The Best Films of 2025: #30-16
30 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | Send-Off
It’s been yet another rough year for many of us, with a seemingly never-ending barrage of bad stuff happening all over the world – among them the escalation of war in Europe and the Middle East, the death of perhaps the most beloved Pope this century, A Minecraft Movie earning almost $1 billion worldwide, and so much more – that has overwhelmed, even depressed, the majority of those clutching onto their souls however hard they can.
Thankfully, as always, the movies that have been released over the past twelve months have made things just a little bit easier to bare, and our picks for this year’s most outstanding films have warmed our hearts, taken pop culture by storm, and perhaps even inspired a little bit of societal change!
But before we get into our countdown, a little reminder about how our list operates: films are only eligible if they were given an original UK release between January 1st and December 31st 2025, meaning that it has to have been out in the UK between those dates without being released elsewhere in the world beforehand (including cinema, streaming and on-demand releases) in order to qualify.
Unfortunately, this immediately counts out a lot of last year’s awards contenders like The Brutalist, A Real Pain and I’m Still Here, which were released in the United States or other territories the year prior. In addition, films which may have been seen this year, either at festivals or at advance screenings, but aren’t officially released in the UK until next year (or perhaps have no set date as of writing) are also ineligible. That means you won’t be seeing the likes of Hamnet and The Voice of Hind Rajab anywhere on this list, unfortunately.
So, let’s dive right into our list, beginning with number 30…
30 – K-Pop Demon Hunters (dirs. Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang)
It would be remiss to not acknowledge one of the year’s most unlikely success stories, with this vibrant and fun-filled animated musical going from obscure Netflix release to a major cultural phenomenon in a matter of weeks, quickly becoming the streamer’s most-watched original movie of all time. And for good reason: the movie is genuinely worth the hype.
Though I originally gave it a solid-if-pedestrian three-and-a-half stars in my original review (which you can check out via the link below), a rewatch or two – including one in the cinema, during its limited theatrical singalong run – bumped it up at least a half-star for me. That’s because it genuinely works as a slickly designed caper that combines supernatural lore with exceptionally catchy K-Pop songs (I still can’t stop listening to “Golden” and “Soda Pop” on repeat), but most of all it’s a positive indication that general audiences are open to exploring and learning more about other cultures beyond their own, with this film and its dense portrayal of Korean subcultures as well as some of its mentalities resonating deeply with viewers, enough to inspire a greater appreciation and understanding of exports from the country.
Leave it to HUNTR/X to show the world of animation how it’s done, done, done…
29 – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (dir. Christopher McQuarrie)
Tom Cruise went above and beyond this year to solidify his iconic status, from his usual charm offensive at several worldwide premieres to being awarded an Honorary Oscar for his magnificent contributions to cinema, but with this eighth and (so far) final instalment in the long-running action series he literally put his life on the line for the sake of entertainment, and managed to wow us all while doing so.
The film is admittedly flawed, at least for its exposition-heavy first half where writer-director Christopher McQuarrie gets a bit too carried away with explaining every little detail in his direct follow-up to 2023’s Dead Reckoning, but once the action gets going there’s seriously no stopping it, whether it’s an extended underwater sequence that literally took everyone’s breath away or, much more prominently, an absolutely thrilling climax where Cruise’s Ethan Hunt clings onto a midair biplane for dear life. It’s incredible stuff, enough to forgive the film of many of its glaring hiccups, and really reminds you that not only is there no more powerful expression of oneself than film, but that people like Tom Cruise and his various collaborators have passion and a half for delivering an entertaining spectacle, no matter what the personal cost.
Ethan’s missions may be over (for now), but this really raised the bar to far higher levels than ever before, in terms of both the franchise and action cinema in general…
28 – Materialists (dir. Celine Song)
Celine Song’s choice to follow up her acclaimed Oscar-nominated debut Past Lives with a seemingly traditional romantic comedy seemed at first to be a sign of worry, though if there’s one thing we’ve learned from the auteur just two movies into her illustrious career, it’s never to doubt her judgement.
Song flipped the typical rom-com formula on its head with a smart and mature study of how modern-day relationships are nothing more than transactional necessities, with Dakota Johnson’s ambitious matchmaker in full business mode as she negotiates with prospective lovers like Pedro Pascal’s wealthy bachelor and Chris Evans as her struggling ex the terms of their exclusive union. But rather than simply portraying modern dating as the soulless exercise that it often is, Song also tapped into her deeply romantic side with truly tender moments that have stayed with viewers more than the majority of most straightforward rom-coms this year, confirming her as an artisan talent with a wisdom that most filmmakers would fight each other to the death for.
Who knows what genre Song will tackle for her next feature, but there’s a strong chance it’ll be yet another triumphant addition to her already impressive track record…
27 – The Wedding Banquet (dir. Andrew Ahn)
While Materialists successfully deconstructed the classic rom-com formula, director Andrew Ahn’s remake of the Ang Lee classic not only leaned more into it but offered quite a few surprises of its own, enough to make it one of the year’s loveliest films.
The focus shifted to a group of friends, all struggling with various issues among themselves and their partners until a proposal that ignites chaos for all involved, and you really feel the power of their bond as the likes of Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran and Han Gi-chan showcased a vibrant chemistry as they stumbled into one mishap after another. The result was a rom-com that was not only funny and romantic when it needed to be, but also knew where its tender heart shined most as each main character got their moment to shine, with Ahn guiding his actors to a meaningful conclusion where everyone, including the audience, experienced love in all its weird, unpredictable forms.
And I’m not saying all this just because I had the pleasure of interviewing Ahn earlier this year – an interview that, incidentally, you can watch right below…
26 – Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (dir. Rian Johnson)
Netflix put out two star-studded murder-mysteries this year, but while The Thursday Murder Club was a likeable but harmless bit of cinematic sleuthing for the older crowd, it was the third in Rian Johnson’s series of hugely entertaining Agatha Christie homages that truly left the larger impression.
Daniel Craig was delightful as ever in the role of detective Benoit Blanc, though the new ensemble cast stole the show, with standout turns from Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close and Jeremy Renner all contributing to the compelling and deeply thoughtful mystery at its heart, which took aim at the hypocrisies and corruption surrounding modern-day religion with sharp wit and complex plotting. As with his past two Blanc mysteries, Johnson truly brought out the best of his storytelling powers with a visually and thematically powerful cautionary tale where we could laugh as well as feel deep discomfort, all while delivering a whodunnit case that got us thinking as well as genuinely enjoying all the dark and unexpected directions it was taking.
Wherever Johnson takes Blanc next, here’s hoping it’ll continue the striking quality of the southern-fried detective’s already impressive track record…
25 – Superman (dir. James Gunn)
So much was riding on James Gunn’s revamp of the troubled DC Universe, but with his bright and optimistic take on arguably the most famous superhero of all time, it turns out we had nothing to worry about.
Gunn reintroduced audiences to a cheery Superman as warmly embodied by David Corenswet, after years of having to endure Henry Cavill’s mopey and personality-free version, for a movie that felt like it was lifted directly from the Golden Age of comic books, with plenty of silly yet endearing little details that made this universe already feel so rich with lore. Furthermore, Gunn’s signature empathy made this Superman the closest we’ve come since the Christopher Reeve days of actually having an on-screen superhero who values all life, right down to the smallest squirrel, which rubs off on all supporting characters (bar Nicholas Hoult’s eternally heartless Lex Luthor).
The DC Universe is officially off to a strong start, and if this film is any indication, things can only get better…
24 – The Life of Chuck (dir. Mike Flanagan)
It was a banner year for Stephen King adaptations, with one of the best and by far the most heartwarming being Mike Flanagan’s charming adaptation of a short story about an ordinary yet extraordinary man named Charles Krantz.
Tom Hiddleston was one of a handful of actors to play the title character, who of course formed the centre of a reverse-order narrative that began as a bleak apocalyptic drama and slowly transformed into a far more endearing coming-of-age story (with even a brief showstopping dance number in between!). Flanagan, taking a break from his usual darker repertoire, showed his range as he tapped into the character’s unique reflection on the world and his own life, filled with plenty of memorable characters among them Mark Hamill in an impressive turn as his troubled grandfather, leading to a climax that stays with you long after the credits roll.
It’s a rare upbeat King story adapted into an even rarer upbeat Flanagan production, one that contains multitudes…
23 – The Naked Gun (dir. Akiva Schaffer)
This reboot of the classic cop spoof could have gone so wrong, but thanks to the efforts of director Akiva Schaffer, producer Seth MacFarlane and lead actor Liam Neeson, it turned out to be one of the year’s funniest movies.
Consistently hilarious from start to finish, with only a handful of gags that don’t completely land, the film truly embraces the wacky anything-goes comedic style of the previous Leslie Nielsen-starring movies, with background gags galore and incredibly silly dialogue delivered with the straightest of faces, especially Neeson who’s having a blast sending up his tough-man action hero persona as the son of Nielsen’s Frank Drebin. With an equally-game Pamela Anderson by his side (to a point where the two actors reportedly hit it off away from the camera), Neeson spearheaded a number of laugh-out-loud jokes, ranging from choice wordplay to even a whole sequence involving a killer snowman, all while letting many of the other gags speak for themselves as Schaffer executes them with a genuine passion for not just the material but also the legacy of ZAZ’s past films.
Plus, where else will you see Liam Neeson knocking over bank robbers like bowling pins whilst dressed as a schoolgirl? Only here, in the year’s best all-out comedy…
22 – Left-Handed Girl (dir. Shih-Ching Tsou)
It was a big year for Sean Baker, who became the first person since Walt Disney to win four competitive Oscars on the same night for writing, directing, editing and producing Best Picture winner Anora. But that wasn’t all, as he also took time to help out regular collaborator Shih-Ching Tsou with her own charming slice-of-life drama that turned out to be a real highlight of its own.
Baker co-wrote, produced and edited Tsou’s film about a mother and her two daughters, one being the left-handed girl of the title (as played by the adorable Nina Ye), moving to the city of Taipei to open a night market stand, and while the movie featured quite a few of Baker’s most recognisable traits, including a brief but poignant look at sex work as well as mischievous child antics straight out of The Florida Project, it was ultimately Tsou’s chirpy and sweet-natured vision that shone brightest. Her gritty depiction of Taipei’s streets, captured via iPhone cameras (much like Baker’s own Tangerine), served as a formidable backdrop for this small family unit to clash, bond, and teach each other valuable lessons about the world around them, which ultimately made the film not just an endearing watch but also an important one, as it showed how family and the baggage that comes with it is universal, and can be understood no matter where you are in the world.
It’s a solid combination of two visionary filmmakers and their unique yet very similar approaches to the craft, and it ended up making a real delight of a film…
21 – Bugonia (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos)
After tackling costume dramas, historical fantasies and cryptic triptychs together, the pairing of director Yorgos Lanthimos and actor Emma Stone triumphed once more with a hugely entertaining dark comedy that took their creative partnership beyond the stars, in more ways than one.
Their fourth collaboration was quite possibly their least out-there to date – which is saying something, given that this is a film where Stone’s CEO is kidnapped by Jesse Plemons’ conspiracy theorist who believes she’s an alien – but their film, a remake of the South Korean thriller Save the Green Planet!, retained their wacky energy as Will Tracy’s script gifted them with a narrative and dialogue that perfectly matched the idiosyncratic style of their previous films together. It also pushed both artists to new extremes, with Stone – delivering a fantastically unreadable performance – shaving off her hair to match the on-screen intensity that an equally excellent Plemons carried, while Lanthimos played around a lot more with sets, cinematography, pacing and even the weirdly triumphant musical score by Jerskin Fendrix in a much more restricted setting that still worked for the story and the wild directions that it eventually took.
One of them being by far the year’s gutsiest ending, which without spoilers is the most ideal way to cap off a truly nihilistic take on humanity that deserves to be seen by all…
20 – 28 Years Later (dir. Danny Boyle)
Returning to one of the most defining zombie films of the 21st century was a years-in-the-making task for both director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland, and their first in a planned trilogy of sequels was not only worth the wait, but also offered plenty of surprising depth that made this post-apocalyptic world far more emotionally richer than expected.
The deserted British landscapes, populated by those pesky Infected and that extremely contagious Rage virus, were an unexpectedly haunting location for a sharp coming-of-age drama where standout young actor Alfie Williams underwent a gruelling and deeply personal journey, one where not even the Infected could drive a wedge between him and his fierce humanity, especially when Ralph Fiennes’ soothing doctor enters the picture. It may not have featured much zombie action (though that’s where next month’s follow-up The Bone Temple comes in handy), but as a reintroduction to this world that showed exactly how much things have changed in the twenty-odd years since the original outbreak, it offered more than just simple nostalgia bait.
Though with the third and final entry confirmed, one that will see original star Cillian Murphy return to the fold, nostalgia could well provide the cure for this franchise…
19 – Bring Her Back (dirs. Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou)
They may have shaken the world with their terrifying debut Talk to Me, but the Philippou brothers – previously known by their YouTube moniker RackaRacka – had much more to prove with their anticipated sophomore outing, one that somehow managed to be horrific on entirely different and wholly memorable levels.
The filmmakers’ eye for gruesome and shocking violence was more than apparent in scenes that would give the faint-hearted a full-on heart attack, but as nasty as it could get there was also a genuine emotional core that allowed viewers to understand the reasons behind some of the most twisted reveals, particularly ones surrounding Sally Hawkins who excelled as a foster mother going through such powerful grief that it has stripped away her logic and humanity. The bravura performance made this character so much more menacing but also strangely sympathetic, for you can tell even as she’s doing some truly evil things – one of them smacking a sleeping visually impaired child on the eye and then throwing the blame onto their older brother – she is someone who is in such a freefall of emotions that her craziness carries real weight, adding powerful layers to what is otherwise a frightening situation to be in.
As of writing, there’s no word on what the brothers will tackle for their third film, but whatever it may be there’s a good chance it’ll offer as much demented horror as their impressive first two features…
18 – Hallow Road (dir. Babak Anvari)
More than most of 2025’s horror films, the latest by director Babak Anvari executed a simple yet deeply effective premise with sublime precision, filler-free plotting and a genuinely unsettling atmosphere that surely gave claustrophobics a few panic attacks.
The majority of Anvari’s film took place inside a car as Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys raced through the night to reach their daughter at the scene of an unfortunate accident, but the filmmaker found increasingly startling new twists in the journey that made the outcome far from certain, particularly the introduction of a couple of voiceover roles that became ever more interesting once you saw who they’re played by in the credits. Even before then, it was impressing viewers with the strong dual performances by Pike and Rhys, the stylish choices made by cinematographer Kit Fraser, and William Gillies’s script which threw surprises aplenty whilst keeping the drama impressively airtight, making for a lean compact psychological thriller that caused inspiration as much as it did nightmares.
You’d had to have a heart of stone to not feel immense fear during this…
17 – Pillion (dir. Harry Lighton)
With his feature filmmaking debut, writer-director Harry Lighton completely showed the Fifty Shades movies how BDSM romance is actually done on the big screen, and in a pretty great movie that was as provocative as it was surprisingly heartwarming.
Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling made for unlikely bedfellows as respective dom and sub in a relationship that comes dangerously close to abuse given the former’s rather inhumane treatment of the latter, but as Lighton peeled back the layers on both his romantic leads, a much more intimate portrait was revealed that showed genuine fascination but also real fear in their radically different approaches to human connection. In between were some of the year’s raunchiest scenes (which should be a given, due to the explicit BDSM themes), executed with real allure that make it all rather sexy to witness regardless of one’s sexuality, especially for those who may be into the numerous leather biker jackets that Skarsgård finds himself wearing throughout.
It’s saucy, uncompromising, and most of all romantic, all in ways that would make Christian Grey bow his head in shame…
16 – Wicked: For Good (dir. Jon M. Chu)
The decision to split the musical phenomenon Wicked into two movies certainly paid off two times over at the box office, but the fact that both movies were quite strong on their own accord, including this second part which covered the entirety (and a little bit more) of Act 2, is an artistic achievement in and of itself.
While Wicked: For Good wasn’t quite on par with its much more accomplished predecessor, it delivered a satisfying conclusion to the story of Oz’s most famous witches, thanks to director Jon M. Chu’s clear love for the material and his vastly colourful interpretation of the classic fantasy land, which alongside its carefully calculated tie-ins with the original story of The Wizard of Oz made it almost as rich with detail and passion. But none of it would work without the impeccable pairing of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, whose striking chemistry as they belt out some of the most emotional tunes of the show – including the titular ballad – gave the entire adaptation its soul, particularly Grande who expanded upon her Oscar-nominated role with raring complexity in a comedic and dramatic performance that is sure to get her recognised one more time for her on-screen efforts.
The story of Wicked may be over, but these movies have changed our love for the world of Oz for good…
That’s it for Part 1 of Film Feeder’s countdown of 2025’s best films – check back soon for Part 2, wherein we reveal which films have cracked the top 10!
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