Film Finds 2025

Every year there are a number of films that just miss being on the best of the year list but which are too good to not to be noted at the end of the year.

LAST GUEST AT THE HALLOWAY MOTEL- portrait of a man who ran away to find himself

I WAS BORN THIS WAY- the life of a man who made music and did God's work

LAST DIVE is the story of aman looking for a friend

MAN FINDS TAPE- This is a great horror film that should not have been found footage

GRAND THEFT HAMLET is a one-of-a-kind doc about a version of Hamlet done in a Grand Theft Auto world. It has moments and is oddly compelling (though I never want to see another film like this ever again) 

MY OMAHA is an amazing portrait of America in the age of Trump as  he charts his relationship with his Trump supporting father in the final days of his father's life. Amazing. The only reason its not on the best of the year list is I can't deal with the darkness.

DEBARGE is a crushing look at what happens when the fame machine eats you up and shits you out. It will break your heart

MURDER IN MONACO is a late entry. The story of the death of a banker that has lots of twists and turns- and was so good I stopped farting with my computer and just watched the film on Netflix

DEATH EDUCATION is a powerful mediation on death following the a class helping bury the unknown dead. Don't plan to see anything afterward.

DARK NUNS lead nun is one of the greatest monster fighters ever put on film...I'd have put this on the best of the year list for her but they killed her off.

GOODBYE HORSES: THE MANY LIVES OF LAZZZARUS Q is the story of a woman who had cult hit who disappeared into the void and what happened.

WINNERS- Kurdish girl moves to Germany and plays soccer. Not what you expect and so much better for it. Most other films would have been done at this films halfway point but it just keeps going. 

TWIN FENCES - it starts off as a discussion of a certain type of fence and digresses...and becomes wondrous

WHEN FALL IS COMING is a wonderful film about a woman with a checkered past and a friendship.

AUM CULT AT THE END OF THE WORLD the best look at the infamous cult and why their  is more than just a true crime tale.

SLOPPY SUNDAY - A prostitute decides she wants to leave her pimp. It's a solid introduction to the film's director Christoff LeBlanc

DISCORDIA- a fantasy film that feels real and right and magical---and human

IT FEEDS- awesome horror film with a killer opening and Julian Richings in a creepy cameo

KISSES AND BULLETS - deeply moving short about two women protesting the government of Iran

MANN'S SPARKS is an unexpected delight. It's images from Michael Man's films cut to Beach House’s 2015 album Depression Cherry. With it Ryland Walker Knight has made a film that you drift off to. One of the great finds of the year.

FOPRBIDDEN CITY- martial arts meets Euro Crime.

LAST WOMAN ON EARTH is the story of two filmmakers trying to make a film

SEE YOU TOMORROW- a young woman wanders and takes pictures.- Nothing happens but everything does

MICHIYUKI VOICES IN TIME - people talk about the house and town they live in

THIRD ACT - portrait of a father and son by the son that just delights

NASH THE SLASH - the greatest rock star you never heard of.

THIS ORDINARY THING- those that hid the Jews talk about how they did it

SWEETIE- very short horror film with a nasty sting

SWIM SISTERS- the celebration of Black women and swimming

ALL THE QEENS HOUSES- the wonders of the houses people make their own

NEW YORKER THEATER- portrait of the theater and the couple who ran it and changed movies as we know them

QUEENS OF THE DEAD Tina Romero makes a zombie film and honors her dad yet goes entirely her own way.

ECCE MOLE- images overwhelm

BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL- how the man who created the term changed the world for the better

SONS OF DETROIT- sometimes you can go home again

LUGER-wicked thriller that heralds the arrival of a great director

SILVER SCREAMERS-a filmmaker uses a crew of seniors to make his next (great) film.

MISADVENTURES OF VINCE AND HICK an old school action film that demands a sequel

EXILE- a man wants to get revenge for the death of a friend tale goes into unexpected places

110 LITERS OF GOLD Finnish entry  for the Oscar is a wonderfully off kilter black comedy that feels way too real not to break your heart

DEAD MANS WIRE Gus Van Sant's recreation os a 1977 is a perfect mix of thrills and laughs

WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY- who would have thunk I would like this after hating the first two? While I knew who the killer was going to be from their first appearance, I didn't know why. I love that the film is a wonderful examination of faith and belief. This would have been on my best of the year if it didn't have so much goofy humor in the first half.