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Sure, 2025 had plenty of incredible movies, but what about a best-of list filled with the films that actually kept Us talking — not just the ones making the most awards season noise?
Don’t get Us wrong: Frankenstein, Hamnet, One Battle After Another and the rest of the other Oscar-buzz crowd absolutely deserve their moment, but sometimes a movie connects with audiences in a way critics and the Academy don’t fully clock. Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller and Callum Turner nearly single-handedly brought back the theatrical rom-com with their emotional afterlife love triangle in Eternity, while Dylan O’Brien’s Twinless emerged as one of the year’s most gut-punching portraits of grief and resilience.
“I’ve always been somebody who’s been really struck by other people’s experiences in a really deep way. So, I was certainly struck by this piece as a whole,” O’Brien exclusively told Us Weekly in September of taking on the dual roles of twins Roman and Rocky in the James Sweeney–directed drama. “We’re talking about such a unique type of grief and a unique type of loss. When I first read it, I thought it was such a beautiful honoring of this existence on earth, one that I had never seen before, and one that I felt like was handled so respectfully and sensitively and beautifully.”
Keep scrolling to find out Us’ top picks for the best movies of 2025, from blockbusters to biopics and more:
‘Caught Stealing’
Best movie, most irresistible-with-his-shirt-
‘Twinless’
Twinless isn’t just one of 2025’s best films — it’s also one of the most criminally underrated. Dylan O’Brien delivers a career-defining performance as Roman, a man reeling after the death of his twin brother, Rocky (also played by O’Brien). Directed, written by and costarring James Sweeney, Twinless is unflinching in its raw depiction of grief, willing to be honest, devastating — and at many times, absurdly funny — in a way most films with similar themes are not. Twinless doesn’t just explore loss, it forces the audience to sit uncomfortably in it, resulting in an honest portrayal of the human experience. It’s as dark as it is hopeful and deserves far more flowers than it’s gotten thus far. — K.P.
‘Freakier Friday’
Before rolling your eyes, consider this: In the age of endless failed reboots and revivals, should we not be praising one that actually gets it right? Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis dust off their roles as body-swapping mother-daughter duo Anna and Tess in this long-awaited sequel that delivers a perfect blend of nostalgia and fresh humor. Now a single mom to daughter Harper (Julia Butters), Anna and her fiancé, Eric (played by a perfectly cast Manny Jacinto), find themselves struggling to blend their families ahead of their wedding day as Harper and Eric’s daughter, Lily (Sophia Hammons), are mortal enemies in a way only tween girls can be. But nothing solves family tension like a few body-swap shenanigans — and oh, do shenanigans ensue. The new characters pop, the legacy cameos land (hi, Chad Michael Murray!) and the story actually has something important to say about what it means to be a family. The laughs are big, but the film’s heart is even bigger. — K.P.
‘Eternity’
Audiences have been waiting for that kind of old-school, all-encompassing and sweeping romance to return to the big screen — and Eternity satisfies that craving at every turn. Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller and Callum Turner anchor this love triangle for the ages — and the afterlife — that takes place in a world where souls are given one week to decide how they wish to live out their postmortem days. When Joan (Olsen) realizes that both her first and second husbands are there waiting for her when she arrives, she must quickly figure out where her heart truly lies. The story is as emotional and funny as it is unpredictable, playing into the question of what lasting love really means. As for the ending, well, that will linger with you long after the lights come up. P.S.: Having to decide between those two men? Couldn’t be Us. — K.P.
‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’
Benoit Blanc on another case? Say less. Daniel Craig reprises his role as the beloved detective in the third installment of the Knives Out franchise, which follows Detective Blanc as he is called in to help the police with solving a murder that took place in a religious community. In typical Knives Out fashion, Wake Up Dead Man has a star-studded cast that includes Glenn Close, Kerry Washington, Jeremy Renner, Mila Kunis, Josh Brolin, Thomas Haden Church and more. But more than that, the mystery is one that will keep you on your toes as you ask yourself, “Whodunit?” — Kaitlin Simpson
‘Superman’
James Gunn is taking his vision for the DC Extended Universe very seriously. Gunn’s version features the dreamy David Corenswet as the new Clark Kent/Man of Steel and Nicholas Hoult as the villainous Lex Luthor. In this “early days of Superman” tale, the superhero pursues his goal to do good in the world as an alien refugee as Lex uses his manipulative tactics to convince the government and the public otherwise. With Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) and Krypto the superdog by his side, can Superman win back the trust and support of the people of Earth? While a smile and charm like that, the chances are high. — K.S.
‘Thunderbolts*’
Say it with Us: Marvel is back, baby. Florence Pugh absolutely steals the show returning as Yelena Belova in this summer blockbuster which successfully launches the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While she (as expected) carries the movie on her back, Pugh shares the load with Lewis Pullman, who makes his MCU debut as Bob — or Sentry. And while, disclaimer, this is hardly the feel-good Marvel film that viewers are used to (there were a lot of unexpected emotions involved), the movie still wows Us with the “new Avengers.” And Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan)? He’s still got it. — Shelby Stivale
‘Sentimental Value’
Films about dysfunctional families make the best movies — just look at Ordinary People and Terms of Endearment if you don’t believe me. Sentimental Value is one of those movies, an absorbing, bittersweet and at times very funny drama about the failures of one parent and the burdens and benefits it offers to his two adult children.
Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård) is a world-famous director about to start a new film with a part written for eldest daughter Nora (Renate Reinsve), who turns him down. Gustav has been out of the picture for a while, and Nora and little sister Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) don’t want anything to do with him. But all of them can’t quite let go of the past and their mutual need to connect with each other.
Sentimental Value isn’t deadly serious — there are moments of levity that feel earned and organic without cutting into the family drama at its core. With career-best work from its entire cast, including Elle Fanning as a well-meaning but inexperienced American actress, the movie is another reminder that a literate script, well-developed characters and unfussy direction are all you need to make one of 2025’s best films. Take that, Tilly Norwood! — Jason Struss
‘Night Call’
Grad student Mady (Jonathan Feltre) is about to have the worst night of his life in Night Call, a 2024 Belgian thriller that was released in the U.S. quietly in January and remains one of the best films of the year. After unwittingly stealing a lot of cash from local mob boss Yannick (Romain Duris) to help a beautiful stranger named Claire (Natacha Krief), Mady must get back the money or else Yannick and his goons will take something valuable from him — his life.
Expertly blending John Wick-type action with atmospheric thrills straight out of a David Fincher picture, Night Call makes you feel like you’re on a roller coaster ride — it’s that fun and intense. But it’s also the rare action movie with substance. Blending commentary on the Black Lives Matter movement, racism and the rise of anti-immigration in modern Europe, Night Call isn’t afraid to be topical and confrontational — that it’s also entertaining as hell makes it a 2025 movie to remember. — J.S.
‘Die My Love’
The newest project from Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay, Die My Love is easily one of 2025’s must-watch films. Jennifer Lawrence delivers a captivating performance as Grace, a young married woman and new mother, while Robert Pattinson plays her sometimes loving but often distant husband, Jackson. Ramsay blends dreamlike sequences with raw realism to showcase a woman losing her sense of self and all the confusion and heightened emotion that comes with motherhood. Loosely based on Ariana Harwicz’s 2012 novel of the same name, the film moves from a sinister opening into an unpredictable, unsettling narrative. It’s the kind of film that will stay with you long after exiting the theater. — Erianne Lewis
‘Hamnet’
Chloé Zhao brings brilliance to the big screen once again with the dramatic and refined historical drama Hamnet. The Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal–led film blends history, literature and romance with a depiction of William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes Hathaway, experiencing the most catastrophic tragedy: losing their young son, Hamnet. On top of the enthralling and immersive story, Hamnet is beautifully shot and exhibits perfect pacing that draws attention of even those who may be uninterested in history. Above all, Hamnet is an emotional and raw story about grief enhanced by lovers’ heartbreak. Mescal is at his best as Shakespeare, but it’s Buckley whose heartbreaking performance anchors the movie, further establishing her as a major force in Hollywood and making Us think she’s a strong contender to win some trophies come awards season. — Samantha Agate
‘Sinners’
Ryan Coogler’s Southern gothic horror film follows the reality that its main characters — twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both Michael B. Jordan) — faced as Black men trying to open up a juke joint in the 1930s Jim Crow South but with a twist: not only do they have to contend with the KKK, but also a group of bloodthirsty vampires.
The metaphor of white supremacy being upheld by creatures that literally suck the life out of anything that is “other” works so incredibly well, as the main vampire is an Irishman named Remmick (Jack O’Connell). Remmick’s goal is to not only convert the Black community into vampires themselves, but also to steal and appropriate Black culture to replace what his own culture has lost to American assimilation. In juxtaposition, the film also features one of the most respectful portrayals of African spirituality and hoodoo practices in media.
At its core, Sinners is a satisfying revenge film that smartly blends Black horror with Afrofuturism and a tinge of Blaxploitation. — Emma Hernandez Bollinger
‘Frankenstein’
2025 was the year that the master of monsters Guillermo del Toro finally got to tell the story he was put here on earth to tell. His version of Mary Shelley’s classic novel, which was nearly three decades in the making, changes the name of Dr. Frankenstein’s creation: instead of The Monster, the character is now The Creature (Jacob Elordi).
The switch allows del Toro to do what he does best: daring his audience to feel empathy for The Creature, showing the humanity in a character that was previously seen as a villain or something to be feared.
It also allows the audience to question the very humanity of The Creature’s creator, Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac). Victor’s character is a textbook Freudian case: childhood trauma from an abusive father who preferred his brother and the death of his beloved mother, which is emphasized by Mia Goth playing the dual roles of both Victor’s mother, Claire Frankenstein, and Victor’s love interest, Elizabeth.
Del Toro’s Frankenstein begs the viewer to decide for themselves who the real monster is, and he does it all against a beautiful and lush gothic romance backdrop. — E.H.B.
‘Kpop Demon Hunters’
The kids are alright — and also right about Netflix’s Kpop Demon Hunters, which quickly became a global juggernaut and proved that studios may have been underestimating young viewers’ capacity to enjoy content that isn’t based on stale IP. With gorgeous animation and unbelievably catchy songs, the family-friendly film has a surprisingly complex plot for a movie aimed at children, making it just as enjoyable for adults (even the ones without kids). And while it’s easy to get distracted by the bright colors and eye-popping concert sequences, don’t miss the film’s poignant messages about the power of music and friendship. Huntrix forever! — Eliza Thompson
‘One Battle After Another’
If the prerelease film-bro hype surrounding Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest project put you off, you’re not alone — but try to push through, because One Battle After Another is truly one of the greatest films of the year, if not the entire decade. Leonardo DiCaprio gives a career-best — and rare comedic — performance as Bob Ferguson, an ex-revolutionary who’s called back into action after his daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti), becomes the target of a military man from Bob’s past (Sean Penn). Anderson’s movies, while always daring, can sometimes be a little too self-indulgent, but he earns every single second of OBAA’s nearly three-hour runtime thanks to incredible supporting performances from Penn, Infiniti, Benicio del Toro, Teyana Taylor and Regina Hall. (Special credit to del Toro for singlehandedly making “a few small beers” the movie meme of the year.) — E.T.
