As some of you may know, I have an addiction to films. I love watching them so much, every summer I try to watch an unreasonable amount. This summer I exceeded my own expectations by watching over one hundred movies, some movies actually becoming some of my new favorites. With genres ranging from psychological thrillers, to heist movies, to dramas, to documentaries— it was a summer filled with watching and reviewing movies. Here were some of my favorites:
Ocean’s 11, Ocean’s 12, Ocean’s 13 directed by Steven Soderbergh
I had never been so intrigued by a series of films until I watched these three. They are such chaotic, wildly entertaining and thrilling films with unique character dynamics and plot points. I was always pleasantly surprised by every film and rated all three of them pretty high on my list of the summer. My favorite part was how cunning and wise each character was in their own way and how it created so many relationships between scene partners; truly never a dull moment when watching the Ocean’s movies.
Fight Club directed by David Fincher
I am ashamed to say that this was my first time watching Fight Club and I have never wished I’d watched a movie sooner. I can truly understand how it has become so widely-loved and critiqued— it’s truly a cultural phenomenon. This movie is the perfect mix of psychological thriller, drama, romance, etc. It truly has a little bit of everything. I think Edward Norton, who stars as the Narrator, and Brad Pitt, who starred as Tyler Durden deserve every ounce of praise for this film because it’s a masterpiece. I couldn’t even explain it if I wanted to; the film is worth a thousand words.
Se7en directed by David Fincher
If you couldn’t tell, I was not only on a Brad Pitt kick this summer, but I also really started to respect David Fincher’s work as I watched more of it. This movie is brilliant in every capacity. You begin to care about what the characters are risking as two homicide detectives Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and Mills (Pitt) work through their most difficult case, hunting a killer whose heinous acts are each based on the seven deadly sins. I watched the film because of the iconic “what’s in the box” scene, which did happen to be my favorite part. I will say, it is worth watching to find out what’s in the box.
Chronicle (Director’s Cut) directed by Josh Trank
This was not my first time watching this movie, or even the tenth. I have been obsessed with this movie for years and I rarely meet people that know about it. It’s a found-footage film that follows the lives of three very different highschoolers who all get superpowers and must navigate their lives with their new strengths and weaknesses. It touches on so many topics, while never over-doing or under-doing certain themes. It’s such a powerful film, with an especially amazing and beautiful performance from actor Dane DeHaan.
Avatar directed by James Cameron
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I don’t care if you don’t like science-fiction or the concept of a movie about aliens. This movie blurs the lines between a beautiful love story, discrimination, and science-fiction. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is genuinely one of my favorite fictional characters because of his fierce loyalty, passion, and strength. I will never stop recommending this film.
Brightburn directed by David Yarovesky
This was a first-time watch for me that I really admired. It’s a superhero movie, but focuses on what would happen if a person who has superpowers chooses to not use their powers for good. It shows just how thin the line of becoming a superhero and a villain really is. With Superman director James Gunn producing it, you see the opposite of his creation. I also really enjoyed the color grading throughout the film; it really heightened the experience of seeing the main character Brandon Breyer’s (Jackson A. Dunn) maturity and growth due to his powers.
K-Pop Demon Hunters directed by Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang
This film really brought me into the world of K-pop, since I do not consider myself a fan. I think it is such a cultural phenomenon because it has the ability to grab many demographics and bring them into the world of K-pop. This film is animated and I loved how expressive the characters were, similar to some aspects of anime series I’ve seen. Not only is the animation superb, the original songs in the film have topped the music charts since its release in Aug. 2025. I think whether you’re a fan of K-pop or not, whether you’re young or old, this is a fun movie I’d recommend to watch with your friends and family.
Superman directed by James Gunn
This movie awakened something in me. This approach to the popular renditions of the famed and iconic superhero, Superman was extremely refreshing as it was the most similar to the comics in my opinion. I loved how nerdy, wholesome, and kind Clark Kent (David Corenswet) was portrayed to be. It was very different from the last Superman: Man of Steel movie which made the infamous character more brooding. I really enjoyed the vibrant colors, fun dialogue and Clark Kent’s overall narrative and how he really came to shape the movie. It was definitely one of the best watches this year.
It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley directed by Amy Berg
I was already a fan of Jeff Buckley’s music, but never delved into his personal life. This film was a perfect exploration to the beginning and end of his life. It was a very entertaining documentary because it covered his entire life, from his relationship between himself and both of his parents, commentary from his family and friends, and unseen archive footage of both him and his live performances. There was such a wide range of knowledge perfectly presented in an aesthetic and educational form that appealed to both his fanbase and regular movie-goers. It was a beautifully painful film that was devastating, personal, and honest. It made me admire Jeff Buckley even more somehow.
These movies happened to be some of my favorites of the summer, whether they were about superheroes, which happened to be some of my favorite movies, or about the real life of an impressive musician—I enjoyed every single one of these movies thoroughly. Some honorable mentions I’d like to highlight include My Old Ass, The Devil All The Time, The Long Walk, Crybaby, The Cutting Edge, Snack Shack, Brokeback Mountain, Donnie Darko, and Jungleland. I could make a million more of these lists, but for now, I hope this inspires you watch a couple movies from my infinitely long Summer 2025 watchlist.