The year 2025 has been a confusing year in the media to say the least. There was a seemingly endless train of half-baked films released straight to streaming services and remade classics falling flat on their face, like Disney’s “Snow White” or Netflix’s “The Electric State.” These were mixed in with expertly made films with original stories that breathed new life into the film industry, such as Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” or Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another.”
In music, the pop and hip-hop genres seem confused as to where they stand, with artists like Benson Boone giving lackluster performances in comparison to 2024’s pop revival with Chappell Roan and Charli XCX, and several failed hip-hop comebacks such as Will Smith, Lil Wayne and JACKBOYS. We still did see inspiringly inventive and original releases, such as Dijon’s “Baby,” Geese’s “Getting Killed” tied with Cameron Winter’s “Heavy Metal,” and Clipse’s return to form in “Let God Sort Em Out.”
The most important take-away from this last year in media was that there are still incredibly talented people releasing high-quality art for the public to enjoy, but with so many pieces coming out every week, it can be hard to pick them out of the crowd. Luckily, there are many people out there doing the heavy lifting for the rest of us, finding those hidden gems that may have flown under the radar if not for their relentless searching.
Music
Paige Rodriguez is a University of Oregon graduate and current employee at Music Millennium in Portland, Oregon, one of the most popular record stores in the city. While at school, she worked for the Daily Emerald as well as KWVA, and has always been a fan of finding underground, lesser-known artists.
“Well, first I would say ‘How Long Does It Last, that’s by the Jeanines’,” said Rodriguez. “They just had sort of an indie feel that I feel like is missing right now from the pop scene in general.”
This is the third and most popular album from Jeanines, an indie-pop band based out of New York City. Rodriguez equated their music to The Smiths, saying they have that same jangle-pop energy and vintage feel to their sound. She also mentioned “Thinking, Dreaming, Scheming” by the band Lightheaded, who have a similar feel and are signed to the same record label as Jeanines.
“They sound like they could have been made 30 years ago,” said Rodriguez. “I liked that a lot about them.”
For anyone looking for something different, the debut album “Tether” by Annahstasia could have what you’re looking for. Despite getting attention for over a decade, “Tether”]
has been Annahstasia’s breakout and has been getting a lot of attention since its release earlier this year. The album blends elements of folk, soul, and indie music backed by Annahstasia’s operatic and haunting vocals, making a truly unique listening experience.
Film
As for movies, there have been many films that went unnoticed by the mainstream, but are still absolutely worth checking out. Fortunately, Eugene’s long-standing theater Art House has curated many lesser-known films from this last year, such as “Caught Stealing” by Darren Aronofsky, director of films such as “Black Swan” and “Requiem for a Dream.”
“I feel like an odd turn for Aronofsky to do something fun like that,” said Edward Schiessl, employee at Art House.
“Caught Stealing” follows a New York City bartender who agrees to watch his punk-rock neighbor’s cat and ends up in the middle of a criminal dispute over a mysterious key hidden with the cat. This movie is much more lighthearted in comparison to others in Aronofsky’s filmography, but another employee at Art House, Shaelin Jornigan, added that it is still “often quite bleak at times.”
“Definitely not underrated… but ‘It Was Just An Accident’, which won the Palme d’Or this year,” said Aidan Phillips, University of Oregon graduate and avid film buff. “I thought that movie was freaking terrific.”
“It Was Just An Accident” is a thriller following a man, Vahid, who randomly bumps into who he believes to be his past capturer and torturer, but after the person adamantly denies it, Vahid doesn’t know what to do. This movie has been highly praised by audiences and critics alike, and won the most prestigious award at the Cannes Film Festival and the Palme d’Or. Past recipients include Francis Ford Coppola for “Apocalypse Now,” Martin Scorsese for “Taxi Driver,” and recently Bong Joon Ho for “Parasite.”
2025 was a great year for media as a whole, so much so that so many pieces went unnoticed by the masses. While everything presented is a great start for what folks may have missed, there are still so many different and incredible albums and movies that came out last year that have not gotten the attention they deserve. Going to record stores and local, smaller theaters and asking the employees there, talking to friends and family, and searching online are great ways to find these smaller-release media picks.
If you’re ever looking for something new to dive into, just take a deeper look at what’s coming out now; you may find your newest obsession.
