New Movies seen in 2025

 My New Year's resolution from 2024 into 2025 was to not go 7 days without watching a new movie.  Part of it was I was watching the same stuff over and over.  I wanted to get back into watching a little more stuff.

I made it (though I think there was a 9 day stretch in September where I started a movie, but didn't finish until a couple days later....but I'll give myself a break with it....)

These movies could be new releases, or movies that I just hadn't caught yet.

The new to me flicks I saw in 2025:

January:

Music by John Williams  (2024)

Nice documentary about the guy whose music is imprinted on my DNA, between Star Wars, Superman, Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park.....

Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim   (2024)

This was actually really cool to see on the big screen.   My nephew and I had the theater to ourselves for an 11AM showing, after it had been out a few weeks.  Really cool animation....

Nosferatu   (2024)

It's pretty.  I couldn't stop thinking how Count ORlok looked like an undead Soda Popinski.  

America as Seen by a Frenchman   (1960)

Shyam got this for Christmas.  Interesting documentary.  Funny, at times.

Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace   (1962)

This wasn't very good.  In their comedy album, the State has a bit  with Ken Marino as  Holmes, and Joe Lo Truglio as Watson.  Holmes carries a stoner vibe throughout, and Watson is a bumbling fool.  I'd like the State to redub the movie.....

The Dead Don't Die    (2019)

Despite enjoying Jarmusch, and a despite an interesting cast, I skipped this one when it came out.  Zombie burnout, brought on largely by The Walking Dead's endless pessimism and cruelty.  This was fun, though.  Nice and dry.

World Trade Center    (2006)

Passed this one up way back when.  Shouldn't have.  It's pretty solid, with some really good work from both Cage and Pena.  Watched after reading a book on Cage's career.....

Dream Scenario    (2023)

I need to sit with this one again, as I've thought about it a lot.  Nice weird horror concept......

The Hound of the Baskervilles   (2000)

Maybe the worst thing I watched all year.....

February

Volunteers   (1985)

Read director Meyer's memoir, and hunted this one up.  It made me not hunt up any more of his stuff.  

The Wild Robot    (2024)

This was fantastic.  It eventually made my top 10 for 2024.

Wicked Little Letters    (2023)

We'd meant to see this one in theaters, but never made it out.  Olivia Colman is one of our favorites.  And she's quite good in this.....

Love Hurts   (2025)

Dumb and fun.  I think I had more fun watching Marshawn Lynch have fun than anything.....

Captain America: Brave New World    (2025)

I think I liked this better than most people.  It's uneven, I admit.  Feels heavily reshot.  I wish they'd given Tim Blake Nelson's Leader more to do.  But I still think it's fun.

A Midsummer Night's Dream    (1935)

Surprisingly fun....

Elevation    (2024)

It actually takes a lot for me not to just run with the concept.  But the world looks way too clean for 3 years of everybody living in the mountain wilderness.

The Monkey    (2025)

This was great fun.  I don't think I've laughed this hard in a movie theater in a long time.

Flow    (2025)

One of 2 5 star first time watches this year.  This is magic.  

March

AfrAId    (2024)

Good concept.   Meh execution.

Wallace & Gromit:  Vengeance Most Fowl    (2024)

This is just a lot of fun.  Like everything Wallace & Gromit.

The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire   (2002)

Better than the Frewer Hound of the Baskervilles.  But then it would almost have to be.....

The Navigator    (1924)

Can't go wrong with Buster Keaton

Perry Mason:  the Case of the Musical Murder   (1989) 

Our internet was out for 3 or 4 days in March after a transfer truck snagged the line off the pole, after a storm.  We made do with Shyam's Perry Mason TV movie collection.   Not great, but not bad, either.

Perry Mason:  the Case of the All-Star Assassin   (1989)

Less good.....

April

Death of a Unicorn   (2025)

Not great.....

Twister: Caught in the Storm    (2025)

Really is kinda amazing that we carry movie grade cameras and computers in our pockets.  This was pretty interesting.

Spartan    (2004)

We'd missed this one.   It came recommended upon the passing of Kilmer.  It's solid as hell.

G20    (2025)

I mean, it's Viola Davis pissed off with a machine gun.  Plus, it had Girl Twin from Blackish.

Talk to Me    (2022)

This was better than it had any right to be.  High energy.  Maintains a spooky vibe.  Couple or three visuals that really caught me offguard.  I liked this one.

Wolf Man   (2025)

It's not horrible, but it's really, really clunky.  I don't like how Julia Garner got used, at all, and I typically like her in everything she does.....

May

Sinners    (2025)

My other 5-star first time view.  This was amazing.  An absolute hoot to see on the big screen.

Thunderbolts*   (2025)

Maybe the best thing the MCU has put into a theater since Endgame.  I enjoyed this one a lot.  

Companion   (2025)

I only gave this one 3 stars on my Letterboxd review, but I've thought about it a couple of times since, and I think it may rise higher with another viewing.....

Y2K    (2024)

 I was really rooting for this one, but it doesn't hit its marks.

The Hobbit   (1977)

I'd never actually watched this all the way through.  Not bad....I can see why Tolkien fans dig it.....

Final Destination    (2000)

Couple of good visuals, but it's pretty rough.....

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning     (2023)

This is a long, long movie.   Good.   But it takes a while to get where it's going...

June

Sleepaway Camp   (1983)

I'm glad we got past the guys wearing Belly shirts.   I never really got a grasp on that bit of zeitgeist.  I hope that doesn't roll around again.

Pee-Wee's Big Holiday    (2016

Went back to watch this after watching the really excellent Paul Reubens mini series on Max.   This really wasn't bad.  Alia Shawkat and Joe Mangianello get the vibe.

Predator: Killer of Killers    (2025)

It's good.  I just don't think I liked it as much as most Predator fans did. . 

The Phoenician Scheme    (2025)

A little too busy, but still fun.  I actually would like a movie with Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston as brothers at each other's throats......

The Day the Earth Blew Up:  a Looney Tunes Movie    (2024)

This was a lot of fun.  Why Warner would rather have taken a tax credit than release this is quite beyond me.  Seeing this makes me think Warner missed the boat entirely, and should have been pumping one of these out every couple of years since the 50's.

Fire Birds   (1990)

Not great.  Top Gun in Helicopters.  Cage and Jones didn't have much to work with.....

28 Years Later    (2025)

This was magnificent.  A dark fairy tale.  I really dig how misleading the advertising campaign was leading up to this.....

1922   (2017)

Re-Read the Full Dark, No Stars collection this spring.  This and Big Driver are the two stars of that collection.  This movie?  Somebody should have told Thomas Jane to pump them brakes.....

July

Big Driver    (2014)

Actually, this may be the worst thing I saw all year.   Completely guts the original story.  But then, it was for Hallmark, or Lifetime.....

A Working Man   (2025)

This was pretty bad.  Nothing fits together properly.   Very crowded cast.  Nobody has time to breathe.  Plenty shooty and stabby.  Very Crowded

Jurassic World: Rebirth   (2025)

I'm part of the problem.  I just wanted to see dinosaur/monster hybrids chasing, biting and fighting.  And I got it.  I kinda like it.  I can't tell you it's good.  But I felt like it was a good use of my $10, to sit in air conditioning.  I will say:  I really dig the river sequence, which was cut nearly whole cloth from Crichton's original book.

The Woman in the Yard    (2025)

Pretty good, I thought.  Danielle Deadwyler is one of those who seems to just understand her assignments, time after time.

Superman    (2025)

God bless James Gunn.  This is a movie I really needed to see.  And I really needed my nephew to see.  We've got so many fucked up ideas about what being a man in the United States.  This was a good response.

Chasing Chasing Amy    (2023)

Good documentary about the impact of media, for those of us who don't find the path leads from A to B to C all the time.

Pieces of Aprill (2003)

Somehow, we wandered through the Best Supporting Actress Nominees for that year's Oscars, and I commented that I'd never seen this one.  I liked it, and the ending made me cry, because shit like this does.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps    (2025)

I really, really like that it didn't look like every Marvel movie since 2020.  Loved the look of The Thing, and the vibe of the city.  Liked Giacchino's score, liked Ineson as Galactus.  And Vanessa Kirby just kills it.  

I also like how technology from the FF bleeds over into regular society.  Meanwhile, in "our" MCU, they have heads up holographic displays for Tony and the Avengers, but we're still playing with thumb drives and Macs in the rest of the world....

(I didn't like Pedro Pascal in this, but I don't know if it's Pascal burnout or something else....)

August

She Rides Shotgun   (2025)

Not bad.  Good performances from Heger, Egerton and Lynch, who might be the Best Actor on Earth.

Just not a great adaptation of a really good novel.....

Doomed! the Untold Story of Roger Corman's The Fantastic Four   (2015)

After watching this, I think that everybody involved with this movie was a Lot.

Dressed to Kill    (1946)

Pretty decent Holmes flick.

The Naked Gun    (2025)

It's not the same vibe as ZAZ, but I still liked it.  The Chili Dog scene, and the Snowman Threesome were inspired bits.

In the Heat of the Night    (1967)

I'm including this because I'm not sure if I'd ever seen it all the way through.  Strong flick.  After watching this in the midst of a lot of Coen Brothers flicks, it's a pity that Warren Oates passed before being able to be cast by them in anything.....

Weapons    (2025)

This was a good year for horror.  And this was another fine entry.  A lot of fun.  (Looks at Wolf Man....and it uses Julia Garner correctly!!!!)

Yankees-Dodgers: an Uncivil War    (2022)

This wasn't fun.  Felt slapped together.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles    (1990)

Including this one because it's another I hadn't seen all the way through from start to finish.  Saw it on the big screen.  It's a fun flick.....

Julius Caesar   (1953)

Don't quote me on this, but I think that Brando kid could go places......

Now You See Me   (2013)

It tries hard to go for that Ocean's Eleven heist energy.  But it misses.  

September

Woman of the Year    (1942)

Dig that Kitchen scene, man.  That's comedy gold.

Final Destination 2   (2003)

Somebody told me to give this one a chance, after I didn't much like the first flick.  And they were right.  That opening sequence is fire, man.

The Long Walk    (2025)

I liked it.  A lot of people gave it a lot of shit for not being the book.  As if they've never watched an adaptation before.  I kinda dug this one.

Final Destination 3    (2006)

This one is.....less good than 2.

The Final Destination    (2009)

This one is....less good than 3.....

Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths part 3   (2024)

DC animation has been on point the last several years, but they turned Crisis into a slog.....

October

Play Dirty   (2025)

Haven't seen somebody completely miss the vibe of their own project so completely like Wahlberg in a long, long time.....

The Mummy    (1957)

This is a beautifully shot flick.  I'd like to see it on a big screen

Halloween II    (1981)

It's not bad, and it seems unfair to punish it for not being Halloween.  But I will.

The Substance   (2024)

I knew that it would bodyslam you with the body horror going in.  But I still got my ass whooped.

I'm a little weird, but I didn't love Qualley in this.

Trick r. Treat   (2007)

It's a mixed bag, but I liked the swings.  This was fun.

A House of dynamite   (2025)

It's a disjointed mess.  But I really like Rebecca Ferguson and Gabriel Basso in it.  

Who Killed the Montreal Expos   (2025)

Didn't need a whole documentary to know that Jeffrey Loria is a piece of trash, but we got it.  Actually underlines a lot of the problems with modern sports.

November

Blue Moon    (2025)

Ethan Hawke is great.  Just great.  My favorite performance of the year.  I really dig the bar, too.  I could practically smell it.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof   (1958)

I'd never seen it.  I saw a play of it in college, and in one performance, one of the actresses fell face first into the back wall of the set.  And in that respect, this movie really lacked a certain element of comedy.....

Frankenstein    (2025)

This looked exactly like I wanted it to.  Didn't love Oscar Isaac in it, but I don't typically love him in much.  

Predator: Badlands    (2025)

Really, really liked this.  Very fun.

Amarcord   (1973)

Fucking fascists.

Going Berserk   (1983)

A bit of a miss.  A bit of a mess.   I do miss John Candy, very much.

The Running Man    (2025)

Satisfying, but that third act is so drastically different in tone that it screams studio meddling.

It's different than Arnold's flick, but I have the same complaint about this that I did with the 1987 version:  there's no way that the government doesn't level that building with a missile strike as soon as they see what's up....

December

The Banger Sisters    (2002)

Goldie Hawn is a national comic treasure.   

Kill Bill: the Whole Bloody Affair    (2006)

Satisfying.  Tarantino makes me appreciate Michael Madsen, who always seemed a like a good Big Picture guy.  Another one who understood his assignments.

Eddington   (2025)

Another one that's going to warrant a second watch.  I liked this one a lot.

Christmas Eve in Miller's Point    (2024)

I haven't been to a family Christmas gathering in close to 30 years.  Or hung out with random friends in the woods in almost as long.  Didn't realize how much I'd missed doing both.

Wake Up Dead Man     (2025)

And the third bowl was just right.  Knives Out was fun, but misused its supporting players.  Glass Onion uses its cast well, but its story just doesn't hold up.  They found a fine balance here.  Plus, I kinda dig the take on the role of religion in today's world.

The Roses    (2025)

Doesn't hit its marks, but Olivia Colman is fantastic, as always.

The Ugly Stepsister   (2025)

Needles and Eyeballs and Buttholes.

A quick (possible wrong count) says that's 89 new to me movies last year.  Sinners and Flow were both amazing.

As an addendum, my top 5 of 2025 that I've seen:

1.  Sinners

2.  Weapons

3.  Blue Moon

4.  28 Years Later

5.  Superman.......