The 2025 Reelies

With award season and the Oscars coming to a close, and with me not having much to write about, I thought that there’s no better time for me to give my awards for cinema in 2024. If you haven’t read the article I did last year with this concept, then I suppose you should know that I don’t just give the same awards as the Oscars. Rather, I make up entirely new awards and pick some existing awards that I’m interested in. Without further ado, I present the 2025 Reelies!

Surprise Film of the Year

This category is for the films that most exceeded my expectations. The nominees are: Hit Man, Lisa Frankenstein, Sing Sing, Smile 2, Twisters.
And the winner is… Twisters! A sequel to a film about tornado chasing nearly 30 years later? I didn’t exactly have high expectations. In large part due to the performances of Glen Powell and Kiernan Shipka, though, I was very pleasantly surprised.

Horror Film of the Year

This category is self-explanatory. I love horror, and this category’s nominees are the best of this year’s scary flicks. The nominees are: A Quiet Place: Day One, Blink Twice, Heretic, Late Night with the Devil, Speak no Evil.

And the winner is… Late Night with the Devil! If I made a category for most atmospheric film, this movie would win that category with ease as well. One of the most jaw-dropping horrors I’ve ever seen, LNWTD is a must-see for fans of modern horror.

Sequel of the Year

This category gives love to a group of movies that never get love at award shows. Not necessarily about just the best movie, this category instead goes to the film that best continued its respective franchise. The nominees are: Alien: Romulus, A Quiet Place: Day One, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Dune: Part Two, Terrifier 3.

And the winner is… A Quiet Place: Day One! While I love the post-apocalyptic vibe of the mainline Quiet Place films, a film that can successfully show the start of its franchise’s apocalypse is a special film. This is exactly what AQPD1 does, all while also sending a message about finding what to live for in the worst times.

Underrated Performance of the Year

If you got no award love, this category is for you! Here, I give credit to the acting performances that were forgotten in the award circuit, both lead and supporting. The nominees are: Cailee Spaeny (Civil War), David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Dev Patel (Monkey Man), Hugh Grant (Heretic), Izaac Wang (Didi).

And the winner is… Cailee Spaeny in Civil War! In this film, Spaeny plays the difficult role of a young wartime photographer who quickly finds herself desensitized to the horrors around her. And she hits it out of the park, really making the movie with her portrayal of Jessie.

Best Picture

Yes, even the Keeping it Reelies are not immune to having a category for Best Picture. And because this category needs no introduction, let’s just get to the nominees: A Complete Unknown, A Real Pain, Anora, The Apprentice, Civil War, Didi, Heretic, Late Night with the Devil, Monkey Man, Sing Sing.

And the winner is… Sing Sing! I’ve already wrote at lengths about this movie, and you can hear my extended thoughts on the Keeping it Reel Podcast or read them on Letterboxd, but the gist of it is this: Sing Sing is a love letter to cinema. And the way this love letter is written is truly one of the most heartfelt methods of getting a point across that I’ve ever seen. An absolute must watch.

Anyways, I’m running out of words, so, thanks for reading, watch the podcast on Wednesdays, and see y’all next time