With 2025 now in the books, it’s time to look back on the year in movies. In this first of three blogs, I spotlight my Top 10 Films of 2025, followed by 10 Honorable Mentions and an open-ended list (in alphabetical order) of other releases that I found noteworthy or worth a look.
It’s virtually impossible these days to pick up a newspaper (remember what those are?) or visit an online news site without seeing something about Donald Trump. Regardless of what one thinks about the President, his presence in our lives, journalism and very existence is ubiquitous. And, because of that, there’s essentially no way of getting away from him. Having been elected to a second term, he obviously had (and, in many circles, still has) his legions of devoted supporters. By contrast, in light of recent events, such as the No Kings demonstrations, and steadily declining poll numbers, he also has more than his share of detractors. Those on each side of the fence clearly know how to affirm their loyalty to their views. It’s a comparatively easy task for his backers. But, for those who disagree with his policies and practices, what does it take to make their opposing arguments most effective against such a powerful political force?
Many of us these days are experiencing a certain inexplicable unsettledness with our lives, a constant sense of frustration and restlessness that seems to defy explanation – or resolution. Because of those conditions, we may also find ourselves becoming increasingly aggravated, with our fuses growing progressively shorter. And, no matter what we might do to try and address these circumstances, it often feels like nothing works, that the irritation is perpetual and unrelenting.
It’s that time of year again – time for my predictions of the winners at the upcoming annual Academy Awards. For me, this is generally a labor of love, but this year’s awards season has been strange – wild, unpredictable and, ultimately, often frustrating, which has made looking into my cinematic crystal ball far more difficult than in most years.
Getting along with others sometimes isn’t easy, even under the best of circumstances. Differences – of almost any kind – can become obstacles that impede communications and understanding, potentially making relations between individuals and groups problematic or even impossible. But conditions need not remain that way if we make an effort to get past them, an undertaking that generally calls for finding common ground and seeking solidarity.
Imagine living in a country where citizens are effectively not allowed to think for themselves, where their beliefs are determined for them. And the dogma used to drill those thoughts into their minds is so formidable and so pervasive that most residents readily capitulate, even reaching a point where they gladly and willingly comply with the dictates planted in their consciousness. They accept conditions for what they are and even celebrate them, readily buying into the notion that they’re living in some kind of paradise, deplorable circumstances to the contrary notwithstanding. However, when individuals are coerced into a situation where it’s impossible to know – or even believe – any differently, it’s not surprising that they comply.
Given humanity’s tremendous capacity for compassion and benevolence, it’s somewhat hard to believe that we’re also capable of qualities at the opposite end of the spectrum. When we consider the magnanimity we often exhibit in times of crisis, it’s difficult to fathom how we can also demonstrate troubling degrees of callous, uncaring indifference toward our fellow man. Yet, if we examine the scope of human history, we can’t willfully ignore the many instances of cruel disregard and unspeakable atrocities we’ve inflicted on others.
With 2023 now in the books, it’s time to look back on the year in movies. In this third of three blogs, I spotlight my Top 10 Documentary releases of 2023 (some of which were produced in prior years), followed by a list of Honorable Mentions.
With 2023 now in the books, it’s time to look back on the year in movies. In this first of three blogs, I spotlight my Top 10 Films of 2023, followed by 10 Honorable Mentions and an open-ended list (in alphabetical order) of other releases that I found noteworthy.
The now-famous opening line of the Charles Dickens classic A Tale of Two Cities – “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” – has become virtually synonymous for describing situations that are simultaneously both joyous yet difficult. In many ways, this is a scenario that seems almost unfathomable, one whose very existence is hard to imagine, let alone endure. Yet many among us have nevertheless experienced such challenging, ironic and contradictory conditions, circumstances that ultimately push us to find the means to survive and to overcome the ordeals posed to us so that we can truly enjoy the best of what life has to offer while putting the worst behind us.
