My Top Five Movies of 2025

As the Oscars approach, and some favourites become clear (I haven’t seen 'Sinners' I’ll be honest), I’d like to share my personal choices for the best films of last year – I don’t think the academy quite agree!

5. The Life of Chuck

Advertised as being the best Stephen King adaptation for years, I was intrigued by this when I saw the trailer, with Mark Hamill’s narration having a very nostalgic feel to it, that really did take me back to the best movies I watched as a child. I was a bit underwhelmed, however, when the slightly weird title was revealed at the end of the trailer - wasn’t really sure what to expect but went in with an open mind. And I have to admit that I absolutely loved this. It is very unconventional and I imagine it really was a “love it or hate it” movie, and it is also extremely difficult to explain the premise or the plot without spoiling any of the three distinct acts of the film. All I’ll say is that it is a unique exploration of the meaning of life from the perspective of several ordinary individuals as the end of the world draws near. It’s enhanced significantly by great performances from Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Tom Hiddleston, and Mia Sara (in a rare appearance, and still beautiful as ever despite playing a grandmother). However, I don’t think it really did anything brilliantly as a film, and so that’s why it has received last place (of the best picks!) – great concept, great performances, bang average in terms of everything else.

4. 28 Years Later

This was a long awaited follow up to the outstanding '28 Days Later' (2002 – cannot recommend enough – and we won’t bother discussing 2007’s '28 Weeks Later'). I was especially looking forward to this not only because it was filmed in my beloved North East England, but because the costume department actually had their office directly next to mine at work – even spotted Danny Boyle when visiting the toilet! Anyhow, it did not disappoint, building on the slow, terrifying dread from the first movie, and with another cast of characters depicting various sides of humanity in crisis. I will admit that I didn’t think it quite topped the original, but I can now say that the sequel, ‘The Bone Temple,’ which was filmed back-to-back, possibly topped both. But that came out this year, and will be giving my full thoughts (I assume!) in next year's top 5.

3. The Ballad of Wallis Island

Another British entry - this one a very different kind of British! I do love a quirky movie, and I do love puns. Both are available aplenty here in this tale of eccentric millionaire Charles (Tim Key), who invites the two former members of his favourite band (also formerly a couple) to a remote island for a gig, not revealing that he will be the only person in attendance. A remake of an earlier short film, and building on the initial premise with the addition of Carey Mulligan (joining Tom Basden as the second band member), it’s funny, moving and backed by a brilliant soundtrack of original material. Always happy to see great British movies, and especially one with such Britishness in its premise!

2. One Battle After Another

Paul Thomas Anderson is responsible for some absolutely brilliant movies. ‘There Will be Blood’ is quite possibly my favourite movie ever made, and I really enjoyed ‘Boogie Nights’ and ‘Punch-Drunk Love.’ Of his more recent entries, I could appreciate ‘Phantom Thread’ but it wasn’t really for me, and I didn’t even attempt the Pynchon adaptation ‘Inherent Vice.’ I didn’t know what to expect with this latest entry, however (also a – loose – Pynchon adaptation), especially as, unlike an absolute legend such as Daniel Day-Lewis in 'TWBB,' the lead actor here was Leonardo DiCaprio, who I am sorry to say but is probably the most overrated actor of the 21st century. But, honestly, it was one of his better performances, playing a former revolutionary who has hit middle age and drunkenness as he tries to track down his daughter (Chase Infiniti) when an old villain (a brilliant Sean Penn) returns to the fore, having previously targeted the girl’s long-lost mother (Teyana Taylor). The rest of the cast are excellent, including an on-top-form Benicio del Toro, but it is also funny, gripping, and supported from start to finish by Jonny Greenwood’s fantastic score, and, of course, the steady hand of Anderson’s direction. It also has probably the best car chase I’ve seen on film, and despite its runtime, it lives up to its title and acts as an absolute thrill-ride. As an aside, there have been calls from more politically right-leaning commentators that it is a glorification of left-wing violence. I really, honestly, think that anyone saying that has misinterpreted the film, or indeed, doesn’t understand how films work, but that is for the viewer to decide, I guess. I personally don’t think this is intended as a political film, it’s just a bloody good movie. And what more do you expect from an avid-cinephile of a director like Anderson.

1. Weapons

And so we come to number one. My choice appears to be an unpopular one this year, but I absolutely loved everything about this brilliant, brilliant movie. I’ll be honest, I found the trailer largely forgettable, and only ended up watching it because I was looking for something to watch and saw a good review. But these kind of unexpected finds are the best. On its surface, this is a horror movie about a small American town where, for no reason at all, one night, an entire class of schoolchildren (but one) leave their homes and disappear into the darkness. But its so much more than that – by showing the same story through the perspectives of several characters – the missing children’s teacher, the principal, a concerned father (fantastic Josh Brolin), a local police officer and drug addict – we see the fallout of such a tragedy from multiple points of view, and as a result are given a glimpse into humanity that goes from horrifying to tragic to hilarious within minutes. I won’t give away details of the plot for fear of spoiling it, and will admit that those who can’t handle gore might want to avoid it, but I just found it so unexpectedly brilliant – it reminded me a little of Bong Joon Ho’s approach to film-making, where genre is something to play with but core themes and social commentary are not lost. Great performances, brilliant use of popular music, a fantastic approach to the Rashomon-style narrative, and just a hands-down, perfect film, full of unexpected surprises. 10/10.