The Best Movies of 2025
Like every year when it’s time to make this list, there are plenty of movies I still haven’t seen. As I write this, “Marty Supreme” is not out in theaters, and the press people at A24 have politely declined my many requests for a screener link. Still, I’ve done a decent job keeping up, and out of the 90 movies from 2025 that I’ve seen, these are the best.
10 - “Sorry, Baby” - My favorite part of the virtual Sundance Film Festival, which I’ll be participating in again next month, is discovering new voices. “Sorry, Baby” is the first film by writer/director/star Eva Victor, and it’s as impressive as any debut feature. The balancing act of tones in this funny and emotional film would be a challenge for any director, let alone a first-timer.
9 - “Train Dreams” - A phenomenal Joel Edgerton plays a man living a quiet life in the early 20th century who experiences heartbreaking tragedy and finds peace with his place in the world. This is a deeply moving film about being human, set amongst gorgeous landscapes of the American West.
8 - “Is This Thing On?” - Bradley Cooper is quickly becoming one of my favorite directors, and this is an exciting new lane for him. I was nervous when I heard he was making a movie about stand-up comedy, and I was relieved to learn this is really about marriage. It’s the most thoughtful exploration of long-term relationships I’ve seen in years.
7 - “It Was Just an Accident” - During the international press tour for this film, Iranian director Jafar Panahi was sentenced in absentia to one year in prison for “propaganda activities” against Iran’s government. They didn’t elaborate, but after watching this blistering indictment of the current regime, I’ve got a pretty good idea why. If you haven’t dipped your toe into the waters of international cinema before, this is a great place to start. It is electrifying filmmaking and storytelling.
6 - “Weapons” - There was a massive bidding war between studios when this script was shopped around, and it’s easy to see why. It’s an incredibly original horror/thriller with a terrific premise. One night every student in the same elementary school class woke up in the middle of the night, walked out their front doors, and were never seen again. How this town reacts and uncovers the mystery is an absolute blast.
5 - “Sentimental Value” - Norwegian writer/director Joachim Trier’s new movie is about an aging director who tries to reconnect with his estranged actress daughter by writing a new role just for her. It’s the best thing he’s written in decades, but she wants nothing to do with him. It’s a sweet, emotional, and funny movie with some of the best performances of the year.
4 - “Sinners” - The first time I saw this raunchy, violent, period piece vampire musical, there is a line of dialogue during the mid-credits scene that made a woman sitting in my aisle start audibly sobbing and say to her boyfriend “I can’t believe I’m crying at this movie!”
3 - “Wake Up Dead Man” - The third “Knives Out” movie is easily the best of the series. It’s somehow very funny while also being a thoughtful exploration of faith, wrapped up in a delightfully entertaining murder mystery.
2 - “28 Years Later” - This is the third film in a franchise about zombies, and the filmmakers decided to secretly make it an exploration of grief and loss. “28 Years Later” does for zombie movies what “Sinners” did for vampires - taking well-trodden subject matter and doing something completely new with it.
1 - “One Battle After Another” - This movie takes off like a rocket from the first moments and never lets up. I alienated family members, friends, and readers of this newspaper when I wouldn’t shut up about it for a month straight. It’s the funniest movie of the year, it’s action-packed, every actor is phenomenal, and the score and cinematography are next level. It’s not just my favorite movie of the year, it’s my favorite movie of the decade.
Honorable mentions -
“Eddington”
“Rebuilding”
“2000 Meters to Andriivka”
“A House of Dynamite”
“The Phoenician Scheme”
“No Other Choice”
“Secret Mall Apartment”
“Black Bag”
“Christy”
“Megadoc”
