Taking assessment of my favorite films and albums so far at a year’s midpoint might seem like an irrelevant if not entirely futile exercise, although I’ve done so annually for as long as I can remember. While often interesting and occasionally amusing to look back and see what did or did not eventually make the cut at year’s end six months later, this is above all an opportunity to take stock (and an excuse for another blog post.)
I usually see a few films at local (and sometimes international) festivals that make this cut: I’ve already written on three from this spring’s IFF Boston (see links below); On Becoming A Guinea Fowl I viewed at IFF’s Fall Focus last November and I appreciated it more after a second viewing earlier this month. Thank You Very Much is an underrated Andy Kaufman documentary that could have benefited from a wider release; Grand Tour and Universal Language are both admirably unique concoctions that I won’t forget about come year-end.
As for albums, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that at 50, many of my current faves are from artists my age or older (British jangle-pop quartet The Tubs are the youngest here by a considerable margin.) I would argue that most of these “legacy” acts are churning out some of their best work, a few of which I alluded to in the mix I posted last week. I’ll add that Doves’ Constellations For The Lonely might end up my favorite single new album since my number one of 2023. Even though following their debut Haim has made a stronger case as a singles than albums act, after two full spins, I Quit is cohering better than I anticipated it to.
Favorite Films of 2025 so far (alphabetical by title):
- Caught By The Tides
- Deaf President Now!
- Every Little Thing
- Grand Tour
- I’m Still Here
- Misericordia
- On Becoming A Guinea Fowl
- Pavements
- Thank You Very Much
- Universal Language
Favorite Albums of 2025 so far (alphabetical by artist):
- Destroyer, Dan’s Boogie
- Doves, Constellations For The Lonely
- Haim, I Quit
- Mekons, Horror
- Perfume Genius, Glory
- Pulp, More
- Robert Forster, Strawberries
- Stereolab, Instant Holograms On Metal Film
- Suzanne Vega, Flying With Angels
- The Tubs, Cotton Crown
Haunted Jukebox 