20 Best Movies Of 2026 (So Far)
5. Wasteman
Prison dramas rarely get better than this, Cal McMau's claustrophobic thriller about a parolee (David Jonsson) whose upcoming release is put into jeopardy by the arrival of a dangerous new cellmate (Tom Blyth).
Wasteman's great draw is its cast - Jonsson has never been better, and with this role Blyth secures his own place as a young talent to watch - but also the grit and grime McMau finds in their conflict, both physical and mental. It makes for such a brutal vision you may feel the need to shower once all's said and done.
Better still is how often Wasteman teeters on the edge of becoming too bleak, too overbearing, too full of torment, only to pull back to the light by digging into the minds of its broken, flawed, imperfectly human protagonists.
Far from a film you'll seek for a re-watch, Wasteman is nonetheless a knock-out that begs to be seen.