Highly Anticipated Book-to-Screen Adaptations Out in the Second Half of 2026
Catch up on ‘Pride and Prejudice,’ ‘East of Eden,’ and more before adaptations hit the screen.
John Cox
Blogs · @wyome
Tagged movies · everything
8 Near-Perfect Time Loop Movies That Do Something Different
A rundown of eight time-loop films that twist the familiar Groundhog Day formula in distinct ways: The Endless traps each character in their own separate, coexisting loop as a metaphor for nostalgia's pull; Palm Springs and Happy Death Day complicate the trope with a community of loopers and a mortal, unmasking-the-killer stakes clock, respectively; Donnie Darko and The Matrix Reloaded obscure or truncate the loop's mechanics entirely; and Timecrimes, Primer, and Run Lola Run push the concept toward slasher paradox, hard-science realism, and kinetic videogame-like momentum. Worth keeping as a quick reference for how differently the subgenre can handle repetition, memory, and stakes beyond the standard "same day, personal growth" template.
The Most Underrated Films of the 1980s
A curated list of thirty overlooked 1980s films argues that the decade's real richness lies outside its blockbuster-and-sequel reputation, in mid-budget, adult-oriented work that resisted mainstream form. Titles like Thief, Cutter's Way, The Stunt Man, Star 80, and Secret Honor are highlighted for their tonal instability, moral ambiguity, and formal experimentation—qualities the piece frames as a shared undercurrent of stylistic rebellion rather than a unified movement. It's essentially a viewing list paired with a critical case for revisiting the decade's neglected margins rather than its canonized classics.
5 Forgotten '70s Western Movies That Still Hold Up Today
A roundup of five overlooked 1970s Westerns worth revisiting: Charlton Heston facing a vengeful outlaw in "The Last Hard Men," Robert Aldrich's bleak Vietnam-allegory "Ulzana's Raid," Charles Bronson's train-set whodunit "Breakheart Pass," Franco Nero's spaghetti-Western revenge tale "Keoma," and Lee Van Cleef's underseen "The Grand Duel." The piece argues that the genre's '70s output grew more cynical and violent than classic Hollywood oaters, deliberately puncturing frontier myths rather than romanticizing them, and that these particular titles got lost in the shadow of New Hollywood landmarks like "Jaws" and "The Godfather" despite still holding up. Worth keeping as a quick watchlist of underrated genre gems with a shared skeptical streak toward the "Old West as noble adventure" narrative.
10 Sci-Fi Books That Are Better Than 'Dune'
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6 Classic Movies Everyone Forgot Are Actually Perfect
This piece identifies six classic films that have faded from modern audiences' collective memory despite their quality: The Iron Giant, From Russia With Love, Frantic, Capricorn One, Sorcerer, and Once Upon a Time in the West. For each film, the article briefly describes the plot and explains the specific circumstances—box office failure, overshadowing by contemporaries, or shifting genre popularity—that caused it to be overlooked or forgotten. The underlying argument is that contemporary moviegoers should seek out these forgotten masterpieces as a corrective to nostalgia for older cinema and as alternatives to endlessly debating the same canonical favorites.
'Raising questions' isn't enough. The best films of the year took a stance
This essay surveys 2025 films that tried to grapple with the current political climate, arguing that success depends on commitment rather than neutrality, nostalgia, or deliberate ambiguity. It sorts its examples into those that failed through vagueness or smug defeatism (Ella McCay, Eddington, Bugonia, Good Fortune) and those that succeeded through clear stances and emotional honesty (Sinners, The Secret Agent, It Was Just an Accident). Its closing claim is that art now need not change the world but must help audiences make sense of it.
Five Science Fiction Movies to Stream Now
"Significant Other" is a sci-fi horror hybrid about a couple whose backpacking trip in Oregon goes catastrophically wrong after a mysterious object falls from the sky, generating dread through atmospheric filmmaking rather than jump scares while exploring themes of intimacy and deception. "Infinity Pool" follows a blocked writer on vacation who escapes execution by having a clone created and executed instead, then descends into hedonistic depravity with wealthy tourists who exploit the loophole, satirizing how the rich can literally buy their way out of consequences. "Costa Brava, Lebanon" depicts a self-sufficient family's isolation shattered when a landfill is planned next to their compound, using their fragmentation as a metaphor for environmental collapse and societal breakdown.
Five Action Movies to Stream Now
"Dhamaka" is a Mumbai-set action thriller starring Kartik Aaryan as a washed-up radio newscaster who receives a bomb threat targeting the city's major bridge and sees it as his chance to reclaim fame. Directed by Ram Madhvani and adapted from the South Korean film "The Terror Live," the movie functions as a morality tale examining how Arjun's ambition leads him to exploit a genuine crisis for career advancement, while his cutthroat boss exploits it for ratings. The film maintains relentless pacing despite character depth, delivering the bomb-threat intensity of "Speed" filtered through the media-ethics critique of "Network."
The 30 Greatest Action Movies of All Time
This article traces the evolution of action cinema from its roots in early silent films to the present day, arguing that action emerged as its own standalone genre rather than merely serving as set dressing for Westerns, spy thrillers, and sci-fi adventures. The piece presents thirty essential action films spanning from 1953 to 2018, organized chronologically, with the caveat that it focuses primarily on movies made after 1970 when action truly crystallized as a primary genre, while briefly acknowledging influential precursors like *The Wages of Fear* and *Seven Samurai*. Each entry describes how the film either pioneered specific action techniques, influenced subsequent filmmakers, or achieved a perfect balance between visceral spectacle and emotional or character-driven storytelling that defines great action cinema.
Best movie twists: The 31 most mind-blowing moments in film history, explained
This piece catalogs 31 films celebrated for their plot twists, explaining each film's setup and the surprise revelation that distinguishes it. The selections span multiple genres and decades, from classics like *Psycho* and *Planet of the Apes* to contemporary films like *Get Out*, demonstrating how effective twists can fundamentally recontextualize everything that came before them. The article serves as both a reference guide for twist enthusiasts and a spoiler-filled exploration of what makes certain narrative reversals so memorable and impactful.
The 32 greatest sci-fi movies
This is a ranked list of 32 essential science fiction films spanning from 1927's *Metropolis* to 2022's *Nope*, selected for their influence, innovation, and enduring impact on cinema. The selections range from celebrated classics like Kubrick's *2001: A Space Odyssey* and Scott's *Alien* to more recent entries like Villeneuve's *Dune*, with entries representing diverse subgenres including cyberpunk, time travel, AI thrillers, and alien invasion narratives. The list emphasizes both Hollywood blockbusters and international works, recognizing key films that shaped sci-fi's visual language and thematic concerns across nearly a century of filmmaking.
13 Brainy Sci-Fi Films To Stream That Are Guaranteed To Warp Your Mind
This is a curated list of thirteen cerebral science fiction films available on various streaming platforms, selected for their thought-provoking premises that explore concepts like simulation theory, artificial intelligence, time travel, and altered perception of reality. The films range from classics like *2001: A Space Odyssey* and *The Matrix* to more recent entries like *Arrival* and *Ex Machina*, with streaming availability noted for each title across services including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Google Play, and others. The author emphasizes these aren't typical sci-fi action movies but rather films designed to provoke deep contemplation about the nature of existence and human experience.
The Best International Movies To Stream Right Now
A curated list of 35 acclaimed international films available for streaming on Hulu, spanning from 1958 to 2019 and including works from directors like Bong Joon-ho, Claire Denis, and Hirokazu Koreeda. The selection emphasizes overcoming subtitle barriers to access diverse cinema from around the world, positioning international films as essential viewing for anyone seeking fresh perspectives and artistic experiences.
10 Movies From 1966 That Are Now Considered Classics
This is a Collider ranking of the ten best films from 1966, a year the piece frames as a hinge point between fading Old Hollywood and the more experimental, globally adventurous cinema that followed. It runs through titles like Django, Tokyo Drifter, Cul-de-Sac, Fahrenheit 451, The Battle of Algiers, Andrei Rublev, Blow-Up, A Man for All Seasons, and Persona, before crowning The Good, the Bad and the Ugly as the year's most influential film. Worth keeping as a quick reference list of underrated and canonical 1966 releases with brief context on why each still matters.
The Best Revenge Westerns of All Time, Ranked
A MovieWeb ranked list counting down ten essential revenge westerns, arguing that vengeance-driven plots showcase the genre's best qualities—complex antiheroes, moral ambiguity, and violent reckonings. It moves from Netflix's The Harder They Fall and Tarantino's Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight through Eastwood classics like Unforgiven and The Outlaw Josey Wales, topping the list with Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Worth keeping mainly as a quick watchlist/reference for standout entries in the revenge-western subgenre across decades and styles.
The 20 Most Underrated Movies of the 1980s
A ranked rundown of 1980s films the writer thinks deserve more love than they got, spanning ten entries from Weir's "The Mosquito Coast" through De Palma's "Body Double" and Parker's "Angel Heart," each judged against its box-office haul, critical reception, and star power (Ford, Cruise, Rourke, De Niro, Bigelow's directing debut era, etc.). The throughline is that quality filmmaking and strong casts often didn't translate into ticket sales or contemporary acclaim, leaving these titles as cult favorites rather than recognized classics. Worth keeping as a watchlist of genre-spanning deep cuts—horror-Western, neo-noir, sci-fi, gangster drama—from a stacked decade.
8 Modern Sci-Fi Movies That Will Someday Become Cult Classics
A roundup piece nominating eight 2010s-2020s sci-fi films — including The Martian, High Life, Godzilla (2014), Underwater, Annihilation, Edge of Tomorrow, The Invisible Man, and M3GAN — as future cult classics, arguing each blends genre conventions with distinctive artistry, divisive tone, or emotional depth that could earn devoted fandoms over time. It's less a ranked list than a case for why each film's particular weirdness or ambition (from Mark Watney's potatoes to M3GAN's sassy menace) sets it apart from typical studio sci-fi. Worth keeping as a watchlist with actual arguments attached rather than just titles.
10 Greatest Sci-Fi Movies You’ve Probably Never Seen
A countdown-style roundup ranking ten low-budget, high-concept sci-fi films that trade blockbuster spectacle for philosophical density, from Moon and Primer to A Scanner Darkly at number one. The throughline is that these indie films (Primer especially) proved there was an audience for "hardcore" science fiction built on tight budgets, causal loops, and unsettling looks at human nature rather than special effects, with several entries explicitly tracing their lineage back to Carruth's and Vigalondo's low-fi time-travel puzzles. Worth keeping as a watchlist of overlooked, mind-bending genre films alongside the reasons each earned critical or cult recognition.
Tarantino’s Fan Fiction: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Kirby Ferguson's video essay traces how Tarantino's signature remix technique evolved past overt film-quoting (à la Kill Bill) into something subtler in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, where he remixes real historical events, figures, and Hollywood lore rather than other movies' footage. The argument is that the copying habit never stopped—only the source material shifted from cinema to reality itself. Worth keeping for the reframing of Tarantino's "originality" as a continuation, not abandonment, of his remix ethos.