Keeping with holiday tradition, my friends and I at The UnPopulist published our roundup of staff picks and holiday recommendations. I share the masthead with a lot of exceptionally smart people, so I encourage you to check it out. (And, of course, subscribe to The UnPopulist, too, if you haven't already. It's free, and routinely publishes the best writing out there keeping tabs on rising fascism and authoritarianism in the US and around the world.)

My pick is quite short, so here it is. This year, there really wasn't any competition in my mind. Of all the media I read, watched, or listened to, this movie stood out easily.

I wish the circumstances were better around this recommendation. Recent events have made it sad. Still, it was my favorite movie of 2025, and also the piece of media that brought me the most joy this year, and so I’ll emphasize that instead of the sadness.

Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues is a gift. Yes, it got lukewarm reviews. Yes, it isn’t as funny as the original. Yes, it wasn’t, strictly speaking, necessary. But for those of us who love that original, every watching of Rob Reiner’s 1984 film is like hanging out. Hanging out with morons, but lovable morons. Exasperating friends. Everything about it, every moment, is authentic. They are, after all, a real band. Nigel, David, and Derek work their way into the life of the true fan. Marty, too.

And so the sequel. Unexpected, yes. But sitting in the theater, introducing my children to these characters, the sequel felt earned. They’re all old. They’re not what they used to be. But the impact they’ve had, both in character and out, is undeniable. You can see it in how giddy the cameos of legends are. Paul McCartney and Elton John don’t just walk into a scene and walk out. They stick around. They are over the moon, it’s clear, to hang out, like us in the audience, with Spinal Tap. And Spinal Tap, even with the drama between them, are old friends. Reiner, Guest, McKean, and Shearer are old friends. They earned a reunion. I’m deeply grateful for the joy they brought me, especially in an otherwise dismal year.

Goodbye, Marty. And thank you.

Read the rest from my colleagues at The UnPopulist here.

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