2025 was a wild ride for film lovers. Scores of great films combined with competition among studios resulted in many special cinematic moments to cherish for years to come. Last year also included many unforgettable scenes and notable accomplishments. From a film with Leonardo DiCaprio running around in his bathrobe to Dylan O’Brien playing twins finding connection, 2025 offered spellbinding experiences which led to strong emotions that will linger for years. These are my top 10 films of 2025.

The first film is One Battle After Another. This is by far one of the most creative, prolific, yet comedic films I have seen by the well-known director Paul Thomas Anderson. So many moving parts come together at once and still manage to maintain a humor-filled vibe along with plenty of political espionage. One Battle After Another is a sensational ride of madness and fun. It is daring, and lethally action-packed. Mayhem is around every corner, and the misdirection is attention-grabbing. There are many unexpected punches to the face that keep audiences wanting for more.

The second film is Twinless. Director, writer, and actor James Sweeney presents a touching film about disconnect and the need to find a replacement. Sweeney is the master of emotional writing and turmoil. Twinless twisted my emotions to the core. The performances of Sweeney and O’Brien are insanely audacious. Love and grief find common ground in thismesmerizing portrait of appreciation. The title reminds audiences of the power of wishful thinking. Despite the hard truths of the film, the wonders of love are a revelation. Twinless delves into grief looking to be relieved. O’Brien and Sweeney are a dynamic duo trying to combat grief after the loss of their loved ones.

The third film is Hamnet. This is a powerful, transformative movie about the world of Shakespeare. Political themes play out in a medieval era filled with dynamics of power, love, and loss all performed on a stage. Hamnet is a thought-provoking portrait of challenges and turmoil in situations that should be black and white. The conflict between good and evil leads to connections and brilliance on stage. As one who loves theatricals, I was blown away by two things during this film. First, the chemistry between the main characters. Second, the effective portrayal of powerful emotions. Hamnet is well-written and demonstrates the human emotions of sadness and grief.

The fourth film is Rental Family. From the mind of director Hikari comes a mesmerizing and diverse portrait where some unique connections are found. Rental Family focuses on a character with a struggling career who decides to take a different path—one that requires having a heart. Brendan Fraser delivers one of the best performances of 2025, and ultimately one of the best of his career. Rental Family is a unique film that blends diversity and human connection to create parallel values and deep context. 

The fifth film is Sorry, Baby.  Eva Victor is the writer, the director and the lead in Sorry, Baby. She gives everything to this performance. Her mental awareness and her ability to portray disconnect are impressive as she shines in displaying both stress and relief. It is built upon a foundation of the steps it takes to move forward. The result is a landscape of trial and error that paints a clear picture of what it means to go with a gut-feeling.

The sixth film is The Baltimorons. This film is an absolute gem in which connections are found in unlikely places. It is a masterclass of comedy based on finding meaning after loss. The Baltimorons is a Christmas miracle from the mind of Jay Duplass. Co-written by Michael Strassner who is also the lead in the film, The Baltimorons relies upon a formulaic approach involving someone trying to cope with disconnect on Christmas Eve. I have long admired Duplass. In this film, he showcases the human ability to thrive in the face of loss. I adore The Baltimorons for its focus on someone dealing with personalfrustrations while also trying to bring happiness to others.

The seventh film is Marty Supreme. One-of-a-kind and authentic, this movie features one of Timothee Chalamet’s most mesmerizing performances. The film is like a ping pong match that you can’t take your eyes off. Writer and director Josh Safdie creates a film that is a few notches down from the stress of Uncut Gems and not aimed as much at gambling. This time the story highlights earning money through competition and building a reputation.

The eighth film is Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives out Mystery. Writer and director Rian Johnson is back with another installment, and this one may be the best of them all. The clues, the people, the egos, and the matters all make these mystery thrillers so fanciful and wonderful. It shines especially bright with Daniel Craig reprising his role as Benoit Blanc and bringing out laid-back detective mannerisms. At the same time, Craig’s character has the personality to solve the case by putting the pieces together one-by-one. The whole film is an exciting ride filled with questions, humor, and fun set in a church this time around. The wrongdoings have a lot to do with faith and fate—but also community involvement comes into the equation. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery showcases a pattern of realizations created to blindside audiences with clever writing. Johnson is a genius.

The ninth film is Jay Kelly. Noah Baumbach’s films always spark human emotions because his writing creates moments in which audiences experience sadness. When directing films about divorce like The Squid and the Whale and Marriage Story, he painted portraits that show how everyone is impacted in these situations but still deserving of empathy. Baumbach has also directed films on family dynamics like Margot at the Wedding and Kicking and Screaming in which he carefully establishes that there is a level of disconnect. In his newest feature, Jay Kelly, there is disconnection from life due to fame. This film takes a more lighthearted approach with joyful scenes, while still being sad.

The tenth film is Frankenstein. The mind of Guillermo del Toro finds creative connections in a powerhouse effort which includes wonders of cinematic imagination unlike any other. From the worlds of Pan’s Labyrinth, The Orphanage, and Pinocchio, he creates new meaning with Frankenstein. In this film, the emergence of light evolves, but the political aspects regarding humanistic value fall between the cracks.

2025 was a ride full of fantastic films. With all the films on my list being seen in virtual or digital form, I felt a sense of increased empathy in 2025 stemming from the themes of these impressive films. The external landscape in 2025 felt overwhelming at times, but ultimately there was a respite available in cinematic surroundings in every week. Staying upbeat was difficult at times, yet luckily in movies empathy was still alive in 2025.