A little disclaimer in case you’re new here. I don’t watch everything. I review things directed by women or with women in the leading roles. With that in mind, I’ll list the things I liked best in movies, TV series, and documentary categories in 2025. Things are listed in the reverse order from when I saw them, not in order of importance or wonderfulness.

DOCUMENTARIES

I really loved Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery but didn’t review it on the blog. I hope you watched it, too.

Come See Me in the Good Light

Come See Me in the Good Light is a documentary about poet Andrea Gibson’s cancer diagnosis and their life with their partner Megan Falley as the couple dealt with life after the diagnosis.

My Mom Jayne

My Mom Jayne is a tender, loving exploration by Mariska Hargitay into her famous mother Jayne Mansfield’s life and relationships. Jayne Mansfield died in a car accident when Mariska was only three. Jayne was 34.

TV SERIES

The Residence

The Residence stars Uzo Aduba as a new sleuth who joins a pantheon of favorite sleuths such as Miss Marple, Sherlock Holmes, and Benoit Blanc. As the world’s greatest detective, she gets called to the White House to solve a seemingly unsolvable murder – or was it a suicide?

Dying for Sex

Dying for Sex stars Michelle Williams as Molly, a woman dying of cancer. Her response to the news that she is terminal is to finally throw off every sexual restraint and try to find sexual satisfaction at long last with someone – anyone – who can give her an orgasm.

North of North

North of North is a funny and compelling tale about an Inuk woman in a small village in far northern Canada. It is a woman’s story, written and directed by women, and starring Anna Lambe, who was actually born in Nunavut and is an Inuk actor.

The Last Anniversary

The Last Anniversary is a new favorite for me. I always enjoy books and series from Liane Moriarty, and this one was outstanding. It’s a story about family, the resilience of women, and finding love.

Hostage

Hostage is a political drama in which Suranne Jones plays the British Prime Minister and Julie Delpy plays the President of France. I don’t know about you, but I’m already sold on this series knowing only that.

The Thursday Murder Club

The Thursday Murder Club is a delight. The only hashtag I love more than #DirectedbyWomen is #Eldersrock. This movie has elders rocking the scene in so many ways. It’s a cozy whodunnit set in a retirement home.

Riot Women

Riot Women, written and directed by Sally Wainwright, tells the story of five menopausal women who have at least 50 problems each. They deal with life by forming a punk rock band.

A House of Dynamite

A House of Dynamite delivers a straightforward message: nuclear war is insanity. Stockpiles of nuclear weapons are insanity. We live in a house stuffed to the rafters with dynamite and we choose to keep living in it.

The Beast in Me

The Beast in Me is the kind of story that will be talked about for many years. It’s a tightly written suspense drama that deals with themes of blame, vengeance, rage, and violence that are part of human nature. It’s a deep examination of those themes in ways that will merit visiting and revisiting by analysts and film scholars.

Pluribus

Pluribus stars Rhea Seehorn as a writer who, for unknown reasons, is not instantly taken into the one consciousness or hive mind that affects the planet in this sci-fi drama. There are only about 12 people like her on earth.

MOVIES

Thelma

Thelma is a love letter to all us elders out here who need an inspiration and a role model. The film stars 93 year old June Squibb as an intrepid adventurer. This movie is a total joy.

Black Bag

In Black Bag Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender are married spies in British intelligence. They spy on each other, on their work colleagues, and on the world. They’re chess masters manipulating the players and the moves on a life and death global chess board.

I’m Still Here

I’m Still Here is the touching story about a family after the father was taken away by the military regime and killed during the 1970s right wing dictatorship in Brazil.

Kpop Demon Hunters

Kpop Demon Hunters is an animated musical based on Korean folklore. It’s full of catchy, bouncy music and brilliant visuals. It’s a story about how music and women’s voices can heal the world and rid it of evil demons.

On Swift Horses

On Swift Horses is a character study set in the sexually repressed 1950s. This atmospheric drama deals with Muriel (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a woman who struggled to figure out where she belonged, and two brothers just back from serving in Korea.

The Substance

The Substance is a horror movie, more specifically a body horror movie. I sometimes miss the point of horror movies but this one I definitely get. It’s about how piggish, gross, men expect women to alter themselves to look young and beautiful for the piggish, gross men. Why haven’t we burned down the patriarchy yet?

Sorry, Baby

Sorry, Baby was written and directed by Eva Victor, who also stars as the main character, Agnes. This low budget indie looks at Agnes as she struggles through a horrific event.

Left-Handed Girl

Left-Handed Girl tells a emotional story about a family headed by a single mom as they struggle to survive. The mom opens a noodle shop in a busy night market in Taipei, Taiwan.

Hamnet

Hamnet is a magnificent film – beautiful, touching, brilliant. I have no doubt that it will earn many best picture awards from various places. My question is will Chloé Zhao also win as many awards as best director, because she deserves it for this outstanding work.

That’s it. Thanks for reading. If you have some other favorite starring women or directed by women, let me know in the comments.