Collective Ranking, No Spoilers After a rough movie year, a tradition returns: an end‑of‑December ranking built on aggregated audience and critic scores from four sites. The mission is quick, spoiler‑free recommendations of the 25 standouts, not personal picks. Many felt lost about what to watch, so collective wisdom sets the map.
Brutalist—Brilliant Form, Cold Heart Formally a 2024 film but widely accessible only after February 2025, when Adrien Brody won Best Actor at the Oscars. It dazzles with meticulous 20th‑century aesthetics, its craft drawing awards attention. Yet the three‑hour, festival‑grade rigor stays emotionally distant with predictable ideological beats; general viewers may not find the time investment rewarding. Architecture lovers and festival cinephiles are the natural audience.
Frankenstein—Opulent Spectacle, Messy Soul Guillermo del Toro mounts a lavish take on the horror classic, with sumptuous locations, ornate costumes, and money‑soaked images aimed at technical accolades. The tale pivots between frightening, brutal passages and unabashed sentimentality, especially at the end. For some it feels visually rich yet lifeless, with a rushed, confused finale; for others, it’s a strong first encounter with the story.
Predator: Killers of Killers—Stylish, Repetitive, Still Fun Dan Trachtenberg’s animated anthology drops Predators into different eras to duel the fiercest warriors, from Vikings to WWII soldiers. A pleasing aesthetic, solid action, and snappy runtimes keep each vignette lively even as the collection circles familiar beats. It scratches the Love, Death & Robots itch; the theatrical Planet of Death satisfied more personally, though critics backed it less.
The Tool—A Slick, Divisive Crowd Shock Zach Cregger’s comedy‑horror about a class of missing kids became one of 2025’s most profitable releases and a Letterboxd top‑three hit. Tight craft and sustained intrigue make it gripping. The reveal can feel hollow, yet the ride—especially the finale—delivers enough pleasure to make it a likely year‑end staple.
Knives Out: Resurrection—Atmosphere Over Bravura The latest outing charms and would earn even stronger reviews if judged as an unknown original, though it can’t match the first film. A more classical structure dulls the payoff and sidelines the supporting ensemble. In exchange, it offers a darker mood, a striking church‑in‑the‑woods setting, upgraded visuals over the sequel, and a gently charged subtext, anchored by a sparkling Daniel Craig and a strong ensemble at the center.
Heavy Festival Realism—India’s Light and Scandinavia’s Shadow The Indian drama All That Seems Like Light drew warm Cannes praise for grounded, music‑free realism, but wider audiences stayed away. Cinephiles found it, while most viewers did not. The black‑and‑white Scandinavian The Girl with the Needle plunges into a post‑WWI female ordeal with suffocating mood that reads as horror, devastating yet potent for those prepared for its darkness.
Sinners—Original Blockbuster With IMAX Swagger Ryan Coogler channels studio money into an original, idea‑driven blockbuster: breathtaking IMAX images, enveloping period ambience, musical interludes, and charismatic leads like Michael B. Jordan and Hailee Steinfeld. Two opening acts are immaculate in flow and intrigue; the third falters but lands a decent ending. Themes about ordinary people’s proximity to ‘evil’ over detached elites echoed the season’s Oscar talk, while reception split along political lines in Russia; those who value vibe over plot may be swept away.
Formula 1—Old‑School Clichés, First‑Rate Thrills A viewers’ juggernaut that critics tempered, it’s pure theatrical spectacle executed with Top Gun: Maverick‑level polish. Roaring engines, potentially Oscar‑worthy sound, a Zimmer score spiked with hits, and Brad Pitt actually driving on real tracks inject unarguable adrenaline. Call it dad cinema if you must; when craftsmanship fires, the classic chassis still flies.
Sorry, Baby—Humane Healing After Harm An indie breakthrough pulled from Russian release when censors realized even re‑dubbed lines couldn’t blunt it. Following years in a survivor’s life, it rejects misery porn for honesty laced with warmth, humor, and hope. Writer‑director‑star Evi Victor anchors tender performances, with Lucas Hedges and others brightening every scene; invaluable for many, except those predisposed to side with the accused in MeToo debates.
Cinephile Affection and Queer Visibility—New Wave and Young Hearts Richard Linklater’s love letter to the French New Wave dramatizes the making of Godard’s Breathless—playful, youthful, and unabashedly cinephile. Some call it self‑referential indulgence; others savor its Hellish Shoot‑style energy. Young Hearts, an overt gay drama, faced quiet poster suppression on Kinopoisk yet earned excellent audience scores, including in Russia, signaling real resonance.
Animation Momentum—Zootopia 2 and K‑pop Demon Hunters Zootopia 2 keeps the inventive world kids adore and the classic‑cinema winks adults enjoy—even dropping a Shining homage—while rehashing the case and mishandling Judy’s traits; the world’s charm still wins. K‑pop Demon Hunters erupted into an instant transmedia wave—charting songs, cosplay, merch, likely Oscar attention—delivering vivid fun even if the story is thinner. Both mark animation’s hold on the zeitgeist.
Bob Trevino Likes It—A Sleeper Finds Its Crowd A festival orphan that couldn’t secure theatrical distribution suddenly exploded on streaming, amassing huge Kinopoisk numbers and top‑250 status. Viewers report a simple, deeply touching human story that made many cry. A cultural reminder that even vigilant cinephiles can miss the next word‑of‑mouth phenomenon.
Sequels, Two Ways—Demon Slayer and Wallace & Gromit Demon Slayer: Infinity Fortress sustained elite ratings and even higher grosses than the pandemic‑era hit, though both films continue the series and can deter newcomers—emblematic of anime’s hype year. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl signaled Aardman’s return; critics embraced it more than audiences, Oscar mischief failed, and the Netflix rollout made it easy to find—best for fans. Together they show sequel strength across very different animation traditions.
Simple Accident—The Cannes Winner in Release Limbo A Cannes victor that feels like a must‑see sits in an awkward limbo without a clean online release. Included here on principle, it remains hard to track down and will likely get fuller discussion closer to the Oscars. Its presence underscores how availability skews year‑end viewing.
Method of Elimination—Park Chan‑wook’s Funniest Darkness A desperate jobless man’s spiral is rendered with Park’s sleek images, signature editing, contrapuntal soundtrack and a caustic genre mash. Several scenes are laugh‑through‑tears black comedy while real horror unfolds, yet the crime‑thriller engine and situational drama keep it grounded. Opening and closing may run long, but it stands among the year’s best and a thematic heir for those who vibed with Parasite.
Dreams of Trains—A Quiet, Healing Drift Through Time A biopic about a wholly fictional man wanders across eras, a reverse‑Forrest‑Gump who meets no grand events yet lives a full small life. It’s beautiful, gently sad, and ultimately consoling, with immersive real locations and a piercing Joel Edgerton performance. Those averse to melancholic pace may bow out, but for receptive viewers it’s cathartic.
Battle by Battle—PTA’s Absurd Chase With Teeth Paul Thomas Anderson delivers a wildly funny, occasionally 18+ chase movie where Leonardo DiCaprio earnestly tries to stop a riotously villainous Sean Penn. Beneath GTA‑like absurdity and political detours lies a hidden twist: events unfold in a slightly different, more fascistic legal reality, making a flawed sabotage cell’s fight matter more than it seems. You can also ignore subtext and just enjoy the gags and performances; few films hit both the crowd‑pleaser and high‑brow targets this cleanly.
I’m Still Here—Family First in a Repressive State A Brazilian awards magnet about resisting a repressive government, rooted in real events, centers on mother Eunice Paiva as blood‑stained power invades a large family. Except for a brief middle block, it refuses terror for terror’s sake, favoring humane, intimate interaction over dread. Earnest, sad, and non‑hysterical, it nonetheless felt a touch hollow compared to the raw power of the end‑title facts—yet critics soared and audiences were respectful.
Asian Animation at the Summit—Nezha and Chainsaw Man: Reze Nezha’s Dragon‑King‑toppling sequel turned into a colossal domestic phenomenon; even without the original, its Pixar‑level polish, lively humor and cozy warmth impress, though the hype outruns a solid grown‑up ‘seven’. Chainsaw Man: Reze works largely standalone—half unexpectedly romantic, half ultradynamic action—but its horny‑teen motivations and divisive lead make it a better fit for seasoned anime fans than absolute newcomers. Together they signal Asian animation’s dominance not just commercially but culturally.
Sentimental Value—Tenderness as the New Punk Joachim Trier’s grounded drama wins the year by pairing art‑film intelligence with viewer care: brisk pacing, gentle editing, subtly soul‑bared performances and emotional clarity that consoles rather than lectures. Its credo—tenderness is the new punk—captures 2025’s broader turn from acidic misanthropy toward connection, as many titles sought light within darkness. Closing the year, the team thanks its community, teases delayed projects and future Oscar chats, and raises a glass to holding each other up until things get better.