As OutSFL’s film critic, I watch a lot of movies. These are the ones that made 2025 memorable.
1. “The Baltimorons” (IFC): For me, the sign of a great movie is that it lives rent-free in your head (in a good way) long after the credits roll. Such is the case with Jay Duplass’ “The Baltimorons.” Co-written by Duplass and Michael Strasser (who also plays one of the leads), the movie strikes such a perfect balance between comedy and drama, that the laughs and tears are blended. You’ll never forget the time you spent with Cliff (Strasser) or Didi (Liz Larsen).
2. “Sorry, Baby” (A24): A directorial debut for the ages, Eva Victor, who also wrote and stars in “Sorry Baby,” has been nominated for a Golden Globe for their performance. Don’t be surprised if they also get some Oscar attention for their portrayal of Agnes, the victim of a sexual assault. Non-binary Victor is riveting from the first frame to the last, working every possible emotion into their remarkably expressive face. You won’t be sorry if you watch “Sorry, Baby.”
3. “Sinners” (WB): In a year in which horror reigned supreme, with unforgettable movies such as “Weapons,” “Bring Her Back,” “Good Boy,” “Together,” and “The Monkey,” Ryan Coogler’s epic vampire movie was so much more than we could have ever imagined. Including commentary on race and musical influence, “Sinners” terrified us as much as it educated us.
4. “One Battle After Another” (WB): Paul Thomas Anderson’s timely masterpiece, based on a novel by Thomas Pynchon, probably would have ranked higher on the list if the writer/director would learn how to make movies that clocked in closer to the two-hour mark (hint: work with an editor). Regardless, Anderson gets the most out of his cast, featuring legends and newcomers alike, while keeping us on the edge of our seats.
5. “I Was Born This Way” (Junge): 2025 was an impressive year for documentaries. When it comes to queer subject matter, Daniel Junge and Sam Pollard’s “I Was Born This Way,” about both the mid-1970s classic gay disco anthem and the man who wrote and performed it (the late Archbishop Carl Bean), is at the top. A combination of a tribute and a treasure hunt (thanks to Billy Porter), it’s a doc that is equal parts informative and entertaining. Honorable mention: Gay filmmaker Matt Wolf’s “Pee-wee as Himself.”
6. “Twinless” (Lionsgate): Queer actor/filmmaker James Sweeney, who gave us 2020’s wonderful “Straight Up,” delivers on the promise of his earlier work. Once again co-starring in the movie, as a man who supposedly lost his twin brother, Sweeney moves from the Woody Allen territory of his previous work into something closer to the sinister style of Alfred Hitchcock. Co-star Dylan O’Brien gives an Oscar-worthy performance.
7. “Bugonia” (Focus): Just when you think prolific filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos couldn’t possibly take us anywhere more bizarre than he already has, he delivers “Bugonia.” Working once again with his muse Emma Stone (she’s been in his last four movies – “Kinds of Kindness,” “Poor Things,” and “The Favourite”), as well as Jesse Plemons (who has been in his last two movies), Lanthimos combines the subjects of corporate greed, hive collapse, opioid addiction, and alien invasion for a thoroughly memorable experience.
8. “Peter Hujar’s Day” (Janus): Even more intimate than “The Baltimorons” and as queer as “Twinless,” acclaimed gay filmmaker Ira Sachs’ “Peter Hujar’s Day” is exactly what the title says. Based on the book by Linda Rosenkrantz (played by Rebecca Hall), Sachs transports us back to 1974, as the late gay photographer Hujar (out actor Ben Whishaw) recounts a day in his life, with fabulous details, at his friend’s request.
