IMBb is one of the biggest movie sites on the internet, and it’s just announced the top 10 movies that have generated the most interest in its practically unrivaled database of flicks in 2025.
Naturally, the list is stuffed with the biggest blockbusters of the year, from “Superman” to “Jurassic World: Rebirth,” and there’s even a spot for a Netflix release in the form of “Happy Gilmore 2.” While the list isn’t exactly a haven of hidden gems — it is, after all, a popularity contest — it’s a very respectable collection of movies with most of them worthy of your time.
If you’re looking to catch up or look back on the year in movies now that 2025 is drawing to a close, it's a great starting point. But to make your job even easier, I’ve picked out the three entries in IMDb’s top 10 most popular movies of the year that you should watch first.
Best movies in IMDb's top 10
‘Weapons’
I enjoyed Zach Cregger’s (solo) directorial debut, “Barbarian,” but I was truly blown away by his sophomore effort, “Weapons.” Even all these months later, it stands as the best flick I’ve seen on the big screen in 2025 (and I’ve seen more than 100 movies in theatres this year). The intriguing premise should be enough to convince you to give it a watch, and it doesn’t waste such a hooky idea. The aspect I love most is its clever narrative structure, which splits the events into several chapters, each told from a different point of view.
Set in the small town of Maybrook, Pennsylvania, “Weapons” opens with a classroom of children getting out of bed in the middle of the night and vanishing into the darkness. Each child belongs to Ms. Gandy’s (Julia Garner) class, and naturally, the distraught parents demand answers from the teacher as the authorities are stumped. With fantastic performances from the entire cast (shout-out to Amy Madigan in particular), “Weapons” offers a sinister mystery and a gripping plot that culminates in a finale you won’t forget.
Watch "Weapons" on HBO Max now
‘Sinners’
It’s hard to find something new to say about “Sinners.” Ryan Coogler’s vampire horror-thriller is the breakout hit of 2025, and it’s been lavished with praise from all corners. When a movie receives such universal acclaim, there’s always the danger of it becoming at least somewhat overhyped, but that’s certainly not the case here. “Sinners” deserves every ounce of adulation. It succeeds on pretty much every level. It starts as a phenomenal period drama before transitioning into one of the most blood-soaked and entertaining pulp horrors ever made, and it’s all set to perhaps the most memorable musical score in any movie in 2025.
If you somehow missed the boat on “Sinners,” it follows twin brothers, Smoke and Stack (both played by Michael B. Jordan), who return to Mississippi after working for the Chicago mob in the 1930s. They plan to convert an old sawmill into a juke joint. On opening night, the evening takes a sinister turn when a creature of the night (Jack O’Connell) arrives at the door and asks to be allowed entry. There’s so much to praise here, but I want to shout out the impeccable scene-setting opening act, which sometimes gets a little forgotten among the mesmerizing carnage of the movie’s second half.
Watch "Sinners" on HBO Max now
‘One Battle After Another’
Fresh off receiving a record-breaking nine nominations at the upcoming Golden Globes, it’s clear that “One Battle After Another” is going to be leading the charge during next year’s awards season. From director Paul Thomas Anderson, it’s an action-thriller epic that packs career-best performances from practically its entire cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Regina Hall and Benicio del Toro. Even newcomer Chase Infiniti keeps pace with the pack. Beyond the performances, it’s “One Battle After Another’s” pacing that really stands out. It might run 162 minutes long, but it never drags, thanks to a real sense of momentum.
Thrilling and funny in equal measures (the already iconic telephone scene is a personal high point), the movie centers on a former revolutionary, living under the alias Bob Ferguson (DiCaprio), in hiding with his young daughter (Infiniti). When enemies from his past return, and his daughter goes missing, Bob is forced back into action. Paul Thomas Anderson displays some of the most inventive filmmaking of his entire career, and DiCaprio solidifies his stellar comedic chops. It’s the current Best Picture frontrunners for good reason.
Watch "One Battle After Another" on Amazon (w/ purchase) now
IMDB's top 10 movies of 2025
- 'Superman'
- 'Weapons'
- 'Sinners'
- 'One Battle After Another'
- 'Jurassic World: Rebirth'
- 'Frankenstein'
- 'Happy Gilmore 2'
- 'Thunderbolts*'
- 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning'
- 'F1: The Movie'
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