The Best of 2025 (3-1)

 Here we are.  What you've all been waiting for.

The top 3 of 2025

3.  Sinners

Ryan Coogler's period drama combines goth horror with 1930s era race issues in a seamless fashion.  Spiritual and graphically brutal, this was high level art.

2.  Bugonia

Yorgos Lanthimos is a director who loves the bizarre.  I've found him hit and miss (usually miss), but this one?  He knocked this one out of the park.  A darkly comic conspiracy theory-laden film. You will not know where this is going.  The ending?  Brutal but kind of appropriate.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand, the top movie of 2025 is...

1.  Weapons

Congratulations Zach Cregger for directing a most thrilling mystery-horror movie on your second outing as a director.  Creepy.  Intense.  Masterfully told from several character viewpoints while staying fully coherent.  And that ending.  Tragic, brutal, and funny as I don't know what.  Don't know how that was pulled off but it was.

And there you have it folks!  Hopefully we'll see you this time next year for the best of 2026.

The Best of 2025 (10-4)

 The Nitty Gritty as they say:

10.  The Roses

I leave it to the audience to decide if this reimagining of the 1988 dark comedy, War of the Roses, is better or worse.  It does more fleshing out of how this marital relationship derails which is what intrigued me about it.  

9.  Companion

Here's a nugget from January 2025.  Usually nothing happening cinematically at this time of the year, but this was a rare gem.  A darkly comic thriller examining abusive relationships.  With a twist.  

8.  Good Fortune

A heavenly comedy examining the differences between the haves and have nots.  It does make a few political statements but doesn't get heavy handed.  The comedy is genuine.  Keanu Reeves' style is hilarious here.

7.  Together

You probably have some inkling regarding the plot of this film from the picture above.  The latest in the trend of body horror thrillers, Together gives you the rundown of what could happen if you and your mate are a little too close.  The lead up to the final reveal will give you great anxiety.

6.  Zootopia 2

Disney takes quite a few arrows over a great many things.  This sequel should never be one of them.  Just as wondrous as the first film taking us into the politics and mystery of this fictional animal world.  Yes, there is surprising subversiveness to these two films.  But also a great deal of comic relief to temper the heaviness.

5.  Thunderbolts*

Say what you will about the MCU right now.  Call me an MCU mark if you must.  But I loved watching this group of misfits on the big screen.  Yeah, I know.  The MCU has kind of done Taskmaster wrong.  However, I liked how the conflict in this one was resolved in a non-traditional superhero way.  Namely, they didn't punch their way out of it.  And I loved that the asterisk meant something.  

4.  Fantastic Four:  First Steps

We finally got a real Galactus.  'Nuff said.  And I didn't hate mustached Reed Richards.  Bonus

The Best of 2025 (Honorable Mentions)

 Hey there, hi there, ho there.  It's that time again for your favorite Sith Lord to run down the best from the previous year.  Once again, let me preface this by saying this is based on what I've seen.  Right off the bat, I will tell you that I haven't seen the newest Avatar movie so you will not find it on this list.  Feel free to disagree with the upcoming list and comment if you wish (respectfully).

Without further ado, let's start off with a few that just missed the top 10.  It wasn't easy to leave these off, but they are still very much worth your time.

Caught Stealing

A darkly comic crime thriller that entertains from beginning to end.  With a cat that quietly steals every scene he's in.

Nobody 2

The continuing adventures of government fixer Hutch Mansell.  Poor Hutch can't catch a break.  Even when he takes his family on vacation.  A corrupt sheriff and the criminal organization he works for learn firsthand what murderous mayhem Hutch is capable of.  Bone breaking (literally) action comedy at its best.

From the World of John Wick:  Ballerina

This John Wick spinoff follows the revenge quest of Eve Macarro, trained assassin of the Ruska Roma.  All of the sights and over-the-top action you've come to expect from the JW franchise.  Including an appearance by JW himself.  

Predator:  Badlands

The latest expansion of the iconic monster franchise takes a closer look into Yautja culture while maintaining the bloody viciousness we've all come to love.  Dan Trachtenberg has the pulse of the franchise and he's killing it.  

The Best of 2024 (1-3)

 And away we go.  What you've been waiting for.  The three best movies of 2024.  Let me say this wasn't easy.  Not much separated these three in my mind.  Without further ado, let's get at it.

3.  Deadpool & Wolverine

The MCU needed a win desperately.  And that's exactly what this film gave the franchise.  These two newcomers to the MCU were breaths of fresh air needed.  Disney made the wise decisions of bringing in the actors that made both characters famous and doing something uncharacteristic for the House of Mouse.  They greenlit an R rating.  The movie was a ton of fan service.  But in was in a good "ooh" and "aah" way.  Most of all, this madcap tale was just fun.  Who cares if it didn't always make sense?

2.  Transformers One

The cinematic Transformers franchise has been a bust for me for several films now.  It's been very disappointing for me considering what a staple the cartoon was for me growing up.  So when I first saw trailers for this and realized the powers that be were now turning my beloved "Robots in disguise" into a buddy comedy, I wasn't overly thrilled at the concept.  But trailers did have a couple of amusing sequences.  So, I was going to reluctantly give it a go.  This movie was fire.  It did everything right.  It struck every chord.  It's an origin story that expands the mythology in the best way I've seen regardless of the medium.  As far as the buddy comedy angle, it is that.  Until it isn't.  When it jumps dark, it takes a mighty leap and doesn't look back.  I was in awe of this movie.  So, "Bad-ass-i-tron."  Sorry.  Just had to say that once.

So we've finally come to it.  The top gun.  The big cheese.  The best of 2024.  What could it possibly be?  

What indeed?

1.  Smile 2

It's rare to find a sequel that outshines an original.  Even more so in the horror genre.  There's plenty a sequel that falls flat on its face.  Not this time.  Smile was my #1 movie of 2022.  Smile 2 takes the honor in 2024.  To say the dread of the first is amped in part 2 is an understatement.  The dread doesn't let go of you from the opening sequence to the end.  And, oh the ending.  If there is a Smile 3, I have no idea where it's going but it's going to be wild as all get out.  Take your bow again Smile franchise.  You're doing everything right.

That's all folks!  Until next time.

The Best of 2024 (4-10)

 I guess this is what they call the nitty gritty.  Let's get to it.

10.  Abigail

The child ballerina of a wealthy businessman is kidnapped by a motley band of professionals who each have their own reasons for participation.  Then things go horribly astray.  Blood, guts, and everything in between laid out before you.  A very wild night.  A very wild movie.  Darkly comic.  Ample bloodletting.  Gotta love it.  At least I did.

9.  Juror #2

This Clint Eastwood-directed court drama does something I like a great deal.  It makes you think.  You're presented a dilemma where there is no clear correct path.  Every point of view is valid to some degree.  What is your choice?  It can be right and wrong at the same time.  I love movies that do that.

8.  Inside Out 2

The continuing story of what's in the head of Riley Andersen.  Now 13, she has a new array of issues along with a new array of emotions that have some difficulty interacting with her old ones.  It's a delightful and sometimes intense romp through the tribulations of a teenage girl brought to you by Pixar.  

7.  The Wild Robot

DreamWorks punches into this year's list with a film that shocked me with how fun it actually was.  Nothing in any trailer I saw made me remotely interested in this.  I almost let this one pass.  I'm so glad I didn't.  Heartfelt, amusing, and relatively fast paced, who knew a tale of a robot becoming the de facto mom of a gosling could be this entertaining?  

6.  Alien:  Romulus

The ninth installment of the sci-fi horror franchise is one of the better ones.  In that tier just after the classics that are Alien and Aliens.  The story?  Well, why fix what isn't broken?  Taking place sometime between those two classic films, it's the story of another hapless band of humans that have the unfortunate circumstance of encountering the meanest killing machines ever conceived on the big screen on an abandoned space station.  Director Fede Alvarez has a knack for getting down to the visceral core of what terrifies you (see his remake of Evil Dead).  And believe it or not, he actually makes the facehuggers more terrifying than the fully developed Xenomorphs.  This may be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you felt about Alien Resurrection, but he does borrow a concept from it.  You'll know it.  This franchise still has juice.  

5.  The Substance

Without a doubt, this was the strangest movie of 2024.  A darkly comic body horror film that was as gross as it was captivating.  Or maybe it was captivating because it was gross.  Whatever the case, the movie has a lot to say about the trappings of being an aging celebrity.  Particularly if you're female.  Fighting your inner demons has never been so peculiar.  Neither is the ultimate price you can pay for vanity.  Two very solid performances from both female leads.  

4.  Nosferatu

I lost count of how many remakes there have been of the 1920s silent movie.  This one was expertly done by Robert Eggers who has become one of the younger guns in the horror genre.  The story is pretty much a loose adaptation of Bram Stoker's vampire classic with Count Orlok replacing Dracula.  But where Dracula could be elegant, Orlok is a straight up monster.  Someone you would cross the road to avoid.  While not a true splatterfest, the kills are brutal, and the mood is chilling.  This is gothic horror done well.  

The Honorable Mentions 0f 2024

 Hello, and...WEEEEEEEE'RE BACK!!!

After a year's hiatus, this stupendous listing of the year's best lives again.  Sorry it's been so long but, I'm a working man you know.  Hard enough just to see as many movies as I do.  Speaking of which, let me once again make the disclaimer.  I haven't seen everything so I please ask you don't stick pins in my voodoo doll if something isn't here.  But, if you follow my other blog, sithlordreviews.blogspot.com, you'll have a good sense of what I have seen which is quite a bit for a guy who works 40+ hours every week.  How do I do it?   A lot of sleepless nights.  But enough about me.  Let's get to a few that didn't quite make the cut into my top 10 of 2024.

Knox Goes Away 

A movie starring and directed by Michael Keaton, this obscure little gem should have gotten more attention than it did.  The story of a contract killer suffering from dementia trying to do one good thing in his life before his mind is lost is one of the most unique ideas I've come across in a good while.  And Keaton has a chance to show off his dramatic chops which he's always been somewhat underrated for in my opinion.

The Fall Guy

Loosely based on the 80s TV series, this action comedy is most notable for the incredible chemistry between its two leads.  They're fabulous together as a romantic couple and a comedy duo.  Add in a conspiracy and a few stellar action sequences and you have a film that pleasantly surprised me.  

Strange Darling

At times a darkly comic thriller, Strange Darling is, well, very strange indeed.  Again, it's a movie mostly carried by its two leads.  The story is presented in a nonlinear fashion which was actually easy to follow.  I appreciated that it didn't become too clever for its own good.  But it's a wild story that's very well acted.

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice

The return of the "Ghost with the Most."  Michael Keaton's second entry on this list sees him return to form as the vulgar poltergeist attempting to get a permanent foothold in the land of the living.  Keaton steals the scenein s he's in.  There's also a notable chew-the-scenery performance from Willem Dafoe as well.  Is it as memorable as the original?  Maybe not.  It's still solid entertainment.

Terrifier 3

Oh, Art the Clown, I do believe you became a horror movie icon in 2024.  At least for one week you hacked your competition to become the #1 movie in the country.  Not bad for essentially being relegated to the B-list since your debut.  And it was well deserved as part three recovered from the disjointed and overlong second part of the series.  Let me warn everyone again who might have interest in this series.  Terrifier is a true splatterfest.  Part 3 is no different.  It will go out of its way with the greatest of glee to gross you out.  That's part of the fun.  Terrifier is not for everyone.  If blood by the buckets bothers you, it would be best to stay away.  If you need to get your groove on with bloodletting mayhem, Terrifier 3 is your utopia.  

Heretic

Arguably the most unique film I saw this year.  About half of this movie is spent in a deep philosophical religious conversation between three people.  While it's mostly civil in the beginning, the tension is palpable.  You know something is happening here, you're just not sure what exactly.  That's the beauty of Heretic, and, particularly the performance of Hugh Grant.  It goes to a weird place and the ending is very ambiguous.  However, the buildup is a thing of beauty.  

Worst of the Year 2022

 The Yin to the previous Yang.  I won't spend too much time with explanations.  It hurts to relive these experiences.  If you want the full reviews, go to my other blog "Reviews From the Dark Side" at sithlordreviews.blogspot.com

10.  Minions:  The Rise of Gru

I hesitate to add this one to this list because it wasn't really bad. It's just that enough is enough.  Turns out the Minions have a shelf life.  At least for me.  They're less funny with each outing.  It's not cute any longer.  They are the Madagascar Penguins.  This one felt like a cash grab.

9.  Thor:  Love and Thunder

Well, it was better than Ragnarok.  That's admittedly an extremely low bar.  Taika Waititi was and is not the right captain of this ship.  On another franchise, I might appreciate his quirky comedic style.  I know Chris Hemsworth loves this interpretation of Thor.  This is not my God of Thunder and never will be.  Miss me completely with this silly nonsense.  Big "L" for the MCU

8.  Nope

What happened to Jordan Peele?  After a masterful debut in 2017 with Get Out, he followed that up in 2019 with the creepy thriller, Us.  Us had me riveted until the last 10-15 minutes which, unfortunately, took me out of the entire film.  Nope never had me from the start.  Some circular alien thing just hovers in the air and sucks things up to eat them.  No rhyme or reason.  No explanation of what it is or why it's here on Earth in the first place.  Just a nameless antagonist that all the little action there is revolves around.  Peele, even from Get Out, has been very abstract at times with the messages he wants to convey.  I have no clue what he was trying to say with this.  He got too cute.

7.  The 355

This action film featuring five female spies trying to prevent World War III is about as bland as bland can be.  Nothing pops.  It's not awful.  It's not interesting.  It's a bowl of plain mushy oatmeal.

6.  Everything Everywhere All at Once

I know I'm going to get some flack for this.  This was a sleeper hit.  I know a lot of people liked it.  It's an Oscar nominee.  I said in my initial review that between the dimension hopping, body possessions, and continual bombardment of the senses, if you can figure out what's going on, you're better than me.  Parts of this are humorous.  But it's not funny enough to push this into watchable territory.  And the movie is just so wonky, it's grueling to watch.  I felt it was a longer movie than it actually was.  

5.  Christmas Bloody Christmas

Yes.  I know.  Violent Night is on my Best of list.  I love subversive Christmas movies, particularly Christmas horror.  So what was the problem here?  The film is nothing but a Santa-bot that goes on a bloody killing spree.  It's a low budget movie so I wasn't expecting much.  But at least be fun.  Be over-the-top bonkers.  The film tried but it just didn't hit for me.  I think this suffered from a lack of a charismatic villain/killer.

4.  Firestarter

I didn't realize how cheesy the 1984 film adaptation starring Drew Barrymore was until recently.  It didn't age well.  This lifeless 2022 remake won't age at all.  It's that forgettable.  How is it that special effects from 1984 look better than effects in 2022.  That's a feat.  The plot is nonsensical.  This is just a joke of a movie in all aspects.  It's as mediocre as mediocre can be.

3.  Jeepers Creepers Reborn

Now we delve into the realm of the truly horrible.  I was never a huge fan of this franchise to begin with.  But it at least had a somewhat interesting monster in the Creeper.  Well this reboot is the anti-Scream.  Why did they even bother?  And I read somewhere two more might be coming to complete a trilogy?  I described in my review this is a toddler's take on horror.  Completely uncreative and takes tremendous leaps in logic.  This was a mess.

2.  Texas Chainsaw Massacre

This Netflix original toyed with my emotions.  I'm not even sure what this ill-conceived garbage was trying to achieve.  This isn't the Leatherface I know and love.  As a direct sequel to the original Tobe Hooper classic, you bring back the lone survivor from that film who is age appropriate.  But her tormentor.  The lumbering chainsaw-wielding giant that is Leatherface is clearly not as old as the survivor in the modern day.  That's just one of several problems.  There's a group of obnoxious victims that I'm all too happy got slaughtered.  There's truly only one good scene in the entire movie and it's literally the final one.  What a disappointment.

1.  Halloween Ends

Talk about toying with my emotions.  Ugh.  What happened here?  Granted this direct-sequel-to-the-original trilogy has been nothing spectacular through the first two chapters, but how do you make a Halloween movie with Michael Myers just being a bit character?  He honestly doesn't show up until around the midway point.  The film attempts to misdirect introducing another would be killer who was supposed to replace Michael and then didn't.  Then Michael is in a weakened state because he's not killing for some reason I guess.  What was this?!!  What did they do to my all-time favorite movie slasher?  And to use a street phrase, he goes out like a punk!  This was absolute trash.  Read the room.  The fans wanted the final showdown between Michael and Laurie Strode.  The ending of the 2018 film should have been where this trilogy ended.  Halloween Kills was lackluster.  Ends is unforgivable.  This hurt my soul.