As 2025 fades away, I wanted to take a look back at the plethora of films and shows released this year and provide both my own review and accolades. Without further ado, here are my picks:
Film of the year
While I don’t think any films truly stood out to me this year on a multitude of levels, the most enjoyable film would have to go to Timothée Chalamet’s Marty Supreme.
Chalamet gave one of his best performances of his career, with a great supporting cast that ranged from former Pepper Potts actress Gwyneth Paltrow to first-time actor and Shark Tank legend, Kevin O’Leary. The score felt energetic and infused with the passion Marty encompasses. The cinematography was what really stood out to me, and I think it really set the tone with its harsh color palette at times. Overall, I’d give it a personal score of an 88, with a Letterboxd score of 4 ½ stars.
Most Disappointing Film of the Year
This might have been the hardest choice for me, as I think we had a lot of huge upsets this year. Edgar Wright’s The Running Man, Blumhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, or Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17. Personally, I have to give it to Justin Tippings “HIM”. Hidden behind such a cool premise and the false pretenses of being a Jordan Peele film, was such a disappointingly awful horror film with hardly anything to say. When I first saw discussion of HIM online, I was incredibly excited as I believed it could be a modern retelling of Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut. Every once in a while, there’s a movie you see that’s so painfully boring within the first 10 minutes that the rest of the movie feels like a prison sentence, and for me, it was HIM.
Show of the Year
This was a pretty easy pick for me, as it was such a fun and refreshing experience that I can’t wait to see more. None other than Dan Erickson’s Severance. Such a phenomenal story with so much to say and connect to real world experiences. Incredible performances by nearly all the cast, but specifically Adam Scott, Britt Lower, and Tramell Tillman. Severance was able to keep me engaged the entire time, without having to.
Most anticipated 2026 film
There’s certainly a lot of exciting films coming out this year; the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday, Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of “The Odyssey”, the Hunger Games prequel, and many more. It’s definitely stacking up to be a great selection of movies this year, but I think my most anticipated film has to be Glenn Powell’s “How To Make A Killing”, alongside Margaret Qualley. I can’t say much yet, but it’s certainly got my attention.
Conclusion
Overall, I think 2025 was a pretty good year for films. While it wasn’t the most thrilling, it was certainly quality over quantity in my eyes, and I think it’s a step in the right direction for cinema this year.
