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Film reviews

Tarek’s Top 10 Films of 2025

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Film Critic Tarek Fayoumi standing outside the BFI IMAX in London

2025 was a wild ride for film lovers. Scores of great films combined with competition among studios resulted in many special cinematic moments to cherish for years to come. Last year also included many unforgettable scenes and notable accomplishments. From a film with Leonardo DiCaprio running around in his bathrobe to Dylan O’Brien playing twins finding connection, 2025 offered spellbinding experiences which led to strong emotions that will linger for years. These are my top 10 films of 2025.

The first film is One Battle After Another. This is by far one of the most creative, prolific, yet comedic films I have seen by the well-known director Paul Thomas Anderson. So many moving parts come together at once and still manage to maintain a humor-filled vibe along with plenty of political espionage. One Battle After Another is a sensational ride of madness and fun. It is daring, and lethally action-packed. Mayhem is around every corner, and the misdirection is attention-grabbing. There are many unexpected punches to the face that keep audiences wanting for more.

The second film is Twinless. Director, writer, and actor James Sweeney presents a touching film about disconnect and the need to find a replacement. Sweeney is the master of emotional writing and turmoil. Twinless twisted my emotions to the core. The performances of Sweeney and O’Brien are insanely audacious. Love and grief find common ground in thismesmerizing portrait of appreciation. The title reminds audiences of the power of wishful thinking. Despite the hard truths of the film, the wonders of love are a revelation. Twinless delves into grief looking to be relieved. O’Brien and Sweeney are a dynamic duo trying to combat grief after the loss of their loved ones.

The third film is Hamnet. This is a powerful, transformative movie about the world of Shakespeare. Political themes play out in a medieval era filled with dynamics of power, love, and loss all performed on a stage. Hamnet is a thought-provoking portrait of challenges and turmoil in situations that should be black and white. The conflict between good and evil leads to connections and brilliance on stage. As one who loves theatricals, I was blown away by two things during this film. First, the chemistry between the main characters. Second, the effective portrayal of powerful emotions. Hamnet is well-written and demonstrates the human emotions of sadness and grief.

The fourth film is Rental Family. From the mind of director Hikari comes a mesmerizing and diverse portrait where some unique connections are found. Rental Family focuses on a character with a struggling career who decides to take a different path—one that requires having a heart. Brendan Fraser delivers one of the best performances of 2025, and ultimately one of the best of his career. Rental Family is a unique film that blends diversity and human connection to create parallel values and deep context. 

The fifth film is Sorry, Baby.  Eva Victor is the writer, the director and the lead in Sorry, Baby. She gives everything to this performance. Her mental awareness and her ability to portray disconnect are impressive as she shines in displaying both stress and relief. It is built upon a foundation of the steps it takes to move forward. The result is a landscape of trial and error that paints a clear picture of what it means to go with a gut-feeling.

The sixth film is The Baltimorons. This film is an absolute gem in which connections are found in unlikely places. It is a masterclass of comedy based on finding meaning after loss. The Baltimorons is a Christmas miracle from the mind of Jay Duplass. Co-written by Michael Strassner who is also the lead in the film, The Baltimorons relies upon a formulaic approach involving someone trying to cope with disconnect on Christmas Eve. I have long admired Duplass. In this film, he showcases the human ability to thrive in the face of loss. I adore The Baltimorons for its focus on someone dealing with personalfrustrations while also trying to bring happiness to others.

The seventh film is Marty Supreme. One-of-a-kind and authentic, this movie features one of Timothee Chalamet’s most mesmerizing performances. The film is like a ping pong match that you can’t take your eyes off. Writer and director Josh Safdie creates a film that is a few notches down from the stress of Uncut Gems and not aimed as much at gambling. This time the story highlights earning money through competition and building a reputation.

The eighth film is Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives out Mystery. Writer and director Rian Johnson is back with another installment, and this one may be the best of them all. The clues, the people, the egos, and the matters all make these mystery thrillers so fanciful and wonderful. It shines especially bright with Daniel Craig reprising his role as Benoit Blanc and bringing out laid-back detective mannerisms. At the same time, Craig’s character has the personality to solve the case by putting the pieces together one-by-one. The whole film is an exciting ride filled with questions, humor, and fun set in a church this time around. The wrongdoings have a lot to do with faith and fate—but also community involvement comes into the equation. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery showcases a pattern of realizations created to blindside audiences with clever writing. Johnson is a genius.

The ninth film is Jay Kelly. Noah Baumbach’s films always spark human emotions because his writing creates moments in which audiences experience sadness. When directing films about divorce like The Squid and the Whale and Marriage Story, he painted portraits that show how everyone is impacted in these situations but still deserving of empathy. Baumbach has also directed films on family dynamics like Margot at the Wedding and Kicking and Screaming in which he carefully establishes that there is a level of disconnect. In his newest feature, Jay Kelly, there is disconnection from life due to fame. This film takes a more lighthearted approach with joyful scenes, while still being sad.

The tenth film is Frankenstein. The mind of Guillermo del Toro finds creative connections in a powerhouse effort which includes wonders of cinematic imagination unlike any other. From the worlds of Pan’s Labyrinth, The Orphanage, and Pinocchio, he creates new meaning with Frankenstein. In this film, the emergence of light evolves, but the political aspects regarding humanistic value fall between the cracks.

Film Critic Tarek Fayoumi standing next to a projector at BFI Southbank in London

2025 was a ride full of fantastic films. With all the films on my list being seen in virtual or digital form, I felt a sense of increased empathy in 2025 stemming from the themes of these impressive films. The external landscape in 2025 felt overwhelming at times, but ultimately there was a respite available in cinematic surroundings in every week. Staying upbeat was difficult at times, yet luckily in movies empathy was still alive in 2025.

Film reviews

Anaconda Review

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What makes Anaconda so entertaining is the fact that the plot revolves around characters that are true to the original franchise. This creates cleverness built upon a solid foundation. Given that the film stars Jack Black, Paul Rudd, and Steve Zahn, there are plenty of twists to keep the momentum spiraling with joy. Slithers of snakes combined with devotion to a franchise takes audiences on a journey filled with laughter. Directed by Tom Gormican, this is Anaconda.

Before jumping into the plot, I want to elaborate on the fanboy status which tops this movie. With the farce surrounding Anaconda, the chemistry amongst Black, Rudd, and Zahn is electric. As friends who play a team hoping to reboot Anaconda, it takes a lot more effort and risk than they expect. There is much uncharted territory, an Amazon with unexplained animals, and treacherous environs with surprises lurking.

The main characters are Doug McCallister (Black) and Ronald Griffin Jr. (Rudd). They are two friends who have always loved movies and always dreamed of making movies. Doug has a job where he shoots wedding videos, and he wants something bigger. Ronald does as well and claims he has access to the rights to the Anaconda franchise. This sets them down a path to find the budget to make their own independent version of it. The others who are with them in the process are Kenny Trent (Zahn) and Claire Simons (played by Thandiwe Newton). However, the licensing and rights are all over the place while the jungle is sketchy too. A colorful array of moving parts creates a boisterous ride where the rollercoaster never stops.

The writing of Anaconda begins as cheesy. As the film loops into the cinema aficionado’s mode (with Black and Rudd), the story begins to gradually create the atmosphere for accomplishments to occur. The filming requires everyone to be in the Amazon with many reptiles, the majority of which are dinosaur sized. Anaconda is like Jurassic Park but more likely to have creatures which are snake sized. This film also aims for the attacks to humor the audience instead of scaring viewers.That is what I love about this movie. When snakes jumped out, boisterous laughs ensued. The characterizations of Black and Rudd are outstanding in the danger-filled jungle.

Overall, Anaconda knows how to be funny. The film keeps a steady pace and loops in studio-related material to build upon its characterizations. I felt a sense of reality despite the quirkiness. It is not an amazing movie, but it is classy due to the flow of clever elements in the writing. Anaconda is one of the most fun films that many families should take time to enjoy over Christmas. It is a snake party for the holidays. Also, for those who remember the original Anacondas movies, audiences are in for a treat with this new version. Just make sure to fasten your seat belts! Three-and-a-half out of four stars for Anaconda.

 

Film reviews

Is This Thing On? Review

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This is a lighthearted comedy that works to find an escape from reality. It is an unexpected “reality” of finding joy in times that are questionable making Is This Thing On? one of the most authentic films of 2025. It takes a deep dive into stand-up comedy while grappling with separation. From the mind of Bradley Cooper, there are charms that are inevitable and make this a gem. Will Arnett and Laura Dern are fantastic in their roles as a couple trying to find contentment while working together but also remaining happy. The challenges are real, but the laughter and connection are also portrayed authentically in the film.

Arnett plays Alex Novak and Dern plays Tess Novak and both are grappling with their immanent divorce. At the same time, distractions present more challenges, especially when it comes to finding a new normal and dealing with their own thoughts. For Alex though, he has found a means of escape. He startsdoing open mics at the Comedy Cellar in New York. In his sets, he continuously talks about connections and disconnections, but also the correlating values are what plays into his jokes—his humor paints the portrait of how marriage is truly no picnic, and how it is pretty much unexpected disasters on a regular basis.

He finds support from his friends ranging from Stephen (played by Sean Hayes) and Christine (played by Andra Day). He also finds some support from his other friend Balls (played by Bradley Cooper himself). Deep-down though, Alex still leans on his soon-to-be ex-wife for moral support. The concept of keeping connection alive while also finding a way to escape creates a new era to remind audiences of why we are human. Relationship still exists even with those that we may have grown to despise the most. The writing of the film is eloquent in the fact that Arnett plays a comic telling his many grappling stories in a comedy club setting.

There is empathy, there is hope, and there is inspiration. The film is incredibly moving. I adored Is This Thing on? for its portrait of finding outlets to express challenging concepts in life. I also felt a sense of wanting love to come around for the characters. Even in the juxtaposition of silly humor, it fits the premise and the purpose of findings of ways to feel connected and loved.

This may be one of the most comedic, creative, and unexpected comedies yet. A comic yet tender story which highlights the creative genius of Cooper. Knockout performances by Arnett and Dern as the couple that can vibe while also juggling many classical first-world problems.  The film has its moments that tend to drag a bit, but some dramas need those moments to remind the audiences of the foundation surrounding the conflicts of the film.

 A comedy club for escapism. A couple navigating ups and downs. Many realizations of wonders. A joyful and moving film. There is love even when separation abounds, and there is creativity that can come from it. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for Is This Thing On?