Top Movies of 2025

Intro

It feels harder this year than ever to write about my favorite movies. I felt similarly last year, and so opted to use my end-of-year movie blog to highlight the experiences of trans characters, hoping to engender some empathy for my trans friends who'd been targeted by our authoritarian regime. But now, it feels like we're all under the thumb to some degree or another. Yes, our trans and immigrant neighbors most of all, but now protesters and allies are being shot dead in the streets, as the regime continues to develop an infrastructure to persecute and jail its detractors. 

During times like these, I try and stay grounded in my faith, which reminds me that there is always hope in dark times. So for this year's list, rather than offering reviews, I'll share some bits of hope that may be gleaned from each of my favorites of the year. For more traditional reviews (and a few snarky ones), follow me on letterboxd.

The List

25. Black Phone 2 (9/10, Peacock) - There is hope that trauma can be overcome by remembering those we’ve lost, who remain with us, cheering us on.

24. Train Dreams (9/10, Netflix) - There is hope for connection, even after profound loss. There is hope that life still has some surprises left for us. 

23. K-Pop Demon Hunters (9/10. Netflix) - There is hope to heal a broken world, if only we can heal what is broken within ourselves. 

22. Materialists (9/10, HBO Max) - There is hope for romantic love for even the most cynical among us. 

21. Jay Kelly (9/10, Netflix) - There is hope that we can come to find more meaning in our relationships than in our reputations. 

20. Black Bag (9/10, Prime) - There is hope that loyalty to our most beloved will win out against the forces of duplicity in the world.

19. Warfare (9.5/10, HBO Max) - There is hope that war may end, and that no human ought to be subjected to it ever again. 

18. Sorry, Baby (9.5/10, HBO Max) - There is hope that sins committed against us will not rob us of our futures, or our relationships.

17. Bugonia (9.5/10, Peacock) - There is hope that we may come to realize that our world is precious and we are responsible for it. And that our neighbors are precious, and we are responsible for them. 

16. The Life of Chuck (9.5/10, Hulu) - There is hope in a life well lived, and a story well told.

15. The Testament of Ann Lee (9.5/10, VOD) - There is hope that Spirit may move upon those traditionally cast aside by our religious institutions. And that film may portray religious experience in ways that resonate with those who’ve encountered the living God. 

14. It Was Just an Accident (9.5/10, Hulu) - There is hope that the thirst for revenge will not ultimately rob us of our humanity. That the cycle of violence will stop with us. That sweetness and grace will win, and that those connected by pain will find solace together.

13. Sentimental Value (9.5/10, VOD) - There is hope that family may reconstitute even in the aftermath of generational trauma and estrangement. There is hope we may transcend the limitations of our upbringings to experience happiness. 

12. The Phoenician Scheme (9.5/10, Prime) - There is hope that the doubters may come to find faith, and that the certain may come to find doubt.

11. Marty Supreme (9.5/10, VOD) - There is hope that we can, ultimately, leave childish things behind, forsaking ego for life’s more precious things.

10. Twinless (9.5/10, Hulu) - There is hope to find connection again after profound loss, and that trust can be mended even after betrayal. 

9. Blue Moon (9.5/10, Netflix) - There is hope that what we create will cause joy and connection for others.

8. Superman (9.5/10, HBO Max) - There is hope. There is simply hope that we may heed our better angels and work to make the world a little better.

7, Grand Theft Hamlet (9.5/10, Mubi) - There is hope that, even in barren landscapes, even in virtual ones, art can bring us together with other humans craving connection. 

6. 28 Years Later (9.5/10, Netflix) - There is hope that ritual can transform our pain and help us move forward. 

5. Hamnet (9.5/10, Peacock) - There is hope that art can transform our pain and help us move forward.

4. Weapons (10/10, HBO Max) - There is hope that our children can live in communities that are safe for them. There is hope that, while there are dark forces at work trying to keep us estranged from one another, we don’t have to contribute to that estrangement with fear and mistrust.

3. One Battle After Another (10/10, HBO Max) - There is hope that the next generation will carry the torch for justice, that our foibles and hangups will not ultimately prove an insurmountable stumbling block for them. There is hope that even those who have perpetuated injustice may choose to fight against it. There is hope that a revolutionary spirit may also experience peace. Ocean waves.

2. Wake Up Dead Man (10/10, Netflix) - There is hope that those who represent Christ in the world will remember that the Son of Man came not into the world to condemn it, but to save it. Not to be served, but to serve. Not to fight, but to love. There is hope for restoration of Christianity separate from Christian nationalism, even in America. 

1. Sinners (10/10, HBO Max) - There is hope that artistic expression can transcend trauma and unite us with those who came before us. There is hope that beauty is more powerful than pain. There is hope that those we’ve lost stay with us, and empower us. There is hope that some remnants of faith may linger even after we’ve abandoned institutions that actively oppress us.