When history looks back on movies released in 2025, the evidence will indicate a solid year. Big blockbusters delivered the goods. Medium-sized gambles paid big dividends. There were great original films, sequels, animation, you name it. But within those great movies, certain moments stand out. And that’s where this list comes in.
Below, we have 30 of the best movie moments of the year. Small snippets of movies, both good and bad, that have (and will continue to) stay with us as long as we love movies.
Now, obviously, some of those moments contain spoilers for films released in 2025 so, if there’s anything you haven’t seen and are sitll trying to see fresh, maybe turn away. For everyone else, enjoy io9’s list of the best movie moments of 2025.
Sinners – Musical History
Sinners is filled with fantastic moments, but one, of course, stands above. Sammie starts to really cook on his guitar, and everyone in the juke joint begins to dance. Soon, somehow, through the magic of the music, reality starts to disappear. Musicians and types of music from across time and space all show up here, now, in this place, celebrating the power of culture, music, art, and more, all in the center of this movie about vampires. It’s one of the most unforgettable moments we’ve ever seen.
Superman – The Opening
James Gunn’s Superman is filled with excellent moments, and you’ll soon read more of them on this list. But one of the most jarring comes right at the start of the film. With a few quick lines, almost like an opening crawl, Gunn sets the stakes not just for this movie, this moment, and this story, but the entirety of his brand new DC Universe. Three centuries, three decades, three years, three weeks, three hours, three minutes. Six lines tell us everything we need to know while also increasing the tension, providing a perfect start to the adventure.
The Life of Chuck – Dancing
Mike Flanagan’s The Life of Chuck is a rumination on the meaning and beauty of life. And while that’s most directly evidenced in the first and third parts, the second one is where you see it in full bloom. On a random afternoon, stolling down the street, Chuck hears a drummer and starts to dance. Then a woman joins in. And the trio fill seemingly an entire town full of joy. It’s a rousing, magical moment that then gets punctuated by a gut punch of lines from the narrator revealing that this may have been Chuck’s happiest moment.
How to Train Your Dragon – Flying
One of the best movie moments of this century is when Hiccup and Toothless finally begin to fly together in the original How to Train Your Dragon. The music, the shot composition, the editing, it’s absolutely perfect and guaranteed to give you goosebumps. So, it makes sense that this year’s live-action remake recreated the scene almost exactly. And, it created exactly the same sensations.
Together – “2 Become 1”
At a certain point in Together, you realize what is happening. This magical force that the couple encountered wants their bodies to meld together. For two to become one. And, eventually, they give in to that. It’s something we’ve never quite seen on screen like this as we watch two human beings melt into each other, becoming a single person. It’s gross, it’s distrubing but, but ultimately, it’s also kind of beautiful and poignant. Oh, and the Spice Girls song makes it that much better.
Bugonia – The Big Reveal
Major spoilers for Bugonia, obviously. But in a movie of weird, tense moments, one clearly rises above the rest. After watching and wondering if Emma Stone’s character is an alien or not, and being convinced both ways at various times, the film finally reveals that yes, she is. And, every single thing that Teddy said—from the hair to the spaceship and more—was all 100% accurate. The costumes, the language, all of it is so weird and hilarious, it makes for the perfect payoff.
Weapons – The Chase
Zach Cregger’s Weapons is another 2025 movie filled with memorable moments. The biggest one though, is the ending when Aunt Gladys’ spell gets flipped back onto her. We then get to see the entire classroom of children mindlessly run and crash their way through a neighborhood desperatly trying to get their hands on her. Through windows, walls, and more, the kids smash until finally, they get her, and its bye-bye Aunt Gladys, who meets a glorious, gory end.
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc – Denji and Beam vs. Reze
It starts out with a kiss, then becomes a tornado of debris and utter chaos. Chainsaw Man always finds a moment to kick Denji’s teeth in, and the movie goes even further by having his main love interest Reze show her true colors in a chase scene that gets more ridiculous and violent even before supporting characters show up to either help or dip out when they see the carnage she’s wrought. It all culminates in a final standoff that makes for one of the best theatrical experiences of the year, and a showcase for why this property has become so endearing.
Bring Her Back – The Table
The latest film by Danny and Michael Philippou isn’t as overall fantastic as their last one, but it’s far, far more disturbing. Case in point, the moment when the possessed young boy, Oliver, decides he wants to take a bite out of a table, destroying his mouth, teeth, and more in the process. It’s incredibly hard to watch, more than shocking, and something you will never be able to shake.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – The Sub and the Plane
The Final Reckoning is not quite as fantastic as previous Mission: Impossible films but it does provide some of the most insane set pieces we’ve ever seen. One had Tom Cruise’s character, Ethan Hunt, free dive down to a crashed submarine, with all the tension that implies. The other had him flying through the sky on the wing of a plane, which was somehow done for real. The movie may not be great, but those two scenes were beyond that.
Ballerina – Flamethrowers
We’ve seen people fight with guns, swords, fists, you name it. But in the John Wick spinoff, Ballerina, we got a few very cool action firsts. One is the scene where Eve and her adversary take to the streets and fight with dualing flamethrowers. Usually, having a single flamethrower in a movie is awesome, so to have two, and them go head to head, is beyond words.
Wicked: For Good – “No Good Deed”
For Wicked: For Good to click at all, one song needed to work more than any other—and it arguably wasn’t “For Good,” but Elphaba’s mournful, defiant reclamation of her wicked mantle in “No Good Deed.” There was no doubt Cynthia Erivo’s version of the classic would immediately slot right alongside the very best Broadway and West End performances, but how the film chose to adapt the stage play’s relatively spartan dressing for the song’s staging was going to be vital. Like most choices in the Wicked adaptations, For Good went grandiose in the best way, giving us Elphaba leaping among the parapets of Kiamo Ko in one of the film’s clear highlights.
Final Destination Bloodlines – Iris’ Death
So many people die in Final Destination Bloodlines that it’s hard to pick a favorite way they go. And yet, it has to be Iris’ real end for two reasons: its importance to the plot and the way the film teases the different ways she could get got before choosing the silliest, literally most in-your-face way imaginable.
KPop Demon Hunters – Huntr/x’s Plane Escape
There are plenty of moments that helped make KPop Demon Hunters a surprise smash hit. But almost immediately, you could tell the film was on to something special with its first musical number. “How It’s Done” is a bop and one of the film’s best tracks, for sure, but Rumi, Zoey, and Mira’s casual beatdown of a group of demons that somehow only gets more casual as they leap out of an exploding plane is just a delightfully framed action scene. It tells you straight away just how much fun these characters are, it’s wonderfully animated and inventive, and it just exudes confidence and charm in equal measure.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps – Sue’s Final Push
Sure, Fantastic Four is a team movie on the surface, but it really belongs to Sue Storm. Vanessa Kirby provides the heart of the whole movie, and to boot, she’s also the MVP of its action when the four finally square off against Galactus, trading the heavy hits of Ben and Johnny or Reed’s stretchy inventiveness for raw power and emotion in equal measure, as Sue defiantly gives it all to push Galactus back and keep her family safe. Do you ever really expect the film to kill off Sue for all the effort? Not really, but Kirby sells the hell out of it to the point you might just think maybe.
Superman – “1A. 1A. 1A!”
Lex Luthor is the biggest hater of all time. We know this. But Nicholas Hoult’s rendition of the character in Superman is a different breed. Throughout the James Gunn flick, we saw the man create an interdimensional prison where he incarcerated anyone and everyone for perceived slights, he kidnapped a dog, and he created internet trolls via monkeys just to get under Superman’s skin on social media. But, by far the most telling sign of pettiness was his itemized movelist for “Ultraman” to take down Superman. And like a scrublord, in his heat of passion, he spammed a neutral punch: “1A.” May it go down in history as DC Studios’ greatest vocal stim.
Predator: Killer of Killers – The Viking Ice Fight
Predator: Killer of Killers cemented its titular race of space big game hunters as the galaxy’s greatest culture vultures. They were running the dozens with samurai in Japan, dogfighting with U.S. pilots in the sky, and even mixing it up with Vikings. All ultimately saw their respective Yautja get humbled by good old-fashioned human know-how, but the Viking fight was on a different level. Seeing the hulking Yautja punch warriors into mist, only to be outfoxed on the ice by a grizzled, seasoned warrior, set the film’s high bar for excellence early. Sometimes, when we close our eyes, we still see that shot of her under the ice staring back up at the Yautja from the film’s fishtank angle. *Chef’s kiss*
Sinners – Smoke’s Last Stand
One Michael B. Jordan gets to become a vampire, and the other gets to go out in a gun-toting blaze of glory. Sinners never lets its vampires overwhelm the racial violence coming to the juke joint, so instead of riding off with Sammie, Smoke gets all his guns to fight the incoming Klan as Ludwig Göransson and Eric Gales provide a great score for all this violence. It’s a fist-pumping closure to an otherwise tragic night.
Ne Zha 2 – The Final Showdown
Ne Zha 2 is one of the greatest animated movies of this year, and the film’s action, which dishes out spectacle in excess, is a huge part of that. If you remember that earth-shattering feeling of seeing a World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy CGI cutscene or cinematic trailer, take that feeling and strap a rocket to it, and you’ve got Ne Zha 2′s final battle. The film up to that point is already well-choreographed and surprisingly brutal, despite being billed as a children’s picture. Its last act goes even further beyond with final boss atmosphere that feels almost eldritch as it ramps up to its climactic ending. Doing all that and still being a film with tons of heart was truly special to behold in an IMAX theater, where everyone of all ages lost their collective minds.
Mickey 17 – Two Mickeys Have a Heart-to-Heart
In a year of actors having us see double, Mickey 17 is a film you almost have to stop and remind yourself was pretty solid. Robert Pattinson’s ability to pull off two very distinct clones—one as brave as a shivering chihuahua and the other as ferocious as a jackal—and make us forget that it’s all just one guy is magical. While the movie is filled with good stuff, from its political parodies of [placeholder of current, inept world leader here] to its brand of uncanny Bong Joon Ho comedy, it’s the honest conversation between the Mickeys after a high-fueled party gone foul where the film finds its heart. There, Mickey 18 gives Mickey 17 a kick in the ass (figuratively) and tells him that he deserves better than he’s resigned himself to. It’s sweet, and we should all give ourselves that kind of tough love.
Clown in a Cornfield – Rotary Phone Freakout
Eli Craig’s energetic adaptation of Adam Cesare’s horror novel boasts one of the most evocative titles of the year, and it absolutely delivers on clowns and cornfields (and chainsaws). But its standout scene contains none of those things. Instead, it perfectly distills the movie’s clashing-generations theme into one priceless moment. A pair of teenage girls race to the safety of an isolated farmhouse, only to realize the only way to call for help is by using an old-school rotary phone—which, of course, neither of them knows how to operate.
Superman – “Five Years’ Time”
Edi Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific is a standout from the moment he floats into Superman, but he completely owns it by the time we and Lois alike are invited to see him facing off against Lex’s guards to reach the pocket dimension. The camera work whipping around Lois’ perspective for a faux one shot-esque framing, and the clever use of the T-Spheres for both combat and Terrific practically dancing about the screen, make for a real moment of fun for a character who is almost self-serious to a fault, and a joy to watch on screen. Never get between James Gunn and an unconventionally soundtracked action sequence.
Weapons – “Willow”
There are many weird asides and icky things to notice out of the corner of your eye in Zach Cregger’s horror saga. But probably its funniest moment happens when local junkie Jessie breaks into a random house in search of an easy score, and while pawing through the homeowner’s movie collection, finds a prize: “Willow!” Austin Abrams’ line delivery is perfect, giving us a split second of childlike delight, remembering an old favorite while doing crimes. Also, Willow rules!
The Toxic Avenger – Toxie vs. the Killer Nutz
Macon Blair’s Toxic Avenger reboot has a lot of crowd-pleasing moments, but we especially loved seeing Toxie (voiced by Peter Dinklage) crash an outdoor concert by the hilariously odious “monstercore” band the Killer Nutz—by belting out Motorhead’s “Overkill.” It’s the perfect song to announce you’re about to deal out some gruesome comeuppance, not to mention a fitting tribute to the band’s late leader, Lemmy, a noted Troma fan.
Elio – The Clone Ends His Watch
At the start of his space adventure, Elio makes a clone of himself to stand in on Earth, which his aunt quickly figures out is not real. Later, the real Elio and his aunt need to sneak onto base; with the help of clone Elio, they devise a showstopping distraction. The clone sneaks up on the soldiers and asks for help in the darkness—only to reveal himself as a boy who is not a boy at all. The Elio clone’s body crunches and contorts in front of horrified soldiers and melts, ending his existence so the real Elio and his aunt can save the day. It makes for some real fun gateway goods to introduce kids to sci-fi horror inspired by Carpenter and Cronenberg.
Wicked: For Good – Goodbye
The moment that Elphaba and Glinda say goodbye after “For Good” is raw and moving. In an improvised shot, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande add a wonderfully bittersweet addition to their farewell as Elphaba helps perhaps her greatest love realize what needs to be done. It evokes an earlier line—”Just look at me. Not with your eyes, but theirs”—and encompasses Glinda’s love and heartbreak, as well as Elphaba throwing her hat to one Dorothy-sized destiny. We didn’t have to know the unheard words the characters exchanged in those moments; their power comes with how everyone who watches it can fill in their own experience and emotions.
Ballerina – Grenades
Is Ballerina a good movie? It’s decent, but it’s really fun when it’s playing with well-known John Wick conventions. Just when we think we’re about to get a standard “arm up” scene, Eve and arms dealer Frank are suddenly ambushed. This, in turn, leads to one of the film’s best, most ridiculous fights as Eve dispatches her enemies with grenades, doing kills that would be finishers in any other movie and should just obliterate her hearing for the rest of the film. If only the rest of Ballerina were so gleefully stupid.
Anaconda – Peeing
Anaconda is still under embargo as of publication so, we can’t say much here. But we’ll just say that the “peeing” scene is a masterclass in absurdity, hilarity, and, oddly, redemption.
Thunderbolts – It’s Bucky
Bucky Barnes doesn’t always get a lot to do in the MCU, but whenever he’s got the time to shine, he owns the scene. Thunderbolts knows this, giving him an entrance into the antiheroic fray in a way that’d normally be a star-making turn, but for Sebastian Stan is a brief, arguably overdue highlight that works as the best kind of fan service
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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