The Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) has unveiled its 60th annual slate of award nominees, highlighting a year in cinema defined by creative risk-taking, technological introspection, and a striking blend of the old and the new. The announcement, made on December 14, 2025, sets the stage for the James Loutzenhiser Awards Ceremony, scheduled for December 21, where the final winners will be revealed. As the second-oldest professional film critic organization in the United States, the KCFCC’s choices carry significant weight, and this year’s nominees reflect both a reverence for cinematic tradition and a fascination with the evolving language of film.
Dominating the nominations are four films that have captured the attention of critics and audiences alike. “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners” each lead with nine nominations, followed closely by “Frankenstein” with seven, and “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” with five. These films span genres and styles, but all have generated considerable buzz for their bold storytelling and visual flair.
Among the directors recognized is Ari Aster, whose film “Eddington” not only earned him a nomination for the Robert Altman Award for Best Director but has also been singled out by critics for its audacious visual style and timely satire. According to The Ringer, “Eddington” stands out as “the strongest work of Aster’s career, syncing form to content with finesse and a nasty sense of humor.” The film, shot by cinematographer Darius Khondji, is a sharp commentary on COVID-era paranoia and the omnipresence of social media. Joaquin Phoenix’s Sheriff Joe Cross is introduced through the lens of an iPhone display, while Emma Stone’s portrayal of his wife, Louise, adds another layer of digital self-reflection as her Facebook feed becomes a character in its own right. Such inventive use of technology in storytelling has become emblematic of 2025’s cinematic landscape.
The KCFCC’s list of nominees covers 16 categories, from Best Film and Best Director to specialized awards like Best Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror and Best LGBTQ Film. The Best Film category itself is a testament to the year’s diversity, featuring titles such as “Frankenstein,” “Hamnet,” “It Was Just an Accident,” “Marty Supreme,” “One Battle After Another,” “Sentimental Value,” “Sinners,” “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere,” “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” and “Weapons.”
Founded in 1966 by Dr. James Loutzenhiser, who served as president for over three decades, the KCFCC has long been a bellwether for critical opinion in American cinema. Its annual awards are not just a celebration of artistry but also a reflection of broader trends shaping the medium. This year, that means grappling with the impact of digital technology on both the form and substance of film. As The Ringer observed, “many of the most arresting and affecting cinematic images of 2025 involved cellphones, computer screens, and other pieces of consumer-grade technology—a sign of filmmakers doing their best not to turn a blind eye to the times, but to meet the multimedia gaze head-on.”
Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” another frontrunner, is praised for its kinetic energy and visual poetry. The film’s depiction of “vato skateboarders” in the sanctuary city of Baktan Cross, shot by Michael Bauman, is described as “figures hurtling by at serene velocity,” a testament to Anderson’s ability to find grace in motion. The Los Angeles Times quoted one of the film’s real-life skateboarders, Gilberto Martinez Jr., saying, “As skateboarders we’ve kind of always been the underdogs, seen as the outcast or the rebels. But in a way we’re showing freedom, we’re not trying to be put in a box, we express ourselves through this skateboard.” Anderson, in turn, elevates these collaborators into “Pop Art icons.”
Other films receiving critical attention include Park Chan-wook’s “No Other Choice,” which uses the motif of digital devices to explore the anxious psychology of doomscrolling, and Bi Gan’s “Resurrection,” celebrated for its ambitious 36-minute-long take that weaves together elements of nostalgia, spectacle, and cinematic history. David Cronenberg’s “The Shrouds” and Danny Boyle’s “28 Years Later” are also singled out for their innovative visual approaches, with the latter leveraging handheld digital cameras and epic widescreen compositions to create what The Ringer called “the most visually inventive movie of the year.”
In the acting categories, the nominees reflect a blend of established stars and rising talent. Timothée Chalamet (“Marty Supreme”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“One Battle After Another”), and Michael B. Jordan (“Sinners”) are up for Best Actor, while Jessie Buckley (“Hamnet”), Jennifer Lawrence (“Die My Love”), and Emma Stone (“Bugonia”) compete for Best Actress. Supporting categories feature industry veterans like Glenn Close and Sean Penn alongside newer faces such as Jacob Elordi and Teyana Taylor.
The breadth of genres represented—from animated features like “Arco” and “Zootopia 2” to documentaries such as “My Mom Jayne” and “Orwell: 2+2=5”—underscores the KCFCC’s commitment to recognizing excellence across the cinematic spectrum. Specialized awards, including the Vince Koehler Award for Best Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror and the Tom Poe Award for Best LGBTQ Film, further highlight the organization’s inclusive approach.
As anticipation builds for the December 21 ceremony, the conversation around this year’s nominees extends beyond the films themselves to the evolving nature of film criticism and appreciation. The use of digital imagery, the blurring of genre boundaries, and the willingness to tackle contemporary anxieties head-on have all marked 2025 as a year of significant transition for the art form. The KCFCC’s selections reflect not just what is popular or acclaimed, but what is truly resonant in a rapidly changing world.
With the final vote just days away, all eyes are on Kansas City—not just to see which films and artists will take home top honors, but to witness how a community of critics continues to shape the conversation about what movies mean, how they move us, and where the medium is headed next.
