Film Fans Stunned! Unprecedented Choice Tops 2025's Best Films List!

Well, folks, it's official. Paul Thomas Anderson's *One Battle After Another* has landed the coveted number one spot in Sight and Sound Magazine's prestigious Best Films of the Year poll for 2025. And let me tell you, this isn't just some popularity contest. Sight and Sound polls carry serious weight in the film world.

Film Fans Stunned! Unprecedented Choice Tops 2025'...

The poll, a yearly tradition, gathers the opinions of over 100 international film critics – the real gatekeepers of cinematic excellence, in my opinion. Each critic submits their personal top ten films of the year, and the results are compiled to create a definitive list of the year's best. This year, that list encompasses a total of 50 films, but it's Anderson's epic that takes the crown.

Anderson, known for his meticulous craft and often sprawling narratives, seems genuinely thrilled by the recognition. "F**k yeah! It takes my breath away a bit, honestly," he said in a written statement. "I remember reading Sight and Sound, as we all do, from when I was..." He didn't finish the thought, but I think we all know what he meant. *Sight and Sound* is basically film school in print for aspiring directors, and getting this kind of validation is a huge deal.

But Anderson doesn't stand alone. Ryan Coogler's *Sinners*, a box office behemoth in its own right, secured the number two position on the list. It's interesting to see these two films, so different in style and scope, recognized together. *Sinners* is a more overtly commercial film, while Anderson tends to delve into more complex, character-driven narratives. Still, both resonated deeply with audiences and critics alike, clearly.

Good news for those of us in the UK: both *One Battle After Another* and *Sinners* will be returning to cinemas on December 12th in glorious 70mm prints, courtesy of the BFI IMAX. There's nothing quite like seeing a film projected that way. I’ve always been a huge proponent of seeing movies the way they were meant to be seen, and 70mm is the gold standard.

Here's the complete Top 10, for those of you keeping score at home: 1. ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (Paul Thomas Anderson). No need to list the rest, let's be honest. That's the headliner! The top spot. All hail PTA!