Best of 2025 — Movies

 Here are my top picks from our year of viewing around 130 movies.   We continued in our Oscar winner/nominees series and, as always, there is a generous dose of our Indian and Korean discoveries. All are listed in the order we encountered them.

As always, the movies may be old, but my viewing was brand new this year. In no particular order.

I began my "Best of" lists way back in 2008. To see them, check the label cloud in the sidebar under "Best of ..."

2025 BEST MOVIES

Raat Akeli Hai
(The Night is Lonely)

A truly classic style noir that reminded us irresistably of Chinatown. With a subplot of the mother trying to find the detective a bride which made it truly Indian. Featuring one of our favorite actors, Nawazuddin Siddiqui. A real gem.

Cinderella (1950)

The original animated classic, which was considerably enhanced by watching it with our 5-year-old grandson. I saw this so long ago that it might as well have been new to me.

Kai Po Che!
(I've Cut the Kite!)

I don't usually like coming of age stories but this was simply delightful as we saw 3 friends drawn to what they cared about most, finding ways to follow their dreams while making a living. And while remaining friends. Real historical events disrupted their lives but we also see how those are handled and the difference they make in the young men's decisions.

Thelma

When 93-year-old Thelma falls prey to a phone, she sets out to reclaim what was taken from her. This was a delight. Thelma being inspired by Tom Cruise to track down the scammers who tricked her into sending cash is just the first level.

(My review here.)

Noryang: Deadly Sea

The last in the trilogy about naval genius Admiral Yi. The director brilliantly manages to show huge sea battles in a way that conveys the incredible chaos while making the strategy crystal clear. That's important because Admiral Yi's genius only becomes clear as the battle proceeds. Not to be missed.

(My review here.)

Hi Nanna!

An ill child, her protective father, and a mysterious woman journey through love, parenthood, and destiny. Against all odds I loved this film, especially with the insane number of plot twists in the second half. Read the review to get the vibe.

(My review here.)

Chhaava

Indian historical movie about the Marathis battling to save their land from the Moguls. The link between the king and his wife along with what we know of his lifelong question about his mother add depth to the love of country and devotion to the gods. This was really well done and surprisingly moving at the end. (Not for beginners to Indian movies.)

Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds
Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days

And I thought Dante's circles of hell were bad. In The Two Worlds, we follow a soul on trial as his three accompanying guardians defend him through the Buddhist circles of hell. This is a really entertaining fantasy. The imaginings of the hells were wonderful and probably would really resonate with those who know Buddhism basics.

The Last 49 Days is essentially the second half of the story and, as such, is a strong finish.

Frankenstein

Director Guillermo del Toro somehow managed to stay true to the book while whirling around with his own different details a lot of the time. Best of all, the point of the story was articulated enough to be sure that we really got it. Really good.

(My review here.)

The Host

Really solid monster movie although, as is often the case, it is more about the people than the monster. It holds up wonderfully for a 20 year old film, helped considerably thanks to our experience with Covid.

Good Ol' Freda

This was a gentle, sweet look at the Beatles' 10 year run through the eyes of their secretary, Freda.

Wake Up, Dead Man

The latest in the Knives Out mystery series by Rian Johnson. Best depiction of a modern priest since Calvary. Also a pretty good murder mystery with everyone's favorite detective, Benoit Blanc. Clearly Rian Johnson was interested in religion and, as from my vantage point as a Catholic believer, he gets it right.