2025 was a mixed bag for movies, but audiences have plenty of great options as we look ahead to 2026. For big-budget excitement, there’s Avatar: Fire & Ash, and Timothée Chalamet’s Marty Supreme is already generating buzz and could be an awards contender. If you’re in the mood for laughs, check out Jack Black and Paul Rudd in Anaconda, or enjoy the thrilling The Housemaid with Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried. And for a heartwarming story, Song Sung Blue delivers exactly that.
While many films are getting attention right now, a fantastic movie called No Other Choice could easily be overlooked. Directed by Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook, it started showing in limited release on Christmas Day and will become more widely available in the US throughout January. Despite receiving excellent reviews and awards buzz – it has a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes – it seems to be flying under the radar, which would be unfortunate. Many critics believe it’s one of the best films of 2025.
No Other Choice Shouldn’t Be Taken For Granted
It feels like people aren’t fully appreciating Park Chan-wook, one of today’s most important filmmakers, especially considering he’s currently creating some of his best work. His recent film, No Other Choice, is a good example of this. While it had a strong start, premiering at major festivals like Venice and Toronto, initial reactions were more positive than enthusiastic. The film gradually gained attention and stood out from other festival releases that didn’t quite make a lasting impact, becoming a quiet success over time.
Despite its strengths, the film truly deserves wider recognition. Its story feels incredibly relevant today: a man, facing job loss during tough economic times, becomes increasingly desperate to hold onto his lifestyle and begins sabotaging other job seekers. Based on Donald Westlake’s novel The Ax, the movie shifts the story to a Korean setting. However, like Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite, the themes of economic struggle and the pressures of capitalism will resonate with audiences worldwide.
Honestly, I haven’t seen a movie quite like this one all year. It’s brilliantly funny, but in a really dark way, and it also makes you genuinely care about the characters. Lee Byung-hun is incredible – he walks this really fine line between making you laugh and making you feel for his character, Man-su. I really think the movie wouldn’t be nearly as good without him. People are starting to talk about him possibly getting an Oscar nomination, which is huge for an actor in a foreign film, and he totally deserves it if he does!
What really makes ‘No Other Choice’ stand out is how skillfully it’s made. Director Park, who originally wanted to be a painter, has a remarkable talent for visually composing scenes – something you don’t often see. Watching his film is a pleasure, especially because of his unexpected and clever choices. The transitions between scenes are funny on their own, and some of the images are likely to be among the most striking of the year.
Like all good satire, the film culminates in a surprisingly powerful and emotional finale. I’d rank it among the year’s best movie endings, alongside It Was Just An Accident, and highly recommend seeing it in theaters.
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2026-01-01 02:28