10.
SINNERS
Ryan
Coogler's fifth feature film, “Sinners”, turned out to be the big
hit of 2025, in that it was an original property that audiences
flocked to see, and it made a lot of money. The reasons are obvious
because “Sinners” is a damn fine film, that is different from the
norm, made with talent and so much care. Whilst I really liked the
film a lot on my first viewing of “Sinners”, it wasn't until I
re-watched the film again on blu ray that I realised just how
brilliant and “grand” the whole thing actually is. And it is all
about the music. Seriously, the secret weapon to “Sinners” has
everything to do with music, both in how Coogler actually weaves the
themes of music throughout the narrative of his film, to Ludwig
Goransson's pulse-pounding score. It is just genius! Much has been
made of the scene in “Sinners” where one character plays his
blues guitar in such a fashion that it brings to life ghosts of
musicians from the past and future into a crazy dance sequence, which
is fair because it is an amazing scene from a conception
point-of-view, but even more so in the way it actually works in the
film, as it is an incredibly emotional scene. However, the scene I
really loved was where the vampires are in a circle singing Irish
folk songs whilst Jack O'Connell's vampire character, Remmick, is
also doing Irish dancing. When I was watching the scene in the
cinema, I couldn't believe that someone even thought of doing such a
thing, not just in a movie, but in a vampire movie, and THEN having
the scene turn out amazing and threatening! And yes, if you did not
know (and if you didn't by now, you must have been living under a
rock) “Sinners” is actually a vampire movie, although you would
not know that going by the first hour, as it plays out like a normal
drama about a pair of gangster twins who return from Chicago with
plans to open up a juke joint in an abandoned mill. The first half
of the film there is not a vampire in sight, so you could say that
“Sinners” is very much like a serious version of “From Dusk
Till Dawn”, but when they finally do appear, and the film totally
changes in both tone, and narrative drive, Coogler attacks these
scenes with the same precision and technique as he did the more
“prestige” half of the film. “Sinners” ends up becoming a
seriously bloody vampire thrill-fest, that also has real emotional
depth attached to it as well. The film is also stacked with acting
talent with Micheal B. Jordan (playing both twins), Hailee Steinfeld,
Delroy Lindo and the aforementioned Jack O'Connell all outstanding in
this very unusual and original film.
9.
THE UGLY STEPSISTER
For
anyone following this blog, it should be well known that I am a huge
fan of fairy tale films, and are particularly fond of ones that are a
little bit different, or that have a twist on the classic tales most
of us know. The Norwegian film “The Ugly Stepsister” does just
that as it is actually the story of “Cinderella” except told from
the eyes of her, you guessed it, ugly stepsister. The film turns
into more of a body-horror film as we see just how far Elvira is
willing to go to compete against her gorgeous stepsister Cinderella
for the hand of the Prince. From painful braces to having her nose
totally reconstructed, to swallowing a tapeworm so she can continue
to eat while still losing weight, Elvira is willing to do anything
for the Prince to notice her. Depending on which version of the
“Cinderella” fairy tale you may be familiar with, at least one
version (The Brothers Grimm version), has the stepsisters brutally
cutting off their toes in an attempt to fit their feet into the lost
slipper, and I am happy to say that this scene features towards the
end of director Emilie Blichfeldt's “The Ugly Stepsister” and it
is as brilliantly demented and gory as you would expect, with a
brilliant black comedy kicker at the end of the scene too. The most
accurate way to give an audience a feel for this film is to call it a
mix between “The Substance” and “Marie Antoinette”; it really
is the perfect description for “The Ugly Stepsister”. The
thematic similarities to “The Substance” are obvious, but the
reference towards “Marie Antoinette” have to do with the film's
gorgeous and very colourful cinematography and production design. If
it isn't obvious already, I should make note that this is not a fairy
tale for children, as beyond its blood and gore, it is also quite
sexually frank. Let's just say that Cinderella isn't the virginal
princess she appears to be, and Blichfeldt is not afraid to tackle
this head on. That said, this is still the story of “Cinderella”
so all the big moments everyone knows and love are still in “The
Ugly Stepsister” (such as her getting her dress, the pumpkin as a
coach, her losing her slipper), but they are rarely centre stage, as
we see these moments from a completely different perspective here.
This is a brilliant film; horrific, heartfelt and blackly comic.
8.
BRING HER BACK
Back
in 2022 Australian film making twin brothers, Danny and Michael
Philippou, scored a massive horror hit with their debut feature “Talk
to Me”. Whilst I did like the film, I also thought it was hugely
overrated and not as brilliant as the rest of the horror community
seemed to think it was. That said, I was still looking forward to
what the boys would make next, and really hoped they would not just
release a sequel of their debut, or stick to the same formula from
that film due to the success they got from “Talk to Me”.
Thankfully their second film, “Bring Her Back” is completely
different from their first film, but is proof of the talent that the
brothers have in creating new horror stories, and that “Talk to Me”
was not a fluke. Personally, I think “Bring Her Back” is so much
better than the previous film and it is thanks to the emotional
investment that has been added into this film. “Bring Her Back”
sees a brother and his vision-impaired sister being welcomed into a
new foster home, after the sudden passing of their father leaves them
orphans. Whilst both kids are nervous about moving into a new home,
the connection the siblings have together means that they will always
be looking out for each other. When they get to the home of their
new foster mother, Laura is completely different to what they were
expecting, as she is fun, bubbly and doesn't mind the odd swear word,
as well as being someone who is very easy to talk to. It seems like
all will be okay for Andy and Piper, but soon enough Andy starts to
notice some strange things going on in the house, not least of all,
the appearance of another “brother” they knew nothing about,
Oliver. To spoil any more of the story would be criminal, but let me
say that “Bring Her Back” is absolutely brutal, disturbing and
incredibly unnerving. I was truly shocked in how dark the story ends
up going, whilst also being equally impressed by it. Once all the
cards are laid out on the table, it is an incredibly macabre tale,
but there is also something quite beautiful about it too, even though
it is being done via the hands of someone quite mentally disturbed
and traumatised. What makes “Bring Her Back” so special though
is the emotional resonance throughout the film, as this is a story
about families and about love. Despite all the blood and guts in the
film, and there is a lot, I was most impressed by the film's heart
which seems genuine in regards to all of it's characters. I was
particularly drawn to the beautiful sibling relationship between Andy
and Piper, who you can tell love each other deeply. I should mention
that this is not a “fun” horror movie like “Talk to Me” was,
and that I am sure a lot of people may react strongly against the
film, due to the violence towards children that occurs within the
film; like my brother said after watching the film: “he will never
be able to eat rockmelon again without thinking of a certain scene in
this film”. The last thing I want to mention about “Bring Her
Back” is about the film's final shot which is stunning, beautifully
disturbing and absolutely heart wrenching in equal measures; it is
the perfect ending to this stunning horror film! Oh, and Sally
Hawkins is beyond outstanding in this too!
7.
THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME
I
am a massive Wes Anderson fan, and whenever he brings out a new
movie, it ultimately ends up on one of these lists. I just seem to
be on Anderson's wavelength and find whatever he seems to do next,
just works for me. That said, since “Isle of Dogs” there has
been a slight change to his films where he has seemed to lose himself
more in the construction of his labyrinthine plot devices, and in the
artificiality of the worlds he has designed. Critics would say that
the heart of the early films are now missing, and I can see where
they are coming from, but these newer films still work for me. But
there is a definite change since “Isle of Dogs”. Wes Anderson's
latest film, “The Phoenician Scheme” is a much more streamlined
affair than his past couple of films, and it is all the more stronger
because of it. In fact I think it is Anderson's best film since “The
Grand Budapest Hotel” from 2014. “The Phoenician Scheme” is
darker and more violent than the usual Anderson film, and sees
scheming entrepreneur Zsa-zsa Korda embarks on a new business
enterprise whilst fighting off a number of plane crashes,
assassination attempts and an interaction with a new terrorist group,
all while trying to make sure the deal does not fall through. After
surviving the most recent attack on his life, Korda decides to bring
his only daughter, Liesl (who is a training nun) into the fold, as
the sole heir to his estate if assassins finally succeed in killing
him. Also joining them on their journey is Korda's tutor Bjorn, in
case there is time for a lesson on the trip. I absolutely love this
film, and have so far seen it three times, and I always find myself
laughing throughout. Michael Cera as Bjorn is the absolute highlight
in the film, as he is just so funny, particularly his nervous line
deliveries. Benicio Del Toro plays Zsa-zsa and is also drily
hilarious. I was also impressed with Mia Threapleton (who is the
daughter of a very famous actress who, if you don't know who it is,
it will become obvious once you hear Mia's voice; she sounds just
like her mum) who plays the knife brandishing nun, Liesl. I will
admit that not everything works in “The Phoenician Scheme”, such
as the scene with Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston playing “horse”
which seems more like padding than anything, but overall what does
work is brilliant. At the heart of the film though, despite all the
action and intrigue, is a lovely father-daughter story line about
reconnecting and forgiveness. Interestingly, this is the first
live-action feature Wes Anderson has shot without his regular
cinematographer Robert Yeoman, with Bruno Delbonnel filling in here,
but it seems to matter little as “The Phoenician Scheme” looks
like a Wes Anderson movie through and through. And I have to mention
the brilliant, Brian De Palma inspired opening title scene, which is
unlike anything Anderson has done beforehand, and yet also feels
perfect for this film. Again, if you are not a fan of Wes Anderson
already, “The Phoenician Scheme” will not change your mind about
him, but if you are on his wavelength already, I think there is a
massive chance you will also love his latest film.
6.
REFLECTION IN A DEAD DIAMOND
Directors
Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani have made a name for themselves by
making movies that honour the genre films of Italian cinema from
between the 1960s – 80s, and have so far tackled the giallo,
Italian horror, and spaghetti western genres with their earlier films
with, I think it is fair to say, mixed success. When reading reviews
about films from Cattet and Forzani, you often come across a phrase
that will say something like “mixing art house with grindhouse”,
and that is because it is a fairly accurate description of what they
do. Whilst they lean heavily into the aesthetic of these films, they
do not actually play like traditional gialli or spaghetti westerns,
rather they use the look of these genre films to tell their own types
of stories. “Reflection in a Dead Diamond” is their take on the
Euro-spy or “fumetti neri” films that were so popular in the
60's. I had an absolute ball with “Reflection in a Dead Diamond”
and think it is Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani's best film to
date. As well as being so much fun, it also tells a tragic story
about ageing, memory and regret. As usual for a film by Cattet and
Forzani, “Reflection in a Dead Diamond” is an assault on your
senses, filled with kaleidoscopic images and an exquisite sound
design. They stay true to their style of fetishistic imagery with
the use of a lot of extreme close-ups on, well just about everything
really. Close-ups on eyes, weapons, drinks, fingernails,
belts......you name it, they have done a close-up of it, but it never
gets tiring or boring at all, rather the images in the film are all
so cinematic. Lets face it, this is a film that is style over
substance.....but man, the style is glorious!! (And that is not to
say that there is no substance to the film either, but first and
foremost, it is all about the imagery). A major coup for “Reflection
in a Dead Diamond” is the casting of Italian genre film legend
Fabio Testi who plays John D., the former spy who believes his
greatest enemy Serpentik is back after his beautiful neighbour is
found dead by the ocean. To have one of THE big names from the heyday
of Italian genre cinema just adds a legitimacy to the picture, and
Testi is great as an old guy willing to enter the spy world once
more, if it means saving the world. Identity plays a huge role in
“Reflection in a Dead Diamond” and there are multiple times
during the film when characters think they are talking to someone
before that person tears off a mask to reveal they are someone else
entirely. You can never truly trust what you think you are seeing,
which is also true of the whole overriding story of the film as it
continually folds in on itself, so much in fact, that you fear that
it will become too convoluted or confusing for an audience to follow,
but it ends up being very cleverly done indeed. It initially feels
like Cattet and Forzani are just having fun messing with the
audience, by constantly pulling the rug out from underneath them time
and time again, but there is a reason for them doing it, which all
makes sense at the very end. The repeated images, the changing of
masks, the confusion over just who really is who; there is a point to
it all, which comes to a head in the clever, and ultimately tragic,
ending to “Reflection in a Dead Diamond”.
Click here to read my original review.
5.
THE ICE TOWER
My
most anticipated film at this year's MIFF was none other than Lucile
Hadžihalilović’s latest “The Ice Tower” which is a fairy tale
about the loss and corruption of innocence, inspired by Hans
Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen”, which figures heavily in
the film. I have been a fan of Lucile Hadžihalilović’s work from
the beginning of her career, but absolutely fell in love with her
previous film, the mysterious and beguiling “Earwig”, which was
an odd fairy tale about a young girl with teeth made of ice. Right
from the opening frame of “The Ice Tower”, even if I didn't know
previous, I would have been able to tell that this film was made by
the same makers of “Earwig”, as both the sound design and general
atmosphere between the two films is almost identical. So close they
are, in fact, that even though the two stories are completely
different, the style in which both have been made makes them feel
connected, almost like cinematic soul mates. From this moment on, I
knew I was going to love “The Ice Tower”. The film is about a
young orphan who runs away from her orphanage, and finds a place to
sleep that she thinks is an abandoned warehouse but actually turns
out to be a sound stage for a new movie being shot, based on the
fairy tale of The Snow Queen. When Jeanne, the orphan, awakes, her
eyes adjust to the image of The Snow Queen herself and she soon
becomes enamoured by both the character and the actress playing her.
The image of The Snow Queen is instantly iconic, and you can see why
Jeanne falls under her spell immediately. Marion Cotillard is the
perfect embodiment of this famous character, it's as if she was born
to play this role, and it is no surprise that this image has been
used in almost all of the marketing materials for “The Ice Tower”.
The question is will Jeanne realise that The Snow Queen is actually
the villain of the fairy tale, rather than the hero she has always
seen her as, before it is too late? Lucile Hadžihalilović's films
are usually less about plot and dialogue, but more about atmosphere
and details within the world she has created, and “The Ice Tower”
is true to that again, with her images doing most of the heavy
lifting when it comes to storytelling. Hadžihalilović has re-teamed
with her cinematographer from “Earwig”, Jonathan Ricquebourg, and
the results are stunning yet again. Visual motifs of ice, snow,
water, glass and mirrors are all regularly used, whilst the colour
palette of the film consists mainly of blues and whites, until the
colour red rears its head towards the end of the film.
“The
Ice Tower” sees Hadžihalilović also reunite with Marion Cotillard
for the first time in over twenty years, as Cotillard featured in
Hadžihalilović's debut feature “Innocence” from 2004, where she
played a disabled school teacher. In this new film, Cotillard is
really playing against type as The Snow Queen because she is an
actress who naturally has this lovely inner glow to her, and who
comes across so friendly onscreen. I cannot remember ever seeing her
play a character so mean and cold as the two she plays in “The Ice
Tower”. She pulls it off amazingly well, much better than I would
have expected to be honest, as you really dislike her and fear for
Jeanne because of her. Whilst “The Ice Tower” is full of awe and
magic in the beginning, the film changes it's tone towards it's end
and it suddenly becomes about the loss and corruption of innocence
and it actually goes to a place much more disturbing than I ever
thought possible. (I have to say that the fact that Cotillard was
willing to go so dark, and do it so convincingly, she should be
applauded because I assume that it would not have been easy to go
where she goes). I absolutely loved every minute of “The Ice
Tower” and was relieved that it did not disappoint, despite the
huge expectations I put on it. This is such a great film that I
recommend it wholeheartedly. Click here to read my original review.
4.
BUGONIA
Similar
to Wes Anderson, I adore the cinema of Greek director Yorgos
Lanthimos and whenever he brings out a new film, it seems to
ultimately end up on my end-of-year list. I also absolutely love a
South Korean film called “Save The Green Planet!” which was
directed by Jang Joon-hwan and came out in 2003. What do these two
things have in common, you may ask. Well, Yorgos Lanthimos's latest
film, “Bugonia”, is actually an English language remake of “Save
The Green Planet!”, and like the original film, it is brilliant
whilst importantly, not being just a carbon copy of the South Korean
film. What I love so much about “Save The Green Planet!” is that
it is the best example I have ever seen of huge changing tones and
genres within a feature and having it all work beautifully and
harmoniously, so it all feels organic to the story being told. At
times it plays like a slapstick comedy, romantic comedy and action
film, before it heads down a very serious horror and thriller
path.......and amazingly it all works! “Bugonia” is different in
that it stays tonally the same throughout the film, but is blackly
comic, whilst being disturbing and horrific in equal measure.
“Bugonia” is about a simple guy and his even simpler cousin, both
who are conspiracy theory nuts, who kidnap the CEO of a major
pharmaceutical company because they believe her to be a member of an
alien race intent on destroying the planet Earth. Lanthimos has
changed the dynamics of his version by inverting the sexes of a
number of characters in the film, as in the original film it is a guy
and his girlfriend who kidnap the “male” CEO. It may not seem
like a huge change, but it does change the relationships between the
characters and how they react to one another. “Bugonia” sadly
feels very of-the-moment, due to the huge amount of “fake news”
that is out in the world these days, and how readily certain people
will accept these false narratives if it matches with there own
beliefs. There is a moment in the film where Teddy (the film's main
antagonist) explains that he doesn't get his news from regular
outlets, rather he gets his information from websites that support
his theories. When you actually think about it, this is kind of
chilling that a person will deny reality just to support their own
opinion, especially if they plan to act on it, which Teddy and his
cousin, Don, do. Another interesting aspect is the way Michelle, the
CEO, tries to talk to her captors by engaging them in the same sort
of speech and dialogue she would use in the office, which the boys
shut down immediately, because of how false and forced it sounds.
There is a moment when Michelle realises just how much trouble she is
in, which is when the boys announce that they have chemically
castrated themselves to stop themselves from being seduced out of
their plan. You (and Michelle) suddenly get just how real and
dangerous this situation actually is. Lanthimos has once again
collaborated with Robbie Ryan on cinematography duties, and the pair
have come up with a unique visual language. The film is shot in the
very unusual 1.5 aspect ratio, but what I really liked was the very
odd framing of the characters to give the film an off kilter feel to
it. Even when it is just a mid-shot of one character talking to
another, the character is usually on the other side of the frame than
what would seem “normal” or “usual”. It is odd, but quite
affecting. “Bugonia” was also shot on 35mm film, and it looks
glorious. Much has been made about the performances in “Bugonia”
and I have to concur that everyone in the film is just outstanding,
especially Emma Stone, who is playing a character unlike any she has
played before. Famously, she also shaved her head bald (on camera)
for the film, so her dedication cannot be questioned. As dark and
demented as the film is, as I have alluded to, it is also incredibly
funny at times, but only if you respond to black or dark humour.
There are moments in this film that I find myself laughing
hysterically at, but there are also moments where I am just as
equally horrified, which is the genius of “Bugonia”. One such
moment occurs late in the film, and while I will not ruin the moment,
I will just say that the “anti-freeze” moment is just brutal! As
is the norm for Lanthimos, whilst there isn't a lot of it, when there
is blood and gore in the film, he isn't afraid to go for it
wholeheartedly. I just adore this film so much, as disturbing as it
is, and yet if forced to choose, I would still give “Save The Green
Planet!” the prize, but only just. This is how you do a remake,
ladies and gentlemen, by respecting the original but then making it
your own.
3.
THE MASTERMIND
The
reason why I was looking forward to “The Mastermind” so much was
because it felt so outside of director Kelly Reichardt's usual
wheelhouse. The idea of Kelly Reichardt making a heist film had me
intrigued, as I was sure that she would make it a unique experience,
just due to the fact that this isn't the usual kind-of film that she
makes, so she would see this genre exercise with fresh eyes. One of
the first things that caught me off guard with “The Mastermind”
was the film's tone which was much lighter and more playful than I
expected it to be. For some reason, I felt like it was going to be a
very serious film, but hadn't realised that the title of the film is
actually ironic. One of my favourite aspects of “The Mastermind”
was just how little dialogue is in the film, with large chunks of it
being told only through it's images. We get multiple extended scenes
where we watch characters doing things, with Reichardt focusing on
the smallest of details, which is a little ironic as this is
something J.B himself fails to do. Scenes of J.B casing the museum,
the actual robbery of the paintings, and then the hiding of said
paintings in a “secret, secure” location, are all done without
dialogue and in fantastic detail, and for me, these scenes were the
highlights of the film. In a way, these kinds of scenes are often the
norm in heist films, as we watch intricate plans and details that
need to come off perfectly for the job to be successful. Reichardt
puts her own spin on this by showing us these same kind of scenes but
for a robbery that hasn't been thought out or planned in any real
detail, with the results being pretty funny. When dialogue is present
within the film, it never feels out of place, it is light and
conversational, never really focusing on the dire situation J.B has
found himself in. The scenes between J.B and his old schoolmate Fred
(played by Reichardt regular John Magaro), who agrees to hide out the
wanted felon much to the chagrin of his displeased wife Maude, are
another highlight, and just feel like two old friends catching up on
lost time. “The Mastermind” is a period piece set in either 1970
or 1971, set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the protests
against it. The period detail in the film is just exquisite with
locations, costumes, vehicles and props all outstanding in creating a
believable 1970's world that feels truly lived in. Tiny things such
as the metal alarm clock that J.B's wife throws at him, or the
registration sticker on the car's windscreen add so much to the world
created. Even the “classic” style of film making Kelly Reichardt
and Christopher Blauvelt (her regular cinematographer) employ, help
to create a film that you believe could be an actual relic from that
era. Reichardt and Blauvelt chose to shoot “The Mastermind” on
film (in 65mm no less) and it was an excellent choice, as it also
adds greatly to the ambience of that time. Textures on fabric or
wood, or the canvases of the paintings themselves are all heightened
because of this photographic decision and the film looks sensational
because of it. In regards to the Vietnam War aspect within the film,
it is mainly in the background, playing on news reports on
televisions or stories in the newspapers, and from time to time, we
also see some physical protesters too. It is an added flavour within
this world without it being front and centre, until the very clever
and rather amusing finale to the film, where it ends up playing a
large part in the conclusion. I also absolutely loved Rob Mazurek's
score for the film! It is jazzy in style, largely consisting of drums
and trumpets, but it is just so damned cool. It is never used
completely throughout the film, rather just to highlight certain
moments and scenes, but it elevates the picture ten fold when the
music is playing. I was blown away by how great and entertaining
Kelly Reichardt's crime caper turned out to be. It was completely
different to what I was expecting and all the better for it too. It
has a wonderfully charming lead performance from Josh O'Connor who
makes us care for a lovable loser, whose every bumbling decision
seems to put his and his family's lives further in trouble. The film
making on display is second to none, with an eye on period detail
that is impressive to say the least. I also think this is Kelly
Reichardt's best film to date. Click here to read my original review.
2.
SENTIMENTAL VALUE
I
saw Joachim Trier's “Sentimental Value” way back in the beginning
of August, and I loved the film so much that I knew that it would
have to take a very special film to knock it out of being my
favourite film of 2025. For mine, this is Joachim Trier's best film
to date, and the script that he and Eskil Vogt have put together is
one of the most emotionally rich and thematically complex that I have
seen in a very long time. It is also very raw and honest, and despite
the title of the film, isn't overly sentimental either. The film
tackles many things but it all feels so organic within itself and
thanks to Trier's direction, it never feels heavy handed or too dark
for the audience to handle or connect with. “Sentimental Value”
is ultimately about family, grief, getting older, making peace with
death, and the healing power of art. Each of the characters in the
film are in so much pain, or dealing with a lot internally, but the
drama comes from how each of these characters actually deal with what
they are going through and how this affects all the relationships
within their lives. Probably the best facet of “Sentimental Value”
is that none of these characters are demonised for the choices they
have made in their lives (at least, not by the filmmakers), but
rather their stories are told honestly, flaws and all, which makes it
feel so human and real. Something else that I must mention about the
script, is that what isn't said by the characters is just as
important as what is being said at times. To pull off such a
wonderful script, Trier needed to cast well and he has done just
that, seeing him re-team with his “The Worst Person in the World”
star, Renate Reinsve, who plays Nora, the older sister who is dealing
with a whole lot of emotional baggage. Reinsve is outstanding in the
role, as we get to see so many facets of this fascinating character,
from when she is light and giggly while playing with her nephew, to
the nervous and panicked actress before she steps out onto the stage,
to the girl dealing with dark thoughts due to the neglect she felt
from her father whilst growing up, to mention but a few. It is the
flashiest role in the film, but she is so good at keeping it grounded
and making it feel so real, wherever she may be on the emotional
spectrum in any given scene. The scenes with her dad are so painful
because you can feel how hurt she is, but you can also sense that all
she wants is for her father to “see” her. She needs that
recognition from him despite how much she says the opposite. This
brings me to Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, who plays Agnes, and whilst I
am sure Reinsve will likely get all of the attention in regards to
the acting in “Sentimental Value”, personally I believe that
Lilleaas is the film's secret weapon and the glue that holds it all
together. Yes, her role is less flashy than Reinsve's but it isn't
any less important, as Agnes is going through just as much as both
Nora and Gustav, (particularly due to the fact that she is always
stuck in the middle of them both), she just seems to be able to deal
with her issues in a healthier fashion then the rest of her family.
Because of this though, she is able to see just how much pain her
father and sister are actually going through despite their efforts to
hide it. The relationship between the two sisters is the beating
heart of the film, and is so beautifully portrayed. Until this film,
I was unfamiliar with Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas as an actor, but again,
she is absolutely brilliant here, and holds her own beautifully when
sharing the screen with both Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård, who
plays their father. In other lesser films, you would think that
Skarsgård's character would be demonised as he is the essentially
the cause of all the pain in the film, but instead Joachim Trier
explores Gustav's own childhood pain which enlightens the audience to
the reasons behind his cold upbringing of his own children. Again,
Gustav feels real, human and yes, very flawed, but through delving
into his past we are at least given reasons why he is like this, and
once his children begin to understand exactly what he went through
himself, they may realise that maybe life wasn't as easy for their
father like they initially felt. One key theme in “Sentimental
Value” is the healing power of art, and the way that both Nora and
Gustav use their art to explore the pain they have experienced in
their lives and give it an outlet. In a way, it is only through their
art that both these characters deal with their pain honestly, as
outside of it, they both hide behind the facades and walls they have
built around themselves over the years. This power of art and it's
healing capacities are also explored in the film's excellent finale,
which I will not talk about or ruin. “Sentimental Value” is just
a stunning film all around and I cannot recommend it enough. Click here to read my original review.
1.
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
I
cannot remember a time when a film was so obviously the best film of
the year that it appeared on most best-of lists in the number one
place so regularly, but this is exactly what has happened with Paul
Thomas Anderson's utterly brilliant new film “One Battle After
Another”. As soon as I saw the film, which was the first session
on opening day, I knew no other film had a chance of stopping it from
being my favourite of 2025, and repeated viewings of the film has
only made my love for “One Battle After Another” even stronger.
I almost do not know what to write about it here, because so much has
already been said about the film that I will just be repeating what
everyone else has already said, but this is such an entertaining ride
of a film, that has been made with such precision and skill.
Probably the greatest aspect of “One Battle After Another” is the
fact that it has been perfectly cast, and not one person in that cast
gives a bad performance. Even minor characters stand out due to the
way they have been played by Anderson's chosen cast. Leonardo
DiCaprio has never been better as the always high and paranoid,
ex-revolutionary fuck-up Bob Ferguson, intent on finding his daughter
Willa, who has been targeted by his old rival Lt. Steven J. Lockjaw.
DiCaprio attacks his character with such energy, and at times he is
so funny in his ineptness. For mine, Chase Infiniti gives the best
female performance of 2025 playing Willa, and is the highlight of the
entire film which is impressive, because she doesn't really have a
huge role in the film until very late in it. Her scenes with
DiCaprio are some of the funniest, and heartfelt, in the entire film,
and I love the breakfast scene of them together (“Baby, this coffee
isn't even warm”). I love that Willa has this innocence when we
first meet her, which gives way to a kick-ass girl by the end of the
film. At it's most basic core, “One Battle After Another” is a
father-daughter story, about a man looking for his little girl and
deciding to re-join the world and her life in earnest. Lockjaw is
played by a mesmerising Sean Penn, who deserves an award just for
coming up with the ridiculous walk for his character. A “family”
friend of mine described the walk perfectly as being the walk of an
action figure. Penn also has the ability to be quite threatening
when he needs to, and isn't afraid to look ridiculous if the film
calls for it (like during the end). There is about a one hour
stretch during “One Battle After Another” which I thought was
perfect cinema, which begins with the aforementioned breakfast scene
that leads into Lockjaw's attack on Bob's residence, and ends finally
after Bob has fallen from a roof and been tasered. This is
propulsive cinema at its best, and Anderson does not let the audience
breathe for the entire hour as he pumps us full of adrenaline to go
along for the ride, before finally given us a chance to rest when Leo
finally loses conciousness after being tasered. One thing I hear a
lot about “One Battle After Another” is how surprised people are
at how funny it actually is, and it is true, it is one of the film's
greatest strengths. One moment I always find myself howling with
laughter at is when Leo finally gets to charge his phone, after
trying forever, to contact his ex-revolutionary friends but still
cannot remember the password so they will tell him the rendezvous
point where Willa will be, and he just bursts into tears. So, so
funny!! I also liked the fact that Anderson was not afraid to
combine quite silly and quirky elements with the more political
commentary parts of his film, and make it work seamlessly. I
actually think this makes the political elements more digestible for
those that do not like that sort of stuff mixed into their
entertainment. Oh, I need to mention Benicio Del Toro's performance
and highlight just how different he is in “One Battle After
Another” compared to “The Phoenician Scheme”. As Sensei Sergio
he is so loose and carefree in his performance, cool as a cucumber,
like nothing could faze him, while in “The Phoenician Scheme” he
is more mannered and controlled, but equally brilliant. It is just
interesting seeing an actor give too totally different styles of
performance but both work perfectly for the film they are in. I also
loved the fact that Paul Thomas Anderson shut down production of his
film for two weeks, to wait for Benicio (who was shooting “The
Phoenician Scheme” at the time) because he knew he was perfect for
the role, and preferred to wait for him then re-cast the role.
Finally, for a film that runs two hours and forty one minutes, you
never feel the time go by at all, which is a great sign for both the
movie and the way it has been edited. So there you have it. I am
sure there is so much more I could say about the film (oh, Jonny
Greenwood's score is insanely good), but I will end it here by saying
“One Battle After Another” was my favourite film of 2025, and it
wasn't even really close. This is the type of entertainment all
movies should strive to be like. If you haven't seen it yet, do your
self a favour and go do so now! It is already a deserved classic!
Well
there you have it, that was my round-up of the year that
was 2025; hopefully you got some enjoyment out of it. Now before I
finish, lets have a brief look at the upcoming year and my most
anticipated films of 2026.
