The 20 best movies of 2025
- S.J.
- Jan 24
- 7 min read
Water polo, sharks, raves. Revolutionaries, college professors, sovereign citizens. Witches, vampires, zombies. Man's laughter, dancing chimpanzees, inheritances. Ethnic cleansing, devastating fires, a never-ending cycle of revenge. That is essentially what 2025 had in store for us.
Competing for spots on this list were 91 movies from 2024 (it was a difficult year); some of them ended up in the top 20 and some will show up in special mentions. I managed to catch up with 30 different titles from 2024 in order to come up with a group of five in the special mentions. Two new documentaries and four from 2024 added a little bit of texture, however those are not taken into full consideration for fairness' sake. Some 2025 titles that I'm excited to catch later: 'Bugonia', 'I'm Still Here', 'Materialists', 'Sentimental Value' and 'The Mastermind'.
At any rate, these are my favourite films of the year—notice the word favourite—and a few special mentions. You should know this by now, but you can find reviews for many of these films on the site; just click the ''Read our review'' or the title in special mentions. Here we go!
Special Mentions
Best 2024 Catch-ups
Black Box Diaries
Dune: Part Two
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Hit Man
The Substance
Check Out This Documentary
The Perfect Neighbor
Best Bang For Your Buck
Critical Disagreement
Until Dawn (47 on Metacritic, 51% on Rotten Tomatoes)
Promising First Narrative Features
Mārama (dir. Taratoa Stappard)
Plainclothes (dir. Carmen Emmi)
The Good Sister | Schwesterherz (dir. Sarah Miro Fischer)
Urchin (dir. Harris Dickinson)
We Believe You | On vous croit (dir. Arnaud Dufeys, Charlotte Devillers)
And now... here are the 20 best movies of 2025
20. LITTLE AMÉLIE OR THE CHARACTER OF RAIN
What is it about? The world is a perplexing, peaceful mystery to Amélie until a miraculous encounter with chocolate ignites her wild sense of curiosity. As she develops a deep attachment to her family’s housekeeper, Nishio-san, Amélie discovers the wonders of nature as well as the emotional truths hidden beneath the surface of her family’s idyllic life as foreigners in post-war Japan.
Why you should watch it: It's a real breeze and the animation is very chic.
Starring: Loïse Charpentier, Victoria Grosbois, Yumi Fujimori
Director(s): Liane-Cho Han, Maïlys Vallade
Where to watch:
19. SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE | Sisu 2
What is it about? A man returns to dismantle his family's house, where they were murdered in war, to rebuild it elsewhere. When the killer, a Red Army commander, tracks him down, a brutal cross-country pursuit begins.
Why you should watch it: Read our review to learn why
Starring: Jorma Tommila, Richard Brake, Stephen Lang
Director(s): Jalmari Helander
Where to watch:
18. MICKEY 17
What is it about? During a human expedition to colonise space, Mickey 17, a so-called "expendable" employee, is sent to explore an ice planet.
Why you should watch it: Read our review to learn why
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Naomi Ackie, Robert Pattinson
Director(s): Bong Joon Ho
Where to watch:
17. TOGETHER
What is it about? Years into their relationship, Tim and Millie find themselves at a crossroads as they move to the country. With tensions already flaring, an encounter with an unnatural force threatens to corrupt their lives, their love and their flesh.
Why you should watch it: Read our review to learn why
Starring: Alison Brie, Damon Herriman, Dave Franco
Director(s): Michael Shanks
Where to watch:
16. HAPPY BIRTHDAY | هابي بيرث داي
What is it about? Eight-year-old maid Toha goes to great lengths to ensure that her best friend Nelly, the daughter of her wealthy employer, has a successful birthday party in this poignant debut feature exploring classism in modern-day Cairo.
Why you should watch it: Doha Ramadan's performance is exceptional and the story is extremely compelling.
Starring: Doha Ramadan, Khadija Ahmed, Nelly Karim
Director(s): Sarah Goher
Where to watch:
15. THE NAKED GUN
What is it about? Following in his father's footsteps, a detective works to solve a murder case and save his police department from closure.
Why you should watch it: Read our review to learn why
Starring: Danny Huston, Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson
Director(s): Akiva Schaffer
Where to watch:
14. DANGEROUS ANIMALS
What is it about? When Zephyr, a savvy and free-spirited surfer, is abducted by a shark-obsessed serial killer and held captive on his boat, she must figure out how to escape before he carries out a ritualistic feeding to the sharks below.
Why you should watch it: Read our review to learn why
Starring: Hassie Harrison, Jai Courtney, Josh Heuston
Director(s): Sean Byrne
Where to watch:
13. ALL THAT'S LEFT OF YOU | اللي باقي منك
What is it about? After a Palestinian teen gets swept up into a West Bank protest, his mother recounts the family story of hope, courage and relentless struggle that led to this fateful moment.
Why you should watch it: Read our review to learn why
Starring: Cherien Dabis, Mohammad Bakri, Saleh Bakri
Director(s): Cherien Dabis
Where to watch:
12. SOVEREIGN
What is it about? A father and son who identify as Sovereign Citizens, a group of anti-government extremists, find themselves in a standoff with a chief of police that sets off a manhunt.
Why you should watch it: Read our review to learn why
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Jacob Tremblay, Nick Offerman
Director(s): Christian Swegal
Where to watch:
11. BETTER MAN
What is it about? A singular profile of pop superstar Robbie Williams, chronicling his meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence.
Why you should watch it: Read our review to learn why
Starring: Jonno Davies, Raechelle Banno, Steve Pemberton
Director(s): Michael Gracey
Where to watch:
10. REDUX REDUX
What is it about? Irene Kelly travels through parallel universes, repeatedly killing her daughter's murderer. As she becomes consumed by vengeance, her humanity hangs in the balance.
Why you should watch it: Read our review to learn why
Starring: Jeremy Holm, Michaela McManus, Stella Marcus
Director(s): Kevin McManus, Matthew McManus
9. THE PLAGUE
What is it about? A socially awkward tween endures the ruthless hierarchy at a water polo camp, his anxiety spiralling into psychological turmoil over the summer.
Why you should watch it: Read our review to learn why
Starring: Everett Blunck, Kayo Martin, Kenny Rasmussen
Director(s): Charlie Polinger
Where to watch:
8. SORRY, BABY
What is it about? After a tragic event, a woman finds herself alone while everyone else continues with their lives as if nothing had happened.
Why you should watch it: Eva Victor's outstanding writing leads the way. If that's not enough, there's a kitten. Most importantly, an actor named Louis Cancelmi plays a character who does something despicable. Genius stuff, no notes.
Starring: Eva Victor, Louis Cancelmi, Naomi Ackie
Director(s): Eva Victor
Where to watch:
7. HOW TO MAKE MILLIONS BEFORE GRANDMA DIES | หลานม่า
What is it about? A man, driven by his desire for a multi-million dollar inheritance, begins to care for his terminally ill grandmother. However, winning her favour will not be an easy task and he is not the only one with an eye on the money.
Why you should watch it: Because crying is good for you every now and then. Beautiful acting, superb writing, the whole package really.
Starring: Jear Sarinrat Thomas, Putthipong Assaratanakul, Usha Seamkhum
Director(s): Pat Boonnitipat
Where to watch:
6. TRAIN DREAMS
What is it about? Based on Denis Johnson's beloved novella, Train Dreams is the moving portrait of Robert Grainier, a logger and railroad worker who leads a life of unexpected depth and beauty in the rapidly-changing America of the early 20th Century.
Why you should watch it: Read our review to learn why
Starring: Felicity Jones, Joel Edgerton, Kerry Condon
Director(s): Clint Bentley
Where to watch:
5. SIRĀT | =
What is it about? A father, accompanied by his son, goes looking for his missing daughter in North Africa.
Why you should watch it: Read our review to learn why
Starring: Bruno Núñez Arjona, Sergi López, Stefania Gadda
Director(s): Oliver Laxe
Where to watch:
4. ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
What is it about? When their evil enemy resurfaces after 16 years, a group of ex-revolutionaries reunite to rescue the daughter of one of their own.
Why you should watch it: Read our review to learn why
Starring: Chase Infiniti, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn
Director(s): Paul Thomas Anderson
Where to watch:
3. SINNERS
What is it about? Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
Why you should watch it: Read our review to learn why
Starring: Jack O'Connell, Michael B. Jordan, Miles Caton
Director(s): Ryan Coogler
Where to watch:
2. 28 YEARS LATER
What is it about? A group of survivors of the rage virus live on a small island. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors.
Why you should watch it: Read our review to learn why
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfie Williams, Jodie Comer
Director(s): Danny Boyle
Where to watch:
1. WEAPONS
What is it about? When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
Why you should watch it: Read our review to learn why
Starring: Amy Madigan, Cary Christopher, Julia Garner
Director(s): Zach Cregger
Where to watch:
You can find these films and everything else on this Letterboxd list.
See you in 2026.
This article may contain affiliate links, which means that we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links. Thank you for the support!
