
As we start to close the book on 2025, it’s time to look back at the 25 best movies of the year!
2025 saw new films from acclaimed filmmakers like Paul Thomas Anderson (‘One Battle After Another‘) and Ryan Coogler (‘Sinners‘), animated hits like ‘Kpop: Demon Hunters‘ and ‘Zootopia 2‘, scary movies such as ‘Weapons‘, long-awaited sequels like ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash‘ and ‘Wicked: For Good‘, reimagined superhero movies such as ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ and James Gunn‘s ‘Superman‘, and awards contenders like ‘Marty Supreme‘ and ‘Hamnet‘.
pIAc3CyjkTkLx27o3pgJ87With the year quickly coming to a close, Moviefone has assembled its list of the 25 best movies of 2025.
Let’s begin and Happy New Year!
Related Article: 24 Best Movies of 2024, Ranked!
25. ‘Rosemead‘

From director Eric Lin, in a race against time, an ailing woman (Lucy Liu) discovers her teenage son’s (Lawrence Shou) violent obsessions and must go to great lengths to protect him, and possibly others, in this portrait of a Chinese American family. Inspired by true events.
xvAm1g29CKjjlS025b85z224. ‘Christy‘

From director David Michôd, Christy Martin (Sydney Sweeney) never imagined life beyond her small-town roots in West Virginia—until she discovered a knack for punching people. Fueled by grit, raw determination, and an unshakable desire to win, she charges into the world of boxing under the guidance of her trainer and manager-turned-husband, Jim (Ben Foster). But while Christy flaunts a fiery persona in the ring, her toughest battles unfold outside it—confronting family, identity, and a relationship that just might become life-or-death.
z1lQ7f330vbgvGB5rGf7j723. ‘Sentimental Value‘

From director Joachim Trier, sisters Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) reunite with their estranged father, the charismatic Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård), a once-renowned director who offers stage actress Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. When Nora turns it down, she soon discovers he has given her part to an eager young Hollywood star (Elle Fanning).
SO4o5XBnKgqinZKwG76S0722. ‘Roofman‘

From director Derek Cianfrance, a former Army Ranger and struggling father (Channing Tatum) turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname ‘Roofman’. After escaping prison, he secretly lives inside a Toys “R” Us for six months, surviving undetected while planning his next move. But when he falls for a divorced mom (Kristen Dunst) drawn to his undeniable charm, his double life begins to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat and mouse as his past closes in.
yoa2uNYfBCRhyxhyYwjYK521. ‘Bugonia‘

From director Yorgos Lanthimos, two conspiracy obsessed young (Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis) men kidnap the high-powered CEO (Emma Stone) of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.
B736ECIsf39YWGSbt5wPo20. ‘The Monkey‘

From director Osgood Perkins, when twin brothers (both played by Theo James) find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy.
ZVqbEOo5rDrkRNV1FGJgg719. ‘Highest 2 Lowest‘

From director Spike Lee, when a titan music mogul (Denzel Washington), widely known as having the “best ears in the business”, is targeted with a ransom plot, he is jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma.
nkH6neWwXbdbElkwRo3l9318. ‘Dead Man’s Wire‘

From director Gus Van Sant, set in 1977 and based on a true story, Tony Kiritsis (Bill Skarsgård), a former real estate developer puts a dead man’s switch on himself and the mortgage banker (Dacre Montgomery) who did him wrong, demanding $5 million and a personal apology.
GemVhTMzE9xOk0HqVVETS117. ‘Predator: Badlands‘

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, cast out from his clan, a young Predator (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) finds an unlikely ally in a damaged android (Elle Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
o6vQXKWvq6T8UYAzN0mSj116. ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery‘

From director Rian Johnson, when young priest Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) is sent to assist charismatic firebrand Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), it’s clear that all is not well in the pews. After a sudden and seemingly impossible murder rocks the town, the lack of an obvious suspect prompts local police chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis) to join forces with renowned detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) to unravel a mystery that defies all logic.
R0AjYvLafG2Cfqpt5hXR8415. ‘Is This Thing On?‘

From director Bradley Cooper, as their marriage quietly unravels, Alex (Will Arnett) faces middle age and an impending divorce, seeking new purpose in the New York comedy scene while Tess (Laura Dern) confronts the sacrifices she made for their family—forcing them to navigate co-parenting, identity, and whether love can take a new form.
w9duG7Y01XD1jXlS4iVup614. ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash‘

From director James Cameron, in the wake of the devastating war against the RDA and the loss of their eldest son, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) face a new threat on Pandora: the Ash People, a violent and power-hungry Na’vi tribe led by the ruthless Varang (Oona Chaplin). Jake’s family must fight for their survival and the future of Pandora in a conflict that pushes them to their emotional and physical limits.
FWuSGLyAAvtzTcYFpQsOf613. ‘Superman‘ (2025)

From director James Gunn, Superman (David Corenswet), a journalist in Metropolis, embarks on a journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent.
OT00arSyAacXCGscjvNND412. ‘Frankenstein‘ (2025)

From director Guillermo del Toro, Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), a brilliant but egotistical scientist, brings a creature (Jacob Elordi) to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.
QxzVykwNDsq2keHKXNG5A511. ‘Ballad of a Small Player‘

From director Edward Berger, amid the glittering casinos of Macau, a gambler (Colin Farrell) running from his past — and his debts — becomes fascinated by an enigmatic woman at the baccarat table.
U6xLCVXkVDEvL6JlH6mpD210. ‘Eddington‘

From director Ari Aster, in May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff (Joaquin Phenix) and mayor (Pedro Pascal) sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico.
8HI0SMSnFgbmajjfh7jWH39. ‘Caught Stealing‘

From director Darren Aronofsky, burned-out ex-baseball player Hank Thompson (Austin Butler) unexpectedly finds himself embroiled in a dangerous struggle for survival amidst the criminal underbelly of late 1990s New York City, forced to navigate a treacherous underworld he never imagined.
2oCIRl00rIbchiGl75kai78. ‘Jay Kelly‘

From director Noah Baumbach, famous movie actor Jay Kelly (George Clooney) embarks on a journey of self-discovery, confronting both his past and present, accompanied by his devoted manager, Ron (Adam Sandler).
Pe5HPDw575nGckx5v0bM657. ‘Black Bag‘

From director Steven Soderbergh, ‘Black Bag’ is a gripping spy drama about legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) and his beloved wife Kathryn (Cate Blanchett). When she is suspected of betraying the nation, George faces the ultimate test – loyalty to his marriage or his country.
OiCJgRdzm4ogYvxRINmy976. ‘The Phoenician Scheme‘

From director Wes Anderson, the film tells the story of a family and a family business starring Benicio del Toro.
840FXz1A16r7w6COVuUvH5. ‘F1‘

From director Joseph Kosinski, racing legend Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) is coaxed out of retirement to lead a struggling Formula 1 team—and mentor a young hotshot driver (Damson Idris), while chasing one more chance at glory.
CyMVLBZ0nDc1R50XgbSKa44. ‘Weapons‘

From director Zach Cregger, when all but one child (Cary Christopher) from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
xtEXVsof6Y9PmpmI1phg343. ‘Marty Supreme‘

From director Josh Safdie, in 1950s New York, Marty Mauser, (Timothée Chalamet) a young man with a dream no one respects, goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness.
RwNquYXbAGoW8nTlpSIS172. ‘Sinners‘

From director Ryan Coogler, trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers (Michael B. Jordan) return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
CKADSUBv2bw7WoJvzJ6pa41. ‘One Battle After Another‘

From director Paul Thomas Anderson, washed-up revolutionary Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio) exists in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited, self-reliant daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti). When his evil nemesis (Sean Penn) resurfaces after 16 years and she goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her, father and daughter both battling the consequences of his past.
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