The year's best films have been revealed, with standout comedies and epic blockbusters dominating the top picks of BBC film critics.
The Invite: A Comedy of Wounds
The US comedy, directed by Olivia Wilde and starring Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde, has been praised for its hilariously awkward farce and genuinely moving moments. Based on a Spanish film, The Invite features just four characters in one apartment during one evening, with Olivia Wilde proving herself to be a master of tone and pacing. All four actors are superb, with Penélope Cruz delivering a magnetic performance.
The screenplay, written by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones, is genuinely moving when it lays bare the characters' wounds and resentments. If Oscar-voters can get over their aversion to comedies, The Invite should be a contender.
The Odyssey: A Masterful Epic
Christopher Nolan's adaptation of Homer's centuries-old poem, The Odyssey, is a pure epic. The long wait, amid a torrent of hype, was worth it. This beguiling, epic adaptation is full of stunning action-adventure and thoughtful script. Matt Damon is at his intelligent best as Odysseus, with a natural, modern delivery that makes the king relatable and sympathetic.
Nolan's characteristic style is everywhere – from the morally challenged hero to the non-linear narrative and the use of IMAX cameras. The film leaves viewers with a timely social theme: that civic duty, governance, and moral choices intertwine.
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie: A Daft yet Sincere Love Letter
What if someone remade Back to the Future, but its main characters were Bill and Ted from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, and it had the guerrilla feel of Sacha Baron Cohen's Borat? The answer is Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, a ludicrously inventive, proudly Canadian comedy. Written by and starring Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol, the film is a heartfelt tribute to their home city and a sincere love letter to long-term friendship.
The Sheep Detectives: A Delightful Hybrid
This entirely delightful hybrid of live-action and CGI animation has a story suitable and engaging for children and a wit and cleverness that make it just as captivating for adults. Hugh Jackman departs the film early as George, a kind shepherd who reads mystery novels to his flock every night. The sheep steal the film, with their distinct, often childlike qualities.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple – A Masterful Sequel
In 2025, director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland helped to revive the zombie-apocalypse sub-genre with 28 Days Later. In 2026, they did it again with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, scripted by Garland, with Nia DaCosta taking over as director. The film delivers all of the gore and terror you want from a zombie film, but it's wonderfully idiosyncratic, too.
My Father's Shadow – A Powerful and Honest Film
Set in Nigeria in 1993, Akinola Davies's film about a father and his two small sons is eloquent, warm, and fiercely honest. Sope Dirisu gives a quiet, strong, immensely moving performance as the father, who spends most of his time away working to support the family. The story follows him through a single day, gradually revealing the tumultuous backdrop of the presidential election, the results of which are nullified by a military dictatorship.
Source: Joy Online
