I know I know I know. I hear the same question every year around this time. “Why did you wait so long to do your Best Of List”? It’s always coming down to the wire, that’s true. Hey, I’m busy. And this stuff takes a lot of time and is a lot of work, even if it doesn’t look like it. There are literally hundreds of movies to sift through and consider, and during the holidays, I’d much rather be drinking eggnog and not thinking about work. But here we are, with the Best Movies of 2025, so relax.
It’s been a tough year for movie theaters, and a rough year for the country as a whole. So it’s no surprise my list is a mix of movies that just made me feel good, and others that were in my genre wheelhouse. There are also some films that reflect the dark times that we are facing, because part of me wanted to be comforted from reality, and the other part wanted to confront it.
I struggled to trim down this list to just twenty. There will definitely need to be an “Overlooked Gems” list soon, or on the Cinema Royale podcast. No superhero moves on the list, I think for the first time ever? Superman and Fantastic Four came close, though.
As usual, this list comprises the films that had the biggest impact on me. You might’ve felt different. Hell, I’m sure you did and that you won’t hesitate to let me know how wrong I am. Just keep in mind that just because a film isn’t on my list it doesn’t mean I hated it.
Once again, there will be only one favorite, and the rest are in random order. Enjoy! And do let me know what some of your favorites of 2025 were!
