Written by Mariane Tremblay
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Surprise, surprise! Kidding.
I've been curious to watch this movie ever since it was announced. Then, when the first trailer was released, I became obsessed with the movie and needed to watch it as soon as possible. Those who know me might say I'm drawn to Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma because it features an age-gap sapphic relationship and because it stars Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) and Gillian Anderson (The X-Files, Sex Education), which wouldn't be a lie. Although there's something much stronger pulling me in. The first time I watched the trailer, I was actually speechless: the movie seems to be set in a camp in the middle of nowhere, in this dreamlike world where it's all blood and little deaths. The movie looks visually stunning, with so many colors and meticulously crafted production design that reminds us of the best slashers.
Following its rave review from the Cannes Film Festival, where it premiered in the Un Certain Regard section and won the Queer Palm, I was even more excited to watch it.
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma will be released in theatres by MUBI on August 7.
However, I think it's fair to say that Practical Magic 2 doesn't look like the most promising sequel. I already have some concerns based on the trailer — there's just something about its overall vibe — but I always try to keep an open mind because trailers don't always do a movie justice. Just look at the first teaser for The Devil Wears Prada 2: in the end, it was nothing like the finished film. Yet when it dropped, people were quick to write it off based on those 50 seconds alone, which I always thought was a bit unfair.
But despite my reservations, I can't stop thinking about this one. I still can't believe that the Owens sisters are coming back in 2026. Practical Magic (1998) has had such a lasting impact on pop culture over the past few decades, thanks to its themes of female solidarity, sisterhood, and generational trauma (or curse), but also because it brought together America's sweetheart, Sandra Bullock, a rising red-haired star named Nicole Kidman, alongside two Hollywood icons.
I'm incredibly intrigued to see what this sequel — written by original screenwriter Akiva Goldsman and Georgia Pritchett and based on Alice Hoffman's novel — has in store. And if you know me, you know I'll be there on opening day. Any project involving Kidman immediately has my attention.
Practical Magic 2 will be released in theatres by Warner Bros. Pictures on September 11.
One thing about me: I just love animated movies. And I believe it’s one of the best genres. Through their beautiful animation and storytelling, [almost] always lies something more thoughtful and deeper illustrated for children. Not without mentioning all the second-degree jokes only adults would get.
Over the past decades, Brad Bird has directed some of the best, and my favourite Pixar movies: The Incredibles (2004) and Ratatouille (2007). Needless to say, I’m extremely excited for Ray Gunn.
From the first stills, Ray Gunn gives off Megamind (2010), Spies in Disguise (2019), and The Incredibles vibes — which actually makes sense knowing that José Manuel Fernández, the character designer, and David Crane, the additional character designer, worked on Spies in Disguise and Megamind, respectively. I'm already obsessed with the said character designs, the colours, and the lighting. And honestly, I could listen to Bird talk about how he treated the camera like a real one, the lenses he used, and how he dealt with lighting for hours.
Described as Buck Rogers (1939) meets The Maltese Falcon (1941), this movie is a passion project that Bird has been trying to make for nearly 30 years — and I do love a passion project. Are they always good? No, but there’s nothing like seeing filmmakers bringing those projects to life, because you know they’re doing it for the right reasons, for the sake of the art and what they love, not just for money.
But there's also the music and the cast. The music for Ray Gunn was composed by Michael Giacchino, who has done some of the best scores for animated movies such as The Incredibles, Ratatouille (2007), Up (2009), and Inside Out (2015) — truly one of my favourite composers. And the cast couldn't be more stacked: Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Waits, and the voice actor, John Ratzenberger.
My only disappointment regarding this movie so far is the collaboration with John Lasseter and Brad Bird’s statement on that matter. I applaud Ryan Gaur for asking him questions about that.
Ray Gunn will be streaming on Netflix on December 18.
I do love a musical, and I’ve been intrigued by this movie ever since it was announced that the Julianne Moore would be starring in it. What can I say? I’m just a girl who loves her actresses.
From the first trailer only, you can tell that Moore will give one of the best performances of 2026. She’s screaming, crying, and smoking cigarettes like a chimney — it may be too early to say this, but I do believe in "6-time Academy Award nominee, Julianne Moore." And honestly, a Julianne Moore character going through some sort of mid-life crisis and wanting to do something new and change her life completely is probably one of my favourite genres.
After the success of A Real Pain (2024) and Kieran Culkin's remarkable journey all the way to the Academy Awards, I'm really curious to see what Jesse Eisenberg has in store for his third feature. The cast is absolutely incredible too: Moore, Paul Giamatti, Halle Bailey, Havana Rose Liu, Cara Buono, and Bernadette Peters. Say less. And, as if that weren't enough, it's produced by Emma Stone.
I've watched the trailer far too many times to count, and I still laugh every single time I hear that Giamatti's character is "basically the biggest name in New Jersey community theatre." That line alone sold me — a little bit of drama, a little bit of music, and comedy! And I don't really know how to explain it, but the entire trailer gives me May December (2023) and After the Hunt (2025) vibes — not necessarily because of the themes, but because of the production design, the music, the costumes... don't ask!
I've also seen people point out that the plot bears a surprising resemblance to Season 4, Episode 2 of The Simpsons, which somehow only makes me more intrigued (and laughing) because of the nature of the comparison. After A Streetcar Named Marge, Jesse Eisenberg's The Debut.
Not to mention that someone said, "This is either going to heal me or awaken a long-buried psychosis," and I fear I understand that very deeply (it will surely awaken a long-buried psychosis in me if it's not premiering at the Venice Film Festival, but we shall see).
The Debut will be released in theatres by A24 (Elevation Pictures and Entract Films in Canada) on December 3.
Digger
Directed by Alejandro G. Iñarritu
I have to admit, I wasn't completely sold at first. But for some reason, the new poster, combined with that Tom Cruise career retrospective (and now the first trailer), completely changed something in me — it's like something shifted in my brain. Now I can't stop thinking about this film.
Tom Cruise is Mr. President of Cinema and one of the very last true movie stars — there is no doubt here, and the fact that this marks his first non-action role in over a decade is very exciting. Add Sandra Hüller to the equation, and you better believe I will be seated. But the whole cast... Riz Ahmed, Emma D'Arcy, John Goodman, Jesse Plemons, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sophie Wilde, Burn Gorman... Cinema!
Satirical black comedies are already one of my favourite genres, but then you tell me it's directed by Alejandro G. Iñarritu, edited by the same person behind F1 and features costumes by Jacqueline West (Dune, Dune: Part Two, Killers of the Flower Moon, The Revenant)... Cinema (again)! And perhaps what excites me most is knowing Cruise is going to be out there campaigning for this one. Watching him passionately champion cinema and his work is one of my favourite parts of every year (because it's not only about his movies), and I'm more than ready to see him do it all over again.
Digger will be released in theatres by Warner Bros. Pictures on October 2.
The Invite
Directed by Olivia Wilde
I've been on the Olivia Wilde train ever since Booksmart (2019), which I still consider one of the best directorial debuts of the past decade. I was even there defending Don't Worry Darling (2022). Was it perfect? No. Could it have been better? Absolutely. But I also think it was far better than people gave it credit for. So naturally, I'm always excited to see what she does next.
The Invite feels especially up my alley. I love, love, love films about sex, relationships, and the beautifully messy dynamics that come with them, and everything I've heard so far suggests this is exactly what this movie is. Early reactions have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic, with particular praise going to the performances, but also for Rashida Jones and Will McCormack's screenplay, with many already calling it one of the sharpest and most brilliant relationship comedies in recent years.
The cast is absolutely iconic, and so are Wilde's influences for this movie. She has cited Happiness (1965), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), 12 Angry Men (1957), Scenes from a Marriage (1974), and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) as inspirations for the film's visual language. Then AwardsWatch cheekily dubbed it "Who's Afraid of Olivia Wilde?" and seeing so many comparisons to Mike Nichols' directorial debut only made me even more excited.
As if that weren't enough, the film reportedly sparked an intense bidding war, with Wilde pushing to find a distributor committed to giving it the theatrical release it deserved. Between that, the early acclaim, and a premise that sounds completely tailored to my taste, this has become one of my most anticipated films of the year.
The Invite is now playing in select theatres and will be playing nationwide on July 10.
I Want Your Sex
Directed by Gregg Araki
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I'm so happy we're getting Olivia Wilde in two — possibly even three — projects this year. I'll never complain about seeing more of her, especially when she's choosing projects that feel this great.
What immediately drew me to I Want Your Sex is that it explores one of my favourite subjects: sexual awakening and Gen Z's often complicated relationship with sex, intimacy, and identity. That's exactly the kind of story I can't resist. Not to mention the overall vibe of the movie.
The project itself is super interesting, too. It was shot in just 17 days, and I always love seeing what filmmakers can accomplish under those kinds of creative constraints. Araki also made an interesting decision during development by ultimately swapping the genders of the lead characters. When the film was first conceived in the 2010s, the genders were reversed, but he ultimately felt that approach no longer reflected the story he wanted to tell in the 2020s, so he reworked it accordingly. And this is genuinely the best decision he could've made.
Then there's Wilde, who described the screenplay as "a subversive, joyful, unpretentious blast" and called her character "a freak in the best possible way." That's all I needed to hear.
I Want Your Sex will be released in theatres by Magnolia Pictures (and Elevation Pictures and Entract Films in Canada) on July 31.
Fjord
Directed by Christian Mungiu
The premise alone had me intrigued from the moment it was announced, but then it went on to win the Palme d'Or at Cannes, and my curiosity instantly doubled. It's always exciting when a film with such an uncompromising premise resonates that strongly, and the reception out of Cannes has only made me more eager to see what all the praise is about.
Renate Reinsve is putting together one of the most impressive runs of any actor working today, and at this point, I'll happily watch anything she's in.
Everything I've read about the film makes it sound exactly like my kind of cinema. Next Best Picture described it as "an ice-cold drama," "a movie that refuses to give any easy answers," and "another exceptional examination of societal decay at its most fascinating, unsettling, and darkly compelling." While Luke Hearfield called it "a gripping procedural drama where a family's actions are scrutinised to an absurd degree by Child Protection Services." The more I hear, the more it sounds like one of those films that leaves you wrestling with difficult questions long after it ends.
For some reason, it's also giving me Anatomy of a Fall vibes — not because the stories seem particularly similar, but because they both appear deeply interested in questioning morality and forcing the audience to sit with uncertainty. And I love a film that will challenge me rather than handing me all the answers.
Fjord will be released in theatres by NEON (Elevation Pictures and Entract Films in Canada) on October 9.
Werewulf
Directed by Robert Eggers
Some films instantly pull you in with nothing more than their atmosphere, and Werwulf is exactly that for me. I don't even know how to explain it properly, but everything about it feels like a dark, brooding film from the 1930s, and I'm absolutely obsessed with that aesthetic.
Robert Eggers has such a singular artistic vision that I genuinely think he's one of the defining voices in modern horror. I loved The Northman (2022) and Nosferatu (2024) — one of my favourite films that year — so needless to say, I've been excited about this project ever since it was announced. In fact, I should probably take this as my sign to finally dive deeper into the rest of his filmography before this one arrives. I love anything with folklore or a medieval setting, so this was always going to be for me. But hearing Eggers say it's the darkest thing he's written to date just made me even more excited.
On top of all that, the cast has me incredibly excited: Bodhi Rae Breathnach (our Focus Features queen), Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe, and Lily-Rose Depp all feel like perfect fits for Eggers' eerie, meticulously crafted worlds.
Werewulf will be released in theatres by Focus Features on December 25.
La Bola Negra
Directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi
This was already on my radar because of its premise, but the response out of Cannes completely elevated it to another level. A 20-minute standing ovation and widespread critical acclaim will always make me pay attention.
Following three men across different moments in Spanish history throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, La Bola Negra explores what it means to be gay across generations, connecting three lives through themes of sexuality, desire, pain, and inheritance. I always find stories that examine how identity evolves across different eras incredibly compelling, and this sounds like one of the most emotionally rich films of the year.
Borrowing its title from an unfinished play by the influential Spanish playwright and poet Federico García Lorca, La Bola Negra explores his legacy through a contemporary lens. As directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi explained to TUDUM by Netlix that, they wanted to tell "a story about freedom, legacy, and the importance of LGBTQ+ visibility," while honouring "the generations of people whose courage and sacrifice made our freedoms possible today."
As if all of that wasn't enough, the [international] cast looks incredibly promising, with Glenn Close and Penélope Cruz among the names attached. Between the subject matter, the historical backdrop, the extremely positive reception at Cannes, and the creative team behind it, this feels like it's going to be something really special.
La Bola Negra will be released in select theatres by Netflix on November 6 and will stream on the platform on December 4.
Cry to Heaven
Directed by Tom Ford
2026 is Anne Hathaway's year!
I'm absolutely here for Anne Hathaway's incredible run this year, and at this point, you better believe I'll watch anything she's in. From Mother Mary to The Devil Wears Prada 2, she's giving us three more films before the end of the year — all while expecting her third child — which honestly might be one of the most impressive feats in cinema this year. We truly can never get enough of the Queen of Genovia!
The Odyssey
Directed by Christopher Nolan
It's a Christopher Nolan film. Realistically, that was always going to be enough to get me seated. Even more if it's backed by Ludwig Göransson's music.
Adapting Homer's ancient Greek epic The Odyssey is no small task, but if there's one filmmaker who thrives on impossible challenges, it's Nolan. As he told Variety, "In taking on The Odyssey, it does become about scale. It needed to be the biggest film that we had done. It needed to be challenging to all of us, because that's the nature of the story." Knowing the ambition behind it just makes me even more excited to see what he's gonna come up with this time.
The cast is also absolutely ridiculous — probably one of the best ensembles of the year — which somehow feels perfectly fitting for a story of this magnitude. And then I came across the report that Samantha Morton's portrayal of Circe reportedly gave Nolan's The Odyssey its most emotional on-set reaction since Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight (2008). That's one of the performances I'm most looking forward to — if not the one I'm most looking forward to.
As if Nolan needed another reason to make film history, The Odyssey is also the first feature-length film ever shot entirely on IMAX. Variety's look at his process — literally cutting and gluing film frames together at the world's last film laboratory of its kind — was a beautiful reminder that few filmmakers remain as committed to the theatrical experience as he is. Whether it's the scale, the craftsmanship, or simply the fact that it's Christopher Nolan adapting one of the greatest stories ever told, this has "cinematic event" written all over it.
The End of Oak Street
Directed by David Robert Mitchell
There’s nothing particularly specific about this film that grabbed me on its own, to be honest. I’ve realized I’m probably more interested in it for a very simple reason: Anne Hathaway. As I said, I think I’m on some kind of mission to watch everything she’s in this year. I don’t even need much convincing anymore — if she’s attached, I’m there.
There’s just something about her current run that feels impossible to ignore, and this film has basically made its way onto my list because of her alone. Sometimes that’s all it takes.
The End of Oak Street will be released in theatres by Warner Bros. Pictures on August 14.
Verity
Directed by Michael Showalter
I’m in a very conflicted place with this one. I was pretty disappointed by his latest film, so I’m slightly reluctant to go into this — but at the same time, I’m weirdly obsessed with the idea of it. And yes, it being a Colleen Hoover adaptation adds another layer of… hesitation, let’s say.
Before the trailer dropped, I genuinely thought this would be some kind of rom-com. But turns out, it's nothing like that — and somehow, that twist makes me even more intrigued. The core trio is honestly perfection: Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett. That alone feels like reason enough to show up.
The plot sounds way darker than I expected. As the synopsis puts it: "While working on Verity’s book series, Lowen discovers a manuscript that raises questions regarding Verity’s psychological well-being and possible links to her publications." It’s giving psychological thriller energy in a way I didn’t anticipate at all. So even though I’m not fully sold on the material, I can’t deny I’m curious. And clearly, I’m going to end up watching it anyway.
Verity will be released in theatres by Amazon MGM Studios (Immina Film in Canada) on October 2.
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