BANR (Dear Departed) - The story of a long-term couple dealing with tragedy. She has Alzheimer's and is slipping away...and then he dies. Painful, real and two of the best performances of the last decade. Its fantastic- and I never want to see it again. It was one of the first films I saw in 2025 and it has haunted me ever since. For sheer staying power and haunting effect this is probably the best film of 2025.
SAFE- at 59 seconds this may be the greatest film of 2025.
GLEEFUL BEASTS the series of short puppet films is just magic
THE GREAT HISTORY OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY is a one of a kind animated film that maybe the greatest midnight film of all time-just 50 years too late
LOVE LETTERS - an unexpected joy has a lesbian couple expecting their first child and working to get the necessary paperwork to allow the non biological mother to adopt. Its magic
THE WOLF THE FOX AND THE LEOPARD not what you expect film about a feral girl. Trust me you have not seen this before and its deeply affecting in all sorts of ways. This is one of the peaks of 2025
SNOW BEAR lovely animated film about a lonely bear who makes a friend. The final shot makes the film and will reduce you to tears
OH YEAH - The story of Yello is magnificent
The first third of SINNERS is among the greatest storytelling I've ever seen. The problem is the film slides into a very good horror film- but that first third is glorious.
HI-FIVE one of the best superhero films ever made. It puts the Fantastic Four to shame
HOKEKO AKBANE'S BODYGUARDS- a manga adaption that feels like way more
SHE DANCES- Steve Zahn and his daughter play father & daughter and kill it- with a note perfect ending that says volumes about the love between a father and daughter.
DEPECHE MODE M - the last third is so much like going to a Deche Mode concert I went twice
ANGRY CARS-Modern looney tunes from Shaun Clark one of the best filmmakers working today
A SECOND LIFE- a woman in Paris during the Olympics ponders life- Who would have thought that William Lustig would have to beat me into submission to see one of the best films of the year
CUBA AND ALASKA - two friends go to war
ITS DOROTHY- the reason the wizard of oz touches people
CHAIN REACTIONS- one of the greatest films on film ever is about TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE as seen by 5 creators who explain the film in relation to their lives, that of society and culture
FLOP HOUSE AMERICA- equal to last year's masterpiece INHERITENCE about several years in a life. I want to see the sequel.
PREDATOR BADLANDS- A big budget Hollywood movie that works on all levels
STITCH HEAD - Glorious animated film about fitting in and family
WHALE 52- Bill Plympton produced animated short is as good as films get.
MR SCORSESE -everything (except HUGO) that you wanted to know about the man and his movies
TIM BURTON LIFE ON THE LINE - I saw the first epsiode last year. This year I got to finish it. This is a glorious look not so much the movies created but how one man creates wondrous things and makes everyone around him better.
KUKUHO- the sort of grand epic of a life that no one does any more- sequences reduced me to tears with their sheer beauty.
STRANGE JOURNEY- A bio of Richard O'Brien which explains why Rocky Horror Matters
THE VOICE ON HIND RAHAB - the true story of the insanity of war that rightly crushes your soul
