The 12 Best Things I Watched in 2025
Happy New Year! As we turn the page on 2025 (a week late in my case due to illness), I wanted to share my favorite film, theatre, and TV of the year. All 12 of them (listed alphabetically) are well worth your time. Happy viewing!
Black Bag
This twisty thriller stars Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender as married spies caught in a game of cat and mouse. Steven Soderbergh’s wonderfully suspenseful film was an unjust flop at the box office, but it’s an absolute blast. Streaming on Prime Video
Buena Vista Social Club
One of the best bands on Broadway this year starred in this musical, which chronicles the Cuban musicians who played on the legendary album. The show will have you tapping your feet even if you don’t know a word of Spanish. At the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, cast recording available on streaming services
Dead Outlaw
Another great band featured in this musical (which closed far too soon) about Elmer McCurdy, a train robber who became more famous in death than in life. Who else but David Yazbek could write so many great songs about a man’s demise? Cast recording available on streaming services, full show on Audible
Death by Lightning
This Netflix miniseries about the assassination of James Garfield is a historical roller coaster, with a powerhouse ensemble of brilliant actors. Streaming on Netflix
Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro’s film (the subject of my first post) is an absolute stunner thanks to its visual splendor and Jacob Elordi’s passionate work as The Creature. Streaming on Netflix
The Gilded Age
Broadway’s greatest actors returned for the third season of TV’s best historical soap opera. Robber barons, upwardly mobile servants, and dukes in loveless marriages abounded. Streaming on HBO Max
Hacks
Late-night host Deborah Vance and writing partner Ava went on another wild ride this season. The hilarious dialogue kept viewers invested at every turn. Streaming on HBO Max
Hamnet
Bring tissues for this movie about how William Shakespeare developed Hamlet after his son died of the plague. Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are an emotional powerhouse. In theaters
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Two Argentine prisoners (a gay man and a political dissident) find solace through the films of fictional silver screen legend Ingrid Luna. This film (another unjust flop) features a wonderful Kander and Ebb score with sumptuous sets and costumes. There’s also a trio of great performances from Tonatiuh, Diego Luna, and Jennifer Lopez. Available to rent or buy
Merrily We Roll Along
The 2023 revival of Stephen Sondheim’s musical comes to the screen brilliantly thanks to director Maria Friedman. It’s a joy to see Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez, and Daniel Radcliffe reprise their star turns as three “old friends.” In theaters
Oedipus
A 2,500-year-old story gets a new twist thanks to director/adaptor Robert Icke. Mark Strong and Lesley Manville deliver two of the year’s best performances as Oedipus and Jocasta; the final reveal remains shocking weeks after I first wrote about it. At Studio 54 through February 8
Ragtime
A classic musical finally gets the revival it deserves. Tracing the history of three families (one WASP, one Jewish, and one Black) in early 1900s New York, this brilliant piece soars at Lincoln Center. Joshua Henry and his powerhouse vocals lead a stellar cast. At the Vivian Beaumont Theatre through June 14, cast recording available on streaming services