THE TAR TOP 50.

‍AUGUST 2026, EDITION — The TAR Top 50 has two goals: The first is to try to find some objectivity in what are the most loved movies in a year. To find that, each movie is given a score based on its ratings by viewers (for quality) plus its number of ratings (for reach). The second goal is to spread the love around. Here, there are five, distinct forms of movies, each with their own ranking. The idea is that the forms aren’t cross-compared because they can hold such different intentions, and so, hold different receptions. (Read more on forms here). The rankings will have a full update on the first Sunday of every month and new releases may be layered in weekly. … Finally, I can’t see every movie, so there will be some educated guessing on forms, and of course, there will be movies with an argument for different forms.

DRAMA PICTURES.

    • (Score) 42.46

    • Written by Kirk Jones

    • Directed by Kirk Jones

    • Featuring Robert Aramayo, Maxine Peake, Somerland Campbell, Michael Dylan.

    — Set in 1980s Britain, the story follows Tourette's Syndrome campaigner John Davidson throughout his troubled teens and early adulthood, and explores the condition, along with his attempts to live a ‘normal’ life against the odds. Watch on VOD.

    • 42.12

    • Written by John Logan

    • Directed by Antoine Fuqua

    • Featuring Jaafar Jackson, Nia Long, Colman Domingo and Juliano Valdi.

    — Michael tells the story of Michael Jackson from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world. Watch on VOD.

    • 40.55

    • Written by Olivia Newman, John Whittington, Shelby Van Pelt

    • Directed by Olivia Newman

    • Featuring Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Colm Meaney and Joan Chen.

    — A widow who works at a local aquarium finds joy again when she forms an unlikely bond with a Giant Pacific Octopus and a wayward young man who comes to town in search of family. Together, they will uncover a mystery that will lead them to a life-changing discovery and restore their sense of wonder. Watch on Netflix.

    • 38.37

    • Written by Leah McKendrick

    • Directed by Leah McKendrick

    • Featuring Zoey Deutch, Nick Robinson, Harry Shum and Leah McKendrick.

    — Jill leaves voice messages to her deceased sister telling her about her chaotic life in San Francisco. Unwittingly, a man in Austin begins to receive the confessions. Watch on Netflix.

    • 36.11

    • Written by Satoko Okudera, Shuichi Yoshida

    • Directed by Sang-il Lee

    • Featuring Ryo Yoshizawa, Ryusei Yokohama, Mitsuki Takahata and Shinobu Terajima.

    — Nagasaki, 1964. After the death of his father, 14-year-old Kikuo is taken under the wing of a famous actor. Alongside Shunsuke, the actor’s only son, Kikuo decides to dedicate himself to the theater. Across decades, the two, young men evolve together – from acting school to the grandest stages – amid scandals and glory, brotherhood and betrayals, as each pushes to become the greatest living Kabuki master. Watch on VOD.

    • 35.08

    • Written by Brent McCorkle

    • Directed by Andrew Erwin, Brent McCorkle

    • Featuring J. Michael Finley, Milo Ventimiglia, Sophie Skelton and Arielle Kebbel.

    — Bart Millard, lead singer of MercyMe, faces a personal crisis at the peak of his success. As his world unravels, he struggles with his beliefs and inner demons while seeking a path through adversity. Watch on Starz.

    • 34.86

    • Written by Patrick Kinnane, John Kinnane, Kevin James

    • Directed by Charles Kinnane, Daniel Kinnane

    • Featuring Kevin James, Nicole Grimaudo, Kim Coates and Alyson Hannigan.

    — After being left at the altar in Rome, a man decides to go on his honeymoon alone. Watch on Angel.

    • 34.65

    • Written by Alice Oseman

    • Directed by Wash Westmoreland

    • Featuring Joe Locke, Kit Connor, William Gao, Tobie Donovan

    — New challenges lay ahead for Nick and Charlie with Nick getting ready to leave for university and Charlie taking on new responsibilities at school. Watch on Netflix.

    • 34.17

    • Written by Bradley Cooper, Will Arnett, Mark Chappell

    • Directed by Bradley Cooper

    • Featuring Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Andra Day and Bradley Cooper.

    — As their marriage quietly unravels, Alex faces middle age and impending divorce by seeking new purpose in the New York comedy scene while Tess confronts the sacrifices she made for their family - forcing both to navigate parenting, identity, and whether love can take a new form. Watch on Hulu.

    • 33.15

    • Written by Emily Bronte, Emerald Fennell

    • Directed by Emerald Fennell

    • Featuring Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Hong Chau, Shazad Latif

    — A passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. Watch on HBO Max.

STOCK PICTURES.

    • 38.40

    • Written by Joe Carnahan, Michael McGrale

    • Directed by Joe Carnahan

    • Featuring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun and Teyana Taylor.

    — Upon discovering millions in cash in a derelict stash house, trust among a team of Miami cops begins to fray. As outside forces learn about the size of the seizure, everything is called into question, including who they can rely on. Watch on Netflix.

    • 37.95

    • Written by Diederik Hoogstraten, Tom Provost, Jon Erwin

    • Directed by Jon Erwin

    • Featuring William Franklyn-Miller, Mary-Louise Parker, Leo Hanna, Mia Rodgers.

    — A young George Washington faces war, betrayal and impossible choices that will forge a leader. Watch in Theaters!

    • 37.70

    • Written by Tin Shu Mak, Zhilong Lei, Kwan-Sin Shum

    • Directed by Kenji Tanigaki

    • Featuring Miao Xie, Joe Taslim, Enyou Yang, Brian Le

    — A father fights fiercely against ruthless kidnappers to save his abducted daughter. Watch on VOD.

    • 37.08

    • Written by David Haig, Anthony Maras

    • Directed by Anthony Maras

    • Featuring Andrew Scott, Brendan Fraser, Kerry Condon and Chris Messina.

    — Showcasing the tense 72 hours before D-Day, General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Captain James Stagg face an impossible choice: launch the largest and most dangerous seaborne invasion in history or risk losing the war altogether. Watch on Peacock.

    • 36.77

    • Written by Bart Layton, Winslow

    • Directed by Bart Layton

    • Featuring Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan and Halle Berry.

    — Set in Los Angeles, Crime 101 weaves the tale of an elusive jewel thief whose string of heists along the 101 freeway have mystified police. When he eyes the score of a lifetime, his path crosses with that of a disillusioned insurance broker. As the heist approaches, the line between hunter and hunted begins to blur. Watch on Prime.

    • 36.55

    • Written by Daniel Roher, Robert Ramsey

    • Directed by Daniel Roher

    • Featuring Leo Woodall, Dustin Hoffman, Alisen Down and Ellyn James.

    — A talented piano tuner's meticulous skill leads him to discover an unexpected aptitude for cracking safes, turning his life upside down. Watch on VOD.

    • 35.25

    • Written by Steven Knight

    • Directed by Tom Harper

    • Featuring Cillian Murphy, Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Roth and Barry Keoghan.

    — Birmingham, 1940. Amidst the chaos of WWII, gangster Tommy Shelby is driven back from a self-imposed exile to face his most destructive reckoning yet. Watch on Netflix.

    • 33.80

    • Written by Jeremy Robbins

    • Directed by Baltasar Kormakur

    • Featuring Charlize Theron, Taron Egerton, Eric Bana and Matt Whelan.

    — Testing her limits in the remote and unforgiving Australian wilderness, Sasha suddenly finds herself not only up against the elements, but also facing off against a ruthless and lethal predator. Watch on Netflix.

    • 33.72

    • Written by John Patton Ford, Robert Hamer, John Dighton

    • Directed by John Patton Ford

    • Featuring Glen Powell, Margaret Qualley, Jessica Henwick and Adrian Lukis.

    — Disowned at birth by his wealthy family, blue-collar Becket Redfellow will stop at nothing to reclaim his inheritance. Watch on HBO Max.

    • 33.45

    • Written by Marco van Belle

    • Directed by Timur Bekmambetov

    • Featuring Chris Pratt, Rebecca Ferguson, Kali Reis and Annabelle Wallis.

    — In the near future, a detective stands on trial accused of murdering his wife. He has 90 minutes to prove his innocence to the advanced A.I. Judge he once championed, before it determines his fate. Watch on Prime.

FARCE PICTURES.

    • (Score) 40.12

    • Written by Cesc Gay, Will McCormack, Rashia Jones

    • Directed by Olivia Wilde

    • Featuring Penelope Cruz, Edward Norton, Seth Rogan and Olivia Wilde.

    — Joe and Angela's marriage is on thin ice and when they invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbors for a dinner party, the night spirals into unexpected places. Watch in Theaters!

    • 40.10

    • Written by Donald Westlake, Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi

    • Directed by Park Chan-wook

    • Featuring Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Woo Seung Kim and So Yul Choi.

    — After being unemployed for several years, a man devises a unique plan to secure a new job: eliminate his competition. Watch on Hulu.

    • 39.30

    • Written by Matt Johnson, Jay McCarrol, Jared Raab

    • Directed Matt Johnson

    • Featuring Matt Johnson, Jay McCarrol, Ben Petrie and Ethan Eng.

    — When their plan to book a show at the Rivoli goes horribly wrong, Matt and Jay accidentally travel back to the year 2008. Watch on Hulu.

    • 39.12

    • Written by Kristoffer Borgli

    • Directed by Kristoffer Borgli

    • Featuring Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Alana Haim and Mamoudou Athie.

    — An engaged couple is put to the test when an unexpected turn sends their wedding week off the rails. Watch on VOD.

    • 35.27

    • Written by Harry Lighton, Adam Mars-Jones

    • Directed by Harry Lighton

    • Featuring Harry Melling, Alexander Skarsgard, Douglas Hodge and Lesley Sharp.

    — A timid man is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive. Watch on HBO Max.

    • 34.97

    • Written by Aline Brosh McKenna, Lauren Weisberger

    • Directed by David Frankel

    • Featuring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci.

    — Andy Sachs reunites with Miranda Priestly as they navigate their careers amid the decline of traditional magazine publishing. Watch on Hulu.

    • 34.87

    • Written by Yulin Kuang, Amos Vernon, Nunzio Randazzo

    • Directed by Brett Haley

    • Featuring Emily Bader, Tom Blyth, Sarah Catherine Hook and Lucien Laviscount.

    — Every summer for nearly a decade, free-spirited Poppy and buttoned-up Alex embark on a travel adventure, but after years of not speaking, one fateful trip brings them back together to confront their unspoken feelings for one another. Watch on Netflix.

    • 34.22

    • Written by Boots Riley

    • Directed by Boots Riley

    • Featuring Keke Palmer, Taylour Paige, Naomi Ackie and Ja’el Roberson.

    — A crew of professional shoplifters take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven. Watch on VOD.

    • 33.48

    • Written by Ed Solomon

    • Directed by Steven Soderberg

    • Featuring Michaela Coel, Ian McKellan, Jessica Gunning, Dmitri Prokopiev

    — The children of a once famous artist hire a forger to complete some unfinished, long ago abandoned canvases so that they'll have an inheritance when he dies. Watch on VOD.

    • 33.05

    • Written by John Carney, Peter McDonald

    • Directed by John Carney

    • Featuring Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald, Rory Keenan

    — Rick, a washed-up wedding singer, and Danny, a fading boy band star, bond over music and a late-night jam session. When Danny turns Rick's song from that session into a hit, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves. Watch on VOD.

FREAK PICTURES.

    • (Score) 48.67

    • Written by Curry Barker

    • Directed by Curry Barker

    • Featuring Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless.

    — After breaking the mysterious “One Wish Willow” to win his crush’s heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price. Watch on Peacock.

    • 39.62

    • Written by Will Soodik, Kane Parsons

    • Directed by Kane Parsons

    • Featuring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass and Finn Bennett.

    — After a therapist's patient disappears into a dimension beyond reality, she must venture into the unknown to save him. Watch on VOD.

    • 38.65

    • Written by Damian Shannon, Mark Swift

    • Directed by Sam Raimi

    • Featuring Rachel McAdams, Dylan O’Brien, Edyll Ismail, Dennis Haysbert.

    — An overworked analyst and her arrogant nepo-baby boss survive a plane crash near Thailand and must cooperate to survive on a remote jungle island. Watch on Hulu.

    • 36.02

    • Written by Santiago Fillol, Oliver Laxe

    • Directed by Oliver Laxe

    • Featuring Sergi Lopez, Bruno Nunez Arjona, Stefanie Gadda and Joshua Liam Herderson.

    — A father and his son arrive at a rave deep in the mountains of southern Morocco searching for Mar — daughter and sister — who vanished months ago. Hope is fading but they push through and follow a group of ravers heading to one last party in the desert. As they venture deeper into the burning wilderness, the journey forces them to confront their own limits. Watch on Hulu.

    • 35.90

    • Written by Damian McCarthy

    • Directed by Damian McCarthy

    • Featuring Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot and Austin Amelio.

    — When novelist Ohm Bauman retreats to a remote inn to scatter his parents' ashes, he is consumed by tales of a witch haunting the honeymoon suite. Disturbing visions and a shocking disappearance forces him to confront dark corners of his past. Watch on VOD.

    • 35.05

    • Written by Guy Busick, R. Christopher Murphy

    • Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett

    • Featuring Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Elijah Wood and Sarah Michelle Gellar.

    — Moments after surviving an all-out attack from the Le Domas family, Grace discovers she’s reached the next level of the nightmarish game and this time with her estranged sister, Faith, at her side. Grace has one chance to survive, keep her sister alive, and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. Watch on Hulu.

    • 33.62

    • Written by Sébastien Vanicek, Florent Bernard

    • Directed by Sébastien Vanicek

    • Featuring Souheila Yacoub, Tandi Wright, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan.

    — After the loss of her husband, a woman seeks solace with her in-laws. One by one, they transform into deadites. Watch in Theaters!

    • 33.50

    • Written by Kirill Sokolov, Alex Litvak

    • Directed by Kirill Sokolov

    • Featuring Zazie Beetz, Patricia Arquette, Myha’la Herrold and Paterson Joseph.

    — A desperate woman answers a cryptic ad for a live-in housekeeper at a luxurious yet foreboding New York City high-rise. Upon arrival, she uncovers the building's sinister history: residents have vanished without trace for decades, fueling whispers of a Satanic cult lurking in the shadows. Watch on HBO Max.

    • 33.41

    • Written by Kotake Create, Kentaro Hirase, Genki Kawamura

    • Directed by Genki Kawamura

    • Featuring Kazunari Ninomiya, Yamato Kochi, Naru Asanuma and Kotone Hanase.

    — The movie follows a man trapped in an endless, sterile subway passageway as he sets out to find Exit 8. Watch on AMC.

    • 33.12

    • Written by Adrian Chiarella

    • Directed by Adrian Chiarella

    • Featuring Tyallah Bullock, Stacy Clausen, Joe Bird, and Ewen Leslie.

    — Two teenage boys must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most - each other. Watch on VOD.

STUNT PICTURES.

    • (Score) 56.32

    • Written by Drew Goddard, Andy Weir

    • Directed by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller

    • Featuring Ryan Gosling, Sandra Huller, James Ortiz and Lionel Boyce.

    — Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. Watch on Prime.

    • 51.77

    • Written by Christopher Nolan, Homer

    • Directed by Christopher Nolan

    • Featuring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, and Robert Pattinson.

    — After the Trojan War, Odysseus faces a dangerous voyage back to Ithaca. Watch in Theaters!

    • 41.66

    • Written by Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Stan Lee (Comic By)

    • Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton

    • Featuring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Mark Ruffalo, Jon Bernthal

    — Peter Parker is now an adult, living alone, having voluntarily erased himself from the lives and memories of those he loves. He's devoted himself to protecting his city as Spider-Man. Watch in Theaters!

    • 40.35

    • Written by Craig Mazin, Leonie Swann

    • Directed by Kyle Balda

    • Featuring Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Braun, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Bryan Cranston.

    — George Hardy is a shepherd who loves his sheep and raises them only for their wool. When George is found dead under mysterious circumstances, the sheep realize at once that it was a murder and think they know everything about how to go about solving it. Watch on Prime.

    • 40.20

    • Written by Alex Garland

    • Directed by Nia DaCosta

    • Featuring Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Connor Newall and Ralph Fiennes.

    — In the world of The Bone Temple, the infected are no longer the greatest threat to survival - the inhumanity of the survivors can be stranger and more terrifying. Watch on Netflix.

    • 37.70

    • Written by Matthew Robinson

    • Directed by Gore Verbinski

    • Featuring Sam Rockwell, Juno Temple, Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Pena

    — A man claiming to be from the future takes the patrons of an iconic Los Angeles diner hostage in search of unlikely recruits in a quest to save the world. Watch on Hulu.

    • 37.42

    • Written by Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Noah Kloor

    • Directed by Jon Favreau

    • Featuring Pedro Pascal, Brendan Wayne, Lateef Crowder and Sigourney Weaver.

    — The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu. Watch on VOD.

    • 36.65

    • Written by David Koepp, Steven Spielberg

    • Directed by Steven Spielberg

    • Featuring Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colman Domingo, Colin Firth.

    — Two people become vehicles for alien information. Watch on VOD.

    • 35.90

    • Written by Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee

    • Directed by Travis Knight

    • Featuring Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Idris Elba and Jared Leto.

    — A young man on Earth discovers a fabulous secret legacy as the prince of an alien planet, and must recover a magic sword and return home to protect his kingdom. Watch on Prime.

    • 35.15

    • Written by Patrick Hughes, James Beaufort

    • Directed by Patrick Hughes

    • Featuring Alan Ritchson, Stephan James, Blake Richardson and Dennis Quaid.

    — During the final stage of U.S. Army Ranger selection, an elite team’s training exercise turns into a fight for survival against an unimaginable threat. Watch on Netflix.

— “Spotlights” features two movies that rated well but not in a large enough sample size to qualify for the Top 50. These movies will almost always be more independent and so limited in their distribution capacity.

SPOTLIGHTS.

Late Shift‍

(Drama)(German) | Watch on VOD

— With one colleague out sick and no replacement on deck, two nurses and a nervous trainee have to cover more than two dozen patients. Every second counts and every interruption could mean the difference between life or death.

The Last Viking

(Farce)(Danish) | Watch on VOD

— Anker is released from prison after fifteen years for robbery. The money from that heist was buried by his brother, Manfred, and only he knows where it is, but Manfred has since developed a mental disorder, causing him to forget.

AUGUST (AT THE MOVIES).

August 07

One Night Only

(Farce) — Two people search for love on the one night of the year when sex is legal.

The Last House

(Freak)(Stunt) — A family of four is sealed inside their house with no way out and must work together to survive against their dwindling resources and what’s keeping them trapped.

August 14

The End of Oak Street

(Stunt) — The Platt family bands together to navigate their new surroundings after a cosmic event transports their suburban neighborhood to someplace unknown.

The Rivals of Amziah King

(Stock) — Amziah King, beekeeper, reunites with his former foster daughter Kateri after many years apart and fends off threats to his honey business.

August 21

The Magic Faraway Tree

(Stunt) — A modern family relocates to the countryside where the children discover a magical tree with eccentric residents. They're transported to fantastical lands.

Tony

(Drama) — A 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain travels to Provincetown and stumbles into the chaotic world of restaurant kitchens.

August 28

Coyote vs. Acme

(Stunt) — After decades of being injured, Wile E. Coyote finally fights back, teaming up with accident lawyer Kevin Avery against the corporate counsel Buddy Crane.

The Dog Stars

(Stunt) — In a post-apocalyptic world, a virus wipes out humanity and survivors face roaming scavengers called Reapers.

FEATURED.

Top Ten Animated Films (2026)

— Updated rankings of the year’s favorite films.

About “Studio TAR.”

— With “Studio TAR” I’d like to soon expand the site to write and speak more about movies and potentially television. Until then, its primary focus is The Top 50.

Tip Line.

— Since this is a new endeavor, I’d greatly appreciate any (thoughtful) feedback on how to improve the website. For example, there may be an info or tech mistake on site, or you may have ideas on other things to try or to include. Please send any notes to tarpictures@gmail.com. Cheers!