Top 10 Movies of 2025
2025 was another incredible year for cinema, full of unforgettable theatrical experiences and plenty of films I haven’t watched yet. Some instantly felt destined for this list, while others grew on me over time.
Despite the growing pull away from theatres, these movies give me hope that the medium can balance rich themes and character driven stories with creativity and bold spectacle.
These are my favourite films of 2025.
Honourable Mentions
Predator: Badlands
Peak sci-fi action filmmaking and an odd couple adventure full of levity. Props for making me empathize with a tendril-faced alien reptile.
Spectacle, lore, and great characters. Despite familiar story beats, this is a grand and visually striking epic that must be seen in IMAX 3D.
An intriguing horror thriller with absurdist comedy sprinkled on top. Wholly unique in tone, style, and structure, even if the themes feel undercooked.
Thunderbolts
A thematically resonant and heartfelt exploration of loneliness and depression. Not your typical Marvel movie, this is focused on character rather than spectacle.
10) Superman
Superman is one of my favourite fictional characters, and while each iteration has highlighted different facets of who he is, none have captured his essence like James Gunn does here.
Even with a critical lens, this movie keeps growing on me with each viewing. Superman is more vulnerable than ever, the humour doesn’t always land, and a surplus of supporting characters can dilute the narrative focus. Still, none of that overshadows Gunn’s moving direction or the wholesomeness David Corenswet brings to the role.
His righteous optimism is exactly what we need right now and it’s precisely what the character represents. This Superman is not stoic, dark, or cynical but the embodiment of kindness, compassion, and hope. Gunn succeeds by grounding that goodness in truth and justice, boldly confronting evil regardless of the consequences.
8/10 - Gunn understands Superman and shows that earnest optimism holds weight in modern blockbuster cinema.
9) Mickey 17
Mickey 17 is full of surprises and infectiously entertaining. Bong Joon Ho weaves this satirical narrative into a darkly comedic and unpredictable sci-fi allegory. Enigmatic, hilarious, and utterly absurd, the film poses sharp philosophical questions with Bong’s signature nuance.
This is a biting critique of late-stage capitalism, scientific ethics, and the commodification of human life. Though in your face, these themes are presented not with self-seriousness, but a playful mischief that entertains while still provoking thought.
Robert Pattinson and Mark Ruffalo give intentionally over-the-top performances that are endlessly fun to watch. Mickey 17 came out early in the year, so it’s fighting against the recency bias, but I hope it gets the recognition it deserves.
8/10 - Not as masterful as Parasite, but Bong Joon Ho proves his genius. Sharp societal insight doesn’t need to be solemn, and absurdity can be just piercing.
8) Universal Language
Universal Language is a nostalgic treat that resonates with me as a Winnipeger with Iranian ancestry. Even without that personal connection, it’s a beautiful, endearing, and amusing tale for anyone estranged from their childhood hometown.
The characters are quirky, the situations ridiculous, and the setting surreal, making this unlike anything I’ve seen before. The film moves like a hypnotic trudge through knee-deep snow. Contemplative and quietly profound, it slows down just enough to impart the neighbourly interconnectedness it celebrates.
If you know this city, speak Farsi, or have even a tangential connection to Iranian culture, this is an absolute must-watch. A love letter to both cultures, Universal Language is a testament to how tenderness and human connection can overcome even the bitterest cold.
8.5/10 - A beautifully unique film whose pervasive emotional impact extends far beyond its personal appeal.
- Click here for the full review -
7) F1: The Movie
Joseph Kosinski delivers some of the most intense, adrenaline-filled racing ever put on screen. Using actors in real cars, exhilarating sound design, and insane camera angles, F1 delivers mesmerizing spectacle without relying on computer graphics.
It doesn’t stop at nail-biting action. F1 is an uplifting underdog story that gives shine to even the most minor characters. It’s rare to see, but every member of the team feels critical and worthy of their own moments of glory.
Surprisingly wholesome and unashamedly positive (maybe too much for some), this lack of cynicism is a refreshing throwback to a simpler time. As much as I applaud social commentary, sometimes I want to get swept up in a story and forget about the world. F1 does that, with authenticity and catharsis.
8.5/10 - An audio-visual thrill ride that is as triumphant as it is wholesome and optimistic. I own this on 4K Blu-ray, but no home setup can replicate how striking it was in IMAX.
6) Train Dreams
Train Dreams is the most visually striking film of the year. A mesmerizing fable of moments connected not by plot, but emotion, showing that cinema doesn’t need to be propulsive to be profound.
Joel Edgerton gives a career-best performance, full of subtlety, heart, and empathy. The film is not an easy watch, at times being deeply heartbreaking but not exploitative. Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley, who also made Sing Sing (one of my favourites of 2024) present this portrait of joy and loss with a delicate sweetness.
Train Dreams shows how guilt, grief, and small echoes of goodness can remain long after everything else fades. It’s hypnotic and heartbreaking but guides you tenderly through its slow-sburning and emotional story.
8.5/10 - Every frame of this is worthy of an art museum. Watch it now on Netflix!
5) Marty Supreme
A stressful, chaotic, and anxiety-inducing sprint, Marty Supreme disguises a surprisingly heartfelt character study as a screwball con-artist film and underdog sports drama.
Relentlessly propulsive, it’s non-stop once it gets going. The immersive 1950s New York production design is contrasted with a phenomenal 80s inspired soundtrack, while the Safdies’ claustrophobic cinematography grabs you by the collar and drags you through the frenetic madness.
Marty Mauser is loathsome, smug, and brazenly self-centred, but his charm is magnetic. Without Timothée Chalamet’s charismatic performance this wouldn’t work. He carries the film and the emotional turn right before the credits hit especially hard for me as a soon-to-be father.
9/10 - An exhilarating blend of genres that thrives on its chaos. Chalamet steals the show and will likely take home several awards.
- Click here for the full review -
4) Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Wake Up Dead Man is the most thematically cohesive film of the year, exploring faith, scepticism, greed, and compassion with remarkable balance. It could’ve easily been a one-sided critique of religion, but Rian Johnson utilizes this ensemble cast to explore the subject with nuance and respect.
Every performance is excellent, but Josh O’Connor stands out as a conflicted, and compassionate priest. While Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc returns as the same charming but staunch sceptic. This time Blanc feels less detached to the story, going through his own growth and self-reflection.
Possibly the best of the series. Though not as fresh as the original, Wake Up Dead Man captures the magic of Knives Out while delivering it’s social commentary more effectively than Glass Onion.
9/10 - A top-tier whodunnit that’s brilliantly crafted, beautifully shot, and ardently balanced in its dialogue about faith.
3) One Battle After Another
One Battle After Another continuing to grow more politically relevant by the day is as impressive as it is unsettling. The story is heavy but palatable, juggling politics, comedy, and heart with ease. Though lighthearted at times, it is no less piercing in its resonance.
The acting is among the year’s best. Leonardo DiCaprio and Chase Infiniti are incredible but both are outdone by Sean Penn’s pathetically desperate yet terrifyingly unhinged performance as Colonel Lockjaw.
The filmmaking is meticulous throughout, building to a climax that ties everything together with a tense and unforgettable conclusion. That last sequence is a masterclass in building anticipation and the image of those rolling hills will be remembered as an iconic moment in cinematic history.
9/10 - A father-daughter political thriller that hit hard for me on a personal level. Special for its relevance, but worthy based on filmmaking alone.
2) 28 Years Later
Danny Boyle and Alex Garland return to this series by transcending the genre tropes they established 20 years ago. Deeply philosophical and unexpectedly sentimental, this is not your typical zombie film.
The contrast of macabre violence with sublime tenderness should be jarring, yet Boyle navigates it with a confident synergy. I rarely cry in the theatre but this had me in tears on more than one occasion.
28 Years is the antithesis of the bland and safe direction in most blockbuster movies. Shockingly this was shot mainly using an iPhone 15 Pro Max. It is full of frantic and unconventional cinematography but makes a point to slow down and smooth its edges for the touching moments of genuine emotion.
9/10 - One of the best zombie films ever made. 28 Years Later is an abstract sculpture fused with a Renaissance painting, and it works because of that contrast.
1) Sinners
Ryan Coogler finally unleashes his visionary potential with an original story of his own, and the results are astounding. Sinners defies genre. It’s a thought-provoking period drama and a thrilling action horror film all at once.
Bridging these genres is a captivating midpoint sequence exploring the supernatural power of music. It is utterly transcendent and Ludwig Goransson’s score is otherworldly, making this scene the most breathtaking of the film, if not the whole year.
Beyond Michael B. Jordan’s great dual performances and the phenomenal music, this film’s final act elevates it to true excellence. Bringing everything together within a sharp and deeply cathartic exclamation point that had me beaming.
Coogler proves himself to be a master, telling deeply layered stories that are meticulously crafted, fearlessly authentic, and full of soul.
9/10 - This is exactly what modern cinema has been missing: bold, original, and imaginatively crafted stories that can only come alive on the big screen. Sinners is easily my favourite of the year!
Well, there’s my list. If you agree, disagree, or have a list of your own, please share in the comments below.
As always I missed several films this year (Hamnet, Bugonia, Sentimental Value, If I Had Legs I Would Kick You, and more) and I’m sure many others slipped past my radar. So I’d love any suggestions for my watchlist.
2025 was a remarkable year for cinema, balancing blockbuster spectacle with deeply personal storytelling. If this list is any indication, 2026 has a lot to live up to and look forward to.
——-
Final Ranking of My Top 10 Movies of 2025!
Sinners
28 Years Later
One Battle After Another
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Marty Supreme
Train Dreams
F1: The Movie
Universal Language
Mickey 17
Superman
2025 was a busy year for cinema, full of unforgettable theatrical experiences and deeply personal films. Here are my Top 10 favourite films of the year!