The 2026 summer movie season has come to a close and, honestly, it hasn’t been a favorite of mine when it comes to tentpole blockbusters.
Major genre movies “Mortal Kombat II,” “Masters of the Universe,” “Disclosure Day,” “Supergirl” “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and “The End of Oak Street” all failed to impress yours truly. Even the surprise hit of the season, “Obsession,” ended up being a miss for me (find my reasons here).
With that said, there was still a lot of movies that were quite good this summer, and like always, I want to give them their due as we enter fall. So, here are the winners of the annual Summer Movie Awards presented by Matthew Liedke on Film.
BEST MOVIE – The Odyssey
Director Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of the ancient piece of literature, clocking in at nearly three hours, was definitely the highlight of the summer at the cinema. A sweeping epic, this movie is a grand achievement, full of thrills, spectacle and harrowing journeys for the film’s two heroes.
It’s a powerful, expansive movie with several great performances, especially from Anne Hathaway, and the intertwined stories of both protagonists keep an audience hooked for the long hall. This marks the second time a Nolan film has won Best Picture, joining “The Dark Knight” in 2008.
Runner-Up: Toy Story 5
BEST DIRECTOR – Christopher Nolan for “The Odyssey”
Having helmed the best movie of the summer made Nolan pretty much a shoe-in here. His ability to adapt “The Odyssey,” balancing mystical fantasy with dramatic realism, is incredibly impressive. It’s an amazing achievement in filmmaking, crafting an epic up there with older classics like “Ben Hur” and “The Ten Commandments,” while incorporating modern technique.
One of the best aspects of any Nolan feature has been his attention to detail, and that shows up throughout the entirety of his latest project. It’s truly impeccable work. This is Nolan’s fourth time winning Best Director, also claiming the award with 2008’s “The Dark Knight,” 2010’s “Inception” and 2023’s “Oppenheimer.”
Runner-Up: Adam Rehmeier for “Carolina Caroline”
BEST COMEDY – “I Want Your Sex”
This release, coming out at the tail end of July, was an immensely funny and clever erotic dramatic comedy. It’s a surreal film exploring plenty of interesting ground, with a great deal of wit and whimsey.
It’s a rather creative feature, with a colorful, vibrant visual identity mixed with a narrative played loose and fun, while also digging into societal concepts. It’s also bolstered by a pair of strong lead performances from Cooper Hoffman and Olivia Wilde.
Runner-Up: “The Devil Wears Prada 2”
BEST FAMILY – Toy Story 5
It was easy to be skeptical with this one. I sure was. The fourth movie in this franchise already seemed unnecessary. That one turned out to be good, but a fifth? Well, Pixar proved they still had the magic with this installment, as “Toy Story 5” is a funny, sincere and topical movie with the same heart and creativeness that has kept an audience invested for 30 years.
The movie wins a person over by doing things in a way that’s new and refreshing, while keeping the same charm. Having Woody take a back seat so Jessie could be in the main character role, while also incorporating more of the lived experience of the central child, offers new perspectives for an audience, helping the film stand on its own. It’s a superb film and a welcome addition to the “Toy Story” saga.
Runner-Up: Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender
BEST ACTION – “The Furious”
While “The Odyssey” was a film grand in scale with its own share of entertaining set pieces, it was “The Furious” delivering the most pure action goodness. The Hong Kong martial arts flick featured incredible fight choreography that is honestly hard to find in many films from the U.S. these days.
So many fight scenes impress a viewer, with amazing physical abilities on display by the stunt team and actors. While it does clock in a bit long at nearly two hours for a martial arts picture, it’s overall a satisfying experience for the genre.
Runner-Up: “The Odyssey”
BEST ACTOR – Kyle Gallner for “Carolina Caroline”
There were a few solid performances this year, but for this category, I have to go with Gallner’s work as the hustler and co-lead of the summer’s crime drama “Carolina Caroline.” A career best for Gallner, he is superb as the charismatic, confident, and sometimes dark character Oliver.
He is exceptional at playing the rogue outlaw who has many layers to his character, some good, some bad. He also has fine chemistry with co-lead Samara Weaving.
Runner-Up: Hugh Jackman for “The Death of Robin Hood
BEST ACTRESS – Samara Weaving for “Carolina Caroline”
This was a competitive category, as along with Olivia Wilde, Mallori Johnson and Maya da Costa were in the running for “Is God Is” and “Girls Like Girls,” respectively. However, it was Weaving’s fantastic work in the crime drama “Carolina Caroline” taking the top spot.
Weaving was fantastic in portraying Caroline’s transformation in the film from a young woman with nowhere to put her energy into a savvy, wiser self with plenty of drive and emotional intelligence. She’s especially good in some of the heavier moments of the movie.
Runner-Up: Olivia Wilde for “I Want Your Sex.”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Robert Pattinson for “The Odyssey”
Pattinson is on a roll this year. He’s already starred in what’s currently my No. 1 film of the year, “The Drama,” (released before the summer season) and was an integral piece to Nolan’s epic.
Portraying the frontrunning candidate to become the new king, Pattinson is phenomenal as the weaselly, scheming character, portraying a guy you love to hate. He’s convincing in the role, and properly helps build up the film to its memorable climax.
Runner-Up: Stanley Tucci for “The Devil Wears Prada 2”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Anne Hathaway for “The Odyssey”
Hathaway has had a damn good summer. She was impressive in the sequel “Devil Wears Prada 2,” was probably the one bright spot of “End of Oak Street” and was the emotional epicenter of “The Odyssey.”
Perhaps the weaker part of Nolan’s film was the human element, but giving it a big boost was Hathaway’s tremendous work. Her ability to portray both the character’s heartache and longing for her lost husband, while also showing the figure’s conviction in belief that he will return and overall mental fortitude, is inspiring.
This is Hathaway’s second win, having also earned the same honor for her work in 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises.”
Runner-Up: Meryl Streep for “The Devil Wears Prada 2”
BEST ACTION SCENE — Warehouse fight, “The Furious”
There’s a moment in “The Furious” where both protagonists have to team up to take down a dude with a giant hammer. It’s an amazing sequence with fantastic choreography and great technical detail, allowing the viewer to see and hear every punch thrown and kick landed.
This type of kung fu filmmaking is rarely seen in American cinemas these days so it was especially appreciated. It’s a gritty, desperate bout that stands as one of the highlights for the feature.
Runner-Up: Final confrontation in “The Odyssey”
BEST SOUND – “The Odyssey”
“The Odyssey” was a technical marvel, and that definitely extends to its superb sound work. The way the sounds of the ancient world were brought to life on the big screen was done wonderfully, making for a fully immersive experience. From the battle scenes to simple moments, it excels in this regard.
This is the sixth time a Nolan film has won the category, joining “Oppenheimer,” “Dunkirk,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Inception” and “The Dark Knight.”
Runner-Up: “Pressure”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – “The Odyssey”
“The Odyssey” is an absolutely gorgeous film to look at. The movie has moments gigantic in scale, and others that are perfectly intimate showing important interactions, all nicely captured by the solid camerawork. The flick was made entirely on IMAX cameras, and the quality is certainly there.
The scenes on the island of the cyclops are especially well done, really putting the audience into the perilous moment. This is the sixth Nolan film to win the award, joining “Oppenheimer,” “Dunkirk,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Inception” and “The Dark Knight.”
Runner-Up: “The Death of Robin Hood”
BEST WRITING – “Carolina Caroline”
This was a narrow category, with “I Want Your Sex,” “Girls Like Girls,” “Is God Is” and “The Devil Wears Prada 2” all in competition. However, it was “Carolina Caroline” with the close victory. The crime drama was a fantastic, modern take on a couple on the run during a spree, fueled by romance and adrenaline.
There’s an especially well-written scene in the second act that serves as a major emotional turning point for the main character. It’s a highlight in an overall nicely penned feature.
Runner-Up: “I Want Your Sex”
BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS – “The Odyssey”
In addition to its stellar cinematography and impressive sound work, “The Odyssey” featured some fantastic special effects. Nolan’s films are often highly grounded in realism, yet “The Odyssey” is famously fantastical through and through, with plenty of magic moments and otherworldly creatures.
With a strong special effects effort, this version of “The Odyssey” was able to bring those fantastical elements to life in convincing fashion, with proper scale, while still having the sort of grounded visual identity Nolan is known for. This is the second time a Nolan film has won the category, also earning it in 2010 with “Inception.”
Runner-Up: “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”
BEST STUNT CHOREOGRAPHY – “The Furious”
Considering this movie is nearly 85 percent fighting, and basically all of those bouts had incredible martial arts moves, “The Furious” winning this spot is an easy choice. Bringing all of the battles to the big screen in authentic fashion took a great deal of work on behalf of the crew behind the stunts and choreography, and they did a wonderful job.
The fights are all fast-paced, with a blending of styles, taking place in a variety of settings. Making that work deserves credit. This is the first primarily martial arts-centered movie to win the category since “John Wick 3” in 2019.
Runner-Up: “The Odyssey”
BEST MUSIC – “Is God Is”
“Is God Is” had several good qualities, from the acting by its two leads to its unique visual style. Another one of its strengths was its music, which fit well with the Southern Gothic atmosphere, using elements of Blues and Gospel genres, among other styles, adding to the movie’s personality.
Runner-Up: “Carolina Caroline”
Past Summer Award Winners:
