Flasz On Film

I don’t normally do this outside of round anniversaries or year-in-review projects as I continue to believe that a listicle is the lowest form of journalism, but I decided to look back upon the year thus far and maybe pluck out a few titles to give them some time in the limelight. Typically the best movies in any given year tend to be concentrated towards the end of the year, specifically due to proximity to the Oscar conversation, but there’s always a handful of gems from those first months of the year that are definitely worth discussing and remembering.

Therefore, I took it upon myself to sift through my own work this year and fished out a grand total of seven titles that either took me by surprise or wowed me in some way, and they all happen to have disappeared from our collective radars nearly immediately after their release.

1. Hoppers

The first of the two Pixar movies slated for release this year (with the other one being Toy Story 5) was in my opinion the one Pixar should have championed. It was fun and original, specifically as a family-oriented take on Avatar, and it truly epitomized everything that the Pixar brand used to stand for. Between its cool central mechanic, kinetic action and relatable central characters, Hoppers really had a lot going for it. Sadly, it got lost in the shuffle because Pixar banked heavily on the Toy Story brand recognition as their way to make money, which is likely informed by the fact that movies like Elemental and Elio didn’t make substantial returns for them.

2. Wasteman

Although Wasteman technically counts as a 2025 release due to its festival run last year (which is also the case for equally great movies like The Good Boy, California Schemin’ or Anniversary that I decided not to include in this selection), it is most definitely a movie worth highlighting. Superficially, this looks very much like a modern gritty prison drama that vests a lot of its value in the immediate and abrupt violence omnipresent in the experience and elevates the experience with elements of found footage that blur the line between reality and fiction. However, its real strength lies in the intimate character development and David Jonsson’s central performance. Difficult to sit through in places (although not abrasively graphic), but it is most certainly a movie that warrants a conversation it will most likely never receive from general audiences who never even noticed its release.

3. The Drama

Without a doubt, The Drama took me by surprise. A movie that unfolds initially like a typical rom-com, or maybe even an elevated one that garners some kind of a deeper conversation about the nature of relationships and stuff like that, eventually transforms into a wholly different beast that is as acerbic and cutting as it is funny and provocative. In fact, in many cases the critical response to The Drama was more of a reflection of what the critic felt about the subject matter tackled by the movie (gun violence school shootings, bullying, etc.) rather than the movie itself. It is one of those rare films that looks decidedly European (and more specifically, Nordic) than American despite having a 100% American pedigree. And perhaps not in spite but thanks to the fact it touches a nerve and enjoys knowing how uncomfortable the viewer might get, The Drama is an accomplished movie that interrogate strength of relationships in the context of the many skeletons hiding in American closets.

4. Send Help

Sam Raimi’s long-awaited return to genre moviemaking was everything I ever wanted from a new Sam Raimi film. Almost completely devoid of big-brand polish his Marvel stints were lathered with, this is movie reconnects with the kinds of sensibilities astute viewers would remember from The Evil Dead, Army of Darkness, Darkman and Drag Me to Hell. And in so doing it reminds us just how high Raimi’s film IQ really is as he crafts what I called a screwball comedy from hell that is funny, self-aware, awkward and completely bonkers in places. And although it can be watched on Disney Plus these days, any opportunity to watch this elevated gorefest in the big screen ought not to be passed.

5. Rose of Nevada

Of all the titles I decided to single out, Mark Jenkin’s Rose of Nevada is probably the closest to qualify as a bona fide niche indie with minuscule audience appeal that only critics and movie buffs are geared to respond to. Still, it doesn’t change the fact that the movie is amazing and soars past its superficial connotations to Ken Loach into the realm of disjointed storytelling that’s as visually inspired as it is cryptic and thematically rich. This Nicolas Roeg-tinged odyssey that meshes arthouse fantasy with cinema of kitchen sink realism is truly one of the most accomplished films to have come out this year, and one that is clearly destined to be remembered only by a handful of those lucky souls who had the opportunity to book a ticket to see it at that one matinee screening on a random Tuesday because Rose of Nevada didn’t play anywhere outside of London for more than a single day. But it’s worth it.

6. Crime 101

Bart Layton’s newest movie, and his return after a number of years of not directing any feature work, is a great example of a pitch-perfect action thriller that knows its inspirations and cherishes them without even a shred of embarrassment. Crime 101 (which is currently available to stream so you have no excuse and must seek it out) is a blood-pumping love letter to Michael Mann and functions somewhat like a hybrid between Thief and Heat. A seemingly simple cops and robbers story, this is a great example of just how much can be accomplished with a great cast, a tight script and spectacle leaning heavily into character and stunt work instead of relying on CGI prowess oozing from type-A Marvel fare. And it is also a great opportunity to remind everyone that Halle Berry still has the chops, too.

7. Power Ballad

The biggest tragedy of John Carney’s movies is that they come out to little fanfare, everyone who goes to see them ends up loving them, critics acknowledge their fuzzy and heart-warming greatness and then everyone just moves on. Power Ballad literally disappeared from cinemas after only a week and a bit despite the fact that it is in my opinion the best movie of the year thus far and likely to remain one of the top contenders by the time I sit down to sum up 2026 in its entirety. This rom-com for men that functions exactly like a Cameron Crowe-directed musical is a perfectly poignant piece of emotional realism baked into an otherwise familiar narrative template is a great encapsulation of middle-aged angst, pocketed dreams and male-specific anxieties that viewers (at least those who choose to see the movie with open hearts and minds) will resonate with. A tear-jerking masterclass is what this is and I cannot recommend it more.

So, as blockbusters continue their summer onslaught, here I am imploring you to look up any of those seven movies and spend some quality time watching them. In fact, I’d rather rewatch any of those films than either of the big tentpole releases we have witnessed this year. And I do know that some truly big titles are about to land in the latter half of 2026, but it surely doesn’t mean that these great movies are to be forgotten. Go and watch them!