Critic Picks: The 10 Must-See 2025 Movies

With another year in our rearview mirror and the Oscars just around the corner, it’s time to look back at what cinema had to offer and pick my top 10 and top 20 must-see and best 2025 movies.

2025 wound up offering plenty of great films and exhilarating entertainment to choose from. Sinners was an early fantastic offering that stunned audiences and critics alike, while doing blockbuster business. While a few other social-commentary releases like One Battle After Another earned rave reviews and modest box office returns, films with equally or stronger messages like The Running Man wound up unfortunately overlooked and forgotten.

My selections are a mix of purely “Best Picture” contenders, ambitious and standout storytelling and messaging, and outright popcorn escapist delights. It’s a testament to the fact that however hard times get and however much we might say a particular year is “light” on top-shelf cinematic offerings, the truth is usually that there’s just a lot of releases folks don’t hear about or get time to see, but that it’s not hard to find one or two dozen great films from which you could find strong awards contenders and engrossing entertaining viewing

I’m sure some selections and omissions will prove controversial, but remember I am using my own combination of factors and considerations and pure personal preference (gasp!) in these selections, so there’s bound to be disagreements. But I suggest taking a chance on many of these even if you see some you disagree with or don’t see something you feel should be included, because you’re bound to strike gold.

The Must-See 2025 Movies

Now without further ado and in no particular order, except that the first 10 are indeed my current top 10 for best films of the year and are roughly how I’d rank them on a ballot at the moment, here are my selections for the top 10 and top 20 must-see and best movies of 2025…

1. Sinners
2. It Was Just An Accident
3. Train Dreams
4. The Running Man
5. Eddington
6. One Battle After Another
7. Companion
8. Highest 2 Lowest
9. The Perfect Neighbor
10. Bring Her Back