Best Films of 2025: Explorations of the Past & Woe is Us
- janet g
- 22 hours ago
- 7 min read
Movies branched in many directions – spotlights on reflections of the past, explorations of loss, and encounters with evil were recurring themes.
Perhaps this year’s recurring movie themes echo the woes of Hollywood and the entertainment industry. With short theatrical releases and titles split across so many streaming channels, it’s getting harder to see most films. It was a good year for movies, but not one of great movies for me. Overall, I wasn't wowed as in previous years. But there are always standouts.
Much has been written about the current state of cinema, especially in light of the seismic sale of Warner Bros to Netflix or Paramount (pending at this writing). Will the multiplex model of film distribution finally go away? Yes. Some small arthouses will remain. Likely a few large screens and IMAXs will consolidate for the blockbusters, but the multiplex of 25+ screens with reclining seats will fade into history. While theaters have been on the decline for years, I’ll miss that concentrated focus on a big screen. That communal viewing experience which can’t be duplicated with in-home streaming, where pause or stop are options. Those collective reactions were part of going to the movies.
It’s been reported that Francis Ford Coppola pulled Megalopolis from screening platforms because he wants the film to be seen on the big screen. For an auteur director who spends so much time composing each frame as it moves the narrative along, I can understand his frustration. But he’s waiting for a train that ain’t coming.
Movies will live on in one state or another, whether in a crowded streaming environment or in a shortened theatrical window. Just as the theme-park dinosaurs in Jurassic Park found a way to live, filmmakers will find a way for their stories to be seen and told. But the question remains: How many will see them?
Critics Picks
The top 10 critics lists vary far and wide this year. There are some constants across the board, but I was pleased to see a large variety of films singled out. It's wonderful that so many stories are getting some love.
My Picks
From the 140+ films (not all new releases) I’ve watched this year, the titles that I shortlisted range from big films to offbeat debuts. On reviewing my choices, the themes that drew me in bridged the past to the present, explored grief or loss, or focused on social/political instability.
With many 2025 releases still to see, this list may be amended.
My 2025 top 10 films (spoiler lite), alpha’d:
Caught by the Tides | Jia Zhangke, Director + Co-writer
A fascinating approach to storytelling, Jia’s narrative uses footage shot over a 20+ year span including cut scenes and images from his previous films, blended with new footage of the actors 20+ years on. Similar to Richard Linklater’s Before Trilogy, we follow a love story that unfolds over the passage of time between Qiaoqiao, a young singer/model, and her lover, Bin, who has relocated for better opportunities. Set against the political and social changes across 21st century China, the film is a delicate journey of longing as Qiaoqiao searches for Bin in an altered landscape. It features beautifully calibrated performances along with the use of songs and music in lieu of a lot of dialogue.
Eephus | Carson Lund, Director + Co-writer
It’s the final baseball game for a bunch of guys in a local recreational league. The land has been sold to build a school. Years of history – camaraderie, triumphs, losses and regrets fade into the twilight of late innings. It’s a bittersweet movie about the love of baseball and community, and a reckoning with endings. Carson Lund’s debut film is a wonderful piece of observation. Kudos to his actors – portraying these dinged up men in varying decades of mid-life and beyond – they feel as though they’ve lived in these characters for a long time. Add Eephus to the list of classic baseball movies. Homerun!
Hamnet | Chloé Zhao, Director + Co-writer
Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s book, Zhao's 'Hamnet' focuses on love, loss and grief as the foundation for one of the Bard's masterpieces. The story imagines the young couple from courtship to the loss of their son, Hamnet, and how each handles the tragedy. Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal deliver superb performances as Agnes and Will, along with all of the child actors in support. But it's Buckley’s movie. She gives her all to this (and every role she takes) making loss and grief so raw and gut wrenching, it’s almost unbearable to watch. Łukasz Żal’s moody cinematography adds to Agnes’ mysticism and Will’s stoicism, setting up the final catharsis. Gorgeous!
It Was Just an Accident | Jafar Panahi, Director + Writer
Since 2010, Panahi has been restricted or imprisoned by the Iranian government, yet he still finds ways to make movies. He continues his under-the-radar filmmaking with this blistering allegorical thriller about a group of Iranians, once political prisoners, who unexpectedly stumble into an opportunity to avenge their captor. But there are questions. How can one be sure he’s the one? What does one do if he is? As certainty shifts to doubt and back to certainty, ethics are questioned. But the rage of dehumanization is branded on these characters. Panahi’s personal experiences informed this powerful story – a high-wire act of moral complexity.
One Battle After Another | Paul Taylor Anderson, Director + Writer
When I consider Anderson’s work, I think of the unexpected tonal changes in many of his films. One Battle is no different – a fantastic blend of chaos and order, rage and restraint, loyalty and betrayal – as the past rarely stays buried. Loosely based on Thomas Pynchon’s novel 'Vineland,' Bob (DiCaprio) is a stoner and former revolutionary living off the grid with his biracial daughter, who is taken by Captain Lockjaw (Sean Penn), a military white nationalist. This intersection of genres is a superb ensemble piece – each actor is a crucial part of a story that feels both current and nostalgic. Funny was unexpected, yet it’s perfectly integrated into the narrative. Terrific! See it on the big screen, if possible.
Presence | Steven Soderbergh, Director
Soderbergh had a good year. Two of his movies dot the best-of lists. Black Bag, a sleek spy thriller with a top notch cast, was thoroughly enjoyable. But I was intrigued more by Presence. A modest entry, shot in about a dozen days with a small cast led by Lucy Liu and Chris Sullivan. The film feels like a play, and an experiment in minimalism that delivers a maximum effect. Shot from the POV of the 'title' character, and in sync with the director’s cinematography, it's a haunted-house story that becomes surprisingly moving. Great script and wonderful work from the ensemble. Best to watch it knowing little. A chiller!
The Secret Agent | Kleber Mendonça Filho, Director + Writer
Set in 1977 during the height of Brazil’s military dictatorship, widower Armando (a terrific Wagner Moura), returns to his hometown of Recife with plans to take his young son out of the country. Sheltered by Dona Sebastiana (what a character!), alongside other political refugees, Armando is being hunted. After a compelling, uncomfortable opening scene at a gas station with a corrupt official and a rotting corpse, the director chooses a rewarding slow-burn in piecing the chapters of this political thriller together. A combination of family backstory, a mix of surreal moments, eccentric characters and political assassins, the final chapter shifts to the present where the narrative becomes an historical conundrum, and only a crack in the door to the past. Richly told.
Sinners | Ryan Coogler, Director + Writer
It’s big. It’s bold. And it has an extended dance scene across time that’s brilliant in every way. Set in the Mississippi Delta of the 1930s, the film stars Michael B. Jordan playing twin brothers – criminals who return to their hometown to open a juke joint and host a blowout of an opening night party in the Jim Crow south. The blues rouse the spirits and the revelers are soon confronted by a mysterious evil. Coogler’s very original script on race and resistance along with his assured direction, is brought to life through excellent performances from Jordan, Wunmi Mosaku, Delroy Lindo and the entire cast. The film is dripping in the atmosphere, lore and fabulous sounds of the delta. Loved it!
Warfare | Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland, Directors + Writers
Visceral, emotionally draining, and what I can only imagine is what serving during wartime feels like, the film is based on Mendoza's experiences in the Iraq War as a Navy Seal along with testimonies from his fellow platoon members after the Battle of Ramadi. I couldn't wait for its short runtime to end – that’s meant as a high compliment. Presented in real time, the movie begins with the SEALS waiting and observing the residential area where they are billeted. Playfulness turns to dread as the troops observe increasing enemy activity. Air support leaves, and finally all hell breaks loose. Helmed by both Mendoza and Garland, it boasts a terrific cast along with superior production and technical achievements. It’s intense and nothing about war is glorified. One viewing may be enough, but worth it.
Weapons | Zach Cregger, Director + Writer
Cregger’s film turned into one of the sleeper hits of the year. An intriguing riff on the horror genre, the movie unfolds as a puzzle through the narrative of its characters as told from their viewpoints – their weapons. An excellent Julia Garner plays Justine, a grade-school teacher struggling with alcoholism who is accused of having caused 17 of her students to disappear at the same time in the middle of the night. One student shows up to her class the next day. Why him? When the reveal comes – it builds and it’s chilling (no spoilers). Great work by the cast in a multi-layered film that touches on many themes, but at its heart – it’s a twisty-turny elliptical chiller leveled with humor.
Honorable Mentions and Notable
28 Days Later, Black Bag, Companion, Eddington, Familiar Touch, Mickey 17, Orwell: 2+2=5, The President’s Cake, There’s Still Tomorrow. Marvel’s Thunderbolts* and DC’s Superman are good, big-budget movies and both are a lot of fun.
Still-to-See
BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions, Bugonia, Frankenstein, Mother Father Sister Brother, Marty Supreme, The Mastermind, Nouvelle Vague, Peter Hujar’s Day, Predators, Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass, Sirat, Souleymane’s Story, Train Dreams, The Voice of Hind Rajab and many more.
Don't forget to check out filmmaker John Waters’ 2025 top 10 list. Agree or disagree, it’s always an entertaining read.
Last year's list is here. Or browse the past years for ideas. You might find an eclectic or unexpected movie that you've missed.
Oscars Ceremony: Livestreaming in 2029
Bye, bye broadcast TV. The Oscars will be moving to YouTube, beginning in 2029.
Via the New York Times, “We look forward to the next three telecasts, including the show’s centennial celebration in 2028, and wish the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences continued success,” ABC said in a statement.
The 98th Oscars telecast will air on ABC on 15 March 2026 at 7:00 PM.
What favorite movies topped your list in 2025?
Design + animation: © 2025 Janet Giampietro | Posters are copyright of each studio, production company or streaming service.
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