We have passed the midpoint of 2026, and it is time to take stock of the cinematic offerings that have graced European screens since January. This list includes films released in European cinemas or on streaming platforms from January 2026 onward, regardless of earlier US release dates. Titles such as The Blue Trail, The Voice of Hind Rajab, Sorda, or Sirāt are absent because they premiered in mainland Europe last year and already featured in our 2025 ranking.
Here are the standout films you should add to your watchlist, counting down to the best movie of the year so far.
20. Send Help
Sam Raimi returns with a viciously entertaining R-rated horror. Rachel McAdams plays an undervalued corporate researcher, while Dylan O'Brien portrays a smug nepo-baby CEO. After a plane crash strands them on a remote island, the office hierarchy collapses. The premise is not groundbreaking, but McAdams and O'Brien share terrific chemistry, and Raimi delivers the campy, over-the-top gore fans expect. Twists keep the narrative engaging throughout. A perfect popcorn movie.
19. I Swear
Based on the true story of John Davidson, diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome as a teenager in 1980s Scotland, this film follows his journey from bullied schoolboy to MBE-winning campaigner. Robert Aramayo's BAFTA-winning lead performance, supported by Maxine Peake and Peter Mullan, elevates what could be a formulaic feel-good story. It is funny, heartfelt, and educational without being preachy. The abuse Davidson faced after involuntary outbursts at this year's BAFTAs underscores the continued relevance of his advocacy.
18. Mother Mary
David Lowery directs Anne Hathaway as a pop star seeking a comeback. She visits former friend and designer Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel) to commission a dress for a headline show. The film evolves from a dread-infused chamber piece into a Gothic ghost story, blending the metaphysical with the spiritual and culminating in an exorcism of mutual trauma. Resolutely strange and verbose, it pairs well with Peter Strickland's In Fabric. Bold and haunting.
17. Twinless
James Sweeney's second feature begins as a quirky comedy about two strangers united by grief but reveals itself as a layered exploration of loss, loneliness, and the need to be seen. Dylan O'Brien delivers perhaps his strongest performance, and Sweeney proves a triple threat as writer, director, and actor. The film is wonderfully strange, hilarious, and heartbreaking.
16. Jim Queen à la recherche de la Chloroqueer
This French animated comedy, presented at Cannes, is a breakout hit. Directors Nicolas Athané and Marco Nguyen tell the story of Jim, a gay icon in Paris who contracts Heterosis—a virus turning gay men heterosexual—after a fashion faux pas and understanding the offside rule. With his twink friend Lucien, he searches for a cure. The film is a funny, irreverent love letter to the LGBTQ+ community, satirizing heteronormativity and homophobia while poking fun at queer culture. A triumph.
15. Obsession
All-consuming desire leads to bloodshed in Curry Bark...
For the full list and detailed reviews, explore our coverage of European cinema and culture. For more on travel and lifestyle, see Copenhagen, Lisbon, Vienna Top Monocle's 2026 European Liveability Ranking.
