HIGHEST RATED 2026 FILMS NOW AVAILABLE ON STREAMING CHANNELS

Before getting into streaming, one editorial on the horror of war.  I asked Google AI, how many have died from the Russia vs Ukraine War, and the USA/Israel vs Iran War?

Combined Russian and Ukrainian casualties in the war have topped 2 million, with estimates of up to 500,000 Russian troops and up to 150,000 Ukrainian troops killed. Additionally, the UN has verified over 16,000 civilian deaths in Ukraine, though the actual toll is likely much higher. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

The ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, which escalated in late February 2026, has resulted in a staggering human toll, with nearly 5,000 casualties reported across more than a dozen countries. While the vast majority of fatalities have occurred in Iran and Lebanon, the digital landscape has also faced its own crisis. Google AI Overviews have come under intense scrutiny for supercharging misinformation and hoaxes regarding the war's devastation. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Any death is awful, and two more American soldiers died, these in an Iranian strike in Jordan.  Total U.S. deaths?  16.  More than 50 Iranian leaders have been killed, and maybe up to 6000 total in that country by this Day 140 of the Iran War.  Amazing that no organized Iranian revenge incident has occurred in the U.S.

For the record, from Google AI:

• Throughout history, 150 million to well over 1 billion deaths from armed conflict.
• Worst?
• WW2 (1939-1945)  70-85 million
• Taiping (China) Rebellion (1850-1864)  20-70 million
• Mongol Invasions/Conquests (1206-1368)  60 million
• Taking the higher number and translating to our current world population of 8.3 billion, the number of deaths today would be:
• WW2  253 million
• Taiping Rebellion  2.9 billion
• Mongol Invasion  1.3 billion

I've lately been watching a lot of films and series on my television.  I asked Google AI what are the highest rated Rotten Tomatoes 2026 films now available on your streaming channels.  I insert my quick review, without, I hope, giving away much, for those I saw.

• 
  Paul McCartney:  Man on the Run -- 100% critics, 84% audience, Prime
• A 2025 documentary about the life of Paul McCartney, beginning with his departure from The Beatles in 1969 through the 1970s.  
• Mostly about his second group, Wings.  
• First marriage to Linda Eastman in 1969, and they were together until 1998, when she passed away.  Movie did not get into his marriages to Heather Mills (2002 to 2008) and Nancy Shevell (2011 to present).  
• Not in documentary, but he has had a remarkable career, which deserves another production.
• At the age of 83, was the star of Stephen Colbert's final show on 21May2026.
• Now 84, has plans for a new album and world tour.
• About this documentary.  Don't know how it got a 100% rating.

• Obsession – 95% critics, 95% audience, Peacock from July 17
• The Sheep Detectives – 94% critic score, 96% audience, Prime
• The film features an ensemble cast including  Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Hong Chau, and Emma Thompson, with the voices of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O'Dowd, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, and Brett Goldstein. The film follows a flock of sheep who try to solve the murder of their shepherd.
• Has so far earned $131 million worldwide.
• Released on Prime on 24June2026.  Became #1 on Prime streaming worldwide.

• 
  Project Hail Mary – 94% critics, 95% audience, Netflix
• From Wikipedia:  Project Hail Mary premiered in London on March 9, 2026, and was released in the United States by Amazon MGM Studios on March 20, with Sony Pictures Releasing International releasing in other territories. The film received near universal critical acclaim, with praise for Lord and Miller's direction, Gosling's performance, the character of Rocky, as well as the humor, themes and visuals.^[6] It was also a commercial success, grossing $684 million worldwide, becoming the fifth-highest-grossing film of 2026.
• Ryan Gosling plays a middle school teacher, a PhD molecular biologist, who was shamed out of his field, for contradicting conventional thought on astrophage (a microbe), which now turns out to become an existential and extraterrestrial threat to all things in the Universe.
• Thus the creation of Project Hail Mary to solve this mystery.
• Gosling decided he did not want to go on this mission to planet Tau Ceti e, but was kidnapped to go anyway.
• He meets his counterpart, a rocklike creature, and they solve the problem.
• The end is interesting as to the future of Gosling.
• Great film, with a lot of science, unexpected humor and totally unlike Star Wars.
• 156 minutes long.
• So far, has earned $684 million worldwide.

• Hoppers – 94% critics, 93% audience, Disney+, is animated
• Send Help – 93% critics, 87% audience, Disney+and Hulu,  with Rachel McAdams
• From Wikipedia:

Send Help is a 2026 American survival horror thriller film^[5]directed and co-produced by Sam Raimi and written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. The film stars Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien as an employee and her boss, respectively, who become stranded on a desert island after a plane crash and attempt to survive while tension rises between them.

• This is, again, one of those production where someone gets away with murder.  
• Plot twists and turns and, no, I'm not giving away what happens, but does end with an interview on a golf course.  
• I almost stop watching several times, but made it to the end.
• And, yes, it is a horror flick.  From Disney.

• Leviticus -- 92% critics, 82% audience, not FREE, on Disney+, Hulu and Fandango, but should be available for FREE on Hulu at the end of the year
• 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple – 92% critics, 88% audience, Netflix
• Hokum – 89% critics, 82% audience, not FREE, Prime and Apple TV, but should be available on Hulu in September
• 
  Crime 101 – 88% critics, 84% audience, Prime, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Halle Berry, Prime
•       Won't say much.  An okay film with a happy ending.  Sorry.
• Nick Nolte makes a couple of appearances.

• GOAT – 84% critics, 93% audience, Netflix, not FREE, Apple TV and Prime, animated
• Disclosure Day -- 80% critics, 70% audience, directed by Steven Spielberg, Peacock will make it to Peacock in September or October, and debut on Netflix around March 2027, with Emily Blunt, Colin Firth, etc
• The Devil Wears Prada 2 – 78% critic score, 85% audience score, Disney+ from July 29, Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci return.

Of course, Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu) makes available new films 45 to 90 days after initial release, for a cost around $20 to $30.  Of course, you don't need to drive, can have microwave popcorn and your favorite drinks for almost free and not get mugged getting to and from your car.  I've pretty much stopped going to movie theaters.  My last presence was for the Barbenheimer weekend for both films.

In the world of sports:

• The Tour de France is till led by favorite Tadeg Pogačar.  The race has one more week, concluding on the Champs-Élsées on July 26,
• The Open at Royal Birkdale saw Sam Burns surging into the lead, at -10, now ahead by two strokes.  Seven within four shots, with Bryson DeChambeau lurking at -6.  Final day tomorrow.  USA covers from 4AM to 7AM tonight, picked up at 7AM to 2PM on NBC.

• 
  The FIFA World Cup Championship.
• Spain vs Argentina.
• Sunday, July 19 at 3PM EDT on FOX.
• Halftime show begins at 3:50PM or so, as soon as the first half ends.
• Prediction by six chatbots:  all say Spain over Argentina, 2-1.

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