Just Giblets – The rest is just gravy

July 16, 2026

Favorite Movies of 2025, #s 11 – 20

Now we’re getting into films that I really enjoyed in 2025. So many of these films could have been in my Top 10, but I saw so many films they got pushed into the Top 20. The first half of these films scored 4 cats out of 4, with the top half moving into the 4 1/2 cat range. All of these films also fall firmly into the independent film category, and it’s a nice mix of new directors, and seasoned favorites, including a comeback for a beloved director who hadn’t made a new film for quite a while.

#11) The Assessment – I love a great science fiction film, and they’re hard to make. I tend to enjoy independent sci fi flicks, much more than big budget films, because the stories are usually more imaginative, and human centered. THE ASSESSMENT truly first the bill, with phenomenal direction Fleur Fortune, a great script, exquisite cinematography and really wonderful acting.

At some unspecified time in the future, “civilized” society live a monitored and controlled life under domes to protect itself from a degrading, hostile environment. A young couple decides it’s time to have a child, but to do so, they must pass a rigorous assessment to prove that they would be good parents, a method of contolling the population. This assessment consists of a week-long, in-house visit by a specially trained assessor, that puts the couple through an increasingly difficult and invasively inapproporiate series of tests that strain both credulity, and the couple’s relationship.

While Alicia Vikander, who plays Virginia, the Assessor, has the showier role, handles it beautifully, I was spellbound by Elizabeth Olson’s Mia, who is being assessed along with her husband Aaryan (Himesh Patel). The arc of her character, right through to a major revelation toward the film’s conclusion really runs the gamut of emotions, and Olson is up to the task. Wonderful, both terrifying and amusing small supporting role from Minnie Driver. Production design and cinematography are exquisite, and director Fortune has a strong grasp of her constructed world, and the people who inhabit it.

#12) Where to Land – As a major fan of director Hal Hartley’s films, especially his early ones in the late 80’s through the mid-90’s, I was brimming with eager anticipation for his first feature film since 2014’s NED RIFLE. Gathering together a nice ensemble of actors with whome he worked throughout his career, WHERE TO LAND seems drawn from Hartley’s own life, telling the story of a successful director of romantic comedies who is getting older and setting his affairs in order. When he inquires about a job as a groundskeeper at the local cemetery, his friends immediately suspect that something seriously wrong is up with his health.

Hartley’s films are funny, touching, and spend a great deal of time philosophizing about life, and WHERE TO LAND is no exception. While his early films focused on relationships and youth, it only makes sense that now in his mid-sixties, the director is focusing his philosophizing in another direction. The result is still funny and moving, and a beautiful return to form that had me choked up in the opening scenes, as his precise circular dialog washed over me like a long lost friend.

Bill Sage is terrific as the director’s stand-in, and his scenes with Robert John Burke – his co-star in Hartley’s SIMPLE MEN (1992) invoked a beautiful nostalgic feeling. Another great appearance was from Edie Falco, who was featured in several of Hartley’s earliest films. But WHERE TO LAND is way more than a nostalgia piece, as its witty and thoughtful ruminations on life, aging, and relevance are sagely discussed wrapped in the absurdity of many of Hartley’s best dialog. I hope we don’t have to wait another 11 years for another film.

#13 ) Caught by the Tides -Jia Zhangke’s remarkable film was created using footage shot over a 22-year period. In the lat nineties, Zhangke got his first digital video recorder, and was shooting things left and right. Footage and outtakes from his next three films, UNKNOWN PLEASURES, STILL LIFE, and ASH IS THE PUREST WHITE, were all incorporated into CAUGHT BY THE TIDES to tell the story of two lovers, Qiao Qiao (played by the director’s real-life wife, and former Chlotrudis nominee, Zhao Tao) and Guao Bin (Li Zhubin) over the years as they become separated and eventually find one another in present day — with the actors returning to film new footage.

As expected, the editing used in TIDES is phenomenal (and one this year’s Chlotrudis Award in that category). Zhangke creates a compelling story out of his outtakes that doesn’t feel at all forced, and ends up in such a life-affirming conclusion, just after the pandemic has kept the world so isolated. The film fill have much more resonance if you’ve seen the earlier works, but it’s not necessary. CAUGHT BY THE TIDES is a wonderful and innovative new entry in the director’s filmography.

#14) Souleymane’s Story – Souleymane races through the streets of Paris on his bicycle at night, delivering meals to make money. Souleymane works tirelessly during the day to learn a story that he can convincingly tell that will move an immigration officer to grant him asylum from his home country of Ghana, and allow him to remain in Paris. We meet his sponsor, helping him prep, and his fellow refugees, all at different stages of their process, many racing from one job to another trying to get by.

Director Boris Lojkine, working from a script he wrote with Delphine Agut, keeps the intensity high, while exploring the path of a hard-working, good man must take to succeed in his quest for asylum. The script is loosely based on lead actor Souleymane Sangaré’s own story, which lends an air to authenticity. Cinematographer Tristan Galand, and the film’s incredible sound design team, immerse the viewer in the high-speed, world of busy Paris nights as Souleymane’s races from destination to destination, rushing on his bike to make appointment times, or catch buses. The first three quarters of the film uses that relentless pace to capture the desperation of Souleyman’s plight, until the final quarter focuses in on the much-anticipated interview, which turns up the intensity even higher. Sangaré’s performance ably assists in capturing our attentions and sympathies, and has us rooting for Souleymane every step of the way

#15) The Mastermind – You know it’s a strong year if a new Kelly Reichardt film can’t crack the Top 10. It’s not that The Mastermind isn ‘t a great film, capturing a time in America in the early 1970’s with subtle beauty and an understated performance by the ubiquitous Josh O’Connor. Obstensibly, The Matermind is an art-heist film, but in typical Reichardt fashion the expected thriller aspect of the genre is subverted to examine the sheer bravura and incompetence possessed by the mastermind who planned it. What the film truly explores is a character study of a handsome, white man rolling through life with the privilege of a supportive wife, wealthy parents, bored enough to see if he can pull a crime unscathed. His male privilege highlighted by the way he ignores the transformation of the country around him.

Reichardt sets the film in a fictional museum in Framingham, MA, although sadly chose to shoot the film in Ohio. In addition to a strong performance by O’Connor, there are some terrific small supporting roles from the likes of Hope Davis, Gabby Hoffman, John Angaro, Eli Gelb, Alana Heim, and Amanda Plummer. It’s a great addition to a filmography of a filmmaker whose films I anticipate with each release.

#16) Resurrection – I wish I had written a more fleshed-out review of Bi Gan’s Resurrection closer to my having seen it, as it’s the type of films, dense and somewhat opaque, that require reflection after viewing, but lends itself to losing some details months later, even after seeing it twice. I will say that after both viewings, I was blown away by the scope, visuals, and beauty of the film, as Bi Gan captures such expansive themes as cinema and the 20th century with such wonder. Needless to say, he’s one talented filmmaker.

The film is structured in a series of vignettes about a Deliriant, a being who continues to dream despite the collective decision by society to abandon that activity. The framing device, whereby the Deliriant is captured and examined before its escape is bizarre and wonderful. We follow this Deliriant as it is pursued through its dreams using a film projector, exploring the century in a series of cinematic stories highlighting the wonders of cinematography, production design, an the artistry of imagination. It’s no coincidence that Resurrection emerged during a time when the world faces a stark lack of dreaming, wonder and empathy.

#17) East of Wall – Kate Beecroft’s debut feature, EAST OF WALL is one of those films where you can’t really tell if it’s a fictional narrative based on reality, or a documentary re-enactment with a couple of professional actors and a screenplay thrown in to give it some shape. It tackles a bunch of themes, grief, trauma life on the socioeconomic margins, being a woman in a man’s world (still) and family dynamics, tosses in some beautifully shot and integrated metaphors between the characters (mostly women) and the wild horses they work with, to create something truly beautiful.

The South Dakota ranch run by Tabatha Zimiga (playing a version of herself) provides a haven for kids whose families have failed them as has the government. Tabatha is still reeling from the sudden death of her husband a year ago, and three kids, one, the teenaged Porsha (played by Tabatha’s real daughter with the same name), just as traumatized as she is. One of the film’s professional actors, Scoot McNairy, plays a wealth Texas rancher who comes in with an offer to buy the 30,000 acre ranch from Tabatha, but let them continue to live and work it just the same. The other is Tabatha’s mom, played by Jennifer Ehle, in one of the standout performances in the film. The other, and makes the whole thing work, is Tabatha herself. Like the badlands where the story is set, there is beauty, harshness, and the threat of it all crumbling away, and Tabatha brings that to her debut on the big screen.

Cinematographer Austin Shelton, shooting his first feature capturtes some visual poetry, both from the landscape, the photography of the horses, or the long gorgeous shots of Tabatha lost in thought. Reminiscent of NATIONAL ANTHEM, but without the undercurrent of sex and sexual relationships, which this film avoided.

#18) A Little Prayer – I love finding these powerful, intimate films that just don’t get the same attention as the splashy blockbusters. And, of course, family dramas as my go to genre. This lovely, gentle film packs quite an emotional wallop. Quiet and understated, with some exquisite acting, and beautiful direction. David Straithairn is superb, as a father dealing with the fact that his children are in trouble. The relationship between him and his daughter-in-law, played beautifully by Jane Levy is something unique and tender. Celia Weston is also terrific as his wife and partner-in-crime.

From Angus, McLachlan, the writer/director of JUNEBUG. Makes we want to go back and look at that film again. Both share the North Carolina suburbs as a backdrop, where religion and quirky characters are important, but not overused, and not made fun of. This was a special, overlooked gem that deserves another look.

#19) Blue Sun Palace – Low-key and understated, but writer/director Constance Tsang’s debut feature, packs a strong emotional punch. The film features a lengthy prologue that leads you to believe that one character is the lead, then switches after a surprising turn of events, taking the viewer down a long unexpected path.

Tsang explores the alienation of being an immigrant in NYC, as well as the sudden grief that can totally alter the trajectory of a life. Tsang uses a less gentrified area of Manhattan as the backdrop for much of this film, and it’s instantly recognizable even if you’ve never been there. Great to see Tsai Ming-liang regular, Kang-sheng Lee in a starring role, playing his usual taciturn self. Gorgeous cinematography as the action of the film changes starkly after the first third, then morphs again toward the end.

#20) The Voice of Hind Rajab – The workers of a call center struggle to help people stranded in war-torn Gaza, by negotiating with the military and the emergency responders who must all coordinate to allow movement in the area. Based on the somewhat controversial choice to use the actual voice of a 6-year-old girl who is trapped in a car with her dead family while she talks to the call center where they are desperately trying to send someone out to rescue her.

This was a tough film. About halfway through the film I started to see what this film was really about, and it’s a difficult film for sure. Great job maintaining the tension when all you’ve got is a call center and a little girl’s voice. Some really strong performances among the call center workers too.

May 24, 2026May 24, 2026

Favorite Movies of 2025 Numbers 21 – 30!

As I move toward the Top 20, it gets harder and harder to rank these films in order. On any given day, I could tweak the order here and there. Let’s just say that all of these films are worth seeing and I enjoyed them for a variety of different reasons. This batch has quite an assortment of films low-budget indies, to big blockbusters… career making performances to quirky international fare. Let’s take a look.

#21) We Strangers – Carefully constructed examination of race and culture in the midwest features an excellent performance by Kirby Howell-Baptiste (The Sandman) as a young woman named Ray, helping to support her mother and sister, while cleaning houses in a privileged white community. When Ray is recommended to the high-strung neighbor next door by the doctor for whom she works, she is amused to find the neighbor is fascinated by psychics. When Ray mentions as an aside that she can do that too… hear ghosts and what not, things take an amusing turn. Darkly funny and insightful, the micro aggressions are subtle… until they’re not. And Ray doesn’t just let them slide.

#22) The Fantastic 4: First Steps – Marvel made a good decision to tap Matt Shakman, show runner for their innovative WandaVision series, to direct The Fantastic 4: First Steps. While the film has its share of high-intensity action sequences that are de riguer for superhero flicks, it spends a fair amount of time developing the characters in a way that seemed natural.

It’s nearly a perfect Fantastic Four adaptation for me, with very little to quibble about. To be fair, The Fantastic Four is my favorite comic book at the moment, and has been for quite a while. And The Invisible Woman, one of the members of this superhero team is my all-time favorite comic character when written well. The characterization in the film was great, the focus on family was much appreciated (true to the comic). The casting was terrific. It wasn’t just a big, dumb action movie, like most comic book movies. The humor felt natural, not shoe-horned in. There were some nice surprises not spoiled in the trailer. Susan was just great, and Vanessa Kirby portrayed her beautifully. Pedro Pascal captured a really accurate portrayal of a genius on the spectrum, yet somehow still empathetic Reed.

#23) The History of Sound – Critics have called this movie boring, but I found it beautiful and moving, with muted, gentle performances, and lovely look at the history of folk music, and gorgeous cinematography. Set during WWI the film follows Lionel (Paul Mescal) who leaves his family farm in Kentucky to attend the New England Conservatory of Music. He meets David (Josh O’Connor) in a pub, and the two begin a physical relationship. As they grow closer, David is drafted into the war, and Lionel returns home. Two years later the two are reunited when David returns home and begins work at a college in Maine where he is to travel around rural America capturing folk songs on wax cylinders. David and Lionel rekindle their relationship, only to party ways again. for decades.

This gentle story is buoyed by Paul Mescals nuanced, internalized performance, stunning cinematography, and some really lovely music. The languid pace and melancholy tone suited the subject matter for me, and I enjoyed the film very much.

#24) A Traveler’s Needs – Prolific filmmaker Hong Sang-soo, who seems to make at least two feature films a year, brings in an international heavy-hitter for A Traveler’s Needs, by adding Isabelle Huppert into the mix. Huppert’s Iris is travling in South Korea for an indeterminate amount of time, and scrapes by by teaching people how to speak French. She develops unusual, somewhat intimate relationships with her adult students, yet reveals very little of herself to them or the audience.

Hong Sang-soo creates such fascinating, quirky-yet-real characters, and it’s a joy to watch the ineractions between the studnets and Iris, and her unusual teaching style. The film is witty and light-hearted, even while exploring the human condition in a languid, poetic manner.

#25) If I Had Legs I’d Kick You – How many horror movies are based on motherhood? And make no mistake this film is horrific in a powerful, if somewhat blunt way. The intensity if unrelenting, despite welcome bits of black humor. Rose Byrne is a force to be seen. For all intents and purposes, a single mom (husband is a ship’s captain who is rarely at home) Linda is caring for a young daughter with an undisclosed health condition that requires multiple doctor’s visits, and a lot of in-home care. Linda is also a therapist, and the stresses on her family life are starting to impact her ability to do her job. To top it off, her boss — played with infuriating emotional disetance by Conan O’Brien — is also her therapist. When her ceiling collapses due to a flood, she and her daughter are forced to move into a nearby motel and the stress just keeps mounting.

Director Mary Bronstein is unrelenting in painting the challenges must face, and in fact, all monthers must face. Rose Byrne is simply remarkable in her portrayal of this woman on the verge, and the supporting cast is terrific as well. While it’s a tough ride, and possibly not for everyone, I found IF I HAD LEGS, I’D KICK YOU a compelling and utterly satisfying film.

#26) Is This Thing On? – What this feel-good divorce movie lacks in bite, it more than makes up with with heart and good acting. Having gone through something somewhat similar to this, ending a long relationship between people who still care deeply for one another, I found it beautiful grown-up and is immensely aided by strong performances by Will Arnett, and especially, the always terrific Laura Dern.

It’s the first of Bradley Cooper’s directorial efforts that I liked, and he does a nice job telling this story. Sure, it has a typically Hollywood wrap-up moment, but I felt it was well-earned. Cinematographer Matthew Libatique (who won a Chlotrudis Award for his early work for Darren Aronofsky’s PI) captures both New York City, and the people involved in this story really nicely. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I was absorbed and enjoyed this 2-hour plus film.

#27) Weapons – A film where the execution is almost as good as the premise! You know I’m not a fan of horror movies, but every now and then one intrigues me enough to see, and this one didn’t let me down.

One night at 2:17 am, in a quiet suburban town, every child from Justine Gandy’a third-grade class except for one, ran out of their house and vanished into the night. When days go by with no clues as to what might have occurred, town suspicion’s are running high especially as directed toward Justine. One father in particular, Archer, takes investigations into his own hand. Meanwhile, we take a look in on young Alex Lilly, the one child who did not vanish, and the unusual goings-on in his home.

With a wonderfully bravura performance that won her an Oscar, from Amy Madigan, Weapons kicks off with an eerie visual of a mysterious night flight, and ends with a visceral horror that serves as a much-needed release. A surprisingly effective and entertaining film.

#28) Sorry, Baby – Debut film from writer/director/lead actor, Eva Victor, is a somber, dramaedy, about a young woman struggling with a traumatic past event that she can’t seem to shake, despite her best efforts to put it behind her. Teaching in the small New England University from which she graduated, Agnes lives a fairly solitary life; her best friend and former college roommate has moved to New York City and they see each other sporadically. She is also one of the few people in Agnes’ life who knows what happened.

“Victor tells her story with an unusual cadence, first introducing her main characters in a more light-hearted reunion, so as not to have the past events overshadow their lives, despite the fact that a it does. I actually found the first quarter of the film somewhat off-putting with little to connect to, but once the meat of the story started to kick in, and the narrative began to jump around in time, I fell into Victor’s unusual story-telling rhythms and the film found its pace. The high point for me was a very strong scenes between Agnes and Pete, a grumpy townie with whom she has an initially unsettling encounter. Victor plays Agnes with a quirky sensibility that also came across in the post-film Q&A, so I suspect it’s part of her own personality. It would have been an interesting experience to see her film told with a different actor playing the lead. Lucas Hedges has a lovely supporting role, and John Carroll Lynch nails it as the grumpy Pete.

#29) Peacock – Matthias works for a company that hires out ‘companions,’ friends, partners, family members, whatever you need for your given circumstance. Need a date for an important event? Need a son to show what a good father you are? Need someone to practice arguing with so you can stand up to your sometimes unreasonable husband? Matthias is your man. Matthias is so agreeable, that he doesn’t seem to have any options of his own, in fact, his girlfriend isn’t even sure he’s a real, three-dimensional person anymore.

“When confronted with this, Matthias is stunned, and tries to figure out what’s wrong. The film explores several directions that are both funny and cringe-worthy, eventually spiraling to a grand finale that is an apt conclusion, but doesn’t truly resolve anything.

“I was left a little bit underwhelmed immediately after seeing the film, but it has grown on me with time. First time feature writer/director Bernhard Wenger has constructed an amusing dark comedy that explores the things we give up to make others happy or comfortable. and lead actor Albrecht Schuch is pretty remarkable and entertaining as the beleaguered Matthias.

#30) Misericordia – This curious, oh-so French film from filmmaker Alain Guiraudie, explores how the residents of a small village react to the return of a prodigal for the funeral of his mentor. Jérémie returns to his hometown to attend the funeral of a former boss. With no plan on where or how long he will stay, he accepts an invitation to stay with the boss’ widow. His return affects the small community from the widow’s son, an old friend and neighbor, the village priest and the widow herself, as Jérémie’s charismatic presence eventually inspires a moment of violence that involves the local police.

This dark comedy verges into Dupieux territory with deadpan, absurdist humor and rampant, unexplained desire. Félix Kysyl embodies the enigmatic Jérémie perfectly, and it was lovely to see Catherine Frot (from Lucas Belvaux’s THE TRILOGY) as the widow. A big step up (for me) from Guiraudie’s much-lauded STRANGER BY THE LAKE.

April 4, 2026

Movies of 2025!

It’s already April and I’m finally getting to my favorite films viewed last year. 2025 was a great year for independent film. While many have said otherwise, I was able to create a Top 40 film list all earning 4 stars out of 5 or more! Films I swore would be in my Top 10 for the year ended up much lower because of the number of particularly strong films I saw. And I saw a lot of 2025 releases. To be clear, this list is films I have seen that were released in 2025, not films I saw in 2025. It appears I watched 108 films released in 2025. I may have missed a couple, but it’s nice to break 100 again. Perhaps the first time since the pandemic kept us indoors in 2020 and 2021.

There were only two big budget studio films in my Top 40, Fantastic Four: First Steps and Is This Thing On? Last year’s big Oscar winners didn’t fare all that well with me, with One Battle After Another hitting at #72 (and I actually enjoyed this film well enough), and Sinners at #86. The other big superhero flick, Superman came in at #87. Below are the films I ranked #31 – 40, with a few honorable mentions below.

#31) Jazzy – In Morissa Moltz’s sequel of sorts to her lovely debut narrative, The Unknown Country explores the passage from childhood to young adulthood, as Jazzy must deal with her best friend moving away. As in her previous films, Maltz melds narrative and documentary, and features a great cameo from her last film, Lily Gladstone.

#32) The Testament of Ann Lee – Mona Fastvold’s big swing scores a double, I guess, with her ambitious and massive telling of Ann Lee, the woman who founded the Shaker movement. The first half of this film was a bit scattered, and dragged, but once the family and movement left the UK for the colonies, things really took off. The music and choreography were outstanding, those extended sequences really pulling the viewer into the worship of the community. Amanda Seyfried, Thomasin McKenzie, Lewis Pullman, and Christopher Abbot give strong performance. This is a unique and powerful story told by a bold new voice who co-wrote and produced The Brutalist.

#33) Oceans Are the Real Continents – Three stories focusing on residents of different generations living in the inland town of San Antonio, Cuba illustrate separation in this gorgeous and poignant debut feature from Italian writer/director Tommaso Santambrogio. Alex and Edith are a young couple in their 20’s both theatrical artists, who face a critical turning point when Edith receives the opportunity to go to Italy and has no intention of returning. Frank and Alain are childhood pals who dream of becoming famous ball players for the New York Yankees, living with their families in neighboring mansions despite the real threat of Frank’s family emigrating to the U.S. in the near future. Milagros is solitary woman in her later years still mourning the loss of her husband in the Angola War years in the past. The three stories all take place in the same town, but they rarely intersect, and even then only incidentally. Yet they tell the story of Cuba in a profoundly moving way, highlighted by the stunning black & white cinematography. Sound Design is also stunning with the wind morphing into the ocean tides, then once more into a burning car in a marvelous sequence. All the characters are played by non-actors, and do a stellar job; a tribute to this new director’s skills.

#34) The Secret Agent – There’s a lot to like about Kleber Mendonça Filho’s latest film, but there’s not enough to rank it higher on this list. Filho is an interesting and accomplished filmmaker, and his latest, a look back on a widower being persecuted by government officials for some unknown reason in a small Brazilian city highlights some of his strengths. However, the excessive running time, and the bizarre use of his over-the-top, cartoonish violence (something that really detracted from Bacarau as well) disrupted the tone and effectiveness of the film. Great performance from lead actor Wagner Moura, and the supporting, ensemble cast is one of the best of the year. Filho’s use of his home city is always fascinating. This film really used place so effectively. The fascinating reveal focusing on the young researcher looking at news archives was beautifully done.

#35) No Other Choice – A little too long, and while necessary, the first third of the film drags a little, but when things start popping, the film really leans into the absurdity, and that’s a good choice. The screenplay is taut, great to see Don McKellar involved. Superficially fun, but it has depth as it explores class divisions and the capitalist struggle to succeed. But then, that is director Park Chan-wook’s bread and butter, and he brings it to the fore beautifully with both humor and dread.

#36) Train Dreams – Gentle storytelling of a man’s long life, with moments of incredible beauty, alongside devastating loss and senseless violence. Clyde Edgerton is very strong as our subject, Robert, with lovely supporting roles from Kerry Condon and William H. Macy. Sadly, the film didn’t resonate as much with me as it should have given that it’s really my kind of film. When Kerry Condon’s character appeared, she injected such a beautiful, vibrant energy into the film I just kept hoping she would return. Cinemtography was beautiful, with the forest being such a huge part of the film. Nice racial and ecological themes running throughout. Director Clint Bentley and co-writer Greg Kwedar were the team responsible for 2024’s powerful Sing Sing, and they certainly do know how to tug the heartstrings.

#37) Dead Mail – This was a surprise, and I wish it could have fought it’s way higher up my list! Taut, well-produced thriller with a low budget, but well-written and fascinating characters. Writer/directors Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy have created an original suspense/horror flick around the dead letter office at the post office, with a backdrop of synthesizer geeks. The cast is terrific, especially Tomas Boykin who plays a great protagonist unlike the usual fare, and when he disappears abruptly from the film his absence hits hard. Great tone throughout. Well worth a look!

#38) A Nice Indian Boy – Naveen is part of a nice, traditional Indian family, but as a gay man with a non-traditional sister, things don’t always run so smoohtly. When he brings his iancé Jay home to meet the parents, can they accept his white orphan boyfriend into the family? Director Roshan Sethi, working with a screenplay by Eric Randall, adapted from a play by Madhuri Shekar, amps up the family drama, the over-the-top hijinks of planning the perfect Indian wedding, Jay’s sweet patience, ad Naveen’s amusing neuroticism to create a fun-filled movie. Karan Soni and Konathan Groff are adorable and engaging as the trying-to-be-happy grooms-to-be.

#39) Familiar Touch – Kathleen Chalfant owns every scene in this gently exquisite film directed beautifully by Sarah Friedland. It tells a story about aging and memory that is both comforting and immutably sad. The sad history of the film revealed that David Lynch mainstay actress Grace Zabriske was developing this film with Friedland intending to play the lead, but her own growing dementia prevented her from playing the part. While Chalfant made the role seem effortless and powerful, I would have loved to see Zabriskie tackle the role.

#40) September 5 – Skirting the line between independent and Hollywood films (Paramount invested some into the production that was mostly funded independetly) Tim Fehlbaum tellsw a riveting story about journalism. The film is a straight-forward, well-made political thriller about the terrorists who took 11 Israeli participants at the Munich Olympics in 1972 hostage, and the live news coverage of these events by ABC. Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, and Ben Chaplin are all well-known, strong actors who bring the real life individuals to life. I was particularly pleased to see a terrific performance by Leonie Benesch (The Teachers’ Lounge) in a pivotal role.

Honorable Mentions: Suze, An Unfinished Film, Bob Trevino Likes It, I’m Still Here, Father Mother Sister Brother, Viet and Nam, Ponyboi, To Kill a Wolf, The Girl with the Needle, Invention, The Practice, D(e)AD

March 28, 2026

Favorite Books Read in 2025 — #’s 1! (And a complete list)

Finally made it to the top of the list of my favorite books read in 2025, and I have to say, it was a strong batch! My #1 kind of came out of nowhere, as I wasn’t expecting it, and I certainly wasn’t expecting it to be my top book of the year. More on that later. First, here is a recap of the books I enjoyed in 2025.

#20 – Infinite Country by Patricia Engel
#19 – Regrets by Matt Charman
#18 – Mislaid by Neill Zink
#17 – On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
#16 – Perfect Arrangement by Topher Payne
#15 – The Moonday Letters by Emmi Itäranta
#14 – We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida
#13 – To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage
#12 – After the Flood by Alexnadra Monag
#11 – Rental House by Weikie Wang
#10 – The Frequency of Living Things by Nick Fuller Googins
#09 – Semiosis by Sue Burke
#08 – The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth by Zoë Schlanger
#07 – The True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) – Rabih Alameddin
#06 – A Line You Have Traced by Rosin Dunnett
#05 – When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Regan Barhnhill
#04 – Room to Dream by David Lynch and Kristine McKenna
#03 – Fingers Crossed: How Music Saved Me From Success by Miki Berenyi
#02 – Rabbit Moon by Jennifer Haig

#1 – Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson (2025)

Run for the Hills is the third book/novel of Wilson’s that I have read, and he’s been on an upward trajectory since I read his 2011 novel, The Family Fang which was my #9 book read that year. Seven years later, he scored again, this time rising all the way up to the #2 slot with Nothing to See Here. Well this year he nabs the top spot for the first time, with another story about a quirky, non-traditional family that resonates strongly and hits all the right notes.

Kevin Wilson has created a unique and powerfully moving novel about family… family connected by blood, but also found. Charles Hill has had multiple families, each one with a partner, and raising a child, each one in serial succession, starting in Boston, then Tennessee, the Oklahoma, then Utah and finally California, none knowing about any of the others until the oldest, Reuben, loses his mother and hires a private detective to track down his long missing father. This leads him to Mad, his half-sister in Oklahoma and starts a quest for the disparate members of this disconnect family to find their father again.

With Mad, an organic farmer in Oklahoma, centering this lovely story, Wilson takes through a range of emotion, with a good dose of humor on a road trip that is unbelievable, and strongly rooted in what so many people struggle with every day… connection. A truly and unexpectedl beautiful and grounding tale.

And that’s my list. Next up — my favorite movies of 2025!

March 16, 2026

Favorite Books Read in 2025 — #’s 3 & 2

Now we’re really cooking… honing in on my favorite books read in 2025. And #’s 3 and 2 were no slouches either! One I was expecting to be good, was worried that I wasn’t going to like, then ended up loving! The other was a total surprise! The former was a by an author whose work I am very familiar with and is among my favorites. The latter brings me back to my memoir by rock & roll women. Read on…

#3 – Fingers Crossed: How Music Saved Me From Success by Miki Berenyi (2022)

I’ve been waiting for, but not really expecting to find, a rock ‘n roll memoir from another woman in the field that would match Tracey Thorn’s body of work. Imagine my surprise to find it in the form of Miki Berenyi, lead vocalist/songwriter/guitarist of the 90’s British band, Lush. Perhaps not as accomplished a writer as Thorn — Berenyi doesn’t weave in larger topics quite as elegantly — the memoir, Fingers Crossed deftly tells the story of being brought up in the 70’s by a pair of unconventional, divorced parents, a Hungarian father, and a Japanese mother, suffering emotional and physical abuse, and eventually becoming one of the driving forces of an unlikely band.

Fingers Crossed is packed with personal history, musings, the raw, hard facts about the music industry, and plenty about how tough it is for women, yet it moves along very quickly. Berenyi’s self-depracating, yet brash, delivery suits both the time and the atmosphere well, especially when put in the context of the hindsight of an adult. It was compelling reading about a performer, both personally and artistically, who I only knew from albums and videos from the 90’s, a period of time I lost a lot of interest in music. It made me go back to Lush’s music, and remembering how much I enjoyed it. Berenyi’s background makes for fascinating reading, and paints a very vivid picture ofd the British rock ‘n roll scene in the 90’s.

#2 – Rabbit Moon by Jennifer Haigh (2025)

As I was reading Jennifer Haigh’s latest novel (took me just three days!), Rabbit Moon, I was worried that it would one of her first books that I didn’t like. There was something somewhat off-putting that it took me a while to identify. When I did, I began to absorb this fascinating and powerful novel in a very different way. Haigh has the amazing ability to create characters without any judgement. She presents all of her characters fully, with no apology for their flaws or their shortcomings. They, like their beauty, or their kindness, make up who they are. It’s an astounding ability, and makes my appreciation of this novel all the more for it.

Rabbit Moon is a tragic story, about a young woman whose life is irrevocably altered through a random action, but more broadly, it’s about how her life affected a handful of people profoundly. What Haigh does so beautifully is show this in ways that are evident and ways that are only hinted at. Utterly engrossing, and beautifully rewarding, Rabbit Moon may have just become my favorite of her expertly written novels.

Jennifer is local to Boston and we’re so privileged to have her here as a local. Her body of work is astounding, the storytelling so rich, her character so compelling. I look forward to every new work she creates, and I hope she’s a got a lot more stories to tell in that head of hers!