The 10 best movies of 2025 (so far), and where to watch them

We're halfway through 2025, and the cinema has been outrageous!

If you love action, this year's delivered plenty already. Tom Cruise dazzled in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning. Anthony Mackie and Florence Pugh returned to the MCU with Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*, respectively. Martial arts movie legends Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio joined forces with Ben Wang in the rousing Karate Kid: Legends. Then of course, Jack Black's A Minecraft Movie has action scenes so bonkers it drove audiences absolutely wild.

Other movies offered action with high doses of side-splitting buddy-comedy, like One of Them Days, starring Keke Palmer and SZA, and The Accountant 2, which reunited Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal. Meanwhile, horror offered plenty of new reasons to scream with Final Destination: Bloodlines, Heart Eyes, The Ugly Stepsister, and Ryan Coogler's epic vampire movie, Sinners. But of course, that's a movie that's more genre-fluid than just horror.

In fact, as Mashable's entertainment team looked over the movies hitting so far this year, we found a lot of our favorites didn't snugly fit into one genre. They could best be described as post-apocalyptic rom-com, espionage family-comedy, body horror fairy tale, sci-fi screwball comedy, and vampire historical drama/musical? But no matter how you categorize them, these films are absolutely awesome.

So with no further ado, here are the 10 best movies of the year so far, and where you can watch them.

10. The Phoenician Scheme

Wes Anderson reunites with The French Dispatch's Benicio del Toro for a father-daughter story unlike any you've seen before. Tapping into some elements of espionage thriller — spies! explosions! international intrigue! poisonous gas! — Anderson and company unfurl the story of manipulative and massively wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda (del Toro) and his daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton).

The subject of a U.S. government investigation and a flurry of assassination attempts, Korda decides to reach out to his estranged daughter, who is training to become a nun. He wants her to be his heir and aid in his "Phoenician Scheme." But her faith and his dastardly dealings quickly lead to conflict. Along their journey, they'll meet an array of colorful characters, allowing Anderson to fold in familiar faces from his recurring collaborators, as well as Michael Cera, who — as I wrote in my review — was born to be in a Wes Anderson movie.

While critics have been divided on this Anderson offering, I cheered the filmmaker's genre approach and wrote, "The Phoenician Scheme becomes a charmingly hopeful tale about how even with our flaws we might find love, family, and salvation."

Starring: Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend, and Hope Davis

How to watch: The Phoenician Scheme is now in theaters.

9. The Ugly Stepsister

2025 is proving a great year for great horror movies, and it kicked off with The Ugly Stepsister out of the Sundance Film Festival. This twisted fairytale plays like the grubby baby of Wicked and The Substance. Hear me out.

This gnarly body-horror movie reimagines Cinderella by focusing on the heroine's much-maligned stepsister Elvira (Lea Myren). Writer/director Emilie Blichfeldt delivers not only a deeply empathetic tale of a young girl grappling with a princely crush, sibling rivalry, and crippling societal pressures to conform to cruel beauty standards, but also the grisly scenes to back up its social critique. This one isn't for the faint of stomach.

In my review for Mashable out of Sundance, I cheered, "The Ugly Stepsister is a deranged and dizzying achievement, folding in a classic story with a bitingly modern satire and bold body horror. Blichfeldt weaves these elements together to make a film that feels both of this moment but aesthetically nostalgic... And yet, her journey, as gross and grim as it is, is threaded with a ribbon of exhilaration, rebellion, and even defiant joy. Simply put, The Ugly Stepsister is savagely brutal and yet strangely beautiful."* — K.P.

Starring: Lea Myren, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Ane Dahl Torp, Flo Fagerli, Isac Calmroth, and Malte Gårdinger

How to watch: The Ugly Stepsister is now streaming on Shudder.

8. Love Me

While the debate of AI in work, education, and even our sex lives rages on, Love Me imagines a post-apocalyptic Earth in which AI is all that remains of humanity. And despite that very bleak setup, it's deeply sweet.

Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun star as will-they-won't-they lovers in this tale of buoy meets... satellite. She is a buoy, frozen in the ocean of a dead earth, programmed to learn from her surroundings. He is an orbiting satellite, left behind as a sort of time capsule of humanity's long-ago reign on the planet. She is entranced by him, but when looking to understand love finds cached videos of a pair of influencers, who who relish silly onesies, date night, Friends, and Blue Apron. So, these machines begin to mimic mankind. But can they find a love of their own?

Written and directed by Sam Zuchero and Andy Zuchero, Love Me is a strange sci-fi treasure. In my review, I praised Stewart and Yeun's performances, which begin as roboty voiceover and evolve into flesh and blood portrayals of identity crises and romance in peril. "As their characters shift from jaunty animated avatars to carefully crafted human forms — complete with flaws — the performances carry a new emotional weight, as both feel out the shift in tone," I wrote, adding, "Props to the Zucheros; however, who refuse to abandon the weirdness of their premise or online courtship. A satisfying steamy yet surreal sex scene creates a unique space for their self-actualizing characters to explore their desires and bodies. Moments like this, where their heroes' self-expression is a messy bramble of ideas, colliding imitation with their own impulses, sets Love Me apart from a sea of sweet but superficial rom-coms."

Starring: Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun

How to watch: Love Me is available for rental or purchase on Prime Video.

7. Mickey 17

As follow-up to his Best Picture-winning Parasite, Bong Joon Ho delivered a scathing and silly political satire with Mickey 17.

Robert Pattinson stars as the eponymous protagonist, a low-level criminal who flees earth by taking a pretty brutal gig on a colonizing spaceship. He's an expendable, meaning a human test dummy who dies over and over only to be human printed again to, well, die again. Despite all these deaths, Mickey makes a cozy life for himself on the ship, falling for the tough-as-nails Nasha (Naomi Ackie). But their love life is thrown into spin when human error leads to two Mickeys — 17 and 18 — existing at once. That's a threat to the snarling rich folk (Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette) who rule the ship. And, man, we haven't even gotten to the "creeper" aliens who live on the surface of the humans new home world!

A film rich in plot and twists, Mickey 17 is a rollicking ride, mainly because its celebrated writer/director refuses to be predictable. The movie shifts tones and genres freely, reflecting the tumultuous life (or lives) of Mickey. And it's an absolutely mind-blowing blast. As I wrote in my review for Mashable, "The journey Mickey goes on is winding and wild, bucking the conventional flow of a sci-fi action movie, by being only gently sci-fi and barely action. Instead, Mickey 17 plays as a political comedy with cross-genre flare, ultimately urging the audience to see the similarities, and perhaps find our own inner Mickey 17."

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo

How to watch: Mickey 17 is now streaming on HBO Max.

6. The Life of Chuck

When people think of the works of Mike Flanagan (The Fall of the House of Usher, Midnight Mass) or Stephen King, they don't usually think life-affirming stories. But The Life of Chuck will change that.

Based on a King novella, this genre-bending wonder is post-apocalyptic thriller meets feel-good coming-of-age drama meets ghost story. And yet, it's more! Tom Hiddleston stars as Chuck Krantz, whose life, at a glance, might be considered average. But in this rapturous movie, filled with a wonderful ensemble cast, King and Flanagan weave a tale of love, loss, and dance that's sure to enthrall audiences.

In Mashable's review out of the film's Toronto International Film Festival premiere, I cheered, "The Life of Chuck is masterfully told. Like King's most moving adaptations, it doesn't play by standard rules of structure or audience expectations. It demands we follow the winding road through playful dialogue, painful lows, and rollicking highs to an unknown beyond. It's surprising and upsetting, funny and profound. I laughed hard, cried 'til my eyes ached, and once gasped so loud that I heard it echo across a theater struck silent by a moment both shocking and tender." Simply put, see it theaters, or you'll be missing out.*

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tom Hiddleston, Annalise Basso, Benjamin Pajak, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Matthew Lillard, Carl Lumbly, Samantha Sloyan, Harvey Guillén, Jacob Tremblay, Kate Siegel, and Mark Hamill

How to watch: The Life of Chuck is now playing in theaters.

5. Black Bag

Black Bag marks the third collaboration between director Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter David Koepp, the first being the riveting techno-thriller Kimi, and the second being the superbly unique haunted house movie Presence. Both creators relish the opportunity to shake up a genre. With this movie they do that to the espionage thriller, with Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender.

When UK intelligence tells agent George Woodhouse (Fassbender) that his wife Kathryn (Blanchett) might be a turncoat, he does what any master spy might: He throws a dinner party, inviting all the suspected double agents. While Black Bag offers espionage standards like globe-trekking, covert surveillance, and lie detector tests, it's Koepp's dialogue over dinner that makes this movie absolutely electrifying. Soderberg's direction of a crackling cast makes the most of every cutting line.

In my review for Mashable, I was especially elated to see a portrayal or marriage that didn't fall into the tedious cliches of stagnation. I wrote, "As soon as Black Bag was over, I felt that dizzying high one gets from a proper spy thriller, the rush of vicarious adrenaline from the case cracked and the day saved. But I also had the deep urge to see this movie again immediately. Because as generous as the filmmaker and stars are with slathering this story in George and Kathryn's mutual attraction, I couldn't get enough. I wanted to go back to feel the thrill of their love for each other all over again."

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, and Pierce Brosnan

How to watch: Black Bag is now streaming on Peacock.

4. Bring Her Back

In 2023, filmmaking duo Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou awed critics and horror fans with their haunted hand hit Talk to Me. Now, they return with a gnarly psycho-biddy horror offering starring two-time Academy Award–nominee Sally Hawkins. The result is a nail-biting film that might have you gagging, covering your eyes, or experiencing some hard-won catharsis.

The Philippou brothers probe into grief once again, exploring how this unmooring feeling can make the world around us feel unreal, hostile, and strange. In Bring Her Back, Hawkins stars as a foster mom named Laura, who takes in young orphans like Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), and siblings Piper (Sora Wong) and Andy (Billy Barratt). But despite Laura's chipper demeanor, 17-year-old Andy realizes something is off in her remote forest home. But can he stop the hell that's coming?

In my review for Mashable, I wrote, "Bring Her Back is extraordinary. For those who found Talk to Me sensationally scary, this follow-up will thrill with its deeply deranged tale of heartache and body horror. But the Philippous went deeper, presenting a character-driven drama with flares of psycho-biddy and religious horror. That heady combination not only makes for a satisfyingly scary as hell movie, but also a profound one."

Starring: Sally Hawkins, Billy Barratt, Sora Wong, Jonah Wren Phillips, and Sally-Anne Upton

How to watch: Bring Her Back is now in theaters.

3. The Ballad of Wallis Island

You might have missed this feel-good movie when it hit theaters, but don't sleep on the chance to enjoy it at home. Perhaps while wearing a cozy sweater to be lavish in comfort.

Written and starring Tom Basden and Tim Key, this Focus Features gem imagines what would happen if a lonely but lovely folk-rock fan won the lottery. In The Ballad of Wallis Island, Charles (Key), who lives on the remote island, uses heaps of cash to reunite his favorite band, McGwyer Mortimer. There's just one problem. This folk duo — made up of Herb McGwyer (Basden) and Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan) — weren't just a band, but also a couple, who broke up hard. So, this reunion concert is socially awkward, to say the least.

Adapted from an award-winning short film Basden and Key made with director James Griffiths, The Ballad of Wallis Island creates an enveloping village atmosphere. Then it plops down a flailing rock star and his chipper ex to create some sparks and lots of laughs. In my review out of SXSW 2025, I cheered, "The Ballad of Wallis Island is not only deeply charming and laugh-out-loud funny for all its social foibles and comedy duo banter, but it's also cathartic....as Basden and Key strike their final chord of this masterfully charted comedy, you feel it reverberate warmly in your heart, carrying you out of the theater with a song still playing there."  

Starring: Tim Key, Tom Basden, Sian Clifford, Akemnji Ndifornyen, and Carey Mulligan

How to watch: The Ballad of Wallis Island is available for rental or purchase on Prime Video.

2. Pee-wee as Himself

Between Pee-wee's Playhouse and Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Pee-wee Herman was an '80s icon adored by kids and grown-ups alike. But a scandal in 1991 brought Paul Reubens, the man behind the children's show, into a cruel tabloid spotlight. Since then, Reubens rebuilt his reputation and broadened his career, appearing in movies like Mystery Men, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Matilda. But the scorch of scandal kept Reubens reluctant to be open with the public about his life and loves — that is, until documentarian Matt Wolf began collaborating with the comedian for Pee-wee as Himself.

Though Reubens died of cancer before the film was wrapped, Wolf has built an empathetic and comprehensive portrait of the man, the artist, and the enigma. Told in two parts, this HBO documentary explores not only Reuben's inspirations for his most popular character, but also his queerness, and why he chose to go back into the closet to pursue a career in Hollywood.

In my review out of Sundance, I wrote, "Pee-wee as Himself is not a simple love letter to the iconic character or Reubens. That would suggest Wolf goes easy on either, fawning over them without reservation. This is something greater...Thought-provoking, boldly funny, and emotionally riveting, Pee-wee as Himself is [Reuben's] gift to us as grown-ups, as it reveals how hard that lesson can be, and how we must keep pushing ourselves to learn it."

Starring: Paul Reubens, Lynne Marie Stewart, Laurence Fishburne, Natasha Lyonne, Cassandra Peterson (aka Elvira: Mistress of the Dark), Debi Mazar, and David Arquette

How to watch: Pee-wee as Himself is now streaming on HBO Max.

1. Sinners

Ryan Coogler reunited with Michael B. Jordan, star of his critically heralded films, Black Panther, Fruitvale Station, and Creed. With Sinners, the two set the bar against which every other 2025 movie would be compared — not to mention every vampire movie from here to eternity.

Jordan stars as the Smokestack Twins, gangsters turned juke joint-proprietors whose opening night is crashed by a vicious vampire (Jack O'Connell), who craves the blood of their magical bluesman (Miles Caton in a jaw-dropping debut). Weaving folk lore, hoodoo practices, and history into the vampire subgenre, Coogler, who wrote and directed, built a world so rich that it could only be properly appreciated in 70mm IMAX. And in a time where naysayers are ringing the bell for the death of movie theaters, audiences came in such numbers that Sinners got a 70mm IMAX re-release to meet demand.

TikTok has been exploding with fans digging into every detail of the film, and we got in on the fun too! Critics praised the epic scope Coogler applied to his genre-fluid drama — which might be a horror musical. And audiences swooned over the ensemble, who were radiant as they created characters complex and compelling.

In my review of the film, I cheered, "Sinners is more than a hell of a thrilling vampire movie. Like Black Panther, it expands beyond the expectations of its genre to become a magnificent film, emanating with spirit, power, and purpose. Smoothly blending vampire horror into a unique tale of regret, resilience, and redemption, Coogler and Jordan have made a cinematic marvel that is terrifying, satisfying, and unforgettable."

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O'Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, Li Jun Li, Yao, Lola Kirke, and Delroy Lindo

How to watch: Sinners is now in theaters and is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.