Month: December 2025

The Best and Worst Films of 2025

By Danny Minton

By my count, I think I saw over 200 films in the past 365 days, which I fully admit seems like more of an addiction than a hobby or a favorite pastime. And to tell you that I see them so you don’t have to would be disingenuous at best. I do truly love the art form and even when they are bad, I love to pick them apart to see what went wrong and what could have been done better. After all, I don’t think anyone sets out to make a bad film, but this year certainly did see a lot of mediocre and worse fare. But it also saw a lot of really terrific ones as well. Surprisingly, this year I don’t have any films at the top of my list that weren’t widely considered the best of the year. The films sitting in my top four are considered the most likely to be duking it out for the Oscar this year, and they are all really, really good. But it’s hard to ignore the others, even in my honorable mention category, which gave me a headache as I moved several of them in and out of the top ten. While 2025 was a year of great pain and horrific political turmoil, the theater gave us the solace and escape we needed, even if it was for only two to three hours at a time.

1) Sinners (Streaming on HBO Max). It’s rare that a film released in spring is competitive this time of year, but Sinners has truly held up. But if you haven’t seen it yet, it’s probably because a friend told you what it was about and it just didn’t sound like your cup of tea. I will truly admit that this is a hard one to describe. Is it a vampire film? Is it a compelling story about the Jim Crow south? Is it a musical? You could say yes to all of these things, as the film truly defies genre. Ultimately, it’s about two brothers (both played by Michael B. Jordan in the best performance of the year) who, after a stint working for the Chicago mafia, move back to the south to open a juke joint. But when they hire a brilliant young performer (newcomer Miles Caton) to perform there, an evil presence shows up to try to steal him. Writer/director Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) brings together a production that is truly firing on all cylinders. While I’ve only seen a bit about how the film was made, it shows that the creative juices were flowing from everyone involved. If there is a highlight, it’s the music by two-time Oscar winner Ludwig Göransson (Black Panther, Oppenheimer), who is most likely about to win his third here. His music gives the film the ethereal feel it needed to transcend the screen, making it a truly special and spectacular experience.

2) One Battle After Another (Streaming on HBO Max). Warner Brothers has found itself in a pickle this year, with arguably the two strongest films of the year battling it out for best picture. This second film on my list could win legendary writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood) his first Oscar (he’s been nominated for eleven) and it would be very much deserved. This crazy adventure finds it’s lead actor, Leonardo DiCaprio as a washed-out former left-wing activist hiding out from the powers that be who want him found, and preferably dead. With Sean Penn playing the pathetic military officer desperate to find him and his daughter, and Benicio Del Toro as a highly competent karate sensei trying to protect them, the film is one of the most unique, fun and cinematically thrilling adventures of the year.

3) Marty Supreme (In Theaters). Timothée Chalamet headlines this nutty, yet compelling, adventure of a young man with a dream of being the best ping pong player in the world, and the determination to make that dream come true at all costs. The first trailers made it look like like a family-friendly journey, but you are quickly awakened to the fact that it is quite the opposite as you quickly get to know Marty and you see how dangerous his ambitions are. Marty isn’t necessarily bad, but he isn’t good either, and while he doesn’t want anyone to hurt from his misdeeds, he is willing to step on their necks to get to where he needs to go. Written and directed by Josh Salfdie (Uncut Gems) the movie is brilliantly pieced together through a long series of bad choices and almost-lucky breaks that have to be seen to be believed. It’s a truly fun time at the movies, although you feel that you need a good shower afterwards.

4) Hamnet (In Theaters). From Nomadland writer/director Chloé Zhao comes this heartbreaking drama about William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife Agnes (Jessie Buckley) as they cope with the death of their young son, named Hamnet. While the film does center around profound loss, it also focusses on healing and remembrance, which gives the experience its most important and memorable moments. With the dreamlike score from Max Richter, the movie manages to transcend from what could have been just a depressing tear-jerker to an uplifting and inspiring masterpiece.

5) Frankenstein (Streaming on Netflix). Filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro tackles Mary Shelley’s challenging classic story in this new adaptation which follows Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) as he longs to create life, only to find that his creation (Jacob Elordi) has the ability to bring about unexpected consequences. At least that’s one way of putting it. We know the story well, but it’s never been this well-told. As beautiful as it is macabre, the movie is truly breathtaking, filled with many horrors which border on the artistic, leaving you mesmerized as you follow along, patiently revisiting a story you only thought you already knew.

6) Bugonia (Streaming on Peacock). Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things, The Favourite) is not your normal filmmaker. His movies are odd, to say the least, and his style is unconventional. But there is something to be said for his unique abilities. In his latest tale, two disturbed young men (Jesse Plemmons and Aidan Delbis) are convinced that the young female CEO of a local company (Emma Stone) is really an alien, so they create a plan to kidnap her in the hopes of getting her to confess and stop her from destroying Earth. As you’d expect, it is weird, disturbing and yet somehow extremely enthralling. While it’s not for everyone, if you enjoyed his other works, this one is probably right up your alley.

7) Jay Kelly (Streaming on Netflix). In this new comedy by Noah Bombach (Marriage Story, The Squid and the Whale), George Clooney is Jay Kelly, a superstar actor (who you could best compare to George Clooney) who tries to figure out his life, towards the end of a long, storied career. Along with his devoted manager (Adam Sandler), Jay travels to Europe to try to catch up with his daughter, who he didn’t spend enough time with while she was growing up. So many people obsess and fantasize about fame and fortune, but this movie helps you put those things in perspective from the point of view of a man who might regret them, but who also might not have made different choices if had the ability to do so. It’s a fascinating work that helps you relive a life that isn’t yours in a way that is real and tangible. It is also at times very funny, giving you laughter in moments where you need it the most.

8) No Other Choice (In Theaters). South Korean writer/director Park Chan-Wook (Old Boy, The Handmaiden) tells this warped tale about a family man with a good life who is abruptly laid off by the paper company he works for, disrupting his world as he tries to find work in an industry that has been rapidly changed by technology. With many qualified workers all hunting for the few jobs available, he decides that the best alternative is to kill his competition so that he can more easily find employment. As you would expect from Chan-Wook, this is a violent drama that makes you laugh uncontrollably as you meander through the labyrinth of the twists and turns of our anti-hero. To call a story like this entertaining might be proof of the depravity of our society, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable.

9) The Life of Chuck (Streaming on Disney+). Adapted from a Stephen King short story, The Life of Chuck is a fantastic little movie which, while it has a supernatural element, is far more life-affirming than terrifying. Told in non-linear short tales, all revolving around a man named Chuck (played by Tom Hiddleston, Jacob Tremblay and Benjamin Pajak), the movie is strange to say the least, but powerful as well, as you try to figure out what is going on and then put the pieces together as you do. If you let it take you away, you’ll understand why so many have gravitated towards it, and why so many of us consider it to be so magical.

10) Blue Moon (Available for online rental or purchase). Director Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, Boyhood) gives us this sad but funny little tale about famed Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart, wonderfully played here by Ethan Hawke, as he struggles towards the end of his career, seeing himself pushed out of the industry, largely because he has become so difficult to be around. Taking place mostly in the restaurant Sardi’s in New York City, Hart reflects on his career, tries to score a next gig with his former writing partner Richard Rogers (who has moved on to work with Oscar Hammerstein) and most importantly, tries to seduce a woman he considers to be well out of his league in youth, beauty and physical stature. While I don’t know the accuracy of the events of the story, I absolutely loved the way it was told, and Hawkes performance was out of this world. On top of that, Linklater and Hawke being such prominent Texans makes the film that much more compelling.

Honorable Mention: 28 Years Later, Avatar: Fire and Ash, The Ballad of Wallis Island, Black Bag, Bob Trevino Likes It, Eddington, The Long Walk, Mountainhead, Novocaine, The Perfect Neighbor, Superman, Train Dreams, Warfare, Weapons, Wicked For Good

The Worst:

1) The Electric State. The Avengers Directors, Joe and Anthony Russo, gave us this stinker of a Netflix film starring Chris Pratt and Millie Bobby Brown that had us all excited until we started watching for five minutes. Netflix should have unplugged this one before it hit our televisions.

2) Captain America: Brave New World. Not even Harrison Ford turning into Red Hulk could save this catastrophe. As Marvel tries to move on from our original set of heroes, this film helped us understand why we need them back.

3) Snow White. While they sometimes hit it big with live-action remakes, like this year’s Lilo & Stitch for example, sometimes Disney misses the target completely. This one will make you want to eat an apple before you watch it.

4) Love Hurts. I think we all love Ke Huy Quan, and want to see him succeed in this new part of his career. But this action film about a hitman with a lost memory is not the way to do it. Sometimes you want the lost memories to stay lost.

5) A Minecraft Movie. Teenage boys seemed to love this live action Minecraft flick starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, but not even two of my favorite actors could stop the headache from coming on as I attempted to give this one a chance.

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of December 15, 2025

Avatar: Fire and Ash
Rated PG-13 for bloody images, action, thematic elements, intense sequences of violence, some strong language and suggestive material
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%
In Theaters
This third chapter of the Avatar saga takes place right on the heels of The Way of Water, as Jake and Neytiri find themselves at a crossroads with how to proceed in their lives. Having lost their son in the last battle, their family has a gaping hole, which is not satisfactorily filled by their adopted son (and son of their biggest enemy Quaritch), Spider, who would do anything for them, but as a human, has survival needs that cannot be met in their opening situation. Deciding to move on seems like a good idea until they find themselves hunted down by both the military, and a warring tribe led by an evil witch queen named Varang. My fear for this film was that it would be just a long, drawn out drama, too similar to the other two films. Fortunately, while some of the plot beats are familiar, the story stretches into a much better narrative than I expected, and while very long (3 hours and 17 minutes), you get the sense that director James Cameron is trying his hardest to give you your money’s worth. There is a lot of story to tell here and the pacing is good enough. Some of the elements are a bit on the weird side, such as the whales with jewelry, but Cameron here does a smart thing, and rather than throw in a lot of exposition, he just jumps in like you should remember the characters and the previous story, and if you don’t, you’ll catch up. I was skeptical, at first, about making this movie mostly about Spider, as he was kind of an odd character in the second film, but it really works here, giving the film emotional heft when it needs it the most. I even had to take off my 3D glasses a couple of times to wipe away a tear. And speaking of 3D, the visuals of this film are nothing short of spectacular. I haven’t seen a 3D film in years, and most audiences don’t prefer that format on a regular basis, but here it is the best way to experience it. Cameron pushes the boundary of special effects in a way that changes the cinematic landscape. He is the best in this medium, and you will not be disappointed if that’s why you bought the ticket. But what I love most about what he does is that the visuals serve the story, when many films would have the story serving the effects. So, my recommendation is to find the largest IMAX screen possible, choose 3D, get a huge bucket of popcorn, and make a big night of it. B+

David
Rated PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%
In Theaters
Faith-based moviemakers, Angel Studios, best known for their The Chosen television series, takes a stab at the Biblical story of the future King David, in this new animated musical. Beginning with his battle versus Goliath and moving on to his drama with King Saul, the movie attempts to give a nice and broad overview of the story, with a couple of decent musical numbers thrown in. One thing I really like about Angel Studios is that they strive to add good production values to a genre of television and films that traditionally lacks them. The animation here is really good for a low-budget project like this and the story is good enough. Surprisingly, the film has Christian music artist Phil Wickham in the lead, but they fail to really use him like they should have. Seems like a waste of talent. While a couple of the songs make for a good start, the film largely turns away from its musical beginnings as the story gets darker in tone. You can tell it really wants to be The Prince of Egypt, and even less-than-subtly hints at the Hans Zimmer motifs from that film, but it never really surfaces to that level of artisanship. But as Christmas counter-programming for an audience that might not want to take their families to Avatar or other more teen and adult fare, this little film might surprise a few folks and slay a Goliath or two at the box office. B-

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of December 8, 2025

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Rated PG-13 for some crude sexual material, bloody images, strong language and violent content
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
Streaming on Netflix

Filmmaker Rian Johnson’s inner Agatha Christie is back with his third installment of the Knives Out movies, following the exploits of detective Benois Blanc (Daniel Craig) who has the ability to take on the most elusive of murder mysteries. In this case, a young progressive priest (Josh O’Connor) is sent to a small parish, led by an ultra right-wing older priest (Josh Brolin) who holds a tight reign over his small congregation. When the older priest is murdered, seemingly in front of everyone’s eyes, the newcomer immediately gets the blame. But Blanc is hired to see if there might be more to the case than meets the eye. With another all-star cast, including Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Thomas Haden Church and Jeffrey Wright, the story gives us a whole host of possible criminals as we play Clue and try to figure out whodunit. But half-way through the film, the tone changes and the whole thing makes you just give up and enjoy the ride. As a murder mystery, you can’t get much better. It is funny, entertaining and completely surprising. What I found most fascinating was the less-than-subtle political subtext. In interviews, Josh Brolin has already had to go out of his way to declare that his character is not based on our current president. But that’s because it so obviously is. The story copies our current political turmoil but brilliantly placed here in a small congregation of parishioners. A story like this greatly benefits from such a huge ensemble of talented actors, all willing to do what it takes to sell the enigma. The performances are all solid, but I especially loved the early back and forth between the two priests. This sets up the story in a way that draws you in closely, so you have a harder time seeing the bigger picture. Overall, we get an engaging, thrill-ride of a crime dramedy that will give you a nice evening staying out of the cold. A-

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of December 1, 2025

Hamnet
Rated PG-13 for thematic content, some strong sexuality, and partial nudity
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
In Theaters
The very name Hamnet for a movie proves to be a brilliant and possibly accidental piece of marketing genius. The dialog between friends would go like this: “Have you seen Hamnet?” “Do you mean Hamlet?” “No, Hamnet is the name of Shakespeare’s son, who died in childbirth and then served as inspiration for the play Hamlet.” There you have it. People immediately understand the story, and most will want to see it. Especially when you tell them the film is written and directed by Oscar winner Chloe Zhao (Nomadland), produced by Steven Spielberg, and is one of the front runners for Best Picture. Paul Mescal (Gladiator 2) plays the infamous bard here, but he is a secondary character to his wife Agnes, beautifully portrayed by Jessie Buckley. While Shakespeare is off in London putting on his plays, Agnes is at home with their children, trying desperately to hold things together. At this time in history, one in three children died before the age of 10 and Shakespeare could not escape this eventuality. The death of young Hamnet (sorry, but this spoiler is unavoidable unless you go into the film completely blank), is heartbreaking to say the least, but a catalyst for a breathtaking story that has one of the most emotionally riveting third acts in recent memory. Helping the film along is a fantastic production team including Oscar-nominated cinematographer Lukasz Zac and legendary composer Max Richter, who puts the audience in a trance with his gentle yet powerful themes. There is so much to love about this project, which is almost perfect for what it is. Sure, it is sad, and if you can’t handle that, or are not in the mood, then maybe delay seeing it. But sometimes a good cry is cathartic, which is what I found here. Putting death into place through a movie such as this, uses the movie as a tool for your own thoughts, emotions and life experiences. It will be a film you will be glad you saw, especially in a theater with less distraction and an optimal surrounding, in order to keep you completely captivated. A+

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of November 17, 2025

Wicked For Good
Rated PG for some suggestive material, action/violence, and thematic material
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%
In Theaters
Last year, many of the early viewers of Wicked were stunned to learn that the movie they were watching and enjoying was only the first act. Now, a year later, the second act and finale to the musical is hitting theaters, just in time for Thanksgiving. There is very little exposition in the beginning and the movie jumps straight into the fray with Elphaba wishing to take on The Wizard and her best friend Glinda wishing to play both sides to improve her own ambitions. This installment also focusses largely on the Wizard of Oz tie in as Dorothy is introduced as a weapon to stop Elphaba, and her travel companions are each created and introduced (big surprise – we already knew them) and the war against the witches commences. There seemed to be a spin on the film designed to be relevant to today’s politics, but it is subtle enough to be a friendly discussion point for movie nerds rather than an in-your-face liberal slant. As you would expect, the songs you know from the stage musical are all very-well produced here and pack a much-needed emotional punch. They did throw in a couple new songs, which I could have done without. Which leads me to my only problem with this project. I firmly believe they could have done this in one three-hour film rather than two projects. They’ll obviously make more money this way, but it would have been a much better, and possibly Oscar-winning movie, had they done it that way. Wicked For Good isn’t strong enough to compete for the big awards and might only have a chance for actress awards that might focus on the entire scope of the project, rather than the individual film on its own merits. But there was enough fat to trim here to make it a viable contender, if done as one, much longer film. But then again, dollars matter much more than art, and this film stands as living proof. A-

Rental Family
Rated PG-13 for some strong language, thematic elements, and suggestive material
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
In Theaters
Brendan Frasier (The Whale) plays an actor living in Tokyo, who discovers unusual work for a “rental family” company, who rents him out to become a part of people’s inner circles. As he begins to intertwine himself into their lives, the lines between reality and acting are blurred, bonding him in a special way to the individuals he is hired to befriend and help. There’s a lot to like in this drama, from its quiet comedic turns to its tear-inducing emotional heft. Sure it’s a bit sappy, and in that way a little manipulative, but you really don’t mind as you try to empathize with not only Fraser’s character, but also with the lives of the people he is employed into as well. And Fraser is quite perfect for this role. His size makes him stand out in his environment (quite literally) and his expressive face that poses confusion combined with compassion, lends itself nicely to the part. Sometimes the movie goes a little too deep into distraction, such as his boss’s personal life, in order to make more sense of the employer, and sometimes the drama seems a little forced, but when Fraser is with his pretend daughter and his pretend old man friend, you feel like there is an adventure waiting to be had that not only pays the bills, but is also satisfying for the soul. Overall, I found the movie to be a touching and enjoyable experience that struck a chord similar to what I felt after watching Lost in Translation years ago. B+

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of November 10, 2025

The Perfect Neighbor
Rated R for language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%
Streaming on Netflix
This documentary hit Netflix a month ago, but somehow it slipped past my purview until this week when it won five Critics Choice Documentary Awards, including Best Documentary, so I had to immediately turn it on to find out what the hubbub was about. This jaw-dropping piece of non-fiction follows a neighborhood in Florida which is full of kids who love to play outside, as kids do. But one old white woman does not like it, and she is constantly calling the cops to come out and stop it. Most of the film consists of body cam footage from the local police, who do their best to intercede and keep the peace. From the very beginning, you know that something bad is going to happen, and you spend the first hour in anxiety and anticipation for whatever event will play out. And it is horrible. The film will hit you like a brick over the head as you watch the actions of a deplorable, racist old woman acting in ways that would make you ashamed to be associated with her or her beliefs in any way. The movie also explores and exposes the dangers in Florida’s Stand-Your-Ground law that allows a lot of racist and horrific violence to go unpunished in our country. While movies can make me tear up at times, this one is bound to have you reaching for the tissue continually as it breaks your heart into pieces. It is extremely well put together, and the evidence is displayed as fairly and un-biased as you can get in a case like this. It also gives you a special degree of confidence in local law enforcement, who do all the right things, even if they couldn’t prevent such an event from taking place. A