Well, we’ve come to that seminal moment of every year where we scroll through the hundreds and hundreds of films we watched and try to somehow identify the best of them. This year was particularly hard, not because there were so many greats (honestly I don’t think there were) but because the good section is extremely robust. The amount of 4-star films this year probably exceeds the previous two combined, which makes the top 5 relatively easy and the rest of the rankings an absolute bloodbath. I liked so many films equally, so trying to split hairs on an equal playing field has proven to be quite challenging. The films just outside the top 15 in the Honorable Mentions section could probably replace the bottom 5 on any day given enough time to wring my hands and spin my wheels trying to get the perfect final Best of the Year list.
For that reason, I’m going to do something I’ve never done before: I’m going to rank on vibes, in real time, as you’re reading this. That’s right. The films that are in the top 15 have been selected, but as I write this they have no number next to their title. This is an unprecedented experiment and I hope you enjoy taking this journey with me as I too have no idea how the final list is going to shake out. This could all go south and end up being the worst order these films could ever be put in, but at some point you just have to commit to an order instead of constantly tweaking it until it never sees the light of day and misses the published deadline. The truth is, they’re all great and all films I love, so when it really boils down to it there’s no wrong way to eat this Reese’s.
As always with these, it is only inclusive of the films I’ve actually seen and is simply a personal preference based on my own cinematic sensibilities. Your favorites could very well be missing, or your most hated film could be at the top. These things are all subjective and we don’t need to throw daggers or flip over tables because “Avatar: Fire and Ash” is nowhere to be found. Spoiler alert: it’s not even in my top 50. Sorry not sorry.
All that out of the way, let’s get into this experiment! Let the 15 Best Films of the Year commence!
15. “Hedda“
Chaos and debauchery set to a jazzy score in decadent halls framed with incredible direction and a brilliant cast? Ya, sign me all the way up for “Hedda.” So many things work here; the sweeping camera and smart direction paired with a sharp, sometimes nasty script from Nia DaCosta, the electric cinematography that captures the chaos and manipulative force that is Hedda herself, the magnificence of the cast and lead performances from Tessa Thompson and Nina Hoss, and so much more makes “Hedda” one of my favorite viewing experiences of the year. This is just my kind of the film and I am all aboard the DaCosta train if this is what she can do when she’s let loose upon filmmaking.
14. “Train Dreams“
Winning out over another honorable mention that would’ve taken this slot, “Train Dreams” is just a quietly beautiful piece of cinema that finds meaning in meditative mundanity. It’s a film that I think will only grow in time and with more watches, one that I can see myself returning to over and over throughout the years. It’s so stunningly captured, the natural forest lighting defining the era of the American West, the subtle approach to the material immersing the audience in its story. “Train Dreams” captures something really special, and feels like an experience instead of a simple watch. I had the luxury of being able to see it in a theater, and that really enhanced its alluring quality. “Train Dreams” is still very effective at home on Netflix, but something is lost when you’re no longer able to truly get lost in the world and the quiet little life it follows.
13. “The President’s Cake“
A shocking surprise for me at TIFF, “The President’s Cake” left me stunned. A coming of age journey set in 90s Iraq that delivers one of the best child performances of the year and expands the world far beyond any preconceived notions of the Middle East and Iraq itself. You’ve never seen the country like this before, and “The President’s Cake” is such a testament to allowing filmmakers make movies about their homeland and experiences. I’m a big sucker for good endings, and this one has one of the most effective of the year. It’s a journey through a foreign land that sheds new light on new perspectives and shatters our small worldview of distant regions. “The President’s Cake” is a small but mighty piece of cinema that really resonated with me and I truly hope more people get a chance to see.
12. “28 Years Later“
One thing I love about the film community and having people to bounce ideas and opinions off of is that they can help reshape your own. That was the case with “28 Years Later,” a film I really did not like on a first viewing, but after a great conversation and a rewatch, instantly skyrocketed to the top of my list of the best films of the year. It’s perhaps the best reunion work of Boyle and Garland, crafted from some of the best writing and camera work the two have made together and maybe even apart. “28 Years Later” is truly the start of something new and the beginning of something truly special, jam packed with such introspection and emotional potency you just wouldn’t expect from a zombie film. Again, endings – and this one shattered me into a million pieces the second time. Profound stuff and I can’t wait to see more of this series if this is the direction it’s going.
11. “Sorry, Baby“
Probably one of the best original screenplays of the year, “Sorry, Baby” sees Eva Victor explode onto the scene with quite possibly the best debut feature of 2025. Victor’s ability to oscillate between comedy and tragedy is masterful, with one never once undercutting the other and both existing in perfect harmony. “Sorry, Baby” is the kind of discovery you always hope to find at a film festival, and emerges as one of the best films to come out of Sundance this year. Like many filmmakers that made the list, I am all aboard the Eva Victor train and can’t wait to see what else she does. If “Sorry, Baby” is what she can do as her first foray, something tells me she’s got an Oscar in her future.
10. “All That’s Left Of You“
Another Sundance banger, “All That’s Left of You” left me with one singular phrase: CIN-NE-MA. A gorgeous, sprawling epic spanning generations in a Palestinian family, the film is overwhelmingly emotional yet brilliantly composed to evoke raw feeling without falling into obvious tropes frameworks like this often do. With an enthralling score and gorgeously rendered shots, “All That’s Left of You” has never left my mind all year long. Even as the number of films grew, there was always a space for this impactful story. It’s a tearjerker to be sure, but it never feels manipulative even when it operates within the typical family drama cliches that remain inescapable but can still be effective when done right. “All That’s Left of You” will most likely get lost in the shuffle of a dominate International slate this year, but i would encourage you to seek this out as is it worth every second spent with this beautiful but harrowing tale.
9. “Sentimental Value“
Speaking of getting lost in the shuffle, “Sentimental Value” is a film I’ve been unable to really write about or speak on but constantly feel driven to revisit. I stood out in the pouring rain without an umbrella on day 1 of TIFF just to see it, and it actually made it all worth it. Herald as the early International frontrunner until the competition ramped up, “Sentimental Value” is a movie that loves movies and champions art as a way of not just expression but connection and catharsis. Movies that move me will almost always find their way onto lists like this, and “Sentimental Value” tapped into my core of family and forgiveness in unexpected ways. it also has one of the most unhinged DVD gift sets I’ve ever seen and takes some much welcomed swipes at Netflix fodder, so ya “Sentimental Value” easily cracks the top 10 here.
8. “Hamnet“
I’m glad we’re doing this on vibes and in real time rankings, because I genuinely wasn’t sure where “Hamnet” would ultimately end up. I knew it would be here, but I wasn’t quite sure how high or low it would fall. I think the discourse surrounding the film doesn’t quite do it justice, as the internet loves to tear things down simply for being beloved by early viewers. I’ll grant you that “Hamnet” takes an act or 2 to get going, and I typically don’t reward parts of a film if it doesn’t make it whole, but once the film settles in and the emotion takes over the catharsis and grief and hope deliver a good old fashioned communal weep. “Hamnet” puts the tragedy back into “The Tragedy of Hamlet,” and left me in a puddle as the final act unfolds. Justice for the Jupes! Not that they need it, but my god are those boys something else here and while “Hamnet” is Jessie Buckley owning every second of the film, the Jupe brothers also deliver some of the most heartfelt and devastating moments of the year.
7. “The Testament of Ann Lee“
Mother!! I’m not ok with the complete erasure of “The Testament of Ann Lee” from the Oscar shortlists and most likely absence from the final Academy race. Singular and epic in every conceivable way, this film rocked me to my core from the moment it began. Rapturous and bold, Mona Fastvold helms a gargantuan historical epic that is as stunning to behold visually as it is to hear with its propulsive score and reimagined hymns. Transcendent, haunting and immersive filmmaking, “The Testament of Ann Lee” is simply everything movies can be when given over to visionaries with abandon. It’s most certainly not for everyone and very much a me pick, but I am exactly who this film is for and I am all in on whatever 3+ hour epics Fastvold and Corbet cook up together.
6. “Marty Supreme“
Turns out it’s Josh Safdie that has all of the juice behind the camera, because “Marty Supreme” is the real deal. A frantic, electrically charged examination of greatness and the invincibility of youth, it solidifies Josh as the true visionary and Timothée Chalamet as the true genuine article worthy of continued awards buzz. It can be challenging to follow an arrogant, self obsessed protagonist for over two hours, and I wouldn’t fault anyone for being exhausted by “Marty Supreme” and Marty’s outrageous antics. But the underlying commentary on youthfulness, that unearned belief (talent or not) that everything will work out because YOU are great framed in a sports drama is profound, and the ending – a landing that sticks and ties it all together – left me pondering my own life and journey from boy to man. “Marty Supreme” isn’t a masterpiece, but it is consistently entertaining and easily one of the best films of the year for me.
5. “My Father’s Shadow“
I’ve actually managed to surprise myself with how high I’ve opted to put “My Father’s Shadow.” A small slice of life film that very few people even know exists but one that has left an indelible impact on me. Fractured memories compiled to tell stories of reflection have been prominent this year, and “My Father’s Shadow” probably does it the best. It’s such a beautiful portrait of masculinity and a country on edge told through the eyes of a child that doesn’t quite understand either. The way it swells in its surroundings without ever leaving its center of two brothers reconnecting with their father, who like the wind comes and goes in their lives is nothing short of astonishing. We so rarely understand our parents or the world that surrounds us in our youth, and “My Father’s Shadow” brilliantly reflects on those things and doesn’t try to answer the questions so much as it tries to make sense of who they are now from the experience they had then. I can’t stop thinking about this movie, and “My Father’s Shadow” deserves its place among the best of them.
4. “It Was Just Accident“
Films this harrowing should not be this humorous, yet “It Was Just An Accident” manages to pull off the impossible by making one of the most thrilling moral quagmires of those suffering and suffered at the hands of an oppressive regime downright hilarious. It’s an angry film, pointed directly at the hands of those who would abuse and violate the humanity of others, but “It Was Just An Accident” is also really funny in how it chooses to direct that ire at the regime. Not lighthearted at all, but immensely self aware and self assured. When we talk about endings, there is no better one than “It Was Just An Accident.” I can still hear it in my head, the last 20 seconds of the film repeating over and over, instantly transporting me back to one of the best final moments of any film this year. Of all the major International contenders, “It Was Just An Accident” may be the one that stuck with me the most and left me in an unforgettable haze. Incredible stuff.
3. “No Other Choice“
In the broader context of Park Chan-wok’s filmography, “No Other Choice” is probably ranked mid tier by his enthusiasts. Removed of that though, it is probably one of the best ensembles and best edited films of the year, proving that there may be no better hands to place a camera in than Park Chan-wok. There are some editing choices and shots in “No Other Choice” that left me speechless, and others that caused me to just sit back and marvel at their construction, while others still that had me saying out loud, “How the fuck did he do that?” It’s honestly just him showing off at this point, reminding the world that he is truly one of the best living filmmakers alive today. But also, “No Other Choice” hit very close to home as it takes a satirical sledgehammer to the workforce economy and exemplified the very real and somewhat recent struggles I’ve experienced trying to rejoin the workforce. I’m fine now, thankfully, but I felt everything in “No Other Choice” just a little bit harder than most.
2. “Sinners“
I don’t really know what else to say about “Sinners” that I haven’t already said in countless pieces, podcasts and conversations. Just that it’s a cultural lightning rod of cinema, toying with horror genre tropes to force discussions about its masterful layering and nuanced themes. No film on this list has gathered together so many intellectuals, critics, general movie goers and voices from all walks of life who went out of their way to gather together to talk about “Sinners.” This is what movies should be doing; bringing people together to talk about them and share their experiences and ideas and discoveries. And films should grow over time, too. Each rewatch should bring about something new, something you may have missed or a new idea you want to extrapolate, and “Sinners” has done that with each watch this year. I truly felt my soul leave my body watching “I Lied To You” in 70mm IMAX, a transcendent viewing and auditory experience I don’t think I will have again for a very long time.
1. “One Battle After Another“
I’m sorry I’m not contrarian and following the herd of voices that have put “One Battle After Another” as their number one film of the year. But I just don’t see any other way here. This is the movie moment of our time, a film that is both timeless and timely and the only film that seems to become more and more relevant with every passing day in this hellscape of fascist rising. “One Battle After Another” isn’t even about our modern times in that sense, and yet it feels like it keeps getting remade to fit itself into our constantly shifting struggles and resistance. I don’t even think I’ve had time to unpack everything I want from “One Battle After Another,” and each revisit unlocks a new level and new moment and rally cry of revolution. My generation is cooked, our fate signed, sealed and delivered. But for all its hopelessness and failures depicted among those who had to grow up and own their mistakes, “One Battle After Another” finds hope in those that come after, the younger generations that may yet learn from our faults and make the world better for themselves by – you guessed it – fighting one battle after another. Life, man. LIFE!
Honorable Mentions
This list is a mile and half long, so I’ll just rattle off a few that just barely missed and almost replaced some of these films here. “Twinless” is a terrific hidden gem with an amazing lead performance from Dylan O’Brien. “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” is a panic attack in film form with one of the best performances of the year from Rose Byrne. “Die My Love” is a film I’m not entirely sure what to do with yet but one I can’t stop thinking about. “Sirat” doesn’t quite work as a film but my god does that sound and shock work incredibly well. “Weapons” was so close to cracking the list and really may have if I was left to tinker with things a little more. “Eddington” has grown on me the longer I’ve reflected on it, and while I don’t think it would crack the top 15 I can see it sneaking its way into the top 20. Loved “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Story,” the most mature of the 3 and a tremendous performance from Josh O’Connor. Haters be damned, I really liked “Jay Kelly,” and “Blue Moon” might feature one of my favorite performances of the year. And yes, I loved “Highest 2 Lowest,” despite Apple fumbling the bag on its release and going out of its way to be impossible to see.
