnoticed, that people would simply not care that much, and that humanity would inevitably continue its self-destructive habits. To me, what Spielberg is depicting is not a naive reflection of the times, but rather a hopeful plea to the masses. He’s asking us to listen to each other, to trust one another, to be honest about the things we know to be true, and most importantly, he’s asking us to believe in the goodness that we possess deep down. And he’s only asking us to do all those things because we certainly don’t do them nearly enough.

A lot of people find those sentiments to be overtly cheesy and old-fashioned. I found them to be profoundly beautiful, thought-provoking, and exactly what I needed to hear right now. Disclosure Day contains just about everything I love about Spielberg’s work, and I encourage everyone to go see it with an open mind, because it’s quite a rewarding experience if you go along on the film’s ride.

2.) Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie - Directed by Matt Johnson

Not to be confused with the iconic band Nirvana that features Kurt Cobain, that is not what we’re talking about here. After all, the extra “n” is in the title for a reason.

What we’re talking about is two Canadian best friends (Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol, respectively) who decided to make the most outrageous comedy in quite some time. This is one of those movies where any description of its hijinks does not do it justice; it simply needs to be seen to be believed. At the risk of sounding insufferably hyperbolic, I genuinely think this is the funniest film I’ve ever seen in my life. On a jokes-per-minute ratio, it is second to none, as every single gag works wonderfully, and there’s not a single wasted second of screentime. It also contains the kind of filmmaking wizardry that provokes incessant curiosity about how it even got made, especially given this film’s relatively low budget of $2 million.

On top of everything though, what really makes this film so miraculous is that as ridiculously absurd as it gets, it is ultimately a very sweet tale of enduring friendships and the personal reasons for why we choose our vocations. It is usually so difficult for a silly comedy to land the plane in terms of an emotional payoff, but somehow, this film sneaks up on you, and you’re left with an unexpected feeling of appreciation for those you cherish the most and the life you’ve chosen to pursue.

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is easily the most purely joyful experience I’ve had in a theater all year, and I seriously suspect that it will not be beaten in that department by any upcoming release.

1.) Mother Mary - Directed by David Lowery

Far and away the most underappreciated film of the year so far, Mother Mary is a truly original masterwork that I simply have not been able to stop thinking about since I first saw it three months ago.

Going into this film, I was already a huge fan of David Lowery’s work, as he is easily the most versatile director of his generation, going from the wholesome warmth of the underrated Pete’s Dragon remake, to the experimental austerity of A Ghost Story, then the playful stylishness of The Old Man & the Gun, and ultimately the majestic magnitude of one of my all-time favorites, The Green Knight. All these films and more are examples of Lowery’s omnivorous taste for all kinds of film genres, and Mother Mary is no exception, as it is arguably his most peculiar genre mixture yet.

The simplest way to describe the concept is that it is about a world-famous pop singer who confronts her former best friend/dressmaker at her country home, and as they air out their multiple grievances over the course of a day, we get glimpses of the singer’s concert performances, and we slowly realize that there is a supernatural element to this tragic tale of two heartbroken women.

What other film is simultaneously an intimately conversational chamber piece, a pop concert movie, and a phantasmagorical horror film? And what weaves all those pieces together is an immensely thoughtful discussion of artistic collaboration, the concept of reinvention following a traumatic event, and the inner demons we keep to ourselves, out of fear that no one else will understand our plight, only to discover that those exact same feelings of inadequacy and self-loathing are shared by others.

Most critics who saw this movie either considered it to be a boring collection of eloquent monologues, or they simply thought it was too abstract and vague to inspire any identifiable emotion. For whatever reason, this film’s emotional wavelength made perfect sense to me, and I felt utterly hypnotized from the moment it began to the second the end credits concluded. Even the aspects that I don’t fully understand yet remain tantalizingly intriguing. These are not merely unanswered questions; they’re invitations to dig deeper and interpret as much as possible.

I also think that purely on a technical level, this film is the most impressive cinematic achievement I’ve seen all year. The painterly compositions, the precise editing, the electrifying soundtrack (full of bangers, I assure you), the poetic dialogue, the gorgeous costume design (which is practically demanded in a film that is largely about the art of dressmaking), and the utterly brilliant performances from the two leads, it’s all just exemplary arthouse filmmaking of the highest degree.

I will admit that this film is certainly not for everyone, as it is quite unconventional. But I very much so felt like it was made for me, and if you’re intrigued based on what you’ve read here, maybe it’ll be for you as well.