2025 is officially over, and with it comes time for everyone to put together their list of favorite things from the past year. For the world of movies, there were tons of incredible films to pick from, so with that being said, let’s take a look at what the best movies of 2025 have to offer.

Before we get to the top 10 for 2025, there are some honorable mentions that didn’t make the list but still deserve a shoutout for being one of the very best of the year. Carson Lund’s Eephus is an amazing look at friendship, life, and memories through the lens of a rec league baseball team. Guillermo del Toro‘s Frankenstein is an epic film that captures the legendary director’s vision of a classic, misunderstood monster.

Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident takes a simple question of morality and elevates it into an incredible, tense watch with a final 20 minutes that I still think about. Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Cloud is an unpredictable, slow-burning classic that puts a modern spin on the thriller genre, Ari Aster’s Eddington is a perfect takedown of community in the social media age, and Eva Victor’s Sorry, Baby is a simultaneously devastating yet heartwarming look at healing and growth.

With all that out of the way, here’s my top 10 movie list for 2025.

10. Sentimental Value

Joachim Trier and Renate Reinsve have become close collaborators over the years, and are back yet again with another incredible movie. Similar to 2021’s The Worst Person in the World, Sentimental Value explores loneliness in adulthood, but also dives into topics that you don’t often see approached so well anymore, including familial trauma, depression, and more. Resinve is excellent here, but it’s Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, who plays Reinsve’s sister in the film, that really steals the show.

9. Friendship

Tim Robinson has mastered the art of uncomfortable comedy and continues to take it another level in his first big starring role in a movie. While Friendship features tons of insane moments, at its core it’s about trying to find friends, and the absurd lengths some might go to maintain a friendship they value too much. Robinson’s comedic stylings are extremely hit-or-miss for everyone, but to me this is the funniest movie of the year, and features one of the biggest standout moments of the year between Robinson and Conner O’Malley in that garage.

8. 28 Years Later

2025 was a standout year for the horror genre, and featured a variety of original films getting massive praise. Most surprising to me, though, was the fact that director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland came back to the “28” franchise and seemed to not miss a beat. 28 Years Later is not only one of the best follow-ups to a horror film of all time, but also one of the most dynamically filmed horror movies in some time. Equal parts terrifying, action-packed, emotional, and flat-out fun to watch, all while still exploring themes of loneliness, being stuck in time, and how far you’ll go for love.

7. Sinners

It would feel a bit wrong to do a top 10 list and not include Sinners on here. Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan come together again to make what might be their best movie yet. A big fan of horror, Coogler does what so many other great directors have done and uses the genre to say a whole lot. An instant classic in the vampire genre, Sinners manages to not only produce a worthwhile horror movie but also deliver an incredible film about culture, assimilation, faith, brotherhood, and much more. Jordan’s dual performance as the Smokestack Twins is deserving of all the praise, but its newcomer Miles Caton’s Sammie that is the heart and soul of the movie.

6. Bring Her Back

There’s a theme with this list, and as noted a few back, 2025 was simply too good of a year for horror. In 2022, directors and brothers Danny and Michael Philippou burst out of the world of YouTube and onto the movie scene with Talk to Me, a brutal horror movie all about grief and loss. Their follow-up, Bring Her Back, explores the same themes but in even more horrific ways. While divisive to some, Bring Her Back captures all the best parts of horror for me: genuine scary tension, brutal moments, and a heart underneath it all. Sally Hawkins’ performance as a mother trying to bring back her daughter is one of the best performances in all of 2025.

5. Weapons

Seriously, what a year for horror! Similar to Jordan Peele, Zach Cregger is a director that was mainly known for his work in comedy (as a member of The Whitest Kids U’ Know) before delivering a horror classic. His 2022 film Barbarian was the surprise hit of that year, and his 2025 follow-up, Weapons, was already one of the most anticipated movies before it even released. Thankfully, Cregger lived up to the hype and more.

Weapons features some scary moments; where it really delivers is how it breaks down the slow and steady breakdown of a community after a big tragedy. Drawing some obvious inspiration from movies like Magnolia and Prisoners, Cregger somehow manages to keep this movie funny while being scary and tense at the same time. Combine that with incredible performances by Julia Garner and Amy Madigan (who will soon be heavily award-nominated), you have what many consider to be one of the best horror movies of 2025.

4. Bugonia

At face value, a movie about two conspiracy-obsessed men who kidnap the CEO of a major pharmaceutical company because they believe she is an alien sounds wild as it stands. Somehow director Yorgos Lanthimos manages to ratchet that up even more. Based on the 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet!, Lanthimos’ remake manages to keep both flat-out insane moments while also exploring modern-day conspiracy theories expertly.

Bugonia, wild plot aside also features what might be some of Emma Stone’s best performances yet alongside Jesse Plemons’. The way this pair plays off each other combined with Aidan Delbis’ surprisingly excellent performance (who plays Plemons’ cousin) makes for one of this year’s most outrageous films.

3. No Other Choice

Park Chan-wook, known for delivering some classic thrillers like Oldboy, Lady Vengeance, and The Handmaiden, takes on another genre with No Other Choice. The film tells the story of Lee Byung-hun’s character who was recently laid off; he spirals into desperate decisions trying to find work for his family.

This movie may seem like workplace soap opera on its face; however much like Byung-hun’s character Man-Su shows us—there’s much more sinister core here as it becomes an excellent satire on capitalism and unemployment.

2. One Battle After Another

The most anticipated movie this year has been Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another , which lives up to all its hype! This film tackles revolution racism while showcasing family bonds amidst hopelessness—anchored by some exhilarating performances throughout.

The cast gives their all here; DiCaprio’s Bob Ferguson serves as our protagonist—a well-intentioned guy who struggles with doing anything right while Teyana Taylor steals scenes as revolutionary Perfidia Beverly Hills; Chase Infiniti shines as her daughter Willa Ferguson too! Sean Penn’s Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw along with Benicio del Toro’s Sergio St. Carlos both steal scenes for very different reasons!

1. Marty Supreme

Marty Supreme would likely come away from award season as big winner; however personally I found this film reigns above all else this year! It depicts unapologetic ambition—even if it means being unlikable towards others around you! Movies today rarely feature leads who are completely unlikable yet still captivating!

The kinetic filmmaking style from Josh Safdie showcases genuine surprises throughout its action-packed final act filled with great performances across board—anchored by Timothée Chalamet’s incredible portrayal! After his SAG Awards comments earlier this year about chasing greatness—Chalamet perfectly channels desperation into character striving greatness at any cost—even if house cards built around him are bound fall!