By Charlie Kendellen
As another year winds down, what better time to ponder what a great year for film we have had. With entries from beloved auteurs to powerhouse first-time filmmakers, this list compiles the top 5 films of this year!
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (2025)
Mary Bronstein gave us a claustrophobic, anxiety-fuelled film this year that is without a doubt one of the greatest films of the year, and arguably the entire decade. The film follows a mother, played by Rose Byrne, who attempts to navigate her child’s severe illness, her absent husband, a missing person, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist. The film is a dizzying descent into the worst few days of this woman’s life — and it is so incredibly well made with painstaking precision and maternal authenticity.
Lurker (2025)
Alex Russell’s directorial debut is essentially Ingrid Goes West for the boys — in the best way possible. Lurker is a compelling and often hilarious depiction of parasocial relationships. The film follows a retail clerk who meets a celebrity, utilising this opportunity to slip his way into the popular crowd, blurring the lines between obsession and insanity. I’d recommend this film to everyone as it doesn’t take itself too seriously and isn’t afraid to be utterly hilarious at times. This is a powerhouse of a debut and I speak for us all when I say I can’t wait to see what Russell does next.
Weapons (2025)
Zach Cregger’s 2022 film Barbarian collectively knocked everyone’s socks off, building unfathomable hype for his 2025 film Weapons. It goes without saying that it lived up to the hype. The film utilises Magnolia’s episodic structure to deliver one of the best horror films of the year — and one of the most interesting villains. The film follows a classroom of children, who all bar one, disappear at the same time during the night. The town is left to pick up the pieces and find out what was behind their disappearance.
Sorry, Baby (2025)
Eva Victor’s directorial debut Sorry, Baby is a welcomed entry to the ‘navigating life in your twenties’ film canon. Her debut is authentic, heart-felt, and honest. The film follows a woman named Agnes who must navigate her life after a horrible act was committed against her. The film feels on the same wavelength as films like The Worst Person in the World (2021), Frances Ha (2012), and Girlfriends (1978). If you’re into mumblecore cinema, and authentic character studies, Sorry, Baby is made for you!
One Battle After Another (2025)
Paul Thomas Anderson’s long awaited epic One Battle After Another is widely deemed to be the best film of the year. The film follows a group of ex-revolutionaries who reunite to rescue the daughter of one of their own. The film feels like a love letter to PT Anderson’s relationship with his own daughters — and the sequences between Leonardo DiCaprio’s Bob and Chase Infiniti’s Willa were a standout for me personally. The film is a purposeful jab at the current political zeitgeist and is destined to be a hit at the 2026 Academy Awards ceremony.
2025 was a great year for film. We got entries from beloved filmmakers like Danny Boyle, Lynne Ramsay, the Philippou brothers, Yorgos Lanthimos, Ryan Coogler, Steven Soderbergh, and Ari Aster — that, despite not making it onto the list, delivered incredible cinema this year. In celebrating the new year just at our doorstep, we can only hope 2026 brings half as many bangers that this year has!