What a year. Thank God it's over. For a nearly five-hour long conversation among my two dearest friends and fellow podcasters, we reveal 25 our of favorite films of 2025. One of our guests mainly focuses on the horror genre while I decide not to rank the titles and simply list them in alphabetical order. Obviously, my number one is a film we talked about earlier this year in its entirety as a separate bonus episode (below). But there are 24 more films to celebrate as well (many more from my guests too).

Joining me as always are film historian/podcaster/commentator Bill Ackerman (Supporting Characters) and the co-host of 96 Greers and the host of Tracks of the Damned, Patrick Ripoll. We all have opinions, lots of surprises to share and so many titles for you to seek out. I wish I was a bit more enthused about the year in film but I am very happy to share 25 titles that I certainly think are well worth your time. Hoping you feel this episode is also worth your time! And so grateful to my two passionate cinephiles for returning to nerd out on New Year's Day!

Special thanks to guest contributor and friend Chloe Waryan (of Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast) for sharing her picks at around the 18 minute mark too!

Follow Bill: Supporting Characters

Follow Patrick: 96 Greers // Tracks of the Damned

Listen To Us Discuss One Battle After Another: My Favorite Film of 2025

Other Year-End Episodes From Previous Guests I Recommend:

The Nick D Podcast

Genre Grinder

Not Scared: A Horror Movie Podcast

What the hell is Bloodbeat?? From one-and-done French filmmaker Fabrice-Ange Zaphiratos, filmed in Wisconsin. A young woman travels to rural Wisconsin to meet her boyfriend's family, but she becomes possessed by the spirit of a Japanese samurai who goes on killing spree anytime she becomes aroused.

You read that synopsis correctly which is precisely why I decided to concoct a special holiday bonus episode featuring friends Matt Greene & Jesse Oliver for an experimental episode on a truly bizarre holiday horror film that has become a favorite. You can still watch the movie after listening to us describe it in detail because you won't believe your eyes. It is available to find in its entirety on YouTube; I recommend blind buying the Vinegar Syndrome Blu-Ray linked below.

For this deep dive rabbit hole, I edited together excerpts of Matt & Jesse describing it along with excerpts from other podcasts/YouTube videos sprinkled throughout. Clips from the film and director! There is a lot of synth music, robot voices, an edited/compressed version of me talking about this one-of-a-kind movie. Happy holidays and see you in 2026 for the year-in-review favorites of 2025 episode soon!

More interesting info: https://www.wisconsinfrights.com/blood-beat

Buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Beat-Blu-ray-DVD-Combo/dp/B075427Q6Q

Happy Bonus Episode to all and to all a good listen. Here are some of my favorite songs of 2025 that you can enjoy as an 80-minute playlist here in the feed. YouTube and Spotify won't likely keep it up for long (if at all) but it'll be here in the official feed for now as a gift to the listeners who want to hear some new tunes that I really enjoyed in a stellar year for new music. Support these artists! Happy holidays and thank you for your kindness and support this past year.

2025 Songs

Pretrial (let her go home) - Fiona Apple

Au Pays du Cocaine - Geese

Love Takes Miles - Cameron Winter

So Be It - Clipse

Dancing in the Club - This is Lorelei & MJ Lendermen

2468 - Horsegirl

Cicada - The Ophelias

YUHDONTSTOP - De La Soul

Headphones On - Addison Rae

Total euphoria - Caroline

Nora - Case Oats

Cadillac - Colin Miller

Wasteland - Snocaps

Elderberry Wine - Wednesday

Beyond That Moon - Madison Cunningham

Didn’t I - Liam Kazar

Divinize - Lux

Monte Carlo / No Limits - Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band

Better Be Quiet Now - Brad Mehldau

Apple Music Playlist: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/2025-songs/pl.u-DKD5czlda3

Side note: In the midst of the migration from Substack to Ghost, this episode got lost in the shuffle somehow so it's back in the feed now. Apologies for the confusion / repost. There may be bugs but hopefully few and far between. Thanks again for the support, all!

Returning guest, Chicago film critic, and regular contributor to the Movie Madness podcast is back for a long overdue third appearance. His most memorable one being well over a decade ago when he took the pro-side on the infamous Brian De Palma episode.

None other than the talented and hilarious Peter Sobczynski volunteered to discuss the (mostly) underrated works of satirist Michael Ritchie (no relation to Guy) who had a career with high highs and low lows. We talk mainly about three of his most under-appreciated films and skim through the majority of his filmography (despite the return to the old format change). Thank you so much Peter for coming back and stay tuned next month for another episode of B-Side Me and another returning Chicago film critic and podcaster as well to discuss another legendary comedy director!

00:00 - 13:06 - Introduction with Peter (awards season is coming)

13:07 - 45:49 - Prime Cut + Early Ritchie

45:50 - 01:16:50 - The Island!

01:16:51 - 01:47:21 - Other Ritchie Titles

01:47:22 - 01:58:02 - The Positively True Adventures…

01:58:03 - 02:09:54 - Top 3 Ritchie Films / Outro

Read Peter at RogerEbert.com

Subscribe to Peter’s Substack

In addition to the monthly movie talk regarding directors (for Director’s Club), I am happy to present the latest episode of the music version of that same format! Only this time - all about bands/musicians that we think are worth discussing. Along w/co-host Sharon Gissy, we both can’t wait for you to listen to us nerd out about music each month. This time, it's all about the remarkably talented Fiona Apple! Without further ado, here is the 3rd episode of B-Side Me.

The format is simple: each of us pick an A-side to discuss (a more popular well-known song) and then we choose a B-side (a song that’s more obscure) that we think you should listen to ASAP. Add our choices to playlists, listen to us talk about another art form we both adore just as much as film! Thank you so much to Sharon for joining me on this nerdy podcasting journey and can’t wait for 2026 (next year - we will also have guests on too).

Patrick Podcast - Uptown Song Club (more Fiona talk): https://www.buzzsprout.com/2039079/episodes/11190527-1-we-are-all-just-meat

In addition to the monthly movie talk regarding directors (for Director’s Club), I am happy to present the latest episode of the music version of that same format! Only this time - all about bands/musicians that we think are worth discussing. Along w/co-host Sharon Gissy, we both can’t wait for you to listen to us nerd out about music each month (we missed October but that’s okay, it was a very busy month). Without further ado, here is the 2nd episode of B-Side Me.

The format is simple: each of us pick an A-side to discuss (a more popular well-known song) and then we choose a B-side (a song that’s more obscure) that we think you should listen to ASAP. Add our choices to playlists, listen to us talk about another art form we both adore just as much as film! Thank you so much to Sharon for joining me on this nerdy podcasting journey and can’t wait for episode 3 in December (next year - we will also have guests on too).

No description necessary! The title says it all. Well it was tempting to record all 12 hours of us talking through the entire franchise for the ultimate commentary track and podcast for 7 films, we thought it was best to record quick reactions after each film as we binged them all in one entire day. Happy Halloween, bitch!

BE SURE TO STAY TO THE VERY END. There’s a surprise special cameo that really was a real treat for both of us to say the least. Now here are a lot of photos if you're seeing this on Substack that is :)

Returning guest, writer, librarian, Instagram superstar and host of the Not Scared Podcast, the great Chloe Waryan, returns for her yearly visit to talk about a horror filmmaker! This time it’s all about the beloved Mike Flanagan. Do we love him as much as the rest of the horror community? You’ll have to listen to find out not just our thoughts, but former co-host and horror enthusiast Patrick Ripoll makes a cameo as well. Thank you so much Chloe for coming back and stay tuned for a new episode of B-Side Me later in the month too!

00:00 - 03:29 - Intro

03:30 -10:27 - Recent Horror Films Chloe Recommends

10:28 - 52:40 - Let’s Talk Flanagan, Oculus

52:41 - 01:28:57 - Doctor Sleep, Shush/Hush, Chuck, etc.

01:28:58 - 01:36:26 - Patrick’s Thoughts

01:36:27 - 01:56:02 - Favorite Flanagan Films / Outro

Follow Chloe!

Substack/Not Scared PodcastLetterboxdChloe's Not Scared

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