Any year that Paul Thomas Anderson releases a new film has to be a good year. And so it proved. Many great film in 2025 but Anderson's One Battle After Another was my number one. Not only was it his most expensive film, it was also his most action packed. But you could tell it was still a PTA film in style and delivery. I saw it 3 times at the cinema. It was a spectacular film. At the moment it looks favourite to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, giving Anderson a well overdue win. As usual my best of list contains many films that were released in the US in 2024, but only received an Australian release early in 2025. Of those my favourite was The Brutalist, a spectacular epic film that I hoped would win Best Picture early in 2025, but it wasn't to be. Sentimental Value made a late charge up my list after seeing it in the last week of December. Just a beautiful film in every sense of the word. I have plenty to look forward to early in 2026, including No Other Choice, Hamnet, The Secret Agent, Marty Supreme, It Was Just Accident, Sirat, amongst many others.

1. One Battle After Another
2. The Brutalist
3. Sentimental Value
4. Nickel Boys
5. A Complete Unknown
6. I'm Still Here
7. The Seed of the Sacred Fig
8. September 5
9. Twinless
10. Bugonia   

I was lucky enough again in 2025 to see live music overseas. In July I ventured to the US to see several live music acts. It was a great opportunity to see some much loved acts in some places that I had never been to before. I ended up with 4 shows. It was meant to be 5 but sadly exciting young Chiacago band Lifeguard had to cancel their Los Angeles show due to illness. But it was still a great trip, highlighted by seeing the incredible Car Seat Headrest in Denver. They had been off the scene for a little while, with Will Toldeo becoming seriously ill. So I was super excited to see them again, my first time in 7 years. They were excellent. In a great venue I was moved to tears. Whilst in Denver I also got to visit Red Rocks Ampitheatre for the first time. What an iconic venue. Seeing The Avett Brothers there was a night I won't ever forget. Seeing Yo La Tengo and Built to Spill together in Milwaukee and Father John Misty in Los Angeles were also unforgettable. Back home my highlights were probably 3 shows at the Sydney Opera House. Perfume Genius was breahtaking, whilst earlier in the year the MJ Lenderman and Gillian Welch shows were also purely wonderful. I might not get to as many shows as I used to, but I still managed to see some great live music.

1. Car Seat Headrest @ Mission Ballroom, Denver
2. Yo La Tengo & Built to Spill @ Pabst Theater, Milwaukee
3. Father John Misty @ Greeat Theatre, Los Angeles
4. The Avett Brothers @ Red Rocks, Colorado
5. Perfume Genius @ Sydney Opera House
6. MJ Lenderman @ Sydney Opera House
7. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings @ Sydney Opera House
8. Kendrick Lamar @ Allianz Stadium
9. PJ Harvey @ Sydney Opera House Forecourt
10. TV on the Radio @ Enmore Theatre