After months of hype for the film, here is our verdict.

That said, 2025 might have saved the best for last, with the late release of Marty Supreme, which is available to watch in cinemas now.

You may already be aware of the film thanks to its star, Timothée Chalamet's legendary press tour for the project. But in case you're not, we'll run down the plot.

The two-time Oscar-nominee plays Marty Mauser (loosely based on the real-life Marty Reisman), an aspiring table tennis player living in '50s New York City.

Extremely talented at the sport, but also arrogant and bull-headed, Marty begins the story as a shoe salesman but longs to compete in several ping pong tournaments across the globe.

Defying his family, who believe Marty's table tennis plans are a pipe dream, the cocky young man embarks on several schemes to garner the cash he needs to compete at the world stage of the games.

These include running cons with his taxi driver pal (rapper Tyler, the Creator), looking after the dog of a gangster (legendary director Abel Ferrara), and ingrating himself into the lives of a powerful businessman (real-life businessman and US Dragons' Den judge Kevin O'Leary) and his Hollywood actress wife (Oscar-winner Gwyneth Paltrow).

Helping Marty on his quest is Rachel (Odessa A'zion), his old friend and occasional lover, who is stuck in an abusive marriage (her husband is played by Emory Cohen of Brooklyn fame).

As the ping pong player becomes increasingly desperate to score some quick cash, he may wind up putting his and Rachel's lives on the line.

Marty Supreme is the first solo movie by Josh Safdie, who made the modern classic thrillers Good Time and Uncut Gems with his brother Benny.

His latest retains the energy and exhilarating sense of stress that radiated off those breakthrough films but applies it to a bigger, significantly more ambitious canvas.

A globe-trotting adventure with a huge and frankly bizarre ensemble cast - we haven't even mentioned Fran Drescher as Marty's manipulative mother, or other supporting turns by David Mamet, Géza Röhrig, Penn Jillette and Sandra Bernhard - Marty Supreme is filled with ideas and personality.

On one level, it's a great movie about a young person trying to escape their humdrum existence and achieve their dreams.

The spectre of World War II looms large over proceedings, and it does feel like Marty's brashness and resolute devotion to get what he wants are tied to his identity as a Jewish-American.

During an interview with a sports journalist, the character describes himself as "Hitler's worst nightmare", boasting: "Just look at me. I’m here. I’m on top. I’m the ultimate product of Hitler's defeat."

It must be noted, though, that while Marty certainly has the requisite table tennis skills (which Safdie highlights to viewers in some ridiculously exciting ping pong match scenes) to make it to the big leagues and is definitely charismatic, he lacks the maturity, modesty and respect for others needed to succeed.

This is an idea that subtly runs through the movie before being tied up in a beautiful bow in the film's stunning closing moments.

Even when Marty is at his most conceited and selfish, with Chalamet's youthful and absolutely swaggering lead turn, you are always rooting for the underdog to turn all his fortunes around and prove all his doubters wrong.

While this might all make Safdie's latest sound overly self-important, we want to stress that Marty Supreme is also tremendous fun.

The extended sections of the 150-minute movie in which its lead character runs around New York and becomes involved in various hustles are wickedly funny, continually finding inventive new ways of putting the ping pong player through the wringer.

It's almost as if Safdie and his co-writer Ronald Bronstein are stacking the deck against the antihero as punishment for his arrogance.

In keeping with this, some of Marty's trash talk against his table tennis opponents is so over-the-top that it is sure to provoke shocked laughter from viewers.

Plus, Safdie scores much of the film to classic 1980s pop bangers, a choice which should jar with the '50s setting but really doesn't, as Marty's unwavering belief in himself matches the tone of those massive songs.

All in all, Marty Supreme blends the period setting and compelling underdog sports drama of The Queen's Gambit with Uncut Gems' levels of authenticity and breakneck thrills.

It's a late contender for the best movie of the year.

Marty Supreme is out in cinemas now.