Favourite Films of 2025
19 February 2026
This article is a look at my favourite films of 2025.
I saw 389 films in 2025. So let us begin.
MY TOP 39 FAVOURITE FILMS OF 2025
39. THE SURFER
Intense, painful. Woozy cinematography. A score reminiscent of Ennio Morricone. Madness, tragedy. Australian horror that can be talked about alongside WAKE IN FRIGHT, MAD MAX, WOLF CREEK, THE ROYAL HOTEL, etc.
38. WEAPONS
Shows that BARBARIAN was no fluke. A RASHOMON-style horror that is dread-filled and pulse-pounding.
37. ROOFMAN
Reminds of I LOVE YOU PHILIP MORRIS. An engaging mix of crime movie and love story.
36. BUGONIA
A remake of the inventive FEAR OF A GREEN PLANET. The commentary is why this is in the list. And Jesse Plemons’ performance.
35. ETERNITY
Intense unpredictable happiness vs gentle familiar contentment. The dilemma posed by a comedy that asks some interesting questions, even if it doesn’t explore the answers enough.
34. 28 YEARS LATER
Fans of TV show THE LAST OF US will rate this. Emotionality combined with dread. The sound of those alphas thumping!
33. LOVE HURTS
A fun little action flick from maestro choreography production house 87North. Treading a fine line for Valentine’s Day, asking the question: Can something be gory and meet cute at the same time? With EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONE and LOKI season two, Ke Huy Quan is proving to be a compelling screen presence.
32. FREAKY TALES
Overlapping portmanteau stories set in 1987. If only STRANGER THINGS was as good.
31. DEMON CITY
Doesn’t achieve the cathartic action highs it could have, but there are plenty of nifty combat sequences.
30. I SWEAR
Funny, sweet, with some gentle anguish. Illuminating and empathetic.
29. THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME
I haven’t rated a Wes Andersen cinema release since ISLE OF DOGS. Here, he makes something endearing but convoluted. He needed to dial up the action and iron out the plot. The two leads are magnetic.
28. COMPANION
Fun horror-comedy. With only a half-dozen initial cast, you might think the carnage will be at minimum, but the filmmakers deliver.
27. HEART EYES
The dialogue zings, in feisty horror-comedy.
26. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING
An end of an era. That submarine bit! Not enough heart-stopping espionage thrills though. The peak of the franchise is still DEAD RECKONING.
25. CAUGHT STEALING
I thought this was going to be a fun crime-caper, instead it was darker and sadder - and more interesting for it. The violence pulverises.
24. LAST BULLET
French chase action-thriller trilogy capper saves the best for last. Is rollicking and breakneck. What action movie junkies want: crunching melees.
23. A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Surprisingly consistently fun. Jason Momoa again demonstrates his versatility, and here a willingness to be the butt of jokes. Jack Black doing Jack Black in this context still hasn’t got tiring.
22. OPUS
The first half is cringe comedy that I frequently had to look away from. The second is a body horror in the vein of MIDSOMMAR. The coda is an existential gut-punch in the vein of VENGEANCE [2022].
21. SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE
Improves on the predecessor. A stomach-churningly violent chase movie.
20. A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE
A queasy political thriller imagining a believable doomsday scenario.
19. BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER
Three for three from director Edward Berger. Three films in four years. An uber-stylish warning. The dangers of self-loathing. The dangers of addiction, especially gambling.
18. EDDINGTON
After the underwhelming BEAU IS AFRAID, director Ari Arster delivers his most ambitious project to date. A state of the nation critique couched in absurdity but with real bite.
17. HIM
A visceral horror movie set in the world of American football. Extraordinary production design made me think of DR STRANGELOVE. Has the intensity of WHIPLASH. Vivid costumes - not just eccentric but serves the story and characters.
16. HEADS OF STATE
Shows director can make a gnarly action movie even with a 12 rating.
15. THE GREAT FLOOD
Lots going on in this inventive South Korean action film. Part disaster movie, part INCEPTION, part THE MATRIX. Part video game.
14. CELLS AT WORK!
Starts hilarious (at one point I had to pause the film). Evolves into something with a melancholy edge and something surprising. Has an educational punch.
13. ONE TO ONE: JOHN & YOKO
A documentary re-evaluation of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, looking at their creative brilliance married to political activism.
12. THE ELIXIR
An Indonesian zombie flick that is gross and gory with top-notch visual effects. The first half is weirdly hilarious, the second more conventional - but polished.
11. JAY KELLY
Poignancy delivered in a cringe glove. I never thought I’d feel sorry for a movie star.
10. IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT
Director Jafar Panahi is a master. A clever, angst-ridden look at the trauma of authoritarian regimes.
9. All OF YOU
An aching romance up there with the best of them.
8. THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND
Like WONDER BOYS, GENTLEMEN BRONCOS, and COMPUTER CHESS, a loveable film (albeit starting cringe) with very engaging characters set over a tight timeframe.
7. BLACK BAG
A cerebral MR & MRS SMITH [2005]. An anti-recruitment espionage flick. Mostly talking, but utterly compelling thanks to the script and the charisma.
6. SINNERS
Director Ryan Coogler with only five movies has cemented his status as a master filmmaker. A scary, passionate, anger-inducing, cathartic vampire flick.
5. MARS EXPRESS
I can see why this impressive French animation premiered at Cannes. There are echoes of other movies, TV shows, and books, from DEMOLITION MAN to WESTWORLD, but I didn’t mind; the combo was satisfying enough - it entered ethereal territory. A striking sci-fi noir.
4. A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
Music biopics are a lacklustre genre; they tend to be inert and hackneyed. Normally I feel director James Mangold is mediocre with a few moments of inspiration. Here, though, A COMPLETE UNKNOWN is both electric and enigmatic.
3. WICKED: FOR GOOD
These two films succeeded where George Lucas tried with the STAR WARS prequels.
2. FLOW
A stunning animation without any dialogue. An extraordinary adventure of survival. A cross between LIFE OF PI and PONYO. It’s so good, I actually wanted to re-watch straight away. That only normally happens to me with things like JOHN WICK 4 and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING.
1. ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
Two hours 41 minutes are not enough. Utterly amazing! Builds on the source novel, improves on it. A mesmerising action-thriller. The climactic chase lasts about 25 minutes. Electrifying.
Within a week I watched again, in VistaVision. Also saw the print so soon after release before it wears out.
Epic and claustrophobic. Relentless energy.
MY TOP 39 FAVOURITE FILMS OF 2025
39. THE SURFER
Intense, painful. Woozy cinematography. A score reminiscent of Ennio Morricone. Madness, tragedy. Australian horror that can be talked about alongside WAKE IN FRIGHT, MAD MAX, WOLF CREEK, THE ROYAL HOTEL, etc.
38. WEAPONS
Shows that BARBARIAN was no fluke. A RASHOMON-style horror that is dread-filled and pulse-pounding.
37. ROOFMAN
Reminds of I LOVE YOU PHILIP MORRIS. An engaging mix of crime movie and love story.
36. BUGONIA
A remake of the inventive FEAR OF A GREEN PLANET. The commentary is why this is in the list. And Jesse Plemons’ performance.
35. ETERNITY
Intense unpredictable happiness vs gentle familiar contentment. The dilemma posed by a comedy that asks some interesting questions, even if it doesn’t explore the answers enough.
34. 28 YEARS LATER
Fans of TV show THE LAST OF US will rate this. Emotionality combined with dread. The sound of those alphas thumping!
33. LOVE HURTS
A fun little action flick from maestro choreography production house 87North. Treading a fine line for Valentine’s Day, asking the question: Can something be gory and meet cute at the same time? With EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONE and LOKI season two, Ke Huy Quan is proving to be a compelling screen presence.
32. FREAKY TALES
Overlapping portmanteau stories set in 1987. If only STRANGER THINGS was as good.
31. DEMON CITY
Doesn’t achieve the cathartic action highs it could have, but there are plenty of nifty combat sequences.
30. I SWEAR
Funny, sweet, with some gentle anguish. Illuminating and empathetic.
29. THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME
I haven’t rated a Wes Andersen cinema release since ISLE OF DOGS. Here, he makes something endearing but convoluted. He needed to dial up the action and iron out the plot. The two leads are magnetic.
28. COMPANION
Fun horror-comedy. With only a half-dozen initial cast, you might think the carnage will be at minimum, but the filmmakers deliver.
27. HEART EYES
The dialogue zings, in feisty horror-comedy.
26. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING
An end of an era. That submarine bit! Not enough heart-stopping espionage thrills though. The peak of the franchise is still DEAD RECKONING.
25. CAUGHT STEALING
I thought this was going to be a fun crime-caper, instead it was darker and sadder - and more interesting for it. The violence pulverises.
24. LAST BULLET
French chase action-thriller trilogy capper saves the best for last. Is rollicking and breakneck. What action movie junkies want: crunching melees.
23. A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Surprisingly consistently fun. Jason Momoa again demonstrates his versatility, and here a willingness to be the butt of jokes. Jack Black doing Jack Black in this context still hasn’t got tiring.
22. OPUS
The first half is cringe comedy that I frequently had to look away from. The second is a body horror in the vein of MIDSOMMAR. The coda is an existential gut-punch in the vein of VENGEANCE [2022].
21. SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE
Improves on the predecessor. A stomach-churningly violent chase movie.
20. A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE
A queasy political thriller imagining a believable doomsday scenario.
19. BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER
Three for three from director Edward Berger. Three films in four years. An uber-stylish warning. The dangers of self-loathing. The dangers of addiction, especially gambling.
18. EDDINGTON
After the underwhelming BEAU IS AFRAID, director Ari Arster delivers his most ambitious project to date. A state of the nation critique couched in absurdity but with real bite.
17. HIM
A visceral horror movie set in the world of American football. Extraordinary production design made me think of DR STRANGELOVE. Has the intensity of WHIPLASH. Vivid costumes - not just eccentric but serves the story and characters.
16. HEADS OF STATE
Shows director can make a gnarly action movie even with a 12 rating.
15. THE GREAT FLOOD
Lots going on in this inventive South Korean action film. Part disaster movie, part INCEPTION, part THE MATRIX. Part video game.
14. CELLS AT WORK!
Starts hilarious (at one point I had to pause the film). Evolves into something with a melancholy edge and something surprising. Has an educational punch.
13. ONE TO ONE: JOHN & YOKO
A documentary re-evaluation of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, looking at their creative brilliance married to political activism.
12. THE ELIXIR
An Indonesian zombie flick that is gross and gory with top-notch visual effects. The first half is weirdly hilarious, the second more conventional - but polished.
11. JAY KELLY
Poignancy delivered in a cringe glove. I never thought I’d feel sorry for a movie star.
10. IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT
Director Jafar Panahi is a master. A clever, angst-ridden look at the trauma of authoritarian regimes.
9. All OF YOU
An aching romance up there with the best of them.
8. THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND
Like WONDER BOYS, GENTLEMEN BRONCOS, and COMPUTER CHESS, a loveable film (albeit starting cringe) with very engaging characters set over a tight timeframe.
7. BLACK BAG
A cerebral MR & MRS SMITH [2005]. An anti-recruitment espionage flick. Mostly talking, but utterly compelling thanks to the script and the charisma.
6. SINNERS
Director Ryan Coogler with only five movies has cemented his status as a master filmmaker. A scary, passionate, anger-inducing, cathartic vampire flick.
5. MARS EXPRESS
I can see why this impressive French animation premiered at Cannes. There are echoes of other movies, TV shows, and books, from DEMOLITION MAN to WESTWORLD, but I didn’t mind; the combo was satisfying enough - it entered ethereal territory. A striking sci-fi noir.
4. A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
Music biopics are a lacklustre genre; they tend to be inert and hackneyed. Normally I feel director James Mangold is mediocre with a few moments of inspiration. Here, though, A COMPLETE UNKNOWN is both electric and enigmatic.
3. WICKED: FOR GOOD
These two films succeeded where George Lucas tried with the STAR WARS prequels.
2. FLOW
A stunning animation without any dialogue. An extraordinary adventure of survival. A cross between LIFE OF PI and PONYO. It’s so good, I actually wanted to re-watch straight away. That only normally happens to me with things like JOHN WICK 4 and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING.
1. ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
Two hours 41 minutes are not enough. Utterly amazing! Builds on the source novel, improves on it. A mesmerising action-thriller. The climactic chase lasts about 25 minutes. Electrifying.
Within a week I watched again, in VistaVision. Also saw the print so soon after release before it wears out.
Epic and claustrophobic. Relentless energy.