The best movies of 2025 (so far)

From Sinners to One Battle After Another, these films are the top reasons to visit the cinema this year.

Anime Excellence by Naoko Yamada

The newest film from anime master Naoko Yamada is a joyous story about three teenagers who use music to navigate their futures. The film balances whimsical fantasy and abstract ideas while staying true to the inner world of Totsuko, a high-school girl who sees people’s “colours.” As the director of A Silent Voice, Yamada has crafted a beautiful and deeply emotional coming-of-age animation that could be the best of the year.

Marvel’s Shift and Florence Pugh’s Standout Role

Despite the underwhelming Phase 5 of the MCU, Florence Pugh shines as Yelena Belova, a broken Russian assassin. Her performance energizes this deliberately scrappy team-up movie that tackles trauma, depression, and mental health amid battles with a new superhuman threat. Marvel deserves credit for moving away from endless VFX confrontations, opting for a more grounded style under the direction of indie filmmaker Jake Schreier (Paper Towns).

The team in Thunderbolts offers strong entertainment, with David Harbour standing out as a former Soviet superhero facing obsolescence.
The post-credit scene is also a rewarding surprise.

Paul Greengrass’s Signature Style

Paul Greengrass continues his legacy of combining intense action with ethical ambiguity, adding depth to the cinematic experience.

“The A Silent Voice director has conjured up a beautiful, deeply sensitive coming-of-age animation.”

“Florence Pugh’s turn as broken-up Russian assassin Yelena Belova lights up a consciously scrappy team-up movie.”

Author's summary: 2025’s standout films blend heartfelt storytelling and innovative direction, making cinema a rich experience with deep character explorations and fresh approaches.

Would you prefer the summary to be more formal or conversational?

Time Out — 2025-11-06