By George & Josh Bate
July is here, which means 2025 is halfway over and it’s the perfect time to look back at the year in movies so far. Here are our favorite movies of 2025 so far (in no particular order).
The Monkey
A quintessential Stephen King story is brought to life by Longlegs director Osgood Perkins in a film produced by horror mastermind James Wan. Any project with those three names will immediately peak the interest of horror fans and foster quite lofty expectations, and yet The Monkey does so resoundingly. Masterfully blending morbid themes, gruesome violence, and sharp humor, writer/director Osgood Perkins crafts the rare bloody horror comedy that is never mean-spirited, off-putting, or tonally mismatched. Creative and gruesome kills destined to feature in YouTube compilations and in the memories of moviegoers for years are sprinkled throughout a film that can be best characterized as a crowd pleaser (albeit a crowd pleaser for crowds who don’t queasy with blood). A compelling story anchored by strong performances from Christian Convery and Theo James as the young and adult versions of twins Hal and Bill respectively features an unexpected plot twist and surprising, although not groundbreaking, emotional depth in the end. Perkins showcases his intricate attention to detail in numerous ways here, but perhaps most so with the titular vintage toy monkey, who ranks among some of the creepier cursed inanimate objects in horror movie history. A bloody, bonkers, hilarious crowd-pleaser that does not disappoint.
Predator: Killer of Killers
Following the universally praised Prey, Predator: Killer of Killers sees the long-running sci-fi franchise switch from live-action to animation for an installment that is the best film in the franchise since the 1987 original. Directors Dan Trachtenberg and Micho Robert Rutare craft a refined Predator film filled to the brim with dynamic, gorgeously animated, and brutally violent action. The wish fulfillment of seeing Predators come face-to-face with human history’s fiercest warriors lives up to, and even exceeds, its incredible potential across three distinct vignettes. Surrounding the action, however, are strong stories of three protagonists, whose journeys prove compelling and emotional independent of any extraterrestrial killers. Meanwhile, calculated world-building makes for an intriguing exploration of Predator lore and culture that goes far beyond any Predator film to date, even if the titular creatures are disappointingly under-powered and lacking in threat. A surprising narrative turn in a jaw-dropping final act takes the film to newfound heights and blows the door open for what directions the franchise can head into next. All achieved by stunning visuals that beautifully complement the emotionally rich storytelling, Predator: Killer of Killers will prove to be the kind of animated film that will convince even the most stubborn of viewers that animated films are genuine films and not just cartoons for children. The film is to the Predator franchise what Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was to the Spider-Man franchise, a monumental achievement that breaks the boundaries of what animation can achieve. Somehow topping the excellent Prey, Predator: Killer of Killers makes the wait for Predator: Badlands all the most excruciating.
Sinners
In just over a decade, writer/director Ryan Coogler has nailed social commentary drama, superhero epics, and sports movies, earning plenty of deserved plaudits along the way. In 2025, the acclaimed director turned to the horror genre and showed that he is more than capable of delivering chills and thrills like the most seasoned of scary movie veterans. Sinners operates as a film of two halves, the first of which is a grounded drama about two brothers returning to their hometown and the second of which is a From Dusk till Dawn-esque vampire romp. Both haves work exceptionally well, albeit in decidedly different ways. What is consistent throughout Sinners is Coogler’s proclivity for boundary-pushing visual storytelling and a willingness to explore the power of music that “can pierce the veil between life and death, past and future.” While there is some questionable logic behind various characters’ actions and the plot doesn’t entirely hold up to much scrutiny, Sinners nonetheless is easily one of 2025’s best films.
Neighborhood Watch
Director Duncan Skiles follows The Clovehitch Killer, one of the most underappreciated thrillers in the past 10 years, with Neighborhood Watch, a psychological thriller meets buddy comedy meets mental health commentary with real heart. After various performances that failed to get us to see what all the hype about Jack Quaid was all about, the actor delivers a career-best, awards-worthy turn in a role that approaches serious mental illness with kindness and empathy and that allows Quaid to flex a variety of different acting muscles. Quaid’s screen partner Jeffrey Dean Morgan similarly produces a winning performance as a bitter ex-security guard who grows to understand and care over the course of the film. Although the central mystery compels without breaking new ground, the ultimate triumph of Neighborhood Watch lies in the relationship between Quaid and Morgan’s characters, which proves to be as touching as it is humorous. As a psychological thriller, Neighborhood Watch works well, but, as a buddy dramedy, it overwhelmingly excels and will leave a lasting impression.
Warfare
Visionary director Alex Garland and Iraq War Veteran Ray Mendoza create one of the most intense moviegoing experiences of all time with Warfare. Disinterested in making strong political statements and liberated from traditional Hollywood romanticism of war, the film plummets audiences into immersive, disorienting chaos for 90+ minutes and never loosens its grip. Through exceptional sound design, cinematography, and performances, the filmmakers meticulously reconstruct a real life combat mission that fosters palpable anxiety and tension in their audience. A testament to the performances, in particular that of Joseph Quinn, emotional investment in the characters comes naturally and easily, which is particularly noteworthy given how little is revealed about each of the servicemembers. While the movie is a tad one note and more exposition on the frontend would have provided greater grounding in the story, Warfare excels as a primal movie, one that evokes universal, yet essential and powerful, emotions, and a striking physiological reactivity we have never experienced in a movie before. As Alex Garland’s impressive filmography continues to grow, his uncanny ability to create tension through cinema and have viewers feel this tension through every cell in their bodies remains unrivaled.
Magazine Dreams
From its disturbing narrative, bleak tone, heavy themes, and controversial leading man, Magazine Dreams is an exercise in discomfort that progresses from scene-to-scene with hardship-after-hardship for its main character. As some viewers will wrangle with the morals of separating art from its artist due to Jonathan Majors’ controversies, Elijah Bynum’s film also has viewers contemplate the direction of their moral compass as empathy builds for a character destined for mass violence. Concurrent with this audience dissonance is a thoughtful exploration of celebrity and the self-destruction that can result from buying into its allure. Most effective, however, is the film’s portrayal of chronic loneliness and the resultant sadness fostered. While extraordinarily effective in the uncomfortable emotions it elicits, the psychologically taxing nature of Magazine Dreams leaves little room for audience emotion beyond sadness and empathy and, in turn, is perhaps too tiring and simplistic. Additionally, an unexpected and somewhat unearned ending, while inspirational, lacks the proverbial dramatic punch of the proceeding film, which is marked by a powerhouse Oscar-worthy performance from Jonathan Majors that alone makes Bynum’s worth watching. Discomfort is palpable while watching Magazine Dreams, a sentiment that poetically and unintentionally matches the discomfort that comes from watching an actor marred by great controversy deliver one of the best acting performances in years.
Lilo & Stitch
Starkly reversing the trend of mediocre Disney live-action remakes, Lilo & Stitch stands out as the best of the bunch and, more generally, one of the best films of the year. The rare family blockbuster that tugs at the heartstrings in a manner similar to some of each year’s most awarded films, director Dean Fleischer Camp’s remake features a beautiful message about family told with genuineness and empathy. Although the film is titled ‘Lilo & Stitch,’ it is as much about Lilo’s relationship with her sister Nani as it is about her relationship with Stitch. The sisterly bond evolving through a period of grief makes for emotional and captivating viewing, elevated by exceptional performances from Maia Kealoha and Sydney Elizebeth Agudong. The two young actresses add unexpected dimensions to the characters from animation and prove that they will have long and accomplished careers ahead of them. Similarly successful is the incorporation of Stitch, who is intelligently brought to life with cartoonish, rather than overly realistic or unfaithful visual effects. The relationship between Lilo and Stitch proves to be similarly heartwarming, while also offering plenty of unruly and chaotic humor. Although the antagonists played by Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnussen fall short of the compelling heights of the protagonists and the film lacks some originality, it is undoubtedly a resounding success for Disney and lays the foundation for a franchise of films we’ll be first in line to see. There have been few times in recent years where we’ve watched a film with such a big smile on our faces and tears in our eyes as Lilo & Stitch, making it one of the year’s must-watch movies.
Mickey 17
The renowned Bong Joon Ho follows up the excellent Parasite with the hilarious, delightfully weird, and unexpectedly touching Mickey 17. After overcoming a somewhat jarring start, Joon Ho’s film progressively grows into a thematically powerful film, perfectly striking the balance between humor and drama. Tapping into themes of romance, colonization, and motherhood with incredible emotional intelligence and a heartwarming touch, Mickey 17 leaves a lasting impression that elevates the film far beyond its familiar sci-fi elements. Robert Pattinson shines as two characters, showcasing his range and comedic timing more than ever, while Naomi Ackie delivers a powerful supporting performance and Mark Ruffalo generates the most laughs as a simultaneously detestable and hilarious villain. With Mickey 17, Bong Joon Ho follows up the award-winning Parasite with a completely different cinematic odyssey, one unafraid to be weird and surprising in the emotions it evokes. Joon Ho is now a quarter of a century and eight films into his career as a feature film director and, unbelievably, he has yet to disappoint. Mickey 17 is yet another example of the director’s craft and how you never know what to expect and what emotions will arise when seeing one of his films.