Like every year since 2018, I share my favorite pieces of art of the last 12 months.
More than ever, I watched and played a lot of things, and it’s a truism but time is the best critic. It's often better to wait and try the things you really want rather than being seduced by novelty.
I played The Order 1886 from 2015, that looks better than most of today’s games. I read Slam Dunk and Blame manga. I watch Buster Keaton's films from 100 years ago…
With a century of films, more than 50 years of “modern” manga and video games plateauing since 10 years, at least technically, the catalog of accessible art works has never been so extensive.
That being said, let’s do the opposite by focusing on 2025 releases. I will finish The Iliad and The Odyssey later.
Cinema
I watched 139 films for the first time this year, including 43 films from 2025 and 50 in theaters.
I had a good run of funny films to watch with friends: Hackers, Buffy and Teknolust.
I watched the Lost Bullet trilogy with the last iteration released in 2025 and they are the best French action films in a long time.
In the opposite, I was disappointed by this year blockbusters, except when they are bit weird, like One Battle After Another, 28 Years Later or Mickey 17.
A Complete Unknown (released in 2025 in Europe) is very solid film and got me interested in Bob Dylan’s music.
But I watched my two favorites films of the year during a Amsterdam’s French festival, I’m patriotic, for once.
🥈 Arco is the first animated feature film from Ugo Bienvenu. I felt in love with his style discovering the music video Dolly.Zero (in my 2018 awards). It's a charming and funny film reminiscent of classic adventures led by children. A colorful and hopeful sci-fi story, for a change.
🏆 The Great Arch (L'Inconnu de la Grande Arche)
This film tells the true story of Otto von Spreckelsen, an unknown Danish architect, who created the Great Arch in Paris in 1983.
It’s a tale of the main versus the machine. His artistic obsession against the politics and engineers.
I was convinced since the first scene released. It showcases well the bittersweet atmosphere, which is at once strange, dreamlike and funny.
The squarish image format, the tone, the cinematography all align with the main character's fixation.
I can't say it's the best movie, but it touched me in a certain way. Its consistency and unique style makes it perfect for me.
You can see the rest in my top on SensCritique or Letterboxd.
Music video
Not sure to know what to think about making new videos on old tracks, like the latest Georges Harrisson music video, but when they are good, they are always welcome.
I liked this one for Psycho Killer with Saoirse Ronan, directed by Mike Mills (I Am Easy To Find - A Film/Album by The National):
I'm a bit obsessed with Atarashii Gakko! since 2023. They released a featuring with the Korean band Balming Tiger. The track is a banger and the video shows how their respective weirdness perfectly matches. I've been listening to their previous songs on repeat: Buriburi, Spirit Chaebol, etc.
If you are curious, the opening for the first Music Awards Japan (available with English subtitles) is the perfect summary of the current Japan music scene:
Daunting new Charlie XCX music video featuring John Cale (The Velvet Underground)
Video game
Not a remarkable year in video games for me. I enjoyed The Alters, Absolum and Monster Hunter Wild. Blue Prince and Hell is Us are good, but ask too much dedication. And Ball x Pit is as addictive as Balatro.
The only hour I played Donkey Kong Bananza was so fun, I will continue when I have a Switch 2.
I still play For Honor and Helldivers 2.
The 2025 update of Baldur's Gate 3 allowed me to finally start the game with a friend.
I surprisingly installed Fortnite this year, to play the Daft Punk experience and it was well done.
But I mostly played three classics for the first time, and they lived up to their reputation:
- Fez is a perfectly sized puzzle-platformer. I finished it at 100%, which is rare, but with help on the most convoluted mysteries. I understand why it had such a big impact when it was released.
- I also bought and extensively played Gran Turismo 7 and Animal Crossing New Horizons. They are both time consuming chill game with kind of free to play mechanisms, but with no real money.
But, the game I played the most is a new and original take on football:
🏆 Rematch.
After a promising Absolver and an amazing Sifu, Sloclap used their martial arts animation in an unexpected setup. I was very curious about the game and it didn’t disappointed me.
210 hours played and counting, it’s everything I like: short PvP online multiplayer, hard to master controls and a team-oriented game above all.
All the same quality as Rocket League, in fact, but with a more pleasant onboarding, I think. It's the best football experience in video game.
For the first time I truly experience the journey of what many know playing LoL or Counter Strike, trying to climb the ranks. Frustration and rage can go hand in hand with joy, at times.
“Hell is other people” (“L’enfer, c’est les autres”)
❧
The games from 2025 I didn’t have the chance to play yet:
- Shinobi: Art of Vengeance: big fan of Streets of Rage 4, it’s already in my cart.
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the French GOTY, makes me very curious. I was already mentioning its soundtrack, back in 2024.
- Reviews of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach calmed my hype, I will wait for a good discount.
Live Music
One of my big memory of 2025 is visiting the Osaka World Expo. And the most emotional moment of this visit was a taiko (Japanese drums) concert by Wadaiko masaya.
I knew I loved taiko music, so I was beyond joy to find myself, unplanned, in the right place at the right time. And this performance gave me goosebumps.
Another memorable performance was to assist a Bear McCreary concert at the festival Echos Et Merveilles next to my hometown Toulouse (France). The fun story is a huge storm prevented them to play outdoor, so they played twice in a row because the indoor venue couldn’t gather everyone at once.
Finally going to Orbital at Paradiso after discovering the film Hackers was a great fun.
And online, I listened a lot to two live performances on my favorite channels:
Fazerdaze on KEXP
Oklou on NPR Tiny Desk
Video game trailers
Marathon was my trailer of the year 2023 and while the game is in a tough rework limbo, they released a stunning trailer directed by Alberto Mielgo (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Jibaro, The Witness).
Their ViDoc also contains crazy good motion design.
The mandatory Kojima trailer of the year.
The reveal trailer for ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN, the new game by Grasshopper, is unsettling.
Militsioner is a mood.
Fortnite is multiplying collaborations like Ready Player One was a boilerplate. But this is a short and fun homage to Power Rangers.
I liked Pacific Drive, but I hate scary games, but the trailer for its extension is well done!
Just for the music, the sequel Control Resonant.
TV
🏆 Pluribus
Not the best year in series, but Carol saved the season!
This rewind/wrapped article is starting to be very long and the best perk of Pluribus is how many questions and debates it sparks, so I will be shorter than my thoughts.
I loved the pace and beautiful shots, which I loved from Breaking Bad, also created by Vince Gilligan.
I loved the main theme of a shapeless and apparently benevolent attack on humanity. It reflects well modern global issues.
Finally, I loved to relate, on a different scale, with Carol’s crushing feeling of being right but alone. What to do with the moral urge to fight when everybody is telling you to let go, enjoy and stop thinking.
The show is a perfect mix of The prisoner or Twilight Zone with beautiful scenes like Manousos’ Journey in episode 7.
I wasn't excited for a season finale this much since Watchmen.
Podcast
I just learned that Podcast Addict app has stats, so here are my podcasts by listening time.
No surprises, my top only has French speaking:
- Le Cosy Corner
- J+7
- Capture Mag / Sale temps pour un film
- Parasite : le podcast ciné
- ZQSD
- Torréfaction
- Pixel Bento
- Super Ciné Battle
- Origami
Fin