Welcome to the 2025 SiftPop.com Sifties!
This year, the SiftPop writers came together to nominate five movies for Best Audio Experience. Since two of the major pieces that work together to create a complete cinematic experience are a film’s visuals and audio, we thought it would be important to highlight them for our Siftie awards.
One of the major goals for Warfare co-writers/directors Alex Garland and former Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza in telling the story real-life mission during the Iraq war based entirely on the memory of all the people in the latter’s platoon is to make the audience feel like their experiencing the fight right alongside the members of the military on screen. The film is successful in that regard, and the masterful sound work is a big reason why. Every shot fired and explosion fires off the screen perfectly. Everything from the small sounds made from switching magazines in the gun to large-scale action pieces have outstanding sound attached to them. The immersive experience that is Warfare wouldn’t hit nearly as hard without it.
One Battle After Another‘s heavily percussive score from Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood guides us through the whole of the film. Whether it’s being a driving force behind the tempo of the car chase sequence or Leonardo DiCaprio’s Bob trying to figure out the password, or a moving musical piece that plays as Bob tries to find his daughter, One Battle‘s score is special. And that’s to say nothing of Bob and Willa’s devices whose melodies sync up when they are within range of each other being a narrative and emotional focal point. The audio experience here is one of the best of the year.
A lot was made in the leadup to the F1: The Movie’s release about how much the film was on site during race days, how it filmed on actual tracks, how they used cameras on the cars, and how it even had the great Lewis Hamilton help make the racing seem more realistic — including making sure the sounds for when drivers are shifting were accurate. And when the cars are on the track, the audio’s popping and — particularly in a theater — really amps up the overall experience. The thrill of the ride makes it one of the true spectacles of 2025.
No other movie in 2025 can say that they have songs cross into the pop culture lexicon like the songs from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack did. At one point, five songs (“Golden,” “Your Idol,” “Soda Pop,” “How It’s Done,” and “Takedown”) were on the Billboard Top 10 songs at the same time, a feat that no movie has ever accomplished. Not since Frozen or Encanto has a soundtrack had this many songs becomes global phenomena. In addition to the songs, the sound effects when it comes to fight scenes also deserve a shoutout for the audio experience. The score is special as well. K-op Demon Hunters‘ use of sound elevates a genre of music in a lovely way that pays homage to Korean culture.
Ludwig Emil Tomas Göransson, born September 1, 1984 — what a man! The musical score for Sinners is nothing short of transcendent. For a composer who has already delivered a handful of all-timer scores with Black Panther and Oppenheimer, to name his two most acclaimed, it feels blasphemous to suggest that he may have outdone himself, but the sheer musical complexity, blend of genres, and unrelenting power of this score is as awe-inspiring as it is fun. Whether it’s Metallica’s drummer Lars Ulrich being featured in the second half of the film’s score, or the incorporation of Miles Caton’s phenomenal singing voice, music is at the very heart of this film, making Sinners one of the most musically creative films ever.
Make sure to check out the previous 2025 Sifties winners, and check back tomorrow for the winner of Best Visual Experience!