I’m a list-maker. Spreadsheets overwhelm me, and mind maps are far too messy; for as long as I can remember, lists have been my organisational method of choice.

Among my many lists, perhaps the most interesting is the list I keep of every film and TV show I watch. Each entry gets a star rating (based on both how much I enjoyed it and how objectively good I think it is), and I jot down standout quotes from my top picks, too. For no real reason, I object to having a Letterboxd account, so these lists have stayed private - until now. As I prepare to start a fresh batch of lists for 2026, I thought I’d share the best things I’ve watch over the past year.

My 5 Favourite Films

These are five films that all received five stars on my very official and strict film list. For balance, the worst films I watched in 2025 were Another Simple Favour and The Beast, which both received one star for very different reasons.

The Ballad of Wallis Island

"Because artists don't whiten their teeth - because that's the definition of being an artist.”

Directed by James Griffiths, The Ballad of Wallis Island is the gentle story of an unlikely friendship. Tim Key and Tom Basden - who also wrote the screenplay - star as two men who are a little lost in life. Key plays an eccentric millionaire who lures Basden’s character to his private island by hiring him to reunite with his former bandmate/lover to play a one-off private gig.

I didn’t expect to love this film as much as I did. I didn’t expect its cast of characters to be so sweet, endearing and, at times, absurd that I couldn’t help but root for them; or for the film to feature a score of genuinely moving folk music (composed by Adem Ilhan); or for it to deliver such a sense of nostalgia, both through it’s noughties references and soft, comedic tone which feels reminiscent of films from a simpler time. The Ballad of Wallis Island is a quiet musical, but, if you listen in, it has a lot to say about the importance of human connection and staying true to your craft - and some incredibly witty one-liners, too.

Sing Sing

“We come here to become human again, to put on nice clothes and dance around and enjoy the things that are not in our reality.”

The true genius of Sing Sing comes from the way it chooses to do things differently. It steps away from prison drama tropes and unforgiving stereotypes about incarcerated men, and towards something much more original and profound, telling the story of a group of men who find refuge in art as they play, act and create together. Behind the scenes, things were done differently, too. Colman Domingo stars alongside a cast of formerly incarcerated men, who each took part in prison drama schemes like the one the film depicts. It even became the first film to premiere simultaneously in cinemas and prisons around America.

Sing Sing is a groundbreaking film which celebrates the transformative power of art in a multitude of different ways. I loved it so much that I made it the subject of the second instalment of my Queer Film Club column, which you can read here.

Nickel Boys

“If everybody looks the other way, then everybody's in on it. If I look the other way, I'm as implicated as the rest.”

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, Nickel Boys follows two Black teenage boys who are trapped in an abusive reform school in the 1960s. It’s the first fictional feature film by director RaMell Ross - and it’s a daring debut. The entire movie is shot in first person, a choice that could easily feel gimmicky or even nauseating, but instead is expertly executed, allowing for an immersive storytelling experience.

If not handled correctly, such dense subject matter could also easily become too heavy for the film to carry, sliding over into the genre of trauma porn. Nickel Boys is a harrowing story about young men dehumanised by an oppressive institution (while not a true story, it is a historically accurate one), but it never loses its source of levity. Watching these two young men build such a strong friendship and find moments of solace within one another adds to both the hope and heartache of the tale. Nickel Boys is by far the most unconventional and immersive story I have seen on screen.

The Summer With Carmen

“You play yourself pretty convincingly, but I can’t keep falling for it”.

The Summer With Carmen depicts a conversation between two friends about turning part of their life story into a movie - a discussion we have all had at some point. These friends are gay, naked and on a beach, and they want to turn the summer they spent with a stray dog into a film. Flashing back to this pivotal period in their lives, they offer a glimpse of how messy, complex and hot queer adulthood can be.

Directed by Zacharias Mavroeidis, there is a lot to love about this film within a film. It’s cleverly structured, interweaving the two timelines in a way that is interesting and humorously self-aware. It’s beautiful, with a gorgeous Greek beach being one of the main locations, and many of the characters spending the majority of the film nude. It’s sexy, as it contains some extremely hot yet still realistic sex scenes, showing how hook-up culture can still lead to genuine moments of connection. And it’s complex, exploring how complicated both romantic and platonic relationships can be, causing a person to question everything about themself.

The Intouchables

“I don't empty a stranger's butt. I don't even empty a friend's butt. I usually don't empty butts. It's a matter of principles.”

After becoming a quadriplegic in a paragliding accident in 1993, French aristocrat Philippe Pozzo di Borgo hired Abdel Yasmin Sellou, a mischievous, unconventional caregiver, to look after him. The pair became close friends, and their unlikely relationship went on to inspire a memoir, a documentary and a film.

While some aspects of The Intouchables were added for the sake of storytelling, the friendship at its heart is real - and you can tell. The film is a testament to the fact that you can tell a true story which covers heavy themes - in this case, social barriers and living with a life-threatening disability - while still allowing plenty of room for lighthearted humour. In fact, people are more likely to listen to your message about overcoming limitations and the beauty of the human spirit if it's delivered within a bunch of mischief and tomfoolery. The triumph of this tale about soft, unpredictable besties is how cheerfully it is told - that’s what makes it feel relatable to anyone with super silly ride-or-die.

On completing this list, I realised that all of my top five films from this year are, in one way or another, about friendship. Seems fitting that I share this in an issue of Headless Friends, a project inspired by my insightful, uplifting friends.

Other films I enjoyed this year: His Three Daughters, My Old Ass, The Outrun, Priscilla Queen of the Dessert, We Live In Time, Marcel The Shell With Shoes On, I’m Still Here, 13 Going On 30, Death Becomes Her, Bodies Bodies Bodies, The Roses, Steve, Plainclothes, Bugonia, After The Hunt, Cha Cha Real Smooth, Plus One, and The Thing With Feathers.

My 5 Favourite TV Shows

This article is already longer than I anticipated (I have a lot to say about the stories I love, okay?), so let’s rattle through my favourite TV shows at a slightly faster pace…

Leonard & Hungry Paul is the most gentle tale about two male best friends (yes, I realise that I am apparently obsessed with male friendship). It explores the idea that there is beauty to be found in a small, quiet life and in opening up your universe to let new people in. It’s based on a book (which is on my to-read pile) and narrated by none other than Julia Roberts.

Big Boys is a comedy about yet another pair of male best friends, one of whom is straight and the other who is not. It follows them and their cast of loveable loved ones as they navigate university, relationships and their challenging brains together. It concluded with a third and final season this year, cementing itself as the best depiction of mental health I have seen on the small screen.

Just Act Normal is a show about three siblings (not friends!) who have to fight to stay together after their mother disappears. This unique, Birmingham-based drama hooks you in with a dramatic plot, before subtly exploring the realities many underprivileged young people face. It’s funny, sweet, genuinely shocking, and boasts a cast of young, breakout stars. Jamelia is also in it.

“A wobble isn’t a fall. And while she’s wobbling, she just needs the right people around her. People who care.”

- Film Club

Film Club is a charming romantic comedy written and starring Aimee Lou Wood (!), following two best friends as they explore their love for film and one another. It is also a tender mental health story, looking at how each one of us has different battles to face when it comes to living with our brains. Rebuilding takes a village, and sometimes just leaving the house is a triumph worth celebrating.

Too Much is a comedy-drama starring Megan Stalter as a woman reeling after a break-up. At times, she is relatable, at other times she is absurd, and sometimes she’s both. The show is essentially a love letter from creator Lena Dunham to anyone who has ever been called too much. Andrew Scott has a bizarre but oddly attractive cameo.

Other TV shows I loved: Adults, Adolescence (two very different shows with very similar names), and EastEnders (happy 40th Birthday to the best soap opera on TV).

I strongly believe that this time of year is made for hibernating with only good stories for company. Hopefully, some of these brilliant films and TV shows can keep you entertained until the sun comes back out.

I’m off to find some new stories to add to my fresh 2026 lists…

The Best Things I Watched in 2025