Mono's Movies of 2025
Just like last year, I made an effort to go the movies as much as possible - I didn't do nearly as well as last year but I still managed to achieve my minimum goal. Like last year, this doesn't include movies I watched at festivals or as part of my festival programming work, otherwise this list would be quadrupled. Only movies I paid to go see in the physical cinema!! Here we go!!
Conclave (2024, dir. Edward Berger): Started off the year strong with this one, and you all already know it. I liked this movie but it also didn't change my life (sorry, Conclave yaoi enjoyers?!). The ending didn't sit right with me. But it did slay a little bit. 7/10.
The Room Next Door (2024, dir. Pedro Almodóvar): A really fascinating, surreal, morbid watch. I really enjoyed this one and me and my roommates had weeks of talks about it. Julianne Moore, once again, like I said last year, can fucking act. They ate. Great ending IMO. 8/10.
Wicked Part One (2024, dir. Jon M. Chu): Okay. I'm going to be real with you, even though I am a lesbian that has been on tumblr since 2014 I have somehow avoided everything Wicked in that time and I'd never seen the musical nor anything related. So, I went into this 100% blind. I had a GREAT fucking time, so much absolute fun at the cinema. The music was on rotation for weeks. I haven't even seen part 2 as I'm writing this though so idk. Movie is WAY TOO LONG. Like I liked it but please cut out at least 30 minutes. 7/10 but only because I had a great time.
I'm Still Here (Ainda Estou Aqui, 2024, dir. Walter Salles): The first REAL banger I saw last year, this movie gave me goosebumps in all places. Biggest oscar snub of that year but I hate the oscars anyway. Just phenomenal and chilling. 9/10. Highly recommended.
Mickey 17 (2025, dir. Bong Joon Ho): I did not see a lot of hype for this movie and it's a little sad because this one was so FUN. A real banger. I think people maybe just wanted Parasite 2.0 but got something completely different. I thought it was funny, witty, absurd and gross in a good way. The ending is a bit corny. But it's a movie exactly to my taste. It's cringey and weird. Fun watch for any movie night 8/10.
Anora (2024, dir. Sean Baker): Now, I work in a cinema, and when this movie originally released absolutely no one watched it and it got kicked out of the program after like, 3 weeks. So imagine my absolute confusion when it rocked award season like crazy. I went to see it after that and - I had a great time?! It was absolutely not what I expected, it's a super fun girls night movie that fails to go much into depth and completely wastes its main character (ironically, because she's great!?). But it's VERY fun. Is it Best Picture? Girl absolutely not you americans are crazy. What. Just what. 7/10 but only because seeing it with my female friends and it was just us 4 in the cinema and we had a total kiki. Otherwise maybe 6/10.
Queer (2024, dir. Luca Guadagnino): A polarizing film, not just in the public opinion but also within my film festival friends, with whom I went to see it. It was very divisive within our team. I generally really liked it, but it kind of meandered a bit too much in general, and I would have liked a tighter structure overall. I loved the surreal, the abstract and absurd, and especially loved the ending. I think it's worth a watch, but it's a very lonely film. A very good 7/10 for me.
The Shameless (2024, dir. Konstantin Bojanov): By far the most depressing movie on this list, this one hit me like a truck and kinda ruined my day. I don't mean this in an entirely negative way - the movie is good, it's well made, well acted, and it's amazing that I went to watch an Indian lesbian movie in the theater when I'm on the other side of the world. But oh my fucking god, it's so depressing and hopeless. It's harsh and ruthless and brings the reality of many lesbians back into reality that's really uncomfortable. If you can stomach it, I recommend a watch, but be warned. You will not feel good after this. 5/10.
Sinners (2025, dir. Ryan Coogler): This is the first and only 10/10 movie I'm reviewing so far. Absolute fucking CINEMA. I went out of my way to go see this in another theater because it wasn't playing in my usual one and I would make that trip again every time. What a fantastic, fun, awesome film. A must-watch for everyone. I hope it fucking sweeps award season this year.
Weathering With You (Tenki no Ko, 2019, dir. Makoto Shinkai): First retrospective screening of the year and WHAT A MOVIE. It was in fact my first time seeing it, it was the last big Shinkai movie I hadn't seen yet and may I say - my favourite?? It made me cry big time. It's got me in all the emotions. It's visually stunning and the plot is well paced. Somehow underrated. 9/10 must-watch for animation lovers.
Twilight (2008, dir. Catherine Hardwicke): Yes, you read that right, I went to see this one in a long-awaited, highly popular retrospective this year. And yeah, I was a closeted lesbian teenager and Twilight mania totally went over my head and I had never seen it. And I went to see it with my bestie D who had never seen it either, as well as like, half of my coworker besties at the cinema. We had the time of our lives. As a cinema experience, 10/10, everyone was hooting and hollering through the entire thing. Extremely fun and I think this is the only way these movies should be watched. We did also privately watch parts 2 & 3 after which are significantly worse. But it's very fun to watch. Part One is unironically a solid 5/10 like it's not a bad film?!?! Have some fun, guys. Let's get loose. I get it. I get it.
Twice: One in a Million (2025, dir. Wasabimayo): Not sure if I should even include this but I did go see it in the theater, it was a sweet watch. It's obviously a documentary for one of the most famous Kpop groups ever, and made by the team behind them, but it's cute and well made. It's basically mandatory watching for anyone that got tickets to the Twice World Tour. If you like Kpop and don't know much about Twice, this is a great place to start and get to know the girls. Cute but not sure how to rate it as a movie. 5/10 I had a good time? And Switzerland gets so little Kpop stuff, it was a bit surreal to just... go see this at my local theater. LIke hi girls. I only know you from the internet...
Bugonia (2025, dir. Yorgos Lanthimos): Like I said last year, Lanthimos movies are hit or miss for me (and likely, most of you as well) and I'm sad to announce this one was a miss for me. Oh it made me upset at how much it didn't hit for me. Sorry. I don't even want to say much more. A lot of people loved it, I didn't and that's my cross to bear. Sometimes you gotta be a hater. 5/10 all the actors slayed though. But please stop.
One Battle After Another (2025, dir. Paul Thomas Anderson): Ended the year with an absolute BANGER. Hit all the notes for me - crazy suspense, great pacing (despite the insane runtime), loveable characters, wild twists, just enough weirdness to keep it real. Just a great action-drama with heart. Did the kid get nominated for any awards? She better because she was the best actress in this. Holy shit. (calling her a kid when she's only 3 years younger than me - her name is Chase Infiniti and she was AMAZING) 9/10 probably my second favourite movie after Sinners this year. Not easy for me to like a movie that's over 150 minutes. Like you don't need that much. But I'll give it to you just this once.
That was it for 2025, not as much as I'd wanted and I unfortunately missed a lot of releases I really wanted to catch. I'll try my best to make 2026 a more successful year. Everything I've already seen in January was excellent. And may it be the year of more international movies for me as well.
