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What are the best movies of 2025?
From the sharp romantic comedy Materialists to the ambitious political fresco One Battle After Another with Leonardo DiCaprio, the psychological (and erotic) thriller Babygirl led by Nicole Kidman and the mind-blowing Sirāt… Numéro has selected the best movies of 2025 so far.
By Violaine Schütz,
and The Editorial Team.
Published on 15 July 2025. Updated on 1 December 2025.
Sentimental Value with Elle Fanning
In 2025, Norwegian director Joachim Trier (The Worst Person in the World) made a powerful comeback with Sentimental Value. His new film was selected in the official competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Grand Prix. In this sublime feature, an aging patriarch, played by the spendid Stellan Skarsgård, plans to make new film, hoping that his eldest daughter will play the lead role. The cast of this intimate family drama includes the brilliant actresses Renate Reinsve and Elle Fanning, who both delivered a nuanced and moving performance.
Sentimental Value by Joachim Trier, released in theatres in August 2025.
Nouvelle Vague by Richard Linklater, a love lettre to cinema
Also presented in the official competition at Cannes, Richard Linklater‘s new feature Nouvelle Vague is a vibrant declaration of love to the seventh art. After his 2023 spy comedy Hit Man with Glenn Powell, the Texan director takes a bold turn. He dives into the creative buzz of the 1960s and goes behind the scenes of a legendary filming… Breathless by Jean-Luc Godard, the founding masterpiece of the French New Wave. The impressive Zoey Deutch dazzles us in the role of the fiery Jean Seberg, alongside Guillaume Marbeck as the tormented, revolutionary, and ambitious director. The result is a moving feature that will make audiences laugh.
Nouvelle Vague by Richard Linklater, currently out in theatres.
One Battle After Another with Leonardo DiCaprio
Four years after the release of the remarkable coming-of-age film Licorice Pizza, Californian filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson makes a big comeback with One Battle After Another. In this ambitious political epic, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, and Teyana Taylor journey through a fractured America on the brink of collapse. Driven by a tight direction and a very committed message, the film is already emerging as a serious contender in the race for the 2026 Oscars…
One Battle After Another (2025) by Paul Thomas Anderson, out in theatres now.
Sirāt, the brilliant road movie acclaimed in Cannes
Oliver Laxe had already presented two award-winning films at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2025, the Franco-Spanish director made a strong comeback with Sirāt, a mystical, genre-blending work that won the Jury Prize in Competition. The feature, whose title refers to the bridge souls must cross over Hell on Judgment Day, opens with a hypnotic celebration in the Moroccan desert and plunges the viewer into a trance. Among ecstasy, chaos, and spiritual vertigo, Oliver Laxe delivers a rare sensory experience, once again confirming his status as a visionary in contemporary cinema…
Sirāt (2025) by Oliver Laxe, out in theatres now.
The cinematic fresco The Brutalist with Adrien Brody
In The Brutalist (2025), widely-acclaimed at the Venice Film Festival, filmmaker Brady Corbet (Vox Lux, 2019) plunges us into the tumultuous life of Laszlo Toth (Adrien Brody), a Hungarian-born Jewish architect and Holocaust survivor who emigrates to the United States with his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) in the early 1950s. This 3-hour-35-minute historical epic stands out as one of the most ambitious cinematic projects of 2025.
The Brutalist by Brady Corbet, available in VOD on MyCanal.
The rom-com Materialists with Dakota Johnson
With its thrilling cast (Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans) and talented director Celine Song (Past Lives), Materialists is reinventing the romantic comedy genre. The film is based on an original script. A young, single woman working as a matchmaker in New York hesitates between rekindling her past relationship with her ex, a failed actor and broke waiter, or starting something new with a wealthy private equity investor with whom the chemistry isn’t quite the same. Throw in a workplace tragedy that forces her to reassess everything, and you get a realistic, yet romantic movie. One of the best romcom of the year!
Materialists (2025) by Celine Song, available in VOD on MyCanal.
The blockbuster F1 with Brad Pitt
One of the front-runners in the race for best movie of 2025. With its stellar cast, including Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, Damson Idris, and real-life race drivers Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, F1 is the latest feature directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick, Oblivion). This car racing blockbuster was co-produced by Apple TV+. After an accident ends his driving career, Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) becomes the mentor to racing car prodigy Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), who drives for APXGP, a fictional racing team…
F1 (2025) by Joseph Kosinski, available in VOD on MyCanal.
It Was Just An Accident by Jafar Panahi
Last year, The Seed of the Sacred Fig by Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof was expected to win the Palme d’Or… Until it was unexpectedly edged out by Sean Baker’s surprise entry Anora. In 2025, Juliette Binoche awarded the first prize to another Iranian filmmaker. Jafar Panahi, a symbol of resistance against the Mullahs’ regime in Tehran, won the Palme d’Or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival for It Was Just An Accident, a powerful film about victims of state torture confronting their former persecutor… A genuine success.
It Was Just An Accident by Jafar Panahi, currently out in cinemas.
We Live in Time with Florence Pugh
A romantic… drama. Presented in September at the Toronto International Film Festival, We Live in Time by Irish director John Crowley tells the moving story of Almut (Florence Pugh), a rising culinary star, and Tobias (Andrew Garfield), an employee at a cereal company. A tale of intense love put to the test by illness…
We Live in Time by John Crowley, available in VOD on MyCanal.
The Room Next Door with Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore
After making a powerful impression in the deeply moving short film The Human Voice (2020), an adaptation of a play by French poet Jean Cocteau, the duo Tilda Swinton and Pedro Almodóvar shines once again in The Room Next Door. Already awarded the Golden Lion at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, this new feature starring Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore explores death and friendship with great sensitivity.
The Room Next Door by Pedro Almodóvar, available in VOD on MyCanal.
The ultra-sexy Babygirl with Nicole Kidman
In Babygirl, a psychological, erotic thriller by Dutch director Halina Reijn, Nicole Kidman plays Romy, the CEO of a major company and mother of two daughters. But everything changes when she begins a torrid love affair with a young intern, played by Harris Dickinson, who brings her fantasies to life. Nicole Kidman won Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival for this role, one of the boldest of her career.
Babygirl by Halina Reijn, available in VOD on MyCanal.
The moving drama I’m Still Here
Brazilian director Walter Salles’s film I’m Still Here is first and foremost showcasing for the powerful performance of its lead actress, the remarkable Golden Globe-recipient Fernanda Torres. The actress embodies a mother of five, whose husband suddenly vanishes after being arrested in Rio in 1971. As she searches relentlessly for the truth, she resumes her law studies under a terrifying autocratic regime. A stirring ode to resistance.
I’m Still Here by Walter Salles, available in VOD on MyCanal.
The biopic A Complete Unknown with Timothée Chalamet
A Complete Unknown, the biopic tracing back the life and career of the legend Bob Dylan, was announced with a stunning trailer… Just before a premiere that was equally impressive. To portray the iconic singer, director James Mangold picked Timothée Chalamet. A promising choice knowing that the Call Me by Your Name (2017) breakout star has become one of the most sought-after actors of his generation.
A Complete Unknown by James Mangold, available in VOD on Apple TV+.
Maria with Angelina Jolie
After directing several biopics, such as Jackie in 2016 with Natalie Portman and Spencer in 2021 with Kristen Stewart, Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín now tackles the legendary Greek soprano Maria Callas in his latest feature. Simply titled Maria, the movie was shot in Paris, Greece, Budapest, and Milan, and is led by film icon Angelina Jolie.
Maria by Pablo Larraín, available in VOD on MyCanal.
The Gorge with Anya Taylor-Joy
Directed by Scott Derrickson (Black Phone) and starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller, The Gorge has countless assets. The premise? “Two elite agents are stationed in opposing towers separated by a massive chasm harboring an unfathomable evil. Despite the distance, they forge a bond while staying on guard against this elusive threat.” “Two highly-trained operatives are appointed to posts in guard towers on opposite sides of a vast and highly classified gorge, protecting the world from an undisclosed, mysterious evil that lurks within. They bond from a distance while trying to stay vigilant in defending against an unseen enemy.” The cast of this romantic thriller also includes Sigourney Weaver. A must-watch on Valentine’s Day…
The Gorge (2025) by Scott Derrickson, available on Apple TV+.
Parthenope by Paolo Sorrentino
With Parthenope, his tenth feature film set in the heart of Naples, Italian director Paolo Sorrentino tells the story of a dazzling and brilliant woman from 1950 to the present day. Starring Celeste Dalla Porta, Stefania Sandrelli, and Gary Oldman, the film is named after the “maiden-voiced” siren in Greek mythology. It is hailed as majestic by some and overly grandiose by others.
Parthenope by Paolo Sorrentino, available in VOD on MyCanal.
Mickey 17 with Robert Pattinson
Among the standout films of 2025 is the latest release from director Bong Joon-ho. Several years after winning the Palme d’Or for the thriller Parasite (2019), the South Korean filmmaker casts the irresistible Robert Pattinson to star in Mickey 17. Adapted from a 2022 science fiction novel by Edward Ashton, the film follows a team of astronauts tasked with colonizing hostile, frozen territories on a distant planet.
Mickey 17 by Bong Joon-ho, starring Robert Pattinson, available in VOD on MyCanal.
Frankenstein, Sinners… The films that have marked 2025
Among the other standout films that left their mark on 2025 was Guillermo del Toro’s excellent Frankenstein, starring Jacob Elordi and Mia Goth. After its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, the gothic, raw feature landed on Netflix on November 7th. Also on the famous streaming platform, one couldn’t miss the release of the thriller A House of Dynamite, starring Rebecca Ferguson and Idris Elba.
Each year, the Cannes Film Festival reaffirmed its status as a key event on the global cinematic calendar. Indeed, it featured a handpicked selection of international films in 2025, from Sorry, Baby, a dramatic comedy by Eva Victor starring Naomie Ackie to Urchin, British actor Harris Dickinson‘s directorial debut. A raw and poignant dive into the daily life of a homeless man in London searching for redemption…
Finally, a must-see production is The Secret Agent by Kleber Mendonça Filho, which stands out as one of the major works in the competition. The feature notably earned Wagner Moura a well-deserved award for Best Actor. The Brazilian actor, who rose to fame in Narcos, delivers a heart-wrenching performance as a former researcher trying to rebuild his life.
Life of Chuck, Black Dog, Nickel Boys… Other must-watch releases
This summer, Life of Chuck by Mike Flanagan was not to be missed. Adapted from a 2020 short story by Stephen King, it stars Tom Hiddleston (Loki, Thor) and young rising actor Benjamin Pajak. Earlier this year, The Ties that Bind Us by Carine Tardieu subtly captured the chaos of family bonds. In this ensemble piece starring Pio Marmaï, Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, Vimala Pons, and Raphaël Quenard, the director avoids melodrama in order to let raw emotions show.
From the U.S., Sinners and Sing Sing also drew attention. In Sinners, Michael B. Jordan plays one of the twin brothers facing dark forces in their hometown. Meanwhile, Sing Sing by Greg Kweda tells the true story of a group of prisoners finding themselves thanks to theatre, with a moving performance by Colman Domingo.
The year also saw the release of the Chinese drama Black Dog by Guan Hu. Andrea Arnold’s latest film Bird captures the journey of troubled young boy through the British filmmaker’s signature raw poetry. Finally, one of Numéro favourite remains Nickel Boys by RaMell Ross. This powerful, clever adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s novel traces back the fate of two teenagers locked up in a reform school.
