2025 Annual List of Favorite Film and TV Experiences

Happy New Year!  Welcome 2026!

The end of 2025 means my 60^th year is finally coming to a close. A milestone year brought many highlights, including a February gathering of my close friends from high school for a fun “collective 60^th birthday” over a long-weekend in Las Vegas. So grateful for great friends, both lifelong and new, who have enriched my life throughout the years. As I get older, I’m intentionally trying to embrace and prioritize more balance and wellness in my life. Thanks to those who have helped me along the way.

In addition to multiple milestone birthday celebrations, some other 2025 highlights included these first-time experiences:

• First-time visits to Spain (Barcelona and St. Sebastian) and the UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi)
• A formal small group food tour with meals in six Michelin-starred restaurants in six days, including four 3-stars establishments (click here for more details)
• Using motor-scooter as mode of transportation, a fun way to see the sights of Barcelona
• Having my wallet stolen ☹—is that a rite of passage in Barcelona??
• Cat-tarot card reading in Amsterdam
• Attending a Formula 1 competition at the Las Vegas Grand Prix
• First post-Covid, in-person trip to Sundance Film Festival
• Forming a book club with a friend to get back into the reading groove

Other highlights include:

And greetings from my girls Freddy and Maxie, now 13 and 12 years old.

Before I get to my list, please tell me your favorite film and TV show of the year.

My Favorite Cinematic Experiences of 2025

And now for my annual rundown on the stories that transported, moved, and thrilled me this year. Let me know what you think!

Obsessive Fathers and Other Personalities Who Do Battle

This first grouping represents the favorite overall experiences, and they all happen to have a lead character with an obsessive personality, most of whom are fathers.

Hamnet
A gorgeously crafted and devastatingly beautiful, elegiac and lyrical drama directed with enormous empathy by director Chloé Zhao. An intimate, hushed, and haunting portrait of grief set in 16^th century England, the film imagines how parents Agnes (in an extraordinary performance by Jesse Buckley) and William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) lose their son Hamnet at age 11 and how his untimely death and the ensuing profound parental grief threatens to pull them apart, but ultimately gives birth to the creative process, resulting in the play Hamlet. It’s a slow-burn journey with delicate visuals and whispered emotions, but culminates in what is undoubtedly, for me, the most indelible film moment of the year: the climactic scene of Agnes witnessing Hamlet on stage for the first time, which is simultaneously heartbreaking and enormously cathartic. Wow, what an emotional wallop. The performances are amazing, especially Buckley, and the real-life siblings Jacobi and Noah Jupe, who respectively play Hamnet and the onstage Hamlet. Based on the acclaimed novel by Maggie O’Farrell. 

Hamnet trailer

No Other Choice
A masterful and stylish film from esteemed director Park Chan-wook, but the film also belongs to lead Lee Byung-hun who portrays Man-su, a mild-mannered paper mill salaryman who is pushed to the dehumanizing brink of male-breadwinner identity crisis after a sudden lay off and endless job search, leading him to concoct a plan to literally eliminate the competition for a job. Darkly funny and grisly absurdity ensues. No Other Choice is a totally satisfying film as it balances complex tonal shifts from wicked black-comedy to sharp corporate-satire to suspenseful crime-thriller to slap-stick farce –sometimes all at the same time. A cleverly wonderful thrill ride.  

No Other Choice Trailer

It Was Just An Accident
A last-minute watch before publishing, this unforgettable, slow-burn film stands out as one of this year’s best. When the film ended, I just sat stunned and contemplative for several minutes. Winner of the Palm D’or at Cannes, director Jafar Panah is an Iranian dissident who was imprisoned and tortured, like his protagonist. Here he tells a haunting tale of a former political prisoner Vahid who kidnaps a man he believes once tortured him. Gathering others to help identify him and decide whether to exact vengeance or mercy, the ending presents a moral test, leaving the audience to grapple with forgiveness, revenge, and the uncertain future, reflecting the complex realities and lingering trauma of living under such a repressive regime. Panah’s work is a powerful act of defiance against real-life political oppression, as it was secretly shot in Tehran without permits (and with many non-actors).

It Was Just An Accident trailer

Frankenstein
My childhood obsession with monster movies began with the 1931 Universal classic Frankenstein with Colin Clive and Boris Karloff in the creator and creature roles. There have been many filmed versions of the Mary Shelley story in the ensuing nine decades, but perhaps none that hew as closely to the Shelley novel with as much heart and emotion as Guillermo del Toro’s version. He has created a poignantly humane tale with a fantastic Jacob Elordi as the hauntingly soulful and gentle creature longing for love and connection in a world that fears him, while seeking the creator who brought him into this world. Oscar Isaac is the obsessive and arrogant scientist Victor Frankenstein who becomes the tormented guilt and grief-stricken creator/father-figure. Del Toro and Frankenstein is a match made in heaven, given his experienced empathetic perspective on outsider tales. I loved this rapturous and compassionate take on the gothic classic.  

Frankenstein trailer

Sentimental Value
If you’re looking for a well-told family drama, look no further. Joachim Trier’s new film quietly sneaks up on your heart. From its opening moments, when the house itself is introduced as a character (and witness), I was immediately drawn into this poignant and deeply felt film about two adult sisters reunited with their estranged father Gustav Borg, an esteemed filmmaker, upon the death of their mother. In a comeback attempt, the father invites his stage actress daughter to star in his new film. When she refuses, he offers the role to an up-and-coming American star (Elle Fanning), throwing the delicate and complex familial relationships into further tension. Renate Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Stellan Skarsgård deliver beautifully understated and moving performances as family members, imbuing each character with raw authenticity.  

Sentimental Value trailer

Marty Supreme
This frenetic and propulsive ping pong opus by Josh Safdie (in a solo directing outing) stars a truly electrifying Timothee Chalamet as the annoyingly brash and manically arrogant ping-pong player Marty Mauser who possesses mad skills but combines it with an overinflated ego and relentless ambition that are equal parts captivating and maddening—but he’s a scoundrel you can’t help but cheer on. The gritty 1950s Lower East side period piece’s chaotic energy is anachronistically propelled by 1980s pop songs from the likes of Tears for Fears and Peter Gabriel, as well as Daniel Lapotin’s electric-synth soundtrack. It’s a bold, unapologetically bonkers origin story of American hubris that is a deliriously exhilarating ride.

Marty Supreme trailer

One Battle After Another
Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film is an unbelievably frenetic thrill ride that juggles explosive action with biting humor. This black-comedy action thriller follows Bob Ferguson, a bumbling former far-left revolutionary turned stoner dad living off-the-grid (think Chaplin with a rifle played by Leonardo de Caprio) who is forced back into action when his teenage daughter goes missing and an intense and touch-as-nails corrupt military officer pursues them (a scene-stealing Sean Penn). Throw in a wryly humorous and zen-like accomplice played by a terrific Benicio del Toro, and you have an epic, zany saga that blends humor with sharp commentary on our country’s never-ending, repeated culture wars. And it includes one hell of a car chase filmed in spectacular VistaVision. This is a dazzling film from PTA.

One Battle After Another trailer

Eddington
I see this as a companion piece to PTA’s OBAA, as films of and about our times. This won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, as it gave me PTSD upon first viewing; it crawled under my skin and didn’t leave for a long time. This Ari Aster-directed twisted contemporary Western satire/thriller begins in May 2020 in the small fictional New Mexico town of Eddington. It drops you right back in the middle of the national craziness surrounding anti-masking fervor, George Floyd protests and boomerang responses, wacky COVID origin conspiracies, and other mysterious players activated into action. Pitting Joaquin Phoenix’s cranky small-town sheriff Joe Cross against Pedro Pascal’s smug mayor, Ted Garcia, they turn confrontations about mask mandates and conspiracy theories into high-noon showdowns. Emma Stone, Austin Butler, and Deidre O’Connell wonderfully round out the supporting cast. Swinging from darkly comic to deadly serious, Eddington is a bold, controversial, button-pushing, and unnerving tale — part-origin tale and part-social commentary on how we got where we are in today’s unruly, hyper-partisan world.

Eddington trailer

Redefining the Horror Genre

I’m not typically a fan of the horror genre, but this year, three standout films significantly raised the bar through good old original and elevated storytelling.

Sinners
What a surprise Sinners turned out to be. It’s a genre-blending Southern gothic horror film set in the Jim Crow-era deep south directed by Ryan Coogler. The film’s first half feels like a top-notch crime drama and then Coogler flips the table and gives us a full-throttle horror showdown in the latter half. Michael B. Jordan’s tour de force double performance as twins Smoke and Stack is amazing. Music is the soul of this film and is even used as a weapon against evil. Beneath the thrills, Sinners has something to say about Black history and art, and does so with bold, bloody confidence. Its blending of social commentary with blues folklore, vampires and voodoo, and faith makes it one of the most thrilling and thought-provoking films of the year, leaving me a little spooked and surprisingly moved.

Sinners trailer

Weapons
Zach Cregger is another director who elevates the standard horror film to another level with this ambitious, twisty, puzzle-like film juggling multiple storylines and at times strangely comedic moments. At 2:17 a.m. in a quiet suburb, 17 school kids—all from the same classroom, get out of their beds, walk out their front doors, and vanish into the night. The mystery unfolds in a Rashomon-ish way, though multiple perspectives and a jumbled timeline. Its twisted dark humor has you laughing one minute, recoiling from shock the next. Josh Brolin as a grieving father and Julia Garner as the devastated classroom teacher (where all but one child disappeared) anchor the ensemble cast, but it’s Amy Madigan’s funny and frightening Aunt Gladys with her garish red wig with baby bangs, smeared lipstick, giant tinted sunglasses, and mismatched colorful outfits who steals the show.

Weapons trailer

Bring Her Back
Danny and Michael Philippou (of Talk to Me fame) concoct another nightmare with this twisted fairy tale about orphans, profound grief, and truly terrible parenting. Sally Hawkins is chillingly unhinged as a grief-stricken foster mom bent on resurrecting her dead daughter via an occult ritual – and if a few unlucky kids get hurt, so be it. The film is nasty in all the right ways, like an evil children’s storybook brought to life with gross-out shocks but genuine heart. It’s brutal and bonkers, but also grimly satisfying for those craving something original and deeply creepy.

Bring Her Back trailer

Dark Tales

Bugonia
Yorgos Lanthimos dives into sci-fi conspiracy weirdness with Bugonia, delivering one of his most audacious films yet (that’s saying a lot) with this macabre comedy involving conspiracy nuts, bees, and aliens…maybe? Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons lead this remake of a cult Korean thriller about two oddballs convinced their CEO (Stone) is an alien queen. Cue kidnappings, tinfoil-hat paranoia, and pitch-black comedy galore. True to Lanthimos form, Bugonia is equally deadpan funny and deeply unsettling – you’ll cringe, laugh, and wonder if you’re as crazy as the characters. It’s definitely not for everyone (bleak and bonkers barely cover it), but for adventurous viewers with an affinity for the absurd, this deranged eco-nihilism satire hits a uniquely wild sweet spot.

Bugonia trailer

Lurker
A chilling portrait of modern obsession, this indie dramady cum stalker-thriller lingered long after the screening at Sundance. First-time director Alex Russell (of The Bear and Beef fame) turns an Instagram obsession into a tense cat-and-mouse game behind the velvet rope. Théodore Pellerin’s Matthew starts as a likable nobody who worms his way into a rising pop star’s entourage – and things get deliciously uncomfortable from there. The film skewers desperate hangers-on and micro–power trips of “cool kid” culture with cringe-inducing accuracy and dark wit. It’s a teeth-gritting watch in the best way, a modern fable about how far we’ll go to feel important.

Lurker trailer

Memorable Queer Tales

Pillion
Believe it or not, this tender, taboo-shattering “dom-com” – yes, a rom-com about BDSM – is far sweeter than its leather-and-chains premise suggests and ended up as one of my favorite love stories of the year. Harry Melling (you may remember him from his days as Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter films) plays Colin, a shy misfit who is swept off his feet (and onto a motorcycle) by Alexander Skarsgård’s impossibly cool biker. What follows is an oddly heartwarming exploration of an unconventional relationship, handled with surprising humor and zero judgment. The film finds genuine romance in power dynamics and kink, making you root for these two to find their own version of happily ever after. An unexpectedly sweet and gentle ride into forbidden love from first-time director Harry Lighton.

Pillion trailer

Plainclothes
Another Sundance film I screened in January (and winner of Special Jury Award), Plainclothes stands out for its unusual mix of undercover cat-mouse thriller with slow-burn, tender love story. Set in upstate New York in 1997, Plainclothes is a gripping drama about a shameful chapter of LGBTQ+ history I don’t often see depicted: the use of undercover cops to entrap gay men. Tom Blyth is heartbreakingly good as a closeted ’90s cop assigned to entrap gay men, only to catch feelings for one of his targets (Russell Tovey). Director Carmen Emmi builds a moody atmosphere of paranoia – you feel the fear of being found out in every tense glance across a dingy mall restroom. A quietly riveting twist on the coming-out drama that keeps you on edge. A serious and purposeful film – and an important reminder of how far we’ve come, and how far we still have to go.

Plainclothes trailer

Lillies Not For Me
Not for faint of heart, but I found this an important watch that left an indelible mark. Set in a 1920s “conversion therapy” clinic for gay men, this UK period drama is a gut-punch of historical truth and emotional storytelling. While visually gorgeous and well-crafted, the story focuses on the horrifying but once acceptable quack “treatments” and “cures” for gay men. Fionn O’Shea gives a mesmerizing and heartbreaking performance as a young novelist confined to this clinic and tells his story to a psychiatric nurse during medically prescribed “dates.”

Lillies Not For Me trailer

Fun and Well-Told Tales

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
This super smart, inventively structured story with a fantastic cast is my favorite Knives Out story. Director Rian Johnson knocks it out of the park (or rather, the pulpit) with the third entry into the series. While this one has the usual twists and turns, this film has a truly soulful core, led not by Daniel Craig’s reliable Benoit Blanc, but rather by Josh O’Connor’s moving and heartfelt portrayal of an earnest young priest. This is a mystery with something on its mind, and I savored every devilishly clever minute.

Wake Up Dead Man trailer

KPop Demon Hunters
I resisted at first, but once I clicked play, this easily turned into the most joyously unexpected treat of the year. An animated action-comedy about a K-pop girl group secretly battling demons, it sounds insane – and it is. And you’ll be humming its ultra-catchy songs for days. The animation is a visual sugar rush – every frame pops with neon color and creativity, and the action sequences are as sleek and fun as the best K-pop choreography. I adored how the movie blends goofy magical-girl antics with a sincere story about friendship and being true to yourself. It’s been a while since a film for all age ranges felt this fresh, empowering, and just plain fun. KPop Demon Hunters isn’t just a win for K-pop fans – it’s a celebration of music, girl power, and big-hearted storytelling.

KPop Demon Hunters trailer

The Phoenician Scheme
As a Wes Anderson devotee, I always look forward with utter delight at his lavish dioramas come to life. While The Phoenician Scheme may not be among his best outings, it by no means disappoints. Benicio del Toro plays world-weary scoundrel Zsa-zsa Korda with perfect deadpan panache. The father-daughter story adds a lovely wistful note amidst the silliness; I even felt a twinge of emotion beneath the perfectly composed chaos. And oh, the visuals! Every frame is a feast of color and quirk; watching his films is like meeting an old friend and finding they’re as charming as ever. (I also visited the Wes Anderson The Archives exhibition at the Design Museum in London—what a fabulous show. Hopefully, it will come stateside in the future.) Here is link to my photos from that visit: https://photos.app.goo.gl/z5GkduVhBjxo3Cc3A.

The Phoenician Scheme trailer

Caught Stealing
A far cry from Darren Aronofsky’s usual fare, Caught Stealing feels like an Aronofsky update of Martin Scorsese’s After Hours. (In fact, Griffin Dunne from that film does a cameo.) It’s a screwball thriller/crime caper with Austin Butler as a down-and-out ex-baseball player whose good neighbor cat-sitting gig plunges him into non-stop mayhem involving Eastern European mobsters and their henchmen, dirty cops, and a pair of Hasidic Jewish hit men (portrayed by Live Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio). And of course, there is Tonic, the fluffy Siberian forest cat who portrays Bud, the cat Austin Butler protects at all costs. It’s a bloody good time.

Caught Stealing trailer

Revealing and Moving Bio Docs

Sally
The life of astronaut Sally Ride (Westlake alumna ’68) gets a long-overdue spotlight in this insightful documentary portrait. Sally celebrates Ride’s achievements as the first American woman in space and delves frankly into the hidden aspect of her life: her decades-long same-sex partnership with Tam O’Shaughnessy, a fact that was first revealed in Ride’s obituary. While it’s quite exciting to see the archival NASA footage, the emotional core of the film lies in the intimate interviews and reflections with Sally’s partner, Tam. It’s a stirring tribute to a trailblazer whose private life has remained mostly hidden till now.

Sally trailer

My Mom Jayne
A deeply moving documentary love letter from actress Mariska Hargitay to her mother, 1950s Hollywood bombshell Jayne Mansfield. Far from a standard celebrity recap, My Mom Jayne is intensely personal, as Hargitay spent most of her adult life distancing herself from the tabloid and Hollywood mythology surrounding her mom who died when she was 3. Now at age 60, she digs into her family archives and memories to understand her mom, and along the way, reveals a secret Hargitay has kept since her 20s. I was unexpectedly struck by this powerfully moving reflection by Hargitay on her mother Jayne.  

My Mom Jayne trailer

Pee-wee As Himself
As a young adult, I watched and admired the comedic genius known as Pee-wee Herman. But it wasn’t until I started watching this two-part documentary that I realized I knew nothing about the man behind the persona. This doc is a wonderful tribute to the late Paul Reubens and his beloved creation. Watching him reflect upon his life is bittersweet knowing that this was completed shortly before he died. There’s so much to laugh about, but there is also a great deal of weightiness as he candidly talks about his setbacks and scandals. This is a well-deserved and revealing sendoff for a complex artist yearning to be understood.

Pee-wee As Himself trailer

Tale of Two Supermen

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Have tissues handy for this one. Super/Man is a supremely moving documentary about the life of Christopher Reeve, the original movie Superman. Transcending the typical “celebrity tragedy” narrative, Super/Man celebrates the remarkable man behind the Superman image, focusing on the heroics of the man after the 1995 horseback-riding accident, and it soars with genuine inspiration. One of the best documentaries of the year.

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story trailer

Superman
I was so pleasantly surprised by how I enjoyed this Superman. It’s been a long time since the Man of Steel felt this uplifting on the big screen, and that’s all due to David Corenswet who radiates innate goodness, sincerity, and dorky charm that just makes you root for him. James Gunn’s touch brings a lightness and comedic spark, while his action is big, bold, and clear – you can actually see Superman smile while saving people. What really stands out about Corenswet’s Superman is that he made me believe again in the idea of a hero who’s simply kind. And in today’s world, that feels pretty darn heroic.

Superman trailer

Other Quick Takes

Materialists
Celine Song’s second outing after her magnificent debut film Past Lives feels like a clever ’90s rom-com, yet sharply attuned to today’s dating absurdities, a sharply modern look at the intersection of love, money, and meaning in Manhattan.

Materialists trailer

Sorry, Baby
A little indie that packs a quiet wallop using non-linear structure to tell the story of recovery after a “bad thing” happens. Oh, and a cat plays a minor but significant role.

Sorry, Baby trailer

Twinless
A darkly funny and fiendishly clever indie that starts as one thing and then flips the table.

Twinless trailer

Jay Kelly
Perhaps a bit conventional, but a charming George Clooney stars as an aging star in a poignant adult-coming-of-age story.

Jay Kelly trailer

F1
A high octane primer for my actual in-person F1 experience at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

F1 trailer

Black Bag
Slick cat-and-mouse spy pic from Steven Soderbergh

Black Bag trailer

A Nice Indian Boy
I’ll watch anything with Jonathan Groff! Especially in a sweet cross-cultural gay rom-com.

A Nice Indian Boy trailer

The Wedding Banquet
A 21^st century update of the 1993 classic with a Korean twist. With Youn Yuh Jung! Bowen Yang! Lily Gladstone! Han Gi-chan!

The Wedding Banquet trailer

In the queue

• The Secret Agent
• Merrily We Roll Along
• Wicked 2
• Train Dreams
• Holy Cow
• Die My Love
• Blue Moon
• 28 Years Later
• Nouvelle Vague

TV Shows and Other Streaming

Adolescence
This four-part series is absolutely astonishing on so many levels, but be warned: this is an incredibly intense, emotional experience that will not leave you. A masterfully told tale in four distinct chapters, dropping us in the middle of a family nightmare as a young teenage boy is arrested for killing a female classmate in the first episode—as a viewer, I don’t think I remembered to breath during the entire episode. The other three episodes are equally harrowing, taking place in the school as the investigation ensues, in an interview session between the accused boy and a psychiatrist (perhaps the most gripping episode), and the last is months later as the case nears its conclusion. The acting is absolutely superb, particularly 13-year-old Owen Cooper in his first-ever acting gig – and he went on to become the youngest ever male Emmy winner for his role.

Adolescence is a phenomenal, but devastating cautionary tale, delving into toxic masculinity and youth violence, the fragility of innocence, and the corrosive effects of hate. It urges us as educators, parents, and as an entire society to examine what kids are consuming and feeling as they go through adolescence, a time of inherent turmoil as they shape their own identity and moral code while learning to modulate and control their emotions. And from a technical perspective, the series is a marvel, as each hour-long episode is shot in one continuous take.

Adolescence trailer

Heated Rivalry
Wow. Who knew this little Canadian queer rom-com about the hidden relationship between two rival hockey players would become all the rage right now. The frank sex scenes may get all the attention, but the chemistry is crackling between the two leads and the storyline as the relationship becomes more intimate is authentically gripping. Actors Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams aka “Hollanov” (as the rivals-to-lovers are collectively known) were virutal unknowns a month ago, and now they’re an overnight global social media phenomenon. And the NHL is embracing the show as new female and queer fans are flocking to the sport, highlighting the power of inclusive storytelling. Adapted from Rachel Reid’s Game Changers book series. Love, love, love these guys.

Heated Rivalry trailer

The Studio
Hollywood creates a satire about itself and the eternal struggle between art and commerce in Hollywood. The writing and acting are terrific, and the show is an absolute riot.

The Studio trailer

Boots
A surprisingly heartfelt and likeable dramedy with Miles Heizer (13 Reasons Why) as the beating heart of this coming-of-age story. It’s the 1990s, and he plays a closeted and bullied teen who decides to enlist in the Marines along with his best straight friend, and eventually finds himself in a platoon of loveable oddballs. This was Norman Lear’s last project, and you can feel his fingerprints all over this series in the classic mix of humor and social conscience .

Boots trailer

Mary & George
This historical 17^th century psychodrama portrays the real-life power couple Mary Villiers (Julianne Moore) and her son George (Nicholas Galitzine) who ruthlessly climbed (i.e., sleeping, killing, etc.) their way to the top of King James I’s court. I didn’t know that Jacobean England was so scandalously naughty, fresh, and so rife with sexual fluidity. It’s an absolutely juicy hoot—and a little horrifying—in the most entertaining way.

Mary & George trailer

The Pitt
A day in the life of a Pittsburgh trauma center, this gripping medical drama is pulse-pounding television at its finest with each episode representing one hour in a single 15-hour shift, giving it an even more “you are there” feel to the show.

The Pitt trailer

Big Boys
A special shoutout to this little British series I stumbled upon on Hulu. It’s goofy and sweet, then suddenly devastatingly profound about two guys on opposite ends of the masculinity spectrum who develop a heartwarming relationship. Its portrayal of male friendship — tender, imperfect, deeply loving — feels radical in its simplicity. It’s funny without being cruel and emotional without manipulation. A quiet triumph that earns every tear.

Big Boys trailer

• Overcompensating
• I Love LA
• The Rehearsal, S2
• Hacks, S4
• Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy
• Death By Lightning
• The White Lotus, S3
• Stranger Things, S5
• Squid Games, S2
• Forever
• The Righteous Gemstones, S4
• The Narrow Road to the Deep North
• House of Guiness
• It: Welcome to Derry
• Physical Asia