In 2025, I watched 601 movies. Though, I am sure over the year, I forgot a few movies to add to my Letterboxd.com account. About a sixth of those movies were ones released in 2024. The death of RedBox seems to have hurt the amount of new movies I watched in 2024. The following are the 10 2025 movies I enjoyed the most. This are listed in alphabetical order.
The Ballad of Wallis Island (2025)
What is this one about? An eccentric lottery winner who lives alone on a remote island tries to make his fantasies come true by getting his favorite musicians to perform at his home.
My thoughts? This got some excellent reviews when it was released earlier this year. I enjoyed watching it, but I did not think I love it as much as the “smarter than me” critics did. The movie is slowly paced, but it is still entertaining as it provides the audience with lots of interesting characters. Final thought: A quirky entertaining movie that is a nice slow burn
Deep Cover (2025)
Why I watched this one? I have been a fan of Orlando Bloom since his Black Hawk Down, Lord of the Rings and Pirates days. Plus the trailer looked fun.
What is this one about? Three improv actors are asked to go undercover by the police in London’s criminal underworld.
My thoughts on this one? I really liked this movie. I found it original, funny and filled with some interesting plot twists. It features one of my favorite Bryce Dallas Howard performances. Bloom is shockingly very funny in his role. The supporting cast is pretty stout as well. Final thought: One of the better streaming movies I have seen this year.
F1: The Movie (2025)What is this one about? A Formula One driver (Brad Pitt) comes out of retirement to mentor and team up with a younger driver.
My thoughts? I liked the movie. I thought it was done very well. Pitt is good as the hero of the movie. First half of the movie is the better half. Second half becomes a series of racetrack scenes that are not too original and were easily predictable. Pitt off the track was way more interesting that Pitt on the track. Granted the racing scenes are fun to watch. Final thought: A little disappointing, but I was expecting greatness. Still a really good movie.
Frankenstein (2025)
Why I watched this one? Son #2 was in town for Christmas and he has Netflix..so I watched this highly regarded movie.
What is this one about? Dr. Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist, brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.
My thoughts: Even though I had heard good things about the movie, my expectations were not that high, as I have seen versions of this story for years. Boy, was I wrong. This is a great movie on all aspects. It looks amazing. The story somehow seems very original. The acting is incredible. Jacob Elordi as the monster (or is he a monster?) is amazing! Christoph Waltz and Mia Goth shine in supporting roles. Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein is equally good. Final thought: One of the best movies of 2025 and a must watch movie.
Jay Kelly (2025)
What is this one about? A famous movie actor Jay Kelly (George Clooney) embarks on a journey of self-discovery, confronting his past and present with his devoted manager Ron (Adam Sandler).
Why did I watch this one? I have seen almost every Clooney and Sandler movie….though I am more of a Sandman fan…..so watching this one was a requirement.
My thoughts: The movie is a little slow and a little redundant (he has the same argument with his children throughout the movie). That being said, the performances are top notch in this movie. I gotta give Adam Sandler a ton of credit. He is excellent as the manager. Even though his is a supporting role, he steals the movie from Clooney. I hope Adam gets his first Oscar nomination for this movie. Clooney is believable as a movie star. Laura Dern is also very good in another supporting role. Final thought: Well done movie. Fans of Sandler need to check this one out.
John Candy: I Like Me (2025)
This is a documentary on John Candy. Produced by Ryan Reynolds. Directed by Colin Hanks. It features lots of Candy classic moments from television and movies. Has some heavy hitters doing interviews. People like Bill Murray, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks. This was a very enjoyable movie to watch, though, it was a little sadder than I was expecting. Final thought? A must watch for John Candy fans.
Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Man (2025)
The third in the Knives Out franchise. This one features a very good performance from Jack O’Connell. Daniel Craig returns in the starring role as the detective. He does not actually show up until the 39-minute mark of the movie. The supporting cast is impressive with Glenn Close and Josh Brolin shining the brightest. Final thought: Fun movie to watch but it is way too long. Would have been better with about 30 minutes edited out. I did like it better than the 2nd chapter of this franchise.
Sinners (2025)
Why I watched this one? I had heard that Sinners was one of the best movies of 2025. I had also heard that it was a movie like no other movie.
What is this one about? Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
My thoughts? The good: Michael B. Jordan is awesome in the dual role of the brothers in the movie. I hope he gets an Oscar nomination for his performances. The music is outstanding. The movie offers up some memorable supporting characters….with Delroy Lindo and Hailee Steinfield really shining bright. The movie looks awesome.
The not so good: The movie reminded me of From Dusk Till Dawn many times. Comparing the second half of both movies….I liked the Clooney movie more than the Jordan movie. I thought when the vampires arrived the movie settled into a standard horror movie. I would have enjoyed watching the brothers deal with the racial issues of the Deep South more than them dealing with the undead.
Final thought: I liked the movie. But, I did not love it as much as so many others did.
Weapons (2025)
What is this one about? An entire classroom of students all disappear one night. The parents are pissed. The teacher is confused. There is a mystery to solve.
My thoughts? While watching the movie, I can not say I was blown away. I thought the acting was good. The story was entertaining and very interesting. As the mystery unfolded, I think I was a bit underwhelmed. However, the ending has aged well in my mind. There is a scene near the end, (it revolves around a character being chased) that was some of the best filmmaking, editing that I have seen in awhile. I have actually shown that scene to many people. I feel that this will be one of my Top 10 movies of 2025. Final thought: Worth checking. Don’t let people tell you that this is a horror movie, it is more of a thriller.
What is this one about? Brave rabbit cop Judy Hopps and her friend, the fox Nick Wilde, team up again to crack a new case, the most perilous and intricate of their careers.
Zootopia 2 (2025)
Why I watched this one? A few reasons: One, I am a huge Jason Bateman fan. Two, the younger kids really enjoyed Zootopia. Three, my mother-in-law was in town for the Thanksgiving holiday, and going to the theater was a fun family activity.
My thoughts? Let’s get the negative out of the way first. I felt the end and the beginning dragged a little. I think chopping 10 minutes off the running time would have taken care of some pacing issues. That’s not too bad….so let’s look at what I liked.
The animation is pretty good. There is a mountain climbing scene that really impressed me. The characters in the movie are very likeable. Being in the corner with Nick and Judy is a fun time. I liked the songs in the movie. Movie has some awesome movie references sprinkled throughout the movie. The story has many layers of meaning. Some kids will understand those themes while many will have no clue. Final thought: Three generations of my family saw the movie…and all generations had a good time watching this one.