Another year has come and gone, marked by both highlights and challenges, alongside some discouraging trends. Yet, through it all, we still have the movies—our greatest form of escapism, self-discovery, and genuine entertainment. I encourage everyone to support their local theaters and take a chance on original works from diverse voices. This annual list represents not just cinema’s most prestigious honor, but also a guide for those looking to expand their horizons and celebrate the year's finest cinematic offerings.
And now, I present to you The Top Ten Films of 2025.
10. KPop Demon Hunters
Directed by Maggie King and Chris Appelhans
Written by Danya Jimenez, Hannah McMechan, Maggie Kang, and Chris Appelhans
It was foolish to judge the worldwide smash hit KPOP Demon Hunters by its very literal title and premise. What you get is exactly that—a trio of idol musicians who also happen to be demonic exterminators—and the result is a bubbly, bodacious surprise. The songs are diabolically catchy, the animation is striking and packed with blink-and-you'll-miss-it jokes, and the heroic pop stars deliver charm, humor, and killer moves in equal measure. I couldn’t help but tap my foot along to the high-energy spectacle.
9. Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Written by Julian Fellowes
It’s been ten years since the prestigious program properly concluded on television, and although two fan-service-heavy features followed, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale stands as the most faithful and fulfilling tribute to the iconic castle and its cherished cast of characters. The lavish, eventful conclusion strikes a delicate balance between nostalgic callbacks and resolving long-gestating relationships and trials, all through the lens of a more modern era. Everyone is pitch-perfect, as if they never left, and my heart was full bidding a final farewell to this beloved setting.
8. Sorry, Baby
Written and Directed by Eva Victor
Eva Victor’s quietly impactful directorial debut, Sorry, Baby, is brimming with dry wit, deep sentiment, and difficult revelations. A tender reflection on the thorny navigation of early adulthood, Victor presents a cautionary yet soothing exploration of the inevitable hardships of life. Her sharp insight and stoic vulnerability really shine through in her awkward exchanges with peers and moments of introspection. It’s important to note the crucial and undeniably precious sequence of the Cat Distribution System in all its wonder. “Yep, I love you.”
7. Bugonia
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos Written by Will Tracy
Are you an alien? Bugonia is a twisted and nerve-wracking descent into madness following a pharmaceutical CEO kidnapped by a pair of conspiracy theorists believing she’s extraterrestrial and will destroy the world. Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons are brilliant adversaries, placing their utmost trust in Lanthimos’ darkly imaginative vision, as they engage in a psychological confrontation fueled by paranoia and relentless pursuit of the truth. Every revelation turns the table and ratchets up the tension, keeping me guessing until the controversial resolution-where ultimately Lanthimos gets the last laugh.
6. Weapons
Written and Directed by Zach Cregger
The allegorical nightmare Weapons unfolds a haunting exploration of internal demons, tested convictions, and a mystery beyond reason that rattles a small-town community. Cregger wisely downplays the origin of the terror, instead structuring the story around the richly fleshed-out individuals personally affected by the tragedy. Their trauma, confusion, and confrontations with one another take center stage, overshadowing the plentiful horrific imagery. A skillfully crafted sense of unease permeates the thriller, leaving the viewer both stunned and bewitched.
5. Hamnet
Written by Chloe Zhao and Maggie O'Farrell
Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal’s portrayals of Agnes Hathaway and William Shakespeare are so emotionally raw and spellbinding, making Hamnet an acting showpiece for the ages. They ignite the screen with powerful intimacy and harrowing explosiveness as a husband and wife grappling with the cost of ambition and personal loss. Chloe Zhao expands her directorial range with this masterfully told chronicle of the genesis of one of history’s most influential literary works. An immaculate and spiritual production that had me fully immersed in its familial beauty and mystical nature.
4. No Other Choice
Directed by Park Chan-wook Written by Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Don McKellar, and Lee Ja-hye
The new work from Park Chan-wook is bold, audacious and eerily relevant to our challenging times. Nothing out of the ordinary from the Korean maestro who delivers once again in No Other Choice, a biting satire of the modern day rat race in the shrinking and increasingly competitive job market. A hardworking family man is pushed to the edge as he devises schemes to take out his corporate rivals, resulting in an increasingly escalating series of chaotic, grim, and hilariously absurd measures. It’s woven together tremendously and amplified by Chan-wook’s eye-catching and sadistic techniques.
3. One Battle After Another
Written and Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Paul Thomas Anderson’s most accessible film to date and still one of his finest. Expertly walking a thin line between its complex story and weighty themes, One Battle After Another is an urgent cinematic tour de force. The incredible and inspired cast (Leo, Teyana, Penn, Chase, Del Toro, Hall, everybody) work marvels with PTA’s engaging script, grounding the intense subject matter with unsettling familiarity. Rock legend Jonny Greenwood weaves a stirring and propulsive musical score that compliments the suspenseful, skillfully executed epic set pieces. It’s glorious filmmaking from one of the most reliable visionaries in the medium. Viva la revolution.
2. Sentimental Value
Directed by Joachim Trier Written by Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier
Every so often, a special film comes along where all the pieces align, every choice is precise and significant, and a profound connection with its characters gradually takes hold. Sentimental Value is a deeply affecting, meta-tinged masterwork about the tangled bonds and nuanced dynamics between daughter, sister, father and an emerging actress. Even the ancestral home, serving as the film’s key narrative anchor, is steeped in resonance, revealing decades of treasured memories and lingering resentment. Renate Reinsve cements herself as one of the most exciting screen talents while veteran Stellan Skarsgård commands with a career-defining turn. An enriching, multi-layered achievement that lingers and repeated viewings are recommended and duly rewarded.
1. Sinners
Written and Directed by Ryan Coogler
The announcement of “Untitled Ryan Coogler Vampire Film” was met with initial skepticism as its original and daring concept faced an unforgiving box office and increasingly polarized audience. The doubts were laid to rest, and not quietly. Sinners emerged in electrifying fashion, ascending Ryan Coogler to the upper echelons of storytellers and restoring some hope for the silver screen. Michael B. Jordan excels in dual roles as twin entrepreneurs, individually vibrant and distinct, concealing a shadowy past and driven to reset their destinies. Accompanied by their musician cousin and an eclectic party of townsfolk, they establish a juke joint as the foot-stomping, stirringly righteous music awakens a supernatural and malevolent phenomenon. Each tormented soul is properly developed, building an essential link with the audience who feel invested in their reckoning against a growing army of the blood sucking undead. Shot on visually rich film, the cinematography is beautiful and menacing. The rhythmic sound design and smoldering soundtrack by Ludwig Göransson magnifies every dramatic beat. Sinners is a superb, complete, and towering motion picture experience, reassuring me for a moment that cinema is very much alive.
Psyche! We’re not done yet. I cannot close without mentioning what may be the greatest mid-credits scene I’ve ever seen. Without spoiling it, the sequence bolstered the film’s credentials for its place atop the list. Truly unexpected and reshaped my perceptions of what transpired. Ryan Coogler was already cooking; and then dropped the mic.
Thank you for reading and I'll see you at the movies.
Cinema forever.
Previous #1 Selections:
2024 - The Substance
2023 - Oppenheimer
2022 - The Banshees of Inisherin
2021 - The Power of the Dog
2020 - Nomadland
2019 - The Irishman
2018 - Roma
2017 - The Florida Project
2016 - Manchester by the Sea
2015 - Mad Max: Fury Road
2014 - Whiplash
2013 - 12 Years a Slave
2012 - Amour
2011 - The Artist
2010 - Black Swan
2009 - Up in the Air
2008 - WALL-E
2007 - No Country for Old Men
2006 - The Departed
2005 - Capote
2004 - Kill Bill Vol. 2
2003 - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2002 - Adaptation.
2001 - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
