Josh and Julia's Favorite Films of 2025

Another year of incredibly varied motion pictures.

By: Josh and Julia McCormack

 It’s a new year, which means it’s time for an end-of-the-year movie list!

Although I still have many acclaimed films from 2025 left to see (including awards darlings like “Hamnet,” “It Was Just an Accident” and “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”), I still feel pretty confident in the films I have selected for my top 10 films of the year.

And I’m not alone! My wife, Julia, will once again be chipping in with her top 10 as well.

2025 was an absolute shit show of a year, but at least we were able to distract ourselves from the country’s descent into authoritarianism with these great films, three of which (my top three) were my favorite films of the 2020s as a whole.

So without further ado, here are my wife and I’s favorite films of 2025.

JOSH’S HONORABLE MENTIONS: “Frankenstein,” “Bring Her Back,” “Friendship,” “Superman,” “The Secret Agent”

JULIA’S HONORABLE MENTIONS: “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” “Elio,” “Nonnas”

Josh’s #10: Eddington (dir. Ari Aster)

Ari Aster reflects on America during the height of the COVID pandemic with his usual sense of jet-black comedy and unflinching terror. While lesser filmmakers have struggled with how to depict or even talk about the pandemic in a way that doesn’t make my skin crawl, Aster succeeds by not giving the audience easy answers, nor a protagonist they can really sympathize with.

Instead, it’s a film that luxuriates in its sense of pessimism and doom while still managing to find humor in the absurdity of how our nation seems so intent on destroying itself.

The most reflective film of our current era, whether we like it or not.

Julia’s #10: Zootopia 2 (dir. Jared Bush & Byron Howard)

I just love the world-building here! I love the buddy-cop vibes, and I love that it touches on real-world issues.

Also, best song of the year with Shakira’s “Zoo.” I’m also just a Nick Wilde stan.

Josh’s #9: The Long Walk (dir. Francis Lawrence)

A punishing and riveting adaptation of one of Stephen King’s bleakest stories. After decades of languishing in development hell, Francis Lawrence finally brought this metaphor of the Vietnam War, set against a dystopian backdrop, to life. This is in no small part thanks to the two central performances from Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson. Their camaraderie — and how it develops over the film’s 110-minute runtime — is the key to what makes “The Long Walk” work. Even as the film grows more and more punishing as the ensemble cast participates in the deadly walk across the country, it’s Hoffman and Jonsson’s heartfelt and tragic friendship that pulls the audience in.

One of the best cinematic adaptations of Stephen King’s work in recent memory.

Julia’s #9: Heart Eyes (dir. Josh Ruben)

Really fun concept! Perfect for couples where one person might like rom-coms and the other might like horror. I would definitely rewatch it on Valentine’s Day!

I also just love Olivia Holt.

Josh’s #8: Sorry, Baby (dir. Eva Victor)

A master class in balancing different tones, Eva Victor’s “Sorry, Baby” finds the truth in its lead character through trauma, humor and reflection. Gracefully taking the audience through intense subject matter, the film does not linger on the “Bad Thing” that happens to our lead character, Agnes, in any way that’s viscerally exploitative. Instead, it brilliantly focuses on the lingering ripple effects, thanks to a great script and a tremendous lead performance from the film’s writer, director and star.

It’s honestly criminal that Eva Victor isn’t getting more acclaim as we move into awards season.

Julia’s #8: Frankenstein (dir. Guillermo del Toro)

A genuinely beautiful film. As someone who doesn’t care about monster movies, I thought this had a lot of emotional depth. Also, Jacob Elordi and Oscar Isaac were incredible.

Dinner for three, please?!

Josh’s #7: Bugonia (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos)

Now here’s a movie for the fellow sickos out there.

“Bugonia” is a mean movie, finding comedy in the most traumatic of narrative conceits and making audiences question their allegiance to certain characters, thanks to an audacious and bonkers finale. While based on the 2003 South Korean film “Save the Green Planet,” Yorgos Lanthimos infuses so much of his sardonic wit and nauseatingly visceral imagery into the story, making it stand as a truly singular work.

Terrific as always are past Lanthimos collaborators Jesse Plemons and Emma Stone, the latter of whom has now given three of my favorite performances of Lanthimos’ last three films, including this, “Poor Things” and the incredibly underrated “Kinds of Kindness.”

Julia’s #7: Freakier Friday (dir. Nisha Ganatra)

As a big believer in the Lindsay Lohan renaissance, I think it was a big deal to see her return to one of her iconic roles. While I didn’t necessarily agree with who Anna grew up to be, I thought Lindsay’s performance was so funny, and it was so fun to see her do some true character acting.

It had nostalgia but was still its own thing. This was a long time coming, and it was everything I wanted it to be.

Josh’s #6: Wake Up Dead Man (dir. Rian Johnson)

With his third Benoit Blanc murder mystery, writer-director Rian Johnson crafted what may be his best film yet. Set mostly in a gothic Catholic church in upstate New York, Johnson takes great advantage of the setting, crafting a film with visual language that evokes filmmakers like Mario Bava or Ken Russell. But unlike his previous whodunit, “Glass Onion,” this is not a mere genre exercise.

At the heart of this mystery is the battle between a nonbeliever and a believer, as beautifully illustrated by the film’s two dynamite central performances: Daniel Craig, once again having a blast as detective Benoit Blanc, and Josh O’Connor as the lovable and virtuous Father Jud. Seeing the two push one another and develop a true friendship makes for some of the best character dynamics Johnson has ever developed.

Add to that a great ensemble cast and an always entertaining murder mystery at the center, and “Wake Up Dead Man” proves to be the year’s ultimate crowd-pleaser.

Julia’s #6: The Long Walk (dir. Francis Lawrence)

I mostly put this on my list because it was so emotionally devastating that it stayed with me for a long time. My chest was physically tight throughout the whole movie, and I think when movies invoke such strong physical and emotional responses, it’s a sign of good storytelling.

Josh’s #5: Weapons (dir. Zach Cregger)

Following up his 2022 sleeper hit “Barbarian” with this audacious horror story that upends so many of the genre’s conventions, Zach Cregger has quickly made himself a new powerhouse of horror. What’s so amazing about “Weapons” is how compelling it proves to be, even when a huge chunk of the movie doesn’t operate as a horror film at all. In fact, its structure owes more to films like “Magnolia” or “Pulp Fiction,” telling a nonlinear story that gives us a well-rounded study of characters who are directly or indirectly impacted by the inciting incident. While some might consider it overly indulgent, I find it to be an incredibly empathetic way to stage a horror film, giving us time to fully understand these individuals before they suffer the wrath of Aunt Gladys.

Speaking of: Amy Madigan … come on! Give her all the Oscars now!

Julia’s #5: KPop-Demon Hunters (dir. Chris Appelhans and Maggie King)

It has been so long since we’ve had such an iconic, original animated feature film. I think the messaging in the movie is top-tier for children and adults alike. The music was obviously outstanding.

I find it so important — and incredible — when a movie that focuses on a different culture reaches such a wide audience in the U.S. because it allows people to expand their own knowledge and awareness.

Josh’s #4: Sinners (dir. Ryan Coogler)

One of the many things that’s cool about “Sinners” is that it sounds like the kind of film a horror fan like me would talk about as some underseen cult classic. A period movie about Irish vampires descending on a blues music juke joint sounds like a premise too cool to be made by modern Hollywood, let alone one that would be accepted and celebrated by the mainstream. But in a true miracle of modern filmmaking, that’s exactly what happened when “Sinners” was released in the spring of 2025.

Ryan Coogler, alongside his producer-star-bestie Michael B. Jordan, cashed a blank check from films like “Creed” and “Black Panther” to make a truly unforgettable horror-action hybrid that felt fresh, grown-up and even experimental at times.

No matter how many times I’ve watched it, Miles Canton’s “Magic What We Do” sequence will never fail to take my breath away.

Julia’s #4: Sinners (dir. Ryan Coogler)

What’s better than one Michael B. Jordan? TWO Michael B. Jordans!

Plus, vampires?! Say less.

PLEASE NOTE: Josh feels really passionate about his top three movies and believes each requires a LONG review. Brace yourselves!

Josh’s #3: 28 Years Later (dir. Danny Boyle)

“28 Years Later” was not a film I expected to love as much as I did.

While I really like and appreciate the original “28 Days Later,” it’s not a film I hold in as high regard as other genre enthusiasts do. Danny Boyle has made films I absolutely love, but he’s also made films that have left me scratching my head. Even Alex Garland — the scribe of this film and the original — has written and directed films that I really enjoy, but he’s also delivered misfires, and my lukewarm feelings on some of his more recent output made me wary of bowing at the altar of the renowned sci-fi writer.

All of this is to say, I was certainly curious about “28 Years Later,” but I did not expect to consider it one of my favorite films of 2025.

But from the second the film begins with the image of petrified children watching “Teletubbies” while the sounds of a zombie slaughter echo in the background, I was hooked. Boyle uses this return to a familiar intellectual property as an excuse to get back to the punk-rock sensibilities that made his early work, like “Trainspotting” and even the original “28 Days Later,” so beloved. It’s not a film trying to recapture what made the original work through homage or fan service; instead, it honors it by being equally transgressive.

Whereas the original film was shot on primitive digital cameras of the early 2000s, “Years” is shot almost entirely on an iPhone 15, giving the film a scrappy energy while still being filtered through the eyes of an established auteur like Boyle. There is honestly no excuse for so many films shot on the most advanced digital cameras to look as bland as they do when this film looks as gorgeous as it does with a consumer-grade product.

And as for Garland’s script, I think it’s transcendent. It uses the film’s titular premise to examine how 28 years of apocalypse shapes a generation, seen through the eyes of a young boy who knows nothing of the world before the infected roamed free on the Scottish Isles. It’s a coming-of-age story that culminates in one of the most emotional third acts I’ve seen in recent memory.

“28 Years Later” is also just part of a planned trilogy, and if the other two films can maintain this level of quality, we might be in for one of the best trilogies in modern film.

Julia’s #3: Predator Badlands (dir. Dan Trachtenberg)

The number one thing you should know about me is that I love aliens, period. I love them. I believe in them. Do I care about the “Predator” movies? No. Do I love a good movie about aliens? Yes. I liked that the plot was simple, and I love when we get into the lore of a new alien species.

When I have fun watching a movie and watch it more than once, that means it’s a good movie.

Josh’s #2: One Battle After Another (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson)

What is there to say about “One Battle After Another” that hasn’t already been said?

It’s undoubtedly the “best” film of the year, even if I didn’t list it as my personal favorite. From its timely examination of the effects of an authoritarian police state to its incredible opening half hour that celebrates the passion of a revolutionary before the flames of resistance are forcefully blown out by fascism; from its images of silhouetted skateboarders jumping across a cityscape in chaos to its climactic car chase through a sea of oceanic hills; from Sean Penn’s simultaneously terrifying portrayal of an impotent fascistic foot soldier to the zenlike Benicio Del Toro telling a police officer he’s had “a few small beers.”

Much like PTA’s other great films, it’s full of sequences that already feel iconic the moment you first witness them unfold.

But I think the key to what makes “One Battle” work as well as it does is its depiction of revolutionaries of the past and revolutionaries of today, explored through the relationship between a father and a daughter.

DiCaprio’s Bob Ferguson is tired — tired and frightened for his daughter. The values he once held as a member of the French 75 are still instilled within him, but after the abandonment of his daughter’s mother and the helplessness that comes with living in a fascist state, he no longer has the drive to fight the good fight.

The film forces him to do so after his past comes back to haunt him with the return of Sean Penn’s Colonel Lockjaw, who eventually kidnaps his daughter, Wilma.

As the film progresses, Wilma begins to understand firsthand the importance of what it means to be a revolutionary — and the consequences of not doing so. Bob might not always be the father she wanted him to be, but the values he instilled in her become the basis of something she can fight for, even after her true biological father is revealed to be everything she is fighting against.

In the end, we are left watching the old, white revolutionary sit on the sidelines, taking a well-deserved rest as his daughter heads off to join a protest. Is the world any better than they found it at the start of the film? Maybe not at first glance, but their relationship — their world — is stronger. It’s proof that things can change if you fight for love under the oppression of fear.

So why not fight for what’s right, even if it does feel like one battle after another?

Julia’s #2: Superman (dir. James Gunn)

Why did I love “Superman”? Why do I wake up in the morning? Why do I do anything that I love? It’s because it’s Superman. It’s because it’s David Corenswet. It’s because no one is out here doing it like him.

I love that certain people were scared of this movie, and I love that choosing kindness always prevails.

Josh’s #1: Marty Supreme (dir. Josh Safdie)

The time I like is the rush hour

’Cause I like the rush

The pushing of the people

I like it all so much

— Peter Gabriel

A character study, a sports drama, a nightmarish comedy of errors — Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme” is all of these things. It’s a film that is always on the move because its character is always on the move. Marty Mause is a star table tennis player in constant pursuit of his dream, moving from person to person to get what he needs and then moving on, not caring at all about the destruction he leaves in his wake. And why would he? To feel regret would mean having to linger — something Marty can’t afford to do.

The resulting film is a kinetic masterpiece, ping-ponging (pun intended) between masterfully constructed scenes of internal and external chaos. It’s almost always stressful, but too remarkable to turn away from.

Much like his film “Uncut Gems” (co-directed by his brother Benny), Safdie populates this world with great, memorable faces. From actors to nonactors alike, the characters Marty interacts with don’t feel like random pretty faces used merely to fill the frame; they are real-life oddballs and fascinating characters who reflect Safdie’s fascination — and even love — for people on the outskirts, even if the movie places them in rough situations.

The core cast is great, too, with Odessa A’Zion and Gwyneth Paltrow both bringing their A-game. And yes, even the real-life villain Kevin O’Leary sadly puts in a phenomenal performance as the film’s principal antagonist. His final exchange with Marty is possibly my favorite scene in the entire film.

And, of course, at the center of it all is Timothée Chalamet. This is the movie-star performance of the decade and one that beautifully illustrates what people both love and hate about him, making for one of the most well-rounded characters of the year. It’s a testament to Chalamet’s performance that, despite everything you hate about Marty, you still can’t help but get a little choked up in the film’s final minutes.

A roller coaster of a motion picture — and the reason I go to the movies.

Julia’s #1: Wake Up Dead Man (dir. Rian Johnson)

A perfect movie. It moved me so deeply, and it captured exactly what good faith should be in a world that lacks it. It’s just so hard to put into words how much I love this movie and how it will probably be my favorite movie for years to come.

And my god, my god … Josh O’Connor.