It’s time to close the book on 2025. In this special year-in-review episode of After the Frame, we break down the biggest movies, boldest swings, and messiest misfires the year had to offer, no safe takes allowed.

We kick things off with a cold open featuring the entertainment headlines that defined the year, then dive headfirst into a full 2025 round-up packed with games and debates: Tenable, Recast It, Fix One Thing, Blind Rankings, Trailer Lies, Aged Like Milk vs. Aged Like Wine, One Scene Saves It, and Big Swing, Missed. If it sparked an argument in 2025, it’s probably here.

From there, we hit the categories, unpopular opinions, critic darlings that didn’t work for us, movies critics trashed that we defended, shocks of the year, disappointments, franchise fatigue moments, standout directors, and the films that should’ve been series instead.

Finally, we count down our Top 10 Worst Movies of 2025 (with dishonorable mentions) before flipping the script and revealing our Top 10 Best Movies of the Year, complete with debates, surprises, and the one movie that grew on us the most.

Whether you agreed with the consensus or spent all year yelling at it, this episode is our definitive look back at the movies that defined 2025, for better or worse.

This week on After the Frame, we head back to the vibrant city of Zootopia — breaking down why Zootopia 2 works as a thoughtful, funny, and visually stunning sequel that respects the original while confidently expanding its world. From the gorgeous animation to the heartwarming story and smart restraint with nostalgia, there’s a lot Disney gets right this time around.

Along the way, we take a brief detour into Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 — a sequel that takes the opposite approach, doubling down on fan service and lore at the expense of accessibility and storytelling. It’s a quick comparison that highlights how different franchises handle sequels, audiences, and expectations.

Join us as we unpack a sequel done right, a sequel gone off the rails, and what both say about how studios choose to serve their audiences.

The Knives Out franchise is back — and somehow still finding new ways to surprise. Wake Up Dead Man delivers a fresh vibe, a clever mystery, and one of the strongest ensembles the series has seen yet. It’s funny, thoughtful, unpredictable, and proof that this franchise still has plenty of gas left in the tank.

In this episode of After the Frame, we break down what worked and what didn’t: the sharp writing, the genre subversion, the standout performances (especially Josh O’Connor), and why Daniel Craig continues to feel perfectly at home as Benoit Blanc. We also dive into the film’s unexpected thematic depth and how it manages to weave religion into a murder mystery without losing its edge.

Join us as we unpack one of the most satisfying whodunits in recent years — clever, confident, and endlessly entertaining.