Since this has been going on for a few years, I really needed to start including the year in the post titles to denote it as January 2026 (and I may take the time to go back and add it to previous posts for cleanliness). Insert my usual “I’m super busy, but I’m going to catch back up!” blurb, and then let’s get started!

Good Night, and Good Luck: Live From Broadway – Netflix, Jan 7th

This is kind of cheating, but it falls squarely within my interests – a 2025 live recording of Good Night, and Good Luck, starring George Clooney, adapted from the 2005 film of the same name. Both the film and this stage play were co-written by Clooney and Grant Heslov, following the story of CBS journalist Edward R. Murrow and US Senator Joseph McCarthy. Clooney, a vocal opponent of the current administration, likely felt it was an apt time to stage the play – it’s focus on the McCarthy Red Scare has eerie parallels to our current reality.

As an aside, it’s shaping up to be a big year for filmed stage productions, with Hadestown and Six both getting full releases in the Summer and Fall. Exciting time to be a theater kid.

The Rip – Netflix, Jan 16th

Long-time collaborators Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are at it again with a new, gritty crime movie. And I couldn’t be more in. Even a half-baked film with the pair is fantastic, and they serve as both stars and producers through their production company, Artists Equity. Not exactly a household name, director Joe Carnahan has primarily found success in big action films, with The Grey (Liam Neeson), Shadow Force (Kerry Washington and Omar Sy), and the 2010 remake of The A-Team on his résumé. None of them were mega-hits, and I’m not exactly hopeful that this will be either. Still, these types of movies are a fun way to kill a few hours, and can often surprise you when led by confident stars.

All You Need Is Kill – Theaters, Jan 16th

I don’t end up recommending too much anime on the site, mostly because the movies usually tie into established series I haven’t taken the time to watch. All You Need Is Kill is based on the book of the same name by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. If that sounds familiar, it’s because the novel was also the basis for the live-action Edge of Tomorrow. I enjoy films that play with time, and the animation looks fantastic, so this definitely landed on my shortlist this month.

Arco – Theaters, January 30th

Two animated films in one month? What is the world coming to? Arco, out of France, premiered at Cannes in 2025, and thanks to a limited qualifying theater run in November 2025, ended up with an Academy Award nod for Best Animated Feature. The English dub was written and directed by the film’s director, Ugo Bienvenu, so this is one of those cases where the dub may be as true to the story as the original. Boasting an impressive voice cast, including producer Natalie Portman, Mark Ruffalo, and Flea, among others, I had hoped to get to this before the Oscars and just couldn’t find the time. The visuals I did see blew my socks off, so it remains on my list to sit down and watch.