2026 has been a phenomenal year for movies. Most notably, the summer blockbusters were incredible. In this article, I will be ranking the top five features from the summer months – a very well-needed way to get out of the sun and into an air-conditioned room.
- The Odyssey (15)
It is no surprise that The Odyssey is number one on most lists ranking 2026 films. I was lucky enough to watch it in Christopher Nolan’s intended format, IMAX 70mm, at one of the only three screens in the UK offering this. This experience was incredible. Seeing the full scale of this production was only possible with 70mm IMAX and it was amazing. The Odyssey’s practical effects are what personally carried the film for me. Rather than relying on green screen like most action blockbuster films, everything felt real and immersive. The acting performances were all phenomenal. From Matt Damon to Anne Hathaway to Tom Holland to Himesh Patel, the star-studded cast put out a brilliant showcase of talent. The score from Ludwig Göransson, responsible for Sinners, Black Panther, and Oppenheimer, was another strength of The Odyssey. If you didn’t manage to watch it this summer, I highly recommend it. Just watch out for the slightly lengthy run time (2 hours 53 minutes) and some violent scenes.
2. The Invite (15)
A slightly more ‘niche’ pick here, but my number 2 is Olivia Wilde’s The Invite. I also saw this in the cinema and it was one of my favourite cinematic experiences to date. The film is incredibly funny and all the jokes are so clever. The entire audience was laughing so much – it was really fun to be a part of. The Invite had a budget of only $6 million; the cast was just four people (Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penelope Cruz, and Edward Norton); and it all took place in just one location over a few hours. In this way, it felt more like a stage play than a film. The humour of the film was definitely the best part, but also Olivia Wilde’s direction was truly great. Even though the characters didn’t leave the primary location, she used blocking and other techniques to keep the audience entertained, making you forget that all you are really watching is just four people having a conversation. I will be very surprised if The Invite doesn’t get nominated for best director and also best leading actress for Olivia Wilde in the upcoming Oscars. My only gripe with The Invite was its closing scene. If it had just ended thirty seconds earlier, it would have been perfect. But unfortunately it falls victim to not trusting the audience’s intelligence to understand what’s being shown. This film is out on Prime Video and well worth the watch, but maybe not while sitting next to your parents!
3. Spider-Man: Brand New Day (12A)
Spider-Man is and will always be the most iconic character in all of superhero media, and dare I say all of fiction. I rewatched every single Spider-Man film prior to Brand New Day’s release and I am pleased to say that it was miles above any of the previous Tom Holland Spideys. Brand New Day was intelligent, mature, and interesting. It also was funny and exciting. Above all, it got the essence of Spider-Man as a character completely right. It is now safe to say that Tom Holland is literally perfect for the role and he has grown into Spider-Man amazingly. Personally, I’m also giving this film such a high rating just for the amazing press tour and red carpet outfits he and Zendaya gave us. Thank you to both of their stylists.
4. Tony (15)
Another A24 banger this summer was Tony, a biopic of the late Anthony Bourdain. Tony was incredibly well-done. It was perfectly paced, funny, and all the characters were well-developed. The set design, costume design, and casting were all top-notch. Dominic Sessa, Leo Woodall, and Antonio Banderas put in a great shift. As a proud hater of the biopic genre, Tony ticked all the boxes for me. It didn’t bore you or feel like a Wikipedia page of Anthony Bourdain. Instead it let you into one formative summer from his life, and, once it finished, left you wanting more. Tony is an easy and entertaining watch, especially if you are lacking motivation because it’s the kind of film that makes you want to get up and turn your life around.
5. Minions & Monsters (PG)
One of the best franchises of all time, Minions came in hot with another great film this summer: Minions and Monsters. As I was abroad, I did watch this in a French cinema with zero English subtitles, but I think I still got the gist pretty well. Minions and Monsters follows a separate tribe of Minions, not the familiar favourites of Stuart, Kevin, and Bob. The two main characters are James and Henry, who quite quickly become responsible for starting the golden age of Hollywood. It is a fun watch and if any of your parents are into 1940s cinema, they will appreciate all of the references to old movies.
Overall, 2026 has been an amazing time to be a moviegoer. As we look ahead to the rest of the Autumn term, plenty more films are coming out, such as Digger and The Social Reckoning, that look to be well worth the watch.
