Devan Suber's 10 Best Movies of 2025

      Following The Film Stage’s curated top 50 films of 2025, part of our year-end recap, our contributors are presenting their individual top 10 lists.

      Like many of you reading this, 2025 was a... let’s say challenging year for me. The previous year wrapped up with a series of layoffs and the onset of a second Trump presidency, followed by the passing of David Lynch early in the year. Nonetheless, it also felt like a breakthrough for me. Call it unemployment or desperation, but for the first time, I genuinely felt like a real writer, managing to publish at least one piece each month. That was until the media continued its gradual collapse, creating chaos everywhere. I want to express my gratitude to those editors who took a chance on me, whether for the first time or through a prior relationship; I still look back fondly on those pieces, even if I had to part with a favorite or two along the way.

      Speaking of letting go of favorites: the list-making process. I genuinely enjoy the act of ranking and rating works I’ve encountered, partly due to the order of films but also as a way to gauge my feelings at a specific time. For some time during the post-COVID period––and even last year––it felt like a struggle to compile a list, as impressive as those films were. 2025 was the first year when it truly felt agonizing to even create a top 15. Keeping track of films throughout the year is no easy feat; adding in films that carry over and festival entries that get overlooked made it particularly frustrating.

      The 10 films I’ve listed here were also those I submitted on my ballot, though arranged differently. I expect this to change once I catch up on some films and revisit others, as is often the case. Roger Ebert once described list-making as propaganda as much as a genuine catalog, and I suppose I’ve embraced that idea. Many of my previous lists serve, to some extent, as a way for me to champion an obscure piece that I can’t stop discussing, although as I age and gain more knowledge, I usually find at least one person who appreciates my selections.

      I like to consider myself optimistic, and despite the looming threats of mergers and AI, this year felt like a continued journey of healing. The best films––the ones that truly stand out in my memory––are those that engage my attention in some way, prompting me to perk up and take notice, eliciting a strong emotional or other response. I want to be enveloped, not necessarily escaping reality but feeling assured that I'm in skilled hands. These 10 films are the ones I couldn’t bear to exclude, the ones I want to share with others, and those I’ve enjoyed discussing the most.

      Honorable Mentions: The Testament of Ann Lee, Gazer, Bugonia, Friendship, 28 Years Later, Black Bag, Dead Talent’s Society, Wake Up Dead Man, The Mastermind, No Other Choice, The Naked Gun, Sound of Falling, Arco, Eephus, Sentimental Value

      Films That Probably Would’ve Made The List Had I Seen Them In Time: Pillion, Marty Supreme, The Chronology Of Water, Reflection in a Dead Diamond, Hedda

      10. Teenage Wasteland (Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss)

      If McBaine and Moss' documentary were solely about a class of “teenage Erin Brockovichs,” it would still rank among the year’s finest due to its commitment to showcasing the lengthy, challenging battle for environmental justice––not to mention multiple scenes of teenagers confronting ineffective adults in power. However, Teenage Wasteland (previously titled Middletown) carries a subtle emotional thread about the significant role a teacher can play in one's life across generations; it serves as an ode to funding public education as much as it is to environmental law, illustrating the impact one can have even through apparent failures.

      9. Sinners (Ryan Coogler)

      One of the more uplifting success stories of the year, both for film culture collectively and for the visionary behind it. Being free from the constraints of Kevin Feige and Rocky Balboa enabled Coogler to immerse himself in a multitude of topics, including the blues, the intricacies of juke joint culture, the KKK, and vampires; even more commendable is his ability to keep the audience engaged across all these themes. His two main musical sequences rank among the year’s most unforgettable cinematic moments, supported by a stellar cast of both veterans and newcomers.

      8. Predators (dir. David Osit)

      We are living in the era produced by Chris Hansen, even if his name has become more of a meme now. While reading about the harrowing raid that led to To Catch A Predator going off the air is impactful, watching the preceding footage and countless behind-the-scenes clips of individuals whose lives are on the brink of destruction is another matter entirely. Osit human