2025 was a pretty solid year at the movies. Not the best year I’ve had since I started blogging, but definitely not the worst either. It felt like one of those years where, if you were actually going to the theater, you were rewarded. If you didn’t, you probably missed out.
This list isn’t about what I think were the best movies of the year — it’s about the movies I personally enjoyed the most. The ones that stuck with me, that made me want to go back to the theater, and that reminded me why I love movies in the first place.
So with that said, here are my Top 10 Favorite Movies of 2025, ranked.
10. Black Bag
Steven Soderbergh at his best is always a good time, and Black Bag is exactly that. It’s sleek, sexy, twisty, and mostly just people in rooms talking — and it works beautifully. Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett absolutely eat in this movie, and the whodunit elements keep you guessing until the end. It’s stylish, smart, and one of the most purely entertaining theater experiences of the year. Perfect date-night movie.
9. The Long Walk
This Stephen King adaptation is tight, gritty, and emotionally grounded. The Long Walk is carried by two excellent performances from Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson, with Mark Hamill delivering a quietly effective villain turn. The movie is self-contained, efficient, and emotionally raw. It may not be an awards juggernaut, but it’s rock solid — and I guarantee this movie finds a big audience once it hits streaming.
8. Warfare
Warfare is one of the most immersive theater experiences of the year. The IMAX sound design alone is worth the price of admission, making this one of those movies that reminds you why theaters exist. It also features the best needle drop of 2025 — “Call On Me” by Eric Prydz — a moment that genuinely makes you want to run through a wall. Brutal, intense, and unforgettable.
7. Avatar: Fire and Ash
James Cameron’s Avatar films are the definition of “this is why we go to the movies.” People love to claim these movies have no cultural impact, yet they keep making two billion dollars and pulling everyone back into theaters. Fire and Ash is no exception. The new Fire Na’vi are incredible, the world-building is next-level, and Cameron once again proves no one does large-scale spectacle better. You may only see these movies once, but when you do, they absolutely deliver.
6. F1
Joseph Kosinski follows up Top Gun: Maverick with another adrenaline-fueled crowd-pleaser. F1 was one of the best IMAX experiences of the year thanks to its sound design, editing, and killer soundtrack. Brad Pitt is fantastic, and the final 30 minutes are pure white-knuckle tension. This movie was just an absolute blast, and it’s easy to see why audiences showed up for it.
5. Superman
James Gunn’s first official DCU entry is exactly what it needed to be: fun, hopeful, and confident. While superhero movies struggled across the board this year, Superman stood head and shoulders above the rest. David Corenswet feels born to play the role, delivering a fresh but perfect take on the character. This is easily the best comic book movie of 2025 and a strong foundation for the DCU moving forward.
4. Marty Supreme
Josh Safdie does it again. Marty Supreme is an absolutely electric, fast-paced ride, and Timothée Chalamet is dynamite as Marty Moser. He’s a total sleaze and slimeball — and somehow still endlessly watchable. You shouldn’t be rooting for him, but you can’t help yourself. One of my favorite performances of the year and one of the most fun times I had in a theater.
3. Weapons
Zack Cregger proves Barbarian was no fluke. Weapons is easily the best horror movie of the year, featuring a fantastic cast and one of the best endings I’ve seen in a long time. I saw this movie twice in theaters within three days, which says everything. Cregger continues to establish himself as one of the most exciting filmmakers working in the genre.
2. Sinners
Ryan Coogler’s vampire gangster epic is one of the year’s biggest achievements — especially considering it came out all the way back in March. The fact that Sinners is still making Top 10 lists speaks volumes. Michael B. Jordan is phenomenal, the ensemble is stacked, and Coogler’s fresh spin on vampire mythology is stylish, confident, and visually stunning. Shot entirely for IMAX, this movie is gorgeous and features one of the best post-credit scenes in recent memory. Coogler just keeps leveling up.
1. One Battle After Another
Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest is a masterpiece. I saw it twice within days and was blown away both times. Featuring one of Leonardo DiCaprio’s best performances ever, this movie is the “longest short movie” of the year — sprawling, dense, and endlessly compelling. The score, cinematography, and soundtrack are breathtaking. I’ll be genuinely shocked if this doesn’t walk away with multiple Oscars.
This is the movie of the year. Full stop.
