The films of 2025 seemed to collectively capture societal changes we are all suffering from and humanity's almost absurdist reaction to it - and this stretched far beyond the boarders of just the United States. The films offered us layers of comedy even in the midst of serious context; maybe most highlighting the hopeful idea of people coming together. Probably the funniest film of the year and I think my favorite overall (Splitsville) gave us flashes of Lubitsch-wit. And possibly the years most defining film (Sinners) was a genre bending that beautifully captured the pure magic of movie-making.

There is much discussion about the so-called death of film and of movie-going. Obviously the Warner Brothers-Netflix potential deal will be a future game changer that could have a negative impact on the theater-going experience. But I truly do not think it will go away in part for the deep belief I have it its power and beauty. Changes are certainly happening, but they always happen - and art finds ways to evolve within the times and the changes... the films of this year are a reflection of that! The current threat facing cinema may be more credible then previous so called death of cinema threats, but I think we will still see the transition survive (as it did in the transition between the 1950s to the 1970s).

As of December 31st, I saw 102 new films in 2025, which is the lowest since 2020. Because I'm more selective in choices of what I see, most of these are films that I like in some way. All but probably the bottom five are films I would recommend and did enjoy in some way or another (and I really really enjoyed probably the top 75 films on this list). Please don't get too caught up in the ranking. There are some films I still need to see a second time and some big ones I've yet to see.
.

Notable films yet to see:
Sentimental Value; The Secret Agent; The Shrouds; The Smashing Machine; Is This Thing On; F1; The Testament of Ann Lee; Cloud; Elena the Great; Relay; The Running Man; Avatar: Fire and Ash; The History of Sound; It Ends; Predator: Killer of Killers; Anemone; Predator: Badlands; Christy; The Chronology of Water; Urchin; Ella McCay; Eephus; Goodbye June; Anaconda; Eden; Him; Big Bold Beautiful Journey; Warfare; Song Sung Blue; Erchin, The Plague; The Sound of Falling; Dirty Boy; Doin' It; London Calling; Megadoc; Plainclothes; Boys Go To Jupiter; The Surfer; Twinless; Bring Her Back; Little Amelie; Dead of Winter; Blue Heron; Arco; Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning

1… SPLITSVILLE
Michael Angelo Covino, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33247023/

..

2… SINNERS
Ryan Coogler, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31193180/

..

3… ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
Paul Thomas Anderson, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30144839/

..

4… BLUE MOON
Richard Linklater, United States / Ireland
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32536315/

..

5… BY THE STREAM
Hong Sang-soo, South Korea
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32880592/

..

6… THE MASTERMIND
Kelly Reichardt, United States / United KIngdom
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33455099/

..

7… DIE MY LOVE
Lynne Ramsay, United Kingdom / Canada / United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9362736

..

8… WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY
Rian Johnson, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14364480

..

9… SORRY, BABY
Eva Victor, United States / Spain / France
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32843349

..

10… BUGONIA
Yorgos Lanthimos, Ireland / UK / Canada / South Korea
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12300742

..

11… SIRAT
Oliver Laxe, Spain / France
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32298285

..

12… NO OTHER CHOICE
Park Chan-wook, South Kora
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1527793

..

13… THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND
James Griffiths, United Kingdom
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27674982

..

14… IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT
Jafar Panahi, Iran / France / Luxembourg
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt36491653

..

15… BLACK BAG
Steven Soderbergh, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30988739

..

16… TRAIN DREAMS
Clint Bentley, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29768334

..

17… MY SUNSHINE
Hiroshi Okuyama, Japan / France
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22694908

..

18… 28 YEARS LATER
Danny Boyle, United Kingdom / Canada / United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10548174

..

19… WEAPONS
Zach Cregger, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26581740

..

20… NOUVELLE VAGUE
Richard Linklater, France / United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31688586

..

21… REBUILDING
Max Walker-Silverman, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29361963

..

22… THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME
Wes Anderson, United States / Germany
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30840798

..

23… EDDINGTON
Ari Aster, United States / United Kingdom / Finland
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31176520

..

24… HIGHEST 2 LOWEST
Spike Lee, United States / Japan
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31194612

..

25… THE THREESOME
Chad Hartigan, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21187592

..

26… REFLECTION IN A DEAD DIAMOND
Hélène Cattet / Bruno Forzani, Belgium / Luxembourg / Italy / France
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32263401

..

27… FRANKENSTEIN
Guillermo del Toro, Mexico / United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1312221

..

28… HAMNET
Chloé Zhao, United Kingdom / United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14905854

..

29… ROOFMAN
Derek Cianfrance, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4627382

..

30… PRESENCE
Steven Soderbergh, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28249919

..

31… BECOMING LED ZEPPELIN
Bernard MacMahon, United Kingdom / United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10365912

..

32… MARTY SUPREME
Josh Safdie, United States / Finland
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32916440

..

33… ETERNITY
David Freyne, United States / Canada
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt24950660

..

34… IF I HAD LEGS I'D KICK YOU
Mary Bronstein, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18382850

..

35… STRANGERS
Kenta Ikeda, Japan
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33470284

..

36… TOGETHER
Michael Shanks, Australia / United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31184028

..

37… A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE
Kathryn Bigelow, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32376165

..

38… DROP
Christopher Landon, United States / Ireland
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32149847

..

39… LILO & STITCH
Dean Fleischer Camp, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11655566

..

40… FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER
Jim Jarmusch, United States / Italy / France / Ireland / Germany
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31189315

..

41… RESURRECTION
Bi Gan, China / France
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29002950

..

42… SACREMENTO
Michael Angarano, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13491834

..

43… CAUGHT STEALING
Darren Aronofsky, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1493274

..

44… FRIENDSHIP
Andrew DeYoung, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30505698

..

45… THE LONG WALK
Francis Lawrence, United States / Canada
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10374610

..

46… JINGLE BELL HEIST
Michael Fimognari, United Kingdom / United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt24852126

..

47… DANGEROUS ANIMALS
Sean Byrne, Australia / United States / Canada
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32299316

..

48… JAY KELLY
Noah Baumbach, United States / United Kingdom / Italy
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30446847

..

49… ELIO
Adrian Molina / Madeline Sharafian / Domee Shi, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4900148

..

50… LA GRAZIA
Paolo Sorrentino, Italy
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34886821

..

51… THE LIFE OF CHUCK
Mike Flanagan, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12908150

..

52… BONE LAKE
Mercedes Bryce Morgan, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26783625

..

53… GOOD FORTUNE
Aziz Ansari, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27543578

..

54… HONEY DON'T
Ethan Coen, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30645201

..

55… FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES
Zach Lipovsky / Adam B. Stein, United States / Canada
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9619824

..

56… LOVE ON TRAIL
Kôji Fukada, Japan
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17499010

..

57… THE NAKED GUN
Akiva Schaffer, United States / Canada
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3402138

..

58… THE MONKEY
Osgood Perkins, United States / United Kingdom / Canada
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27714946

..

59… JOHN CANDY: I LIKE ME
Colin Hanks, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26683420

..

60… THE MAP THAT LEADS TO YOU
Lasse Hallström, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33549478

..

61… PLAY DIRTY
Shane Black, Australia / United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18392014

..

62… MOUNTAINHEAD
Jesse Armstrong, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35396529

..

63… A PALE VIEW OF HILLS
Kei Ishikawa, Japan
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33253688

..

64… GOOD BOY
Ben Leonberg, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35521922

..

65… AFTER THE HUNT
Luca Guadagnino, United States / Italy
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32159989

..

66… THE WOMAN IN THE YARD
Jaume Collet-Serra, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31314296

..

67… MICKEY 17
Bong Joon Ho, United States / South Korea
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12299608

..

68… KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN
Bill Condon, United States / Mexico
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30400277

..

69… RIFF RAFF
Dito Montiel, United States / United Kingdom
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27775403

..

70… V/H/S HALLOWEEN
Bryan M. Ferguson / Casper Kelly / R.H. Norman, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt37676033

..

71… THE ROSES
Jay Roach, United Kingdom / Australia / United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31973693

..

72… SUPERMAN
James Gunn, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5950044

..

73… THE FRIEND
Scott McGehee / David Siegel, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18108824

..

74… OH. WHAT. FUN.
Michael Showalter, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31998881

..

75… BORDERLINE
Jimmy Warden, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13650814

..

76… COMPANION
Drew Hancock, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26584495

..

77… SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT
Mike P. Nelson, Canada / United States / France
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34508974

..

78… ECHO VALLEY
Michael Pearce, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27052633

..

79… ANOTHER SIMPLE FAVOR
Paul Feig, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20214908

..

80… INHERITANCE
Neil Burger, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31050620

..

81… THE CONJURING: LAST RITES
Michael Chaves, United States / United Kingdom / Canada
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22898462

..

82… MATERIALISTS
Celine Song, United States / Finland / United Kingdom
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30253473

..

83… THE HOUSEMAID
Paul Feig, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27543632

..

84… RENTAL FAMILY
Hikari, Japan / United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14142060

..

85… DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA
Christian Gudegast, United States / Canada / Spain
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8008948

..

86… HAPPY GILMORE 2
Kyle Newacheck, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31868189

..

87… WOLF MAN
Leigh Whannell, Ireland / New Zealand / United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4216984

..

88… FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
Guy Ritchie, United States / United Kingdom
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27075958

..

89… FREAKIER FRIDAY
Nisha Ganatra, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31956415

..

90… THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10
Simon Stone, United Kingdom / United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7130300

..

91… MY SECRET SANTA
Mike Rohl, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35219851

..

92… KEEPER
Osgood Perkins, Canada / United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32332404

..

93… THE ELECTRIC STATE
Anthony Russo / Joe Russo, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7766378

..

94… NOBODY 2
Timo Tjahjanto, United States / Canada
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28996126

..

95… REGRETTING YOU
Josh Boone, United States / Germany
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33088452

..

96… DEATH OF A UNICORN
Alex Scharfman, United States / Hungary
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28443655

..

97… SNOW WHITE
Marc Webb, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6208148

..

98… THE PICKUP
Tim Story, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30445556

..

99… BACK IN ACTION
Seth Gordon, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21191806

..

100… I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER
Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Canada / Australia / United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4045450

..

101… PLAY DATE
Luke Greenfield, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31425731

..

102… YOU'RE CORDIALLY INVITED
Nicholas Stoller, United States
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21227864

..