Here are the 25 films that received a theatrical release in the United States in 2025 and earned the highest Metacritic scores, the industry's leading review aggregation site for film, television, and video games. This isn't a ranking in the traditional sense, but rather a snapshot of the collective tastes of the international critical press, not those of individual reviewers.
How we grouped the data:
- releases are ranked from top to bottom, from the highest score to the lowest, and alphabetically;
- the data is current as of early January 2026. The ranking may change as more reviews are published;
- only films with at least 12 reviews are included;
- we also recommend checking out the best films of 2023 and 2024.
One Battle After Another — 95 points (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson)
Genre: action, thriller, drama
Why it stands out: a former revolutionary takes up arms again when radical military forces kidnap his daughter (see our review). Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, and Benicio del Toro.
The Secret Agent — 92 points (dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho)
Genre: thriller, drama
Why it stands out: a man returns to his hometown and confronts a dictatorship and his fevered memories amid the carnival festivities. Winner of the Best Director and Best Actor awards at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival (see our recap).
It Was Just an Accident — 91 points (dir. Jafar Panahi)
Genre: documentary
Why it stands out: a minor incident sets off a chain of events in which chance leads to fatal consequences. Winner of the Palme d’Or in 2025 (see our recap).
Sorry, Baby — 90 points (dir. Eva Victor)
Genre: drama, comedy
Why it stands out: a university professor has spent years unable to forget a traumatic event from her college days. But a visit from her best friend helps her breathe more freely (see our review).
Marty Supreme — 89 points (dir. Josh Safdie)
Genre: comedy
Why it stands out: a young table tennis player is willing to do almost anything to achieve greatness. Starring Timothée Chalamet and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Train Dreams — 88 points (dir. Clint Bentley)
Genre: drama
Why it stands out: a logger spends years living in isolation and tries to find his place in the rapidly changing 20th century. Starring Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones.
Familiar Touch — 87 points (dir. Sarah Friedland)
Genre: drama
Why it stands out: an 80-year-old woman loses touch with her loved ones and the familiar world around her as gaps begin to appear in her memory (see our review).
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl — 87 points (dir. Rungano Nyoni)
Genre: drama, comedy
Why it stands out: a young woman discovers her uncle’s body in the middle of a deserted road, drawing her into the family’s dark secrets.
Caught by the Tides — 87 points (dir. Jia Zhangke)
Genre: drama
Why it stands out: lovers separated by their careers and changes in their country embark on a journey across the years to find each other again (see our review).
April — 86 points (dir. Dea Kulumbegashvili)
Genre: drama
Why it stands out: after a baby accidentally dies during childbirth, a midwife is suspected of performing illegal abortions. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2024 Venice Film Festival (see our recap).
Resurrection — 86 points (dir. Bi Gan)
Genre: science fiction, thriller
Why it stands out: in a future where humanity has lost the ability to dream, a woman enters the mind of a mysterious creature in an attempt to uncover the truth hidden in its illusions.
A Little Prayer — 86 points (dir. Angus MacLachlan)
Genre: drama
Why it stands out: a father discovers his son’s affair and tries to protect his beloved daughter-in-law, but every action only brings the painful truth closer.
Sentimental Value — 86 points (dir. Joachim Trier)
Genre: drama, comedy
Why it stands out: after their mother’s death, two sisters reunite with their father, a once-famous director who wants to rebuild their family bonds. Winner of the Grand Prix at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival (see our recap).
Cover-Up — 86 points (dir. Mark Obenhaus, Laura Poitras)
Genre: documentary
Why it stands out: the journey of an uncompromising journalist who exposed war crimes and corruption, and a reflection on the impact of his investigations on society.
Afternoons of Solitude — 85 points (dir. Albert Serra)
Genre: documentary
Why it stands out: a poetic exploration of bullfighting and its participants — from enraged bullfighters to terrified bulls.
No Other Choice — 85 points (dir. Park Chan-wook)
Genre: thriller, drama, comedy
Why it stands out: a man who unexpectedly loses his job embarks on a desperate and criminal search for a new position.
Black Bag — 85 points (dir. Steven Soderbergh)
Genre: thriller, drama, romance
Why it stands out: the married life of two intelligence agents is threatened when the wife is suspected of treason. Starring Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett.
I'm Still Here — 85 points (dir. Walter Salles)
Genre: drama
Why it stands out: in 1970s Brazil, when the country was ruled by a military dictatorship, a woman is forced to completely change her life after her husband disappears. Winner of the Best Screenplay award at the 2024 Venice Film Festival (see our recap).
To a Land Unknown — 84 points (dir. Mahdi Fleifel)
Genre: thriller
Why it stands out: a Palestinian refugee searching for happiness in Athens resolves to take revenge after being deceived by a smuggler.
Hamnet — 84 points (dir. Chloé Zhao)
Genre: drama
Why it stands out: an account of a difficult period in William Shakespeare’s life, during which he lost his son and wrote his greatest play. Starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal.
The Voice of Hind Rajab — 84 points (dir. Kaouther Ben Hania)
Genre: drama
Why it stands out: a Red Cross volunteer receives a call from a girl caught under fire, and their conversation becomes a chronicle of the tragic events in Palestine. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2025 Venice Film Festival (see our recap).
Sinners — 84 points (dir. Ryan Coogler)
Genre: horror, action
Why it stands out: twin brothers return to their hometown and open a modest bar, but their dream turns into a nightmare when an ancient evil appears on their doorstep. Starring Michael B. Jordan.
Eephus — 84 points (dir. Carson Lund)
Genre: drama, comedy
Why it stands out: in a small New England town, two amateur teams meet for one last baseball game on the eve of their beloved stadium’s demolition.
Universal Language — 84 points (dir. Matthew Rankin)
Genre: drama, comedy
Why it stands out: the protagonist returns to his native Canada and encounters a series of absurd and touching events, most of whose participants inexplicably speak Persian.
Predators — 84 points (dir. David Osit)
Genre: documentary
Why it stands out: the story of a television show that lured alleged criminals into a trap and demonstrated how the thirst for justice can turn into a cruel spectacle.
See you next year!
