Favorite Films of '25

December 29, 2025

Leonardo DiCaprio in “One Battle After Another.” Warner Bros. Pictures photo via IMDb.com

… Tough job but someone's gotta …, was the mantra during my decades of getting paid to review movies when the end of the year rolled around and it was time to make my Best List.

I'm doing it pro bono now, but old habits die hard. Still, on the eve of a milestone birthday – the big 8-0 – there have been some lessons learned, and some changes made along the way.

“Best” for openers. It's only taken this many decades to realize there's no such thing. True, prizes are given in creative endeavors of all sorts, but it's an imprecise calculation at best.

It's occurring to me that none of us even see the same movie … and whatever we're watching isn't what the filmmakers pictured in their minds when they envisioned and created the thing. Sure, we follow the story they're telling, we escape into the worlds they create, their characters become real people for us.

But what we take away are the personal feelings or memories they trigger.

In the last couple of days two friends have shared reactions to “Marty Supreme.” Both praised Timothée Chalamet's performance, but one loved the character and the other hated him.

So which is Best?

Beats me. I'll share favorites instead.

This is also the time for looking back over the year's movies (the “Best” ones bunch up, creating awards-season gridlock) looking for patterns or trends. The recurring theme in the films I liked was the price of genius … or at least the dues that must be paid to live a creative life. “Hamnet,” “Sentimental Value,” “Blue Moon” … Even “Sinners,” and in a different way “KPop Demon Hunters” are variations on the theme.

Clearly, Taylor Swift has plenty of company in the tortured poet department.

There are still more movies to watch and review on the brink of the Golden Globes, Oscar nominations and – tada! – the Hawaii Film Critics Society Awards. But for the time being, here are my ten favs of the year, with links to the reviews that appeared in this space.

They're in order of preference, first choice first … but I've been known to change my mind.

Overall, it was another great year at the movies. But hey, I say that every year.

Happy New Year!