2025 was genuinely a great year for movies. While 2024 felt like a draught at times, 2025 had an abundance of mainstream and indie movies that really hit for me. It’s the same way I felt about 2022 and 2023. This means I’ve been dragging my heels to determine my Top Ten for the year.

For me personally, 2025 was defined as a year of change. I quit a job that had grown stagnant and moved out of an apartment I had been in since I moved to LA. Through the big decisions and change, one of the few anchors that kept me steady were movies. Nicole Kidman isn’t wrong: We come to movies to laugh, to cry, and to care because we need that (better yet, I need that). In October, I lost a grandparent. When I came back from the funeral, I went to see a film and it gave me the space to cry and start to heal a little. I firmly believe movies are a type of therapy. 

So in a stacked year of movies while the industry is on the precipice of collapse due to greedy mergers and the decay of the theater experience, it is vital for me to celebrate the movies that made this year worth while. Plus, it’s hard for me to look ahead to 2026’s slate before tying a bow on 2025.

While my incredible peers at Offscreen Central and the awards pundit space have impeccable taste, I’m quick to tell others that I do not. Maybe it’s a self-preservation thing, or maybe it’s because my taste doesn’t always line up with my peers. For instance, One Battle After Another and Frankenstein, two movies I really enjoyed, did not make the cut. Astounding films from directors I respect, but when I think back on my year, these aren’t the films that stayed with me the same way these other movies did. Other honorable mentions include Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag, Laura Piani’s Jane Austen Wrecked My Life, James Gunn’s Superman, and Dougal Wilson’s Paddington in Peru. 

With those disclaimers out of the way, here are my Top Ten films of 2025.

10. Thunderbolts* (Dir. Jake Schreier)

We may be past the prime of peak MCU, but Thunderbolts* was the movie that sparked that excitement back for me. Director Jake Schreier packaged a poignant movie about mental health under the guise of a superhero team-up of losers. The humor, the action, and the stakes come together in a way that recent Marvel movies have missed. Florence Pugh and Lewis Pullman, in particular, brought an emotional depth in their authentic portrayal of depression. While The Fantastic Four: First Steps worked as a retro-futuristic adventure about family, Thunderbolts* is the one that leans into the messiness of found family and reminds us that we don’t have to fight these battles alone. 

9. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (Dir. Rian Johnson)

I don’t think we appreciate Rian Johnson’s intellect and creativity enough. Wake Up Dead Man is Johnson’s third Benoit Blanc whodunit, and it feels as fresh and unique as Knives Out and Glass Onion. Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc investigates the baffling murder of a Catholic priest, and his loyal congregation are the primary suspects. Made up of a brilliant ensemble, the heart of the movie lies with Josh O’Connor’s sincere performance as Jud Duplenticy. Mixing humor with commentary on modern religion, Wake Up Dead Man is a revelation. Plus, it’s a fun time that continues to reward itself on subsequent viewings. I’m sure many are ready for Johnson to move on and make another type of genre movie. For me personally, as long as Craig is game, they can make as many Benoit Blanc mysteries as they want because each of them have been that good.

8. Sinners (Dir. Ryan Coogler)

I’m not a horror fan because, frankly, I am a wimp. And yet, here we are. Sinners is undeniable. From the original script to the electric ensemble to Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s cinematography to Ludwig Göransson’s layered score to Ruth E. Carter’s costumes, Ryan Coogler made a masterpiece full stop. Michael B. Jordan gives one of the best performances of his career through two identical twins with their own unique personalities and character arcs. Miles Canton is a revelation, Delroy Lindo is exceptional, and Wunmi Mosaku is truly phenomenal. One of the best scenes I saw in a theater in 2025 was the “I Lied to You” one-shot sequence, blending the past and the future together through music. Coogler hasit the way Christopher Nolan does. I’m worried that Hollywood is going to keep taking the wrong lessons from original blockbuster movies like Sinners and Barbie, both distributed by Warner Bros., but if it means Coogler keeps getting blank checks to make films on this caliber, then it’s money well-spent.

7. The Phoenician Scheme (Dir. Wes Anderson)

Wes Anderson is my favorite director, so it should be of no shock that The Phoenician Scheme is here. Anderson’s latest film marks a return to his roots as he explores the reconciliation between a ruthless tycoon, Benicio del Toro, and his estranged religious daughter, Mia Threapleton. Filled out with his usual troupe of actors, meticulous cinematography by Bruno Delbonnel, and an immersive production design by Adam Stockhausen, The Phoenician Scheme balances Anderson’s staple whimsy with a surprising amount of heart. Not to mention, Michael Cera gives one of the best supporting performances of the year as Bjørn; I’ve been waiting for years for Cera to join this world, and he slots perfectly into the Anderson cinematic universe. In a just world, he would be in the conversation for Best Supporting Actor.

6. Materialists (Dir. Celine Song)

Following up Past Lives is a tall order, but Celine Song rose to the occasion with Materialists. Song presents an honest reflection of modern dating through the lens of a matchmaker in New York City. Love triangles are one of my least favorite tropes, yet here, the central love triangle didn’t try to tear each other down. There is a legitimate case for both John and Harry, which is thanks to a script that is a mature look at the decisions we make for love. Dakota Johnson’s Lucy is a treats dating like a business investment. Pedro Pascal’s Harry makes her feel valuable, while Chris Evans’ John is the one that makes love easy for her. Evans, as well as Louisa Jacobson, give fantastic supporting performances that deserve more recognition. With strong direction from Song and a surprising yet memorable score from Daniel Pemberton, Materialists is a reminder to audiences the value romance has to cinema, and it deserves your respect.

5. F1: The Movie (Dir. Joseph Kosinski)

F1 was my biggest surprise of 2025. I loved Joseph Kosinski’s Top Gun: Maverick and expected similar beats in the movie (which happened). I figured I would like it fine, but I was not prepared to immerse myself in the Formula One world like this. Thanks to Claudio Miranda, I felt like I was racing with Brad Pitt and Damson Idris. Thanks to Hans Zimmer’s propulsive score, the pace kept moving to where you never felt the over 2.5 hour runtime. Thanks to the performances of Pitt, Idris, and Javier Bardem, this sports movie never felt formulaic, even when Bardem practically repeated the Top Gun: Maverick line “It’s not the plane, it’s the pilot.” If there’s a case for blockbusters that deserve to be seen in a theater, F1 is what I’m pointing to.

4. The Ballad of Wallis Island (Dir. James Griffiths)

For most of 2025, this was my favorite movie of the year, and it wasn’t even close. The Ballad of Wallis Island is the most heartfelt, hilarious film I had seen in a while. First a short film, The Ballad of Wallis Island stars Tom Basden and Carey Mulligan, former partners in a folk band, who reunite on a remote island to perform for a wealthy fan. Tim Key is comedic gold as Charles Heath, the fan who won the lottery twice, as he tries to contain his excitement around his idols; meanwhile Herb and Nell attempt to work together again and heal the past, even if it means they don’t stay together. Music has a way of healing, and the folk music at the center bond these three people who were drifting alone. The Ballad of Wallis Island hit me in the heart in all the best ways and set the bar high for the remainder of the year.

3. Train Dreams (Dir. Clint Bentley)

Train Dreams is one of the rare films this year that was an immediate five stars for me. Arguably the best cinematography of the year from Adolpho Veloso, Train Dreams is a touching period film about the life of Robert Grainer, played by Joel Edgerton who gives a subtle yet powerful performance. Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar took a novella about an ordinary man and transformed it into this movie that makes the unremarkable grand. The majority of us don’t lead exciting lives — our lives that mirror Robert’s; and Train Dreams is an intimate reflection of how these small moments, even the big ones marked by tragedy, weave together a life. The final montage as Robert flies in the sky, as moments of his life flash while Bryce Dessner’s incredible score swells, is hands down of one the most moving cinematic moments for me. “Beautiful, ain’t it?”

2. Eternity (Dir. David Freyne)

To quote Ted Lasso, I believe in rom-communism. The rom-com that beat out Materialists and Jane Austen Wrecked My Life for me is Eternity. Another love triangle found in the afterlife when Joan reunites with both of her husbands, Larry and Luke. Like Materialists, the central love triangle respects each of them. Callum Turner is charming and suave, while Miles Teller is humorous yet romantic. Elizabeth Olsen conveys the weight of choosing who to spend her afterlife with through a witty yet emotional performance. Supported by Da’Vine Joy Randolph and John Early, this A24 film balances its romance and comedy, while being sentimental and lovely. On a personal note, the reason why it ranks so high for me is because this was the movie I watched after I came back from my grandpa’s funeral. Larry and Joan had been married for 65 years, a similar length as my grandparents. This movie reminded me of their love, and the film’s ending left me in a puddle of tears. Eternity is a testament to the endurance of a steady kind of love. “Love isn’t just one happy moment, right? It’s a million.”

1. Hamnet (Dir. Chloé Zhao)

Hamnet is an ode to vulnerable, intimate filmmaking. As a lifelong Eternals defender, I have been waiting for Chloé Zhao’s next film and it’s a genuine masterpiece. With the backing of Steven Spielberg, Zhao unfolds the backstory of one of William Shakespeare’s most celebrated tragedy — the death of a child. From his grief, William, played by Paul Mescal, took his pain and turned it into art as a way to keep his son alive. Jessie Buckley as Agnes Hathaway gives the performance of the year — a raw, unflinching portrayal of a mother as her worst fear is realized. Emily Watson, Jacobi Jupe, and Olivia Lynes are also remarkable. For as tragic and devastating as the subject matter is, the final 20 minutes pieced me back together in a profound ending at the Globe, which is punctuated by exceptional cinematography from Łukasz Żal and a haunting score by Max Richter. Hamnet is a moving piece of art that stands tall in a forest of great movies of the year.