2025 produced some of the best movies of the decade. From reimagined classics to southern gothic vampires. It can’t be denied that the movies released this year have set the bar high for films going into the new year. This year was full of Breakout roles for both known and unknown actors. Jacob Elordi widened his repertoire through his role as the monster in “Frankenstein”, directed by Guillermo del Toro, best known for “Pan’s Labyrinth”, and “Crimson Peak”. Meanwhile, Miles Caton had a memorable acting (and singing) debut in the hit movie “Sinners” directed by Ryan Coogler, the creator of movies like “Creed” and “Black Panther”. Even children’s movies had their moment with the extremely anticipated “Zootopia 2” and “The Minecraft Movie”. While there were many incredible films released throughout the year, I’m going to share my top 5.
4. Wicked for good
This heavily anticipated sequel to “Wicked”, which was released last year, did not disappoint. From visual effects to score, this movie is easily one of my favorite movies this year. As someone who had not seen the original play, I was shocked by the complexity of the plot. As the second act of a play is usually the culmination of factors from the first act, I was surprised at its ability to act as a standalone movie. Some sequels have the tendency to fall short of the original movie, but I do not think that was the case for this film. This sequel centers around what happens 5 years after Elphaba runs away from Oz and becomes villainized as the Wicked Witch of the West. While Elphaba focuses on stopping the Wizard and Madam Morrible’s reign of terror over the animals that once resided in Oz, Glinda reaps the benefits of being an adored socialite within Oz. That is, until they reunite in an attempt to restore Oz to the peaceful place it once was. While the plot is the main appeal, I would argue the visual aesthetics are just as, if not more, intricate and creative. As for the score of the movie, I thought the highlight was “No Good Deed” sung by Cynthia Erivo. Ironically, this scene wasn’t as visually interesting as I’d hoped it would be. Aside from that, Erivo’s vocals stunned and showcased the emotional turmoil of the scene extremely well. As for low points in the movie, I’d argue the song “Girl in the Bubble” was unnecessary. While it is a very pretty song to listen to, I think the lyrics fell flat. There was one aspect of the movie that I found particularly upsetting. While I’m not going to comment on anyone’s body, I do think there are some scenes that glorify malnourishment, such as scenes where bones were highlighted using rhinestones. Despite this problematic aspect, I thoroughly enjoyed the film, and I look forward to seeing other musicals be adapted to this level of success.
3. One Battle after Another
This action-packed drama was unlike any other movie released this year. With standout roles from Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn, this movie is bound to win awards. The former revolutionary (Bob) is forced to return to his former life when he gets an alert that Colonel Lockjaw is back and his Daughter Willa is missing. Thus ensues a passion-driven search for Willa, as she avoids the wrath of Lockjaw and the racist club misleadingly named the Christmas adventurers. Sean Penn’s villain arc furthered the already well-established actor’s reputation for having incredible range in his acting abilities. The terrifying yet somewhat entertaining villain is an extremely strong point in the movie. While many critics say DiCaprio’s performance was groundbreaking, I feel like, although an entertaining role, and not in any way subpar, it was not his most impressive role and was greatly outshone by Chase, the relatively new actress who played his daughter. As for the plot, I thought it was incredibly well-written and kept me entertained every moment. For a relatively lengthy movie with a run-time of almost three hours, I’d say it felt much shorter, due to the fast-paced plot and passionate performances throughout. Another aspect of this film that added to the appeal of the movie was the beautiful soundtrack. Every single song added to either the plot or the comedic appeal of the scene, and the diversity in genres used is something that is not commonly seen or at least is not done well in many movies. One notable detail that really added to the movie was the political commentary surrounding the inhumanity that immigration agents have towards human beings, specifically children. Some people might find the politics unnecessary, but I completely disagree and think not only did it align with the plot, but it was an important point to include in a movie released in 2025. Yet another extremely well-done aspect of the film was the visual appeal of the movie. From intricate chase scenes to the coloring of this movie, I had no notes. I heavily recommend watching this movie if you are looking for an entertaining and politically important film.
2. Frankenstein
This visually stunning retelling of Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein was absolutely incredible. If you are unfamiliar with the story, Victor Frankenstein became obsessed with the concept of death after his mother passed away in childbirth. This obsession grows when he gets the idea to create life through the use of cadavers. Once he succeeds, he becomes terrified of his creation and abandons it. A spree of lies and murders ensues until a captain of a ship stumbles upon Victor and the monster’s very different stories. While the movie is an adaptation of the original story, there are many aspects that are
different. While this is usually accidental, Del Toro was extremely purposeful about these differences. Many retellings depict the monster as the villain of the story. Del Toro’s Creation displays the tragic innocence of the monster in a way that rightfully depicts not only Victor, but mankind as the rightful antagonist of the story. The performances from every actor left no notes. Mia Goth’s performance as both Victor’s Mother and as Elizabeth was a casting decision that made perfect sense, as the lines blurred Victor’s attraction to Elizabeth with the way he almost reminded him of his mother. Elizabeth’s affection towards the monster also deliberately blurred the lines between romance and maternal feelings, which was a choice that not many other directors would have made, but I think aligned perfectly with Del Toro’s aesthetic. In addition to Goth’s stellar performance, Jacob Elordi also revealed a new level of range in his acting ability. This performance proved that he is not just fit for the “bad boy” roles he usually plays and will definitely further his career beyond his pretty-boy appearance. As for Oscar Issac, his performance was equally impressive. His portrayal of Victor spiraling towards insanity and obsession was perfect. One aspect of his performance that impressed me was his eyes. You could see the pride in his creation turn to disappointment, and then eventually to disgust and hatred. As for the visual appearance of the movie, Del Toro never disappoints. The costuming and makeup were absolutely incredible, and you can see the purpose and thought put into every single costume. While the story of Frankenstein is very well known and you most likely know how it ends, each performance and detail in the film makes it a beautiful and thoughtful piece of cinematography worth every moment. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a good cry and a movie that will keep you thinking about the details weeks later
- Sinners
I watched this movie for the first time in April. Eight months later, this movie is still in the back of my mind. This southern thriller follows mobster brothers as they return to their southern home to open a dance club. Instead of a night of dancing and singing, they face a night tormented by a much greater evil in the form of Irish vampires drawn to the night by the musical powers of a preacher boy. While the plot sounds outlandish and random, the use of religion, traditional African culture, and heritage, combined with the tales of vampires across multiple other cultures, melds together in a perfect combination to form a complex and rich plot that will resonate with anyone who watches it. With Michael B. Jordan’s talent displayed through two characters and an incredible breakout role by Miles Caton that displayed both his acting ability and his smooth singing voice, every actor gave an incredibly memorable performance. Along with the strong performances and complex plot that I can’t even begin to adequately describe, the political and religious themes presented in the film are undeniably one of the most intriguing aspects. The concept of shared oppression between the vampires and the main characters in the story provides an interesting perspective on what racism and oppression have done to different cultural groups throughout history. Sin and religion, as highlighted in the title of the film, are also a huge themes present throughout the movie. We follow the preacher boy as he both fights off sin and embraces it through sexual endeavors and through music. Speaking of music, the soundtrack of this film is a display of culture in and of itself. Its use of traditional Irish folk music, southern folk music, as well as rap and soul shows the complexity of music and how it connects cultures and people (even vampires) together. While “Sinners” is a very serious movie, its use of humor and romance allows the audience to really appreciate the plot rather than focusing on the horror aspect of the movie. Thrillers often have the tendency to focus on the scare factor but lack in the actual plot and narrative. “Sinners” does the opposite. While there is a substantial amount of gore and horror, the genius of Ryan Coogler shines through. This movie was absolutely incredible from start to finish and will leave you wanting to rewatch it over and over.