Best and Worst Films of the Year

Kermode & Mayo’s Take

Sony Music

Film Reviews, Film Interviews, Tv Reviews, Tv & Film

4.3 • 2.9K Ratings

🗓️ 22 December 2025

⏱️ 82 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

It’s that time of year on the Take when Mark runs down his best and worst films of the year—so get ready for a reminder of 2025’s biggest raves and rants from I’m Still Here to Tron: Ares. It’s all new content as he ranks the big-screen bangers and clangers of the last 12 months and picks the Take’s best picture. We’ll also look at the year’s best small screen releases, revisiting stunning series like the gruelling Narrow Road to the Deep North and the gripping Pluribus (00:43:00 https://tv.apple.com/gb/show/pluribus/umc.cmc.37axgovs2yozlyh3c2cmwzlza). For Vanguardistas listening ad-free, Pluribus is at 00:39:31. Brand new reviews too of two new cinema releases. First up, Song Sung Blue—a feelgood musical drama biopic about a real-life couple who form a Neil Diamond tribute band and follow their long-held musical dreams, starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. There’s Peter Hujar’s Day too—which follows the everyday life on the 70s Downtown New York arts scene of the titular photographer, played by Ben Whishaw. Plus we remember the greats we lost in 2025. We’ve said goodbye to some true cinema legends this year, including Robert Redford, Diane Keaton, David Lynch—and of course tragically and most recently Rob Reiner. Mark and Simon celebrate their exceptional contributions to cinema. Timecodes (for Vanguardistas listening ad-free): 00:00:00 Start of Discussion 00:02:51 Song Sung Blue review 00:17:15 Best films of 2025: 00:30:20 Peter Hujar’s Day review 00:36:12 Best TV of 2025 00:45:39 Worst films of 2025 00:56:45 They Lived Their Dash (obits) You can contact the show by emailing correspondence@kermodeandmayo.com or you can find us on social media, @KermodeandMayo Please take our survey and help shape the future of our show: https://www.kermodeandmayo.com/survey EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/take Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts To advertise on this show contact: podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is brought to you by Mooby, the global film company that champions great cinema.
0:05.7	From iconic directors to emerging otters, there is always something new to discover.
0:10.8	With Mooby, each and every film is hand-selected so you can explore the best of cinema.
0:15.5	This festive season, you can find a collection of film streaming on Mooby in the UK that explore the connections between
0:22.3	food and cinema.
0:24.5	Including streaming now on Mooby, Phantom Thread. If you've been to the cinema and you've seen
0:29.5	one battle after another and you think, wow, that Paul Thomas Anderson, he can really direct,
0:33.7	then check out Phantom Thread. Also, the fantastic performance by Daniel Day Lewis and Vicky
0:39.1	Creeps and a brilliant Leslie Manville with an amazing score by Johnny Greenwood, which is one of
0:44.1	my favourite scores of recent years. The whole film is an absolute miracle. Just don't eat the mushrooms.
0:49.6	You can try Mooby free for 30 days at Mooby.com slash Kermode and Mayo.
0:54.8	That's Mubi.com slash Kermode and Mayo for a whole month of great cinema for free.
1:02.2	Train Dreams is now nominated for five Critics Choice Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay.
1:09.6	And two Golden Globe Awards, including Best Actor Joel Edgerton.
1:13.6	I don't know where the years go.
1:15.1	It is also nominated for four Independent Spirit Awards.
1:18.4	Figured out, let me know. I'd like to ask for a few back.
1:20.9	And winner for Best Adapted Screenplay from National Board of Review.
1:25.0	New York Magazine hails it as the best picture of the year.
1:29.0	Train Dreams only on Netflix.
1:31.7	Before we begin, a quick reminder that you can become a Vanguard Easter and get an extra episode
1:36.7	every Thursday.
	...

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