"Freedom is a funny thing, When you have it, you don't appreciate it. When you miss it, it's gone." - Bob Ferguson
By Mark Pukalo
It was so difficult to rank the movies released during the Oscar Year 2024 that I kept saying there were 11 that deserved the No. 1 spot. So torn over which of the major films to put on top of my list, I ended up going with the little-known "Pure O" instead.
What a difference 12 months make.
One afternoon late last September, I walked out of the theater pretty certain I had just seen the best film of 2025. I went to see it again at the theater and I have streamed "One Battle After Another" almost 10 more times since. It keeps getting better.
David Fear in Rolling Stone magazine described the film this way:
"Paul Thomas Anderson's thundering, dizzying epic is a lot of things: a parable about fathers and daughters, a conspiracy thriller for the ICE age, an ensemble comedy that encourages all-stars to get their best eccentricity on. ... "Mostly, however, it's a film that both captures our extremely fucked-up moment and somehow transcends it, creating a timeless tale about revolutionaries taking care of their own while getting the next generation to pick up the flag."
I would say it more simply. It made me think. It made me laugh. ... a lot. It made me cheer. It made me appreciate how well a film can be made. And, finally, it made me cry. It was all wrapped in a two-hour, 42-minute movie that did not seem nearly that long.
The film is loosely based on Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel "Vineland," but Leonardo DiCaprio (Bob Ferguson), Benicio del Toro, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, Regina King and Chase Infiniti (left) - in her pitch perfect film debut - lead an amazing cast that brings the adapted script to life. They create so many memorable scenes, and even the throwaway lines in the Anderson's script are equal to those of a film like "Caddyshack." No doubt fans who watched this movie over and over will recite these lines and get a laugh or a funny look. (However, yes, the revolution will be and has been televised).
"A few small beers."
"Ocean waves, ocean waves."
"Viva la Revolution!"
"This pussy don't pop for you."
"Your dad's aggro, man."
"Send in Eddie Van Halen."
"Green acres, Beverly Hillbillies and Hooterville Junction."
"I'm calling in a Grey Hawk 10."
There are so many more. Let's hope Anderson finally gets his long-deserved Oscar, even though "Hamnet" and "Sinners" won't make it easy on Academy voters.
Anderson put everything together with such detail and depth. He is also a master at using the right music at the right time. Who would have thought to use "Dirty Work," a song from Steely Dan's first album in 1972, as a key segue in the film? However, he was picking the right tunes in 1997 on "Boogie Nights" and two years later with Aimee Mann's amazing work in "Magnolia," so we should not have been surprised.
I have not loved all his movies. But I can tell you even the ones I did not enjoy as much, like "Phantom Thread" and "There Will be Blood," were impeccably made and thought out. Through 10 movies now, OBAA is his best in my opinion.
I could go on and on about this movie. Sure, MAGAs might not love this one if they read too much into it. Tough. While this film has a political edge, PTA does not necessarily point fingers. Much like Ari Aster's 2025 film "Eddington," it is more about satire than statements.
Overall, it was another great year at the movies, especially for foreign films. I have a record five in my top 25, led by "The Secret Agent." I have viewed probably up to 30-40 Best-Of lists and everyone's is very different. Mine certainly has some surprises.
I tend to lean toward entertainment and emotion over technical aspects. But some films move up because of their power and how well they were directed and produced like Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" or Joachim Trier's "Sentimental Value." Some under-the-radar films like "The Baltimorons (right)," "Eephus," "Souleymane's Story"" and "The Threesome" just pulled me in with full force and left me with a smile and/or a tear.
I was able to watch pretty much every film I wanted to see from 2025 by the end of February, but some could be added to my current list of 322. Those include April, A Normal Family, Resurrection, Desert Road, My Father's Shadow, Sound of Falling and All That's Left Of You. In addition, I would like to see documentaries Cutting Through Rocks, Come See Me In The Good Light, BLCKNWS: Terms and Conditions and Videoheaven at some point. See a longer list of those I missed below.
This is just an amateur movie critic's opinion. It's up to you what is first on your list. This top 25 ranges from the craziness of "Bugonia" and "Marty Supreme" to the quiet beauty of "Train Dreams" - the humor of "Splitsville," "Friendship" and "Eephus (left)" to the emotion of "Rental Family" and "Hamnet." All of them had something that made the film special to me. Overall, the top 11 might have been slightly better in 2024, but 2025 was a very good year at the Cinema.
You just need to know what time it is to unlock the rendezvous point for your favorites.
(Hint: Try this password).
"Time doesn't exist, yet it controls us anyway."
TOP 25
25. Lurker - A retail employee attaches himself to a young pop star's entourage after a chance meeting and gets too deeply into his role with the group. It is creepy, compelling and believable with solid performances throughout.
24. Eternity - Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) must make an impossible decision of who to spend her afterlife with between two husbands (Miles Teller and Callum Turner). Da'Vine Joy Randolph provides most of the laughs in this funny, emotional and ultimately heartwarming story.
23. Oh Hi! - A new couple's first getaway together takes a very strange turn in this "romantic" comedy with a twist. Anytime Molly Gordon (left) and Geraldine Viswanathan show up it's fun, but I think the film is smart and thought provoking as well. We also learn the definition of a "soft boy."
22. Highest 2 Lowest - A powerful music mogul (Denzel Washington) is faced with an impossible decision after his son's friend is kidnapped mistakenly for ransom in this Spike Lee film. It is pure Spike, and rapper A$AP Rocky provides a strong supporting performance.
21. Sentimental Value - An estranged father (Stellan Skarsgard) and famous director visits his daughters and urges actress Nora (Renate Reinsve) to play the lead of a new film with an interesting plot line. Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Agnes) are brilliant in this emotional, well-written Norwegian film.
20. Souleymane's Story - Abou Sangare provides a standout performance as Souleymane, an immigrant from Guinea trying to make ends meet in Paris while preparing for his asylum interview. Two scenes near the end are breathtaking and emotional, solidifying this spot.
19. F1: The Movie - A former race-car driving prodigy (Brad Pitt) takes the second spot on a Formula One team for an old friend alongside a talented, yet inexperienced pilot. While it is somewhat formulaic, the film keeps you on the edge of your seat, equally mixing the action with the off-the-track drama.
18. Hamnet - Wife Agnes and William Shakespeare deal with grief in different ways after the death of their son for this film loosely based on a true story. Jessie Buckley is fabulous as Agnes and Paul Mescal's William is driven, yet confused. The last big scene will break you.
17. On Becoming a Guinea Fowl - Shula (Susan Chardy, right), a successful young woman in Zambia, finds her sexually abusive uncle dead in the road while heading home from a costume party and must endure a traditional funeral week where the family glorifies him. It is quite infuriating at times, but real and very compelling.
16. Sinners - Strong, deep film from Ryan Coogler (Black Panther, Creed) about a 1930s town in Mississippi that faces evil from a surprising source. It is an outstanding work of art that makes you think, with marvelous performances from several - led by Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo.
15. Sirat - Luis (Sergi Lopez) ventures into the Moroccan desert with his young son to try and find his daughter, who has been missing after going to a rave in this Spanish film. They follow a motley crew of ravers on a treacherous, soul-crushing journey of unthinkable terror.
14. Friendship - Tim Robinson's cringy humor at its best. A working man with a beautiful wife (Kate Mara) is obsessed with a new friend next door (Paul Rudd), but his over-exuberance leads to a comedy of errors that sends his life into a downward spiral. How the heck can you lose Kate Mara is a sewer?
13. Marty Supreme - Timothee Chalamet plays Marty Mauser, a world-class ping pong player with a dream to be rich and very famous. Marty tries every avenue to reach his goals, but creates many obstacles in this entertaining fast-paced film. He is offered his ultimate fate in the first words of a song that ends the movie.
12. Rental Family - A struggling American actor (Brendan Foster) living in Japan is hired by an agency that provides stand-ins to help people solve issues. Foster (left) plays the role with care, and it slowly pulls at your heart strings.
11. The Secret Agent - A teacher/scientist moves to his former home town in Brazil to find safety from evil corporate forces, but it does not offer him the peace he desires. Wagner Moura deservedly won a Golden Globe for his efforts in the lead of this complex, pulsating film.
10. Splitsville - Hilarious comedy about two couples dealing with different, yet equally complicated, relationships. It's just a fun 90+ minutes that leaves you with a smile and some things to think about. Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona lead the cast and the film features the best fight scene of the year with some brave goldfish.
9. Bugonia - A conspiracy theorist (Jesse Plemons) and his mentally disabled cousin kidnap the CEO of a powerful pharmaceutical company (Emma Stone) and accuse her of being an alien. Some things are not as they seem however. Plemons provides an Oscar-worthy performance. One day, he'll get his.
8. The Ballad of Wallis Island - An affable rich man (Tim Key), living on an isolated island, hires one of his favorite singing duos to visit for a personal show on the shore. It is a sweet, simple little movie with a big heart.
7. Sorry, Baby - Agnes (Eva Victor) is still trying to cope years after a traumatic event she endured at school while others around her have moved on with their lives. Victor (right), who also directs the non-linear film, adds a touch of humor and sarcasm to her pain, making it emotional, entertaining and thought-provoking.
6. Train Dreams - A beautiful, simple film about an orphaned boy who grows up to be a railroad worker and logger (Joel Edgerton) in the great Northwest. Robert Grainer lives a life filled with experiences in different places, love and grief. A pure movie-lover's film.
5. Eddington - Ari Aster's satire about the pandemic and our fucked-up political environment in the USA. There is a lot to unpack in this drama that centers on a battle between the mayor (Pedro Pascal) of a small New Mexico town and its sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix), who has a wife and mother paralyzed by conspiracy theories. Some may call it a mess or a masterpiece. In some ways, the mess makes it a masterpiece.
4. The Threesome (left)- Smart, funny and thoughtful tale about the after effects of a spur of the moment threesome between two women and a man. Zoey Deutch shines as the center of attention in the entertaining film while Ruby Cruz is perfectly cast, providing a poignant performance. This type of film needs to nail the ending, and it did.
3. Eephus -A pair of rag-tag recreation league baseball teams play the final game of the season and the last at a field about to be bulldozed to make room for a new school. It is filled with great lines and fun characters (Spaceman Bill Lee shows up), while working as a fable for baseball along with small-town life in New England.
2. The Baltimorons - Funny, smart and sweet caper film about two lost people finding each other on Christmas Eve and going on an adventure. Michael Strassner and Liz Larsen give lovable performances in this under-the-radar gem. The only thing missing was a cameo by Lamar Jackson at the end.
1. One Battle After Another - A wild ride from the start to the end of 162 minutes, filled with humor, action, politics and triumph. DiCaprio plays Bob Ferguson, a former freedom fighter, who must spring into action after his 16-year-old daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti) is kidnapped by Fascist thugs. There is so much to this film that's both real and satire with amazing performances from Benicio del Toro (right), Teyana Taylor, Infiniti, DiCaprio, Sean Penn and a host of non actors. The best movie of the 2020s so far.
PREVIOUS PICKS FOR BEST OF THE YEAR
2016 - Lion
2015 - Spotlight
Other 2025 Movies I Missed: Afterburn, Alpha, All of You, Anniversary, Arco, Art for Everybody, BFFs, Brave the Dark, The Carpenter's Son, Caught by the Tides, Chainsaw Man the Movie: Reze Arc, The Colors Within, Coyotes, David, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu, No Yaiba Infinity Castle, East of Wall, Ex-Husbands, Fackham Hall, The Forge, Friday Nights at Freddys 2, Henry Johnson, The Home, Hurry Up Tomorrow, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Jimmy & Stiggs, Karate Kid: Legends, The Last Rodeo, Light of the World, Looking Through Water, Keeper, The King of Kings, Juliet & Romeo, Magellan, Nothing But a Winner, On Swift Horses, One Big Happy Family, The Penguin Lessons, Primitive War, Queen of the Ring, Rosario, Rosemead, Rule Breakers, The Senior, Serious People, Shadow Force, She Rides Shotgun, Shelby Oaks, The Shrouds, Sisu: The Road to Revenge, Skillhouse, Sneaks, The Strangers - Chapter 2, The Thing With Feathers, Trust, Truth & Treason, Unexpected Christmas, Until Dawn, Witchboard.
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