Top 5 HIFF 2025 Picks from PBS/NPR Critic Bill McCuddy

It’s that time of the year when I don’t see my wife for 10 days. It’s not a fight over the remote — those have lasted longer — it’s the Hamptons International Film Festival. I’ve poured over the program, grilled Chief Creative Director David Nugent (in a special airing on LTV and at cocktail parties where he can’t avoid me) and consulted a “Kitchen Cabinet” of PBS and Critic’s Choice Awards colleagues. I can still be fooled by a good trailer so I avoid those. Throw all that in a Cuisinart, and here are the Fast Five Films I’m putting at the top of my list.

Julia Roberts does not have to work. But when she does and knows it’s a good one, she starts campaigning early like she did when Erin Brockovitch came out in March of 2000. It worked then and it may work this year because the buzz on After The Hunt is as big and bright as her klieg-level smile. She’s been everywhere since it broke September 26 at the New York Film Festival. In addition to premieres, HIFF is good at cherry-picking the best from other festivals, which is why my pal Neil Rosen calls it his “Oscar cheat sheet.” Andrew Garfield costars as a college professor accused of sexually assaulting an African American student. Roberts is Garfield’s colleague and friend. This one has grown-up and timely written all over it. Director Luca Guadagnino (Challengers, Call Me By Your Name) deals straight cards and this one, he promises, is not controversial just for its own sake.

I’ve done a little standup and will try to talk comedy maven and New York Comedy Festival cofounder Caroline Hirsch into joining me for Is This Thing On? I think Bradley Cooper only makes great films (yes, I saw Maestro and it was in my Top 10) so I’m particularly thrilled he’s taking “Smartless” podcast cohost Will Arnett and putting him on a stage in the Village telling jokes about his doomed marriage. Laura Dern is the suffering punchline of the material and the film also features Sean Hayes (one of the other “Smartless” cohorts) and the very funny Amy Sedaris. It’s here all week! Get it? Okay, I said a little standup.

Speaking of podcasts, I’m a big fan of Conan O’Brien’s work on his “…Needs a Friend” effort, and now he’s starring in a movie that was shot partially in Montauk. Rose Byrne plays a therapist in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. She’s a mother navigating her sick child’s mystery illness. Oh and her therapist is O’Brien. Yes, therapists have therapists. Lorraine Bracco had Peter Bogdanovich. Mary Bronstein wrote and directs. Christian Slater and A$AP Rocky costar. Byrne has reportedly never been better and that alone makes this a must-see. She’s not just funny.

The film getting most of the Oscar chatter so far is the Shakespeare-inspired Hamnet. As I type this, my Apple Air assures me that’s a misspelling. It’s not. Nomadland director Chloe Zhao takes on young Wil, played by “it” guy Paul Mescal and his wife Agnes played by the Oscar lock (I’m told) Jessie Buckley, and deals with the loss of their son, Hamnet. Yes, all this inspired Hamlet. “Art heals life” sounds like a Hallmark card and Kenneth Branagh kinda-sorta made this a few years ago, but this time producers Steven Speilberg and Sam Mendes are behind the scenes and those kids know what they’re doing. So this one is “to be” for me. #SorryNotSorry.

Finally, my wild card is a fresh new 1922 film. Huh? First let me say I’m thrilled that along with Guild Hall, the newly renovated and skillfully run Southampton Playhouse is back in business with the HIFF. Artistic Director Eric Kohn (also grilled on the aforementioned LTV show) has been spearheading innovative stuff and he fits right in with Nugent and the gang. Plus he’s got IMAX! This special screening isn’t happening there, it’s in one of the other theaters that lets a live band play along with the film. Yep, everything very old is new again. This time the film is Nosferatu and they’re calling it “A Symphony Of Horror” because this silent classic mashes up with a modern score performed live by Austin-based band the Invincible Czars. Unlike many other HIFF screenings, they’re only doing one performance of this one. It’s Thursday, October 9 at 6 p.m. I’ll be the embarrassing 60-something guy in the mosh pit.

Honorable mentions include JLo in Kiss of the Spider Woman, A Private Life with Jody Foster (she’s coming!) Blue Moon with Ethan Hawke (he’s coming too!) the doc Cover Up, and Magic Hour about an older, suddenly single woman who goes to film school. Okay, director Jacqueline Christy was also on our LTV special so here’s another pushy promotional mention, but I honestly love the premise. And the director was charming.

That’s a wrap. If I was right, you’re welcome. If I was wrong, I don’t want to hear about it. I’ll know. But after 33 years, HIFF doesn’t make too many mistakes. Go. And if you’re sitting in front of me, leave the hat at home.

Bill McCuddy is an “irregular regular” contributor to Dan’s Papers. He cohosts a national PBS/AllArts movie criticism show “Talking Pictures” and has a monthly NPR/WLIW-FM show called “Air Hamptons.” He lives in Bridgehampton with a 100 inch TV that now, thankfully “Has two remotes. My marriage is saved.”