The Top 10 Best 2025 Movies, Ranked

The period between Christmas and New Years is always a great time to look back on the year that’s passed and reflect on all of the good that’s happened in the entertainment space. Despite what the box office may have you believing, what with films like A Minecraft Movie and Jurassic World Rebirth topping the charts, 2025 was actually a pretty fun year for the movie business, even if you had to look a little beneath the surface to find the good stuff.

Today, we’re looking back on the best 2025 movies that the year had to offer. We’ll be covering all sorts of genres, drama, horror, action, and even some superhero appearances, despite the downward slope that that genre seems to be experiencing as of late. We won’t be including any spoilers for these films, so feel free to read ahead, and check out some of our picks for yourself! Each and every one of these movies are worth a watch in my book! So, without further ado, let’s dive into the list!

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10. The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Image by Marvel Studios

Kicking off our list is perhaps one of the least controversial movies to be released by Marvel this decade, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, a movie that I loved to a surprising degree. In an era of Marvel where the studio seems to be only looking backwards, relying on nostalgia and fanservice to make any impact on its fanbase, First Steps was a movie that proved that Marvel can still pull off an incredible superhero movie with a cast of entirely new characters, even if that means sticking like glue to a long-established formula.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a very formulaic superhero movie, and if the genre isn’t usually your thing, this movie won’t change your opinion on it. However, if you do like superhero movies, I can’t think of any major complaints you could have with this film. The stakes are high, the emotions hit hard, and the action is thrilling, as The Fantastic Four: First Steps proves itself to be not only the best Marvel movie in years, but the best depiction of Marvel’s First Family that I’ve ever seen. The film also sets up the team’s presence in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday, making it essential viewing for MCU fans, so don’t miss out!

Check out our full review of The Fantastic Four: First Steps here.

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9. Frankenstein

Image by Netflix

If there’s one thing that this current era of horror loves to do, it’s revive Universal Monsters. With Nosferatu behind us, and Werwulf ahead of us, 2025 found its footing in the monster genre with Frankenstein, the latest masterclass in filmmaking from Guillermo del Toro. There’s a lot to love about this movie, but in particular, I need to highlight how beautiful Frankenstein’s visuals are. The design of the monster himself took some time to grow on me, but the set pieces, the environments, Mia Goth’s wardrobe! All of it is flawless from top to bottom, and sometimes overshadows the actual story being told, though that story itself is no pushover.

Compared to the multiple other times we’ve seen Frankenstein be brought to the big screen, del Toro’s take is easily the most emotionally resonant, and bears the closest resemblance to the source material from 1818. Some liberties are taken with Shelley’s story here and there, and some of those liberties do undercut just how powerful the novel was, but overall, this is an adaptation of Frankenstein that’s bound to win over most viewers. If nothing else, make sure you watch this film just to be swept away by the awe-inspiring visuals, and to be blown away by Jacob Elordi, who proves his career is going places well beyond Euphoria. When it comes to awards season, I think this film has those categories in the bag.

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8. No Other Choice

Image by CJ Entertainment

No Other Choice is a movie that I have a hard time talking about, mainly because it’s so undeniably bizarre and outlandish that I can’t exactly recommend it to people, but it also possesses an undeniable magic that makes it stand out as one of the best 2025 movies on offer. On the one hand, this is easily one of Park Chan-wook’s most accessible and easy to follow movies, which gives it a sense of mass appeal. On the other hand, I think a lot of people may brush No Other Choice off as unnecessarily eccentric, and quit the film before it can really get going.

While I can’t speak to how well this movie may go over when it releases worldwide in early 2026, it worked for me for sure, and graced me with one of the most hilariously twisted movie experiences I had all year. There’s a deep sadness to the movie’s message, which becomes more and more relevant each and every day, but Park slathers these undertones in such a thick coat of charming black comedy, you can’t help but feel happy the entire time you watch, despite how demented some of this movie’s scenes really are. I loved No Other Choice, so I recommend you give it a try if you’re open to movies like this. You might just be missing out on a masterpiece.

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7. Final Destination: Bloodlines

Image by Warner Bros. Pictures

I can already see the eyebrows raising at this placement, but honestly, I will stand on this opinion against any and all backlash. Final Destination: Bloodlines was such an effective exercise in what it was trying to achieve – a compelling enough storyline to provide a backdrop for insane death sequences. The film perfectly captures the vibe of any great Final Destination movie, especially that feeling of laughing at something you know you shouldn’t. Put it this way – any movie that can make me laugh at a piano falling on a child has succeeded in the horror-comedy genre.

Is Final Destination: Bloodlines a critical masterpiece, a nuanced melodrama with a magical score and fabulous cinematography? No, not at all. But it is a horror fan’s dream, as it delivers some of the best death sequences in the entire franchise, a genuinely entertaining cast of characters, and excellent pacing. It’s impossible to get bored during this movie, and with the exception of Tony Todd’s farewell scene, the film left me with a grin on my face the entire time. Horror fans, this is one of the best 2025 movies for you.

Check out our full Final Destination: Bloodlines review here.

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6. Superman

Image by DC Studios

Superman is a movie that’s gotten more and more controversial as the months since it’s release have passed, but I can remember a time back in July when almost everyone was raving over the launch of James Gunn’s DCU, and for me, that opinion hasn’t changed. As a lifelong fan of nearly every superhero except Superman, I thought it impossible to make me love the Man of Tomorrow as a character, and yet, between David Corenswet’s performance and James Gunn’s writing, I’ve come to be a Superman fan, hooked on what comes next for this character in the DCU.

Unlike The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Superman is a movie that sort of defies superhero movie conventions, feeling far more like a comic book brought to life instead of your traditionally-structured superhero movie. I know there’s a lot of talk going around about the Snyderverse right now, but for me personally, I was never invested in the DCEU all that much. Superman managed to pull me in to the DCU, and for that alone, I need to give it it’s props. It’s a phenomenally fun movie, with some great action sequences, and the introduction of some very heartfelt DCU characters. As shocking as it is for me to say, in my opinion, DC beat out Marvel this year for sure.

Check out our full review of Superman here.

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5. Bring Her Back

Image by Stage 6 Films

Funnily enough, Bring Her Back is the only movie on this best 2025 movies list that I genuinely wouldn’t recommend, unless you’re a pretty hardcore horror fan at least. This movie isn’t particularly scary, but it is absolutely grotesque, as the Philippou Brothers prove that they plan to carve out a place for themselves in the horror industry with over-the-top gore, spine-chilling depictions of demons and Hell, and ultimately, some of the most heart-wrenchingly sad stories in the genre. As much as Bring Her Back made me want to vomit, it also made me want to cry, as the film explores one of the most devastating stories of grief and loss I’ve ever seen.

In this way, Bring Her Back is a real masterpiece, a movie that I have rewatched more than a handful of times, even with it turning my stomach each and every time. Though a horror performance will never receive appropriate praise, all of the cast are absolutely incredible here. If this movie weren’t a horror movie, Sally Hawkins would easily be in the conversation for Best Performance, as she manages to somehow enhance a film that stands easily on its own two feet based on its compelling story alone. I cannot recommend this movie enough – just don’t watch it after eating your lunch.

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4. Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc

Image by MAPPA

Look, I love anime as much as the next guy, but it’s become more and more apparent over the years that the Japanese animation industry, particularly when it comes to popular shonen, views movies as a way to make easy money. While I love Demon Slayer, the first Infinity Castle movie made me wish we were getting the finale in a seasonal format, and Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution has been met with less than positive reviews thanks to its rehashing of the events of Season 2, with minimal new content from the upcoming season. So, with all of these problems going on with anime movies, it was incredibly refreshing to see Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc hit theatres, in a rare case of an anime movie working perfectly as an anime movie.

Reze Arc is an action-packed, emotional gut-punch, beautifully brought to life by MAPPA in one of 2025’s most impressive spectacles. Unlike its competitors this year, Chainsaw Man perfectly adapts a chunk of its manga that was always best suited for the big screen. While you won’t get much out of this movie if you haven’t watched the Chainsaw Man anime, for fans of the series, this movie perfectly encapsulates everything that we’ve come to love about this story. The characters are strange but charming, the action is over-the-top and gory, and the music is top-notch thanks to Kensuke Ushio. If you haven’t checked this one out, catch up on the anime, and then dive into one of the best 2025 movies, and my pick for the best anime film of the year, in a year that had quite a few options in that field.

Check out our full Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc review here.

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3. Wake Up Dead Man

Image by Netflix

I adored Wake Up Dead Man the first time I watched it, and somehow, my opinion of it has only grown fonder since. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the original Knives Out, but Glass Onion won me over, and led to me checking out Wake Up Dead Man, a movie that demanded I fall in love with its cast of misfit murder suspects, as Daniel Craig returned to solve his darkest case yet. If you like this franchise, I have no doubt that you’ll love Wake Up Dead Man, but even if you haven’t checked out either of the other entries, I still think you can enjoy this new one.

Josh O’Connor is incredible here, as the Knives Out franchise’s darkest chapter unfolds. This is a much grimier and grittier movie than either of the other two entries, which perhaps speaks to the horror fan in me, but in exchange for the fun of Glass Onion, Wake Up Dead Man delivers a much more sombre and emotionally resonant story, particularly when it comes to the role of faith and religion in someone’s life. This is a far more mature turn for this franchise, and while that might not be for everyone, it makes for what is easily one of the best 2025 movies in my book.

Check out our full Wake Up Dead Man review here.

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2. Hamnet

Image by Focus Features

Hamnet is a devastatingly sad movie, but if you’re like me, sometimes you love that kind of thing. Though Chloé Zhao hasn’t exactly earned my faith as a director, I was blown away by how well put-together this movie is, as a 2-hour movie blows by in what feels like a beautiful short film. A huge part of Hamnet’s success is owed to the heart-wrenching story it tells, but so much of the credit needs to go to Jessie Buckley, who delivers the strongest performance of the year for me, hand-in-hand with Paul Mescal.

I can’t say I recommend Hamnet for your next cozy movie night, mainly because it’s so devastating that it will doubtlessly leave you in floods of tears. However, I do recommend you check it out when you get the chance to. For all of its sadness, it’s a truly beautiful movie, with an ending scene that I won’t forget any time soon. This was very close to being my pick for the best movie of the year, but there was one other film that managed to just beat it out…

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1. One Battle After Another

Image by Warner Bros. Pictures

No other movie this year managed to make me feel the rollercoaster of emotions that One Battle After Another put me through. This movie had me locked to the screen, experiencing the journey in real-time right along with the characters, and that immersion is thanks in large part to the incredibly well-written story that this movie tells. I adore every single character in this movie, even the antagonists, as everyone gives it their all in the acting department, particularly Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, and of course, Leonardo DiCaprio.

This movie was a pretty easy pick for my favourite movie of the year, mainly because it’s the kind of movie that appeals to nearly everyone – an action-packed political thriller, filled with tension, grandiose set-pieces, and incredible character writing. While it didn’t move me to tears like Hamnet, have me jumping out of my seat like Chainsaw Man, or leave me squirming like Bring Her Back, One Battle After Another was the strongest movie of the year when it came to immersing me in the world of its characters, and left me feeling genuinely changed in its aftermath. I adored this movie, and if you’re looking for a modern movie to watch over the remainder of this holiday season, make this your pick.

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Conclusion

So, that’s the end of our ranking! Did we miss any of your picks for your best 2025 movies list? What’s your pick for the best movie of the year? Be sure to let us know in the comments, and thanks for reading!

See also: New Christmas Movies to Watch in 2025

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