The Film Stage's Best 50 Movies of 2025

      For our most exhaustive year-end feature, we’re providing a comprehensive overview of The Film Stage’s top films of 2025. We have invited contributors to create lists of their ten favorite films along with five honorable mentions––many of these personal choices will be highlighted in future features over the coming weeks––and this top 50 was compiled from the aggregated votes.

      Without further delay, check out the highlights of 2025 cinema below, follow our ongoing year-end coverage here, and come back in the upcoming weeks as we anticipate 2026.

      50. The Sparrow in the Chimney (Ramon Zürcher)

      A haunted-house narrative that prioritizes human drama over supernatural horror, Ramon Zürcher’s beautifully crafted The Sparrow in the Chimney centers on our desire to move beyond past trauma. Rich with metaphors and transformations, the film presents its lead (Maren Eggert’s poignant Karen) as a reflection of the pain she experienced in her youth and its complicated, tormented origins. Set to a compelling bass line, we witness her silent battle to express love, overshadowed by the paralyzing fear of her own children facing similar suffering, leading her to instead cultivate resentment. Its incisive yet moving examination of familial demons being confronted through fire encapsulates the refreshing strength found in letting go. — Jared M.

      49. Avatar: Fire and Ash (James Cameron)

      James Cameron concludes a significant chapter in large-scale filmmaking at a time when his grand vision feels increasingly rare. Few directors possess the finesse to balance a sprawling narrative with clarity; even fewer uphold the meticulous care and precision that Cameron strives to maintain. With sufficient world-building for two films, this journey to Pandora prioritizes character growth over mere exposition. Boldly honest reflections on mourning, adaptation, and recurring violence are intertwined with the visually arresting spectacle, where actors both new and returning feel entirely at ease in their vibrant blue forms. Cameron's philosophy that more is indeed more persists. — Conor O.

      48. Highest 2 Lowest (Spike Lee)

      Revisiting High and Low seems misguided, yet Spike Lee and Denzel Washington’s enduring collaboration mirrors the lively dynamic of Kurosawa and Mifune in their later years. The seasoned duo radiates infectious energy on both sides of the lens, juxtaposing somber melancholy with a potent youthful vigor. As Lee’s thriller shifts through varying tones, Washington oscillates from a seasoned outlook to a revitalized spirit. Blazing through a moral examination, music mogul David King seeks creative revival, paralleling both the director and actor. They indeed find youth in the joy of their craft, proclaiming from the film's opening lines, “It’s not a risk. It’s a rebirth.” — Conor O.

      47. Friendship (Andrew DeYoung)

      In the past, R-rated comedies thrived at the box office, and theaters were adorned with posters featuring pairs of young to middle-aged comedic actors against bland backgrounds. I found Friendship refreshing as it partially revives this trend, infused with imaginative direction and an abundance of dark humor. Tim Robinson’s eccentric performance embraces the classic clown, reminiscent of Rupert Pupkin; unlike his also-remarkable HBO series The Chair Company, this film successfully balances hilarity with discomfort. — David K.

      48. The Naked Gun (Akiva Schaffer)

      Gather ‘round, everyone, as I regale you with tales from a bygone era when the world was a splendid realm where we could visit local cinemas. Surrounded by strangers, we could all delight in the laughter elicited from the comedies produced by studios—yes, those very studios that today churn out franchises you might consume and then forget within a day once made films that sparked cultural shifts and legendary quotes often recited among friends. The Naked Gun transports us back to that cherished time, perhaps giving us one last chance to share such a joyous experience together. While I could quote numerous memorable lines or recount memorable scenes, I’ll simply leave you with this: “She had a bottom that would make a toilet beg for the brown.” — Mitchell B.

      45. Pillion (Harry Lighton)

      Dogs Don’t Wear Pants finally finds its counterpart. Harry Lighton delves into the complexities of sexual attraction in a bold gay sub-dom debut that both shocks and delights while also pulling viewers out of the emotional mire it brings. In a daring shift for his career, Harry Melling portrays Colin, a soft-spoken, sweet-smiling submissive yet to encounter a man who truly understands him—a tough biker in snug black leather who holds him by a thick chain around his neck and offers him the empty spot on the couch while making him sit on the floor. Enter Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), the tall, often silent embodiment of searing dominance. The yearned-for degradation unveils Colin's world as openly and intentionally as his mouth, providing an emotionally nuanced perspective on the BDSM lifestyle seldom explored in film. — Luke H.

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