my faves of 2025

I watched, listened, and read so many things that I really loved this year. This is by no means an exhaustive list but wanted to include some of what i really enjoyed from '25 before we turn the page to '26...

my favorite book:

This is exciting folks, it's a three-way tie! I generally get my book recs from The New Yorker's best books list that constantly updates, Lynn, friends at work, and my local bookstore Chevalier's. I generally read genre fiction on my kindle and ipad, while more literary stuff I usually buy in hardcover. I love recommending books to friends and these are the three that I'd recommend most this year.

The Ten Year Affair by Erin Somers

This one really made me laugh (and think!) and I tore through it pretty quickly. It feels very much of the moment, and the characters felt totally real to me. I know some books are described as hilarious when they're really just witty, or wry, but this one did make me laugh out loud a couple times. But mostly I just loved Erin Somers' voice and look forward to reading more of her work.

Culpability by Bruce Holsinger

This one also felt very current as the inciting incident involves a car accident that may or may not be the fault of an autonomous driving system. I thought he did a great job of interrogating the ethical decisions wrapped up in the ways we use AI and machine learning in 2025. The conversations the youngest character has with her chatbot were especially effective and memorable.

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai

I actually still have about 100 pages left to read in this epic, but I can confidently say it's still one of my faves of the year. The author Kiran Desai has been working on it for a decade, and it shows. Her writing is funny, expansive, and cinematic. I can fully picture the places and people that Desai describes. Her vivid descriptions of the Goa region of India reminded me of the Mia Hansen-Love film Maya that I also really enjoyed. I want to Goa to there. And if you're looking for a soundtrack to accompany the India sections of the book, I've been enjoying listening to the Anoushaka Shankar essentials playlist.

my favorite movie:

Okay, this is unprecedented-- it's another three way tie!!! What are the chances???

I know 2025 wasn't a great year for the movie business, but in terms of my own personal moviegoing, it was a great year indeed. I don't think I could even name my favorite this year, so I'm going to pick the 3 movies I saw twice in the theater. It's rare for me to want to see something more than once, but there were a few things that Lynn wasn't able to go to and I wanted to see again. And they are these:

Sentimental Value

I blogged earlier about how much I love Joachim Trier. I enjoyed seeing this twice to pick up on some of the visual details I missed the first time around.

One Battle After Another

I loved it, it's such a movie movie. I think my friend John said that Leo's character is the ultimate middle aged Gen X archetype, and I agree. To anyone who feels too old (or too stoned) for the revolution- One Battle sees us.

28 Years Later

I went to see 28 Years Later expecting a diverting zombie movie, and was excited to see what Danny Boyle and his director of photography could do with an army of iphones. I remember being blown away by his use of a miniDV camera to shoot 28 Days Later back in 2002. Both approaches feel so immediate and inspiring to filmmakers who want to use whatever equipment they have on hand and go film something. What I wasn't expecting, was the emotional impact of the movie. I thought the performances, especially Jodie Comer and Alfie Williams were so great that I had to bring Lynn to my second sitting (and warn her about the super gross parts, of which there were many). Still, never thought I would tear up at a 28 Days Later movie.

I'm also realizing now that all three of my faves listed here could be seen as interrogations of what it means to be a father. I feel like that's been a big theme of the year, I think a lot of big directors were doing a lot of big introspection post-pandemic.

my favorite tv:

No tie here, it's Task. I really loved Task, and not just because it took place outside Philly. But there is something very funny to me about dialect coaches training these highly accomplished actors from the United Kingdom in how to speak "hoagiemouth."

Delco Sign, lol. Great thumbnail.

my favorite podcast episode of my favorite podcast:

I'm not going to say anything about this, just listen. It's really special. I love Heavyweight and so glad it's back.

my favorite sports moment:

Watching VJ Edgecomb drain this clutch game winning three last night. Especially because I got to watch with the family. Very Joyous

And now it's time to wrap up my cultural faves of the year and get ready to go see my all time concert fave, The Roots. They're playing two New Year's Eve shows tonight at Walt Disney Concert Hall and we are going to the early one, obviously.

See you in the new year! 🥂