The Best Movies of 2025

2025 felt like the movies woke up swinging. After years of uncertainty, we got bold originals, visionary blockbusters, and intimate gems that reminded everyone why the big screen matters. From PTA’s explosive return to present-day storytelling to vampire blues in the Jim Crow South and a ping-pong epic that nobody saw coming, this year delivered. Tough omissions – honorable mentions to Superman for reinventing the hero, 28 Years Later for zombie thrills done right, and Bugonia for that wild Yorgos energy. But these 10 hit hardest, by how often we thought about them weeks later.

One Battle After Another

Now Streaming

RT: 95% | Metacritic: 95

Paul Thomas Anderson’s blistering modern thriller dominated every critics’ poll. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a paranoid ex-revolutionary racing to save his daughter (Chase Infiniti) from Sean Penn’s ruthless character. Propulsive, timely, and packed with ideas about America today – a true cinematic masterpiece of 2025.

Marty Supreme

In Theaters

RT: 95% | Metacritic: 91

Josh Safdie directs Timothée Chalamet in this electric ping-pong drama. A breathless, funny, and heartbreaking rise-and-fall story that turns table tennis into high-stakes action. Chalamet delivers a career-best performance, making this one of the most rewatchable films of 2025.

Sinners

Streaming on HBO Max

RT: 97% | Metacritic: 84

Ryan Coogler’s vampire horror starring Michael B. Jordan explores twin brothers in the Jim Crow South. Haunting, soulful, and scary, with bluesy atmosphere and brutal stakes – a rare horror that lingers and resonates long after viewing.

The Secret Agent

In Theaters

RT: 98% | Metacritic: 92

Kleber Mendonça Filho’s political drama set in 1970s Brazil showcases Wagner Moura in a career-best role. Layered, surprising, and emotionally deep – one of the most talked-about international films of 2025.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

Netflix

RT: 92% | Metacritic: 80

Rian Johnson delivers the best Benoit Blanc yet. Twisty, hilarious, and surprisingly poignant, with a powerhouse ensemble led by Daniel Craig. A clever, engaging mystery for 2025 audiences.

Eddington

Now Streaming

RT: 69% | Metacritic: 65

Ari Aster’s neo-Western with Joaquin Phoenix – dusty, savage, and strangely funny. A rotten-core portrait of America that leaves a lasting impression.

Weapons

Now Streaming on HBO Max

RT: 93% | Metacritic: 81

Zach Cregger follows *Barbarian* with interconnected horror tales that go full nightmare. Julia Garner and Josh Brolin anchor a terrifying, disturbing ride – one of 2025’s scariest films.

Black Bag

Now Streaming

RT: 96% | Metacritic: 85

Steven Soderbergh’s spy thriller features Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender as married agents suspecting each other. Sleek, witty, and tense – proof that grown-up thrillers still dominate in 2025.

Avatar: Fire and Ash

In Theaters

RT: 67% | Metacritic: 61

James Cameron delivers a spectacle with bigger emotions, wilder action, and immersive Pandora visuals. Not revolutionary, but a blockbuster experience in 2025.