With horror films dominating the cinemas so much this year, it was hard to get out to see enough counter programming and as such it has been something of a struggle to generate my annual ‘everything else’ selections, but here are this year’s offerings.
10. Caught Stealing
Although Caught Stealing is technically about the terrible situation that Austin Butler’s barely functioning alcoholic Hank finds himself trapped in, the film is really all about his feline counterpart, Bud. Played by Tonic the Cat, Bud won over everyone’s hearts and, when placed alongside Indy, the dog from the fantastic Good Boy, it has been a standout year for animal actors. The rest of Caught Stealing is a compelling crime caper with plenty of laughs, which helps solidify Austin Butler’s leading man status. Well worth a watch, but do keep an eye out for King Tonic.
9. The Last Showgirl
One of the biggest travesties of the 2025 awards season was the lack of love for Pamela Anderson. The former Baywatch star put her heart and soul into her portrayal of Las Vegas showgirl, Shelly, in The Last Showgirl and was criminally overlooked. Directed by Gia Coppola, The Last Showgirl is a slice-of-life drama that chronicles the end of a long-running Vegas show, and how its demise throws its longest serving showgirl into turmoil as she tries to handle the change in status quo. What makes The Last Showgirl so compelling is the inclusion of Anderson. The role seems custom written for the star and she is utterly magical in it. Without her present to add her sparkle, The Last Showgirl could have been a more tedious affair, but the personal parallels add that extra something special. Although overlooked this time around, I hope that Anderson gets her well tried for flowers in the not too distant future.
8. Novocaine
Before getting tied down to the filming of the final season of The Boys, actor Jack Quaid was all over cinema screens, appearing in Companion, Heads of State, Neighborhood Watch, and my personal favourite, Novocaine. Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, who until now have worked solidly within indie horror, Novocaine is a vibrantly charismatic action-comedy that does not hold its punches. Telling the story of Nate, a man with Congenital Insensitivity to Pain, Novocaine finds Nate fighting across Los Angeles to save his new love-interest, Sherry (Amber Midthunder), from bank robbers. A blistering cacophony of grisly violence and charming performances makes it one of the best popcorn movies of 2025.
7. Y2K
Actor Kyle Mooney made his directorial debut with Y2K, which released in the UK this year, almost a year after its debut at Sundance 2024 and months after its arrival in the US. Playing in a very similar tonal vein to This is the End, Y2K riffs off of Maximum Overdrive to enact an end of the world scenario that finds a group of New Year’s Eve partying teenagers against maniacal technology. Essentially, the movie explores what could have happened if the Y2K conspiracy theorists were right. At the same time it works as a coming-of-age comedy for the shy Eli (Jaeden Martell), whilst also supplying those of us of a certain age (like me) with an abundance of nostalgia, going so far as to give Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst a pivotal role. Y2K certainly didn’t work for everyone, but had enough throwbacks and silliness to keep me entertained.
6. One More Shot
Because one movie set on New Year’s Eve 1999 apparently wasn’t enough this year, Nicholas Clifford’s One More Shot also makes my list. Time-loop films are always movies that I’m happy to spend time with and the premise of a bottle of tequila being the conduit for the time loop was particularly intriguing. So much so that it made me overlook its rom-com leanings, a genre I am usually at odds with. Emily Browning’s Minnnie is the hapless heroine stuck reliving the festivities as she desperately tries to win back her former BFF and lover. One More Shot is overwhelming ‘90s and presents plenty of nostalgia as well as a ton of earworms (get ready to have The Cranberries and James added to your Spotify list), and harkens back to the likes of Reality Bites, making it a charming rom-com, but one that isn’t afraid to get a little bitter.
5. Locked
After starting and ending 2025 hidden under a pile of make-up and prosthetics in both Nosferatu and Welcome to Derry, Bill Skarsgård allowed his skin to breathe in the middle of the year when he starred in Locked. A single situation film that placed his down-on-his-luck Eddie thief trapped inside a hi-tech car, tormented by its owner, William, played by Sir Anthony Hopkins. At around ninety-five minutes, director David Yarovesky trims the fat and keeps the pace of the film fast and lean, with Locked a strong and solid entry into single location thrillers. Locked also provides Bill Skarsgård an excellent platform to show that his talents stretch far beyond playing monsters.
4. Die, My Love
Jennier Lawrence is a revelation in Lynne Ramsey’s Die, My Love. Based on the 2012 novel by Ariana Harwicz, in Die, My Love Lawrence plays Grace, a young mother struggling with severe postpartum depression. Ramsey perfectly captures the lonely isolation of time spent solo parenting an infant while also portraying the strain that parenthood can place on a relationship. Die, My Love tackles a lot of similar themes and issues as last year’s Night Bitch, but has managed to be slightly more successful with the critics. In addition to a strong story and a mesmeric performance from Lawrence, Die, My Love boasts some of the best cinematography of the year and stellar support from Robert Pattinson as Grace’s partner, Jackson.
3. Wick is Pain
The John Wick franchise is one of my all-time favourite action series’ and so it comes as no surprise that a documentary about the four films would be right up my street. Directed by Jeffrey Doe, Wick is Pain is an in-depth look at the world of John Wick, diving into the first film’s creation, whilst touching on the movies that followed. Full of anecdotes from Keanu Reeves, Chad Stahelski and David Leitch amongst others, Wick in Pain is a warts and all peek behind the curtain at one of the greatest action franchises in modern history. An absolute must-watch for fans of the film and filmmaking alike, Wick is Pain is a brilliant documentary that hooks into what it is about the character of John Wick, and the world in which he resides, that enchants fans so much. Just be aware that watching Wick is Pain will result in a strong desire to revisit all of the films again.
2. Warfare
Alex Garland’s Warfare gave me one of the most intense cinema outings of, not only the year, but in recent memory. The film is essentially the opening few moments of The Hurt Locker but stretched to feature length, meaning that even the most hardened viewer will come away with their nerves shot. Based on real accounts of a mission during the Iraq war, Warfare spends much of its first half in near silence. This enables the dread to permeate every inch of the viewer, thus ensuring that the eventual action arrives like a sledgehammer to the throat.
The sound design is king in Warfare, moving from suffocating silence to overwhelming and near painful noise in the blink of an eye. The transition from quiet to sound overload coincides with all hell breaking out and the astute creation of the sound design genuinely makes the viewer feel as though they are trapped alongside the military group that comes under fire. Warfare also is not a film for those of a squeamish nature as it goes hard on the injury detail. A film more concerned with creating a mood and a moment than saying much else, Warfare is an intimidating piece of cinema that transports the viewer directly into a warzone, leaving them rattled and somewhat shellshocked from the whole experience.
1. Pillion
Alexander Skarsgård and Henry Melling shine in Harry Lighton’s debut feature, Pilllion. The film depicts the ‘relationship’ between shy traffic warden and barbershop quartet singer Colin (Melling) and charismatic and broody motorcycle gang leader Ray (Skarsgård). The pair’s coupling is far from traditional and explores the kink side of relationships as Colin becomes Ray’s new submissive. This new walk of life opens up a whole new world for Colin and as he embraces his new normal, he finally starts to find his voice.
Pillion is a wonderfully sensual, sensitive, and humorous jaunt that, whilst featuring some more graphic moments of sex, never forgets its tenderness. The dynamic between Skarsgård and Melling is electrically charged, and right from the first time they meet, doused in erotic frisson. Even when the pair aren’t together on screen, the bond between Colin and Ray is felt. The connection is – like in life – messy, complicated, and for Colin at least, comes complete with a distinct list of rules that must be obeyed. Watching the new-to-the-kink scene Colin get his head around the world is beautiful to witness and Pillion is as much a coming-into-oneself story as it is anything else.
What makes Pillion so intoxicating is its tone. Lighton effortlessly flits from brooding and dangerous, to mild and tender, never forgetting that comedy is the key to the human condition. These moments of comedy soften some of the harsher parts of Pillion, making for a softer viewing experience that washes the audience and hooks them into the characters. Pillion is one of those few films where the viewer leaves yearning to spend more time with the characters, and one could happily watch a whole extra hour of this relationship on screen.
A film oozing is sex appeal, kink appreciation, and humour, Pillion is a commanding first feature for Harry Lighton. Careful to never lose its heart, Pillion houses a heady mix of tension, sensuality, and silliness that will hopefully seduce everyone as it did me.
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