Well, we made it. Another year of big blockbusters, indie darlings and Oscar favourites has come to a close. Predictably, the 2025 box office was dominated by sequels, remakes and reboots. While on streaming Kpop Demon Hunters reigned supreme. There were plenty of other titles that shone just as bright as Netflix’s golden girl group though, and some that deserved more of the spotlight. So let’s get into it, the best films of the year. But first, some rules:
For films to be eligible for this list they must have been released in the UK/Ireland in 2025. Films that have had their festival debuts in 2025 but have yet to be released generally are not eligible, sorry! Come back next year to see how the likes of Hamnet and The Secret Agent fare.
But enough about that, here it is, Not Too Loud’s Top 50 Films of 2025:
#50. Jaws at 50:
The Definitive Inside Story
A compelling and celebratory reflection on the original summer blockbuster.
#49. Hallow Road
Rosamund Pike takes control in trippy and tense thriller.
#48. Steve
Cillian Murphy Netflix drama finds hope and humanity in troubled teens.
#47. Christy
Cork-set family drama showcases the power of close-knit community.
#46. The Phoenician Scheme
A whimsical and
well-rounded
Anderson anecdote.
#45. Caught Stealing
Austin Butler-led crime caper is director Darren Aronofsky at his most palatable.
#44. Freaky Tales
80s action comedy anthology improves with every
new chapter.
#43. Come See Me in the Good Light
Candid cancer documentary doubles as endearing queer love story.
#42. The End
End-of-the-world musical is peculiar yet profound.
#41. The Assessment
Alicia Vikander puts Elizabeth Olsen to the test in engaging sci-fi flick.
#40. The Surfer
Trippy psychological thriller takes Nicolas Cage to breaking point.
#39. Saturday Night
Chaotic comedy charts the last-minute scramble before the first ever SNL.
#38. Thunderbolts*
Marvel misfits make for a surprising return to form for the MCU.
#37. The Mastermind
Josh O’Connor is an unlikely art thief in Kelly Reichardt’s quietly compelling
crime caper.
#36. Eternity
Elizabeth Olsen’s afterlife love triangle offers a fun and fresh take on the fantasy romance.
#35. Dangerous Animals
Shark thriller serial killer cross-breed makes a serious cinematic splash.
#34. Relay
Riz Ahmed confidently leads intriguing and old school conspiracy-esque thriller.
#33. The Last Showgirl
Pamela Anderson passionately proves she’s not done yet.
#32. Companion
Robotic rom-com turned horror is wired just right.
#31. Sentimental Value
Joachim Trier and Renate Reinsve reunite in eloquent and intricate family drama.
#30. Black Bag
Cate Blanchett convinces in cool, calculated and concise spy thriller.
#29. Mickey 17
Pair of Pattinsons makes Bong Joon-ho Oscar follow-up double the fun.
#28. Urchin
Harris Dickinson recognises the harsh reality of the homeless in impressive directorial debut.
#27. Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro transforms Mary Shelley’s horror classic into a vibrant fantasy epic.
#26. F1: The Movie
Fine-tuned formula one feature goes full throttle.
#25. Late Shift
Realistic hospital drama
has all the symptoms of a
cinematic success.
#24. The Fantastic Four:
First Steps
Sincere superhero squad successfully strides onto screens.
#23. Die My Love
Dark and dauntless drama plunges Jennifer Lawrence into maternal madness.
#22. A Complete Unknown
Timothée Chalamet becomes Bob Dylan in brilliant biopic.
#21. Roofman
Channing Tatum charms
in lively true crime
comedy-drama.
#20. Bring Them Down
Nasty Irish farming thriller is anything but sheepish.
#19. Highest 2 Lowest
Spike Lee and Denzel Washington reinvent Kurosawa classic.
#18. One Battle After Another
Leonardo DiCaprio excels in Paul Thomas Anderson epic.
#17. Bugonia
Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons engage in impassioned alien interrogation.
#16. Blue Moon
Ethan Hawke entertains as Lorenz Hart on Oklahoma! opening night.
#15. Train Dreams
Joel Edgerton searches for purpose in poignant sundance drama.
#14. Pillion
Leather-clad kinky biker romance is horny, humorous and surprisingly wholesome.
#13. The Ballad of
Wallis Island
Tim Key puts all his humour and heart into wonderful Brit comedy-drama.
#12. The Long Walk
Harrowing Stephen King adaptation strides through its bleak story with powerful emotion.
#11. Sorry, Baby
Eva Victor writes, directs and stars in quietly affecting indie drama.
#10. Maria
Angelina Jolie devastates as Maria Callas in poignant Pablo Larraín picture.
#9. Plainclothes
Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey’s 90s queer thriller is as tender as it is tense.
#8. Babygirl
A provocative portrayal of power and submission.
#7. A Real Pain
Kieran Culkin splits sides
and tugs on heartstrings in
Jesse Eisenberg’s affecting comedy-drama.
#6. Wake Up Dead Man:
A Knives Out Mystery
Josh O’Connor shines
in Rian Johnson’s holy whodunit.
#5. Marty Supreme
Josh Safdie and Timothée Chalamet serve up a riotous cinematic rally in terrific table tennis drama.
#4. Nosferatu
A handsome and haunting horror homage.
#3. Bring Her Back
Sally Hawkins turns hostile in hellish Aussie horror.
#2. Sinners
Violent vampire vehicle makes way for a big, bold celebration of the blues.
#1. 28 Years Later
Zombie franchise rages
on in ambitious and
emotional threequel.
Not Too Loud 
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