Morgan’s Favorite Films of 2025

By Morgan Roberts

It is that time when we look back at the films released throughout the year and narrow them down to our favorites list. I have watched nearly 200 new releases both through theatrical releases, video on demand releases, and at film festivals. There were a number of films that we close to making my favorite films of the year list such as “One Battle After Another,” “Die My Love,” and “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl.” On an expanded list, they’re certainly there. Of course, there are films that I missed or just haven’t been able to see. “No Other Choice” remains an elusive film. “The Chronology of Water” now has an early January release. But, after lots of pondering, rearranging, rewatching, and careful consideration, here are my Top 15 films of 2025.

Nesbat Serhan, Motaz Malhees, Saja Kilani and Clara Khoury in “The Voice of Hind Rajab” | Watermelon Pictures & Plan B Entertainment

15. “The Voice of Hind Rajab” dir. Kaouther Ben Hania

Blending re-enactments and audio from the actual final phone call with five-year-old Hind Rajab as she was trapped in a car under fire in Gaza, “The Voice of Hind Rajab” is a devastating and visceral film. From the start, the film is a heartbreaking depiction of the real life Red Crescent volunteers trying desperately to save the little girl. I found myself holding my breath throughout the film, knowing the tragic ending we would ultimately conclude with. It is a harrowing depiction of these events, but a necessary watch.

Seymour Hersh in “Cover-Up” | Netflix

14. “Cover-Up” dirs. Laura Poitras & Mark Obenhaus

“Cover-Up” chronicles the life and career of journalist Seymour Hersh. The film plays with the documentary form by leaning into the political thrillers of the 1970s. While Hersh aims to create a barrier between himself and the filmmakers, the investigations he worked on certainly reveal elements of his character without outwardly sharing them.

A$AP Rocky and Rose Byrne in “If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You” | A24

13. “If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You” dir. Mary Bronstein

One of the most suffocating films of the year, “If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You” is the unrelenting film about one mother having to navigate life, work, and healthcare with a chronically ill child. Rose Byrne gives one of the best performances of the year, capturing how unrelenting motherhood can be. And, as someone who went to school to be a therapist, this film hits different in all the right, and sometimes painful, ways. The film never lets up, and it is one that certainly stays with you long after the credits roll.

Logan Lerman and Molly Gordon in “Oh, Hi!” | Sony Pictures Classics

12. “Oh, Hi!” dir. Sophie Brooks

Relationships have always been complicated, but over the last 20 years, the introduction of the “it’s complicated” relationship status and online dating exacerbated the nightmare that is dating. So, when Isaac (Logan Lerman) and Iris (Molly Gordon) learn they’re on completely different wavelengths about their relationship while on their first getaway trip, their vacation takes a quick turn. The film is a rom-dramedy in all the right ways, taking big swings while always being rooted in the truths of its characters.

From the documentary “Seeds” | Viva Maude

11. “Seeds” dir. Brittany Shyne

Ruminating, stirring, and, at times, gut-wrenching, “Seeds” is a moving documentary about Black farmers in the American South. The cinema vérité style documentary follows a non-linear structure to reveal the often harsh realities of farming for Black Americans, slowly revealing the insidious ways in which racism contributes to government-made hardships. But the film also highlights the community, the ways in which, in spite of the constant obstacles, these farmers find ways to show up for their community.

Felicity Jones and Joel Edgerton in “Train Dreams” | Netflix

10. “Train Dreams” dir. Clint Bentley

A stunning portrait of life, loss, and the perseverance of the human spirit. Following Grainier (Joel Edgerton), a logger in the Pacific Northwest, the film is a heartbreakingly beautiful exploration of one man’s life. Deeply rooted in the human experience, the film still manages to feel like a sweeping epic due to Adolpho Veloso’s stunning cinematography and its score by Bryce Dessner. It is one of those few films that, despite catastrophe after catastrophe, you can’t help but be moved by the persistence of humanity.

Image from the documentary “Natchez” | Oscilloscope

9. “Natchez” dir. Suzannah Herbert

I have seen this film described as “Southern discomfort,” and there is a lot of truth to that. This documentary explores the complicated history of Natchez, Mississippi, following the white and Black residents of the area and how they grapple with the hard truths of the area. There are no easy conversations in this film, nor does it provide easy outs for some of its subjects. There is also one scene that truly stunned me, and this memorable moment is largely due to director Suzannah Herbert’s keen interrogation and how editor Pablo Proenza crafter the scene.

Ayden Mayeri and Amira Casar in “Honeyjoon”

8. “Honeyjoon” dir. Lilian T. Mehrel

There is nothing I love more than films that examine the thorny yet magical relationship between mothers and daughters. The film follows Lela (Amira Casar) and June (Ayden Mayeri), a mother-daughter duo who are in the Azores after a recent loss. The actors have incredible chemistry, and it makes the heartfelt moments and comedy truly shine. Not only does the film follow this relationship, but it explores how our dynamics shift after tragedy. The film has layers and with its themes, it is easy for any audience to connect with it. I saw the film both at the Tribeca Film Festival and Three Rivers Film Festival, with the latter affording me the opportunity to see it on the big screen - it is film certainly made for theaters.

Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas in “Sentimental Value” | Neon

7. “Sentimental Value” dir. Joachim Trier

With his follow up to his 2019 film, “The World Person in the World,” Joachim Trier tackles not only a complex father-daughter relationship, but what it means to truly be seen. Renate Reinsve is captivating from the moment she is on screen. Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Stellan Skarsgard, and Elle Fanning are phenomenal in their supporting roles. Much like his other works, “Sentimental Values” manages to ooze charm, sincerity, and grace. It is one of the best haunted house films I’ve seen in quite some time.

Michael B. Jordan and Miles Caton in “Sinners” | Warner Bros.

6. “Sinners” dir. Ryan Coogler

Ryan Coogler knows how to make an exhilarating and thought-provoking film. Using the vampire genre, “Sinners” is a Southern gothic horror that explores colonialism, white nationalism, and the insidious ways it permeates our society. Set in the 1930s Mississippi Delta, Coogler manages to make a period piece that draws parallels to our present day circumstances. A tapestry of themes, the film unveils the noxious web that lies beneath. With one of the year’s best ensemble cast, Wunmi Mosaku and Delroy Lindo are particularly phenomenal with newcomer Miles Caton as a complete scene stealer throughout the film.

Tessa Thompson, Nina Hoss, and Imogen Poots in “Hedda” | Orion Pictures

5. “Hedda” dir. Nia DaCosta

Modernizing Henrik Ibsen’s late-19th century play, filmmaker Nia DaCosta explores the original tensions of the play and expands upon them in a heart-racing film. Set in the 1950s England, the film not only explores gender and age, but race, sexuality, and class in this electrifying adaptation. Under DaCosta’s direction and portrayed by an always stunning Tessa Thompson, this Hedda Gabler feels more like a Greek tragedy than anything. The film manages to be both alluring and gut-wrenchingly calamitous, which only a filmmaker as stellar as DaCosta can craft.

Josh O’Connor in “The Mastermind” | MUBI

4. “The Mastermind” dir. Kelly Reichardt

Kelly Reichardt makes a 1970s heist film: “The Mastermind” was made specifically for me. Reichardt clearly understands the genre, paying homage to the decade of some revelatory filmmaking without losing her patient and ruminative storytelling. Josh O’Connor is stellar as the art thief who only has part of the plan, but all of the audacity of someone five steps ahead. The ending of the film took me by surprise in all of the best ways possible, something only Reichardt could do.

Amanda Seyfried in “The Testament of Ann Lee” | Searchlight Pictures

3. “The Testament of Ann Lee” dir. Mona Fastvold

Visually stunning with cinematography, choreography, and songs that make one of the most captivating films of the year. Exploring the life of Ann Lee (Amanda Seyfried) and the Shaker movement, the film is hypnotic as it weaves in fantastical elements with the real-life tale of the religious leader of a now nearly extinct sect. Seyfried is mesmerizing as the religious leader, and gives an awe-inspiring performance.

Eva Victor in “Sorry, Baby” | A24

2. “Sorry, Baby” dir. Eva Victor

What happens when we become frozen by our trauma? What happens to us as the world moves around us? In their directorial debut, Eva Victor captures the ways in which the ripple effects of trauma can paralyze your life. In front of and behind the camera, they are magnificent. On screen, Victor manages to balance the heaviness and the humor, delicately threading the needle in such a masterful way. The script is one of the best of the year that is a heartbreaking and healing read. I originally saw the film back at Sundance and I have thought about it all year.

Jessie Buckley and Joe Alwyn in “Hamnet” | Focus Features

1. “Hamnet” dir. Chloé Zhao

Throughout much of the film, Chloé Zhao juxtaposes light and dark, demonstrating the ways in which life teeters on the precipice of death. Perhaps they are not polar opposites but two sides to the same coin? Adapting the book of the same name by Maggie O’Farrell, the film centers on the themes of love and loss, showing the ways elation and devastation can define (and redefine) our lives. Giving my favorite performance of the year, Jessie Buckley is outstanding as Agnés, a woman trying to make sense of the shadow of grief that follows her, and what happens when it nearly becomes all-consuming. It is a breathtaking film that brought me to tears with all of its heartache and all of its hope.