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Forget the Oscars, we (and our readers) picked the best movies of 2025

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This year’s movie awards season is drawing to a close, with just the big one, the Oscars, left to be handed out. Actually, forgive me, I misspoke there. Before the Academy can dish out those coveted golden statues, it’s the turn of the Tom’s Guide streaming team to hand out some deserved prizes in the form of the Tom’s Guide Movie Awards (call it the “Tommys” for short!).

2025 was an excellent year for cinema, and these inaugural awards celebrate the 12 months of fantastic movies we’ve all just enjoyed. From big-screen triumphs like “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” to the originals we loved on streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video. These are the best movies of 2025, according to people who write about them for a living.

Winner: ‘One Battle After Another’

“One Battle After Another” looks poised to triumph at this year’s Academy Awards, likely walking away with the Best Picture trophy at the end of the night. And well deserved. What surprised me most was how funny the film is — and how fast its 161-minute runtime went by.

Writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson has crafted a film that’s razor-sharp in its satire and shagadelic in feel at the same time. Leonardo DiCaprio delivers one of his most effortless, electric performances yet, while Teyana Taylor’s crackling turn has already made a powerful case for Best Supporting Actress. — Kelly Woo

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“Wake Up Dead Man” is the best “Knives Out” movie yet. This third installment is darker than its predecessors, with grimmer, grander set pieces and a thoughtful exploration of how faith can shape even the most fervent lives, though it never shies away from poking fun at that very intensity. The story follows detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) as he untangles a twisted murder at a high-profile religious retreat. From the first scene, “Wake Up Dead Man” is playful and engaging, unfolding into a case that’s sometimes shocking and frequently very funny.

The Netflix movie firmly establishes Rian Johnson as a modern master of the murder-mystery, and this third entry arguably outshines an already entertaining series. It showcases everything these types of genre movies do best: smart, engaging storytelling that never sacrifices fun. On top of that, it’s loaded with standout performances and stunning cinematography that make it a joy to watch. — Alix Blackburn

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“Hedda” is an adaptation of the stage play “Hedda Gabler,” and it felt like it came out of nowhere last year to be a surprise hit for Prime Video. It centers around Hedda Tesman née Garbler (Tessa Thompson), the illegitimate child of a late general living in an opulent manor with her husband George (Tom Bateman). They are hosting with the hope that it will convince Professor Greenwood (Finbar Lynch) to give George a position at the university.

The movie is well-paced and engaging to watch, but it’s Thompson who is the reason to see “Hedda.” She steals every scene and her smouldering chemistry with Nina Hoss is a delight. For an adaptation, this movie is a surprising breath of fresh air, so I’m not totally surprised that it won this award from us. — Malcolm McMillan

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One of my favorite streaming discoveries this year was “The Ballad of Wallis Island,” a gem my colleague Rory Mellon raved about several times. Then, one rainy afternoon, I came across it while scrolling and thought to give it a try.

Even after Rory’s praise, I didn’t expect to fall this hard for something so gentle and heartfelt. But this story of a lonely lottery winner who reunites his favorite long-broken folk duo for a private island concert completely won me over. It’s genuinely funny, thanks largely to Tim Key’s wonderfully awkward superfan, yet there’s a wistful thread about love, regret and second chances. Oh, and the songs slap. — Kelly Woo

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I still cannot fathom how “No Other Choice” was entirely shut out of the 2026 Oscars nominations, so it gives me a small amount of pleasure to confirm it came out on top here at Tom’s Guide. There were plenty of great films in the conversation for “Best Thriller”, but in my eyes, we quite literally had no other choice but to recognize Park Chan-wook’s latest release.

“No Other Choice” is a tense, twisting watch, one that bristles against late-stage capitalism and how it’s shaped our world. It’s a wild ride that’s incredibly well-composed, both dark and yet frequently laugh-out-loud funny, and it’s all anchored by a fantastic lead performance from Lee Byung-hun. It’s unpredictable, precise, and phenomenally entertaining, and I genuinely haven’t stopped thinking about it since I left the movie theater. If you’ve not seen it, change that as soon as possible: you won’t be disappointed. — Martin Shore

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I have a very particular metric for judging the success of comedies; for me, it’s all about how quotable they are. If weeks after watching, I’m still recounting the best lines in my head, and breaking out in a smile each time, then a comedy movie has hit the mark. “Friendship” was one such movie. Even while writing this, I’m grinning to myself when I recall its best gags.

I’ll also admit that before watching this one, I was largely unfamiliar with Tim Robinson’s unique brand of deadpan, cringe-laced humor. Turns out, his style is right up my comedy street. I laughed so hard at this one in theaters that my fellow audience members were giving me awkward glances. The film sees Robinson play a socially illiterate marketing executive who becomes obsessed with his new neighbor, a very cool weatherman (Paul Rudd). Purposefully designed to make you uncomfortable, “Friendship” is comedic genius. — Rory Mellon

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There was never any doubt in my mind that we’d be singling out “Hamnet” as the best drama of the last year, and that’s not just because it’s already earned heaps of praise and countless awards everywhere else. When I finished wiping the tears from my eyes after that finale, I knew for definite that this heart-rending watch was a special one.

The fact is, I genuinely cannot remember the last time I was quite so moved by a film; “Hamnet” is mesmerizing, and brings Maggie O’Farrell’s novel to life with so much sheer force that it feels all but impossible to be swept up in all the emotions at play. It is beautifully staged, composed, and, of course, boasts a truly incredible ensemble, helmed by the inimitable Jessie Buckley. — Martin Shore

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I’m still not sure that “Sinners” wasn’t the best movie of 2025. I have “One Battle After Another” and “Hamnet” just ahead of it in my personal rankings, but on the right day, you could probably change my mind. So with that said, it should be no surprise that this Best Picture contender is our pick for Best Horror Movie. It almost has to be by default.

But don’t mistake that for an easy win. This was a year with some seriously good horror movies, including “Weapons.” While that’s a more traditional horror film, there’s no pretending a movie about vampires attacking a bar and everyone inside trying to survive the night isn’t a horror flick. Don’t write it off as a “From Dusk till Dawn” rip-off, though. This movie goes far beyond a standard vampire flick and transcends into being a masterpiece that examines race, Mississippi Delta blues music and yes, killing vampires. — Malcolm McMillan

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This year’s awards season has been noted for its unpredictability in the acting categories. A week out from the Oscars, and it’s hard to pick a firm frontrunner in several fields. Best Actress is the exception. Jessie Buckley is the lockiest of locks for her turn as the wife of William Shakespeare, Agnes, in “Hamnet.” And she has earned that Oscar without a doubt.

I basically never cry during movies (my partner likes to joke I’m borderline psychopathically cold-hearted), but the final few moments of “Hamnet” had my eyes watering for the first time in forever. That’s all because of Buckley.

The Irish actor doesn’t so much commit to the role as genuinely become a grieving mother, finding solace and release in the legendary play being performed in front of her. Buckley puts viewers through the emotional wringer, and I came away from “Hamnet” with one thought in my mind: give Buckley all the awards now. — Rory Mellon

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I was counting on “Sinners” to take the top spot in our movie awards, and I’m glad it did. Without a doubt, it’s my favorite movie of 2025 and easily one of the best movies of the past decade. Everything about it feels electric, from the soundtrack to the gritty, atmospheric shots of the American South. The energy practically bursts through every frame. Set in the Jim Crow-era South, “Sinners” follows twin brothers (Michael B. Jordan) returning to their hometown to open a juke joint. But as the night unfolds, an evil supernatural force begins to close in.

This vampire horror-thriller really thrives on its sound design, which was easily my favorite part of the whole experience. Ryan Coogler clearly knew exactly how to build something powerful, taking risks and pushing the story in directions you don’t always expect, yet it never loses its emotional core among the horror elements. “Sinners” has style, soul, and a whole lot of bite, and I know this masterpiece will never lose its magic. — Alix Blackburn

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We’ve had our say on the best movies of 2025, but we also wanted the Tom’s Guide Awards to encompass the thoughts of our readers, and after more than 3,300 votes, there was a clear winner: “Sinners.”

Scoring 12% of the vote, much like in our own “best overall movie” category, Ryan Coogler’s cinematic vampire horror-thriller romped to victory, and it wasn’t even particularly close.

Second place went to crowd-pleasing blockbuster, “F1,” while Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” took the bronze. Perhaps the biggest shock was “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” landing in fourth (just a single vote split third and fourth), while “Frankenstein” and “Avatar: Fire and Ash” rounded out the top six in our reader poll.

Meanwhile, at the foot of the field, there were more shocks. “A Minecraft Movie,” “Lilo & Stitch,” and “Zootopia 2” might have been the top three grossing movies at the domestic box office in 2025, but they came in the bottom four of our readers’ poll. Proving that earning an eye-watering sum of money in theaters doesn’t always translate to strong viewer support.

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Forget the Oscars, we (and our readers) picked the best movies of 2025

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