Josh Safdie and A24 have created a real masterpiece. Marty Supreme came late in the year, but I think it was the best film of 2025. The allure of the movie began with the marketing strategy, with a takeover of the Sphere in Las Vegas, a national run on Wheaties boxes, and a big orange blimp. It seemed like anywhere you saw Timothee Chalamet, he was sporting bright orange and talking about “dreaming big.” Chalamet’s character, Marty Mauser, is a perfect example of a protagonist who pulls in the audience despite his (numerous) flaws. Marty is an absolutely horrible person, putting others in a position to take the fall for problems he caused, yet you still find yourself rooting for him to achieve his table tennis dream. He is not necessarily a hero, but you will likely find yourself rooting against his “antagonist,” the deaf Japanese phenom, Koto Endo. I think it’s the clash of the bold and emotionally unstable Marty against the silent and calculated Koto that makes it so much easier to root for the American, despite his flaws. The casting of the other characters adds a whole other dimension to the film, with everyone from career actors like Gwyneth Paltrow, musicians like Tyler, the Creator, and several non-actors like Kevin O’Leary from Shark Tank and former NBA star George “Iceman” Gervin. Director Josh Safdie uses this casting to add a layer of realism to the film, where everyone feels authentically post-war New York City. Marty Supreme tells a sensational story, made better through sensational camerawork, soundtracking, and casting.