Each year, festival season seems to start earlier and finish later, and 2025 has been no exception. During the course of 2025 I have covered around 20 film festivals, both in person and remotely, and have watched over 150 films. Here is a small sample of my favourites.
10. Touch Me
As someone who was somewhat obsessed with Hypochondriac, I was one of the first in the queue desperate to watch Addison Heimann’s follow-up Touch Me. Whereas Hypochondriac is rather bleak in tone as it tells of one man’s mental health spiral, Touch Me is a far funner film. It’s not without its moments of darkness, but overall it feels lighter in tone. The story tells of two best friends Joey (Olivia Taylor Dudley) and Craig (Jordan Gavaris), who fall for the same narcissistic alien, Brian (Lou Taylor Pucci), who may or may not be, trying to take over the world. Much like the second album of a musician after a hit, a lot of pressure rides on filmmakers after their first feature is well received. Thankfully, Heimann rises to the challenge and delivers a film that is distinctly different to its predecessor, whilst undeniably retaining Heimann’s unique voice and vision.
9. I LIve Here Now
During Fantasia, I caught Julia Pacino’s I Live Here Now and was blown away by it. The film leans into surrealism, embracing the Antonin Artaud Theatre of Cruelty method of storytelling as it joins aspiring actress Rose (Lucy Fry) who finds herself trapped in a nightmarish hotel as she waits for the dust to settle on a tumultuous chapter in her life. Both the production and costume design are exceptional, so too is the camerawork. With I Live Here Now, Julie Pacino has truly outdone herself. Through the character of Rose, Pacino addresses some thorny real-world issues, the surreal infrastructure of the film’s setting allowing a further exploration of exactly how hellish life with no control over their own bodies truly is.
8. Crossword
Michael Vlamis is better known for his work as an actor, but the 2025 festival scene saw him debut his first feature as a director – Crossword. Vlamis stars in the film which sees a grieving couple further wrenched apart by, of all things, a cryptic crossword. As feature debuts go, Crossword is an exceptional piece of work. Michael Vlamis captures the heavy weight of grief in a tangible way and weaves it into a compelling psychological mystery that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seats. Not only is the story gripping, the performances of both Vlamis and his co-star Aurora Perrineau are incredible, with the production design yet another of Crossword’s strong suits. A movie that seeps under the skin, Crossword is a riveting thriller that demonstrates a great deal of potential from Vlamis.
7. Hacked: A Double Entendre of Rage Fuelled Karma
In a world that is consistently getting bleaker and bleaker, it is vital that audiences be provided with the opportunity to laugh. Even in the darkest of times it is laughter that sees us through and this is exactly the approach that writer and director Shane Brady uses for his new film Hacked: A Double Entendre of Rage Fuelled Karma. Based partially on his own experience of having money stolen from him online, Brady reversions reality into a laugh-out-loud story of catharsis as a fictional version of himself and his wife track down their hacker and seek bloody revenge. It is near impossible to watch Hacked and not have a massive grin on your face the whole time.
6. Human
Matt Stuertz’s Human received its world premiere at this year’s FrightFest and was one of the most intriguing projects at the festival. Set over the course of one night, which finds actress Dani (Jackie Kelly) stalked and tormented to the edge of sanity, Human never rests on its laurels. What begins as a serene screen-life chat between former flames, suddenly turns gut-bustingly gnarly during a bathroom trip from hell, before veering off onto a more transcendent and philosophical plain. Made on a shoe-string budget with a skeleton cast and crew, Human was easily the most bodily fluid heavy features on this year’s festival circuit, and is proof that you don’t need a Hollywood budget to craft a film that resonates with an audience.
5. Jimmy and Stiggs
In 2019, Joe Begos directed Bliss, which quickly became a strong favourite, and his latest film, Jimmy and Stiggs, is on course to do the same with me having seen it three times this year alone. A short, wacky, and oh so bloody film, Jimmy and Stiggs finds estranged best friends Jimmy and Stiggs doing battle with a legion of extraterrestrials. Begos is renowned for his use of colour and rock music, and Jimmy and Stiggs does not disappoint on either front; the film both looks and sounds beautiful. Rather than stick with what he is known for, Begos also branches out with some new techniques and his use of point of view camerawork at the start and end of the film is incredible, the director creating the perfect two segments of film to never appear in a V/H/S movie.
4. Dooba Dooba
Ehrland Hollingsworth’s Dooba Dooba is the latest film to tackle the found footage format. Told via hidden in-home security cameras, Dooba Dooba sees an aspiring singer agree to a strange babysitting gig, unaware of the nightmare that awaits.
Thanks to some devilish work from Ehrland Hollingsworth, Dooba Dooba has the potential to become a found-footage classic. The whole film, even before the weird stuff properly kicks off, is drenched in dread and tension; Dooba Dooba might actually be the most unnerving movie I caught this year, festival or otherwise. Much of this unease is conjured by the placement of the security cameras, which obscure the images and make allow for nightmarish thoughts to fester as to what could be lurking out of frame. It is truly remarkable to me that Dooba Dooba wasn’t spoken about or screened more at festivals, but hopefully its forthcoming US release will change that.
Like Skinamirink, Dooba Dooba is one of those films that sinks into the audience’s psyche. Gripping from the outset, there is a palpable fear that runs through Dooba Dooba’s veins and will almost certainly leave the viewer with the odd sleepless night.
3. Billy Idol Should Be Dead
As a lifelong fan of Billy Idol, it was inevitable that I would love the TriBeCa documentary, Billy Idol Should Be Dead, but it was even better than I had hoped. Directed by Jonas Åkerlund, Billy Idol Should Be Dead is an access-all-areas account of Billy Idol’s life. Over the course of its two hour run time, Billy Idol Should Be Dead documents Idol’s early years within the punk scene when he was a member of the famed Bromley Contingent, and his time with bands Chelsea and Generation X, before covering his time as simply Billy Idol. The content within these segments, in terms of facts, will be nothing new to those familiar with the snarling singer, but the uninitiated will have plenty of facts to uncover, such as Idol starting out his music career as a bass player. Every aspect of his life is covered, from his somewhat terse relationship with his father, his problems with substance abuse, the motorbike accident that almost killed him, and his life now as a rocking grandad.
It is not only the content of Billy Idol Should Be Dead that makes it so special, so too does the presentation. Rather than just a mixture of talking heads and archival footage, Åkerlund infuses some extra visual flair. For one, Åkerlund differentiates the past archival images and footage from the interview subjects by having these present day stories in black and white. The elements of the past remain in colour, serving to reinforce the vibrancy of the 80s. In contrast, the black and white nature of the interviews infuses them with the connotation of being the truth. In addition to this clever trick, the piece de resistance of Billy Idol Should Be Dead comes in the form of vivid neon, almost anime style animation.
An absolute must-watch for fans of Billy Idol, whilst also being fascinating enough for those whose knowledge base is fleeting. Billy Idol Should Be Dead highlights the man’s career and personal life with respect and plenty of visual flourishes to help it stand apart from other music documentaries on the market.
2. Mother of Flies
Ever since The Deeper You Dig in 2019, I have been bewitched by the film and music offerings of The Adams Family. My personal favourite of their works is the fantastic Hellbender, but their latest film, Mother of Flies, is a strong contender for the crown.
Mickey (Zelda Adams), is a terminally ill young woman who, along with her father, Jake (John Adams), ventures into the woods in search of a cure from the witch of the woods, Solveig (Toby Poser). As the three-day ritual begins, it becomes clear that every cure has a cost. A spiritual sequel of sorts to Hellbender, for Mother of Flies the Adams Family are back in the woods. Nature is all encompassing this time around with only a handful of scenes taking place within interior settings. The closeness to nature allows for some breathtaking landscape cinematography and a dense wildlife rich sound design that effortlessly transports the audience into the depth of the forest.
The woodland setting adds an extra veil of magic to proceedings, as does the bewitched soundtrack provided once more by family band, H6llB6nd6er. The Adams’ are at one with nature and know exactly how to shoot it. In addition to the stunning landscape shots, the cinematography captures the wildness of the wilderness beautifully. Cameras have been left alone to capture nature undisturbed; flashes of this work are woven throughout. Expect surprise spiders to scurry across grass and starling photography of clusters of fungus and branches. As a society on the whole, we have left the wonder of the woods behind; in Mother of Flies the Adams’ expertly communicate why this is a mistake.
The Adams’ body of work is renowned for its thought provoking ideas and philosophies, and Mother of Flies is no exception. This time the team are working through the trauma of sickness, grief, and the thought of losing a child, as well as delving into ideologies around life, death, and the power of faith. As always these issues are handled carefully and encourage the viewer to engage with them directly, holding a mirror up to their own belief systems and ensuring that Mother of Flies lingers in and around the psyche long after the credits have rolled. The yin to Hellbender’s yang, Mother of Flies is a bewitching escape to nature that provides plenty of gnarly witchy rituals alongside some now trademark emotional trauma.
1. Redux Redux
Anybody that has spoken with me for any length of time this year has almost certainly had to listen to me harp on about Redux Redux, and with good reason because it is simply incredible. I fell in love with it on first viewing and this adoration has only deepened on subsequent viewings. This is in no small part down to Redux Redux’s intrinsic Terminator DNA, but these elements are at an almost cellular level with Kevin and Matthew McManus’ movie distinctly its own entity and not remotely a knock off of Cameron. Instead, the directing duo have clearly been raised on a diet of classic James Cameron cinema and so these aspects are far more organic.
Low-fi sci-fi at its finest, Redux Redux joins Irene (Michelle McManus), a grieving mother who has found a way to travel through the multiverse. Her mission is simple; to find and kill the man who murdered her daughter in every known universe. Along the way she intercepts another would-be victim Mia (Stella Marcus) and the pair strike up an uneasy bond as they both set out for revenge.
Despite the out of this world components of Redux Redux, the film is far more down to Earth than one might initially expect. Other films and works of fiction in recent years that have explored the multiverse have focussed on zanier concepts. Each new world has to have a gimmick or hook, such as hotdog fingers or the titular character now being a crocodile. Thankfully, the McManus Brothers are not bothered with adding these affectations to their different worlds. Redux Redux instead features a more naturalistic approach to the multiverse in which the changes are more subtle, for example, a character quitting smoking. This approach is far more interesting and taps into the magic of long-lasting sci-fi stories such as The Terminator, which keep the fantastical elements to a minimum, and in the background where possible.
The McManus’ lean into low-fi sci-fi to create a world that feels tangible. It’s a trick utilised well and allows the story, and the connections between Irene and those around her to shine. When first introduced, Irene is cold and isolated. Here, her one connection to the world is her former boyfriend (played by Jim Cummings), but even that isn’t enough to fully satisfy her. She is instead a woman consumed purely by hate. Her grief and rage are understandable, but rather than create a simple revenge thriller, Kevin and Matthew McManus dig into the more spiritual ideas around vengeance. Is a life spent eradicating the man that harmed her daughter really a way to live a life? And what happens when there is no trace of him left in any universe?
Michaela McManus gives an incredibly layered performance as she navigates the inner turmoil and anguish of Irene. When placed alongside Stella Marcus as Mia, the duo are dazzling. The two women have beautiful chemistry and the viewer is seduced by their burgeoning connection. Herein there is the classic childless parent, and motherless child, and watching Irene and Mia bond over their shared trauma is sure to tug on heartstrings. The premise of Redux Redux might be wild, but the story is far more intimate and connection driven, and so good actors are vital. In McManus and Marcus, Redux Redux has two exceptionally strong performers, and even if the film were to be stripped of its multiverse angle, the bond between their characters would be more than enough to sustain the viewer.
Redux Redux is further extraordinary work from the remarkable team of Kevin and Matthew McManus. A perfect follow-up to the equally brilliant The Block Island Sound, the pair remain two of the most exciting voices in independent cinema. Exceptional work from Kevin and Matthew McManus, Redux Redux scratches beneath the shiny surface of the multiverse subgenre to dig into a more human and compelling story. Please seek it out upon its full release in the US and UK in 2026 and give this magic movie the attention and love it wholeheartedly deserves.
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