Another year has come to an end. And it has been an unusual 12 months on our planet with so many crazy changes taking place, particularly in our country (USA). Thankfully, I can say film has mostly remained undaunted, at least when it comes to some of our most talented filmmakers. At the same time, many of the big studios have attempted to maintain their dominance in film, despite mixed box-office results.
The main films that have stood out for me this year are those that either challenge the status quo or attempt to remind us of our human nature and what we have in common. I am grateful that some semblance of the art form of cinema still exists and that filmmakers continue to deliver quality movies in some shape or fashion. I will say that cinema is not what it used to be, but it definitely pleases me that directors like Ryan Coogler, Paul Thomas Anderson, Joachim Trier, and several others have much to say about the human condition that keeps me seated in the theater.
While our nation (USA) remains divided, and while other nations can only react to what is happening here and in their own, this shows that the world is in dire need of significant change. Movies may not be the ultimate solution, but they are still a constant reminder that change is immensely necessary if we could just learned from the mistakes of the past.
So, as this world faces the end of another year and the start of a new one, one can only hope that art can serve as a constant reminder that we, as humans, are flawed, often selfish, and need to figure out a way to serve each other in the best possible ways. My top ten list of films of 2025 and other acknowledgements in the world of cinema, hopefully, is an indication that film matters and that it is an art form/source of entertainment that continues to educate us and make us aware that we are not alone in this world.
Here are my choices for the top ten films of 2025, along with my selections for accolades in more specific categories.
My Top Ten Films of 2025:
- Sinners
- One Battle After Another
- Sirat
- Train Dreams
- Sentimental Value
- Marty Supreme
- Belen
- The Secret Agent
- The Long Walk
- The Life of Chuck
Honorable Mentions:
- Sorry, Baby
- The Plague
- Bob Trevino Likes It.
- Weapons
- Eephus
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Best Original Screenplay: Zach Cregger – Weapons
Best Adapted Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Best Female Actor: Rose Byrne: If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Best Male Actor: Timothee Chalamet – Marty Supreme
Best Supporting Female Actor: Amy Madigan – Weapons
Best Supporting Male Actor: Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Best Cinematography: Autumn Durald – Sinners
Best Score: Ludwig Gorannsson – Sinner
Best Editing: Andy Jurgensen – One Battle After Another
Best International Film: Sirat
Best Documentary: The Perfect Neighbor
Best Animated Film: TIE: Kpop Demon Hunters/Predator: Killer of Killers
Happy New Year to my friends and followers! Let’s hope that 2026 continues to keep cinema alive, well, and vocal. Vive La Revolucion!