{"id":342966,"date":"2025-12-30T14:47:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T14:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/342966\/"},"modified":"2025-12-30T14:47:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T14:47:09","slug":"the-10-best-films-of-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/342966\/","title":{"rendered":"The 10 best films of 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

This year\u2019s best films<\/a> did not offer escape so much as confrontation. Across genres, budgets and continents, they asked difficult questions about power, belief, responsibility and survival \u2013 and trusted audiences to sit with the answers, or lack thereof. <\/p>\n

From intimate stories shaped by memory and trauma to blockbusters operating at the outer limits of scale, these are works that took cinema seriously as both an art form and a moral instrument. <\/p>\n

What follows are the ten films that, in very different ways, understood what cinema can still be for.<\/p>\n

10. The President\u2019s Cake<\/p>\n

The President\u2019s Cake<\/a>, the debut feature of director Hasan Hadi, echoes his own childhood in southern Iraq under Saddam Hussein. <\/p>\n

At a time of severe scarcity \u2013 when sugar and flour were outright banned \u2013 children were still tasked with baking a cake in honour of the former leader\u2019s birthday, with failure carrying real and lasting consequences. One of Hadi\u2019s friends was expelled from school, conscripted into Saddam\u2019s children\u2019s army and later died.<\/p>\n

The film draws on that memory without retelling it literally. Instead, it follows nine-year-old Lamia (Baneen Ahmad Nayyef) as she moves through her town in search of ingredients, navigating empty shelves and adults both kind and predatory, never quite sure who can be trusted. Shot with restrained naturalism and anchored by Nayyef\u2019s unsentimental performance, the film captures the quiet fear and warped logic of everyday life without spelling it out.<\/p>\n

Hadi resists explanation or moral instruction. He isn\u2019t translating Iraq\u2019s past for outsiders so much as remembering it, allowing politics to surface through detail and texture. The result is a film that builds gently but inexorably, before landing on an ending whose force comes not from shock, but from recognition \u2013 a reminder of how easily childhood can be shaped, and damaged, by the systems that surround it.<\/p>\n

9. The Secret Agent<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t a spy film \u2013 it\u2019s something much richer. In it, Wagner Moura (Narcos) plays a man forced into hiding during the Brazilian military dictatorship of the 1970s. And as he traverses the country in an attempt to escape to safety with the help of other political refugees, a teeming, intricate portrait of the country\u2019s past and present emerges. <\/p>\n

Part of why it works so well is that director Kleber Mendonca Filho is never afraid to indulge the film\u2019s many corners \u2013 full of asides and occasional surreal diversions that lend it a novelistic breadth. It\u2019s funny, pensive and then suddenly will push you to the edge of your seat. Even at 158 minutes, you\u2019ll likely want to revisit it \u2013 if only to experience Moura\u2019s extraordinary performance again.<\/p>\n

8. Avatar: Fire and Ash<\/p>\n

Since its inception, Avatar<\/a> has been the moral project of James Cameron<\/a>\u2019s life. It is rarely framed that way. More often, the series is discussed in terms of scale and spectacle \u2013 its unprecedented technical ambition, the billions spent pushing cinema towards new limits. But to understand Avatar as technology first and story second is to misunderstand what that ambition is in service of.<\/p>\n

What drives Cameron is not novelty, but a belief that cinema can still move audiences at scale \u2013 and, in doing so, challenge them. Across The Way of Water and Fire and Ash<\/a>, that challenge sharpens into a sustained confrontation with colonial violence, ecological destruction and the moral compromises societies learn to accept. These are deeply sincere films, unafraid to wear their convictions openly, insisting that popularity does not preclude seriousness.<\/p>\n

Fire and Ash pushes the argument further, rejecting the myth of the lone hero in favour of collective responsibility. Individual triumph is measured not by dominance, but by service \u2013 to family, community and ecosystem. In an era of frictionless replication and hollow spectacle, Avatar remains something rarer: a blockbuster that demands we imagine a future built on responsibility rather than compromise.<\/p>\n

7. Blue Moon<\/p>\n

When was the last time a film made you think, “what a script”? It\u2019s a rare feeling \u2013 usually reserved for stage works that survive the journey to the screen. Yet for all the attention paid to its performances, Blue Moon stands as one of the most finely written films in recent memory. There\u2019s nary a single phrase poorly turned \u2013 each one double wrapped in longing, regret and delusion. <\/p>\n

If Ethan Hawke wins major awards for his portrayal of songwriter Lorenz Hart, it will be because the writing gives him nowhere to hide \u2013 and because no one could deliver those words better. Richard Linklater, meanwhile, is vindicated for waiting 15 years to make this film with Hawke, until both had the life experience to give it its full weight.<\/p>\n

Set in a single location over one night, the film follows Hart as his former partner Richard Rodgers unveils Oklahoma! with new collaborator Oscar Hammerstein \u2013 a moment that quietly redraws the history of American musical theatre. Hilarious, heartbreaking, bawdy and thoughtful. <\/p>\n

6. It Was Just an Accident<\/p>\n

The story behind Jafar Panahi<\/a>\u2019s latest effort \u2013 filmed in secret in Iran and earning him a jail sentence at home even as it collected awards around the world \u2013 is so compelling that I never thought the film itself could live up to it. I was wrong.<\/p>\n

Even on its own terms \u2013 divorced from its political and social commentary on contemporary Iran \u2013 this is a deeply gripping piece of work. A man hears the unmistakable walk of the one-legged figure who once tortured him. He kidnaps him and plans to kill him, only to doubt whether he has the right man at all. As he gathers others who might be able to identify his captor, nothing becomes simpler \u2013 and this tightly wound film keeps you in its grasp until its unforgettable final shot, before leaving you stunned in your seat as the credits roll.<\/p>\n

5. No Other Choice<\/p>\n

Park Chan-wook<\/a>\u2019s masterful latest is a blistering, gleeful indictment of soulless corporate hyper-capitalism \u2013 both bleak and hilarious. It follows a star company man living his dream life who is laid off from his long-time managerial job \u2013 and quickly learns that the only way to keep it all together is to kill off all those who stand in the way of him and the only equivalent role on the market. <\/p>\n

Lee Byung-hun (Squid Game<\/a>)\u2019s performance builds to a palpably unhinged crescendo by the end. The magic trick of the film is that the more it seems he\u2019s lost his mind, the more he fits into the madness of the world as it becomes. <\/p>\n

Since 2016’s The Handmaiden, Park has asserted himself as one of the best living directors \u2013 and one of the few in history, such as Brian De Palma or Steven Spielberg, whose camera is continuously full of life. Every flourish \u2013 particularly those that take advantage of screen life and other modern technologies most filmmakers cower in fear from \u2013 is a joy to behold. <\/p>\n

4. One Battle After Another<\/p>\n

One Battle After Another follows a former revolutionary forced back into conflict when his daughter goes missing and old enemies resurface. <\/p>\n

But what is the film trying to say? Less about ideology than about people \u2013 the flawed vessels who carry belief systems forward, fight for causes larger than themselves and inevitably fall short. What matters is not their failure, but what they pass on to the next generation, in the hope that they might do better.<\/p>\n

It is also filmmaking at its most kinetic. Paul Thomas Anderson reaches new heights as a visual storyteller, working on the largest canvas of his career. If he\u2019s Picasso, this is his Guernica. And much of it works because Leonardo DiCaprio has become a quietly selfless performer \u2013 unafraid to look foolish, and increasingly committed to lifting everyone around him.<\/p>\n

3. The Voice of Hind Rajab<\/p>\n

It feels impossible for me to judge The Voice of Hind Rajab<\/a> as a film, and feels wrong to try to place it on a list among so many mere entertainments. It\u2019s intended not as a work of art, but rather an urgent message to the world, laying bare a grave injustice. <\/p>\n

And it achieves its goal with disarming immediacy. Shot as a docudrama, it meticulously recreates the final call of a five-year-old Gazan girl to the Palestinian Red Cross \u2013 a child who cried out in vain for someone to help her, before Israeli forces in Gaza knowingly killed her.<\/p>\n

We follow the event from the call centre \u2013 hearing the real recording of her voice throughout, while the rest is a powerfully-performed reenactment. Even if you\u2019re aware of every detail, living through it is one of the most emotionally affecting experiences you\u2019ll ever have in a cinema.<\/p>\n

2. Sirat<\/p>\n

Sirat, directed by Spanish filmmaker Oliver Laxe, is perhaps the most spiritual film of the year \u2013 informed by Laxe\u2019s personal relationship with Islam. If you weren\u2019t looking for that, however, you may never notice it\u2019s there. Because on its face, Sirat can feel rather inexplicable. <\/p>\n

In it, a father from Spain wanders through the nomadic rave culture of Morocco with his son in search of his lost daughter. And as their journey through the wilderness continues \u2013 after they strike up a bond with a found family of ravers \u2013 unspeakable things start to happen. Laxe, however, isn\u2019t as interested in the unspeakable things themselves so much as how we process them, and how we can best approach the often-inexplicable horrors of the world. <\/p>\n

Riveting, unnerving and genuinely unforgettable \u2013 Sirat is the most blisteringly original film of the year. Just bear in mind \u2013 half the people you recommend it to may never forgive you for having done so. <\/p>\n

1. Marty Supreme <\/p>\n

Timothee Chalamet<\/a> has become a cultural force like no other actor from his emerging generation \u2013 a legitimate box office draw and committed, engaging performer. If that\u2019s enough success to make you resent him, perhaps reserve that sentiment for when the work he\u2019s promoting isn\u2019t on the level of Marty Supreme<\/a>. <\/p>\n

To call this a sports drama doesn\u2019t do it justice. Loosely inspired by the life of American table tennis champion Marty Reisman, this is an eccentric gem \u2013 peppered with unforgettable faces, period texture and jolting detours. It may not be the cinematic anxiety attack that was director Josh Safdie and writer Ronald Bronstein\u2019s last film Uncut Gems, but it shares its DNA \u2013 and has more on its mind. <\/p>\n

Whereas that film followed a born loser, this is a man who will never let the apparent truth get in the way of his own success. And as he rides a sea of deception through a duplicitous world to win fool\u2019s gold, his ultimate victory is in finding a sincere self on the other side. He\u2019s a force of nature so strong, Chalamet himself seemingly hasn\u2019t been able to shed character since so exquisitely bringing him to life. An all-timer \u2013 Rocky by way of After Hours. <\/p>\n

Honourable mentions: Hamnet, The Testament of Ann Lee, Sinners, Splitsville, 28 Years Later, Bring Her Back, Sentimental Value, Happy Birthday, Nouvelle Vague, F1, Mission: Impossible \u2013 The Final Reckoning, My Father’s Shadow<\/p>\n

Cryopreservation: A timeline
\nKeyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
\nOvarian tissue surgically removed
\nTissue processed in a high-tech facility
\nTissue re-implanted at a time of the patient\u2019s choosing
\nFull hormone production regained within 4-6 months
\nRESULTS<\/p>\n

Lightweight (female)
Sara El Bakkali bt Anisha Kadka
Bantamweight
Mohammed Adil Al Debi bt Moaz Abdelgawad
Welterweight
Amir Boureslan bt Mahmoud Zanouny
Featherweight
Mohammed Al Katheeri bt Abrorbek Madaminbekov
Super featherweight
Ibrahem Bilal bt Emad Arafa
Middleweight
Ahmed Abdolaziz bt Imad Essassi
Bantamweight (female)
Ilham Bourakkadi bt Milena Martinou
Welterweight
Mohamed Mardi bt Noureddine El Agouti
Middleweight
Nabil Ouach bt Ymad Atrous
Welterweight
Nouredine Samir bt Marlon Ribeiro
Super welterweight
Brad Stanton bt Mohamed El Boukhari<\/p>\n

MATCH INFO<\/p>\n

Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:<\/p>\n

Ajax 2-3 Tottenham<\/p>\n

Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate<\/p>\n

Final: June 1, Madrid<\/p>\n

Tips to avoid getting scammed<\/p>\n

1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday<\/p>\n

2) Visit an\u00a0RTA centre to change\u00a0registration only\u00a0after receiving payment<\/p>\n

3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone<\/p>\n

4) Try not to close the sale at night<\/p>\n

5) Don’t be rushed into a sale\u00a0<\/p>\n

6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This year\u2019s best films did not offer escape so much as confrontation. Across genres, budgets and continents, they…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":342967,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[23200,96,2332,8356,2839,5438,5141,56,54,55,117468],"class_list":{"0":"post-342966","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-movies","8":"tag-arts-culture-team","9":"tag-entertainment","10":"tag-film","11":"tag-film-reviews","12":"tag-movies","13":"tag-standard","14":"tag-story","15":"tag-uk","16":"tag-united-kingdom","17":"tag-unitedkingdom","18":"tag-year-in-review"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/342966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=342966"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/342966\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/342967"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=342966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=342966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=342966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}