In Case You Missed It: Hidden Gems from 2026’s First Half
Monday, July 13, 2026 at 8:55PM by Eurocheese
THE INVITE
Taking a break from the summer heat in an air-conditioned theater or relaxing at home while catching the year’s cinematic highlights sounds divine, doesn’t it? While the first half of the year’s output in theaters wasn’t overly awards-friendly, here are a few treats you’ll be happy you sampled. Let’s avoid the obvious callouts for box office smashes and focus on the hidden gems. Let's start with two in theaters...
The Invite
I have not laughed this hard in a theater in ages, and I was blown away by how the entire cast was firing joke after joke without sacrificing their individual voices. Rogen and Wilde give career best performances in their strained, lived-in relationship dynamic, while Norton and Cruz match their frenzied energy with touches of insight and allure. Every scene feels distinct and sharply written; this harkens back to sex comedies like Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice while speaking to modern relationship plights, digging into each character’s insecurities. Every turn in the script is delicious, and Olivia Wilde’s direction is on point. I have no doubt this will be one of my favorite films of the year, and it must be shared with an audience to have its full effect. A+
LEVITICUS
Leviticus
While there are moments of terror, the haunting tone of this film is the takeaway, with an ongoing sense of dread lingering in every scene. These characters are literally at war with themselves within their sexuality, and externalizing their battle with their demons allows the story to show us what it wants to express, avoiding monologuing to drive home its points. The lead actors have terrific chemistry as tentative lovers who can turn on a dime, leaving the audience constantly questioning what reality they can trust. A-
Available to rent at home...
The Christophers
Steven Soderbergh seems to be having the time of his life making one pet project after another into brilliant additions to his already impressive filmography. Last year’s spy vs. spy traitor-in-our-midst mystery (Black Bag, if you missed it) was pure joy; this year he returns with an art heist cat-and-mouse game where Sir Ian McKellen is giving one of the best performances of his career. Michaela Coel impressively goes toe to toe with him as the woman hired by his family to make sure his art collection is completed, but the full story between these characters becomes much more complicated. Themes of legacy and revenge bubble under the surface as witty barbs are tossed back and forth. I don’t understand why this film was so underseen, but it’s absolutely worth your time. (Available to rent) A
SHEEP DETECTIVES
The Sheep Detectives
Speaking of mysteries, the trailers for this whodunit didn’t inspire much hope but the film itself is unexpectedly lovely. When a loving shepherd (Hugh Jackman) is murdered and the goofy local policeman is botching the case, a loyal herd of sheep (who can hear each other speak, like in Babe) have to piece together what actually happened. While the film is family-friendly, adult lessons like the danger of avoiding our traumas and discovering our environments aren’t what we originally believed feel genuinely heartfelt. A well-written script keeps the audience invested, and it plays fair with a mystery that is fun to solve. (Available on Amazon Prime) B+
Feel free to list your own hidden gems so far this year in the comments!
Reader Comments (7)
I was really moved by Blue Heron, a cleverly constructed Canadian gem in the key of Stories We Tell.
Its the movie this year I've been telling everyone to see.
I saw The Invite at Sundance and loved it; Only note is that it felt really, really over-scored, the music forces the beats a little too hard.
BLUE HERON is amazing but also kind of 2025!!?? Also ROSE OF NEVADA!!
Seen loads of great films this year trouble is most where 25 plus years old.
I'd suggest BLUE FILM, with excellent performances from Kieron Moore and Reed Birney, and a pair of terrific crime thrillers, TUNER and CRIME 101.
And ditto to DK on THE INVITE score, which (especially in the first ten minutes or so) is overpounding the emotional beats, which is unnecessary given the strength of the performances.
I think a fair criticism of Wilde as a director is that she feels obligated to demonstrate STYLE for style’s sake, afraid that any less wouldn’t feel “directorial.” So that apartment set feels highly LAYERED with statement-making props, without feeling very real, etc. She gave Cruz that little sexpot blonde wig to scream SEXPOT. She just threw more aesthetic ambition at the project than it called for, although it turned out very well nonetheless.
I 100% agree with Keith on Blue Film. Moore is currently in the first place spot for best actor this year. Hopefully Independent Spirit Awards recognize it, and there is a slight chance in original screenplay.
Maybe a hot take, but I thought Backrooms was much better then Obsession. Backrooms absolutely deserves a nomination for set design.
I don't remember much about Wuthering Heights or TDWP2 but the songs were good so maybe original song?
Going to see The Invite and Disclosure Day soon.