ALT: Jack Sparrow: Until We Meet Again

Thank you for applying to be a new member of the International Film Society Critics Association. We are so very grateful you've taken an interest in our group, and are looking forward to knowing more ...

Thank you for applying to be a new member of the International Film Society Critics Association. We are so very grateful you've taken an interest in our group, and are looking forward to knowing more ...

Now that we’re halfway through 2026, it's time to look back and see how the first half of the year went. It was a mix of charming comedies, conspiracy thrillers, eye-popping animation, and impressive horror. The year is off to a strong start that is already promising to look like a strong year. So, we asked our members to decide which films deserved to sit at the top of the halfway mark, and their answers were as shocking as they were varied. So, if you haven’t had a chance to check out some of the best that the top half of the year had to offer, the members of the International Film Society Critics Association have got you covered. Despite making a fairly large list, we still had some films that we loved that landed just outside, so here are our honorable mentions, and to be fair, it’s quite a bit of them:

FEBRUARY - The International Film Society Critics Association (IFSCA) have announced their winners for the 2025 - 2026 film season. Ryan Coogler’s SINNERS emerged victorious bringing home 8 awards including Best Picture. The blues-themed horror film dominated in nominations, previously securing a historic 23 nominations. The wins today were for Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s cinematography, Ludwig Göransson’s score, Ryan Coogler’s screenplay and direction, and lead acting performance from Michael B.

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JANUARY - The International Film Society Critics Association (IFSCA) have announced their nominees for their 6th annual IFSCA Awards. Ryan Coogler’s highly celebrated vampire musical, SINNERS, topped the list with the most nominations in IFSCA history with a staggering 23 nominations. This haul bests the record that was made back in 2022 with Everything Everywhere All at Once’s record of 19 nominations.

ALT: a man in a suit is sitting on a potty with the words thank you bye

ALT: a close up of a person eating popcorn with the words oh this bout to get real behind them