I didn't see as many films as I normally do in 2025. I saw about 100, I think, but I sometimes forget to write down some of them, so it might be a bit more. I guess I was busy going to comedy shows and listening to live music and hiking. I also watched several television series, but I don't count those here--at least usually. Overall, I wasn't really blown away by the movies that I saw in 2025, but there were some standouts.
I will first say that there were a few films that I thought were a bit overrated. The new Knives Out (Wake Up Dead Man) movie was entertaining and a good murder mystery with solid performances, but I didn't think it was one of the best of the year. And The Phoenician Scheme, Wes Anderson's new film, was OK but I think his movies are starting to feel a bit derivative. Not necessarily in content but in style. 28 Years Later was pretty good overall and had some pretty rich themes, but the ending seemed really tacked on and silly.
And then there were films that didn't quite make the list. I was thoroughly entertained by the new Naked Gun. I haven't laughed that much during a movie in a long time. Belly aching laughter. But a movie has to be more than funny to make it on my list. I also enjoyed horror director Ari Aster's (Midsommar and Hereditary) Eddington. Wyatt hated this neo-Western, but I thought it was a complex story about the divisiveness in America and how easily persuaded people can be. Another I really enjoyed was the indie film Lurker. A creepy story of an obsessed fan who entangles himself with a rising superstar.
1. The Brutalist, directed by Brady Corbet. This three-and-a-half hour movie was released in 2024, but I don't think it played in Seattle until February of 2025, so I'm including it here. It's an epic film about a Hungarian Jew and brilliant architect who escapes Nazi Germany to live freely and create an artistic life in America. He is totally committed to his art, which takes precedent over other work--and his family. Partially, the film deals with the consequence of artistic vision but it's also about the rich and how they exploit art and artists, quite literally assaulting them in one scene. For a movie that had such a relatively small budget, it's a masterpiece with rich themes, beautiful images and strong performances. Streaming on Max and Prime.
2. Sentimental Value, directed by Joachim Trier. A Norwegian film starring Stellan Skarsgard, Elle Fanning and Renate Reinsve (who starred in Trier's previous, brilliant film The Worst Person in the World), it tells the story of an estranged father and daughter who slowly reunite to create a film together, a film inspired by their house and the family who live/lived there. The daughter is a brilliant but traumatized actor, the father a brilliant and somewhat aloof director. Sentimental Value is a beautiful film with amazing performances and a totally unique editing style. The film has echoes of Bergman and, I thought, Tarkovsky's Mirror. One of the messages seems to be that art can bring people together. Art has the potential to heal deep wounds. Available to rent on various platforms.
3. One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Loosely based on the Thomas Pynchon novel Vineland, One Battle is a pulsating and thoroughly engaging thrill ride that explores extremism and the state of politics today. Yes, its characters are fairly one-dimensional and sometimes have stupid names (like Lockjaw), but this one-dimensional quality serves a purpose. These are mostly not real people. They are archetypes or symbols. And even though some details are exaggerated and the leftist seem more dangerous and organized than actual leftists, the movie comments insightfully on what is happening in our world today--and the lengths to which some people go to achieve their vision. Streaming on HBO.
4. The Mastermind, directed by Kelly Reichardt and starring Josh O'Connor, one of the best actors working today. A totally original heist movie that is both thrilling and funny. A group of small-time crooks steal some Arthur Dove paintings from a museum and one goes on the run. In the hands of Reichardt, a film professor at Bard known for her minimalist and naturalist style and feminist themes, the simple plot becomes something deeper and more interesting. Tensions and humor abound. Streaming on Mubi.
5. Weapons, directed by Zach Cregger. The 2000s have been good decades for horror movies. We are experiencing a horror renaissance. In fact, many of the great horror movies of the last couple of decades match or exceed some of the older classics. Last year, Longlegs was one of the best films of the year, and this year another horror movie makes the list. A creepy and at times hilariously violent horror movie, Weapons tells the story of a creepy witch who has the ability to control children and adults, turning them into literal weapons and feeding off of their energy. The end is totally ridiculous and over the top, but it was so fun to watch. Streaming on HBO.
6. Train Dreams, directed by Clint Bentley. The story of a man who experiences major shifts in American as it rises into the early 20th century. While the world around him modernizes, he struggles to work and provide for his family in this ever-changing environment. Then tragedy occurs and his devasting lost nearly paralyzes him. It's a beautifully shot and meditative film that has echoes of Terrence Mallick. Streaming on Netflix.
7. No Other Choice, directed by Park Chan-wook. The South Korean director of the Revenge Trilogy (Old Boy, Lady Vengeance and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance) returns with a well-structured comedy about a paper mill manager whose layoff inspires him to systematically murder his competitors. It's a very dark film that comments on the challenges of the changing job market in the age of AI and downsizing. Playing in theaters.
8. Eephus, directed by Carson Lund. Currently with a rare 100% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, Eephus is a small independent film about a single baseball game in a small town in Massachusetts. It's the last game of the season, the last game played before the ball field will be torn down. It's a funny and engaging film whose title refers to an ultra-slow baseball pitch. The game seems to work as a metaphor, possibly for slow cinema (an underappreciated art), possibly for America itself, whose cultural traditions (including baseball) are fading. Towards the end of the game, it becomes too dark to see the ball, so the players drive their vehicles close to the field and turn on the lights. The images at the end of the film, the light and shadows, are some of the most beautiful I have seen. Streaming on Mubi.
9. Splttsville, directed by and starring Michael Angelo Covino. A hilarious romantic comedy about dating and dealing with open relationships in the modern age. I have mixed feelings about Dakota Johnson, but I thought she was excellent here. Available to rent on various apps.
10. Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler. I didn't love this vampire movie the first viewing, but I watched it again. It's a beautifully shot and very creepy film that explores race relations, racism, and power in the US. With effective blues music that enhances themes and brilliant performances by Michael B Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld and Delroy Lindo. Streaming on HBO.
