September 2026 Film Rankings: Every New Movie I Saw, Ranked Worst to Best

During September 2026, I watched 14 new movies in theaters using my Regal Unlimited subscription. Here's my ranking of every movie I saw this month, from worst to best.

If you missed it, check out my August 2026 movie rankings where I reviewed Coyote vs. ACME, The End of Oak Street, and other theatrical releases.

Warning: there are minimal spoilers ahead.

14. Fall 2: Deadpoint ★★☆☆☆

"You got this, keep going!"

Forrest Gump's mother once said: "Stupid is as stupid does." That phrase seems especially apropos here. The premise of the first film was already difficult to wrap my head around: a woman’s “best friend” forces her to complete a deadly climb after they both witnessed her husband die doing this very thing. However, Fall still had its moments—there was a genuinely shocking twist, and the movie managed to create real suspense and fear along the way. This sequel strips away nearly everything that made its predecessor intriguing. The characters are somehow even more unlikeable, truly tense moments are virtually nonexistent, and our protagonist willingly finds herself scaling a deadly cliff in Thailand despite her own sister having died during a similarly reckless stunt. One would think that experience might inspire a lifelong commitment to remaining on solid ground. Eventually, the sheer stupidity of these characters becomes so exhausting that you stop fearing for their lives and start rooting for gravity.

13. Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom ★★⯪✩✩

"..."

There was a shortage of quotes to choose from here. In all seriousness, I'd like to have an appreciation for the painstaking work that goes into stop-motion animation, and Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom is incredibly well done from a visual standpoint. Unfortunately, this film still struggled to hold my attention throughout its already brief 80-minute runtime. The fact that my theater was completely empty on a Sunday afternoon probably says something about how difficult the concept was to market to children as well. A sheep accidentally turns a farmer into a monster in an animated, horror-adjacent comedy—who exactly was the target audience here? Had it been released on a different weekend, perhaps it could have made a little more noise. Ultimately, Resident Evil was by far the superior experience.

12. The Fix ★★⯪✩✩

"Who do you think I am: Aladdin?"

The Fix has to be one of the strangest movies I've seen with my Regal Unlimited pass. The poster prominently features Liam Neeson, who, in a bit of false advertising, plays a surprisingly small role in this overstuffed ensemble filled with too many characters and intertwining plotlines. As the 144-minute runtime drags on, you start to wonder if the film will ever end—and then, almost inexplicably, the credits start rolling. Perhaps the biggest problem is the film's sense of self-importance, as it clearly strives to become some cinematic masterpiece that never quite materializes. Instead, we're left with a confusing final product that seems far more impressed with itself than I ever was. Maybe this isn't a bad film, but it's equally hard to recommend.

11. The Uprising ★★★☆☆

"There will be no peace until we are free."

Before I establish myself as a prominent Robin Hood hater (see my June 2026 movie rankings), I should make it clear that this film is far more entertaining than the dreary Hugh Jackman take released earlier this summer. The Uprising opens with violence, closes with violence, and packs plenty more violence in between. My biggest beef with movies set in this time period, however, remains the use of outdated language in muddled accents, which can make the story nearly impossible to follow without subtitles. Nonetheless, at its core, this is a solid film illustrating the poor revolting against the rich, as those who have spent their lives being ruled finally decide they've had enough—and Robin Hood is born. Perhaps the genre is not a personal favorite, but history buffs and Andrew Garfield fanatics are sure to be intrigued.

10. Primetime ★★★☆☆

"You see how this looks, right?"

Ironically, this is perhaps the most fitting quote provided by Primetime, a film in which Robert Pattinson portrays NBC’s Chris Hansen during his time hosting To Catch a Predator. Hansen himself called the film “over the top,” criticizing its creative liberties and portrayal of him as a "crazy guy". Perhaps the strangest choice, however, is the film’s apparent attempt to make audiences sympathize with the predators Hansen was exposing. Anyone familiar with the story knows the repercussions for his final target were brutal, but even before that moment, the film prods viewers to feel sorry for a disabled man whose loneliness is emphasized as he attempts to exploit a young boy. The material was certainly there, but this film could have been constructed much differently—and much more effectively.

9. Onslaught ★★★☆☆

"You interrupted a recreational evening. Where am I going?"

If ever a film were deserving of exactly 3/5 stars, it would be Onslaught. The movie proves to be precisely what its IMDb description promises: “When a rogue squad of genetically engineered super soldiers break loose in the desert, a badass Army sniper must unleash hell to protect her young daughter.” After a bit of exposition, a trailer park comes under attack and our protagonist, Celeste, with the help of a few comrades, is forced into full mother-bear mode to protect her only child. Very little is done to reinvent the wheel, though Kovacs provides some much-needed comic relief by inexplicably charging into battle screaming like a maniac. From there, Onslaught delivers plenty of blood, scares, and carnage on its way to an ultimately predictable resolution. It's brutal, brainless fun—quite entertaining, if not particularly imaginative.

8. Hope ★★★⯪✩

"I felt the lukewarm flow of runny dung."

What a quote. At this point, we start to enter coin-flip territory when it comes to ranking some solid films. With Hope, a few criticisms immediately jump off the page: the CGI is severely lacking, our main characters possess some pretty heavy plot armor, and, as an American viewer, reading subtitles throughout a bulky 160-minute runtime can become tedious. However, the action scenes—and there are a lot of them—are consistently captivating, while enough humor is sprinkled throughout to keep things interesting. Writer and director Na Hong-jin also deserves credit for swinging for the fences with a uniquely chaotic story that certainly doesn't lack ambition. On a more personal note, as a fan of Squid Game, it was nice to see Hoyeon on the big screen, slaying alien monsters.

7. By Any Means ★★★⯪✩

"Chocolate, delicious, like a Tootsie Roll, right?"

This was one of the more interesting films I’ve seen in recent memory. A drama centered around race—more specifically, the killings of civil rights leaders in 1960s Mississippi—makes for inherently heavy subject matter. Yet By Any Means feels tonally inconsistent at times, particularly when Mafia hitman Greg Scarpa, portrayed by Mark Wahlberg, repeatedly has the theater erupting in laughter. Perhaps his character is intended to provide comic relief, but the contrast is a bit jarring given the gravity of the story being told. Still, the narrative is relatively easy to follow as the film races toward its conclusion. Considering the subject matter, it feels like the kind of story that could easily have justified a runtime beyond two hours, making the abrupt ending feel like something of a missed opportunity. For as compelling and potentially rewatchable as By Any Means is, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was an even better movie hidden somewhere in here.

6. The Dog Stars ★★★⯪✩

"I used to say, 'If you ever catch me playing golf, shoot me in the head'."

To anyone still emotionally scarred by Marley & Me: proceed with caution. All jokes aside, this was a compelling movie. Typically, dystopian films are packed with nonstop tension, but The Dog Stars takes a refreshingly different approach. There is plenty of downtime, allowing viewers to simply enjoy the scenery of a world that remains beautiful despite civilization as we know it having ended. There is violence and danger, of course, but at the heart of the film is something much more human. The Dog Stars grants its characters room to breathe, allowing relationships to develop and an appreciation for life to flourish amidst the death and destruction. Rather than constantly pushing toward the next action sequence, the movie finds meaning in the quieter moments that this genre often overlooks. The result is a surprisingly thoughtful take on the apocalypse—and a quite enjoyable film.

5. Heart of the Beast ★★★⯪✩

"I've always been a soldier. Odin made me understand that I'm something more."

Brad Pitt gives a commendable performance in a movie that feels remarkably similar in tone and atmosphere to The Dog Stars. Visually stunning and equally somber, Heart of the Beast tells the story of a war veteran and his trusted companion dog as they struggle across unforgiving terrain together following an accident. Like The Dog Stars, the film is willing to simplify things, allowing the scenery, isolation, and relationship at its center to carry the story. Pitt effectively portrays a man carrying the scars of his past, while his four-legged companion provides him with something worth continuing to fight for. The gorgeous landscapes often stand in stark contrast to the desperation of their situation, making the journey feel both beautiful and heartbreaking. At its core, Heart of the Beast is an emotional survival story that deserves to be seen on the big screen. Based on its abbreviated runtime, this one will just crack my top five for September.

4. Practical Magic 2 ★★★⯪✩

"Nice to meet you: tall, dark, and possibly cursed."

Having grown up as an avid fan of the Harry Potter franchise, the mere sight of “magic” in a film title is enough to send me running to the theater. Quite honestly, I had never seen Practical Magic (1998) until preparing for the release of this sequel, but I found the original to be an enjoyable watch. Interestingly, Practical Magic 2 takes a noticeably different approach. Rather than leaning into the Salem Witch Trials-esque side of witchcraft, the sequel embraces something more fantastical, at times evoking the kind of magic that might appeal to Potter fans. It isn't a staggering, five-star kind of ride, but it serves both its fanbase and the original story well enough to justify its existence as a sequel. If movies are ultimately meant to entertain, Practical Magic 2 did exactly that, providing the humor and heart needed to earn its place near the top of an eclectic month of releases.

3. Runner ★★★★☆

"I'm not gonna die in Australia."

This was perhaps the biggest surprise of September. On paper, Runner seems like your average action film, and probably isn't something I would have paid to see under normal circumstances. Owen Wilson was the selling point that convinced me to give this one a shot, but I quickly found the film to be a masterclass in its genre. Admittedly, there are some editing errors and moments where the audience has to suspend disbelief. When Hank Malone answers the phone, the call duration doesn't count up properly, and when Ben Bishop whispers from the back of a moving ambulance, it's a stretch to believe Hank can actually hear him. There are head-scratching, over-the-top moments, but the movie is such a good time that I hardly cared about its flaws. The characters' motivations are clear, the emotional stakes are high, and the action sequences consistently deliver. Two people need a liver to survive. Only one is going to get it. What I expected to be a fairly generic ride quickly put an impactful twist on a "popcorn flick".

2. Forgotten Island ★★★★☆

"Lucky for you, I have a photogenic memory."

Just when you thought original movie ideas had been wiped from existence, along comes Forgotten Island. This movie was unironically—and strangely—hysterical, with subtle humor and ridiculous moments popping up left and right. From the classic “firerhea” burning off Raissa’s hair to Jo’s "special-edition knockoff" shoes, the film embraces its own absurdity without feeling like it's trying too hard to make viewers laugh. More importantly, beneath all the weirdness is a genuinely unique story that kept me invested from start to finish. In a year filled with sequels, adaptations, and familiar concepts, there is something refreshing about watching a movie that simply feels different. Where I might have hated on Shaun the Sheep, there is very little for me to dislike about this wonderfully chaotic animated film. Forgotten Island was weird, funny, and unpredictable—exactly the kind of original experience we should have in theaters more often. Four stars.

1. Resident Evil ★★★★⯪

"I don't believe that. I didn't just shoot a little girl in the face. I like kids."

If Obsession is the greatest horror film released in 2026, Resident Evil seems like the obvious 1B choice, and I am already eager to rewatch Zach Cregger's creation. This was quite clearly the most captivating release of September, so I am docking half a point solely because of how horrifying some of the visuals were to experience. Although my entire theater erupted in laughter throughout this movie as well, the tonal shifts that bothered me in By Any Means weren't disruptive here. Instead, the humor felt like a much-needed reprieve from the horrifying world our protagonist was suddenly thrust into. As a fan of The Walking Dead, it was also nice to root for Austin Abrams this time around, as I found him insufferable in that series. It's difficult for me to judge as a video game adaptation, having never played the games, but as a standalone film, it was epic. Hilarious, disgusting, and relentlessly entertaining, Resident Evil (2026) is the ideal first trip to Raccoon City.

What were your favorite movies released in September 2026? Let me know in the comments!