(This article is part of our Best of 2025 series.)
This was a great year for movies. Judging by my AMC status (which is now upgraded through 2027), I saw a lot of stuff this year. Some of it was bad, but honestly, a lot of it was pretty great. I absolutely agonized over these choices, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that. Still, these were the movies that stuck with me, and the ones that I’ve been the most annoying about recommending all year long.
Sinners
When I saw this one in the IMAX, I knew it would be on my list this year. Coogler created something truly special: a unique take on the vampire story so laden with history and music that it squarely feels like its own thing. I’m sure we’re bound to get rip-offs of this in the future, but this will always be the first. I really cannot overstate the importance of the soundtrack to this film, and the one scene is definitely my favorite movie scene of the year. If you’ve seen it, you probably feel the same way. I’m so excited to see what Coogler does next, and I hope other artists are inspired by Sinners to pitch their own unique and original IPs.
Black Bag
I’m still surprised this movie didn’t get more buzz, but I think that’s just indicative of how good a year this was for movies. Steven Soderbergh made his best thriller since Ocean’s 11, and it somehow got lost in the shuffle. I vowed in my review though that I would not forget this one, and I’ve kept to my word. The lead performances of Fassbender and Blancett are magnetic together, and though there’s no chance this one will be in the awards circuit, it’s still one of the best movies this year for me. I’ve been very annoying when recommending this one to my friends and family, and to my credit, everyone who’s watched it really liked it. It’s on Prime now, so definitely go watch it right now if you haven’t yet.
Bring Her Back
This is probably the only movie on this list I won’t be rewatching anytime soon, but I still think it’s a masterpiece. The second movie from the directorial team of the Philippou Brothers, Bring Her Back is a horror for all the senses. It’s grotesque in both its visuals and its sound design, forcing the audience to listen to the realistic popping and gnawing even if they’ve covered their eyes. Even with the spectacle though, Bring Her Back is centered by its characters and a heartbreaking story. I think the Philippous have shown they have the juice and know exactly what it takes to make a horror movie memorable and unique. I will be seated in theaters for anything they make going forward.
Rental Family
Maybe this is more of a controversial pick, but I found Rental Family so damn honest. I often feel after watching family dramas poked and prodded into having an emotional reaction, but Rental Family is more interested in telling a very human story, and I found it very moving. Director Hikari is no stranger to personal and intimate narratives, and it shows here. Even though I loved Fraser’s performance, it was Akira Emoto that I found the most moving. I think a lot of people will find this to be an okay but forgettable drama, but for me, it was something very special. It really attempts to invite a Western audience into another culture, one we may have no familiarity with. It’s an invitation to reconsider and to understand, and I think there’s so much value in that.
The Long Walk
The Long Walk is a perfect King adaptation. It takes all of the brutality and meanness of the Bachman novel and condenses it into a movie format that both works and makes sense with the narrative. The changes it made are so good, I might even argue they improve upon the original work. Jonsson and Hoffman cement themselves as horror leads in this, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see Jonsson all over our screens in the next couple of years. He’s so good that you almost forget the gloom of the movie’s setting when he’s on screen. The other King adaptations from this year (and some were good) don’t hold a candle to The Long Walk. Looking forward to more from Mollner in the future, especially if he adapts more Bachman.
What are your thoughts on the movies that made my top five? Share them down below!