Recommendations of the Editorial team
2025 was a year that left film fans with a lot of questions: Did the success of “Sinners” prove that there is still a mass audience hungry for blockbuster-caliber original (read: non-IP) stories? Changes Ryan Coogler’s historic deal, the film rights in 25 years to give back to him, the way Hollywood treats creative talent? How would James Gunn’s reboot of Superman change the fate and future of the DC cinematic universe? What was the ideal format to watch One Battle After Another?
What would be the greater existential threat to the medium – the continued decline of the traditional cinematic experience or the introduction of the first AI “star”? Would “Hamnet” make you shed two or three liters of tears? Did Brad Pitt really drive those Formula 1 cars in “F1”? What the hell is a KPop Demon Hunter anyway?
It was also a really great year for great films, period. We had to sacrifice a number of favorites to whittle the following best of 2025 down to 20 films. And between the various film festival premieres, short Oscar-qualifying runs, streaming-only highlights, and a number of surprises, we could have easily doubled this list. (Deserve special mention: Blue Moon, F1, Is This Thing On?, One to One: John & Yoko, My Undesirable Friends, The President’s Cake, The Secret Agent, Sinners, Sirat and The Voice of Hind Rajab.)
Welcome to the best films of 2025
A number of notable auteurs reminded us why they deserve this title. Several newcomers released debut films that were so compelling that they cast the future of film in a brighter light. Not only did we receive one, but… two Background stories behind the creation of not one, but two very different masterpieces, centuries apart. For every big disappointment, there were two or three big swings that inspired audiences, sparked conversation and sparked hope in a way that wouldn’t have been possible outside of the cinema.
These 20 titles are not just the highlights of the last 12 months. They’re the ones we’ll likely return to year after year. From an epic tale of resistance to a personal reimagining of a gothic horror classic. Welcome to the best films of 2025.