 Universal Pictures, 2026. "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" doesn't exactly push boundaries, but it accomplishes what it sets out to do: Make a crap-ton of money and leave audiences entertained enough to show up for the next, inevitable chapter.
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 Amazon MGM Studios, 2026. "Project: Hail Mary" is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, but what makes it a rarity is that it embraces something modern science fiction too often lacks: hope and optimism. Those virtues not only help the film stand out, they make "Project: Hail Mary" feel like the right movie for this moment, when both are in short supply and more needed than ever.
 "Forevergreen," part of the Oscar-nominated Short Film Program, Roadside Attractions, 2026. One of the best parts about being a film critic is getting my annual dose of Oscar-Nominated Short Films. Some of the very best that cinema has to offer is included in this program...rarely-seen and under-appreciated treasures that are often times the highlight of the entire year.
This year, more movie-goers than ever will be able to experience the 2026 Oscar-Nominated Short Films program, thanks in part to their new distributer, Roadside Attractions (click here to find out where you can view these Oscar Short Programs). Beginning February 20th and through Oscar Sunday, March 15th, you can experience these amazing short films on the big-screen, being presented as three separate-admission matinees, one for each Short Film Category (Live-Action, Animation and Documentary). If you haven't experienced the Oscar Shorts before, please do! It will become your new favorite annual theatrical tradition. To help you prepare your winning 2026 Oscar Ballot, here is my take, and an overview, of this year's stellar program.  20th Century Studios, 2026. Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) is a big fan of "Survivor." So much so that in "Send Help," we discover that she has submitted an audition tape to compete on the long-running Reality-TV series.
She definitely has what it takes to survive on an island, as we soon find out in this wildly fun and, at times, gory dark comedy thriller.  20th Century Studios, 2025. What an impossibly high bar that has been set for director James Cameron, where each new film he makes is expected to reinvent cinema all over again or be casually dismissed as a disappointment.
The early criticism aimed at "Avatar: Fire and Ash," that it feels “too similar” to its predecessor, says far more about our warped expectations than it does about the film itself. Since when did consistency, coherence, and a director confidently expanding the world he created become a flaw? With "Fire and Ash," Cameron has once again built, refined and deepened his cinematic universe, delivering another immersive, meticulously crafted chapter that reminds us why Pandora remains one of the most fully realized worlds in modern blockbuster filmmaking. Review: 'Zootopia 2' a worthy follow-up and the best Disney animated film in recent years11/25/2025  Disney Animation, 2025. It's been nearly a decade since the release of the Academy Award-winning Disney animated film, "Zootopia," a movie that defied all expectations and went on to gross over one billion dollars worldwide. It was praised not only for being a fun family film with many memorable scenes and characters (who can forget Flash the sloth?), but for its depth, exploring themes of prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination. (Read my review of the first "Zootopia" film here).
With "Zootopia 2," Disney has come a long way from its cash-grab, direct-to-video sequels from a few decades ago. This is a worthy, insightful, and still fully accessible follow-up that reunites all of our favorite characters from the first film while adding in some solid newcomers. It builds on the deeper themes of the original, exploring empathy, trust and how history is often written by the winners. Mix in an all-star voice cast and vibrant, colorful animation, and Disney has delivered one of its best animated features in years.  Universal Pictures, 2025. The sequel and final chapter to one of the best films of 2024, "Wicked For Good" sticks the landing in a truly wondrous way. Anyone who cannot get swept up in this magical, fast-paced adventure may be missing the brains and heart...or worse, the courage...to admit that this is one of the most impressive musical-to-film adaptations - across two movies - that has ever been put on screen.
In truth, most of the criticism aimed at "Wicked For Good" is really criticism of the source material. If you walked out of the stage production feeling Act II was the weaker half, you will likely leave this movie with the same thought. But most moviegoers don’t speak in those terms. Nobody is stepping into the lobby asking, "So what did you think of the Second Act?" They leave with a feeling, an instinctive reaction to whether the film moved them or not. And for the vast majority, "Wicked For Good" will deliver that feeling in full, giving fans everything they hope for while also offering newcomers who only know the first film and have never seen the musical a truly wonderful time.  20th Century Studios, 2025. Full disclosure: I don't have vast knowledge of the Predator Cinematic Universe, nor am I a dedicated fan of this series. What I can tell you is that the Predator franchise has now spanned six live-action stand-alone movies, an animated film (2025's "Predator: Killer of Killers") and two crossover films. They've collectively grossed over 550 million, and on the heels of "Predator: Killer of Killers" and Hulu's surprisingly great 2022 entry, "Prey," the series seems to be headed in a positive direction.
The new life breathed into the franchise can perhaps be credited to Dan Trachtenberg, the writer/director of "Prey" and "Predator: Killer of Killers," who now brings us "Predator: Badlands." Unfortunately, this latest effort feels like a blatant, soulless attempt to try to broaden the series' appeal.  Disney, 2025. When Disney released the original "Tron" back in 1982, it wasn't considered a financial success when all things were considered. It was groundbreaking for its special effects, even landing a pair of Oscar nominations for Best Costume and Best Sound, and over time has undeniably become a cult classic.
Disney was so committed to keeping the Tron IP alive, it released a 2010 sequel, "Tron: Legacy," which was a modest box office success, despite a lack of critical enthusiasm (it currently holds a 51% Rotten rating on RottenTomatoes.com). It even opened a Tron roller coaster at its theme parks, further proving that Disney has no intention of moving on from this seemingly promising franchise. "Tron: Ares" carries on the unfortunate Tron tradition of being visually dazzling without containing even a modicum of soul beneath the hood. With a loud, pulsating, high-octane score by Nine Inch Nails (apparently not just composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, but the whole band), it is a nonstop onslaught on the senses...a merciless, relentless attack that may have been worth the punishment, had it been attached to anything remotely resembling human emotion. NETFLIX Review: 'A House of Dynamite' a slow-burning thriller that ignites our deepest fears10/8/2025  Netflix, 2025. Director Kathryn Bigelow ("The Hurt Locker," "Detroit," "Zero Dark Thirty") is a true master of immersive, high-tension realism. The stakes have never been higher in her newest film, the harrowing "A House of Dynamite," a control room thriller that examines what it may look like if the United States was on the brink of an actual nuclear holocaust.
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