Best Movies of 2025: The Year in Film

Top 25 Movies of 2025

Ranked by a combination of critical consensus, audience response, and cultural impact.

Obsession (2025)

IMDb: 8.1/10 RT: 95%

The highest-rated wide release of 2025. Blumhouse's original horror film about a hopeless romantic who breaks a magical willow tree to win his crush's heart — and discovers that desires come at a dark, sinister price. Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette star. The film became a phenomenon, outgrossing most blockbusters and spawning endless TikTok theories. A perfect blend of horror, romance, and dark comedy.

The movie everyone talked about in 2025. A horror film with real heart and a killer concept. Streaming on Peacock and Prime Video.

The Sheep Detectives (2025)

IMDb: 7.5/10 RT: 94%

The most surprising critical darling of 2025. Co-written by Craig Mazin (Chernobyl, The Last of Us), this family-friendly mystery follows a flock of sheep who solve crimes in a bucolic English village. The animation is gorgeous, the voice cast is stellar, and the audience score (96%) suggests it has the kind of cross-generational appeal that creates lasting classics.

The feel-good hit of 2025. Intelligent, charming, and beautifully made. Streaming on Netflix.

Superman (2025)

IMDb: 7.8/10 RT: 89%

James Gunn relaunched the DC Universe with this warm, hopeful, and surprisingly funny take on the Man of Steel. David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan are perfectly cast as Clark Kent and Lois Lane. The film balances cosmic action with genuine character moments, and the cameo from Milly Alcock's Supergirl set up a new cinematic universe with confidence and heart.

The superhero movie that remembered Superman is supposed to be hopeful. A triumph. Streaming on HBO Max and Prime Video.

Sinners (2025)

IMDb: 7.6/10 RT: N/A

Ryan Coogler's original vampire horror film starring Michael B. Jordan in dual roles as twin brothers returning to their Jim Crow-era hometown. The film blends supernatural horror with post-colonial themes, blues music, and genuine scares. It was a box-office hit and proved Coogler can do more than just superhero movies.

A vampire movie with something to say. Coogler and Jordan are a powerhouse duo. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Project Hail Mary (2025)

IMDb: 8.3/10 RT: 94%

Andy Weir's follow-up to The Martian got the perfect adaptation. Ryan Gosling plays Ryland Grace, an amnesiac astronaut who wakes up alone on a spaceship with no memory of his mission. The film is a buddy comedy between Gosling and an alien named Rocky — and it is the most purely entertaining sci-fi film in years. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller bring their trademark energy.

The Martian meets Arrival. Gosling and a puppet alien are the best duo of 2025. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

One Battle After Another (2025)

IMDb: 7.6/10 RT: N/A

Paul Thomas Anderson's latest is an unhinged, sprawling epic starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a washed-up revolutionary whose daughter goes missing. The film is PTA at his most chaotic — part political thriller, part dark comedy, part road movie. Regina Hall and Teyana Taylor co-star. It is divisive, but nobody can deny its ambition.

PTA doing a rambling, angry, funny epic. DiCaprio has never been this loose. Streaming on HBO Max and Prime Video.

The Bride! (2025)

IMDb: 7.4/10 RT: N/A

Maggie Gyllenhaal's follow-up to The Lost Daughter is a Bride of Frankenstein reimagining set in 1930s Chicago. Christian Bale plays Frankenstein's Monster, and Jessie Buckley is the Bride. The film is weird, romantic, and visually stunning — a period piece that feels completely modern. The dance sequence between Bale and Buckley is one of 2025's great scenes.

The most original studio film of 2025. Bale and Buckley are extraordinary. Streaming on HBO Max.

Black Bag (2025)

IMDb: 7.3/10 RT: N/A

Steven Soderbergh's spy thriller is a return to the sleek, smart, adult-oriented espionage films that used to dominate the genre. Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett play married spies who must investigate each other when a mole is suspected. The dinner party scene is a masterclass in tension. Lean, mean, and brilliantly acted.

Soderbergh doing what he does best. A smart, stylish thriller for adults. Streaming on Netflix.

Bugonia (2025)

IMDb: 7.3/10 RT: 87%

Yorgos Lanthimos's sci-fi satire follows two conspiracy-obsessed men who kidnap a CEO (Emma Stone) because they believe she is an alien. Jesse Plemons delivers a career-best performance. The film was nominated for four Oscars including Best Picture. It is dark, funny, paranoid, and surprisingly tender — a film about belief and class.

Lanthimos and Stone are unstoppable. A sci-fi comedy that asks big questions. Streaming on Netflix.

Hoppers (2025)

IMDb: 7.3/10 RT: 94%

Pixar's latest original film follows a group of robot beavers who must save their ecosystem. Jon Hamm voices the lead. The animation is predictably gorgeous, and the environmental message is handled with Pixar's trademark subtlety. The box office was modest by Pixar standards, but critical reception was strong.

Pixar doing what Pixar does best. Original, beautiful, and emotionally resonant. Streaming on Disney+.

Michael (2025)

IMDb: 7.6/10 RT: N/A

The Michael Jackson biopic directed by Antoine Fuqua was a box-office phenomenon. Jaafar Jackson (Michael's nephew) plays the King of Pop with uncanny accuracy. The film covers Jackson's entire career, from Jackson 5 to the final years. It has been controversial, but audiences cannot get enough — it was one of 2025's highest-grossing films.

The biopic event of the year. Jaafar Jackson is a revelation. Streaming on Peacock and Prime Video.

Mickey 17 (2025)

IMDb: 7.4/10 RT: N/A

Bong Joon-ho's follow-up to Parasite is a sci-fi black comedy about an "expendable" employee (Robert Pattinson) who is cloned after each death. When one iteration refuses to die, chaos ensues. Pattinson plays multiple versions of himself with manic energy. The film is not as perfectly constructed as Parasite, but it is wilder and funnier.

Bong Joon-ho + Robert Pattinson cloning himself. Weird, wonderful, and unforgettable. Streaming on HBO Max.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2025)

IMDb: 6.8/10 RT: 78%

14 years later, Miranda Priestly returns. Meryl Streep is as commanding as ever, and Emily Blunt's Emily Charlton is now a high-powered consultant who finds herself working for Miranda again. The sequel is not as sharp as the original, but Streep's performance — and that final scene — make it worth watching.

Miranda Priestly remains the greatest movie character. Streep is magnificent. Streaming on Hulu and Prime Video.

Companion (2025)

IMDb: 6.9/10 RT: N/A

The year's most talked-about twist movie. A weekend getaway at a lakeside house turns dark when a group of friends discover unsettling truths about each other — and the android among them. The mid-film twist sent audiences into a frenzy on social media. Drew Hancock's debut is a clever blend of sci-fi and horror.

The twist of 2025. Watch it knowing nothing. Streaming on HBO Max.

Zootopia 2 (2025)

IMDb: 7.2/10 RT: N/A

Disney Animation's long-awaited sequel reunites Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde for a new case that takes them to a reptile-dominated city. The animation is even more stunning than the original, and the themes of prejudice and acceptance are handled with intelligence. Not quite as fresh as the first, but a worthy follow-up.

The best animated sequel of 2025. More Nick and Judy is always a good thing. Streaming on Disney+.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2025)

IMDb: 7.5/10 RT: N/A

Danny Boyle and Alex Garland returned to the 28 Days Later universe after nearly two decades. Set 28 years after the rage virus outbreak, Britain is a quarantined wasteland. Jodie Comer and Aaron Taylor-Johnson lead a terrifying journey through abandoned cities. The first half-hour is some of the most intense horror filmmaking of the decade.

The return of the greatest zombie franchise. Boyle and Garland still have it. Streaming on Peacock and Prime Video.

Blockbusters — The Big Hits

2025 had plenty of franchise blockbusters, but the biggest stories were the originals that broke through.

Indies — The Small Films That Roared

2025 was a great year for independent cinema. These smaller films made a big impact.

• The Mastermind — Kelly Reichardt's heist deconstruction with Josh O'Connor. A slow-burn tragedy about the cost of crime.
• Good Boy — Ben Leonberg's Shudder horror film about a dog walker in a small town. Genuinely scary and emotionally grounded.
• Fairyland — Andrew Durham's Sundance hit about a father-daughter relationship during the AIDS crisis. Scoot McNairy gives a career-best performance.
• The Mastermind — Josh O'Connor leads a heist film that subverts every trope. Reichardt at her best.
• Oh, Hi! — A low-budget relationship drama that became the year's word-of-mouth indie hit.
• A Big Bold Beautiful Journey — Kogonada's surreal romance about a man who can time-travel through photographs. Margot Robbie is luminous.

International — The World Beyond Hollywood

Some of 2025's best films came from outside the US. Here are the international standouts.

• The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Iran/Germany) — Mohammad Rasoulof's drama about a family torn apart by political repression. Won the Special Jury Prize at Cannes.
• I'm Still Here (Brazil) — Walter Salles's return to fiction filmmaking. A family drama set during the Brazilian dictatorship. Won the Jury Prize at Cannes.
• All We Imagine as Light (India) — Payal Kapadia's Mumbai-set drama about three women navigating love and work. Won the Grand Prix at Cannes.
• Emilia Pérez (France/Mexico) — Jacques Audiard's trans-cartel musical comedy-drama. Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Selena Gomez star. A Cannes sensation.
• How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (Thailand) — A family comedy-drama that became a sleeper hit across Asia. Pat Boonnitipat directs.

Documentaries — Real Stories, Extraordinary Films

2025 was a strong year for non-fiction. These documentaries informed, inspired, and challenged.

• The Encampments — Michael T. Workman and Kei Pritsker's documentary about student protests for Palestine. The year's most urgent documentary.
• Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere (Netflix) — Theroux explores the world of online misogyny. Essential viewing for understanding modern masculinity.
• Blurred Lines: The Lost Boys of TikTok — A deep dive into the algorithmic rabbit holes that radicalize young men online.
• The Remarkable Life of Ibelin — About a young man with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who lived a full life through World of Warcraft. Tears guaranteed.
• Will & Harper — Will Ferrell and his trans friend Harper go on a cross-country road trip. Funny, moving, and surprisingly profound.

Biggest Surprises & Most Disappointing

Every year has surprises and disappointments. Here is what caught us off guard in 2025.

Biggest Surprises:

• Obsession — A Blumhouse horror film with unknown leads became the highest-rated wide release of the year. Nobody saw that coming.
• The Sheep Detectives — A talking-animal comedy co-written by Craig Mazin scoring 94% on RT? Unexpected. Deserved? Absolutely.
• Companion — The twist was genuinely shocking in an era where most twists are telegraphed. Social media went wild.
• One Battle After Another — PTA making a 161-minute action-comedy-epic starring DiCaprio was a surprise. That it is also his most fun film was an even bigger one.