With the new year being born, it is the time when we inevitably look back at everything we have done this year. However, for people with hobbies such as reading or watching films, it is especially exciting to look back and see whether they have accomplished the records they set at the start of the year, such as reading a certain number books or watching a certain number of films. At the start of the year, I wanted to watch as many films that I had never seen before from across different years, so I started working on a list on my Letterboxd of all the films that I have watched for the first time in 2025, and even trickier, I ranked these films. Over the year alone, I watched 219 films, and 149 of those were films I had never seen before. Obviously, it would be difficult for me to go through all 149 films one by one and review them, so I decided to recap the year 2025 by giving a short review and recommendation of the films that stood out to me the most each month. Please note that this list does not only include films released in 2025, but also films from other years.
JANUARY: A Favourite Genre & a British Hidden Gem
One disappointing factor about living in the United Kingdom for cinephiles is that independent films are often delayed here, while they are released earlier in the year in America. In January, British cinephiles were spoilt week after week with countless films that finally received UK releases, but the one that stood out to me the most was Jesse Eisenberg’s second directorial film, A Real Pain. Of course, I am a sucker for comedy films, but my favourite sub genre within comedy is the narrative where the entire film follows the journey of two contradictory characters and how they form an unexpected bond throughout the story. Despite the fact that in A Real Pain the two characters, Benji and David, are cousins, they are completely different personality wise and deal with situations and other people in very different ways. David, played by Jesse Eisenberg himself, is closed off and introverted, while Benji, played by Kieran Culkin, is an extrovert who openly says what he thinks and is comfortable interacting with others. When you are first introduced to these characters you begin to wonder how they will survive an entire trip together, but through the writing, you see them gradually bond over the course of the film, which makes the ending far more impactful and emotional for the viewers. The film ultimately became my number one film of 2025, until it was overtaken by a later release in the year. Caution: This film contains suicide references
January was also the month when I finally watched Naked (1993), directed by Mike Leigh. Although I have not seen many of Mike Leigh’s films apart from Happy-Go-Lucky, Naked stood out to me because of its cast, starring the incredible David Thewlis, with this being one of his beginning works, as well as the high critical acclaim the film has received. From beginning to end, there is not a single moment of light in the film, with its disturbing tone present from the opening and gradually intensifying until the very end. The story follows the journey of Johnny, played by David Thewlis who flees from Manchester to London due to his troubled life and we watch how he copes with the harsh realities of life in London. Not only does the film show the disturbing reality of someone battling drug addiction, but it also portrays life in a dangerous London during a time when misogyny and other forms of discrimination were worryingly common and frighteningly, still are today. Mike Leigh, a British filmmaker, cleverly directed the film by presenting the absurd and unsettling scenarios Johnny encounters in a way that does not make the audiences look away from the horror. Considering the period in which it was released, it is easy to imagine how controversial the film must have been for its depiction of England, contrasting from the lighter and lovelier tones and pictures we had gotten from Notting Hill. So be warned that this film may put England off for any non-British viewers who are eager to visit.
Caution: This film contains several scenes of strong sexual assault
FEBRUARY: Noughts & Crosses in Japan
Another one of my goals for the year was to watch more foreign films. February was the month when I finally got myself a Mubi account, which gave me the chance to explore many films across the globe, including Perfect Days (2013) directed by Win Wenders. This was a film from Japan that I had not heard much about when it was first released in 2023, but I began noticing it while scrolling through Instagram and Letterboxd and had been meaning to watch it once I had access and Mubi truly saved the day. Perfect Days follows the simple story of the daily yet peaceful routine of a man who works as a toilet cleaner. Although the premise sounds straightforward, the film goes far beyond simplicity, with many symbolic messages revealed through the encounters of Hirayama, played by Koji Yakusho. Whether it is him lending a rare tape cassette of an album, playing noughts and crosses with a complete anonymous stranger who he would never meet, or his niece having a joyful time with him compared to the relationship with her own wealthy mother, the film delivers the message that we do not need to be rich or wealthy to find happiness in life. Film like this always remind me how powerful simplicity can be, and make me wish more films focused on telling gentle, meaningful stories rather than overcomplicating narratives, which often leads to plot holes and unanswered questions after release. Sometimes, as Djo puts it, “basic being basic” is enough.
MARCH: Multiple Robert Pattinsons
I think we all remember how much of an impact Bong Joon Ho created when Parasite won Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 2019, as well as receiving Best Director for the film, and of course we were all undoubtedly excited when it was announced that he would be making a film in Hollywood starring everyone’s favourite, Robert Pattinson. Mickey 17, based on the novel Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton, is not only about science fiction and Mickey Barnes, played by Pattinson, being immortal, but is also one of the first few mainstream films of the year in which the filmmaker involved social and political context within the narrative. Despite he film receiving a bit of backlash from some audiences post-release, due to the high expectations set by Bong Joon Ho following his critical acclaimed Parasite, I consider this film to be underrated and a pretty clever approach to addressing the current social and political context, as well as being very enjoyable from beginning to end through its black comedy writing. Bong Joon Ho even dared to blend real life political context into the film, in which Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette’s characters resemble real life figures. This was also one of the few films that year that was visually stunning to watch, with no flaws or mistakes when it comes to visuals, yet it failed to fully reach its audience.
APRIL: Gig Culture in Manchester
I believe everyone in the UK is familiar with our favourite presenter, Alan Partridge, played by Steve Coogan, but it is worth talking about the time Steve Coogan portrayed the real life presenter Tony Wilson in 24 Hour Party People (2002), directed by Michael Winterbottom. I am a big fan of British comedies, and of course films starring Steve Coogan tend to be even more humorous, as I have always enjoyed his performance as Alan Partridge. However, this film takes a different approach through Coogan’s signature mockumentary style, as he steps into the role of Tony Wilson to bring Manchester music to the world, with the film packed with unlimited adult humour, explicit content and offering a strong sense of Manchester’s gig culture. The film features many surprise appearances from actors who are now well known, such as Andy Serkis, Paddy Considine and Shirley Henderson, each of whom plays real life figures and delivers strong performances. Despite being based on real people and events, Frank Cottrell-Boyce’s writing cleverly balances scenes created for dramatic purposes while still paying tribute to and respecting the real events, without sacrificing the humour throughout the film. As a fan of dark humour, I thoroughly enjoyed this film and would definitely recommend it as a great choice for a casual night with friends for a good laugh.
MAY: Ryan Gosling *Screams in a High Pitch*
I think I have to get it off my chest that, before May 2025, I had never seen The Nice Guys (2016), directed by Shane Black, and once I finally got the chance to watch it, I was annoyed at myself for not watching it any sooner, as the film perfectly fits my favourite subgenre: the unexpected friendship between two characters. I believe this is a film that most people have heard of and watched due to its popularity through the well known cast, sharp, slapstick action sequences and most importantly, the high pitched screams delivered by Ryan Gosling. Everyone knows Ryan Gosling for his roles in The Notebook and La La Land, and those films are often referenced when people want to highlight how great an actor he is, but if I were to make the same point, I would instead choose The Nice Guys and more recently his performance in Barbie. We already know he can deliver serious and dramatic roles, but the question has always been whether he could pull off comedic roles with the same confidence and charm. Although he had previously explored it in Lars and The Real Girl, I would argue his performance in that film would be more sympathetic. Ryan Gosling completely aces it in this film, using physical comedy, timing and exaggerated reactions to great effect, and not once did her remind us of his romantic image from The Notebook. Instead, he created a new and refreshing image for himself, proving his versatility and solidifying his place as one of the most entertaining actors working today.
JULY: Two nerdy Punkrockers
Although June had been quite disappointing for me, as there were no particularly memorable films that I watched for the first time, July made up for it. July definitely spoiled me, which is why I am going to talk about two films for this month, both of which were released in 2025.
I have always been disappointed by the fact that we have not had a truly great Superman film since Christopher Reeve’s debut as the character back in 1978. Controversially, I do think Henry Cavill is a great actor; however, his portrayal of Superman was ultimately let down by the writing and failed to capture the true meaning of the character as portrayed in the comics and even in earlier media adaptations. When James Gunn announced that he would be making a new Superman film, I had a small sense of hope that he would bring back the true essence of the character, and after watching the film, he exceeded my expectations. James Gunn’s Superman reminds us what the character truly stands for and reinforces just how iconic he is, especially considering he is one of the most recognisable superheroes in pop culture. Rather than retelling the origin story we have already seen countless times, James Gunn wisely chose to explore Superman’s character growth even after he become Superman. David Corenswet brought new life to the character and reminded audiences that Superman is a figure people should look up to and find hope in, rather than fear. Recently, superhero films have felt disappointing for me in terms of writing, but Superman and Thunderbolts* from the Marvel Universe both brought a much needed light back to the genre and restored its appreciation for superhero films.
Alongside the mainstream releases, I always make sure to seek out independent films, and one that was difficult to find was Friendship. I had heard a lot about this film, and knowing it’s centred on two completely conflicting characters while being titled Friendship, I knew I had to give it a watch. Although the film had already been released in the USA in May, UK audiences has to wait until late July, with limited access to screenings. From the very beginning, the film feels stressful, largely due to the portrayal and actions of Tim Robinson’s character Craig. As the film progresses however, we being to understand why the discomfort is intentional, as the narrative reveals what the film is truly about. The anxiety and awkwardness we feel while watching Craig, reflects how the other characters in the film look towards him, sending a message about how socially awkward individuals are treated by a society that claims to be perfect. One particular shot of Tim Robinson, where we see the anxiety of Craig while meeting Austin’s (played by Paul Rudd) other friends, was enough to demonstrate just how effective his performance was.
AUGUST: An “Aesthetic” Biopic
The Social Network (2010) is not only my favourite David Fincher film, but also my favourite tech-based biographical film. Although I am generally not a fan of biopics, as I often feel they follow the same formula – especially the musical biopics, which I tend to avoid, I still make exceptions when a film offers something distinctive. When BlackBerry (2023) became available to me, I knew I had to give it a watch, mainly because of Matt Johnson. I had heard a lot about Matt Johnson, but I had not previously watched any of his work apart from his role as an actor in Matt and Mara (2024).
As expected, BlackBerry tells the story of the creation of the BlackBerry mobile phone with a few dramatic changes, but Matt Johnson approaches the biopic genre in a refreshingly unique way. Through his sharp comedic screenplay with the aid of Matthew Miller, love for pop culture express through the constant references and call backs and the use of killer tracks, Matt Johnson redefines what a biopic can be. Instead of adopting the serious tone that most biopics rely on, where they will insert humour through one liners or dedicated to one entire scene, BlackBerry completely breaks them. Matt Johnson does the opposite, making the film into a biographical comedy rather than a biographical drama. This approach does not only make the film more entertaining, but more accessible and engaging. If you have seen Matt Johnson’s previous work, I can guarantee this film will resonate even more strongly, something I am going to be exploring further later in this article.
SEPTEMBER: A Political, Intense, Action Thriller
Of course for September, I have to talk about the 2025 release One Battle After Another. Although I was not initially excited for this film, as while I had enjoyed some of Paul Thomas Anderson’s previous work, it was not quite enough to make me a fan of his. As soon as the promotional interviews began to drop, highlighting the use of VistaVision, alongside the release of trailers and early reactions, I found myself increasingly eager to see the film and ultimately went to experience it in 70MM IMAX. One Battle After Another is a film that relies heavily on social and political context and Paul Thomas Anderson reminds us how essential these elements are to storytelling, regardless of the time period of the narrative and the genre. Much like Mickey 17, this is another film where the filmmaker dares to reference real life political incidents and figures, bringing their story closer to reality and making it feel more thought provoking and hard hitting for audiences. With award season now underway, Leonardo DiCaprio has already begun earning the inevitable Best Actor nominations for his performance as Bob, alongside strong performances from the rest of the cast, particularly Chase Infiniti.
I have written a full detailed review of One Battle After Another, and if you would like to read my complete thoughts on the film, it is also available on the Celestial Cinephile website here:
https://celestialcinephile.co.uk/2025/11/13/one-battle-after-another-loved-by-critics-but-loses-commercially/
OCTOBER: A funny but Impactful Drama & A Canadian Tv Gem
Another independent cinema release of 2025 that I was eager to watch was Sorry, Baby (2025), directed by Eva Victor, marking this her directorial debut. Going into the film, all I had to go off was a poster of her holding a cat and a brief synopsis describing “how a woman lives her life after a tragic event.” I purposefully avoided watching the trailer to preserve the suspense, and inevitably assumed the film would be a sad drama about a woman losing her cat based on the poster. Although, I missed the opportunity to see the film in cinemas, Mubi once again aided me to experience the film, and I was left completely lost for words. Eva Victor deserves a standing ovation for her work in this film. While she is well known for her sharp comedic timing and delivery, she deserves even greater praise for composing a narrative centred on a horrifying subject while still managing to keep the film lighthearted and funny for audiences. Another particularly impactful creative choice was her direction not to visually show “the tragic event” itself, instead her character explains it verbally later on. The way Eva Victor directs the aftermath, combined with her performance is more than enough to make the audience feel fraught and deeply sympathetic towards her character. I am genuinely disappointed that this film has not received the level of recognition it deserves, as Eva Victor powerfully conveys a message about a subject that is sadly relevant today.
Caution: This film contains references to sexual assault.
Unlike with films, I can be quite picky when it comes to TV shows. I tend not to do very well with recommendations, as I have the annoying habit of never finishing a series. However, this year I did manage to watch the critically acclaimed Adolescence (2025), although that is not the show I want to talk about. As mentioned earlier in this article, I really enjoyed the film BlackBerry, which led me to research more of Matt Johnson’s work. That is when I discovered that he had written, directed and starred in a show called Nirvanna the Band the Show, which is definitely not what you think is about.
The series follows Matt and Jay, played by Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol respectively, as they attempt to get their band “Nirvanna the Band”, to play at the prestigious Rivoli. What makes the show particularly special is its deep connection to pop culture, with an overwhelming number of references thrown in each episode. The show is filmed in a mockumentary style, a format I genuinely enjoy, however majority of these shows in this style do tend to be fully scripted such as The Office. Matt Johnson, directs the series in a peculiar way, constantly making the audience question which moments are scripted and which are real, especially as the show is controversially known for frequently using real people who had no idea they are being filmed for a TV show rather than staged background actors. This show is also known for another major controversy surrounding its use of copyrighted material, as it frequently features music and footage from real films, making it surprising that the show was never sued. If you enjoyed the comedy in BlackBerry, I am confident you will also appreciate the humour in this show, as the duo comes up with increasingly insane ideas in every episode. I am glad I finally watched the series, as it has fully prepared me for Nirvanna the Band the Show: The Movie, which I am hoping will be released here in the UK in February.
NOVEMBER & DECEMBER: A Bald Emma Stone & Timothee Chalamet’s Oscar Moment?
As I am focusing on 2025 releases for the final two months – films that most cinephiles will have already seen or heard about, I have decided to keep it short and sweet.
I have been a fan of Yorgos Lathinmos, so I was understandably excited for Bugonia. Following their previous collaborations on The Favourite (2018), Poor Things (2024) and Kinds of Kindness (2024), Emma Stone once again reunites with Lathinmos, this time also joined by Jesse Plemons, who previously appeared in Kinds of Kindness, to deliver yet another absurd and unsettling film, this time centred on aliens. While many audiences did not enjoy Kinds of Kindness, for its unconventional storytelling, a film I personally liked, Bugonia feels like a direct response to those criticisms. Emma Stone once again proves why she is the best through her performance and script selections, but for the first time Jesse Plemons outshines her for his role as Teddy a conspiracy theorist who is worried about his dying mother and haunted by the paranoia about the fate of his planet and fellow humans. Although the trailer reveals a large amount, Lathinmos still manages to repeatedly unsettle viewers through his absurd screenplay, crafting scenes that feel almost unimaginable while blending the horror, comedy and seriousness throughout the film. Caution: This film contains a scene of suicide.
Timothee Chalamet returns once again this year with another film that further proves his versatility, this time with his latest release, Marty Supreme. If you have seen films by the Safdie brothers, you will already know their signature approach of presenting deeply flawed and insufferable protagonists, and keeps the audience engaged as they wait to see how these characters will have a good resolution. This has been executed brilliantly in Good Time (2017) and Uncut Gems (2019). In Marty Supreme, they loosely adapt the life of Marty Reisman, telling the story of Marty Mausuer’s journey toward becoming a table tennis champion. One issue I often notice with audiences is the tendency to over expect constant plot twists and mind-blending narratives, only to feel disappointed when a film opts for a more straightforward story. This is exactly what Marty Supreme follows, while there is nothing particularly “outrageous” in the story itself, the fast paced screenplay and strong emphasis on characters makes it compelling and making it one of the best films of the year. Timothee Chalamet received multiple nominations last year for his role as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown – could this finally be the film where he takes the award home? I think he has a strong chance, as his performance ranks among the best of the year, and he fully commits to what the character demands, making the audience hate him, which is why the performance works so well. Marty Supreme is still running in cinemas and do check it out before its too late!
It is such a shame that I could not feature all the other films that impressed me as well, but these are definitely the ones I would highly recommend and truly stood out to me last year. I am very excited for the new films I will be watching this year.
Kishan Sothilingam is a London based freelance writer, film critic and content creator. He graduated with a degree in Media and Film and shares film content through essays, film reviews and content on TikTok. Kishan takes particular interest in indie and comedy films as well as taking part in stand up comedy.
