You can read my Worst Five Movies of 2025 here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may also notice that while this is a Best list, I do criticize the films here and there. Just because a film was among the best movies I saw all year, doesn\u2019t mean it couldn\u2019t have worked its way higher on the list with some tweaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (As with the Top 5, I\u2019ll repeat the usual disclaimer: living in Saskatchewan, I don\u2019t always get to see everything inside of that calendar year. Some of the best foreign and independent movies trickle in as the new year moves forward. So, the list may be missing some important films that I will finally see over the next few months. But who wants a Best Of list in April?). <\/p>\n\n\n\n 11) Twinless<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Twinless<\/em> is a darkly hilarious, smart, weird, and occasionally devastating dramedy directed by James Sweeney. It blends sharp comedy with deeper emotional stakes as two very different men form an unlikely bond rooted in grief and loneliness, anchored by a revelation\u2011level performance from Dylan O\u2019Brien. There\u2019s one powerhouse scene that comes out of nowhere to smack you in the mouth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 12) The Ballad of Wallis Island<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s forced, obvious, and on the nose in places, but <\/em>The Ballad of Wallis Island<\/em> is a quietly charming British comedy\u2011drama directed by James Griffiths that has a mix of warm humor, quirky characters, and emotional undercurrents. It follows an eccentric lottery winner and two former bandmates in a story about nostalgia, reconnection, and unexpected friendship. It\u2019s weird that the husband disappears for a good chunk of the movie, but even with its flaws, it won me over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 13) The Naked Gun<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Akiva Schaffer\u2019s Naked Gun<\/em> reboot delivers lots of belly laughs in a world starved for good comedies. It\u2019s not perfect, but it hits enough gags and absurd moments to make you forgive its flaws. I even saw it twice in the theatre. Liam Neeson makes it work (especially the chili dog scene!). It\u2019s a goofy, irreverent blast that reminds you how fun a well\u2011timed pratfall and a perfectly executed pun can still be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 14) Nouvelle Vague<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nouvelle Vague<\/em>, directed by Richard Linklater, is a black\u2011and\u2011white, French\u2011language dramedy about the making of Jean\u2011Luc Godard\u2019s Breathless<\/em> and the birth of the French New Wave. Linklater recreates 1959 Paris in vintage 4:3 cinematography, capturing the creative chaos and camaraderie of the filmmakers who changed cinema forever. It\u2019s playful, observant, and feels like a tribute made by someone who truly loves the art of movies. If you\u2019re one of those people who love movies about the art of making movies, you\u2019ll dig this one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 15) Sorry, Baby<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sorry, Baby<\/em> is a funny, poignant look at the kind of trauma you don\u2019t get over<\/em>, even as the rest of the world quietly expects you to. Written, directed by, and starring Eva Victor, the film feels confident in its voice, refusing to pander or offer easy answers about healing or closure. Victor is terrific onscreen, blending sharp humor with real emotional weight, and the movie carries strong Lena Dunham or Phoebe Waller-Bridge vibes, not just in tone, but in its willingness to sit in discomfort and let comedy and pain coexist (Victor also uncannily looks like Waller-Bridge, which doesn\u2019t hurt the comparison). It\u2019s intimate, smart, and empathetic, finding humour in survival without ever cheapening what its protagonist has been through. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 16) If I had Legs I\u2019d Kick You<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If I Had Legs I\u2019d Kick You<\/em> is less a movie you \u201cenjoy\u201d than one you survive, a tightly wound anxiety machine that hits in hot, relentless blasts. Comparisons to Uncut Gems<\/em> feel earned, with a sense of pressure that never really lets up, and Byrne is an absolute tour de force at the center of it all. It digs into heavy themes around motherhood and mental health with precision and cruelty, and while it was bizarrely billed as a comedy (someone involved is deeply unwell), there are a couple of genuine laugh\u2011out\u2011loud moments. Brilliant, exhausting, unforgettable, and I probably never want to see it again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 17) Bugonia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Bugonia isn\u2019t a full return to Yorgos Lanthimos\u2019 early, razor-sharp heights, but it\u2019s the most I\u2019ve enjoyed his work in a while. I was mixed on Poor Things<\/em>. It\u2019s visually wild, well-performed, often funny, but narratively diffuse, like a series of smart sketches that never quite locked together. Bugonia feels more focused by comparison. The story still isn\u2019t airtight, but it has a clearer spine and a sharper sense of what it\u2019s poking at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The performances once again do a lot of the work. Jesse Plemons continues his run as one of the best actors alive; he\u2019s endlessly watchable and always finds something human (or unsettling) in material that could easily tip into caricature. There are solid ideas here about conspiracy culture, corporate greed, and how easily paranoia becomes a worldview. It\u2019s not laugh-out-loud funny overall, but there are moments (like the flat Earth imagery) that land beautifully. Bugonia may not be peak Lanthimos, but after the last couple of films, it felt like a step back in the right direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 18) It Was Just An Accident<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It Was Just an Accident is a quiet gut punch of a film, made all the more powerful by the circumstances of its creation. Fresh off its Palme d\u2019Or win at Cannes, Jafar Panahi\u2019s latest feels inseparable from his ongoing legal persecution in Iran. It\u2019s a film that exists as both art and defiance. Often gripping though occasionally too measured in its pacing, it\u2019s endlessly thoughtful, building moral tension instead of narrative fireworks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The non-actors are uniformly excellent, grounding the film in lived-in realism, and Vahid emerges as a quietly devastating character. The ending is chilling, and the film earns extra love simply for how it was made and the courage of the man who made it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 19) Thunderbolts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Thunderbolts<\/em> is a surprisingly solid entry in the Marvel burnout era, giving us a team of washed-up, damaged, D-list heroes thrown together for one chaotic, fast-moving adventure. It\u2019s funny, dark, and surprisingly heartfelt, exploring themes like regret, found family, and what it means to be broken, all while delivering comic timing and sharp performances, especially from Florence Pugh. Not perfect, with a few underused characters and uneven moments, but it\u2019s entertaining, emotionally grounded, and a lot more satisfying than you\u2019d expect from a Marvel movie these days. It was stronger than both Captain America: Brave New World<\/em> and Fantastic Four: First Steps<\/em>. Das full review<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n 20) Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mission: Impossible \u2013 Dead Reckoning<\/em> keeps the franchise sprinting, dangling, and globe-trotting like only Ethan Hunt can. Tom Cruise delivers jaw-dropping stunts, from tight-quarters knife fights to a chaotic bi-plane sequence, with a commitment that borders on mythic. The plot twists and world-ending MacGuffins are dizzying, and characterization is light, but the movie moves at breakneck speed, packed with tension, thrilling set pieces, and relentless momentum. Nearly three hours long, it\u2019s indulgent, messy, and exhausting, but also exactly the kind of spectacle that reminds you why we go to the theatre. Tom Cruise run towards my full review here<\/a>! <\/p>\n\n\n\n 21) Presence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Presence<\/em> is simple but effective, a tight 84-minute family drama with a supernatural edge; not really a horror movie, despite the marketing. Soderbergh\u2019s fluid, unobtrusive camerawork enhances the story and atmosphere, letting the tension build naturally. It won\u2019t blow anyone\u2019s doors off, but it\u2019s quietly chilling and lean, with no fat to slow it down. Soderbergh\u2019s little experiments best most filmmakers making their wannabe opuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 22) Warfare<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Warfare<\/em> drops you into the middle of a Navy SEAL mission gone wrong, a real-time, boots-on-the-ground story of modern combat and brotherhood. The young cast sells the intensity and danger, and the cinematography plus a killer sound mix (especially on my sweet surround speakers) makes you feel every moment of the fight. It doesn\u2019t break new ground in the genre and in fact, may be trying to have its cake and eat it too by showing us the horrors of war in a strangely jingoistic fashion, but it\u2019s a solid, immersive watch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 23) The Monkey<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Monkey<\/em>, directed by Osgood Perkins, is a darkly funny, strange spin on a lesser-known Stephen King story. It\u2019s not straight horror, though there\u2019s gore and jump scares. It\u2019s more of a pitch-black comedy wrapped in a supernatural premise, exploring family, fatherhood, and the inevitability of death. Theo James and Tatiana Maslany give standout performances, and Perkins\u2019 direction balances creepiness and comic timing with precision. The script could dig deeper, but the film\u2019s mix of absurdity, terror, and gallows humor makes it a memorable, unsettling ride. Don\u2019t look that monkey in the eyes when you read my full review here<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n 24) Fantastic Four: First Steps<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Fantastic Four<\/em> lands as the most competent version of Marvel\u2019s \u201cfirst family\u201d yet \u2014 and that\u2019s faint praise. It\u2019s polished, fun to look at, and gives Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben some emotional stakes amid cosmic chaos, but it never quite sparks. The retro-futuristic production design and costumes are gorgeous, and the story explores family, connection, and impending planetary doom, but trailers and a few plot missteps undercut the impact. Enjoyable enough, but more like the \u201cI Dunno, Okay I Guess Four\u201d than truly fantastic. Here\u2019s my full review<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n 25) Eddington<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ari Aster\u2019s Eddington<\/em> swings big but doesn\u2019t always stick the landing. It takes a long time to find its rhythm, and while it juggles plenty of ideas, many go underexplored. The cast is strong, and the last third finally delivers some payoff, with moments that are genuinely exciting. Uneven and sometimes a slog, but original and bold enough to land. But it’s still often exciting storytelling from a smart director. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 26) Dangerous Animals<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Dangerous Animals<\/em> puts a free-spirited surfer in a tense fight for survival against a shark-obsessed serial killer. The film is competently made and explores its premise effectively, with strong suspense in the first half as the terror of impending death builds. Courtney delivers a solid performance, though the lead doesn\u2019t always sell her lines. It occasionally veers into extremes, so viewer tolerance may vary, but it\u2019s a mostly gripping, if uneven, thriller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 27) Good Fortune<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Good Fortune<\/em> follows a well-meaning but bumbling angel, Gabriel, as he meddles in the lives of a struggling gig worker (Aziz Ansari) and a wealthy capitalist (Seth Rogan). Keanu Reeves is perfectly cast, and while the movie is a bit clunky at times, it delivers more than a few genuine laughs. Like I said with Naked Gun, comedies are rare these days, so I\u2019ll gladly take it. It was better than I thought it would be. (Hey, we\u2019re at number 25 here, so the flaws start to show).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 28) The Perfect Neighbor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n AKA: The Blair Bitch Project (har har). The Perfect Neighbor<\/em> is a documentary that uses police bodycam footage to unpack how a long-running neighborhood dispute turned deadly, exploring fear, prejudice, and Stand Your Ground laws. It hits hard on gun violence and systemic racism in America, even if the story sometimes undercuts itself. Raw, emotional, and surprisingly effective, it\u2019s a sobering look at how tensions escalate and justice plays out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 29) Sketch<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sketch<\/em> is a charming little sleeper about imagination and grief, where a girl\u2019s drawings come to life and wreak havoc on her town. Limited by budget but smartly contained, it tells a touching human story about love, loss, and fighting for the people you care about. The humor, music, and creature designs mostly hit, and the emotional moments feel genuine, E.T.-adjacent in vibe if not scope. Not without flaws, but a surprisingly sweet and creative ride. NOTE: After learning that Sketch<\/em> was distributed by the faith-based Angel Studios (the same company behind the highly controversial Sound of Freedom<\/em>) my enjoyment diminished somewhat, knowing it comes from a studio with an overtly religious agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 30) Good Boy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Good Boy<\/em> is a neat little mash-up of Lassie<\/em> and Presence<\/em>, following a brave pup named Indy as he faces supernatural forces to protect his human, Todd. The film is well-shot, and Indy is absolutely adorable. Seriously, give that dog an Oscar. The story doesn\u2019t always fully stick, but at a mercifully short runtime, it\u2019s a charming, quick watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/twinless-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ballad-of-wallace-1024x576.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/naked-fun.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/novelle-vague-1024x598.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sorry.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/if-i-had-legs-1024x576.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/bugonia.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IT_WAS_JUST_AN_ACCIDENT_Facebook_OGImage-1024x538.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/thuderbolts.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Mission-Impossible-Final-Reckoning-horizontal-poster-courtesy-of-Paramount-1024x598.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/presence-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Movie-Poster-Warfare-768x432-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/the-monkey-original-quad-movie-poster-jr-peck-1_3774a7ef-a55e-4239-b75c-e32f55024885-1024x764.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/fantastic-4.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/eddington-1-1024x538.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/dageround-animal-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/good-fortune.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/The-Perfect-Neighbor.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/sketch-1024x576.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.craigsilliphant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/good-boy-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n