20 Movies to watch (FINALLY) in 2025 (20/20) I dedicate this review to my Grandad, Ronnie Turner, who recommended this movie for my 2025 list. He also recommended two films for next year's list: Midnight Express and The Graduate. He sadly passed away in May. While watching the film, I had him in mind. Thank you for recommending it and for everything you’ve done. You’re still missed. Here’s to you. Final review of 2025! No one does bad boy like James Cagney. He reminded me of Jack Nicholson. Or Nicholson reminds me of Cagney. His energetic, larger-than-life performance style makes him the kind of actor who "pops" off the screen. I like my fair share of subtle, quiet performances; Cagney isn’t naturalistic, and that isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it makes his screen presence thrilling, like a fireworks display. And those crazy looks behind those eyes—intense, controlled intensity, where his actions, whether charm or violence, felt chosen. Disrespect him, and you get a slap across the face so hard you lose your balance, only for him to pick you up and, with a charming grin, tell you not to do it again. And you won’t. Angels With Dirty Faces is the first film of his I’ve seen, and I already understand the years of hype; he is one of the best. Angels With Dirty Faces is the perfect archetype of 1930s gangster movies, with its black-and-white cinematography, characterization, and melodrama. The moral of these films is that criminal life doesn’t pay in the end. It does, but only at the cost of your life. The story's morality leaves a memorable, haunting impression. A sharp, well-paced film that balances grit and wit. The legacy of this movie is funny. Most mainstream and younger audiences are somewhat aware of this, as it is parodied in Home Alone, where the title is changed to ‘Angels with Filthy Souls’, the film that Kevin watches and later uses to his advantage. So, ever since childhood, I’ve been aware of this. And I know it’s come full circle. Well, that’s it for 2025. I hope you all had a great year. I’ll see you on the other side. Take care, everyone!

People behave strangely from today’s perspective. Those were harder and rougher times.

Really has some fine moments, and Cagney turns in my favorite performance of his to date. Of note are the final shootout, all caked in sweat and suffused with tear gas, as well as of course the final ambiguous scenes as Cagney makes his decision. Fun to see Bogart show up too, as an unredeemed villain. Where the movie struggles is with all scenes featuring the Dead End Kids--they're absolutely terrible, and the shtick there just has no place in the otherwise serious movie, so everything just grinds to a halt when they're present. (Not to mention the scenes just go on and on and on.)