Horror movie of the year
Movie of the year for me goes to The Black Phone 2. An unlikely choice in a sea of great horror films, but this one hit hard. We see the return of the Grabber in a much different way — more Freddy Krueger–esque, more A Nightmare on Elm Street than straight slasher. But beyond that, this isn’t just a horror movie built on jump scares.
The characters feel true and real, and the trauma they carry feels just as real. The villain may technically be the Grabber, but the true villain is trauma itself — and the aftermath of trauma, when the world moves on and you’re the one left behind trying to figure out how to survive it.
There’s almost a quiet beauty to that. The entire family — father, son, sister — each carries their own demons and each deals with them in different ways. In the end, they’re all broken: broken by the Grabber, broken by this lingering paranormal presence, and broken by life itself, which seems to abandon them and leave them to fend for themselves. That’s why this movie worked. Not because of gore or blood, but because it felt real.
The premise isn’t as grounded as the first film, but it’s real enough — enough to feel it, enough to be moved by it. I don’t often say this about horror, but this one brought me to tears.
Love felt genuine. Loss felt heavy. Trauma felt earned — and, ultimately, trauma was overcome.
BIGGEST NEWS OF THE YEAR’
The biggest news event of the year wasn’t a single headline—it was the cumulative weight of everything that has happened during season two of the Trump administration. The chaos, the controversy, the constant barrage of Truth Social posts. Yes, we had boats being blown up in the Caribbean. Yes, ICE was controversially snatching people up and placing them into detention centers. But it wasn’t just the big moments—it was everything else. The nonstop intensity. The feeling that every week carried its own breaking point. And if the first stretch of this season tells us anything, the next few episodes promise more of the same.
Horror of the year
Best horror movies of the year (And it was good for horror in 2025) includes SINNERS, BRING HER BACK, some will say WEAPONS (see below on my thoughts), CONJURING, FINAL DESTINATION, 28 YEARS LATER, and many others.. Some may even argue that BRING HER BACK and SINNERS deserves an Oscar … and as we know will never get one. 2025, however, was a certain rebirth of the genre that was needed that included not only some remakes and memories but also completely new storylines.
Biggest disappointment of the year
Biggest disappointment of the year goes to STRANGER THINGS season five, especially episodes 5 6 and 7. Great work… we have a new modern version of GAME OF THRONES for fans who had better theories than the Duffer Brothers.
The movie everyone loved to hate is the one I loved to love
The movie everyone seems to love that I hate—or at least defend against the hate— The Life of Chuck. Quiet, understated, and oddly beautiful, it became one of the most emotionally effective films of the year for me. It’s been hit with dismissive reviews and claims that it’s boring or pointless, but after seeing it twice in theaters and again at home, I don’t buy that argument. The movie knows exactly what it wants to be, and it delivers the emotion it aims for. In my book, that makes it a strong film.
The horror ‘eh’ of the year
The most disappointing horror movie of the year goes to Weapons. The hype was huge, and while it wasn’t bad—let’s be clear—it just wasn’t great. The story revolves around the kids, you know the drill, but too much is revealed too early. The narrative takes a strange turn, and the mystery collapses under its own weight. That said, we’re apparently getting a spin-off involving an ant, so… there’s that.
Honorable mention in comedy
The best Comedy Movie of the year–like really funny movie–was NAKED GUN. It made us all laugh a lot more than expected and didn’t play it safe. Perhaps the first funny movie from Hollywood in twenty years.
Least consequential decision of 2025
The least consequential decision of the year was Time Magazine naming “AI Architects” as Person of the Year—and then using a fully AI-generated image for the cover. The choice itself was probably correct, but the execution screamed irrelevance. Instead of feeling forward-thinking, the cover was mocked endlessly, turning what should’ve been a moment into a punchline.
Embarrassment of the year
Kristen Cabot was caught on the kiss cam at a Coldplay concert.
Say that 25 times fast. Unfortunately for her, she relived it about 25 million times this year thanks to meme after meme, joke after joke. And, as usual, she got the shorter end of the stick. Media shaming of women still happens faster — and harsher — than shaming of men. If there’s any other takeaway from this story, though, it’s this: people are still going to Coldplay concerts. She interviewed about it in December..
Political earthquake of the year
The biggest political shock of the year was Zoran Mamdani being elected mayor of New York City. Expectations are sky-high, whether they can be met or not remains to be seen. But in one of the strangest moments of the year, he and Trump actually met—and for a brief second, everyone involved seemed… happy? That alone felt historic.
The What the hell was that
This award goes to Erika Kirk. No judgment on the trauma.. but the reactions? Yikes. Fireworks, fanfare, threats flying between podcasters, what should’ve been a serious conversation took on an eerie, unsettling vibe that never quite sat right.
Dumbest news cycle of the year
The dumbest news cycle of the year had to be the Cracker Barrel logo redesign. A logo. And low or no IQ debating consumed us.. it sparked outrage, boycotts, think pieces, and even commentary from the president. Eventually, Cracker Barrel backed off and said the design wouldn’t change. In the middle of an overwhelmingly important year, we collectively argued about a logo far longer than we should have.
Scandal of the year
The scandal of the year was a one-two punch. The Diddy trial and the slow unveiling of Hollywood’s darkest party secrets were massive, but they were eclipsed by the Epstein files that began trickling out late in the year. Between careless redactions, copy-and-paste-friendly PDFs, and an avalanche of names, it became one of the most overwhelming stories to follow. What’s clear is this: there’s an elite club spanning Hollywood, politics, and global power.. and most of us aren’t in it. (thank God) .. After reading the files and listening to the testimony, it’s safe to say we wouldn’t want to be.
Pope of the year
The biggest historical moment no one seems to care about: an American pope. This should feel monumental, but we’re living through so much history all at once that it barely registered. Some people even thought it signaled the end times, thanks to the Prophecy of the Popes. Ironically, it feels like Saint Malachi disliked future Americans so much that he didn’t even bother including Pope Leo in his vision.
The most unhygienic moment of the year goes to Bonnie Blue, who chose to spend a day with far too many people. We’ll just leave it at that.
Meme of the year
The meme of the year belongs to the endless JD Vance “Rare Vance” memes. Creepy. Kooky. Slightly terrifying. And it is never ending. They’ve gone so far that future generations may genuinely not know what the vice president actually looked like. And when the vice president himself dressed up as a Rare Vance for Halloween, it officially crossed into cultural folklore.
AND FINALLY….
The biggest event of the century and the man who should be president..
The biggest event of the century occurred this year. AI.. it started to dominate. We are still laughing and making humorous videos, but slowly AI is creeping into our world enough that jobs will be affected or gone.. our way of living, our way of dating, our way of talking–all of it–will be changed. This is faster than other developments of economic changes in the past. A President Andrew Yang, a decade ahead of his time, would come in handy right now.
Every year we vault up a series of predictions and unseal to analyze.. and of course make a new set of prognostications for the next year.
But before we dive in 2026’s potential events that WE Think will occur, let’s give a truly honest review of how we did for 2025.
1. Political Chaos Will Reign Supreme
Political turmoil will dominate the global stage, and the U.S. will not be spared. The Donald Trump administration will mirror his first term: chaotic, reactionary, and overwhelming for both the media and the public. The relentless pace of news will leave everyone feeling fatigued. Allies—like Elon Musk—may quickly turn into adversaries, as Trump’s world often thrives on unpredictability.
This was EASY PEASY LEMON SQUEAZY.. how could we get it wrong. It was and this one was right on the money, especially that brief Trump/Musk feud..
2. AI Becomes a Profitable Commodity
Artificial intelligence will no longer be the free tool we’ve enjoyed. In 2025, AI will become a highly profitable industry—but not for everyday users like you and me. Corporations and power brokers will monetize AI to an unprecedented degree. If you can’t pay, you won’t play, and those left behind may struggle to keep up in an increasingly AI-driven world.
Kind of? sort of.. jury is out. The bubble i still forming but it is not really overly costly just yet.
3. Cryptocurrency Takes Center Stage
Cryptocurrency’s gradual replacement of traditional money will accelerate in 2025. Watch as major governmental organizations start adopting crypto alongside—or even in place of—cash. This could mark a seismic shift in how economies operate.
Not yet.. Or did it happen and we got left behind? I should not.
4. Conflicts Continue to Escalate
Despite hopes for peace, both the Israeli-Gaza conflict and the Russia-Ukraine war will escalate further in 2025. Promises of resolution will remain unfulfilled, and global tensions will persist.
Yes.. and even with peace deals or promises of peace there are wars and rumors of war. I will go ‘mid’ on this.
5. A Massive Volcanic Eruption
Weather disasters are commonplace, but 2025 may bring something far more dramatic: a massive volcanic eruption, potentially coinciding with a significant seismic event. This could happen in North America, leaving a profound impact on the region.
Nope. There were big ones.. but the North America prediction fell flat.. Thank God.
6. Surveillance Becomes Fully Embraced
Surveillance isn’t going away—in fact, it will become fully embraced in 2025. People will willingly self-surveil and accept AI monitoring, believing it will improve their lives. Whether it truly helps or not is irrelevant; the trend will continue regardless of the risks.
We think this is right. People are just over questioning it.. we are overly accepting of it. Ads pop up when we think about things now.. It has gone full steam into the future and we aren’t looking back to find those pesky privacy laws.
7. Alien Disclosure Will Stall
Despite growing speculation, we won’t get closer to full alien disclosure in 2025. Instead, the narrative will shift: much of the “alien” activity witnessed around the globe will be revealed as advanced human technology. Interestingly, this technology might not even be governmental but rather the work of private corporations.
YES.. Got this one. Disclosure just ain’t happening. But what is are continuous claims that disclosure will happen.
8. A Shift Toward Employer-Focused Policies
For workers hoping to continue remote work or benefit from Biden-era labor policies, 2025 may bring disappointment. The workplace will shift to favor employers, with a stronger emphasis on profit-driven decisions. This change could reshape the modern workforce.
The modern workplace is changing with relics fighting for the past. It feels like late stage capitalism is happening at its finest.
9. Highest ratings in 2025
By the summer of 2025, the world will crave a hero—and Superman will deliver. The new Superman film will dominate the box office, potentially becoming the highest-grossing movie of the year. It could even claim the title of the best installment in the entire franchise, reigniting the love for the Man of Steel.
Meanwhile on the ‘regular TV,’ we will be fixated on trials. Bryan Kohberger and Luigi Mangione’s trials will be the top rated moments of the news news.
Minecraft beat Superman. So that is wrong.. And we are going count the trial rating thought as wrong, too, since the Mangione trial has yet to occur and the Kohberger got a plea deal ending. But … it could have been green.
10. The Next Pope
2024’s prediction didn’t happen. So here we go.. 2025 may bring significant changes to the Vatican. Due to a health crisis, resignation, or passing, Pope Francis will step down. His successor could be dubbed by many as “the final Pope,”
GOT IT GOT IT GOT IT. But when you predict the death of a pope for a few you’re bound to get it right.
x x x
And now here we go.. a new round, a new set of prognostications. WE will deliver these and seal them in the air tight vault until December 2026, after Christmas, and re-open. God willing. Be safe. Happy new year.. and let’s hope some of these predictions do NOT occur and we are flat out wrong..
1. People will intentionally disconnect from the internet more than ever before. Not more than the early days of the web, but more than we’ve seen in a long time. The constant pressure to be reachable — at work and at home — has weighed people down. Burnout is real. The backlash against being “always on” will grow, and don’t be surprised if old-school flip phones and limited-tech lifestyles start making a quiet comeback.
2. Bird flu becomes a real concern. We don’t know where or how, but there’s a strong feeling that an inevitable jump will occur. It may not turn into a full-blown pandemic, but there will be a nail-biter moment sometime around mid-2026 that puts public health back in the spotlight.
3. Attempts will be made to interfere with the November elections — but the midterms still happen. Some groups will try to prevent or disrupt the process, but the elections will move forward. The result will be a Democratic sweep in areas that historically never elected Democrats before, followed by — you guessed it — even more political chaos.
4. Vladimir Putin will not be president of Russia by the end of 2026. Whether through resignation, internal pressure, or unexpected circumstances, his time in power will come to an end sooner than many expect. A sub-prediction: A 25% chance that JD Vance is President by 2027 exists.
5. There will be four to seven major cabinet resignations from the Trump administration. Internal fractures, scandals, and fatigue will take their toll, leading to a revolving door of leadership throughout the year.
6. Extreme weather defines early 2026. Expect significant ice storms in the early months, a colder-than-normal spring across much of the U.S., and traumatic weather events in northern China, India, and Pakistan. The Atlantic hurricane season will be relatively quiet, with fewer than 15 named storms.
7. AI fatigue peaks — but AI influence doesn’t slow down. People will be “slopped out” by sloppy AI content, misinformation, and low-effort automation. But despite the frustration, AI will quietly dominate in unexpected areas.
8. AI music breaks through in a big way. Thanks to TikTok and other viral platforms, AI-generated music clips will soar in popularity. At some point — if it hasn’t already happened — a fully AI-created song will become a legitimate chart-topping hit. For struggling artists, that moment will change everything, for better or worse.
9. A major medical breakthrough brings real hope. This may be wishful thinking, but 2026 will bring a breakthrough in Alzheimer’s or cancer research that genuinely improves or extends lives. This prediction is based less on data and more on belief — something good has to happen in a world drowning in tragedy.
10. The World Cup will not occur without incident. Beyond traffic jams and logistical headaches, there will be protests, controversy, crowd-control issues, and moments of chaos throughout the tournament. In the end, Argentina takes the trophy.