Top 10 Films of 2025
- Saxon Whitehead
- 4 minutes ago
- 8 min read
2025 was a bit of a strange year for movies, but I certainly wouldn’t call it a bad year. While there weren’t as many that grabbed me the way that films from the past few years did, there were still plenty of films that managed to have a great impact on me. From thrilling genre exercises to timely commentaries on modern society to bold new works from some of our finest filmmakers, 2025 still had quite a bit to offer. In fact, there were many films that I loved this year, and I had to make some tough decisions when it came to making my Top 10 list.
Oftentimes, there are so many films that I love that it is hard to figure out my complete ranking. This year, my top 5 or so was pretty clear from the get-go, but there were a great number of films duking it out for the other spots. I was personally shocked by a few of the films that didn’t make the cut, as they probably would have had no problem earning their spot any other year. But all that said, the 10 films that did make my list blew me away the most and are easily among the best the year had to offer.
Honorable Mentions:
-Eddington: Perhaps the film I’m most surprised didn’t crack the Top 10. A wonderfully bleak exploration of political division.
-Wake Up Dead Man: An absolute delight. I’ll keep watching Benoit Blanc mysteries as long as Rian Johnson chooses to make them.
-Superman: James Gunn’s take on the Man of Steel filled my heart with joy and was a ton of fun. Easily the best comic book movie in a long time.
-If I Had Legs I’d Kick You: Perhaps the most stressful film I saw all year, made all the more powerful and engrossing thanks to Rose Byrne’s phenomenal performance.
-Sentimental Value: One of the most moving films of the year, featuring one of the best ensembles of the year.
-28 Years Later: Both adrenaline pumping and emotionally resonant, this was a thrilling return to form for director Danny Boyle.
-Bugonia: Yorgos Lanthimos brings his distinctly dark sense of humor to a rather timely tale of conspiracies and power dynamics, giving us yet another strange yet excellent film.
-No Other Choice: Maybe not the out and out masterpiece I was hoping it would be, but it comes awfully close. Arguably Park Chan-wook’s funniest film to date.
Blue Moon
As someone who loves theatre and Richard Linklater’s ability to turn mountains of dialogue into something more cinematic, Blue Moon was catnip to me. Add in Ethan Hawke giving a transformative performance as lyricist Lorenz Hart, and you get one of Linklater’s best films in years. The film gives insight into a lesser sung figure of musical theatre, giving us a portrait of a man with ambition who can’t seem to get out of his own way. Taking place in one location and in real time, Blue Moon is a lovely, melancholic film that is a triumph for everyone involved.
The Phoenician Scheme
My pick for the year’s most underrated movie, Wes Anderson’s latest, The Phoenician Scheme sees him dip into darker territory all while staying true to his trademark style. This film didn’t seem to have the staying power that Anderson’s other films have been able to sustain over the course of a year, which is a shame considering that it is so funny and sweet. An excellent Benicio del Toro toplines an ensemble that combines Wes Anderson veterans and newcomers, with Michael Cera, Mia Threapleton, and Jeffrey Wright all delivering stand-out performances. It may not be as solid as the past couple of Anderson’s outings, but it is still very fun and rather endearing underneath everything. Not to mention it has one of my favorite scenes of the year in the form of a basketball challenge between del Toro’s Zsa-Zsa Korda and a pair of California businessmen played by Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston.
Die My Love
Lynne Ramsay once again proves that no one can make films that explore the deeper aspects of humanity like her with Die My Love. It’s so raw and unflinching that it might put some viewers off, but those willing to engage with the weight of the film’s subject matter will find that there’s a lot to chew on here. Examining the loneliness and spiraling that comes with the mundanity of daily life as well as the effect motherhood has on women, the film offers up feelings of tension and uneasiness that are hard to shake. Led by a career-best performance from Jennifer Lawrence, Die My Love is a film that isn’t for everyone, but is sure to have a large impact on those who get what Ramsay is going for.
Train Dreams
In a year of rather intense films, something like Train Dreams manages to pop even more. While this film has some heft to it, its poetic nature makes everything more palatable and fascinating. So much of the film can be summed up in its stunning final moments, as it is all about finding the beauty and significance of the unexplainable parts of life via the character of Robert Granier, played excellently by Joel Edgerton. On paper, it may seem boring or plotless, but this could not be further from the truth. Instead, it is deeply meaningful and beautiful, providing a warmer, oddly comforting experience.
It Was Just an Accident
It Was Just an Accident blew away audiences at Cannes, going as far as winning the coveted Palme d’Or, and it doesn’t take long into the film to see why. From the jump, writer/director Jafar Panahi grabs the viewer and doesn’t let go until the credits start rolling. He immerses us in the story of Vahid (Vahid Mobasseri), a mechanic and former political prisoner who thinks he’s found his former tormentor and finds himself questioning whether to seek revenge. As he gets other former prisoners involved, tensions rise and Vahid finds himself further conflicted. This all builds to one of the most powerful sequences in any film this year, a sustained 15 minute finale that left me speechless. It is an incredible feat of filmmaking, made all the more stunning based on the real life story behind it.
Weapons
I’ve been a fan of Zach Cregger since his days as one of The Whitest Kids U’Know, so it is exciting to see him fully come into his own as a filmmaker with Weapons. Keeping a healthy dose of the gonzo horror that he brought to his previous film, Barbarian, this film is a bit different, focusing on the characters and how they are affected when 17 children mysteriously disappear. Intertwining storylines, unsettling imagery, and a strong ensemble help make this film more than just a creepy horror film and give it more depth and dimension than one might expect. Of course, the major standout is Amy Madigan as Aunt Gladys, who reaches instant horror icon status with her frightening yet magnetic performance. But beyond that, this is a personal film for Cregger, allowing him to process the loss of one of his best friends, Trevor Moore, and painting a picture of how loss in all its forms affects us. If nothing else, it anoints Cregger as one of horror’s premier directors, and was one of the most exciting moviegoing experiences of the year for me.
The Testament of Ann Lee
I will never forgive Searchlight for doing The Testament of Ann Lee as dirty as they did. Directed by Mona Fastvold and co-written by her and Brady Corbet, this could have made a bigger splash if it was marketed better. But perhaps the film is just a smidge too unusual to hit with a wide audience. After all, it is a biographical musical film about Ann Lee, founder of the religious group known as the Shakers, so it is a bit of a tough sell for most. For me, however, I was transfixed from start to finish, much like I was with Fastvold and Corbet’s previous collaboration, The Brutalist (my favorite film from last year). With Fastvold’s direction, beautiful music from Daniel Blumberg, and a transcendent performance from Amanda Seyfried, this is a film unlike anything else I saw this year. I only hope that more people will catch up with this film with time, as it is absolutely spectacular.
Sinners
Perhaps the most ambitious film of the year, Sinners is a fusion of genres that effortlessly mix to form one of the most strikingly original films of the decade. Part crime drama, part vampiric horror, and part musical, writer/director Ryan Coogler takes a big swing and hits a major home run. He is helped by a strong ensemble featuring Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo, Wunmi Mosaku, Hailee Steinfeld, and newcomer Miles Caton, all of whom are incredible in the film. There are numerous scenes in the film that made my jaw drop, with the scene set to a song titled “I Lied to You” ranking as my favorite scene from any movie this year. This film is electrifying, a film that fires on all cylinders and excels across the board. Sinners is an instant classic, and one we will be talking about for years to come.
Marty Supreme
Leave it to Josh Safdie to make a film about a guy wanting to be the best table-tennis player and have it be one of the most stressful films of the year. That said, it is also one of the most engaging and exciting films of the year, if not the decade. It moves at a breakneck pace, following Timothée Chalamet’s Marty Mauser as he continuously makes bad decisions in pursuit of his dreams. It may be a period piece, but the use of anachronistic music and some of Safdie’s directorial choices keep it from feeling too stuck to its 1950s setting. In turn, this adds to the disorienting effect of the film and gives it an interesting layer. Not to mention that Chalamet gives the best performance of his career, playing an absolutely cocky guy that you can’t help but be fascinated by.
One Battle After Another
Could anything else have been my number one? My great admiration for Paul Thomas Anderson aside, there was no film this year that hit me as hard as One Battle After Another. It feels perfect for this particular time and place, and offers an interesting look at revolutionism. PTA is at the height of his power here, pulling off moves in his direction and writing that land with maximum effect. The big chase at the end alone is incredible, but there are many scenes in this film that are near perfect in execution. Leonardo DiCaprio really gets to let loose, playing the washed-up revolutionary forced to snap back into action to save his daughter. Beyond that, Chase Infiniti gives a star-making performance, Sean Penn is wonderfully evil, Teyana Taylor gives a brief, yet integral turn, and Benicio del Toro turns in my favorite supporting performance of the year. This is a modern masterpiece in every sense of the word, a staggering epic that will likely be remembered as one of the best films of the decade.
And that's a wrap on 2025! Here's hoping for more great films in 2026!