Another good year for movies with the top-tier movies ranging a number of genres. Drama, whodunnit, horror, action, dark comedy. Some veteran directors gave us their best while a few newer auteurs made my top-10 list. In theory, I'm a staunch opponent of 2+ hour movies though sometimes I watch a 2.5 hour movie and don't notice the time at all so, perhaps, my issue is with pacing. If you're telling a long story, you better edit the hell out of it and keep the momentum going. All that to say: a few 2+ hour movies in my top 5. One more note on this go-around of movies: it was Pedro summer, Ethan fall, and Josh winter.
AMC A-List continues to be good to me. 100+ movies viewed in theaters. There's nothing like sneaking away to a theater on a random Tuesday evening to watch some B-level movie. Spencer got me an A-List hat that has yet to be noticed but there's still time.
Here's my list. 25 movies. Top 10 list followed by 15 Honorable Mentions listed alphabetically to fill out the 25. For my running list of all 2025 movies, in order of favorite to least-favorite, check my Letterboxd list.
Frenetic, Timothée at his best, Safdie doing his thing. The movie meanders in the best way.
A summer blockbuster that was fun! I miss having fun at the movies in the summer!
Well I had so much fun returning to the Zootopia world. A fresh story, a few new characters. A couple call-backs without feeling like they were relying on the success of the original. Some simple allegories to societal structures. I'm ready for part three in another nine years.
Celine Song is back with this mis-advertised romantic drama. The subtleties of her movies are what get me. Even with these A-list actors, the progression of story, the back-and-forth of the relationships, the well-roundedness of the characters all work. Not as strong as Past Lives but guarantees Song has more to say.
I felt like I knew the characters so well. A movie that knows itself. In no particular hurry.
Stellar script, solid performances, hard subject matter dealt with nuance, grace, and humor. Plus a kitty is involved.
Original IP movies are back! (1/3) Horror is dependable at the box office though this one really payed off via word of mouth popularity. This movie has a distinct and campy baddie. It's funny with a unique story and a good pay-off. Loved it.
What is there to say about the Knives Out franchise? Just perfection. New murder, new cast, new setting. Yet somehow just as good as the last two. Solid mystery and a barrage of stellar performances.
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Original IP movies are back! (2/3) Leave it to Ryan Coogler to make a highly accessible vampire story centering music and race. This was a cinematic experience done right. And of course, that music medley scene half-way through will go down in the record-book
Original IP movies are back! (3/3) I'm prejudiced against long movies yet this is a the second year in a row my top movie is a long drama that nails it. Immersive, well-edited, a journey. I wasn't bored once. Themes are timely. Some shots will go down in movie history as all-timers.
Honorable Mention (listed alphabetically)
- 28 Years Later
- Anaconda
- Black Bag
- Blue Moon
- Deaf President Now!
- Frankenstein
- Friendship
- K-Pop Demon Hunters
- Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music
- The Naked Gun
- The Secret Agent
- Splitsville
- Together
- Warfare
- Wicked: For Good
Highly Anticipated (listed alphabetically)
- Come See Me in the Good Light
- Dust Bunny
- Is This Thing On?
- It Was Just an Accident
- No Other Choice
- The Perfect Neighbor
- Plainclothes
- Sirát
- The Testament of Ann Lee
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