Happy New Year From the Holiday Bowl

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Happy New Year and Happy Saturday from San Diego, where I had the pleasure of watching my SMU Mustangs beat the Arizona Wildcats in the Holiday Bowl last night. We were 1.5-point underdogs and ended up winning 24-19 on a drizzly night at Snapdragon Stadium. Nic came with me and actually enjoyed himself, despite his total lack of interest in football, and it was so great catching up with old friends at the tailgate.

As for New Year’s Eve, I spent it in Hawkins, Indiana — and various parts of the Upside Down and the Abyss — watching the “Stranger Things” finale with Nic and hundreds of other people. Seeing the series end with a sold-out crowd at the AMC Century City was a blast. Lots of people wore Hellfire Club T-shirts, and one kid came in a full-on Demogorgon costume. Laughing and clapping and cheering with fellow fans who were just as invested in the outcome gave the experience a whole different energy. I shot a little reaction video afterward, but Alonso and I will have a full recap of all three Christmas episodes and the finale when we return to our Patreon on Monday. So if you’re not already a member, now is a great time to join us.

But before 2026 begins in earnest (i.e., we have to start getting out of our jammies again before Noon), here’s my list of the best movies of 2025. It’s in alphabetical order, which I realize is controversial, but since it’s my list, I get to make the rules. Once you get down to numbers 6, 7 and 8, how do you differentiate? Let me know what you think, and I’d love to hear what you’d choose.

Alonso and I will go in-depth on our best and worst lists on Monday at our Breakfast All Day YouTube channel and podcast, so come hang out with us there.

• BUGONIA. Yorgos Lanthimos re-teams with his Oscar-winning “Poor Things” star Emma Stone for a film that feels like both a head trip and a heartfelt plea.

• EEPHUS. Carson Lund’s gentle ode to baseball and the ache of saying goodbye is one of those movies where nothing and everything is happening at once, and it’s SO New England.

• MARTY SUPREME. An exhilarating roller coaster ride with a central character who’s a manipulative, narcissistic hustler, yet you can’t help but root for him, because he’s Timothée Chalamet. We’ll do a live spoiler chat on Tuesday at Noon Pacific at our YouTube channel, so join us for that.

• MY UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS: PART I — LAST AIR IN MOSCOW. We haven’t reviewed this yet, but we will (or at least we should) because I know Alonso loved it, too. This intimate and deeply moving documentary follows the remaining independent journalists in Russia struggling to do their jobs as Putin invades Ukraine. Don’t let the fact that it’s 5 ½ hours long dissuade you: Julia Loktev’s film is essential.

• ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER. A beautifully crafted battle cry from Paul Thomas Anderson, with an incredible ensemble cast and another unsettling Jonny Greenwood score.

• SENTIMENTAL VALUE. Joachim Trier’s beautiful drama about the healing power of art features beautiful performances and one of the best scripts (and best endings) of the year.

• SINNERS. To borrow a meme, Ryan Coogler’s film is absolute cinema: Impeccably structured, lushly shot and thrillingly acted with some of the most inventive music of the year.

• SORRY, BABY. Eva Victor’s feature debut is quiet and intimate but it heralds the arrival of a powerful filmmaking talent who’s got something to say and is here to stay.

• TRAIN DREAMS. Visual poetry from Clint Bentley. Hushed and delicate but alive with possibility. Hopefully you watched it in a theater to experience all its visual glory and that gorgeous score, but if not, it’s on Netflix for you to enjoy.

• WEAPONS. Zach Cregger’s thriller is both hilarious and heart-pounding, with an intricate, overlapping structure. Aunt Gladys alone gets this movie on my top-10 list.

In between the “Stranger Things” finale and the Holiday Bowl, I watched the CNN documentary “I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not.” I’d read all the early headlines about how nobody from the “Community” cast would sit down for an interview for this, and about how Chase was surly and miffed about not being invited to perform in a sketch during the “Saturday Night Live” 50th anniversary special. I was expecting — or at least hoping — that Marina Zenovich’s film would be more raw and truthful, compared to most documentaries that tend to take an affectionate approach when the subject provides so much access. And it is. Chase often comes off as blunt and rude, challenging the director as she interviews him. But between the bobbing and weaving, he’s also funny and forthcoming. And Zenovich did interview a lot of people who’ve worked with the comedian over the years, including his two main female co-stars — Goldie Hawn and Beverly D’Angelo — as well as Lorne Michaels, Dan Aykroyd, Garrett Morris, Martin Short, Paul Shaffer, Chase’s wife, Jayni, and all three of his daughters. Ryan Reynolds shows up and has the decency to acknowledge that he based his early persona entirely on Chase’s slyly blasé delivery. “I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not” provides an entertaining and illuminating look back at the career of a comedy legend — between “Caddyshack,” “Fletch” and “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” he’s probably starred in one of your favorite movies ever — but ultimately it ends on a kind note. If you’re a fan of his work, you’ll enjoy this. You can watch it here.

That’ll do it for me for this week. Thanks so much for starting your year with me, and if your school played in a bowl game over the holidays, I hope you won, too. If you’ve enjoyed my newsletter, I hope you’ll pass it along to a friend. And if someone passed it along to you, I hope you’ll consider subscribing. Have a great week and an even better 2026, and I’ll see you back here next Saturday.