It’s 2025 and the Glasgow Film Festival is back with some amazing events and films for all those attending. So I have decided to comb their vast and expansive program and pick out my personal top ten films from this year’s festival.

Number 10 – Boys go to Jupiter

Boy’s Go to Jupiter follows the adventures of Billy 5000, a teenage gig worker with a rise-and-grind mindset whose quest to make $5,000 is derailed by the appearance of a gelatinous little dude from outer space. The art style is absolutely lovely and I have not really seen anything like this. I am sure this will be an instant Cult Classic.

Number 9 – Mistress Dispeller

The thing I love about movies is that they take us to places we may never have ever thought about going. Mistress Dispeller is one such movie. It follows a woman as she uses the most unorthodox techniques to help save failing marriages.

Number 8 – Neon Dreaming

I am getting reminded of films like The Secret Garden and 2023’s Scrapper with this one. Neon Dreaming is about 8-year-old Billie leans on her vivid imagination, and her loyal best friend Sherry, to unravel the web of secrets shrouding her mother’s true identity. If anything the gorgeous cinematography will be a treat to watch.

Number 7 – Stealing Pulp Fiction

Look it’s a heist movie, with Jason Alexander about a group of people who want to steal a copy of Pulp Fiction. Whats not to love?

Number 6 – Scared to Death

This one has been compared to films like RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD and apparently will make you laugh and make you scream, so count me in. While trying to get a realistic feel for their upcoming horror movie, the director subjects her cast to an actual seance and things quickly begin to spiral out of control.

Number 5 – Andrea Gets a Divorce

Tragicomic shenanigans ensue when a policewoman, who is yearning for promotion, finds herself faced with a moral quandary after she accidentally kills her drunk husband in a hit-and-run.

Number 4 – Crickets, It’s Your Turn

I do not know much about Kazakhstan cinema, so this film definitely has me intrigued. When introverted Merey accepts an invitation to a party from the likable Nurlan, she has no idea that the toxic masculinity she encounters there will lead to trouble. A revenge movie that challenges toxic masculinity, from a conservative country, now this is going to be interesting.

Number 3 – Ghost Killer

After being possessed by the ghost of vengeful hitman Kudo, college student Fumika Matsuoka agrees to help him finish his quest for vengeance from beyond the grave. These types of films can always be a bit silly, but when done right, like this one seems to be, they are truly something special.

Number 2 – Tornado

Tim Roth and Jack Lowden star in this survival thriller set in the 1700’s as a young woman finds herself caught in a dangerous situation when she crosses paths with a gang of ruthless criminals.

Against the backdrop of 1790’s Britain, a young Japanese woman, Tornado, travels the country with her fathers traveling Samurai puppet show. Seeing an opportunity to carve out a new life for her family, Tornado makes the decision to steal gold from a local gang led by Sugarman (Roth) and his son, Little Sugar (Lowden). What follows is a thrilling adrenaline-fuelled tale as Tornado races against time to escape a violent demise. Director John Maclean(Slow West) returns with his 2nd feature film that respectfully pays homage to classic Japanese samurai films as well as providing a fresh reinvention of the genre.

Number 1 – Baby Assassins Nice Days

More martial arts action and comedy mayhem with the kick-ass assassins who would rather kick back and relax. After their holiday is cut short, the pair find themselves hunting an infamous hitman.

Kick-ass buddies Chisato (Akari Takaishi) and Mahiro (Saori Izawa) are back and in top form in the third instalment of Yugo Sakamoto’s martial arts franchise. The pair of loveable killers have turned their latest hit job into a holiday, but their enjoyment is cut short when they find themselves facing off against a deadly freelance assassin (Sôsuke Ikematsu). Forced to team up with older killers Riku (Mondo Otani) and Iruka (Atsuko Maeda), a stickler for the rules, the foursome goes on the hunt.

These films are weird as hell and I really love them. And the fact that there are three shows how good they are. This third installment seems to be a bit more mature and I am here for it. But at its core, this is a movie about doing what you love, with someone you care about. So yes I am down for this.