Overview
In case you haven't heard: cinema is so back. We are rehabilitating our attention spans and trading small (phone) screen for big (at home, or silver) screen. With the global box office tracking towards nearly $50 billion this year, it's safe to say that 2026 has been an absolute supernova of a year for film.
Now that we're over halfway through, the Concrete Playground team has put our brains together to reflect on the best cinema we've seen this year — bonus points for where we experienced it. Here are the films we can't stop talking about, and why.
What's next? Check out our monthly guide to the best new release cinema to watch right now.
The Invite
"I caught this during Sydney Film Festival earlier this year, and it was easily my favourite of the six films I watched in those two weeks. It's such a simple premise; four characters, one apartment, one awkward dinner party…but it's just dynamite. Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Penélope Cruz and Ed Norton have wonderful chemistry; whether they're fighting, joking or flirting, and Wilde's directing is like a live wire, so punchy and personal and full of sparks. Many a happy and sad tear was shed in my screening, and I can't wait to watch it again."
Alec Jones, Freelance Contributor
Watched at: State Theatre
The Odyssey
"Not only was this an amazing film and a solid adaptation of Homer's epic, but my intrigue and respect for the film and its actors grew after I went on a deep dive into how it was produced as the first film to be fully shot and directed with IMAX equipment. One of the behind-the-scenes standouts was the fact that the actors had to use mirrors to see each other in face-to-face scenes. Funnily enough, I didn't see it in IMAX, but I booked a seat instantly once I walked out."
Marcus Allen, Senior Commercial Director
Watched at: Rosebud Cinema – Mornington Peninsula
The Drama
"It's rare for a film to have such an explosive premise, and for the narrative not to suffer if the viewer knows said premise before viewing. There was a lot of hype around this A24 comedy/thriller/romcom (R-Patz and Zendaya as the leads, need we elaborate), and therefore I had consumed a lot of content about it before I ingested it with my own eyes and ears. Somehow, it still ended up being funnier, more subversive, and more dramatic (get it) than I expected. The dialogue was witty and surprising, the soundtrack felt fresh, and I've no doubt it was responsible for many a post-film discussion positing: "Are we defined by our thoughts? Or only our actions?" "
Liza Campbell, Managing Editor
Watched at: Hoyts Melbourne Central
Project Hail Mary
"I remember going into Project Hail Mary thinking I needed to level my expectations. I've been a fan of the directors ever since I saw The Lego Movie (one of the best animated movies of all time, argue if you dare) in high school, and I adore the novel, so I brought my partner (who hadn't read the novel) to the opening night to keep me from being biased. I'm pretty sure I felt her crying on my shoulder at least twice. And when the credits rolled, we turned to each other, misty-eyed and smiling ear to ear… I knew I wouldn't be alone in thinking it was an all-timer. It looks great. It feels great. It is great. Amaze amaze amaze."
Alec Jones, Freelance Contributor
Watched at: IMAX Sydney
Obsession
"Horror is one of those genres that I hate but also love. I really love seeing horror make a comeback with genuinely great films since in the last year, like Weapons. This year, Obsession has really stuck with me because of its story. It's a low-budget independent film that shows not every great movie needs a blockbuster budget. And the ending? A masterpiece!"
Natalia Davi, Project Manager
Watched at: Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace
Nirvana The Band The Show The Movie
"You spend the first 10 minutes of this thinking you're watching a documentary. Then they escalate things so dangerously far that you realise it can't possibly be real. Then they go on to blend footage they shot over 15 years ago(?!), splicing it between the modern footage so seamlessly that you barely notice…other than the fact that it features the exact same actors that are 15 years younger. A masterpiece."
Jacob Masters, Event Operations Manager
Watched at: Jacob's couch
No Good Men
"Festival films can sometimes feel inaccessible, but this was the opposite. Set in Afghanistan around the 2021 US withdrawal, it turned a period of history I'd only ever seen as headlines into a deeply human story. It was equal parts hilarious, heartbreaking and hopeful, and our whole cinema laughed, gasped and teared up as one. Despite having no blockbuster budget or star-studded cast (though you'd never know it from the care behind every scene and performance), it was one of the most affecting films I've ever seen."
Xavier Lynch, Creative Strategist
Watched at: Library Auditorium, State Library NSW
The Testament of Ann Lee
"An original, big creative swing: a musical about the founder of the Shaker religious sect. It partially hits. Amanda Seyfried should 100 percent have been nominated for an Oscar for this. Some of the songs were stuck in my head for days after. Though I didn't enjoy sitting through an endless 4x failed childbirth montage."
Jono Oake, COO
Watched at: Dendy Newtown