The year at the movies gets a mixed review.
For a hefty chunk of 2025, it felt like one flop after another — and not only at the box office.
Hotly anticipated new films from brilliant directors, such as Bong Joon Ho (“Mickey 17”), Kathryn Bigelow (“A House of Dynamite”) and James L. Brooks (“Ella McCay”) fell far short of their creators’ standards.
Sexy-sounding projects starring Jennifer Lopez (“Kiss of the Spider Woman“), Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (“Smashing Machine“) and Julia Roberts (“After the Hunt“) turned out to be a dud parade.
On the flip side, plenty of genuinely fantastic movies like “Twinless,” “The Ballad of Wallis Island” and “Hamnet” failed to catch on with viewers because of meh marketing, lack of interest and the growing tendency of holding out until quality adult fare hits a streaming service.
(Note: Please go see “Marty Supreme.”)
But there was some cinematic schadenfreude. Superheroes — Hollywood’s dominant genre for more than a decade — finally crashed down to earth with a deafening thud.
Marvel’s “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” “Thunderbolts*” and “Captain America: Brave New World” were OK-to-miserable and got a well-deserved “thank you, next!” from audiences worldwide. Warner Bros.’ superior “Superman” performed better, sure, but not by much. The exhausting trend has gone on far too long.
And some of the past 12 months’ boffo hits were puerile sludge: “A Minecraft Movie” had Jack Black sing a stupid song about a chicken shack, and “Jurassic World Rebirth” was an asteroid-level assault on the planet.
But a glimmer of hope came from a double act of Warner Bros. horror films — “Sinners” and “Weapons.” Written and directed, respectively, by Ryan Coogler and Zach Cregger, they were smart, exciting and, praise be, actually popular. Critics loved them, audiences flocked and everybody was talking about the hits for months. They still are. It’s like being back in 1998 when this stuff mattered.
Lifeless sequels and reboots may still be our biggest draws for now. But bold originality will always be Hollywood’s greatest weapon.
‘Marty Supreme’
The best movie of the year arrived fashionably late. Writer-director Josh Safdie’s cinematic lighter fluid starring Timothée Chalamet as a 1950s New York ping pong wizard named Marty Mauser throbs with youthful passion and rebellion as the arrogant spitfire jets around the globe to fulfill his dream of getting to the top of table tennis.
“Supreme” is the strangest thing — mixing “Rocky,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Moonstruck” and a 5-Hour Energy drink into one white-knuckle thrill ride of fun, nervous wincing and real heart. And, at the center of the madness is a career-best Chalamet, who’s turning into Hollywood’s last great movie star.
In theaters.
‘Hamnet’
While there are countless reasons to check out “Marty,” the No. 1 draw of “Nomadland” director Chloe Zhao’s intensely moving Shakespeare riff is its marvelous lead actress Jessie Buckley. Trust me — her powerhouse performance will blow you away. Buckley is breathtaking as the Bard’s wife, who endures the greatest tragedy that can possibly befall a mother. As her poetic husband, Paul Mescal is sensitive and tortured, and Zhao is among our best filmmakers at turning glorious nature into a character all its own. But Buckley is not to be missed.
In theaters.
‘Weapons’
One of the most rewarding things about being a movie critic is insider trading. You attend an early screening of something that you have zero expectations for, and you leave saying, “Buy! Buy! Buy!”. That was best exemplified this year by Cregger’s sensational “Weapons,” starring Julia Garner as a maligned teacher and a tricky Amy Madigan as scene-stealing Aunt Gladys. It’s freaky, funny, mysterious and ingeniously plotted. “Weapons” should get a best picture nomination, but Hollywood is too pretentious for that.
On HBO Max.
‘It Was Just An Accident’
This award season is particularly crowded with a foreign-language films. Some — cough, “Sentimental Value,” cough — are obscenely overrated. But Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s riveting dramedy, in which a group of former political prisoners in Tehran attempt to take revenge on the guard who tortured them, is truly dangerous filmmaking and phenomenal entertainment.
On Prime Video.
‘The Naked Gun’
Is it as good as the original with Leslie Nielsen? Of course not. But the “Police Squad” reboot starring an off-his-rocker Liam Neeson was the funniest studio comedy in a long, long time. I’d all but forgotten that laughter at the cinema was even allowed. And how can you not love Neeson’s co-star Pamela Anderson’s second act as an actress in actually good movies?
On Paramount+.
‘The Ballad of Wallis Island’
You won’t spot this British romantic comedy on most year-end lists, but the story of a former musician duo — and estranged couple — being brought back together by a super-fan on a remote island is a perfect heart warmer. And Tim Key as the hilarious, pun-loving third wheel is perfection.
On Prime Video.
‘Twinless’
One of the standout films at this year’s Sundance Festival — an indie institution which has struggled to fuel conversation recently — was writer-director-star James Sweeney’s twisty comedy co-starring a truly exceptional Dylan O’Brien. You go in thinking “Twinless” is a buddy movie, and then it sharp turns in an impossible-to-predict direction.
On Prime Video.
‘Sinners’
The “Black Panther” director really outdid himself with this Southern, bluesy spin on vampires starring Michael B. Jordan as smooth-talking twins who come home to open a juke joint only to wind up in a gory fight with the undead. “Sinners” manages to be a popcorn movie that’s visually artful and has something to say.
On HBO Max.
‘Blue Moon’
When I first saw Richard Linklater’s intimate Sardi’s-set movie about Broadway composer Lorenz Hart, the New York crowd howled at all the in-jokes about “Oklahoma!” and “Carousel.” The script, which is a long, occasionally interrupted monologue, overflows with wit. And Ethan Hawke’s transformational performance as drunken, frustrated Hart is a true masterclass. You won’t believe it’s him.
On Prime Video.
‘One Battle After Another’
Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest, which will probably win the Oscar for best picture, is not my favorite Paul Thomas Anderson movie. “There Will Be Blood,” “Licorice Pizza” and “Boogie Nights” are all better. The thing is, this guy, the greatest director of his generation, doesn’t know how to make bad movies. He just can’t. “Battle” is so brilliantly crafted, even if it doesn’t hit home the way the rest of PTA’s oeuvre does. And Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro and newcomer Chase Infiniti are all superb as an oddball action ensemble.
On HBO Max.
