The Best of 2025 | Phil’s Top 10 Movies of 2025: A Landmark Year For Cinema
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Phil Roberts 
Join me as I count down the top movies of 2025. From Hamnet to I Swear, and Rental Family to Frankenstein, this is my Top 10 Movies of the year!
With the theatrical year now coming to a close and a bumper crop of movies to reflect on, it’s time to select my top 10 movies of the year. 2025 has been an incredible year for cinema. With incredible directors like Chloé Zhao and Guillermo del Toro adding their brilliance to this year’s lineup, we have a relative feast of cinema to look back on. But what films make my list of the best of the year? Did Rental Family do enough to make the list? Has Jurassic World: Rebirth done enough to hit the mark? Or has James Cameron hit the top spot with Avatar: Fire and Ash? Join me as we tick off the best movies of 2025.
10. JAY KELLY
Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly was an instant hit for Netflix on the festival circuit, with many critics hailing the film as an absolute triumph. After my screening, I was delighted to count myself among them. The film is a wonderfully weighted piece of cinema. George Clooney delivers a phenomenal performance alongside the refreshingly impressive Adam Sandler. Fun, reflective, amusing, and memorable, the film is an engrossing and poignant watch.
While it could have the potential to catapult Clooney into the best actor category, the film stands as an incredible vehicle for the actor to shine. Can I do it again?
9. TRAIN DREAMS
Another Netflix movie gaining acclaim on the festival circuit, Train Dreams was a surprise package for me at the BFI London Film Festival. Netflix truly knows a landmark project when they see it, and here they have backed another gem. Clint Bentley’s movie is a phenomenal timepiece filled with some of the most gorgeous cinematography you’ll see all year. Joel Edgerton delivers an outstanding performance as we experience life, love, and tragedy through his weathered eyes. The film is simply breathtaking.
It would be a crime to exclude Edgerton from awards contention after this performance.
8. IS THIS THING ON?
I had no expectations going into my screening of Is This Thing On?, and was pleasantly surprised by its brilliance. Bradley Cooper’s movie is a delightful treat. Cooper’s sharp screenplay explores married life wonderfully while also embracing the bizarre nature of relationships. The screenplay is fun, uplifting, poignant, and utterly hilarious, with Laura Dern and Will Arnett stealing the show with glowing performances.
The film is loosely based on British comedian John Bishop’s life and tells a true, funny story that will connect with its audience. While it might not be in award contention, the movie is a hilarious delight worth ranking among the top ten.
7. WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY
The Netflix magic lands another brilliant piece of filmmaking with Rian Johnson’s third instalment of the Knives Out trilogy. The director returns to hit another home run with Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. This whodunnit is a banger. Daniel Craig effortlessly slips back into gear, with Josh O’Connor stealing the spotlight from the brilliant ensemble cast. With its fun, sharp, and witty screenplay, the film is bags of sleuthing fun!
At the end of the day, Wake Up Dead Man brings the series back to the formula that brought it to the dance and rewards us with a mystery on par with the first film. In reality, it easily surpasses the second film, providing a genuine successor to Knives Out, and that is the highest compliment I can give. So get ready for the ultimate murder mystery. It could be paranormal or a traditional whodunnit, but one thing is for sure: it’s an excellent reminder of Rian Johnson’s brilliance, and long may it continue!
6. BLUE MOON
Richard Linklater is a phenomenal director, and his latest effort is a wonderful exploration of the life of one of Hollywood’s most influential playwrights. In Blue Moon, Ethan Hawke delivers an Oscar-worthy performance that oozes with Lorenz Hart’s signature flamboyance. The charming, witty drama plays out like a stage performance with all the spectacle, grandeur, and brilliance Linklater can muster. Ultimately, the film provides a beautifully intimate few hours under Hawke’s spell. He has never been better than in this performance, and he deserves to accept his Oscar with all the pomp and circumstance of a best actor. He deserves nothing less, because this was nothing short of a career-best!
5. RENTAL FAMILY
After delivering an excellent performance in Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale, I expected to be moved by Brendan Fraser’s latest addition to his filmography. Directed by HIKARI, Rental Family tells the tale of a washed-up actor who joins a company that provides stand-ins for family members and other influential people. It’s a bizarre concept, but it works wonderfully as another glorious vehicle for Fraser to shine. The film is a pure delight, and Fraser delivers another sensational performance as the de facto family member for hire.
With its uplifting tone, emotional heft, and poignant narrative, the film is a profoundly moving powerhouse that warms the heart and the soul. Whether the performance is enough to have Fraser in consideration for awards season remains to be seen. But overall, the film is a wonderfully charming piece of cinema that deserves its place on my best-of-the-year list.
4. TWINLESS
I had no preconceptions going into James Sweeney’s Twinless. The film was relatively unknown to me. So my expectation levels were extremely low. I now feel that I did Sweeney a disservice, because this film was an incredible invitation into the mind of a phenomenal writer and director. Twinless is a rare gem. Dylan O’Brien delivers a tour-de-force performance alongside James Sweeney, who pulls triple duty. The film perfectly balances humor with a heartfelt and touching storyline, which is surprising given the material it tackles. In truth, it has no right to be this funny, but such is the brilliance of Sweeney’s incredibly layered and impressive screenplay. This, coupled with a charming narrative, makes the film a thoroughly enjoyable surprise package.
3. FRANKENSTEIN
Like every Universal Monsters fan, I was delighted when Guillermo del Toro signed on to direct his interpretation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. As a lifelong fan of James Whale’s classic movie, de Toro had long longed to create his own version of the story, so when Netflix approached him, he was quick to take the director’s seat. But no one could have anticipated the brilliance that awaited us when the film premiered.
Del Toro’s vision of Frankenstein is a monstrous triumph. The director’s signature style and unique vision have crafted a truly exceptional adaptation of Mary Shelley’s tale. With its incredible heart, stunning soundtrack, and breathtaking cinematography, it’s a rare gem that delivers the definitive adaptation of Shelley’s famous novel. Again, Netflix has delivered another phenomenal piece of cinema that deserves every award it receives, and I hope there are many. Del Toro deserves nothing less, and I applaud Netflix for their commitment to making brilliant films.
2. I SWEAR
Like with Twinless, I had no preconceptions going into I Swear. After his work on Nanny McPhee, I respected Kirk Jones, but I had no idea how impressive his range was. However, after his directing, writing, and producing credits on this film, I now have a new appreciation for his talents. I Swear is nothing short of phenomenal. Adapting the real-life story of a Tourette’s syndrome sufferer, John Davidson, is a delicate task, but Jones has achieved the unthinkable, delivering one of the year’s best films.
Robert Aramayo portrays John Davidson with incredible conviction, resulting in a wonderfully humorous, heartfelt, and emotionally poignant exploration of true-life events. I laughed, I cried, and left the cinema changed for life. Such is the power of the film’s story. This film is a precious, rare gem, and while it may not make the Academy’s shortlist, I expect it to clean up at the BAFTAs. If you get the chance, I urge you to watch the film as soon as possible. This is a film to be experienced.
1. HAMNET
And finally, after a year full of incredible films, it all comes down to this: the best film of 2025. And I make no apologies for placing Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet at the top of my list. Although the movie won’t be released in the UK until January 2026, I saw it last October at the BFI London Film Festival. After its US debut a few weeks ago, I believe it deserves to be included in my vote for the year’s best films. Not including it would be an insult because this film is the best story committed to film this year.
Chloé Zhao needs to take a bow because Hamnet is phenomenal; the film floored me. It’s a breathtaking piece of filmmaking from start to finish. From the beautiful score to the sumptuous cinematography, the impressive direction puts Zhao on course for another well-deserved Oscar nomination. But it’s Jessie Buckley who truly deserves an Oscar for this emotional triumph. In Hamnet, Buckley has never been better and exudes the qualities of a best actress. Sure, there will be other contenders, but no one is in her league. Buckley will win the Academy Award for this, and I can’t wait to see her accept it, because that will be priceless. Forget the other nominees, Hamnet is the real deal. It’s an emotionally powerful piece of brilliance from a luminous director, showcasing her at her best. Don’t miss it!
NOTABLE MENTIONS
Although my top 10 is complete, there are a few notable mentions that just missed the list, and it would be criminal not to give them a shout-out. So let’s give honorable mentions to Gareth Edwards’ Jurassic World: Rebirth, which successfully ruled the box office this summer and outperformed both Superman and The Fantastic Four. James Cameron narrowly missed out on the list with Avatar: Fire and Ash, which brought the franchise back to its brilliant roots. Nia DaCosta delivered a masterclass in Hedda. Together with Tessa Thompson, the duo crafted a slick, sexy, and seductive thriller that ticked every box and just missed out on a top ten spot.
Ryan Coogler once again delivered a glorious slice of Southern hospitality in the superb Sinners. Part gangster flick, part vampire movie, the biggest takeaway was the two-hour journey into southern soul. The film was a triumph, delivering a typically brilliant piece of filmmaking from Coogler. And finally, Timothée Chalamet’s Marty Supreme narrowly missed out on a place on the list. The film is another sensational vehicle for Chalamet to shine, and his energy and conviction are infectious. It’s an expertly crafted and unyielding story from Josh Safdie.
IN SUMMARY
So, there you have it. These are my top 10 movies of 2025, and what a joy it was. Like every year, my list is fluid until the BFI London Film Festival gets underway, but by the time the festival’s doors close for the final time, my top ten is pretty much locked in, and that is the case this year. In a year that delivered Wicked For Good, Predator Badlands, F1: The Movie, and Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, it is a testament to cinema that so many smaller-budget movies have reached the dizzying heights at the top. These are the films where the true power of cinema resides, and may it last forever.
While we all love a popcorn-fuelled blockbuster, 2025 was dominated by indie arthouse triumphs, and long may it continue. These are the films I crave, and I cannot wait to see where 2026 takes us. I’ll see you at the movies…
What were your top 10 movies of 2025? Drop a comment in the chat below.
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
