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.  

Best of the Year 2022

 Well, hello again beautiful people.  It's that time again.  The time Reviews From the Dark Side counts down the best of the year.  And 2022 was a pretty good year.  I will again add the caveat to this list you are about to read.  I haven't seen everything from 2022.  I'll admit right off the bat I haven't seen Avatar:  The Way of Water.  And until it streams, I won't.  So, you can judge the validity of this list in your own mind.  What I have seen is over 60 films in 2022 and I think that's a decent amount of cinema considering I'm far from a full-time critic.  So, without further ado, sit back and enjoy.  Or jeer.  Whatever your pleasure.  Full reviews are found on my other blog, sithlordreviews.blogspot.com.  

Honorable Mention:  Pearl/X

I'll start off in a nonstandard way.  Pearl and X are the first two chapters in a horror trilogy by director Ti West.  It's unusual to see 2/3 of a trilogy in one year.  It's even more unusual that both are worth a view.  X is a solid enough Texas Chainsaw-like slasher film set in the 70s.  However, the true gem is Pearl, the prequel set in the WWI era.  There was more classic gore in X.  However, Pearl, in my opinion, was the more psychologically disturbing of the two.  The final scene of Pearl will chill you to the bone and was brought home perfectly by Mia Goth.  The strained smile on Pearl's face is wrought with absurdity, pain, and the idea that the character had completely and thoroughly cracked mentally.  Unlike 2021, 2022 was a very good year for horror.

10.  Scream

Continuing with the horror theme is the fifth installment of the slasher franchise brought to life by the late Wes Craven.   The film serves as a sequel to Scream 4 while at the same time rebooting the series.  You don't often see a franchise reinvent itself this successfully.  Back are the trio of survivors of the previous films plus a competent new cast whose survivors will be the main focus of the series going forward.  Come on.  I didn't let the cat out of the bag.  You knew there was a sixth movie coming in 2023 didn't you?  Well, if you didn't, the legend of Ghost Face is alive and well and will continue to wreak havoc for at least one more installment.  Admittedly, I didn't give this film the full credit it was due the first time I watched it.  But, upon a second watch, I fully appreciated its reinvention and its parodying of itself in a different manner.  

9.  The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

It's been a minute since Nicholas Cage starred in a higher budget film that had a normal theatrical run.  He's been well known in recent years for not seeing a script he didn't like which has resulted in a plethora of straight to video releases for the Oscar-winning actor over this time.  This comic outing not only allows Cage to deliver one of his usual chew-the-scenery performances, but also gives the opportunity for the actor to portray a version of himself.  Yes, he is actually Nic Cage in the movie who becomes embroiled in an FBI sting to take down a cartel kingpin.  But it's a little uncomfortable when the kingpin happens to be one of his biggest fans.  With a hilarious performance by Pedro Pascal as the kingpin, this was an underrated must-see comic gem.  If for no other reason, you have to see Cage's alter ego say his name in one of the most bombastic ways imaginable.  

8.  Violent Night

I love subversive Christmas movies.  I don't know if it's because I'm railing against how much of a pain I find the holiday is in general or if it's because it should be a happy time and I just want to watch the world burn.  But this story of the real Santa Claus protecting a wealthy snobbish family from mercenary thieves on Christmas Eve Die Hard-style is more than subversive.  It's comic gold.  With a copious amount of gore.  Sprinkle in  a little Home Alone-style hijinks and you have a film that's already a cult classic.  David Harbour was the perfect choice for a drunken world-weary Santa.

7.  The Batman

There are a few things about this film I'm still not crazy about after multiple viewings.  Number one, it's runtime is 15-20 minutes longer than it should have been in my opinion.  Jeffrey Wright is a fine actor, but I don't think his role as Jim Gordon was that meaty.  Then there's the man himself, Robert Pattinson, who I thought was a fine Batman.  But his angst-ridden emo Bruce Wayne I found a bit off-putting.  All that said, what Matt Reeves' edition to the Dark Knight movie mythos did was give us the first Batman detective story onscreen.  And I believe this is by far the best handling of what Batman represents to the criminal underworld.  Some primal, otherworldly demon lurking in the shadows they must be ever wary of encountering.  Reeves shot some incredible scenes of Batman using the darkness and becoming one with it.  Those scenes are exhilarating and truly nail the character.  For that alone, this makes a stop on my list.

6.  Orphan:  First Kill

Horror mavens know (or should know) the introduction of Esther from 2009's Orphan.  You know the big reveal of that film.  Well, knowing the reveal, you might wonder what this prequel 13 years later has to offer.  And as you watch it, it's a decent enough film through the first half but nothing truly spectacular.  Until it drops the bomb on you.  Yes, indeed.  A twist that in some ways trumps the twist of the first film.  It's truly an "Oh my" moment. This could have very easily been a run-of-the-mill outing cashing in on the first film's cult success.  But that is clearly not what you get out of it.  This movie was a pleasant surprise that I had no inkling would make this list when I first sat down with it.   

5.  Puss In Boots:  The Last Wish

Think the Shrek franchise is dead?  Think again!  The swashbuckling kitty returns in a comic and surprisingly deep romp finding himself in a personal crisis when he's down to the last of his nine lives.  This could have very easily been a cash grab banking on the popularity of the tentpole Shrek franchise.  But all involved, including the voice actors, put some effort and thought into this.  It's easily one of the best in the Shrek Universe.  In fact, I might say it's second to only the original Shrek itself.  Yes, it's that good.

4.  Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Much has been said about phase 4 of the vaunted Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Is there MCU fatigue?  Has Marvel lost its touch?  Should the MCU have ended with Endgame (which I think is absolutely silly)?  As staunch of an MCU fan as I am, even I have to admit phase 4 didn't exactly sing all the time.  However, the second installment of the good doctor's MCU franchise was one of the exceptions.  With horror legend Sam Raimi in the director's chair, Multiverse of Madness is the MCU's first "horror" movie.  There are scenes in this film that are shocking for a superhero outing.  New characters are introduced along with some possible foreshadowing that two major franchises might be around the corner.  I know fans had mixed reactions, but I loved this installment and believe it made a statement that the MCU is still alive and well.  

3.  Bullet Train

What happens when you put several killers on a speeding Tokyo train with varying agendas that somehow intertwine?  You get the utter chaos of Bullet Train, an action-packed comedy that is a little Tarantino-esqe stylistically although the director was not at the helm for this one.  You know what this movie was most of all for me?  Loads of fun.  I was riveted from beginning to end.  A lot of that had to do with the cast.  You could almost tell they were having a blast making this movie.

2.  The Menu

This is another one I had to re-evaluate after I saw it a second time.  Oh, I liked it a lot the first time.  However, seeing it again made me realize I didn't give this horror/thriller the credit it deserved.  This story of a disgruntled world-class masterchef exacting retribution on a pretentious, elite class he's grown to have disdain for is a horror movie short on gore.  In fact, you might even say it's a bit artsy.  There is death but half of it is implied.  It's darkly comic tone and bizarre ending make this a standout.  I said this in my review and still stand by it.  If you have seen the trailers, The Menu is what you think it is and not what you think it is.

Are you ready?

I SAID, ARE...YOU...READY?!

Sorry.  Had to get my Triple H on a little bit.

Drumroll please...

1.  Smile

I said 2022 was a good year for horror and there was nothing better than Smile.  In fact, there hasn't been a horror movie this good, this terrifying for years.  Not since Sinister for me at least. It's a demented tale of a demonic entity that feeds off trauma.  It comes to follow a psychiatrist with deep rooted issues of her own and plunges her into a rabbit hole of madness.  And the signature manifestation of this horrific journey is the film's namesake.  The demon torments its victim appearing as someone he/she knows with a terrifying Joker-like smile.  The film nails down the most effective aspect of the genre for me.  The best horror has a heaviness to it.  A palpable feeling of utter dread.  A feeling this story won't have a happy ending.  Smile is what a movie in this genre should aspire to be.  And it's my best picture of 2022.