2025 is speeding by in the blink of an eye. I’m slightly alarmed that it’s already mid-September. But as we enter the final three months of the year, it’s a good chance to take stock of the best and worst movies of 2025 so far.
It’s been a mixed year at the movies. 2025 started slowly with a glut of largely forgettable films served to audiences in the first third of the year. Fortunately, as we entered the summer, things began to turn around, and I’m quietly confident we’re in for an exciting end to 2025.
I’m obsessed, not just with movies, but with watching movies in theaters. I visit my local cinema at least once a week (often more), and so far have caught 63 movies on the big screen, from tentpole blockbusters to smaller indie releases. Naturally, like any good cinephile, I keep a running ranking of every movie I see in theaters so that I can track all the highs and lows.
Below are the five movies that enthralled me the most, and the five that had me eyeing up an early exit (though I’m a dedicated movie watcher, so I always stay seated until the bitter end).
My 5 favorite movies of 2025 (so far)
5. ‘Hallow Road’
I love dark movies; this top five best movies of 2025 (so far) ranking can attest to that fact. But after watching so many horror flicks and chilling thrillers over the years, I’ve definitely become a little desensitized, and it takes a lot to really spook me these days.
“Hallow Road” managed to do just that. This psychological thriller starring Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys is small in scale, mostly set within a car. Still, it gets great mileage from its simple setup, and the constantly-climbing tension eventually builds to a genuinely haunting finale that left me unnerved.
The British movie focuses on two concerned parents (Pike and Rhys) contacted in the middle of the night by their distressed daughter, who’s been involved in a traffic accident on a winding country road. Rushing to the scene, they attempt to reach her before anybody else can discover what she's done, but the night becomes increasingly eerie as they get closer to their daughter’s location.
Playing in select theaters
4. ‘Sinners’
I’m not going to win any points for originality with this pick. “Sinners” is going to be a staple of best of 2025 lists and might end up being the movie released this year that has the most enduring legacy in years to come. I think “Sinners” will be talked about for a long time.
If anything, my ranking of “Sinners” in the fourth spot might be a bit of a controversial take, as I expect many critics would have it competing for the top spot. I wasn’t quite as taken with the vampire-stuffed second half as many viewers, much preferring the character-driven opening portion. Nevertheless, this is a minor complaint, as the whole thing is bloody fun.
“Sinners” sees director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan team up again, having previously worked together on “Black Panther” and “Fruitvale Station”. That dream team is in top form, with Jordon giving a career-best performance in a dual lead role. Jordan plays twin brothers who return to their Mississippi hometown to start a juke joint, only for opening night to be crashed by a creature of the night looking to build an army of blood-sucking followers.
Streaming with purchase on Amazon or Apple
3. ‘Black Bag’
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14 - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/maxresdefault.jpg)
“Black Bag” is a reminder that, when it comes to movies, sometimes less is more. This Steven Soderbergh spy thriller runs a lean 95 minutes and is all the better for it. The tense and twisty movie gets right to the point and doesn’t waste a moment of its runtime.
Led by Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett, “Black Bag” sees an accomplished intelligence officer forced to investigate his wife when she’s suspected of being a double agent, testing his loyalty to his country and marriage in the process. It’s a compelling core premise, and the screenplay from David Koepp is among the sharpest of the year.
What I love most about “Black Bag” is that it’s not a globe-trotting spy escapade. Instead, the focus is placed on the compelling characters, and viewers are invited to really get inside their heads and attempt to figure out their (often morally grey) motives. Right up until the final scene, you’ll never be quite sure who’s on whose side, creating a propulsive mystery.
Streaming on Prime Video
2. ‘Warfare'
“Warfare” isn’t just my favorite war movie that I’ve seen in 2025 so far, but one of the best movies in the genre of the entire 21st century. It offers an intense snapshot of modern conflict, throwing you into the chaos and carnage of frontline combat right from the start.
Co-directed by Alex Garland, who helmed last year’s excellent “Civil War,” and Ray Mendoza, an Iraq War veteran. “Warfare” was created using the real experiences of those who served in the conflict, which gives the movie a remarkable feeling of authenticity. This commitment to being as realistic as possible only adds to the movie’s hard-hitting impact.
There’s so much to praise here, not least of which is the phenomenal use of sound, but the decision to set the movie in real time is my favorite, as it adds almost unbearable tension at several key moments. The visceral violence is also striking, and while “Warfare” can be quite anxiety-inducing at times, it’s still a must-watch movie that will stay with you for months.
Streaming on HBO Max
1. 'Weapons'
I enjoyed Zach Cregger’s directorial debut, “Barbarian,” but I’ll admit it was a little overhyped in my book (the tonal shifts didn’t quite land for me). However, I have no such reservations about recommending “Weapons." Cregger’s follow-up cements his place as a horror master.
This supremely engaging flick centers on the bizarre disappearances of a group of children, all belonging to the same classroom. The devastated parents blame the kid's teacher, Justine (Julia Garner), but as the mystery deepens, this web of secrets grows ever more intriguing.
I could happily praise just about everything in “Weapons.” The performances are phenomenal, with Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich and Amy Madigan highlights, and, without spoilers, the finale is bonkers in the best way possible. However, what really elevates this movie to a true masterpiece in my mind is the nonlinear structure, which splits the events into various interconnected chapters, each told from a different character’s point of view.
“Weapons” is an ambitious mix of genres, blending horror, drama, thriller and dark comedy, and while that could have been an overstuffed mess, Cregger brings it all together in style.
Streaming with purchase on Amazon and Apple
5 worst movies of 2025 (so far)
5. ‘ Wolf Man’
Julia Garner stars in my favorite movie of 2025 (so far), but also is central to one of my least favorite, “Wolfman.” For the record, the failures of this horribly misguided horror are not down to Garner’s performance; she does the best she can, but the material is subpar.
The name of the movie might be “Wolf Man”, but we only get to see its other lead, Christopher Abbott, go full werewolf for a surprisingly brief moment. And even the transformation scene, which should be a skin-crawling highlight, is completely lacking in grotesque thrills.
Director Leigh Whannell has form for bringing classic Universal monsters into the modern day (see 2020’s “Invisible Man” as proof), so maybe my expectations for this one were just too high, but I found “Wolf Man” lacking scares, excitement, or really anything to raise your heart rate. It’s a werewolf horror that commits the cardinal sin of being so downright dull.
4. ‘A Minecraft Movie’
I feel a little harsh about including “A Minecraft Movie” in my worst movies ranking. The colorful crowd-pleaser grossed almost $1 billion at the global box office, and in my screening, it was full of kids (and big kids), clearly having a blast with this very silly blockbuster. But, this is my list, and I have to be honest, “A Minecraft Movie” gave me a headache.
It’s a movie where every single character seems to be "the quirky one," and the battle to spout the most zany line or present the most oddball character quirk grated on me pretty quickly. Jack Black, Jason Momoa and Danielle Brooks lock themselves into a contest to overact the most, and frankly, the real loser is us viewers. Somebody get me some Tylenol!
My dislike for the movie wasn’t helped by the fact I’ve never been much of a Minecraft player — guess I’m not creative enough — so many of the references went completely over my head. At least there were a few chuckle-worthy lines (“the children yearn for the mines”), and it includes a new original song from one of my favorite artists, synth-pop master Dayglow.
3. 'M3GAN 2.0'
The first “M3GAN” movie was very silly, but just self-aware enough for it to work as popcorn entertainment. The sequel goes completely off the rails. The bizarre decision was made to switch from the comedy-horror of the original to a straight-up sci-fi action movie, and it’s not a good call. Was anybody asking for “M3GAN” to become a globe-trotting spy action movie?
“M3GAN” could have been a modern slasher icon, ranking next to the likes of Chucky, but instead, by attempting to make the eponymous android a hero, this sequel becomes increasingly muddled and lacks the original's guilty pleasure hook. The fun of “M3GAN” was seeing the spooky doll commit acts of murder; in this sequel, there is none of that enjoyment to be found.
It also boasts one of the most overwritten plots I’ve endured in quite a while, overstuffed with convoluted details that make following along a chore (and a bore). Plus, there are several brazen attempts to go “viral,” such as an extended dance sequence that is more cringe than comedy.
2. ‘Flight Risk’
“Flight Risk” annoyed me more than any other movie on this list because, at its core, I think it offers a very engaging concept for a movie. The setup: U.S. marshal (Michelle Dockery) attempts to transport a government witness (Topher Grace) across Alaska via a small passenger plane. However, the pilot (Mark Wahlberg) isn’t who he claims to be and is working for a ruthless mob boss with orders to eliminate the informant to stop him from testifying.
That’s a great idea for a thriller at 30,000 feet, but “Flight Risk” wastes all that potential due to an abundance of plot holes, illogical character decisions and some very questionable directing. At least Wahlberg seems to be having a blast in his villainous role. Unfortunately, his overcommitted performance verges into corny territory by the end of the first act.
It’s a real shame, because in the right hands, “Flight Risk” could have been a gripping, claustrophobic thriller, but what we got was the cinematic equivalent of airplane food.
1. ‘Marching Powder’
I wouldn’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of “Marching Powder.” This British comedy barely made a splash in its home territory, and I doubt it traveled much further. And if you did miss this one back in February, consider yourself lucky, because it’s extremely crude and unlikable.
Things get off to a bad start with an animated sequence that had me rolling my eyes in irritation, and from there, the curse-filled attempts at comedy only get worse. The protagonist, Jack Jones (Danny Dyer), is a loathsome anti-hero obsessed with fighting, alcohol, and illicit substances. He's such a repugnant character, I was hoping he’d have an unhappy ending.
Rarely do I watch a movie that feels ugly to the core, but “Marching Powder” is such an exception. It’s pitched as a “rom-com with kick” but there’s no compelling romance or comedy to be found, and the only “kick” I got out of the movie was when the credits started to roll and I was granted the mercy of being able to leave my cinema seat at long last.
More from Tom's Guide
- 7 thriller movies on Netflix with twists you’ll never guess
- Here's why 'Weapons' is one of my favorite movies of 2025
- I hated 'A Minecraft Movie', but I’m thrilled it’s a box office hit
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
