Best Movies of 2025: Justin Chang’s Picks | NPR

A Year of Cinematic Triumphs: The 10 Best Films of 2025

Despite a turbulent era for the film industry, marked by declining box office numbers, the looming threat of AI, and upheaval within major Hollywood studios, 2025 delivered a surprisingly rich slate of exceptional films. While many of these cinematic gems originated outside the U.S., they all found a home in American theaters this year and are well worth seeking out.

A Resilient Industry, A Flourishing Art Form

Anyone will tell you that these are tumultuous, borderline-apocalyptic times for the film industry. Yet, as one critic noted, “I saw more terrific new movies this year than I have any year since before the pandemic.” This apparent paradox speaks to the enduring power of cinema and the continued creativity of filmmakers worldwide.

The Top 10 Films of 2025

Here’s a curated list of the ten most compelling films released in U.S. theaters in 2025, representing a diverse range of styles, genres, and national cinemas.

1. Cry – A Survivalist Masterpiece

Topping the list is Cry, a breakthrough work from Spanish filmmaker Oliver Laxe. Described as a nail-biting survival thriller set in the Moroccan desert, the film evokes the atmosphere of a world on the brink. The critic noted it felt “a little Mad Max, a little Wages of Fear,” ultimately delivering “the most exhilarating and devastating two hours” experienced in a theater this year. Cry is further elevated by Kangding Ray’s exceptional original score.

2. One Battle After Another – Anderson’s Bold Reimagining

Paul Thomas Anderson’s much-loved and debated adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, One Battle After Another, is an exuberant blend of action and political satire. Leonardo DiCaprio delivers one of his best and funniest performances as an aging revolutionary pulled back into the fray, supported by a stellar ensemble cast including Teyana Taylor, Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn, Regina Hall, and newcomer Chase Infiniti.

3. Caught by the Tides – A Portrait of Modern China

From Chinese director Jia Zhangke comes Caught by the Tides, an unclassifiable hybrid of fiction and nonfiction. The film masterfully weaves together archival footage and newly shot material to create a unique portrait of China’s transformations over the past two decades.

4. Resurrection – A Genre-Bending Odyssey

Another structurally bold Chinese title, Resurrection, directed by Bi Gan, is likened to “an Avatar movie for film buffs.” The film places viewers inside the mind of a shapeshifting protagonist, embarking on a dreamlike journey through various cinematic genres, from historical spy dramas to vampire thrillers.

5. My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow – A Chronicle of Resistance

Julia Loktev’s documentary, My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow, stands out as the year’s best documentary. The film offers a sprawling yet intimate portrait of Russian independent journalists in the months leading up to Vladimir Putin’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. As a powerful depiction of anti-authoritarian resistance, it resonates with the themes explored in the critic’s No. 6 selection.

6. The Secret Agent – A Costly Dissidence

Kleber Mendonça Filho’s The Secret Agent is an emotionally rich and surprisingly funny drama set in Brazil during its 1977 military dictatorship. The film lays bare the personal sacrifices made in the face of political oppression.

7. Sound of Falling – A Spooky and Haunting Drama

Mascha Schilinski’s Sound of Falling, though not strictly a horror film, is described as the best and spookiest haunted-house movie of the year. The German drama explores the connections between four generations of women within a remote farmhouse.

8. April – A Hypnotic Portrait of Healthcare

Dea Kulumbegashvili’s April presents a tough, bleak, yet utterly hypnotic portrayal of an OB-GYN providing healthcare to women in a conservative East Georgian village. Despite its distant setting, the film’s themes of access to healthcare and female empowerment resonate universally.

9. On Becoming a Guinea Fowl – A Zambian Family Drama

Rungano Nyoni’s On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, a Zambian film, is a subtly mesmerizing drama centered around a death within a middle-class household. The event triggers a chain of dark revelations that threaten to unravel a family.

10. It Was Just an Accident – A Palme d’Or Winner

Capping off the list is It Was Just an Accident, winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Jafar Panahi, this shattering moral thriller follows a group of former political prisoners granted a rare opportunity for retribution. The director’s own imprisonment in Iran adds a poignant layer to the film’s themes, and the critic expressed hope that Panahi’s work will reach a wide audience despite his recent sentencing to a year in prison.

Despite the challenges facing the industry, these ten films demonstrate the continued vitality and artistic power of cinema, offering audiences a diverse and compelling range of stories from around the globe.