Nathaniel's "Best" of 2025 (Part 2)

by Nathaniel R

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS

Consider today's list of abundance a sequel to Tuesday's overflowing cup of film joy. We previously covered honorable mentions which featured films from Brazil, Argentina, France, Vietnam, the American indie scene and Hollywood. Today we move on to the cream of the crop. Herewith a baker's favourite dozen films of the year. I heartly recommend seeing each and every one of them.

My absolute favourites of the year proved to be largely contemporary pictures coincidentally set in the only two countries I happen to have ever lived in: the US and Norway. The latter country arguably had their best film year ever with not one but five multiple award-winning pictures (Sentimental Value, The Ugly Stepsister, Dreams, Sex, Love) in international release. That said, this best / favourite list cannot be so easily pinned down to two countries in the present day. The best movies of 2025 transcend time and place just like that phenomenal "I Lied to You" sequence in Sinners, to include turn of the century England (17th century to be precise), the Jim Crow era South (rural Mississippi in October of 1932 to be exact), and the corner of 42nd and Madison here in New York City... albeit in some alternate universe where it's both now and also the 1960s. Aside from those detours and contemporary peaks at life and lives in the US, UK, and Norway, this list runs through a bustling night market in Taiwan, and holds tight to a dream home in South Korea that is really far more than its owners can responsibly afford.  Let's go to the movies...

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Oscar Volley: Is Best Adapted Screenplay in the Bag?

The Oscar Volleys continue. Today, EUROCHEESE and ABE FRIEDTANZER  discuss the Oscar race for Best Adapted Screenplay 

Why can't Park Chan Wook get any Oscar love?EUROCHEESE: Excited to chat with you again Abe, though I must admit, this doesn't feel like the most suspenseful category. There's a clear frontrunner, one arguable spoiler and then a few also-rans. It's too bad we get a snoozy 5/5 match with Best Picture when there were so many exciting options. I know you weren't as big a fan of this film, but I really wish we could have made room for No Other Choice here - Park Chan-wook can't seem to get Oscar love in any form. I've seen ads for Pillion leading up to its wide release - what a fresh, provocative script, which received far more love than I expected through the awards season. I was also surprised how charming I found Nouvelle Vague - if only Oscar voters loved it as much as the Globes! I could name several more, but don't want to steal your thunder - any outstanding "wish you were here" honors you'd like to bestow?

ABE: It's true this is a done deal and one of the categories I would be most surprised to see a different winner than the juggernaut we're all expecting. Pillion is a great call that maybe wasn't ever going to click with mainstream American audiences, but I loved it! I did like No Other Choice even if it wouldn't have made my list here, and it's a shame that it was the only NEON international title not to make the International Feature cut...

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One Prize After Another at the BAFTAs

by Nathaniel R

The ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER cast cheers on their auteur winning Best Film

Greetings from blizzard-hit NYC. Over the pond the BAFTA awards were held this weekend. Do they change the Oscar race? Who can say but they do take place right before the Academy votes for their own winners:  February 26 through March 5. During this key voting window we'll also experiene the winners of the newly rechristened "Actor Awards" (SAG ceremony is on March 1). If that weren't enough we'll also see the remainder of the Film Bitch Nominations and Oscar volleys right here which are sure to sway thousands of okay tens of vo --- absolutely no one but they're still fun for us to share! 

One Battle After Another took home six BAFTAs with Frankenstein and Sinners tied for runner up with three each.  After the jump all of the winners and some acceptance speeches, too...

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Oscar Volley: Can anyone beat Frankie in "Best Production Design"?

More Oscar Volleys are upon us. Today, ERIC BLUME and BEN MILLER discuss the Oscar race for Best Production Design...

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER's Florencia Martin and Anthony Carlino are just happy to be nominated. They have non chance of winning.

ERIC:  Hi Ben, let's take a look at our five nominated films for the Best Production Design Oscar:  Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, and Sinners.  Maybe just for funsies, we can go backwards.  What are the two films that you think stand the smallest chance of winning this award?

BEN:  Frankly, there aren't many categories where One Battle After Another stands very little chance, but I think we have finally arrived at one...

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Oscar Volley: Is an upset possible in "Best Editing"?

It’s that time again! Lynn Lee and Eurocheese discuss the Oscar race for Best Editing.

the Best Editing nominees

LYNN: Happy peak Oscar season, Eurocheese! Excited to discuss the editing category with you. Overall, this is a strong if relatively unsurprising lineup. I, for one, am absolutely delighted Sentimental Value made it in – that final scene in itself deserves all of the awards. And I can see the merits in the other selections, even if the Academy once again went with all Best Picture nominees (yawn). But then it’s been almost a decade since they included any non-BP nominees. So I will just sit in the corner and shed my own quiet tear for the unsung A House of Dynamite, which deserved more awards love in general but in this category in particular. At least the BAFTAs recognized that!

What are your thoughts on the nominees? And do you think the winner will also win Best Picture (for the fourth year in a row)?

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