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The Drama is a film that will stick in your mind long after you’ve left the theater.

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is a ridiculous adventure that is constantly surprising, unexpectedly touching, and truly hilarious.

Pizza Movie is a charming throwback to the stoner comedies that inspired it, an ambitious college movie that knows how to take a simple idea and turn it into something broad, wild, and expansive. While the joke might start to get a bit thin near the end, Pizza Movie is a clever bit of fun, and we definitely need more broad comedies like this in the world.

The Sun Never Sets is a charming take on the love triangle and a strong return to movies for Swanberg. The mixture of Fanning, Johnson, and Smith works well, and this romance is handled quite nicely without becoming frustrating with all its relationship back-and-forths.

While Kill Me doesn’t stick its landing, this is an impressive debut from Peter Warren, and it shows how well he can mix extremely dark subject matter with an engaging mystery that’s also quite funny.

Brian is an absolute blast and a hysterical coming-of-age story, centered on an impressive lead performance by Ben Wang, and an absolutely perfect handling of character and tone by Ropp and Scollins. Brian deserves to be amongst the great high school coming-of-age comedies that paved the way before it.

When it focuses specifically on the scares, Hokum is an effectively disconcerting film that relies on time-honored basics to really get under the viewer’s skin.

Compared to his other recent work, Carney’s latest pulls back a bit on the music and leans more into the comedy side of things, yet Power Ballad maintains the heart and optimism that is brimming from all his films, and hopefully, it will get the attention it deserves.

Ready or Not seemed to close the book on Grace's story, but Here I Come effectively shows that there are still potentially chapters to explore in this tale. Did we need a sequel to Ready or Not? Probably not. But hell yeah, it's great that we have one.

I Love Boosters is full of major swings and plenty of individual concepts that could take up an entire film, yet Riley balances everything this movie is trying to do quite well.

Lord and Miller have created a new sci-fi classic, an incredible adaptation of Weir’s novel, and a film that deserves to be a part of 2027 Oscar consideration already. With Project Hail Mary, Lord and Miller have crafted a film that’s truly out of this world in every possible way.

Hoppers is an absolute delight, setting the bar high for animated films this year, while creating a film that reminds us just how amazing Pixar still is at making new, exciting worlds and stories, without relying on sequels.

The McManus brothers have crafted something that manages to be both sprawling and intimate, complex yet without becoming convoluted. Redux Redux is a strong indie sci-fi film that will make you excited to see what the McManus brothers have up their sleeves for next time.

The Best Summer takes the audience on a summer road trip with some of the biggest musicians of the '90s, and it's a blast to be along for the ride. Davis' collection of videotapes makes this feel like we're coming across a collection of private moments, rather than a concert documentary.

The Shitheads is an enjoyable, dark take on the buddy-road comedy that could've maybe used a bit more finessing, but hopefully this isn't the last time we see Blair try this type of comedy.

I Want Your Sex proves that every generation needs its own Araki film.

With undertone, Tuason has created one of the few horror films that’s even more horrifying to hear than it is to see.

Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is as unhinged as the name implies, and it’s exactly what we’d want from Wain and Marino. These two have proven that their brand of comedy hasn’t gotten old over the decades, and thank goodness they’re back making the most insane movie comedies out there.

In just under two hours, Apatow and Berkeley truly do their best to cover every facet of Bamford, and it is an impressive document of her greatness.

The Invite might seem like a simple idea, but Wilde, as well as Jones, McCormack, and her excellent cast, make this into a compelling, delightful, and moving comedy that's more intricate than it might seem.

Buddy is a blood-soaked nightmare full of dark humor and surprisingly touching moments. Like its title character, Buddy isn’t just fluff, there’s something deeper inside.

A little more full-throated absurdity and humor would've been a great step for the film to take. Ultimately, The Moment is a delightful spotlight for Charli XCX as an actor, and the concept itself finds some playful ways to expand on the lore of of her massively successful album. "brat" is dead. Love live "brat."

If The History of Concrete proves anything, it’s that Wilson can make a movie about anything and make it absolutely brilliant.

Carousel definitely has some rough edges on the fringes of this romance story. But when Lambert gives us the quieter moments of Noah and Rebecca, or puts them together in a scene, it’s absolute magic.

All You Need Is Kill might not be as impactful as the Takeuchi / Obata manga, or Tom Cruise’s live-action update, but it does make some intriguing choices that will absolutely be worthwhile for fans of these other versions to check out.

A stunning movie that continues to solidify the franchise's legacy as one of the best zombie stories to ever hit theaters.

This third Avatar film might not have the groundbreaking impact of the first film, or the vast improvement that The Way of Water had over what came before it, but Fire and Ash is still an exceptional moviegoing experience that proves there’s still plenty of gas in this tank.

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair might not be Tarantino’s masterpiece, but it’s a brilliant example of a filmmaker with a deep-seated love of movies fully embracing his inspirations and passions in grand fashion.

It'll get your heart pumping from the very beginning, rarely giving you time to breathe, and boasts a lead performance from an actor who's truly in command of his greatness.

Kotevska isn’t just telling a story of a farmer in a foreign land; she’s constructing a story that we can all relate to in our current world, in one of the finest documentaries you’ll see all year.

Come See Me in the Good Light is a shattering, yet lovely documentary that’s easily one of the best of the year.

Miroirs No. 3 is enthralling from beginning to end, a smart, often heartbreaking story that thrives in its simplicity.

Predator: Badlands might not be the shock to the system that Prey was, but it is continued proof that putting Predator in Trachtenberg's was one of the smartest moves this franchise has ever made. The writer and director continues to find brilliant, fascinating ways to explore and expand the Predator movies to an exhilarating level, making this series better than it ever has been.

From its narrative that blends so many ideas exquisitely, to the gratifying characters and narrative arcs, to the absolutely stunning animation style, Arco is quite possibly the best animated film of the year.

Train Dreams is without a doubt one of the most extraordinary films of this year, the type that will stick with you, deep in your mind and heart, long after the credits roll.

After all these years, Left-Handed Girl is a terrific return to directing for Shih-Ching Tsou, who crafts a wonderful, often moving, and splendidly told story of three characters coming into their own.

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain is, without a doubt, one of the best and most touching animated films to come out this year, a remarkable example of what this style of storytelling can do.

With Bugonia, Lanthimos elevates an already fantastic concept, making an essential film about the world we live in and just how insane and hopeless it can feel at times.

The Secret Agent is a remarkable work from Mendonça Filho; a beautifully composed film that features some of the best directing, editing, and writing of the year, as well as an enthralling performance by Moura that deserves its accolades.

Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost isn’t just a loving tribute to the great comedy duo of Stiller & Meara; it’s also a beautiful look at how much our closest ones impact us both during their lives and after they're gone.

Tron: Ares isn’t likely to turn Tron into the major franchise Disney has clearly wanted it to be for decades, but it is a sign that the company has a smarter understanding of what these movies need to be: exciting to look at, with a great soundtrack, and with a story that’s dumb fun. Tron: Ares not only achieves that, but finds fun ways to fit in the other installments that make you actually want to see more installments in this world, as opposed to having them forced upon us. Tron: Ares isn’t a killer app, but it is a solid upgrade.

It’s entirely possible you won’t see a scarier movie this year than Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5.

Are We Good? isn’t just an enthralling look at pain, loss, and how we handle unexpected grief; it’s also a reminder that life is always full of surprises — both good and bad — and that unexpected journey will certainly have you asking "WTF?" throughout.

Figgis’ Megadoc is an engrossing look at one of the biggest pet projects of all time, a film that lived in Coppola’s brain for so long and struggled to come to life on the screen effectively. Megadoc shows that while it's great to bring your passion to life, sometimes, it wasn't meant to be.

Anderson has executed an unbelievably rare feat: a big-budget studio action film that maintains his specific tone and style, with a film that feels essential to our troubled modern times.

With a flair for the surreal and fantastical, it’s easy to see how Fuller’s feature debut could become a cult favorite just like his shows have.

The Grand Finale tries to bring some weightiness back into this world, and, for the most part, it works with a fitting conclusion to this universe.

Rental Family’s intent is to create a satisfying, touching, and ultimately emotional film with sweet performances and quiet drama, and that’s exactly what it delivers.

No Other Choice is yet another great film from Park, and one of the best dark comedies you'll see this year.

Eternity is a cute rom-com with a great cast, but it could've used more exploration of its afterlife.

Guillermo del Toro's passion project is beautifully crafted, but can be quite exhausting to get through.

Hamnet captures the beautiful aching that makes up life in all its forms, and it makes for one of the most profound and staggering works you’ll see this year.

Three films in, Johnson continues to surprise and amaze with his ability to craft a masterful tale, one that hits everything we love about this series, while still finding new angles to approach in this world.

A tremendous work from Jafar Panahi that might go down as his masterpiece.

Linklater reminds us that he's still able to make two people simply sitting around and talking fascinating. After all these years, the pair of Hawke and Linklater remains a winning combination.

Caught Stealing, on the surface, doesn’t look like what we expect from an Aronofsky film, and yet, once you dive deeper, it seems like the most obvious version of a dramedy crime-thriller that the director could make. The film isn’t afraid to get its hands dirty and go to some truly dark places, yet it always manages to come back to a place where this story becomes entertaining again.

Relay is a tense, edge-of-your-seat ride that reminds you that they do still make them like they used to, it’s just, unfortunately, not nearly as common anymore.

Americana is an interesting modern take on the Western, with a standout performance by Halsey.

Cregger shows with Weapons how perfectly he can balance horror and comedy in equal measure, always walking the line between these two in a film that is both unsettling and deeply funny. Because of this, Cregger has made what might end up becoming the best horror film of 2025.

Boys Go to Jupiter is the type of animated feature we need more of: experimental, unusual, yet fun and familiar.

The Bad Guys 2 is a gorgeous, fun animated film that occasionally spreads itself too thin.

It ends up becoming one of the best DC films in years, and one of the best movies of the summer.

F1 is an absolute blast and one of the most exciting films to come out this summer, a film that will put you on the edge of your seat and make you glad that filmmakers like Kosinski are still making films like this today.

But despite how charming and fun Elio is, it still falls prey to some of Pixar’s occasional problems. Yes, this is a story of intergalactic adventures and a wide universe of possibilities, but it still can get a bit convoluted at times.

What Song has done is make an excellent version of those types of romance films from yesteryear, yet one where these characters have depth, layers, and are more considered than we might have received in those films.

Ballerina gets off to a shaky start that almost feels like it misunderstands what has made the John Wick series so much fun for so long. Yet once the absurdity of the action takes hold, and Ana de Armas gets to prove herself as a fitting potential heir to this franchise, Ballerina captures the blunt, chaotic action that this series thrives on.

Bring Her Back captures the darkness and fear of losing someone, all while making one of the year’s best horror films. It’s that mixture, like with Talk to Me, that makes Danny and Michael Philippou two of the most exciting filmmakers in the genre.

The Final Reckoning is stuffed, convoluted, and ludicrous at times. But it’s also mostly a great send-off to this universe, a deserved celebration for everything this series has accomplished, and one final (again, seemingly) showcase for Cruise as one of the greatest action stars of all time.

Even though the film does at times feel like it's setting up for future projects, it never feels burdened by this, but rather, like we're seeing the natural progression of where these characters' stories should lead. Thunderbolts* is a pleasant surprise in the MCU; it only took a team-up of Marvel’s unlikeliest superheroes to bring it out in them.

A Goofy Movie remains an understated film in the Disney animated film canon, and Not Just a Goof wonderfully reminds us why this is a film that deserves far more attention than it ever received.

The Threesome is not without its flaws, it could absolutely use some fleshing out in some key parts, and its ending feels like a bit of a cop-out, considering everything that comes before it — yet it delivers when targeting the big emotional core that makes this story special.

With a delectable cast and Soderbergh and Koepp knowing exactly how to twist this story with each new scene and reveal, Black Bag is yet another example that Soderbergh can basically make any genre his own, and thrive in it.

The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie shows just how much life there still is in these characters and this world, and that they’re malleable enough to continue providing entertainment to every generation. The Day the Earth Blew Up is the welcome back that the Looney Tunes have long deserved.

The Actor is a film about discovering who you truly are, and it also reveals that Johnson is a captivating, promising filmmaker who hopefully won’t wait another decade to make his next film.

Bong has some cache to make whatever he wants, and he uses this freedom to build a wild and intriguing world that is both humorous and politically charged.

Paddington in Peru might not be at the same level as the first two films, but it’s still absolutely a worthwhile adventure. We’re still getting all the characters and ideas that we love, just packaged in a different way than we’re expecting. If anything, Paddington in Peru proves just how malleable this character is, and how well he can work in either quiet, simple stories or grand adventures.

Sorry, Baby is a fantastic debut that has announced Victor as one of today's most exciting up-and-coming filmmakers.

Walker-Silverman's film shows that all ends lead to new beginnings, and things can grow back stronger than ever. It's an important sentiment executed exquisitely and makes Rebuilding the film we need for our current times.

Macdonald and Rice-Edwards take us back to the 1970s to explore these two but also show that two of the most important figures in music history were just a pair of flawed individuals trying their best to use their position of power to make the world a better place.

Brooks’ film could’ve come off as extremely silly, but instead, by balancing the tone in just the right ways, it all comes together beautifully.

Together is the type of joyfully demented horror film that was made to be seen in a theater with other people on the edge of their seats. Shanks has such a great handling of exactly what his movie needs at any given moment, and Brie and Franco have never been better.

Considering how electric Stone’s work and life are, SLY LIVES! more than makes up for its standard documentary style through Stone’s gripping story, and Questlove’s exploration of the revolutionary music.

The combination of Byrne's haunting, brilliant performance, and Mary Bronstein's unrelenting handling of tone here makes If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You one of the first must-watch films of 2025.

One of Them Days might not necessarily be a great comedy, but it’s absolutely the type of comedy we should see more of in theaters nowadays. Palmer and SZA are a delight, and Lamont and Singleton’s work elevates what could be just a silly comedy into something more.

James Mangold's A Complete Unknown explores the music of Bob Dylan with fantastic care and a great performance by Timothée Chalamet.

The Order is a solid crime drama that sometimes hits too close to home, but that's what makes it so terrifying.

Ross has found an overwhelmingly perfect way to bring Whitehead’s story to the screen, one that feels like a step forward for how cinematic stories can be told. It’s beautiful, heart-wrenching, and refreshing in equal measure. Now, Nickel Boys is a masterpiece in two different formats.

Perry’s work in Pavements is one of the wildest and unhinged approaches to a music documentary ever made, but the fact that he pulls it all together into something that isn’t a mess is a testament to Perry’s craft.

Moana 2 explores the possibilities of this universe, and builds on the bond between Moana and Maui, but stays a bit too close to the original's formula.

Flow takes a fascinating and effective approach to animated stories and shows that the barrier between the two types should be broken down more often.

This incredible cast, especially Washington, Nielsen, and the overlooked Pascal, and this expansion of the compelling political machinations make Gladiator II a worthwhile sequel, even if it can't match its predecessor. Gladiator II will leave you entertained, but leave you with an unfortunate feeling of déjà vu.

Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point manages to bring to life a realistic portrayal of the holidays, in both its ups and downs, that few holiday films ever even try to accomplish.

Through its exploration of Navajo culture and life on the reservation, as well as the troubles and beauty of that community, Rez Ball smartly explores dark topics in a way that doesn’t suffocate the underdog story within.

Malcolm Washington shows himself to be a capable director, expanding this story in the ways he can while staying true to the source material. This cast also knows how to elevate Wilson's words beautifully, whether it's sticking close to a more stagelike performance or bringing new life to this story, as Deadwyler does.

Queer might not be everyone's vibe, especially when it gets wild in the final third, but there's something in the way that Guadagnino brings all these elements together and crafts his own story out of Burroughs' novel that continues his growth as an essential filmmaker of today.

Despite its occasional flaws, The Brutalist is one of the most remarkable films of the year, and proof that Corbet is a fascinating filmmaker to keep an eye on.

Heretic is a clever twist on the religious horror genre, bolstered by three strong performances, particularly Grant’s gregarious yet haunting Mr. Reed.

Friendship truly has all the makings of a future comedy classic.