2026 has been an eventful year for cinema. Not only has the box office performed better than in 2019, but it has also seen a new wave of cinemagoers take over the theatrical experience. According to studies, Gen Z has become the most active generation of moviegoers, which has lead to the success of films made by their generation. There has also been a shift in what types of movies people are eager to see. Franchise films used to rule the box office by a large margin, but as of now, non-IP films have been performing just as well, with five out of the top 10 highest-grossing movies domestically being non-franchise films.

Movies have not only been thriving at the box office but have also been excelling in quality across all genres. From intimate dramas to big-budget spectacles, there are numerous high-quality films that have come out in 2026.

With that being said, here are my top five movies of 2026 so far.

5. Omaha

Omaha was a film I watched at the Heartland International Film Festival last year, and it has stuck with me since its wide release earlier this year. Stunning in its cinematography and captivating in its performances, the film easily contains some of the darkest material seen in a screenplay this year. What begins as a road-trip drama slowly turns into a devastating look at parenting and mental health, with a final 20 minutes that is bound to bring tears. While there is clear intent within the shot selections and framing, director Cole Webley takes a laid back approach to how he captures the screenplay, allowing the actors to drive the story and narrative forward. It may have only made $100,000 at the box office, but the film is more than deserving of your time despite the melancholic subject matter.

Where to Watch: Rent/Buy on PVOD

4. Mile End Kicks

Movies based in and tackling Canadian culture are hard to come by, which is only one of the many reasons Mile End Kicks blew me away. Following a music critic as she navigates life in Montreal may not sound like the most interesting premise, but writer/director Chandler Levack’s layered screenplay allows anyone to connect with the characters. Its depiction of purpose, art, and romance brought to life why media is so important to culture and the way we interact with one another. Heavily inspired by her own life, Levack’s personality is always on display, with an excellent use of color and production that allows the viewer to seep into the story. With incredible performances and standout direction, this stands as another indie film that deserved to do better at the box office. Plus, who doesn’t love Devon Bostick?

Where to Watch: Rent/Buy on PVOD

3. Obsession

Unlike the prior two films on this list, Obsession is arguably the most successful movie of the year at the box office so far, and it deserves every penny. Oozing with dread in every frame, the film spins the idea of “be careful what you wish for” into wildly rewarding results, delivering the most tense and uncomfortable sequences of any film this year. With a budget just under $1 million, writer/director Curry Barker crafts big ideas on the human condition, love, and incel culture to an extremely compelling degree. Michael Johnston and especially Inde Navarrette give Oscar-worthy performances as the protagonist/antagonist, leaving it up to the viewer to decide who is who. Barker’s ability to drag the audience through the mud, along with the characters, makes for an always-terrifying viewing experience, with an ending that goes all in on the suffering. The film also has excellent moments of levity sprinkled throughout, leaving each scene uncertain whether one should laugh or be afraid. If there is one film I’ve been the happiest championing in 2026, Obsession ranks at the top of that list.

Where to Watch: In Theaters/Rent on PVOD

2. Project Hail Mary

If there’s one movie that feels like you ate a full, five-course meal when it ended, it would be Project Hail Mary. Funny, heartwarming, grand, and emotional, this has everything you’d ever want out of a movie. Despite being an interstellar adventure, writer Drew Goddard finds intimacy and humanity in all the best ways, especially in the core relationship between Rocky and Ryland Grace. Ryan Gosling’s natural charisma comes full form with his performance as Ryland, finding countless moments of entertainment in his solitude. Not many actors could find dynamic chemistry with a talking rock, but Gosling does so with ease. Spending over $200 million on a book adaptation was a huge risk for Amazon MGM Studios, but it was clear in the opening moments that the $200 million was well spent. If there’s any movie from the first half of the year that is likely to get Oscar consideration, it is Project Hail Mary, and it is more than deserving of that consideration.

Where to Watch: MGM+

1. undertone

With films like Obsession and Backrooms leading the horror conversation in 2026, it is no surprise that a horror movie landed at my number one of the year. Surprisingly (and in some ways, controversially), the one that has stood out to me the most is Ian Tuason’s undertone. With an even smaller budget than Obsession, the film expertly uses its limited funding and setting to make the most claustrophobic and unnerving film of 2026 so far. Set entirely within the confines of a house, the film skillfully uses sound design in a way I have never experienced in a horror movie. Like a monster hiding in the shadows, the sound invites the viewer to search for the horror, and doing so made for an overwhelming sensory experience, the likes of which I’ve never felt watching a film in the theater. Beyond its stellar technical design, the film’s ideas about parenthood and religion deepened the horror in ways I didn’t expect. While this film clearly serves as an experiment in filmmaking, it has enough substance to be as high-quality as other films in the genre. Although there have been a plethora of amazing movies released this year, undertone stands on top by delivering a moviegoing experience I’ve never had before. If you missed it in theaters, at least give it the pleasure of watching it in the darkest, quietest space you can find.

Where to Watch: Rent/Buy on PVOD