Yes, it’s time once again to look back on the year that was. I know it comes out a bit late every year, but I want a chance to catch the films that get a token awards-qualifying limited run in late winter and don’t see a wide release until January. It sucks, but such is the nature of the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I know it’s become standard doom-and-gloom to talk about how box office grosses are shrinking, fewer films are getting made and released, and blah blah blah. And sure, I’m worried about the upcoming Netflix\/WB merger as the latest example of what awful things happen when conglomerates grow “too big to fail” and inevitably succumb to gravity. On the other hand, I humbly disagree with the notion that the health of the movie industry or our culture at large is dependent on how many movies crack the billion-dollar mark. If anything, we should aspire to a movie industry that continues to thrive without<\/span> so many films breaking a billion dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, I’ll keep on saying what I’ve said for years: If you think there aren’t enough good and original movies getting made and released, you’re not paying attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anyway, for those just tuning in, this is how the year-end review works around here: We’ve got three separate lists, dividing movies into the Masterpieces, the Disappointments, and the Wild Rides. Each list is comprised of eight categories, with a “best of” selected from each one. Each category and each list has its own criteria, but they all follow the same basic rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Only movies that I\u2019ve seen will be considered.<\/strong> Of course I didn\u2019t get around to seeing every movie that came out this year \u2014 nobody did. And there were many, many noteworthy movies I didn\u2019t get around to seeing for one reason or another. A partial list includes Ne Zha 2<\/em>, Nobody 2<\/em>, The Unbreakable Boy<\/em>, The Electric State<\/em>, The Alto Knights<\/em>, A Working Man<\/em>, The Woman in the Yard<\/em>, Juliet & Romeo<\/em>, The Old Guard 2<\/em>, Happy Gilmore 2<\/em>, War of the Worlds (2025)<\/em>, Freakier Friday<\/em>, Fixed<\/em>, The History of Sound<\/em>, Anemone<\/em>, Roofman<\/em>, Kiss of the Spider Woman<\/em>, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You<\/em>, Blue Moon<\/em>, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (2025)<\/em>, Regretting You<\/em>, Shelby Oaks<\/em>, Christy<\/em>, Keeper<\/em>, Ella McKay<\/em>, Anaconda (2025)<\/em>, and others that might have made one list or another had I gotten around to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I didn’t see Snow White (2025)<\/em> or Lilo & Stitch (2025)<\/em> because I’m done with the Disney live-action remakes. I deliberately passed on The Conjuring: Last Rites<\/em>, Another Simple Favor<\/em>, Smurfs<\/em>, The Strangers: Chapter 2<\/em>, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t<\/em>, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2<\/em>, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale<\/em>, and The SpongeBob Movie: The Search for SquarePants<\/em> because of apathy or outright loathing for their respective franchises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2a. Only movies released in 2025 will be considered.<\/strong> It really does break my shriveled heart that the Paddington films don’t make it to the USA until several months after their UK premieres. Alas, Paddington in Peru<\/em> is another delightful film in a series that should consistently make my year-end lists, but it’s not a 2025 film. Sorry!<\/p>\n\n\n\n