Monthly Archives: June 2025

Best of 2025, Special Features

Best Movies of 2025 So Far

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My enthusiasm for the best movies of 2025 so far is admittedly a little less muted than in previous years, but there remain some bright pockets. Whether through blockbuster films from established voices or indies from first-time directors, the first half of the year has provided plenty of entertaining highlights worthy of celebrating.

Honorable Mentions

  • Ballerina
  • Black Bag
  • Companion
  • The Day the Earth Blew Up
  • F1 the Movie
  • The Life of Chuck
  • Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
  • Predator: Killer of Killers
  • Thunderbolts*
  • Warfare
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Best of 2025, Special Features

Best TV Shows of 2025 So Far

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The first half of 2025 has been so front-loaded with quality TV that I could easily put together a top 10 list with a number of honorable mentions. Weirdly enough, the year has been packed with seasons of shows that released their last seasons in 2022 (Severance, The White Lotus, The Rehearsal, Andor, Mythic Quest, etc.), which upped the antes of what came before and set the bar even higher. Of course, there are some blind spots – most notably, Adolescence, Hacks, The Righteous Gemstones, Daredevil: Born Again, and Your Friends and Neighbors – but the following is as close to comprehensive as can be.

Honorable Mentions:

  • Harley Quinn
  • The Last of Us
  • Mythic Quest
  • The Studio
  • Welcome to Wrexham
  • Win or Lose
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Movie Reviews

F1 the Movie Review

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F1 the Movie

  • Director: Joseph Kosinski
  • Writer: Ehren Kruger
  • Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, Kim Bodnia, Tobias Menzies, Shea Wigham, Sarah Niles

Grade: B+

Big-screen thrills come roaring back with the energizing F1 the Movie, a potent blend of racing action and character drama from the same team as Top Gun: Maverick. Much like Stephen Spielberg or Christopher Nolan, director Joseph Kosinski seems tailor-made for theatrical spectacles, and his latest almost demands to be seen in the best format possible. The film’s story may not take the podium in its originality (the same could be said for its lame, SEO-first title), but the exciting racing sequences make up for any deficiencies found elsewhere.

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Movie Reviews

The Life of Chuck Review

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The Life of Chuck

  • Director: Mike Flanagan
  • Writer: Mike Flanagan
  • Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Karen Gillan, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mark Hamill, Jacob Tremblay

Grade: B+

Mike Flanagan is easily one of the most underrated filmmakers working today. Whether it’s his work on films like Doctor Sleep or Gerald’s Game or his TV shows The Haunting of Hill House and The Fall of the House of Usher, Flanagan has made a name for himself in the Hollywood industry. His newest film, The Life of Chuck, sees his return to the big screen with a nonlinear drama that proves his versatility as a filmmaker.

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Best of 2025, Special Features

Best Performances of 2025 So Far

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Though I’m less sure of the overall quality of TV and film throughout 2025 so far, there has been no shortage of great performances across both mediums. Here are the best of the year so far from film and television.

Honorable Mentions:

  • Cate Blanchett, Black Bag
  • Michael Cera, The Phoenician Scheme
  • Tom Cruise, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
  • Lewis Pullman, Thunderbolts*
  • Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us
  • Tim Robinson, Friendship
  • Stellan Skarsgård, Andor
  • Sophie Thatcher, Companion
  • Tramell Tillman, Severance
  • Noah Wyle, The Pitt
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Movie Reviews

How to Train Your Dragon Review

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How to Train Your Dragon

  • Director: Dean DeBlois
  • Writer: Dean DeBlois
  • Starring: Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James

Grade: B

Until this point, live action remakes of animated films have been confined to Disney, a symbol of their hubristic greed to wring every last possible dollar out of their classic catalog. How to Train Your Dragon, one of the most respected of DreamWorks Animation’s library, has an admittedly dated aesthetic by today’s standards, but this alone isn’t reason enough to make the jump to live action. But writer-director Dean DeBlois (who co-directed the original with Chris Sanders and went solo for the rest of the trilogy) stays true to the heart of the film, making the best remake of its kind so far.

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