I can’t be the only one who has trouble keeping track of the movies that come out every year. And which ones I’ve seen. And where I saw them. So I’m going to make it simple. This is a list, with mini-reviews, of all the movies I’ve seen that were released in 2025. Obviously I’m not going to see anything in the theater, so I’ll be waiting for streaming for…everything. I’ll note where I watched each movie, but they will most certainly change platforms in time (except perhaps some of the Netflix originals). And I’ll add to the list as I watch more of the most highly recommended movies of 2025, and any others that catch my eye.
Is there something that I haven’t seen yet that you loved? Leave a comment so I can put it on my to-be-watched list!
Table of contents
Black Bag
Main Cast: Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchette
Director: Steven Soderbergh
4 Stars
A solid spy thriller with an outstanding performance by Fassbender as a fastidious, brilliant, devoted husband and master spy on a mission to root out a mole. Black Bag gets a little lost in the weeds as it winds up its main plot but is saved by the fascinating relationships among its characters.
I watched Black Bag on Amazon Prime Video.
Companion
Main Cast: Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid
Director: Drew Hancock
4 Stars
A good take on a sci-fi classic – the rogue robot. Companion is more about the amoral humans who manipulate and destroy than about an out-of-control robot, and its social commentary is scathing. Sophie Thatcher is the standout as Iris, the robot companion at the center of a weekend getaway gone awry.
I watched Companion on HBO Max.
Jay Kelly
Main Cast: George Clooney, Adam Sandler
Director: Noah Baumbach
2 Stars
A good performance from Clooney can’t make up for Jay Kelly‘s tone-deaf plot about a rich, famous actor who feels sorry for himself. Sandler does his best to cut through the entitlement as the beleaguered manager, but it’s not enough. Laura Dern is great but absolutely wasted in her role as the unappreciated publicist.
I watched Jay Kelly on Netflix.
Kinda Pregnant
Main Cast: Amy Schumer, Will Forte
Director: Tyler Spindel
3 Stars
I did a full review of this one, but the bottom line is that if you like Amy Schumer’s fearless brand of comedy, you’ll enjoy Kinda Pregnant. It’s about the cultural catch-22 of pregnancy and motherhood, but it’s mostly a raunchy comedy. If you don’t like Schumer, don’t bother, but if you do, it’s got some very funny moments.
I watched Kinda Pregnant on Netflix.
Materialists
Main Cast: Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans
Director: Celine Song
2 Stars
How can Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal be so boring? I’m tempted to blame Dakota Johnson, but I haven’t seen her in much else. Regardless, her husband-seeking NYC matchmaker with two very different prospects does not resonate at all. Is Materialists commentary about modern dating? Maybe, but it’s also bland and not at all funny or poignant.
I watched Materialists on HBO Max.
Night Always Comes
Main Cast: Vanessa Kirby, Jennifer Jason Leigh
Director: Benjamin Caron
3 Stars
This is the story of a woman frantically trying to raise the $25,000 she needs to secure safe housing in a single night. It’s a movie about the lengths someone will go to when they’re desperate. It’s a good movie, and a good performance by Vanessa Kirby, but not as memorable as I hoped it would be.
I watched Night Always Comes on Netflix.
One Battle After Another
Main Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
4.5 Stars
A phenomenal performance by Leonardo DiCaprio lifts this action thriller/black comedy to some pretty lofty heights. For the first hour I thought sensory overload was going to do me in, but the next two acts pull back and let the story breathe. Sean Penn is perfectly horrible as the villain and the social commentary is both blunt and important.
I watched One Battle After Another on HBO Max
The Roses
Main Cast: Olivia Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch
Director: Jay Roach
3 Stars
This reimagining of The War of the Roses (first a book, then a 1989 film) gives Colman and Cumberbatch plenty of opportunity to verbally spar and that is delightful. The story of a battling couple didn’t really need to be retold, but it’s fun to watch really good actors at work.
I watched The Roses on Hulu
Sinners
Main Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Miles Caton
Director: Ryan Coogler
4.5 Stars
Sinners is the best movie from 2025 that I have seen to date. Every frame is gorgeous and Ryan Coogler captured something magical in the spotlight nightclub scene, blending music and history into something entirely new. It also offers some of the most slyly complex commentary on living in a marginalized community I’ve ever seen.
I watched Sinners on HBO Max
Sorry, Baby
Main Cast: Eva Victor, Naomi Ackie
Director: Eva Victor
4.5 Stars
This is my sleeper hit of the year. Eva Victor wrote, directed, and stars in Sorry, Baby, the quiet story of a woman living with trauma. Her character, Agnes, is wounded and awkward and heartbreaking and hilarious. I can’t wait to see what this woman does next.
I watched Sorry, Baby on HBO Max
Steve
Main Cast: Cillian Murphy, Tracy Ullman
Director: Tim Mielants
2.5 Stars
Steve stars Cillian Murphy as a teacher in a school for troubled kids and takes place on one hectic day. Honestly, it didn’t come together for me, which is a bummer. Murphy and the kids are all very good but somehow it didn’t leave much of an impression.
I watched Steve on Netflix
The Thursday Murder Club
Main Cast: Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Chris Columbus
4 Stars
The Thursday Murder Club is a delightful cozy mystery with a fantastic British cast. The murder mystery is twisty enough to keep us watching and the characters are fun and quirky. It isn’t going to change the world, but the movie knows exactly what it is and plays very well on its star-studded cast and it’s cozy genre.
I watched The Thursday Murder Club on Netflix.
Wake Up Dead Man
Main Cast: Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor
Director: Rian Johnson
4 Stars
Daniel Craig just gets better as Benoit Blanc in Wake Up Dead Man, the third film in the Knives Out franchise. This time he’s investigating a murder in a small church and the prime suspect is the new priest, played by Josh O’Connor. As usual, the cast is filled with stars and the plot is twisty. It’s a little darker then the others, with some pointed social commentary underlying the crime.
I watched Wake Up Dead Man on Netflix.
Weapons
Main Cast: Julia Garner, Josh Brolin
Director: Zach Cregger
3.5 Stars
I almost loved Weapons. Julia Garner is great as a self-absorbed teacher caught in the middle of a community mystery/tragedy. But she isn’t quite enough to overcome a spotty gun violence metaphor and a too-easy ending. It is definitely scary, though.
I watched Weapons on HBO Max
Woman in Cabin 10
Main Cast: Keira Knightley, Guy Pearce
Director: Simon Stone
3 Stars
I didn’t have high expectations for The Woman in Cabin 10 (based on the novel by Ruth Ware) and overall I was right. But I was still pleasantly surprised by some of the twists in this pretty standard thriller. It’s average but entertaining enough for an evening at home.
I watched The Woman in Cabin 10 on Netflix
You’re Cordially Invited
Main Cast: Will Ferrell, Reese Witherspoon
Director: Nicholas Stoller
2 Stars
You’re Cordially Invited is a silly movie, absolutely ridiculous, about a double booked wedding venue and two over-the-top parents. But, if you like Will Ferrell and his mayhem, it isn’t terrible. Reese Witherspoon makes a good high-strung foil for his shenanigans. Only recommended for true fans of either lead.
I watched You’re Cordially Invited on Amazon Prime Video
Sue reads a lot, writes a lot, edits a lot, and loves a good craft. She was deemed “too picky” to proofread her children’s school papers and wears this as a badge of honor. She is also proud of her aggressively average knitting skills. TV and indie movies are her jam.
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