The Best Films of 2025
HomeThe Best Films of 2025
Posted December 29, 2025 02:00 AM by Brian Orndorf
A Toys "R" Us life of crime, a twisted take on Cinderella, the healing power of community, a
doll-based senior care crisis, Spike Lee goes Kurosawa, Yaujta tales throughout time, a father's
pained awakening, the United States of Insanity, twins and their secrets, and the pure stress of
motherhood. Brian Orndorf takes a look at his favorite films of 2025.
The Ugly Stepsister
The story of "Cinderella" has been explored ad nauseum, but writer/director Emilie Blichfeldt uses the tale as a starting point for something truly twisted in "The Ugly Stepsister." It's body horror with a Grimm-style tone, delivering an engrossing examination of desperation and extremity as the main character is forced to endure a hellacious ride of sacrifice in the name of obsession and family. There's genuine shock to be found in the picture, along with elegant technical credits and marvelous performances, especially from lead Lea Myren, who gloriously commits to the madness Blichfeldt creates as she dissects fairy tale horrors and the toxic world of beauty standards with tremendous skill.
If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
There have been several tales in recent years exploring the pains of motherhood and the female experience, and "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You" is an excellent addition to this cinematic study of stress. Writer/director Mary Bronstein goes deep into the dark psychology of the lead character, following her into troubling situations of responsibility and self-preservation as she battles to manage various challenges to her emotional well-being. The feature generates gripping dramatic encounters and outstanding nervous energy, also giving Rose Byrne one of the best roles of her career, freeing her to deliver one of the top performances of 2025. And, unexpectedly, there's Conan O'Brien providing sharp work in a supporting part, adding to the unusual atmosphere of the film.
Predator: Killer of Killers
2025 was a big year for the "Predator" franchise, which welcomed two new additions to this alien hunter universe. While "Predator: Badlands" was tremendously entertaining, "Predator: Killer of Killers" took the saga in a new direction, with writer/director Dan Trachtenberg turning to animation to explore three different situations of conflict and survival, freeing him from the constraints of live-action moviemaking. The feature was a visual feast, investing in purely cinematic storytelling as battles erupted, honor was challenged, and threats from another planet emerged to take human trophies. Trachtenberg delivers a pure "Predator" viewing experience with "Killer of Killers," handling violence and action with style and ferocity, and he expands the franchise, creating fresh Yautja history, technology, and horrors.
Sovereign
Based on a true story, "Sovereign" is perhaps the most 2025 film of 2025. The picture examines radicalization in America, following a young man who's left in the care of his sovereign citizen father, attempting to make sense of the reality of his life and the poisonous influence his parent provides. It's a chilling feature about mental illness and violence, also examining the comfort of American extremism for people craving community support. Nick Offerman provides career-best work here as the distorted patriarch, achieving previously unseen levels of thespian intimidation, contributing a crisp sense of disease as writer/director Christian Swegal dissects the dark side of parental influence.
Highest 2 Lowest
Director Spike Lee returns with a remake of Akira Kurosawa's "High and Low," only to transform the picture into a distinct "Spike Lee Joint" with renewed filmmaking energy after years slugging it out in admirable but leaden endeavors. A divisive feature, downright loathed by some, "Highest 2 Lowest" certainly captured my attention with its wonderful old-school Lee messiness and distinct New York City cultural touches, helping the moviemaker create tremendous atmosphere for his crime story, which was really more of a character study, veering into business and family commitments. "Highest 2 Lowest" felt like Lee returning to his roots with his cinematic and dramatic obsessions, putting star Denzel Washington to work with a helmer that typically brings out the best in him.
A Little Prayer
A small, intimate study of family ties, "A Little Prayer" finds writer/director Angus MacLachlan returning to the rural ways and troubled characters found in his 2006 debut, "Junebug." David Strathairn delivers an outstanding performance, one of the year's best, as a patriarch realizing late in life that he's not been an attentive guardian, setting out to understand problems with his loved ones, desperate to do something about his ignorance and the pain of others. MacLachlan keeps the endeavor small and dramatic, earning emotional responses while swimming in southern atmosphere with an excellent ensemble and compelling turns of plot.
Twinless
Writer/director/actor James Sweeney takes on a significant tonal challenge with "Twinless," which is a dark comedy about death, deception, and all the emotional pain a human can bear. Sweeney nails the execution, delivering a funny but sensitive examination of mistakes and human connection, pulling out an unexpectedly accomplished turn from co-star Dylan O'Brien, who successfully pulls off the portrayal of two distinct characters. "Twinless" also scores with low-budget technical credits, putting Sweeney to work generating unusual visuals to emphasize the odd dramatic journey for the characters, adding unique style to help make a very surprising offering all the more engrossing.
Rebuilding
"Rebuilding" is the perfect antidote to the nonstop horrible news that's flooded 2025. It's not a cheery picture by any means, but a film that explores the power of relationships during heavy times. Writer/director Max Walker-Silverman takes the tragic event of a wildfire and the total loss that follows it and creates a gentle story of grief and confusion alleviated by the special support of community. There's no dramatic thunder presented here, but something more fragile and thoughtful, and while star Josh O'Connor starred in roughly 100 movies this past year, his work in "Rebuilding" was his finest hour, playing Walker-Silverman's scripted sensitivities and understanding of resilience with true depth.
The Rule of Jenny Pen
Co-writer/director James Ashcroft goes to the dark side in "The Rule of Jenny Pen." It's a ghoulish, disturbing feature about a burgeoning war between two residents of a senior care center, which provides a perfectly bleak setting for all kinds of horror facing the characters. Stars Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow deliver wonderfully committed performances, with the latter reaching heights of theatrical insanity that turns cruelty into cinematic deliciousness. It's a vivid endeavor, poking at fears of aging and immobility, delivering some of the most twisted scenes of suspense of the year. It certainly isn't a reassuring picture, but it's a thrilling ride into torment and revenge.
Roofman
"Roofman" initially seems like a gimmick-driven film, detailing the true story of a man who went from robbing McDonald's restaurants to secretly living inside a Toys "R" Us store, developing a functional life in the middle of his madness. However, co-writer/director Derek Cianfrance doesn't play the premise for laughs. He's more interested in characterization and emotional growth, overseeing a sensitive exploration of a troubled man accidentally finding himself caught in a functional relationship, wrestling with the reality that his life is a lie. "Roofman" has humor and heart, and tonality is superbly managed by Cianfrance, who also manages to deliver an exceptional lead performance from Channing Tatum, which is no small achievement.
Also of Note: Pee-wee as Himself, Ex-Husbands, Night Call, Sinners, Blue Moon, Splitsville, Eternity, No Other Choice, Eleanor the Great, Sunlight, Black Bag, Eephus, F1: The Movie, Nouvelle Vague, and Marty Supreme.
The Ugly Stepsister
The story of "Cinderella" has been explored ad nauseum, but writer/director Emilie Blichfeldt uses the tale as a starting point for something truly twisted in "The Ugly Stepsister." It's body horror with a Grimm-style tone, delivering an engrossing examination of desperation and extremity as the main character is forced to endure a hellacious ride of sacrifice in the name of obsession and family. There's genuine shock to be found in the picture, along with elegant technical credits and marvelous performances, especially from lead Lea Myren, who gloriously commits to the madness Blichfeldt creates as she dissects fairy tale horrors and the toxic world of beauty standards with tremendous skill.
If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
There have been several tales in recent years exploring the pains of motherhood and the female experience, and "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You" is an excellent addition to this cinematic study of stress. Writer/director Mary Bronstein goes deep into the dark psychology of the lead character, following her into troubling situations of responsibility and self-preservation as she battles to manage various challenges to her emotional well-being. The feature generates gripping dramatic encounters and outstanding nervous energy, also giving Rose Byrne one of the best roles of her career, freeing her to deliver one of the top performances of 2025. And, unexpectedly, there's Conan O'Brien providing sharp work in a supporting part, adding to the unusual atmosphere of the film.
Predator: Killer of Killers
2025 was a big year for the "Predator" franchise, which welcomed two new additions to this alien hunter universe. While "Predator: Badlands" was tremendously entertaining, "Predator: Killer of Killers" took the saga in a new direction, with writer/director Dan Trachtenberg turning to animation to explore three different situations of conflict and survival, freeing him from the constraints of live-action moviemaking. The feature was a visual feast, investing in purely cinematic storytelling as battles erupted, honor was challenged, and threats from another planet emerged to take human trophies. Trachtenberg delivers a pure "Predator" viewing experience with "Killer of Killers," handling violence and action with style and ferocity, and he expands the franchise, creating fresh Yautja history, technology, and horrors.
Sovereign
Based on a true story, "Sovereign" is perhaps the most 2025 film of 2025. The picture examines radicalization in America, following a young man who's left in the care of his sovereign citizen father, attempting to make sense of the reality of his life and the poisonous influence his parent provides. It's a chilling feature about mental illness and violence, also examining the comfort of American extremism for people craving community support. Nick Offerman provides career-best work here as the distorted patriarch, achieving previously unseen levels of thespian intimidation, contributing a crisp sense of disease as writer/director Christian Swegal dissects the dark side of parental influence.
Highest 2 Lowest
Director Spike Lee returns with a remake of Akira Kurosawa's "High and Low," only to transform the picture into a distinct "Spike Lee Joint" with renewed filmmaking energy after years slugging it out in admirable but leaden endeavors. A divisive feature, downright loathed by some, "Highest 2 Lowest" certainly captured my attention with its wonderful old-school Lee messiness and distinct New York City cultural touches, helping the moviemaker create tremendous atmosphere for his crime story, which was really more of a character study, veering into business and family commitments. "Highest 2 Lowest" felt like Lee returning to his roots with his cinematic and dramatic obsessions, putting star Denzel Washington to work with a helmer that typically brings out the best in him.
A Little Prayer
A small, intimate study of family ties, "A Little Prayer" finds writer/director Angus MacLachlan returning to the rural ways and troubled characters found in his 2006 debut, "Junebug." David Strathairn delivers an outstanding performance, one of the year's best, as a patriarch realizing late in life that he's not been an attentive guardian, setting out to understand problems with his loved ones, desperate to do something about his ignorance and the pain of others. MacLachlan keeps the endeavor small and dramatic, earning emotional responses while swimming in southern atmosphere with an excellent ensemble and compelling turns of plot.
Twinless
Writer/director/actor James Sweeney takes on a significant tonal challenge with "Twinless," which is a dark comedy about death, deception, and all the emotional pain a human can bear. Sweeney nails the execution, delivering a funny but sensitive examination of mistakes and human connection, pulling out an unexpectedly accomplished turn from co-star Dylan O'Brien, who successfully pulls off the portrayal of two distinct characters. "Twinless" also scores with low-budget technical credits, putting Sweeney to work generating unusual visuals to emphasize the odd dramatic journey for the characters, adding unique style to help make a very surprising offering all the more engrossing.
Rebuilding
"Rebuilding" is the perfect antidote to the nonstop horrible news that's flooded 2025. It's not a cheery picture by any means, but a film that explores the power of relationships during heavy times. Writer/director Max Walker-Silverman takes the tragic event of a wildfire and the total loss that follows it and creates a gentle story of grief and confusion alleviated by the special support of community. There's no dramatic thunder presented here, but something more fragile and thoughtful, and while star Josh O'Connor starred in roughly 100 movies this past year, his work in "Rebuilding" was his finest hour, playing Walker-Silverman's scripted sensitivities and understanding of resilience with true depth.
The Rule of Jenny Pen
Co-writer/director James Ashcroft goes to the dark side in "The Rule of Jenny Pen." It's a ghoulish, disturbing feature about a burgeoning war between two residents of a senior care center, which provides a perfectly bleak setting for all kinds of horror facing the characters. Stars Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow deliver wonderfully committed performances, with the latter reaching heights of theatrical insanity that turns cruelty into cinematic deliciousness. It's a vivid endeavor, poking at fears of aging and immobility, delivering some of the most twisted scenes of suspense of the year. It certainly isn't a reassuring picture, but it's a thrilling ride into torment and revenge.
Roofman
"Roofman" initially seems like a gimmick-driven film, detailing the true story of a man who went from robbing McDonald's restaurants to secretly living inside a Toys "R" Us store, developing a functional life in the middle of his madness. However, co-writer/director Derek Cianfrance doesn't play the premise for laughs. He's more interested in characterization and emotional growth, overseeing a sensitive exploration of a troubled man accidentally finding himself caught in a functional relationship, wrestling with the reality that his life is a lie. "Roofman" has humor and heart, and tonality is superbly managed by Cianfrance, who also manages to deliver an exceptional lead performance from Channing Tatum, which is no small achievement.
Also of Note: Pee-wee as Himself, Ex-Husbands, Night Call, Sinners, Blue Moon, Splitsville, Eternity, No Other Choice, Eleanor the Great, Sunlight, Black Bag, Eephus, F1: The Movie, Nouvelle Vague, and Marty Supreme.