
As I have gotten older, I am not afraid of having a good old-fashioned ugly cry in the cinemas when the time calls for it, and hell, I probably got emotional just writing this list (Spoiler: I did, and Hamnet isn’t even on this list because it’s 2026). Sometimes, they are tears of grief or tears of joy, and even still, sometimes, they are tears of anger. Okay, and sometimes they are all of those tears and more at the same time.
Emotion is a core part of the cinema experience. If you can’t get us to respond emotionally to your characters and/or the situation, I am sorry you failed to make a great work of art.
Our Highly Commended Films in 2025 are: Elio, The History of Sound, Holy Cow, Kangaroo, The Last Journey, The Lost Bus, Nuremberg, Regretting You & Wake Up Dead Man
Our Highly Commended TV in 2025 are: The Last of Us, Paradise, PLUR1BUS & Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
So, without further ado, these are the works of film and television of 2025 that emotionally wrecked us. Be warned that there will be significant spoilers ahead.
