#7 - 2026 in Film (so far)
Hello lovelies! Who else is enjoying the sudden crisp autumn air? I am typing this very entry with knit fingerless gloves on – so essentially I have reached my final form.
I thought I’d do something a little different for this blog post. As you may know, I am a huge movie lover, and have felt like 2026 has been what the kids are calling a “generation run” for film. I thought I would do a mini film diary for 2026 (so far). I plan to go in order of my favorites, and if you’d like a full rundown of my favorite films (not just 2026), you can follow my Letterboxd linked here.
I want to make this disclosure first: I am hardly a film expert, nor do I claim to have the Ultimate Right Opinion on anything. I watch movies with my heart and my gut. A lot of these rankings, though I will attempt to put my reasoning into words, are based on how I felt watching them. You are allowed to disagree with me.
Let’s get into it!
Project Hail Mary - Is anyone surprised that this is my favorite movie of the year? I have seen it three times now, and I have to say that I cannot remember ever walking out of a theater feeling so emotional and hopeful for the future of humanity. Which is rare these days. Does anyone else feel like every modern movie is designed to leave us feeling deflated and depressed? It’s as if film makers have convinced themselves that dark and dreary equals “art.” The darker and grittier the better. Well, Hail Mary proves that isn’t true! It's a story about hope, perseverance against all odds, the enduring spirit of humanity, and the importance of connection and empathy (across species, even!) It’s a film I could see again and again and never get tired of. Something about the combination of the incredible visuals, pacing, storytelling, soundtrack, and, of course, Ryan Gosling at his career best. I am not afraid to say that. He was born to play that role. There’s magic in Hail Mary. Is it “perfect”? No. Does that matter? No! If more people watched and appreciated this movie and Superman (2025) I think the world would be a much, much better place.
Primetime - I am doing a complete 180 degree turn for this one. Hello dark and gritty! But for this one, I’ll let it slide. This was an absolutely insane, benadryl-induced-hallucination of a film that features a perfectly cast group of actors giving their absolute all. It is, in no way, an accurate depiction of the real life events (as far as I can tell), but over-exaggerations and dramatizations aside, it raises so many real, important questions about the entertainment industry as a whole. What happens when we attempt to mix “justice” with entertainment? What does it do to those involved, and those watching from a far? And Robert. Oh my god Robert. He is playing a version of Chris Hansen that is so deeply bone-chilling and complex. I am not surprised the real Hansen wasn’t happy with the depiction, but hey, he might be a little biased. From my point of view, it's an Oscar shoe-in. Oh, and to those saying this film painted Hansen as the “villain” — media literacy, folks. Let’s use our brains.
Obsession - I am the millionth person to declare this the sleeper hit of the year, but so what if I’m a sheep? It’s just flat out great. Great performances, inventive scares, and a score that seeps into your very bones. Do you know how difficult it is to create a character in a low-budget indie film, portrayed by someone who isn’t already a massive Hollywood A-Lister, and have that character become an instant horror icon? Really. f*cking. difficult. It says a lot about the quality of the work. I think the absolute craze around this film speaks for itself, and so I will leave it there.
Forbidden Fruits - Some of you may be shocked to see this in my top five, but I refuse to apologize for it. Lili Reinheart is an underrated, once-in-a-lifetime talent, and I am tired of pretending she isn’t. So is Victoria Pedretti. So is Lola Tung. So is Alexandra Shipp. All of these women are at their peak in this deliciously campy, razor-sharp film. I understand if some people just aren’t in the mood for the type of hilarious absurdity that Forbidden Fruits presents, and to that I say: you either get it or you don’t! I laughed out loud at some of the line deliveries, but even more than that (and without getting too pretentious) there’s a lot to take away from this film about generational trauma, and societal pressures on women. But I encourage you to go read someone smarter than me to talk about it.
Send Help - We moved on from this movie too quick! Everyone forgot about it! But not me. Far from incredible, but I deeply enjoyed the experience of watching it, and sometimes that is enough. I’m a firm believer that you can rank movies high simply for being enjoyable.
The Drama - I feel sort of torn about this. On one hand, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson are undeniable powerhouses. On the other, I felt like I walked out feeling exactly the same as I did when I walked in. There were darkly funny moments, some really great pieces of acting, and beautiful cinematography, but what really did I get from the film as a whole? Not much. I rank it so high because these are two actors who give their 100% to absolutely everything they are in, and it shows. Plus, the scene where they meet with the wedding photographer made me laugh out loud.
Resident Evil - I have personal, one-sided beef with Zach Cregger that I will not get into here, but the gist is that I just… don’t like his style. And I disagree with the execution of his ideas 90% of the time. I could go into a lot more depth here, but I won’t (DM me on my socials if you want my whole rant). The reason I am ranking this so high is two words: Austin. Abrams. I love that little guy. He is so fun to watch, and pretty much every line delivery was gold. I’ve seen this movie three times since it came out, which I can’t even say about some of the ones ranked higher. Still…….. I refuse to move this up……. I’ve got my eye on you, Zach………..
Backrooms - So original and interesting! I love a fresh take on the horror genre. My biggest gripe was the pacing, that I felt dragged. But the visuals and design were more than enough to hold my focus.
Spider-man: Brand New Day - I accept that I am in the minority of people who didn’t really enjoy this one. Do I love Marvel? Clearly. Spiderman? Obviously. Do I find Tom Holland’s Peter Parker ridiculously charming and lovable? Of course. But something was amiss for me, and honestly, I think what it boils down to is the addition of Jean Grey. I want to make it clear that I am the #1 Sadie Sink fan, which is why I’m so disappointed. She is a phenomenal actress, and this is no fault of hers, but as a huge comic enthusiast, I didn’t see Jean in the way they wrote that character. It felt like Marvel knew that by attaching a popular character’s name to the project and hiring a beloved actress to play her they would be guaranteeing astronomical ticket sales, so they slapped the name Jean Grey over a character who really wasn’t her at all. Still, I will retain my high hopes for the X-men movie. I love you Sadie. Anyway, I suppose I could suspend my disappointment on the Jean front, but even aside from that, the film felt too stuffed full of cameos and fan service to have any real substance. And don’t get me started on how they wasted Zendaya. And the Hulk. Bruce, you deserved better than that. The soundtrack was peak, though.
Supergirl - Still, I rank Spider-Man higher than poor Supergirl, who’s insane potential to be a legendary movie was squandered on poor writing and… well, let’s just say it: the James Gunn-ification of superhero movies. Even though his name was not next to “director” I could smell his kitschy, tension-killing jokes and horribly placed needledrops in every single scene. I’m about ready for superhero movies to stop trying to emulate the unexpected, shot-in-the-dark success of Guardians of the Galaxy. There won't ever be another Guardians, not even its own sequels. By all accounts, that movie shouldn’t have worked, but somehow it did. Everything aligned perfectly to make that movie. Nothing has been able to replicate it since. Supergirl deserved better than a half-assed attempt to imitate something else. Kara Zor-El fans — we will have our day!
Leviticus - I know I enjoyed it in the moment, but since watching it, nothing has really stuck with me. It felt like it washed away the moment I left the theater, which doesn’t mean it was bad, just that it wasn’t notable to me. And I haven’t really seen people talk about it anymore, so maybe I’m not alone in feeling this way. I’m open to having my opinion changed upon a future rewatch!
Buddy - Literally what is happening right now.
The Odyssey - Boy, oh boy. Is it finally time we start talking about Christopher Nolan with complete honesty? Or is it still too soon for us to really speak our minds about his pretentious, self-serving, misogynistic, sloppily-written, male fantasy films? No? Fine, then I’ll just say Robert Pattinson can do no wrong and leave it there.
How To Make A Killing - No.
Evil Dead Burn - What even happened this whole film except an excess of “squelching” and “Chekov’s item.” Seriously. How many times did the camera zoom on an object just to show that object later being used to cause some “squelching” (and by that, I mean ceaseless, pointless gore)? The answer is pretty much: non-stop!
Insidious: Out of the Further - I couldn’t tell you a single thing that happened in this movie. Jamie from Bly Manor is in it. I love you, Jamie.
The Last House - It had a concept and a dream. That’s about it.
Wuthering Heights - Just… so bad. Do I even need to say any more?
Return To Silent Hill - Uh………………………….