When I say 2025 was a rough year for me, I mean it in a very real way. I was terminated unexpectedly from my last job in March after a horrendous four months there. I was shocked, humiliated, and scared. I had consistently had a paycheck on the way since I was seventeen. I was afraid I would lose my apartment, my car, and/or my ability to afford the medication I take for my OCD. Now that I am on the other side of that with a new job and a side business (on top of sustaining what I already had), I can say I fought back tooth and nail every time I got pushed down. I had amazing support from my family, friends, and network, but ultimately it was my fight to take head-on every minute of the day. I never gave up. Now, for the first time in a long time, I am happy and continuing that fight every way I can.
While I am proud of my resilience and hard work, I cannot ignore that I was strongly motivated by movies this year. In the midst of my non-stop hustle, I always made sure I had the means to see new movies in theaters. Sitting in a dark theater, surrounded by movie magic and the hard work of hundreds of people, I found respite and inspiration. Like they always have, movies were there for me for a break from reality and a reminder of what really fulfills me.
My local movie theaters were a lifeline this year. Keep supporting movie theaters, especially your locally-owned theaters. Go on a solo movie date, plan a night out, share your theater experience, and support theatrical runs from streaming platforms instead of just waiting for something to stream.
Without further ado: My Top 10 Horror/Horror-esque Movies of 2025
10. 28 Years Later
9. Black Phone 2
8. Together
7. Good Boy
6. The Long Walk
5. The Ugly Stepsister
4. Weapons
3. Bring Her Back
2. Sinners
1. Frankenstein
***
Until next time,
Jordan
By Night 