Soham Gadre's Ten Best Films of 2025

      In line with The Film Stage's collective top 50 films of 2025, our contributors are sharing their individual top 10 lists as part of our year-end wrap-up.

      My initial impression of this year's cinema is one of disillusionment. I have never felt more disconnected or disappointed by the mainstream Hollywood film industry than I do now. Even the much-discussed One Battle After Another left me somewhat entertained but mostly indifferent. However, as is often the case, this does not imply that there was a lack of quality cinema. Outside the latest blockbusters, numerous remarkable, innovative, and exciting films ended up on streaming platforms, as the industry holds a very limited and cynical perspective of its audience. Many of the films I've selected here are definitely worth seeking out, as they far surpass the offerings of mainstream theater chains.

      10. The Things You Kill (Alireza Khatami)

      Khatami twists his narrative midway, similar to David Lynch's Lost Highway, and explores themes of persona and identity, resulting in a perplexing and chilling thriller about a man witnessing his family slowly disintegrate. The film has a distinct edge, where the themes of vengeance and the satisfaction of retribution linger ominously like a threatened blade. The cyclical nature of violence among the men in the story, with the women serving as both observers and innocent bystanders, emphasizes the generational perpetuation of violence. This confident debut instills a strong interest in Khatami’s future projects.

      9. The Secret Agent (Kleber Mendonça Filho)

      The Secret Agent draws from a well-known story to connect Brazil's 1970s under dictatorship to the present day. Like many of Mendonça's works, it features tense confrontations and thrilling action sequences while showcasing boastful villains who stir a violent urge for catharsis. However, this film doesn’t fulfill that hunger in the same manner as Aquarius or Bacurau. Instead, it presents a more realistic narrative set in the true environment of Recife, Mendonça’s hometown. It challenges us to reflect on how many past errors have been corrected, if any. It questions whether anything has truly changed as it shifts between relentless political violence and quiet conversations among those who resist.

      8. Resurrection (Bi Gan)

      Released at the year's end in the U.S., Bi Gan's Resurrection was undeniably a fantastic finale to the movie-going year. Its captivating structure, which intertwines time and filmic genres, follows the journey of a singular “Deliriant,” one of the last humans capable of dreaming. Bi’s cinematography creates dynamic contrasts of foreground and background while intertwining various framerates, color palettes, and focuses, transforming this into an exemplary work of experimentation. It serves as a self-reflective confrontation of cinema’s potential to establish different realities for a single character, capturing the essence of dreaming while awake. This is a film I will ponder and analyze for a long time.

      7. It Was Just an Accident (Jafar Panahi)

      Equal parts humorous and tragic, Panahi’s latest film illustrates how the regime’s authoritarian control leaves lasting effects on the population, getting to the crux of the issue—what does it mean to achieve justice? The victims’ regrets and suffering culminate in a moral dilemma about what to do once they confront the man who has wronged them. From Crimson Gold to No Bears and beyond, Panahi has consistently been an empathetic filmmaker, even as his films usually end in terror and tragedy. He portrays his characters finding clarity of conscience, even as they approach the brink of violence and chaos.

      6. Souleymane’s Story (Boris Lojkine)

      In a global era of the gig economy, Souleymane’s Story tells the journey of an immigrant from Guinea seeking asylum and citizenship in France. While waiting for his chance to share his story with immigration officials, he finds himself torn between working as a delivery driver for a food service app and the money needed to pay his immigration mentor. Some may view Lojkine’s narrative as overly optimistic or naïve, but it represents a hopeful future that grants immigrants not only asylum and peace but also human rights based on their own truths.

      5. Sirāt (Oliver Laxe)

      Oliver Laxe’s Sirat signifies the inevitability of an apocalyptic end. The film leads us through unexpected and uncompromising twists that I was not prepared for. It may evoke mixed responses with its manipulation of audience emotions, but its core message revolves around the aimlessness of its characters who see the world as their playground, only to realize that it is anything but. This film draws parallels between Friedkin’s Sorcerer and Peter Watkins’ (RIP) Punishment Park. The horizon gradually fades, colors merge and lose distinction, and the initial sounds emanating from the stereos are overpowered by overwhelming silence.

      4. Happyend (Neo Sora)

      Private spaces and technological intrusion shape