Wonder Watchlist

It’s pretty hard to believe that we are nearing the start of the summer movie season. May is right around the corner, and I wanted to share a list of my favorite films of 2026 so far. These first four months have been hit or miss for theaterical experiences. Some have truly blown me away, while others have left me looking for more.

What surprised me while compiling this list is quite of few of these come from my time covering Sundance 2026. They have remained on my favorites list since late January. For those who haven’t seen them, make sure to add them to your watchlist, they are some of the best offerings of the year.

A few that didn’t quite make the list but are still more than worth a watch: Night Nurse, The Daughters of Domino, The Forbidden City, Mabel, and The Bride!

Pillion Dir. Harry Lighton

Synopsis: “Colin, a timid gay man, is swept off his feet when Ray, an enigmatic and impossibly handsome biker, takes him on as his submissive in a crazy and erotic BDSM-focused relationship.”

My quick thoughts: I wasn’t sure what to expect when I booked a ticket for Pillion. And what I walked away with was an incredibly honest depiction of a relationship that, before seeing the film, I had no clue about. BDSM is a large part of the film, but so is Colin’s (Harry Melling) journey toward finding his place in the submissive role. From a once shy and quiet-natured man, the film shows his evolution into being confident and secure in his sexual expression. His mysterious partner, Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), is much more experienced; his pleasure comes first in their dynamic, but both men leave each other fundamentally changed.

Forbidden Fruits Dir. Meredith Alloway

Synopsis: “Free Eden employee Apple secretly runs a witchy femme cult in the basement of the mall store after hours – with fellow fruits Cherry and Fig. But, when new hire Pumpkin challenges their performative sisterhood, the women are forced to face their own poisons or succumb to a bloody fate.”

My quick thoughts: I never got the chance to work in a mall, but I imagine that it’s exactly like Forbidden Fruits. It’s the natural evolution of Mean Girls cinema, where only the hottest of the hot can work at Free Eden. Perfectly manicured by Apple (Lili Reinhart) she uses the implication of witchcraft to make her own girl gang. All named after fruits of course. It’s got a deeper story threaded throughout about found family, and how sisterhood that is formed under falsehoods will never flourish. Beware, the film has some of the best fashion of the year, with Y2K influences, making each outfit stand out for each of the “witches” personalities.

For my full thoughts, check out my review!

Erupcja Dir. Peter Ohs

Synopsis: “While on vacation in Poland, Bethany breaks away from a romantic itinerary planned by her doting boyfriend, Rob, fearing that a marriage proposal is imminent. Reuniting instead with an old friend, Nel, the two women rekindle a uniquely combustible chemistry over the course of a few days in a chaste but burning trust predicated on sapphic synchronicity and a mutual penchant for poetry.”

My quick thoughts: Charli xcx making her mark as an actress is something that I am completely down for. And Erupcja isn’t the only film she stars in on this list. This micro budget, filmed spontaneously in Warsaw story is a sapphic story about living in the moment. With Bethany (Charli xcx) feeling caged as her boyfriend Rob (Will Madden) plans to propose. Ohs has audiences live through her choices to regain her sense of freedom. Even when she chooses to have selfish moments, she hurts those who care about her. It’s hard not to feel swept up in the connection between Bethany and Nel (Lena Góra), who share a connection that goes deeper than just infatuation.

For my full thoughts, check out my review!

The Moment Dir. Aidan Zamiri

Synopsis: “A rising pop sensation navigates the complexities of fame and industry pressures while preparing for her arena tour debut.”

My quick thoughts: Artists who can poke fun at themselves and the price of gaining worldwide fame are refreshing. And for Charli xcx, her rise to fame wasn’t overnight, but once Brat Summer took hold of the world, there was no escaping. As someone who loves her music, The Moment gives a new perspective on Charli and the way she works. She fights relentlessly for her vision, but she knows when to say goodbye to the phenomenon. There’s a needle drop of Bittersweet Symphony that just might be the best use of the song in a very long time. My only gripe with the film is that it made me wish there was an actual concert film for the Brat tour, but this is a more than fine substitute.

For my full thoughts, check out my review!

Anima Dir. Brian Testuro Ivie

Synopsis: “A young woman and an old man embark on a road trip to preserve his consciousness at an experimental facility.”

My quick thoughts: Sci-fi is at its best when it explores the morality behind new tech that changes the way that human live their lives. Anima does just this, and it’s an emotionally charged experience through how grief has changed. When we introduce applications into the afterlife, similar to David Cronenberg’s The Shrouds. While it’s less morbid in the way it presents the topic, the technological reanimation is nevertheless alarming. Beck (Sydney Chandler) and Paul (Takehiro Hira) couldn’t be more opposite, yet they bond over their shared grief of dealing with their complicated relationships with fatherhood.

For my full thoughts, check out my review!

Lady Dir. Olive Nwosu

Synopsis: “In the sprawling African metropolis of Lagos, a fiercely independent young cab driver meets a band of radiantly reckless sex workers whose sisterhood pulls her into danger and joy, setting her on a journey toward her own transformation.”

My quick thoughts: I love a good movie about women, especially women advocating for each other, even when they have different aspirations. From taxi driving to sex work, Nwosu’s feminist classic highlights important issues women face around the globe. How economic struggles impact women in ways that men rarely experience. Lady (Jessica Gabriel’s Ujah) is as hardworking as they come, yet she takes on a new job out of necessity for more money. It opens her eyes to how women in other professions are treated. Creating a support system for one another that refuses to let their voices be drowned out any longer.

For my full thoughts, check out my review!

The Drama Dir. Kristoffer Borgli

Synopsis: “A happily engaged couple is put to the test when an unexpected turn sends their wedding week off the rails.”

My quick thoughts: If there’s a movie that has Robert Pattinson in it, you can guarantee I will be seated. Thankfully, The Drama has a lot more going for it than just making him the awkward yet charming other half as Charlie, to Zendaya’s also awkward yet charming Emma. Watching this a few days after getting engaged was a hilarious experience that also highlights how women are seen when they admit to having violent thoughts. Excuses involving age and upbringing are somehow not afforded to them, regardless of whether they indulged in those thoughts or not. It’s not perfect in its depiction of gun violence and online cultures influencing youth, but it starts the conversation.

Josephine Dir. Beth de Araújo

Synopsis: “After eight-year-old Josephine accidentally witnesses a crime in Golden Gate Park, she begins to act out violently to protect herself. This emotional trauma leads to conflicts between her parents as they search for justice, and a way to feel safe again.”

My quick thoughts: Josephine (Mason Reeves) is 8 years old when she witnesses a crime that she hasn’t learned the word for yet. A violent assault that is hard to watch in its entirety as an audience member. Even when they have support systems in place, no one truly knows how to explain rape to a child who has no concept of what consenting sex is. Reeves gives one of the best debut performances from a child I’ve seen in a long time. Her work helps ring the bell of urgency in how we speak to children who witness life-altering crimes and guide them through painful experiences that, even as adults, are hard for us to understand.

For my full thoughts, check out my review!

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Dir. Nia DaCosta

Synopsis: “Dr. Kelson finds himself in a shocking new relationship – with consequences that could change the world as they know it – and Spike’s encounter with Jimmy Crystal becomes a nightmare he can’t escape.”

My quick thoughts: Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) became a fan favorite character in 2025’s 28 Year Later. DaCosta takes what Danny Boyle and Alex Garland crafted and somehow manages to make him even cooler. Fiennes possesses an ability to bring humanity to a world that has been ravaged by rage. Maintaining routines and memories of a time that many have never experienced. Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) and his tracksuit gang use violence as a means to survive, and even when no threat is posed. Culminating in the best scene of 2026 (so far) with Fiennes putting on the performance of his life, using Iron Maiden as his voice and his bone temple as his stage.

If I Go Will They Miss Me Dir. Walter Thompson-Hernández

Synopsis: “Twelve-year-old Lil Ant struggles to connect with his father when he begins to see surreal, almost spectral visions of boys drifting around his neighborhood. Their presence reveals a link between father and son, laying bare the threads that bind family, legacy, and place.”

My quick thoughts: Something that haunts me more than I’d like to admit is that I worry about never having a child to carry my family’s legacy when we are all gone. Thompson-Hernández tells a beautiful story of a young boy Lil Ant (Bodhi Dell), and his complicated relationship with his father Big Ant (J. Alphonse Nicholson), who recently got out of incarceration. He has to carry not only the legacy of his father through direct relation, but also share a name. But Lil Ant is more interested in art, and his father worries that the world will not be kind to a boy who expresses himself in this way. There’s something universally relatable about If I Go Will They Miss Me where a child sees their father as a larger-than-life God. It will be hard for this film to be replaced on my list of favorite films; it’s incredible.

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