HAT TIPS
SISTER MIDNIGHT
SORRY, BABY
EEPHUS
ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL
SINNERS
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
TRAIN DREAMS
UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE
GRAND TOUR
BLACK BAG
ORWELL 2 + 2 = 5
NOUVELLE VAGUE
EX-HUSBANDS
SPLITSVILLE
BREAKOUT STAR OF 2025
Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another
NOTABLES
CAUGHT BY THE TIDES
FREAKY TALES
WAKE UP DEAD MAN
KILL THE JOCKEY
HARVEST
28 YEARS LATER
HOT MILK
STEPPENWOLF
STUFF
CLOUD - A brief, pristine shot of darkness enveloping a home. It is beautiful and fleeting, but it may be my favorite single visual moment of the whole year.
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER - Every second of banter between DiCaprio and del Toro was a tonic for the urgent threats facing their characters.
EEPHUS, KILL THE JOCKEY, and SORRY, BABY - For me, the best surprises of the year. Films that I went into cold, no knowledge or expectations, and they absolutely walloped me.
FRANKENSTEIN - When the creature touches Elizabeth’s gloved hand; delicate, intimate, chaste. A lovely moment.
WEAPONS - That finale: a rip-roaring chase that is as delirious as its result is horrific.
SINNERS - Sammie playing Charlie Patton’s guitar in the car, and Stack’s reaction when he starts to sing. Priceless.
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER - The moment that made me jump more than any horror film or thriller gotcha was the death of Mae West (Alana Haim). Even on re-watch, BAM. Yikes.
WALTZING WITH BRANDO - Billy Zane accomplishes the year’s best imitation, a visually on-point Marlon Brando.
GOOD BOY - The year’s best animal performance? I was worried sick about that dog.
QUEER - The best film I watched a year too late.
FIGHT OR FLIGHT - The year’s best trash? Say what you want about this derivative, messy, noisy film…but I had a blast from start to finish.
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER - “Bob?” When the clerk can’t get “Jim Parker” to pay attention. It’s such a flawless moment, no pause, just a line of questioning and then freedom.
THE MASTERMIND - The film with the briefly-met tertiary characters I would have gladly watched an entire film about: John Magaro and Gaby Hoffman’s old acquaintances of Josh O’Connor’s drifting loser were instantly intriguing, and I cared far more about finding out what their deal was than the aimless protagonist.
MY FAVORITE TV SHOW
DYING FOR SEX
THE EXCEPTION CLUB
(Films I wanted to love, had every reason to love, but one or more elements gave me pause.)
CLOUD
MISERICORDIA
THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME
WEAPONS
THE SPARROW IN THE CHIMNEY
THE DAMNED
FRANKENSTEIN
KOLN 75
THE OLD WOMAN WITH THE KNIFE
THE REP
My favorite never-before-seen films from the past 12 months:
Ikarie XB1, Louie Blouie, Planet of the Vampires, Porco Rosso, and The Red Light Bandit
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES…
The films I didn’t get a chance to see which will have to be part of the 2026 catch-up:
PETER HUJAR’S DAY
THE SECRET AGENT
PREDATOR: BADLANDS
HALLOW ROAD
Radu Jude’s DRACULA
Luc Besson’s DRACULA
NO OTHER CHOICE
DON’T LET’S GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT
BLUE MOON
IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT
