Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu; Takes B-movie serials of yesteryears, adds some classic Hollywood inspirations like Blade Runner, French Connection and Butch Cassidy, in a Return of the Jedi flavour to appeal to both adult & child adventurers. Feels like a few episodes and not a true film; A-

Sentimental Value

Sentimental Value; A remarkable achievement in family drama storytelling, containing exemplary performances throughout the cast. Hooks you immediately w/clever juxtaposition of imagery & narration, inviting you into the complexity of this family’s past & present relationships. A masterclass; A+

Billie EIlish: Hit Me Hard and Soft - The Tour Live in 3D

Billie Eilish-Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (in 3D); Interesting behind the scenes elements and in concert intimate access make this a special capturing of the tour for fans. The 3D adds very little, apart from some arena depth of fan’s views. Music itself feels more emotional but less exciting; B+

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly; Epic use of score & cinematic touches, from extreme close ups to stunning panoramic vistas, entertain despite some bloated scenes and prolonged run time. The three leads could be interchangeable w/their title monikers, deliciously chewing scenery. Definite classic; A-

Outcome

Outcome; Sold as comedy, but truly an introspective drama, it seems made for & more in tune w/Hollywood types than an average viewer. Casting Reeves is clear choice for character’s conundrum, as his real life goodness counters the role. Great cast but story fizzles while promoting daily decency; B-

Ready or Not 2

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come; The surprise and suspense of the first is lost in this attempt to up the ante w/more families of hunters. Sister character arc eliminates the original’s haunting aspect of the bride’s solitary state. Still, the actors are having a blast and it is slightly infectious; B-

No Other Choice

No Other Choice; Another modern critique of capitalist shortcomings told in dramatic fashion descending into horror. Superbly acted and well fleshed out by realized supporting characters with their own discoveries and motivations. Devilishly fun to keep up with before it takes quite a turn; A-
 

I'm Still Here

I’m Still Here; Felt like this plodded along depicting moments that would’ve been better as a documentary or literature than a two hour plus attempt to convey the horrors of what the family/country went through. For me, dramatizations tend to minimize emotional impact, even if this well acted; C
 

The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel

The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel; The core element of what started & continues to drive the band shines through as various artists speak their absolute love for Hillel, all these years since his passing. The mix of testament and historic documents blends beautifully; A-

Predator: Badlands

Predator: Badlands; If a franchise lives long enough, the villain will eventually become the hero. Latest instalment asks us to cheer for the underdog runt of Predators, and keeps us engaged with zany humour and some pretty gruesome kills and dismemberment. Another triumph for an aging franchise; B

Prey

Prey; Nice change up to the Predator franchise mythos, supposing what the trophy hunting alien species might have run up against the equally skillful hunters from Indigenous nations. Centered around a young Native woman who’s breaking moulds amongst her people, story unfolds captivatingly well; B+

The Revenant

The Revenant; Iñárritu frames every scene masterfully so that it becomes permanently etched into our psyche. DiCaprio & Hardy display Oscar worthy devotion to enact efforts that bleed though the screen what must have been epic trials behind the scenes. Haunting, stark and realistic filmmaking; A
 

Snatch

Snatch; Like a live action Looney Tunes, the antics get sillier & crazier as characters fumble their way through messed up heists & failed fixed fights. Cast is down to clown, giving stars plenty to play around with. Soundtrack rocks and story beats along fabulously. Ritchie delivers his vision; A-

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie; Parts Wayne’s World, Ferris Bueller, & the obvious Back to the Future, w/less humour than those three. Wears its influences openly & might wear thin for those who aren’t along for low budget hijinx, street level Canadian filmmaking. Peers will find joy in it; B-
 

Secret Mall Apartment

Secret Mall Apartment; Once an audience gets past potential scenarios its title may cook up, the reality remains fascinating. The footage seems too good to be true, save for the fact that it’s an artist’s project. The sum of its parts may not pay off, but like art, it’s the journey that counts; B
 

Her

Her; Poses interesting questions about modern relationships, dealing w/divorce & break ups, & how initial attraction morphs into something different as time together passes. All this portrayed by great acting, and a rather myopic view of artificial technology, makes for a thought provoking film; B

Hoppers

Hoppers; Story, message and entertainment blend in the same Pixar manner we’ve cherished for three decades now. The 30th film comes in just below the studio’s legacy best, but right on par with some of its greatest hits. Fun and silly while still grounded in emotional reality, it’s pure enjoyment; A
 

Black Bag

Black Bag; The economy of Soderbergh strikes gold once again. A taut thriller, stage play style experience, expertly acted by a fine cast. The spy world is given a domestic slant to great effect and high tension. Sold as having more action, it’s really the mind games bringing the excitement; A-
 

GOAT

GOAT; A zillion sports story tropes delivered w/fresh paint, tunes & animal types. The chaotic animation will make the same old story beats go down easier, w/fun in jokes, sight gags and solid voice acting. Made for the small balls, but with enough to enjoy for the adults, an easy crowd pleaser; B+

Cinema Paradiso

Cinema Paradiso; A love letter to the communal town square that’s at the heart of small town film theatres. Told through loving enduring relationships btwn generations & the journey of their lifetimes. When clips of a life tell a story of love and what forms our lives, it is heartrending joyous; A-

Marty Supreme

Marty Supreme; A wild romp filled w/erratic unsympathetic characters, spearheaded by Chalamet’s full throttle performance in the title role. Bolstered by a great supporting cast, save for Paltrow, continuing her knack of sucking in great movies. Shocking, unapologetic moments abound & entertain; A-

Materialists

Materialists; Works best as a dark comedy when it’s speaking deadpan about sociopathic behaviour in an American Psycho way. But when it comes to the rom com angle, Johnson’s woodenness doesn’t convey anything appealing to either leading man. Still, Celine Song knows how to direct dialogue; B

The Mission

The Mission; Spectacular filming of the brutal dichotomy of colonial powers valuing South American indigenous peoples and territory for their subjugation to religion and exploitation of labour. The efforts to depict the scope and scale are unfortunately not given to the writing of the script; B+
 

TRON: Ares

TRON: Ares; Maintains cool aesthetic lighting and killer soundtrack that makes the franchise appealing in the first place. New plot angles are interesting enough to fill a full two hours and Lee is a great leading actor to root for. Unfortunate casting of Leto detracts but it’s still watchable; B-
 

Play It Again, Sam

Play It Again, Sam; A tale of two reactions. One, an appreciation for the clever turn of phrase inherent in the comedic writing. The other, a disgust for overblown pathetic attempts at physical comedy by the repulsive Allen, along with some jokes that have not aged well, thankfully. Skippable; D+

The Best and Worst Films of 2025

2025 brought a lot of action to our screens. This year's Top 10 is filled with highly stylized action films from some of the best directors of our time. Ranking them was a bit of an exercise in futility, as each has its own angle or approach that differs from the others, and they're all great on their own part. Apart from maybe the solid one-two slots, slots three to eight are pretty much interchangeable and could be moved up or down the scale on any given day. There's also a bunch of honourable mentions that could have found their way on to the Top 10 list, and had the opportunity for second viewings happened for many of them, they could very well have bumped another film out of its ranking.

That's a pretty good success factor, given that I saw 42 films last year that were either in theatres (14) or streaming premieres viewed in the calendar year of 2025. This means that there are some 2024 releases elligble and I did allow two much older rereleases to sneak their way onto the Top 10, since their releases were theatrical runs considered special event limited run engagements for the purpose of theatrical viewing. They're included in the Top 10 because of the experience, but dig into the honourable mentions if you want to select two films from 2025 to replace those two. To see all my reviews from the past 20 years (and then some) you can read them here, or you can also find me on Letterboxd as JoeJamesFilm and on BlueSky as Keepin' it Reel by JoeJamesFilm where the reviews pop up a little bit quicker before they pop up here.

Please enjoy what I considered to be the best 10 films of the 42 movies I saw in 2025:

10. Sign 'o' the Times; If you know me, you know an opportunity to see Prince in a theatre, make that an IMAX theatre, means it's gonna be a beautiful night. The mere ability to hear the music audio blasting out of the IMAX theatre speakers made for an amazing experience. It truly felt that in many ways, we were hearing Prince's seminal 1987 album for the first time. Though the whole narrative elements meant to thread some sort of storyline throughout the concert set remain hokey and goofy, they're not enough to detract from seeing Prince's masterful band performing highlights from what many consider to be his best album of material. His command of the stage and instruments is on full display but what really struck me this time around was how he spotlights his fellow musicians, sharing the limelight readily, especially the extremely talented women he always featured in his musical lineup. Give me more Prince in IMAX please. Make IT an annual thing.

9. My Old Ass; Sure, big budget action with Hollywood stars and multimillion dollar promotional ad campaigns gets butts in theatres these days. But there's always room for small, well written, enjoyable and poignant tales rendered by fine performances set in beautiful locations. It's my hope that movies like this don't fall out of fashion, or get lost in the slush of streaming search screens. Films like these are exactly why I continue to make lists like this. To spotlight the under seen, under appreciated, hidden gems that back in the old days of video stores, would get pushed by patrons and clerks to greater audiences. Plaza is a clever selector of content, as she is often great in what often turns out to be great projects. The personal touch that Megan Park brings to the material will hit home for some fellow Canadians, as the setting and scenario are very much made in Canada, while its themes and coming of age story with a twist is very universal.

8. How to Train Your Dragon; I'm not a fan of the live action remakes of films that aren't old enough for the audience of the original to barely become adults with kids of their own. But I also see films and characters like plays or theatre. They're open to reinterpretation, put on again for a new generation or a different creative team to have a crack at. A new take on Batman is what the source material has done over and over for decades, why would the medium of cinema be any different? So I did go into this movie with an open mind but low expectations and little interest. And damn if they didn't nail every aspect of this version. If someone's first encounter with this material is the live action, they will be tickled to no doubt want to revisit the animated films that were expertly crafted. The two approaches complement one another, in this instance. Opening the story to new audiences works this time around, especially since the original began a little under the radar. 

7. Frankenstein; Guillermo del Toro's vision and personal love of monsters and what they teach us as humans is a well that never seems to run dry. Same too, this tale of Frankenstein, which this time around gets the high end, prestigious artistic treatment. Every frame is fantastically filled with exquisite production design, with the creative crew working on all cylinders, nailing the thematic atmosphere through lighting, sound and musical score. The actors inhabit their roles, from the explosive outbursts to the more tender moments. With del Toro's films, you can see the love on the screen, from his collaborators that give their all in order to bring his ideas to life, to the manner in which he treats the subject matter. You may have seen versions of Mary Shelley's novel, but ensure you make time for this one, as it definitely spotlights themes of the novel true to del Toro's heart.

6. Wake Up Dead Man; Not going to lie, Rian Johnson can keep making these for the rest of his life, and I'd be down for it. From the way he imbues the setting of the story so that it practically becomes a character, to the superb cast he enlists to play all manner of zany characters. It's like it is all plucked from a series of classic mystery novels, and reads just as rich on several levels, warranting rewatches to enjoy the performances and particular lines and setup after the initial mystery is solved. Viewers will debate where this ranks in the trio of Benoit Blanc movies, which is an indication of a high level of quality consistently kept throughout each instalment. What's even more impressive is how the individual films differ from one another and this one is no exception. Introducing religious elements makes great fodder for our foils to ruminate upon. Another great film.

5. Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair; I didn't realize that this was being rereleased (thanks Liam's Dad!), nor that it had a previous release, but since it hit theatres with an actual marketing campaign, like the Prince movie, I'm including it on my best list (if you don't believe it deserves to be on here, since it's old, feel free to swap out one of the honourable mentions in its place). Seeing both volumes in a single viewing, with an intermission between them, made for an altered viewing experience, shifting weight and prominence of some scenes while having the tonal elements that fuelled Vol. 1 and 2 sort of smashed together. The journey remains incredible, with action scenes and dialogue exchanges that still delight, while the presence of storied actors who have since passed lends a sombre mood over some characters when revisiting their performances. Most importantly, the ability to see this in a cinema and open it up to a new generation to view it as intended was the best decision, which is why it's on this best list, once again.

4. Anora; Here's where I reiterate the criteria for my best list each year; films I saw in the calendar year. This often leads to one or more of last year's Oscar contenders finding its way onto my best list, long overdue. Anora is one of those rare best picture winners that lived up to the Oscar hype surrounding it. Maybe because it was a bit of a surprise winner, or maybe because it feels like it is rooted in indie spirit, but the film has that infectious energy that makes you not want to take your eyes off of the screen. A lot of that has to do with the filming elements and directorial choices of Sean Baker, along with the magnetic performance of Mikey Madison. Time will tell whether this film retains its academy approved love and affection, but it's definitely worth a watch, which isn't always the case for previous recipients of the academy award for Best Picture.

3. Ballerina; The level of superbly insane ballet of violence that the John Wick series has brought to movie goers is sustained, and quite possibly elevated in this fifth film set in the world of principled assassins. Having Ana de Armas take the lead role is inspired casting and she cements herself as one of Hollywood's most bodacious action stars. The most attractive asset of the Wick pedigree remains intact, as incredible stunt work combines with stylistically shot moments of realistic violence. The Austrian setting of the finale lends itself to a fantastic looking and suspenseful denouement. There is no other challenger right now to the crown of apex of action, as the Wick series has delivered a decade's worth of quality, streamlined action filled entertainment. Ballerina is top-tier and set the bar for straight up action in 2025.

2. One Battle After Another; How about top tier political action thriller? Paul Thomas Anderson's first foray into a modern day set feature in over 20 years aligns him once again with a cast containing some of the most talented actors in Tinseltown. PTA newbie DiCaprio is thoroughly entertaining and believable in his lead role, depicting multiple life changes with equally engaging elements. Penn is disturbingly physically revolting, inhabiting his horrible character with a full body performance. Del Toro's presence conveys such committed cool to political asylum and it all amounts to an amazingly tight, thrilling intense piece of filmmaking, centred around family and reflecting real life political issues. Cinematic art has a beautiful way of illuminating aspects of society while offering it in an entertaining, mind stimulating package.

and the number one film of 2025 is...

1. Sinners; No film stuck in my mind the way that Sinners managed to do for months. Like many of the films below it on this list, Sinners is an action filled film coming from an auteur visionary that has a LOT to say about American society, past and present. On the surface, the film is a rollicking adventure that unfolds in a From Dusk to Dawn fashion (IYKYK) while underneath the surface is a social commentary with more bite than the vile vampires. Michael B. Jordan's dual performance is phenomenal and nuanced. The music is itself, a journey through Americana roots, giving us perhaps THE most incredible scene of the year, as Coogler's lens and staging cleverly mixes hundreds of years of history to cinematically emphasize the film's core elements and story. This movie has instant classic status, and will live on forever, which should warrant an eventual franchise, given the post credits scene. I can't wait to see how Coogler and his talented team map these themes onto 80s/90s hip hop culture in a Sinners sequel.

So there you have it. A much better year of cinema than the one that preceeded it. Maybe in troubling times, art rises to reflect a resistance, speaking truth to power in the face of it all. There was some more great entertainment made in 2025 that you can find in the...

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: The Fantastic 4: First Steps, Ka Whawhai Tonu (In the Fire of War), Kōkā, KPop Demon Hunters, Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Superman, The Wild Robot, Zootopia 2

There were some other pretty good films this year, so please take a look through my 2025 reviews to find some more movies that were worth a watch but just missed a mention on these lists.

Sadly, there were some misses in 2025 and even though they failed to find favour with me, their box office numbers certainly said otherwise for many moviegoers. Which goes to show that these Best and Worst lists are highly subjective and subject to personal taste. Here are five that left a sour taste in my mouth...

5. Captain America: Brave New World; This one could have used a little more bravery, a lot less new world. In the aftermath of what we now know to be only the beginning of the worst year of American history in my lifetime, real life events called for bold responses, and the journey of Sam Wilson's Falcon to Captain America should have been the perfect setting to deliver a strong story. Instead, it seemed like pre-election jitters made Marvel paint this with an entirely apolitical bland approach, overemphasizing comic book buffoonery and neglecting the seeds planted throughout Sam Wilson's storylines and screen time to tell a mature, thoughtful critique of all that is wrapped up in the mythos of Captain America and the possessor of the shield and the ideals that come with it. A really waste of time and Harrison Ford. It didn't help that I saw this after the surprising psycho/sociological exploration of Thunderbolts*.

4. Fear Street: Prom Queen; Much like the film in the five slot, this one suffered from a similar disappointment of not being what it could have been. Or at least what was expected. The original Fear Street trilogy that Netflix released in the summer of 2021 had a clever thread going through each film and played with the genre conventions of the various horror eras of each film's setting with some tongue-in-cheek aspects. This instalment has a different approach, existing as though it were an artifact from the eighties. And not in a good way. IF that was the intended outcome, then they succeeded. But then one would have to wonder why exactly they set out to make a bad 80s film in the 2020s. I'm pretty sure there is an audience for this sort of thing, but given the delightful surprise the three Fear Street films provided over three weeks in July 2021, this was a complete and utter letdown.

3. Mufasa: The Lion King; I always wanted a bruh..ther. But I never wanted to live to see the day that Lin-Manuel Miranda lost his Midas touch. I'm not sure what the assignment was, but the songs in this film are so cringe inducing, they have become a long running joke in our house. It was painful to watch this movie. When you want something to be good, but it keeps getting in the way of itself. The animation is spectacular, but the choice to be photo realistic yet attempt to maintain fantasy flourishes at the same time, results in that uncanny valley feeling that Zemeckis' Polar Express movie gave many moviegoers. Where the image is so unsettling that your brain is fighting with its own processing and sending alerts to your consciousness that something isn't right about what your eyes are sending to the cerebral cortex. Only in Mufasa, the assault is coming through your ears as well.

2. Happy Gilmore 2; It's no longer an expectation that a sequel will suck. We've had numerous examples in recent memory where the sequel has been an improvement on the original, or at least on par in entertainment value. This straight to streaming (which should tell you something) sequel is a throwback to an era where the sequel is a rehash of bits that are now tired, an attempt to continue the storyline and character arc is uninspired or poorly executed, and cameos and winks are lame substitutes for actual jokes and comedy. It's sad that the streaming era has suppliers so starved for content and not burdened by financial restraints, that half baked sequels with scripts that needed at least several more passes will still get made to feed the algorithm machine. A cultural touchstone and comedy classic like Happy Gilmore deserves to rest in its home. Why won't they just let it rest in its home?

and the worst film I saw in 2025 is...

1. A Minecraft Movie; Yes. This is a movie. It is certainly crafted by a team of dedicated individuals. It has Jack Black working overtime to fuel it to the finish line. It has Jason Momoa lovingly playing against type. The buddy comedy we need with these two exists somewhere, but instead they are dropped into this lifeless wreck of a movie that mistakes mentions of Minecraft with a comprehensible story. What's worse is that the generation that propelled this to close to a billion dollars at the box office will continue to mistake this for filmmaking and continue to shout and throw popcorn around at two word catch phrases like a hive mind devoid of the creativity and wonder that the original game is known for. If hating this makes me officially an old man shouting at a cloud, then strap me in my wheelchair and wheel me to my home. 

Well, those five films may be some of the best in the minds of others, which surely demonstrates how a diverse slate of entertainment options is welcome, as it gives a multitude of audiences reasons to visit a theatre. Here's to more failed attempts, artistic accomplishments and original gambles that entice us to cinemas in 2026! Leave a comment with your own thoughts, your personal worst and best, and join me on Letterboxd and BlueSky as JoeJamesFilm to share more movie opinions and a love of cinema.

KPop Demon Hunters

KPop Demon Hunters; Sony Animation does it again, imbuing a culture’s core elements into every frame. It captures the joy and excitement of KPop through its characters and design, while opening it up to everyone to enthral in the dynamic songs and illustrations. It’s infectiously fun; A-

One Battle After Another

One Battle After Another; Kinetic, thrilling action has never looked so good. Penn embodies his character with tremendous physical work, while Leo’s portrayal is a scrambled mind written all over his face. Del Toro, Taylor, Hall and Infiniti elevate it all. A rare combination of an auteur action; A

Roofman

Roofman; Ripped from real life robber romance that would be difficult to believe if it weren’t true. Having Channing Tatum portray the charming criminal certainly doesn’t hurt the story & becoming emotionally invested. Not a happy tale, but an interesting one to watch unfold via a stacked cast; B+

A Very Jonas Christmas Movie

A Very Jonas Christmas Movie; It’s hard to not enjoy the JoJo Bros. when they know they’re the joke. Their fame, music, family is all up for spoofs in what they clearly know is a ridiculous movie to be making. Cinema, this is definitely not, but a silly little passage of time around the holidays; B-

Wake Up Dead Man

Wake Up Dead Man; 3rd instalment delivers on everything expected; intriguing mystery, clever dialogue handled by exceptional actors, levity that hits in the film & as commentary on our real world. Changes of setting + characters makes this an evergreen delight, a fresh energy to a solid formula; A

The Seed of the Sacred Fig

The Seed of the Sacred Fig; Though it feels like little happening, first half sinks into your psyche so that by the time it gets out of hand, you’re invested. Some motivations remain unclear, but the reality conveyed by the cast make it an intense experience. Long run time passes by w/o notice; A-

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair; 1st time viewing this format, elicits a different response. Original split worked as two clear tonal differences btwn films felt pronounced. Viewed as one, the climactic scene of Vol. 1 loses some juice, as the Bride still has more to avenge in the same film; A+
 

Zootopia 2

Zootopia 2; Surprise of the first film’s cleverness no longer a factor, the sequel explores the characters deeper and introduces some fun new ones, to a little less effect. Still solid voice cast performances fuel the momentum and story wraps up rather tidy with conflicts easily overcome; B+

Being Eddie

Being Eddie; A rather pedestrian run through of Murphy’s greatest hits (and a few misses) is an enjoyable watch, more so for the joy of revisiting hilarious moments of his stellar career, rather than any revelatory takes on his life’s work. A sanctioned retrospective that’s more quaint than raw; B

Ka Whawhai Tonu (In the Fire of War)

Ka Whawhai Tonu; An epic tale that allows audiences to enter via the perspective of young children, surviving through the onslaught of colonial violence. The backdrop may be huge, but the characters are real and personal, giving the battle action a grounded dramatic realism. Well crafted film; A-