The Best Movies of 2025 So Far | Top Picks & Genre Standouts

Updated Nov. 25

2025 has been a standout year for movie lovers, delivering everything from the long-awaited return of iconic franchises, like The Naked Gun, to live-action remakes that actually honor the original, such as How to Train Your Dragon, to breakout horror hits like Sinners and Weapons. With so many strong releases, one question remains: Which films truly rank as the best movies of 2025?

To determine this list of the top movies this year, we reviewed critical buzz, audience reaction, box office and streaming performance, direction, cast performances and overall impact. The result is a comprehensive guide of the films that defined the year.

Below is your high-level guide to the best movies of 2025, featuring the top-rated films of the year along with genre-specific highlights.

Watch the top films from 2025 and more with DIRECTV!

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Skip to:

• Best Movies of 2025 (Top Picks)
• Best Drama Movies in 2025
• Best Action Movies in 2025
• Best Sci-Fi Movies in 2025
• Best Horror Movies in 2025
• Best Thriller Movies in 2025
• Best Comedy Movies in 2025
• Best Kids & Animated Movies in 2025

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Best Movies of 2025 So Far (Overall Top Picks)

Here are the best movies of 2025, listed in no particular order. Each entry includes a plot summary, ratings and where to watch.

Plus, find out as soon as these movies and more are available to watch at home with our Top New Movies Out Now guide.

‘One Battle After Another’

Rotten Tomatoes: 94% | IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
Where to Watch: In Theaters or Rent On Demand (Apple TV, Prime Video, DIRECTV)

Paul Thomas Anderson returns with One Battle After Another, a gripping action thriller inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a former revolutionary forced back into conflict when he and his daughter become targets of a corrupt military officer. Featuring standout performances from Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro and Regina Hall, this is easily one of the best action thriller movies in 2025 and Anderson’s highest-grossing release yet.

Related: One Battle After Another Watch Guide

‘Black Bag’

Rotten Tomatoes: 96% | IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
Where to Watch: Prime Video; DIRECTV

Black Bag, directed by Steven Soderbergh, is a sharp, high-stakes spy thriller led by Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender. The film follows British intelligence officers — and married couple — George and Kathryn Woodhouse as they navigate the fallout of a global information leak. Suspenseful, stylish and tightly written, it stands as one of the top movies this year for fans of sleek spy dramas. 

‘Sinners’

Rotten Tomatoes: 97% | IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
Where to Watch: HBO Max; DIRECTV

Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, is one of the best horror movies in 2025, anchored by Michael B. Jordan’s powerful dual performance as twin brothers, Smoke and Stack. Returning to their rural hometown to escape their violent past, they quickly discover that their troubles have followed them home. Blending sharp social commentary, flashes of humor and a killer score, Sinners is a defining entry in modern Black cinema and one of the year’s most-talked-about films.

‘Train Dreams’

Rotten Tomatoes: 95% | IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
Where to Watch: Netflix

Train Dreams follows Robert Grainier through the rugged Pacific Northwest as he struggles to build a family and a livelihood amid the expansion of the U.S. railroad empire. Beautifully directed and anchored by Joel Edgerton, Train Dreams unfolds as a quiet meditation on the world we’ve built and the nature we built it from.

‘KPop Demon Hunters’

Rotten Tomatoes: 96% | IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
Where to Watch: Netflix

KPop Demon Hunters is a vibrant, action-packed animated film that follows the world’s biggest K-pop girl group, Huntr/x, who secretly fight demons using the power of music. As Rumi, Mira and Zoey juggle their lives and work, a rival boy band, the Saja Boys, threatens both the charts and the balance between worlds. With catchy songs, plenty of action and clever humor, it remains one of the best kids moves of 2025 and an all-time chart-topper for Netflix.

‘Bugonia’

Rotten Tomatoes: 87% | IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
Where to Watch: Available to rent or buy as of Nov. 25

Yorgos Lanthimos delivers one of the most unusual and ambitious films of the year with Bugonia, an absurdist black comedy about two men who kidnap a CEO they believe is an alien. Anchored by standout performances from Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, this genre-bending ride is one of the best sci-fi movies in 2025 for fans of bold, unpredictable storytelling.

‘Sorry, Baby’

Rotten Tomatoes: 97% | IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
Where to Watch: HBO Max; DIRECTV

Eva Victor’ Sorry, Baby is as thought-provoking and profound as it is sharp, ranking it among the best dramas of 2025. The drama follows Agnes, a college professor living alone with just her foster cat, whose reunion with old friends forces her to confront the traumatic moment that shaped her future.

‘It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley’

Rotten Tomatoes: 98% | IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
Where to Watch: Rent On Demand (YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video)

It’s Never Over: Jeff Buckley, directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Amy Berg, offers an intimate look at the life and legacy of the late singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley. Using rare archival footage, performance clips and interviews with his mother, collaborators and close friends, the documentary paints a vivid portrait of an extraordinary talent lost at 30. A moving tribute to an artist gone too soon, it’s one of the top movies this year for music and documentary lovers alike.

‘I’m Still Here’

Rotten Tomatoes: 97% | IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
Where to Watch: Netflix

Based on true events, I’m Still Here recounts the disappearance of Brazilian activist Rubens Paiva in 1971 and his wife Eunice’s tireless fight for justice. Anchored by a powerful performance from Fernanda Torres, this is one of the most emotional and compelling best drama movies in 2025.

‘On Becoming a Guinea Fowl’

Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDB Rating: 7/10
Where to Watch: HBO Max; DIRECTV

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl blends dark comedy and drama into a masterpiece of a film. After Shula finds the body of her dead uncle, the family comes back together, resurfacing family secrets that had long been buried.

’28 Years Later’

Rotten Tomatoes: 89% | IMDB Rating: 6.6/10
Where to Watch: Netflix; DIRECTV

After years of anticipation, the 28 Days saga continues with 28 Years Later, set nearly 30 years following the first two films. With the rage virus evolved and new threats rising, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland deliver a chilling and action-packed continuation. A top horror movie in 2025 for franchise fans.

Related: 28 Years Later Watch Guide

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And now, see some of the best movies across genres that came out in the last year, along with where to watch them:

Best Drama Movies of 2025

2025 delivered a rich lineup of emotional, character-driven stories. These are the standout best drama movies in 2025:

• Sorry, Baby – Streaming on HBO Max
• On Becoming a Guinea Fowl – Streaming on HBO Max
• The Ballad of Wallace Island – Streaming on Prime Video
• The Life of Chuck – Rent On Demand (YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, DIRECTV)
• Blue Moon – Rent On Demand as of Nov. 25
• Warfare – Streaming on HBO Max
• Wicked: For Good – In Theaters

Sorry, Baby, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl & Warfareare also available on DIRECTV!

Best Action Movies of 2025

Fast-paced adventures, spy thrillers and superhero epics dominate the best action movies in 2025, including:

• Black Bag – Streaming on Prime Video
• The Naked Gun – Streaming on Paramount+
• The Fantastic Four: First Steps – Streaming on Disney+
• F1 The Movie – Rent On Demand (YouTube, Apple TV, Prime, DIRECTV); Stream on Apple TV as of Dec. 12
• Ne Zha II – Rent On Demand (YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video)

Black Bag, The Naked Gun & The Fantastic Four: First Stepsare also available on DIRECTV!

Best Sci-Fi Movies of 2025

From dystopian thrillers (The Long Walk) and absurd, genre-bending adventures (Bugonia, Mickey 17) to fresh takes on classics like Frankenstein on Netflix and new entries into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, these are the best sci-fi movies from 2025:

• The Long Walk – Rent On Demand (YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, DIRECTV)
• Bugonia – Rent on Demand as of Nov. 25
• Frankenstein – Streaming on Netflix
• Mickey 17 – Streaming on HBO Max
• Thunderbolts* – Streaming on Disney+

The Long Walk, Mickey 17 & Thunderbolts* are also available through DIRECTV!

Best Horror Movies of 2025

From franchise revivals to occult nightmares, undead mayhem and even some Irish dancing, 2025 was an exceptional year for horror. These films are among the best horror films in 2025:

• Sinners – Streaming on HBO Max
• Weapons – Streaming on HBO Max
• Final Destination Bloodlines – Streaming on HBO Max
• 28 Years Later – Streaming on Netflix
• Bring Her Back – Streaming on HBO Max

Sinners, Weapons, Final Destination: Bloodlines, 28 Years Later and Bring Her Back are all available to watch on DIRECTV!

Best Thriller Movies of 2025

High stakes, intense pacing and unforgettable twists define the best thriller movies in 2025:

• Companion – Streaming on HBO Max
• Highest 2 Lowest – Streaming on Apple TV
• Caught Stealing – Rent On Demand (YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, DIRECTV)
• A House of Dynamite – Streaming on Netflix
• Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning – Rent On Demand (YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, DIRECTV)

Companionis also available on DIRECTV!

Best Comedy Movies of 2025

Whether satirical, heartfelt or laugh-out-loud funny, these are the best comedy movies in 2025:

• One of Them Days – Streaming on Netflix
• Friendship – Streaming on HBO Max
• Eddington – Streaming on HBO Max
• Deep Cover – Streaming on Prime Video
• Roofman – Rent On Demand (YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, DIRECTV)

One of Them Days, Friendship & Eddington are available to stream on DIRECTV, too!

Best Kids/Animated Films of 2025

2025 brought families an abundance of great choices, from the live action How to Train Your Dragon to a charming new Paddington adventure. And when no one can agree, KPop Demon Hunters continues to be the go-to crowd-pleaser for the tenth rewatch.

• KPop Demon Hunters – Streaming on Netflix
• How to Train Your Dragon – Streaming on Peacock
• Paddington in Peru – Streaming on Netflix
• The Bad Guys 2 – Rent On Demand (YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, DIRECTV)
• Dog Man – Streaming on Netflix

How to Train Your Dragon, Paddington in Peru &Dog Man are also available through DIRECTV!

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Most Anticipated Movies Still to Come in 2025

But the year isn’t over yet! Here are the most anticipated movies still to come in 2025:

• Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery | November 26, 2025
• Zootopia 2 | November 26, 2025
• Avatar: Fire and Ash | December 19, 2025

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Watch the Best Movies From 2025 on DIRECTV

Now that you have plenty of movies to add to your watchlists, all that’s left is to get started! If you’re not a DIRECTV customer already, now’s the perfect time to sign up!

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