Good day to you. My name is Luis A. Mendez. I’m a film critic based in Central Florida, and these are my PERSONAL awards ballots for the year 2025 in film. If a favorite film or performance of yours from the year is missing from any preferred categories, chances are I probably liked it, I just happened to have liked at least a few films or performances a little more.
Now without further adieu here are my nominees for the best of the year:
BEST PICTURE
Avatar: Fire And Ash
Black Bag
F1
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Highest 2 Lowest
Is This Thing On?
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Wake Up Dead Man
Wicked: For Good
My Personal Winner: One Battle After Another
BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson; One Battle After Another
James Cameron; Avatar: Fire And Ash
Jon M. Chu; Wicked: For Good
Ryan Coogler; Sinners
Guillermo del Toro; Frankenstein
Chloe Zhao; Hamnet
My Personal Winner: Paul Thomas Anderson; One Battle After Another
BEST ENSEMBLE
Black Bag
Frankenstein
Nuremberg
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Wicked: For Good
My Personal Winner: Black Bag
BEST ACTOR
Will Arnett; Is This Thing On?
Timothee Chalamet; Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio; One Battle After Another
Joel Edgerton; Train Dreams
Dwayne Johnson; The Smashing Machine
Wagner Moura; The Secret Agent
My Personal Winner: Leonardo DiCaprio; One Battle After Another
BEST ACTRESS
Jessie Buckley; Hamnet
Laura Dern; Is This Thing On?
Cynthia Erivo; Wicked: For Good
Chase Infiniti; One Battle After Another
Amanda Seyfried; The Testament Of Ann Lee
Tessa Thompson; Hedda
My Personal Winner: Jessie Buckley; Hamnet
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Benicio del Toro; One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi; Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo; Sinners
Paul Mescal; Hamnet
Josh O’Connor; Wake Up Dead Man
Stellan Skarsgard; Sentimental Value
My Personal Winner: Josh O’Connor; Wake Up Dead Man
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Odessa A’zion; Marty Supreme
Ariana Grande-Butera; Wicked: For Good
Nina Hoss; Hedda
Amy Madigan; Weapons
Wunmi Mosaku; Sinners
Teyana Taylor; One Battle After Another
My Personal Winner: Ariana Grande-Butera; Wicked: For Good
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Black Bag
Is This Thing On?
Jay Kelly
Marty Supreme
Sinners
Sorry, Baby
My Personal Winner: Black Bag
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another
The Life Of Chuck
Wake Up Dead Man
Wicked: For Good
My Personal Winner: One Battle After Another
BEST HORROR FEATURE
28 Years Later
Frankenstein
Predator: Badlands
Sinners
The Long Walk
Weapons
My Personal Winner: Sinners
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Arco
Elio
Little Amelie Or The Character Of Rain
Predator: Killer Of Killers
The Bad Guys 2
Zootopia 2
My Personal Winner: Elio
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
It Was Just An Accident
La Grazia
No Other Choice
Sentimental Value
Sirat
The Secret Agent
My Personal Winner: La Grazia
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
2,000 Meters To Andriivka
Apocalypse In The Tropics
Orwell 2+2=5
Put Your Soul On Your Hand And Walk
The Alabama Solution
The Perfect Neighbor
My Personal Winner: Orwell 2+2=5
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“As Alive As You Need Me To Be”; Tron: Ares
“Clothed By The Sun”; The Testament Of Ann Lee
“Drive”; F1
“Highest 2 Lowest”; Highest 2 Lowest
“I Lied To You”; Sinners
“The Girl In The Bubble”; Wicked: For Good
My Personal Winner: “I Lied To You”; Sinners
BEST SOUNDTRACK
F1
Highest 2 Lowest
Kiss Of The Spider Woman
Sinners
The Testament Of Ann Lee
Wicked: For Good
My Personal Winner: Wicked: For Good
BEST SCORE
Frankenstein
Hamnet
La Grazia
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sinners
My Personal Winner: Sinners
BEST SOUND
Avatar: Fire And Ash
F1
Sinners
Sirat
Warfare
Wicked: For Good
My Personal Winner: F1
BEST EDITING
A House Of Dynamite
F1
Marty Supreme
No Other Choice
One Battle After Another
Wicked: For Good
My Personal Winner: One Battle After Another
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Avatar: Fire And Ash
F1
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Train Dreams
My Personal Winner: One Battle After Another
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar: Fire And Ash
F1
Predator: Badlands
The Fantastic 4: First Steps
Tron: Ares
Wicked: For Good
My Personal Winner: Avatar: Fire And Ash
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Avatar: Fire And Ash
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Hedda
The Phoenician Scheme
Wicked: For Good
My Personal Winner: Wicked: For Good
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Hedda
Sinners
The Testament Of Ann Lee
Wicked: For Good
My Personal Winner: Wicked: For Good
BEST HAIR & MAKEUP
28 Years Later
Frankenstein
Sinners
The Smashing Machine
Weapons
Wicked: For Good
My Personal Winner: Wicked: For Good
BEST STUNT WORK
Ballerina
F1
Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
Nobody 2
One Battle After Another
The Running Man
My Personal Winner: Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
WIN TALLY
6: One Battle After Another
5: Wicked For Good
3: Sinners
2: Black Bag
1: Avatar: Fire And Ash; Elio; F1; Hamnet; La Grazia; Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning;Orwell 2=2=5; Wake Up Dead Man
NOMINATION HAUL
14: Sinners; Wicked: For Good
12: One Battle After Another
11: Frankenstein
8: F1; Hamnet
6: Avatar: Fire And Ash; Marty Supreme
4: Hedda; Is This Thing On?; The Testament Of Ann Lee
3: Black Bag; Highest 2 Lowest; Wake Up Dead Man; Weapons
2: 28 Years Later; La Grazia; No Other Choice; Predator: Badlands; Sentimental Value; Sirat; The Secret Agent; The Smashing Machine; Train Dreams; Tron: Ares
1: 2,000 Meters To Andriivka; A House Of Dynamite; Arco; Apocalypse In The Tropics; Ballerina; Elio; It Was Just An Accident; Kiss Of The Spider Woman; Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning; Jay Kelly; Little Amelie Or The Character Of Rain; Nobody 2; Nuremberg; Orwell 2+2=5; Predator: Killer Of Killers; Put Your Soul On Your Hand And Walk; Sorry, Baby; The Alabama Solution; The Bad Guys 2; The Fantastic 4: The First Steps; The Life Of Chuck; The Long Walk; The Perfect Neighbor; The Phoenician Scheme; The Running Man; Warfare; Zootopia 2
