loved this in 2025
a short and incomplete list of a few things I loved in 2025—media-wise.
a short and incomplete list of a few things I loved in 2025—media-wise.
The Year of Joan Hackett
Completing Joan Hackett’s filmography was a lovely 2025 journey. She gave such warmth onscreen and throughout the year, I felt so stabilized every time I returned to her fold to check off another film. You can read the complete journey here.
Cutthroat Island (1995)
I cannot believe you all let this fail at the box office! Geena Davis, a tall lady pirate. I'll let that sink in because it's really all you need.
She really threw herself full-body into this role and it is a delight. No daintiness to be seen. It's all full-fisted punches to the faces (theirs and hers) and scrambling over rocks and cliffs and ships and smashing through walls and shaking it off (ala Daniel Craig running through drywall in Casino Royale).
She is very cool and hot and tall, and our pirate king.
Sea battles! So much boat! So much real boat!
Movies like this, you see the craftspeople's work! You see the skills! You see the magic! Oh, what we have lost! Streamers and AI don't understand how much the children long for real boat!
Josh O’Connor Autumn
Josh O’Connor had four cinema releases in the fall of 2025 and I went to see every one in cinema. Unfortunately, the final film was not playing in any theater in my city. This did not stop me. I did have to take a ferry and journey onwards to see Farm Dreams (err Rebuilding), but it was worth it. Hilariously, aside from me and my friend, there were four other people at my screening and at least two of them had made the same out-of-town journey as we did for the exact same purpose of completing the Josh O’Connor Fall 2025 Cinema Quartet. I made a zine to commemorate. If you also completed the quartet, please feel free to save, print, and fold your own.
Thunder Rock (1942)
A film with more potential than it managed to realize, but I found it deeply moving nonetheless. Probably a product of my deeply religious childhood, but I can be stirred by a well-orated sermon with an empathetic message. There is no preacher doing more stirring than a broken Michael Redgrave with tears in his eyes. A film set right in the thick of World War II, it does fail to interrogate the rise of fascism in the US and the UK. It puts sins of inaction and complacency alone on the two empires rather than active evil. But, I could not fail to be moved by Michael Redgrave’s hopelessness in the face of such complacency. His performance is visceral. The urge to shout the truth and expect it will cause people to act and to change and to rise up and to fight. Only to find that people are munching popcorn while watching news reports of Hitler’s invasions. Later in the same week of seeing this, I saw From Ground Zero in a sold-out cinema while people munched popcorn. A disturbing mirror to our own complacency. I am prone to the hopelessness. The cynical disbelief in my fellow humans. But, it must not be. Courage! We must have courage! Despair is a tool of fascism then, now, and always.
a few of the songs I left on repeat all year long
Always on My Mind - Pet Shop Boys
There’s A World - Sufjan Stevens
Jesus Christ - Woody Guthrie
Friends are Miracles - Le Ren
When I’m Gone - Phil Ochs
Ramblin’ Boy - Tom Paxton
Long Long Time - Linda Ronstadt
Without Her - Harry Nilsson
some favorite first-time reads
These are ten books I probably loved most of all the books I read for the first time in 2025. A couple were gifts from friends, and let that be a lesson to always read whatever books your friends lend or give you because they are always right. (This is a PSA to you if I have given or lent a book to you.) In alphabetical order by author.
The Cemetery of Untold Stories (2024) - Julia Alvarez
Washington Square (1880) - Henry James
Fair Play (1989) - Tove Jansson
The Summer Book (1972) - Tove Jansson
Thunder Song (2024) - Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe
The Memory Police (1994) - Yōko Ogawa
The English Patient (1992) - Michael Ondaatje
The Book of Form and Emptiness (2021) - Ruth Ozeki
Trance by Appointment (1939) - Gertrude Trevelyan
Desert of the Heart (1964) - Jane Rule
Brother John (1971)
A fascinating film built from the premise that Sidney Poitier can comfortably play an exalted human being whose mere presence can bring holy comfort or holy terror to those who deserve it.
And everyone knows innately which they deserve.
The girls know I love magical realism, and I love an allegory, and I love Sidney Poitier. So I loved this.
This plays in some ways as an extended Twilight Zone, but there is no neat tie-up and final moral justice. Some of the people who interact with Poitier are changed, but what does it say that this powerful visitor is unable to save this town or its residents from the machinations of racism. The town is dying--choking to death through the mining company refusing to recognize the union of Black workers and through the very work the mining company is doing to destroy the natural world. It's choking to death through the racism of its systems, both bureaucratic and, of course, policing.
It is suffocating, so naturally, Poitier's presence brings comfort because he is powerful he is a symbol he can do something.
But a symbol has no humanity, no room for the rhythms of daily life, no room to exist in contradictions or complexities.
Sidney Poitier's character here feels a bit like the logical conclusion of all the requirements that were made on Sidney Poitier to be Sidney Poitier, public figure from all corners.
White America couldn't deny Sidney Poitier; couldn't stop his ascension. But white America desperately wanted to contain and control his persona and his reach. This is exactly how the white people in this film interact with him: anger, suspicion, violence, and fear. Fear that he will expose them.
This makes his "fight" with the cop so off-kilter, but satisfying. All power in all forms is stripped from the cop, even his ability to speak and he is forced to cower and slink away silently--after wreaking such violence on the Black family in that home. He is never seen again.
Ultimately though, Poitier here is a mystery and a cipher. He has some kind of mission, some compulsion, that keeps him from being allowed to live and exist and stay.
Here, Poitier's John Kane has seen too much and knows too much. He bears witness and seems to intervene only occasionally.
All this to say, I bought in fully to this film as an angry, resigned (?) poem beautifully orated.
my 20 favorite films released in 2025
All films seen in the cinema with the exception of Rabbit Trap which never played in a cinema (in my state? anywhere? believe me, I tried).
Some of these films I loved for being transcendent works that made me think and feel in new ways or in the oldest ways. Some of these films I loved because I had a wonderful, fun, or engaging experience watching them.
Click through on titles for more information about each film.
Well, there ya go. A very short and incomplete list of things I loved in 2025. I started this post on New Year’s Eve, and I am actually publishing mid-February, so you can imagine my 2026 so far. Here’s to more wonderful art in the next year!
-Meg
The Year of Joan Hackett
I love Joan Hackett. She was a singular actor. I embarked on the Year of Joan Hackett in a bid to complete her filmography.
I love Joan Hackett. She was a singular actor. Onscreen, she had the best and the biggest energy. She was sweet and savory. She was inimitable. She had an instantly recognizable voice and the hair of a turn of the century Gibson Girl. She could make you cackle with laughter or break your heart into tiny splinters. She was explosive and tender. She was overwhelming and gentle. Like the best of our immortalized actors, watching her onscreen is like spending time with a dear old friend.
In January, I was watching her in The Last of Sheila (1973) for the first time (I know! I know! A film made entirely for me that I somehow had not seen age fifteen late on a Friday night with a library DVD). I was thinking about how much I adore her work, and how much I actually hadn’t seen of her short career.
I embarked on the Year of Joan Hackett in a bid to complete her filmography. This is something I successfully did in 2023 with Sandra Dee (and never got around to writing about, naturally), and attempted and failed in 2024 with Audrey Hepburn (so close; I will circle back around to the Lady Hepburn). I am using Letterboxd’s version of her filmography (via TMDb) as it limits her work to feature films and television movies: 31 titles versus the 69 credits on IMDb (this still leaves me so many delicious 1960s and 1970s TV episodes to enjoy at my leisure).
The dark winter months were very successful and I watched many new-to-me Hacketts. I have admittedly fallen off since the summer, but, as the days grow shorter, my appetite for spending time inside laying about on my couch increases.
I have decided to chronicle My Year of Joan Hackett here, and update until I am completed. I have been keeping a ranking of Joan Hackett, and I must say that is purely based on some indescribable Hackettness that I am personally determining and nothing else. Does the film give me the hit of Hackett that I crave? Does Joan get to say or do something wild or chaotic or emotively tender? Is she brittle or is she full of life? The Hackett variations are myriad.
Joan Hackett Filmography
Joan Hackett Ranked
Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969)
Joan Hackett as Prudy Perkins was foundational for me, and I still love to rewatch. I never grow tired of her weirdo performance. All awkward limbs and deep, abiding rage. When she yells, “Death to all tyrants!” and tries to chain herself to a support beam at the city council meeting and they all respond like she has done this many times—perfection! Her chemistry with James Garner is so unbearably generous and fun.
2. Five Desperate Women (1971)
I first watched this eight years ago, and I was obsessed. Truly the stuff the TV movie dreams are made of. A perfect cast from top to bottom, but Joan Hackett still stands out as she spends her entire run-time lying profusely to everyone around her while wearing all manner of elegant fashion before breaking down and admitting she has a TV in every room playing constantly so she won't be reminded she's ALONEEEEE. There is nothing better than Joan Hackett amidst a group of women. You can watch on YouTube here.
3. The Last of Sheila (1973)
As mentioned above, this was a 2025 new-to-me film, and it quickly jumped into the top echelon of Hackettness. She is so good and vulnerable and brittle but with a very sharp edge. She plays everything just right. SPOILER IN WHITE TEXT (HIGHLIGHT TO VIEW): Based on her performance, I genuinely thought that she was one who belonged to the “You are a Homosexual” card, and that she was having an affair with Raquel Welch. THE SIGNS WERE ALL THERE (IN MY HEAD LOL). END SPOILER.
4. The Young Country (1970)
Okay, so this isn’t very good (and was remarkably hard to find to watch), but I do love visiting the wacky mind of Roy Huggins. The unfortunate thing is that he was always trying to make Roger Davis happen as one of his charming rapscallions, and well the man was full of menace onscreen! (He played the only man that Kid Curry ever killed!) He is somehow the lead here instead of Pete Duel who plays a supporting role (this all got sorted out when Alias Smith and Jones premiered the next year). None of this touches Joan Hackett though with her signature hair poof and the driest, smirkiest delivery. Perfection. I have probably ranked it too high, but it’s just such potent synthesized Hackettness. Joan Hackett + Pete Duel is also the smoothest delight. They have wonderful chemistry and their scenes together are the best in the movie. (I have also cheated here and added a photo to the slideshow from her guest appearance on Alias Smith and Jones, because she is just a perfect third with boys).
5. Reflections of Murder (1974)
The girlfriends are plotting murder on an unnamed island off of Seattle, and we are having a great time! Joan Hackett was the queen of full-bodied vulnerability, and she ably portrays a journey into hysteria. I loved her chemistry with Tuesday Weld. And, here, she also demonstrates her skill with acting alongside children. She always has a true sweetness and gentleness in that regard. Watch on YouTube here.
6. Rebecca (1962)
A truly short (sub-hour) live television adaptation of Rebecca (notably adapting the 1940 film, and not the novel), but oh my, she is so good as the Second Mrs. de Winter. I would have loved her in a full adaptation. She has that exact right combination of nervousness and steeliness and freshness. This one is somewhat of a rarity and I had to rent on VHS from my local video store.
7. The Other Man (1970)
Isolated house on the rainy northern Pacific Coast! Melodrama! Joan Hackett doing her greatest hits! This is a really strong Hackett performance. The edgy vulnerability. The gentleness that can explode when provoked by cruelty. The fight between staying safe (internalizing emotions) and being authentic (emotions out loud). She is the star here, and works well with Roy Thinnes.
8. The Group (1966)
A wonderful cast of women makes up the group, and there is not an underwhelming performance in the bunch. However, obviously, I am Hackett-biased, and I think she brings a very lovely and very Hackett brittleness here. She stands out even among all the great actors around her. She also just looks so good in a 1930s haircut and dress.
9. Mourning Becomes Electra (1978)
Rotten children!
I suppose one must blame the rotten parents!
But, oh the delicacy that Joan Hackett unspools in her portrayal of Mother Mannon! She gave such depth of pain and quiet suffering. You could feel when Christine felt out-of-control. I was rooting for her.
One murder would have actually been great for the Mannons. A good foundation for everyone to grow from.
But rotten children!
10. Assignment to Kill (1968)
Joan Hackett so cute and charming in this! I love her flippy hair and slacks and ties. I love her eye rolling and quipping. Alas, however, she is not the lead of the film, so we do not get to spend every minute of screentime with her present. It would have been a better film if that was the case. When her character departs the film, so does all my interest. This is a really fun role to see her in, and I will pretend she left that boring man and safely continued her quipping in slacks and ties for the rest of her days.
11. Will Penny (1967)
The final Hackett in my year of Joan Hackett, viewed on December 31st. It was an apt final film as it contains so many elements of Hackett Greatness. She is warm, tender, outspoken. She has great hair. She brings out the best in the child performer playing her son. She is so very loveable.
Here, she is even manages to humanize Charlton Heston, which was shocking to me personally. She also shifts with ease to blend with the chaos when Donald Pleasence and sons (Bruce Dern!!!) descend upon the film.
12. Only When I Laugh (1981)
I am simple and I love watching charismatic actresses spout Neil Simon dialogue. Joan Hackett's only Oscar nomination. She should have won. She really is playing a perfectly distilled version of a Joan Hackett character. She’s strong and falling apart at the same time, and so wonderfully loveable.
13. How Awful About Alan (1970)
It would have been entirely easy for this film to have cast Julie Harris and Anthony Perkins as sensitive, awkward freak siblings and called it a day (I would have still watched that film) without bothering to cast anybody good in the role of the patient and supportive fiancé. Thankfully, they cast Joan Hackett. She's darling here, and does some of her inimitable work managing to imbue goodness with such shape and substance. (A true Pisces, I suppose.)
14. The Possessed (1977)
Don’t ask me any questions, but yes, I would love to go to Joan Hackett's School for Girls! This is the absolute pinnacle of Joan Hackett stressed-out acting—she reaches spontaneous combustion levels of work-based anxiety (whom among us cannot relate). This is a performance that really shows how she can hit every big and small beat so perfectly.
15. The Terminal Man (1974)
Joan Hackett such a competent presence, and although there were some attempts at weighty philosophizing in this film, I was--shallowly--mostly obsessed with her pristine monochrome outfits and perfectly styled short hair. (Slicked back shower look was truly a dream.)
16. The Treasure of Matecumbe (1976)
A deeply questionable film that cannot be recommended. Joan Hackett does however have poofy hair, a wild accent, a job running scams, and a gentle aunt energy with the child leads.
17. Dead of Night (1977)
TERRIFYING. I am not equipped for this kind of imagery. Oh, she is so good here as a mother who is losing her mind with grief and maybe also whoops summoning demons? Many actors talk about how it can be hard to act opposite children, but Joan Hackett worked with children many times and always has such a perfect energy match to them.
18. Pleasure Cove (1979)
A nothing of a TV movie, but she is so delightful as one-half of a pair of battling exes who show up at the same resort. She is a professor leading along a young dummy of a boyfriend, and generally being her caustic best. She is simply too much fun and I love her big hair and track suit.
19. The Escape Artist (1982)
I find it singularly painful to watch films starring the O'Neal children. Vulnerable children with no advocate; no safe adult. This one has a distinct sadness as Griffin O'Neal's character spends the film trying to cope with the enigma of his father's death and the confusion and grief of that loss. However, Joan Hackett knows how to work with children, and she is really lovely here in one of the final roles. Her interactions with Griffin sing with such a gentleness and genuine sweetness.
20. The Long Summer of George Adams (1982)
A Joan Hackett + James Garner reunion! Their chemistry so exactly right thirteen years after Support Your Local Sheriff! This was one of Hackett's final performances, and her energy is the heartbeat to this story. (I do not forgive Garner’s character for his betrayal though!)
21. Paper Dolls (1982)
A Joan Hackett v. Joan Collins Joan-Off! A small supporting performance from Hackett, but she is fun as a demanding stage-mom of her teen model daughter. She is all business with a slicked back pony.
22. The Long Days of Summer (1980)
Joan Hackett is strictly playing Mom. But she really is so good, and I have come to realize over this year of Hackett that she works exceptionally well with children!
23. One Trick Pony (1980)
Joan Hackett is a minor character in this film, so she does not have much to do. She does get to appear wise and wry and also looks great as a sleek blonde. She is the smartest one in the movie and I would have loved to watch her movie.
24. The American Woman: Portraits of Courage (1976)
When I say Joan Hackett completism, I mean COMPLETISM. This is a fascinating artifact of 1976. She plays Belva Lockwood, lawyer/politician, for one scene recounting a story about defending a woman in court against her husband. Not a lot to say here, but I do think that Joan Hackett always looks incredible with poofy late 1800s hair and she does have such gravitas. A natural pick for the role.
25. Class of ‘63 (1973)
A TV movie with so many unfulfilled plot-lines, I wondered if the version I saw was edited? Anyway, my only feeling after watching it was: Joan Hackett, a queen! Leave both that short loser and that tall loser behind. Live your life!
26. Mackintosh and T.J. (1975)
This film is bleak as hell. Joan Hackett typically wonderful in a limited role. She plays vulnerability with such warmth and clarity.
27. Stonestreet: Who Killed the Centerfold Model? (1977)
One thing that simply was not utilized enough in Joan Hackett’s career was casting her as a villain. She really is fun here as a sinister lady with giant glasses doing evil business things from behind a phone. Watch on YouTube here.
28. Flicks (1983)
I believe this was her final released performance. Her parody vignette as a spaceship commander ala Star Trek is somewhat painfully unfunny, but not her. She is just a delight. Imagine the dream of her playing this role in a serious production.
29. Mr. Mike’s Mondo Video (1979)
Watched for Joan Hackett and she has a 5 second voice-only cameo 30 min in. *sigh*
I tapped out after that.
Unranked: Rivals (1972)
Started, but did not finish when I realized it was not a film I wanted to see. My friend Hannah Lynch explains the film in detail here. Films can be made about exploitation of children without exploiting child actors, but that does not appear to be the case with this film.
Joan Hackett in Progress
Lights Out (1972)*
*Turns out this is a lost film. Every mention I can find online from people who have seen it watched its original airing and have never forgotten how scared it made them. Seems like the only way to see it is in-person at Paley Media, so just let me add that to my list.