This week on the InSession Film Podcast, we featured our 13th annual InSession Film Awards! During Part 1, we discussed the very best that 2025 had to offer in terms of film. We dove into everything from movie surprises, to overlooked movies, to the best acting performances and so much more!
For every category, we each listed our own nominations and winners. Winners are highlighted in bold.
Best Actor
Brendan:
- Timothee Chalamet, Marty Supreme
- Joel Edgerton, Train Dreams
- Dylan O’Brien, Twinless
- Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent
- Josh O’Conner, Wake Up Dead Man
JD:
- Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another
- Timothee Chalamet, Marty Supreme
- Joel Edgerton, Train Dreams
- Josh O’Connor, The Mastermind
- Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent
Dave:
- Michael B. Jordan, Sinners
- Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another
- Timothee Chalamet, Marty Supreme
- Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent
- Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon
Best Actress
Brendan:
- Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
- Susan Chardy, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
- Imogen Poots, The Chronology of Water
- Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value
- Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby
JD:
- Jennifer Lawrence, Die My Love
- Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value
- Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
- Imogen Poots, The Chronology of Water
- Jessie Buckley, Hamnet
Dave:
- Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You
- Jennifer Lawrence, Die My Love
- Kathleen Chalfant, Familiar Touch
- Tessa Thompson, Hedda
- Emma Stone, Bugonia
Best Actor Supporting Role
Brendan:
- Miles Caton, Sinners
- Jacobi Jupe, Hamnet
- Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein
- Tim Key, The Ballad of Wallis Island
- Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value
JD:
- Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein
- Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value
- Jacobi Jupe, Hamnet
- Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another
- Ralph Fiennes, 28 Years Later
Dave:
- Sean Penn, One Battle After Another
- Delroy Lindo, Sinners
- Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein
- Jeffrey Wright, Highest 2 Lowest
- Stellan Skarsgard, Sentimental Value
Best Actress Supporting Role
Brendan:
- Odessa A’zion, Marty Supreme
- Pamela Anderson, The Naked Gun
- Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value
- Amy Madigan, Rebuilding
- Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another
JD:
- Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners
- Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value
- Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another
- Odessa A’zion, Marty Supreme
- Son Ye-jin, No Other Choice
Dave:
- Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
- Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
- Son Ye-Jin – No Other Choice
- Ursula Corbero – Kill The Jockey
- Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another
Best Director
Brendan:
- Kaouther Ben Hania, The Voice of Hind Rajab
- Danny Boyle, 28 Years Later
- Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme
- Jafar Panahi, It Was Just An Accident
- Kleber Mendonça Filho, The Secret Agent
JD:
- Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
- Danny Boyle, 28 Years Later
- Kelly Reichardt, The Mastermind
- Bi Gan, Resurrection
- Ryan Coogler, Sinners
Dave:
- Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
- Ryan Coogler, Sinners
- Guillermo del Toro, Frankenstein
- Jafar Panahi, It Was Just An Accident
- Lynne Ramsay, Die My Love
Best Original Screenplay
Brendan:
- David Koepp, Black Bag
- Carson Lund, Eephus
- Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value
- Mary Bronstein, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
- Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme
JD:
- Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby
- Ryan Coogler, Sinners
- Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value
- Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein, Marty Supremet
- Jafar Panahi, It Was Just An Accident
Dave:
- Ryan Coogler, Sinners
- Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby
- Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value
- Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein, Marty Supreme
- Kleber Mendonça Filho, The Secret Agent
Best Adapted Screenplay
Brendan:
- Nia DaCosta, Hedda
- Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
- Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar, Train Dreams
- Alex Garland, 28 Years Later
- Rian Johnson, Wake Up Dead Man
JD:
- Chloé Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell, Hamnet
- Alex Garland, 28 Years Later
- Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar, Train Dreams
- Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
- Rian Johnson, Wake Up Dead Man
Dave:
- Guillermo del Toro, Frankenstein
- Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
- Highest 2 Lowest, Evan Hunter
- Nia DaCosta, One Battle After Another
- Will Tracy, Bugonia
Best Cinematography
Brendan:
- Anthony Dod Mantle, 28 Years Later
- Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Sinners
- Kim Woo-hyung, No Other Choice
- Michael Bauman, One Battle After Another
- Adolpho Veloso, Train Dreams
JD:
- Kim Woo-hyung, No Other Choice
- Adolpho Veloso, Train Dreams
- Anthony Dod Mantle, 28 Years Later
- Dong Jingsong, Resurrection
- Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Sinners
Dave:
- Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Sinners
- Adolpho Veloso, Train Dreams
- Michael Bauman and Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
- Anthony Dod Mantle, 28 Years Later
- Steve Yedlin, Wake Up Dead Man
Best Documentary
Brendan:
- It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley
- John Candy: I Like Me
- The Perfect Neighbor
- Predators
- Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)
JD:
- The Perfect Neighbor
- Come See Me in the Good Light
- Cover-Up
- Predators
- 2000 Meters to Andriivka
Dave:
- Come See Me in the Good Light
- Cover-Up
- Put Your Soul On Your Hand and Walk
- Predators
- Mr. Scorsese
Best International Film
Brendan:
- The Secret Agent
- Sentimental Value
- The Voice of Hind Rajab
- It Was Just an Accident
- Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
JD:
- It Was Just An Accident
- No Other Choice
- Sentimental Value
- Resurrection
- Sound of Falling
Dave:
- Resurrection
- The Ugly Stepsister
- Sentimental Value
- It Was Just An Accident
- The Secret Agent
Best Animated Film
Brendan:
- The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie
- The Bad Guys 2
- Kpop Demon Hunters
- Predato: Killer of Killers
- Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
JD:
- Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
- Ne Zha 2
- Zootopia 2
- Kpop Demon Hunters
- Predator: Killer of Killers
Dave:
- Arco
- Ne Zha II
- KPOP Demon Hunters
- Little Amelie, or the Character of Rain
- Zootopia 2
Best Original Score
Brendan:
- Ludwig Göransson, Sinners
- Young Fathers, 28 Years Late
- Bryce Dessner, Train Dreams
- Rob Mazurek, The Mastermind
- Howard Drossin, Highest 2 Lowest
JD:
- Bryce Dessner, Train Dreams
- Max Richter, Hamnet
- Son Lux, Thunderbolts*
- Daniel Lopatin, Marty Supreme
- Ludwig Göransson, Sinners
Dave:
- Hildur Guðnadóttir, Hedda
- Ludwig Göransson, Sinners
- Jonny Greenwood, One Battle After Another
- Daniel Blumberg, The Testament of Ann Lee
- Mateus Alves and Tomaz Alves Souza, The Secret Agent
Best Use of Song
Note: This category includes original songs and pre-existing music.
Brendan:
- “Firework” by Katy Perry, Eddington
- “So Very Hard to Go” by Tower of Power, Freaky Tales
- “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Frears, Marty Supreme
- “I Lied To You” by Miles Caton, Sinners
- “Npothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” by Starship, Sinners
JD:
- “I Lied To You” by Miles Caton, Sinners
- “What It Sounds Like” by HUNTR/X, Kpop Demon Hunters
- “Rocky Road to Dublin” by Jack O’Connell, Brian Dunphy and Darren Holden, Sinners
- “Trunks” by A$AP Rocky, Highest 2 Lowest
- “Forever Young” by Alphaville, Marty Supreme
Dave:
- “Golden”, KPOP Demon Hunters
- “I Lied To You” , Sinners
- “Dirty Work” , One Battle After Another
- “Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” , Come See Me in the Good Light
- “Under Pressure” , Is This Thing On?
Best Opening/Closing Credits Sequence or Scene
Brendan:
- Sinners (Closing Credits)
- Hedda (Opening Credits)
- Highest 2 Lowest (Opening Credits)
- Marty Supreme (Opening Credits)
- The Naked Gun (Closing Credits)
JD:
- Sentimental Value (Closing)
- Hamnet (Closing)
- It Was Just An Accident (Closing)
- If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (Closing)
- Marty Supreme (Closing)
Dave:
- Sentimental Value (Closing)
- Sorry, Baby (Closing)
- If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You (Closing)
- Final Destination: Bloodlines (Opening)
- It Was Just An Accident (Closing)
Best Overlooked Movie
Brendan:
- The Shrouds
- On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
- Mickey 17
- The Ballad of Wallis Island
- The Baltimorons
JD:
- On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
- Eephus
- The Chronology of Water
- The Shrouds
- Invention
Dave:
- The Phoenician Scheme
- Hedda
- Lurker
- Familiar Touch
- The Mastermind
Best Surprise Movie
Brendan:
- The Naked Gun
- Freakier Friday
- Highest 2 Lowest
- Thunderbolts*
- Wake Up Dead Man
JD:
- The Naked Gun
- Predator: Badlands
- Thunderbolts*
- Superman
- Highest 2 Lowest
Dave:
- I’m Not Everything I Want To Be
- Eephus
- Kill The Jockey
- Wake Up Dead Man
- Resurrection
Best Surprise Actor/Actress
Brendan:
- Kevin O’Leary, Marty Supreme
- Dylan O’Brien, Twinless
- Bad Bunny, Caught Stealing / Happy Gilmore 2
- ill Arnett, Is This Thing On?
- Tom Hanks, Freaky Tales
JD:
- Tim Key, The Ballad of Wallis Island
- Will Arnett, Is This Thing On?
- Aidan Delbis, Bugonia
- Chris Evans, Materialists
- Liam Neeson, The Naked Gun
Dave:
- Dylan O’Brien, Twinless
- Gwyneth Paltrow, Marty Supreme
- Conan O’Brien, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
- Jai Courtney, Dangerous Animals
- Dakota Johnson, Splitville
Best Movie Discovery
Brendan:
- Miles Caton – Actor, Sinners
- Chase Infiniti – Actress, One Battle After Another
- Michael Strassner – Writer / Actor, The Baltimorons
- Rob Mazurek – Composer, The Mastermind
- Carson Lund – Director, Eephus
JD:
- Chase Infiniti – Actress, One Battle After Another
- Jacobi Jupe – Actor, Hamnet
- Miles Caton – Actor, Sinners
- Mary Bronstein – Director, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
- Eva Victor – Director / Actress / Writer, Sorry, Baby
Dave:
- Emilie Blichfeldt, Director, The Ugly Stepsister
- Eva Victor, Everything, Sorry, Baby
- Miles Caton, Actor, Sinners
- Chase Infiniti, Actress, One Battle After Another
- Tonatiuh, Actor, Kiss of the Spider Woman
JD’s Individual Special Awards
Best Individual Score Track
- “Not Alone” – Son Lux (Thundebolts*)
- “Of the undiscovered country” – Max Richter (Hamnet)
- “Home II” – Bryce Dessner (Train Dreams)
- “Your Actions, Your Choices” – David Flemming (Challengers)
- “Drive Fast” – Hans Zimmer (F1)
- “Remember” – Young Fathers (28 Years later
- “I Love You Tokyo” – Daniel Lopatin (Marty Supreme)
- “Trust Device” – Johnny Greenwood (One Battle After Another)
- “Fantastic Four Main Theme” – Michael Giacchino (Fantastic Four: First Steps)
- “Elijah” – Ludwig Göransson (Sinners)
Best Overlooked Performance
- Dylan O’Brien, Twinless
- Delroy Lindo, Sinners
- Florence Pugh, Thunderbolts*
- Frank Dillane, Urchin
- Kayo Martin, The Plague
- Shih-Yuan Ma, Left-Handed Girl
Best Directorial Debut
- Kristin Stewart, The Chronology of Water
- Harry Dickinson, Urchin
- Ronan Day-Lewis, Anemone
- Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby
- Carson Lund, Eephus
Best Actress Performances That Also Deserved To Be Nominated
- Chase Infinity, One Battle After Another
- Tessa Thompson, Hedda
- Jodie Comer, 28 Years Later
- Emma Stone, Bugonia
- Susan Chardy, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
- Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby
- Amanda Seyfried, The Testament of Ann Lee
Holy Shit, The Editing
- No Other Choice
- The Perfect Neighbor
- Caught By the Tides
- The Chronology of Water
- Avatar: Fire and Ash
Why Was 2025 Trying To Kill Me?
- Hamnet
- The Testament of Ann Lee
- Die My Love
- The Chronology of Water
- If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
- Sirat
- The Voice of Hind Rajab
- Train Dreams
- 28 Years Later
- Sentimental Value
- The Secret Agent
Brendan’s Individual Special Awards
Best Performance by a Non-Human, aka “Cheddar Goblin” Award
- Indy the dog, Good Boy
- Suicidal Hamster, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
- The meerkat, Left-Handed Girl
- The guinea fowl, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
- The cat, Sorry, Baby
Best “Actor Saves a Sinking Ship” Performance
- Dave Franco and Allison Brie, Together
- Olivia Holt and Mason Gooding, Heart Eyes
- Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson, The Long Walk
- Dwayne Johnson, The Smashing Machine
- June Squibb, Eleanor the Great
Misunderstood M0ovie Most Likely Subject to Reevaluation
- Anemone
- Highest 2 Lowest
- Mickey 17
- Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
- Warfare
Dave’s Individual Special Awards
The Steven Soderbergh Very Good Year Award
- Steven Soderbergh, Presence and Black Bag
- Naomi Ackie, Mickey 17 and Sorry, Baby
- Benicio del Toro, The Phoenician Scheme and One Battle After Another
- Richard Linklater, Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague
- Josh O’Connor, Rebuilding, The History of Sound, Wake Up Dead Man, The Mastermind
The Dakota Fanning On Fire Award
- Alfie Williams, 28 Years Later
- Jacobi Jupe, Hamnet
- Cary Christopher, Weapons
- Lily LaTorre, Rebuilding
- Ana Sophia Hager, She Rides Shotgun
The Beatrice Straight Make It Count Award
- Chris Cooper, History of Sound
- William H. Macy, Train Dreams
- Nick Nolte, Die My Love
- Bridgett Everett, Wake Up Dead Man
- John Carrol Lynch, Sorry Baby
Well, that’s it for our 2025 InSession Film Awards! Hopefully, you all enjoyed our nominations and winners. If you agree or disagree with us, let us know in the comment section below. We would love to hear how your nominations and winners would vary from our picks above. You can also email your selections to us at [email protected] or follow us on social media.
To hear our Top 10 Movies of 2025, listen to Part 2 of Episode 670!
