Ah, the year that was in movies. As the ever-changing landscape of cinema continues to evolve, the strong desire for audiences to be entertained remains. From big-budget blockbusters to intimate indie films, the scope of movie entertainment value may be different for each individual consumer. But sometimes, beyond the entertainment value, there is that diamond in the rough you can consider a masterpiece.
To be considered a masterpiece in this era of film, you must do something extraordinary. Perhaps it’s a visual delight unlike anything you’ve seen before. Perhaps it’s subverting an entire genre through an untapped lens. Or maybe it’s adapting a legendary source material into something brand new. Whatever it is, these 10 films have gone above and beyond to leave a lasting impression on our hearts and minds in 2025.
10
‘Hamnet’
We’ve seen adaptations of William Shakespeare before, but Hamnet might be the pinnacle of film adaptations. Directed by Chloé Zhao, Hamnet is based on Maggie O’Farrell‘s novel, which dramatizes the marriage between Shakespeare and Agnes Hathaway (better known as Anne Hathaway). Focusing on the profound emotional grief that came after losing their 11-year-old Hamnet to the bubonic plague, the impact led to Shakespeare’s creation of Hamlet. Told through Agnes’ perspective, the film is deeply moving with two knockout performances from Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal.
By exploring the full scope of emotion that took a devastating toll on a marriage, Hamnet isn’t just a historical fiction; it’s a heartbreaking examination of how a loss of a child can tear it all down that resonates today. Zhao’s approach paints a wonderful portrait that is equally mystical as it is naturally raw. Her storytelling is brought to great heights thanks in part to the dynamic performances. Mescal, per usual, is great. Buckley is transcendent. She may have once been a West End Wendy who was the runner-up on a musical theater reality show, but now she’s one of the most profound performers of our time.
9
‘One Battle After Another’
Paul Thomas Anderson is a lauded director who has a hefty resume to his name. For 2025, he has added an action thriller that has some calling it one of his best. One Battle After Another follows Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio), a washed-up, paranoid revolutionary who lives off the grid in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving with his spirited and self-reliant daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti). When his nemesis resurfaces (Sean Penn), and Willa goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her as both father and daughter battle the consequences of their pasts. One Battle After Another is a wild, drug-fueled, action-packed thriller that seeks to find meaning in a chaotic America through a generational clash.
The film finds its inspiration from Thomas Pynchon‘s Vineland. At its core, One Battle After Another is about a father’s quest to find his missing daughter. Within, it’s a satirical commentary about political extremism. Through a dark tone, DiCaprio delivers one of his most unhinged performances, setting it apart from many of his more serious and stoic performances of the past. It’s a welcome change that pairs well with Anderson’s narrative style and direction. With strong performances from the entire ensemble, the strongest performance comes straight from Teyana Taylor. A breakout role that deserves all the award-season buzz.
8
‘KPop Demon Hunters’
No film has taken over every aspect of the entertainment industry and pop culture in 2025 quite like KPop Demon Hunters. The Netflix animated film follows a K-pop girl group, Huntrix, as they lead double lives as demon hunters. They face off against a rival boy band, the Saja Boys, who are secretly demons. A visually mesmerizing film, Kpop Demon Hunters brings the power of self-love and the defeat of your personal demons to the forefront. An instant animated classic, Kpop Demon Hunters is truly shining like it was born to be.
Drawing inspiration from Korean heritage through mythology, culture, and K-pop, the film is more than just a highly entertaining movie. It’s a vibrant and infectious celebration that is equal parts charming and artistically daring. The film is a celebration of a beloved musical genre through the lens of action-packed girl power. Now, even if you haven’t seen it yet, you’ve no doubt heard the soundtrack, specifically “Golden.” As one of the biggest songs of the year, and now Grammy-nominated, Kpop Demon Hunters is ready to fight the animated competitors in the field.
7
‘Marty Supreme’
There have been very few other young actors who have catapulted to the top of the heap quite like Timothée Chalamet. With a resume that is wide-ranging and varied, his latest film, Marty Supreme, has many believing it’s a career best. Directed by Josh Safdie, the film is loosely inspired by American table tennis player Marty Reisman. A story about the journey to achieve the ultimate dream, Marty Supreme is a high-energy sports period film with a heart.
Safdie keeps the film moving as fast as a game of ping-pong. There is a frenetic energy that matches the story wonderfully. It’s a ridiculously riveting joyride that makes you wonder whether we’ve been sleeping on this sport all this time. As the fast-talking Reisman, Chalamet hustles, balancing the extreme relentlessness of pursuing ping-pong glory with the demanding world around her. If he’s going to win an Oscar, this one is it.
6
‘Superman’
Suffice it to say, we’ve had a lot of men don the infamous cape in the 21st century in an assortment of films, but of all of these men in all of those films, we may have found our Superman of the century: David Corenswet in James Gunn‘s Superman. Balancing the blockbuster theatrics we desire in a superhero film with a more comically vibrant approach to the character, Superman brought the signature Gunn superhero essence to a beloved franchise with the greatest of ease. For those who prefer a darker story were in for an unfortunate surprise. That said, this was how Superman should be portrayed for this generation. Wit and a nudge to society are all part of the game.Corenswet brought immense charm to both Clark Kent and Superman, and even though he may have moments of acting like a petulant little child, it ensured a new, modern approach to others who have gone the cookie-cutter route. Additionally, Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult delivered solid renditions of Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, respectively. Plus, who doesn’t love Krypto?! Because we are beyond the origin story phase, the new era of Superman is heading in a bright direction.
5
‘Bugonia’
Yorgos Lanthimos is such a weirdo in so many amazing ways. The films he creates are done with such nuance that they’re nothing like anyone else could do. From Poor Things to The Favourite, his signature touch allows his works to live on their own. Another major factor that makes his work so extraordinary is his collaboration with Emma Stone. Perhaps one of their most daring entries is Bugonia. The film follows two young men, Teddy (Jesse Plemons) and Don Gatz (Aidan Delbis), who kidnap a powerful CEO, Michelle Fuller (Stone), suspecting that she is secretly an alien who wants to destroy Earth. A twisted take on how far you go to prove something to be true, Lanthimos‘ film ends with a bonkers overture in signature style.
An allegorical approach to our maddening society, Bugonia is unabashedly brazen with its seething commentary. Stone and Plemons play well together in an utterly fascinating power play. Stone is as cutthroat as the prisoner in question. Plemons gives a career-best performance with an equal spread of methodical, menacing insanity and vulnerability. For a film about conspiracy, Bugonia is a commanding film that makes you question the multitude of conspiracies we’ve mocked in the past.
4
‘On Becoming a Guinea Fowl’
Perhaps one of the more underappreciated films of the year is the vibrant On Becoming a Guinea Fowl. Written and directed by Rungano Nyoni, the Zambian film follows a middle-class family that is forced to confront long-buried secrets after a mysterious death. When Shula (Susan Chardy) discovers her uncle’s body, as the family prepares for his funeral, she and her cousins begin to uncover hidden truths about their family, including past abuse. A surreal comedy-drama, Nyoni’s exceptional blend of realism with absurdist styles brings a reckoning of hard-fought truths to tackle the difficulty of speaking out about sexual abuse.
Through a black comedy approach, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl is more than just a unique family melodrama; it is a mesmerizing examination of social morals. It may be a very specific story, but it’s wonderfully universal. Shockingly, the Popcornmeter is jarring different than the perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, which is an immense disservice to a truly remarkable film. More eyes need to be on On Becoming a Guinea Fowl.
3
‘Weapons’
Every so often, there comes a little horror project that defies the odds of Hollywood and becomes a blockbuster thanks to its viral moments, usually centered around a character. A few years back, pop culture was taken over by M3GAN. This year, it was the incomparable Aunt Gladys from Zach Cregger’s Weapons. The tantalizing thriller follows the case of seventeen children from the same classroom who mysteriously run away on the same night at the same time. A brilliant and original horror film, Weapons used a multi-perspective storytelling device to tell the viscerally terrifying tale that left audiences gobsmacked.
The narrative that Cregger instilled is one of the damages that herd mentality can create in traumatic situations. The fear of not knowing is at the root of the story, as the families of the missing children are willing to destroy another person’s life as she tries to vindicate herself. A horrific iteration of cancel culture, if you will. But once that story subsides, it’s all horror all the time thanks to the extraordinary performance by Amy Madigan. The completely mesmerizing take on Aunt Gladys is not only award-nomination worthy, but she’s already put herself in the pantheon of modern horror villains. We are waiting with bated breath for the prequel. We need it!
2
‘Frankenstein’
Guillermo del Toro has always had a dream project of creating his own monster, known as Frankenstein. Thanks to the collaboration with Netflix, it not only came to life, but showcased the visionary that del Toro is. Honoring Mary Shelley’s novel rather than the 1931 film, Frankenstein was a vast, sweeping adaptation that questioned who the true monster is. The creature feature follows the life of Victor Frankenstein, an egotistical scientist whose experiment in creating new life results in dangerous consequences. With a stellar cast including Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, Jacob Elordi as the Creature in a standout performance, Mia Goth as Lady Elizabeth Harlander, and Christoph Waltz as Henrich Harlander, Frankenstein is a dazzling work of art.
Using a Gothic romanticism lens, del Toro takes a highly sophisticated, ambitious approach to creating this Frankenstein. He reinvents the tragic story to offer a more empathetic view of the monster we’ve always feared yet revered. Layering in the emotional toll trauma can have on an individual, del Toro ensured that this version of the story found humanity, even if it meant you feared it. With such rich emotional depth, Frankenstein wasn’t a horror film; it was a revelation.
1
‘Sinners’
Let’s just call it like it is. Ryan Coogler is a visionary. As one of the rising directors in Hollywood, Coogler reminded the industry that he was not messing around when his period horror drama hit theaters. Sinners wasn’t just a typical vampire film. It was a horror thriller filled with nuance, subverting many genres in extraordinary fashion. The sensational and sensual thriller set in the Mississippi Delta in 1932 follows criminal twin brothers who return to their hometown, where they are confronted by a supernatural evil. Led by Michael B. Jordan in dual roles, the toe-tapping thriller is imaginative in its ability to infuse a horror-first premise without compromising the culturally and racially significant story in its soul.
Where Sinners shines brightly is through its usage of music. Essentially a character of its own, the universality of song and the evolution of sound play a major role in tying the entire piece together. Music unites a wide-ranging people of different backgrounds, yet Coogler subverts that and uses it to rip the community to shreds. Coogler’s vision of Mississippi is both visually beautiful and eerily mystifying. His use of light and darkness carries through until the bitter end. It’s only when the light arrives that the darkness inside can be revealed. If this is what Coogler can do, we should all be eager and anxious to see where his mind goes next.
Sinners
- Release Date
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April 18, 2025
- Runtime
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138 minutes
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