2025 has been a strong year for cinema, but especially for the horror genre which is one of my favourites. I feel like I’ve seen so many great films this year, which is wonderful to say. It’s always hard to choose my absolute favourites when I get something from each film and could write a paragraph about them all—but I’ve tried my best. Ranking films is always so hard for me so these are presented in no particular order and are based on UK release dates.
Caught Stealing
As a fan of Darren Aronofsky, I was looking forward to seeing his latest film, Caught Stealing, which follows ex-baseball player Hank Thompson (Austin Butler) who becomes embroiled in a dangerous struggle for survival amidst the criminal underbelly of late 1990s New York City. It’s infused with Aronofsky’s highly energetic direction and bleak themes, while also looking absolutely gorgeous. Butler really shines here playing a character with so many sides to him as things keep worsening for him throughout the story. While watching this, I just kept thinking, now this is a fucking movie!
The Long Walk
I’m always up for seeing a Stephen King adaptation, especially as a fan of his excellent character work, and luckily The Long Walk didn’t disappoint. Set in a dystopian, alternate-America ruled by a totalitarian regime, fifty teenage boys take part in a deadly annual walking contest, forced to maintain a minimum pace or be executed, until only one survivor remains. Director Francis Lawrence was definitely the best choice for a film like this considering his experience directing Constantine, I Am Legend, and a good amount of The Hunger Games films. The film is nothing but them walking and talking, but it remains captivating throughout thanks to its engaging filmmaking, excellent dialogue, supporting players, and its charismatic key stars, Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson.
together
When Tim (Dave Franco) and Millie (Alison Brie) move to the countryside, their relationship is tested beyond the normal limits of a couple’s relationship when a supernatural encounter forces them to undergo an extreme transformation of their love, their lives, and their flesh. It’s fun watching a real-life couple act together in a film and luckily I’ve always liked Dave Franco and Alison Brie. Together impressed me with its unique concept and incredible body horror. It’s overall a really well-made and captivating film drawing on themes of anxiety, codependency, and identity in relationships.
Marty Supreme
It has been a genuine joy to watch Timothée Chalamet’s craft and career grow over the past decade. I respect his ambition and can’t wait to see where else it takes him. Marty Supreme is without a doubt one of the best films I’ve seen this year. Set in 1950s New York, Marty Mauser (Chalamet) knows he’s a gifted ping pong player and goes to hell and back in the pursuit of greatness. Chalamet truly embodies Marty; an arrogant, brash, and cunning young man loosely based on the real-life of champion table tennis player Marty Reisman. From the moment Marty Supreme begins, it locks you in and takes you on an unforgettable, infuriating, stressful, constantly moving, fun and energetic odyssey. Fantastic filmmaking and writing from Josh Safdie (co-written with Ronald Bronstein) with a powerful score and cast, featuring Gwyneth Palrow, Odessa A’zion, Kevin O’Leary, Abel Ferrara, Tyler the Creator, Fran Drescher, Emory Cohen, and Koto Kawaguchi.
Nosferatu
There was no way I was going to pass on Robert Eggers’ version of Nosferatu, a gothic tale of obsession between Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), a haunted young woman, and the terrifying vampire (Bill Skarsgård) infatuated with her, leaving untold horror in its wake while Ellen’s husband Thomas (Nicholas Hoult) finds himself caught in the crossfire. Nosferatu is on the long side, but it is absolutely gorgeous to look at with its stunning sets, costumes, and direction. Eggers and cinematographer Jarin Blaschke’s many creative shots result in masterful filmmaking which complement the psychological horror behind its themes of societal anxieties and female sexual desire in the 1830s. Skarsgård is superb.
Die My Love
The long-awaited new Lynne Ramsay film, Die My Love, includes her signature style of psychologically intense, sensorially rich, and poetic themes and visuals. Based on the book of the same name by Ariana Harwicz, Grace (Jennifer Lawrence) finds herself slowly slipping into madness following the birth of her son. Locked away in an old house in Montana with her partner Jackson (Robert Pattinson), her increasingly agitated and erratic behaviour leaves those around her feeling worried and helpless. Shot on 35mm, Die My Love is so visually gorgeous, though the night scenes lose some magic. Lawrence’s performance is incredibly powerful as she struggles immensely with her mental health, which goes beyond the realms of postpartum depression. Ramsay’s films often avoid explaining everything to the audience, allowing for fragmented narratives and personal interpretations of themes, meanings, and motivations. Die My Love is no exception, which makes the film all the more powerful.
I Fell in Love with a Z-Grade Director in Brooklyn
I had the privilege of watching this Japanese film, written and directed by Ken’ichi Ugana, during this year’s Fantasia Festival (you can read my full review here). It follows a jaded Japanese movie star (Ui Mihara) stranded in NYC who meets a passionate indie filmmaker (Estevan Muñoz) and his crew, leading to an unexpected creative journey that could reignite her love for cinema. I Fell in Love with a Z-Grade Director in Brooklyn is a charming and joyous experience, evoking slice-of-life films like Before Sunrise and Night on Earth, which highlights the importance of creating art for the sake of passion and connection rather than out of obligation or fame-seeking. This romcom is a hidden gem and is definitely one to look out for when it acquires a release date for cinema/streaming.
KPop Demon Hunters
When K-pop superstars Rumi (Arden Cho/Ejae as singing voice), Mira (May Hong/Audrey Nuna as singing voice), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo/Rei Ami as singing voice)—who make up the girl band Huntrix—aren’t selling out stadiums, they’re using their secret powers to protect their fans from supernatural threats. This time, they must face off against demonic boyband the Saja Boys and seal the Golden Honmoon in time to permanently banish the demons. KPop Demon Hunters, directed by Maggie Kang (who wrote the story) and Chris Appelhans, was such an incredible surprise and I know I’m not the only one who thinks so. Its fantastic animation, visual style, voice acting, catchy original music, simple story, and Korean cultural references deliver a fun and emotionally rich experience.
sinners
Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan) return to their hometown to start fresh, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back. Ryan Coogler’s vampire flick Sinners has been all the rave this year and for good reason. It’s visually stunning, emotionally moving, and incredibly captivating throughout (despite being another film that runs too long) with a charismatic ensemble cast that demands attention. The themes of black identity, power, and exploitation during the Jim Crow era are powerfully portrayed. Not to mention, there are some truly breathtaking music sequences that elevate Sinners even further.
Final Destination: Bloodlines
I wouldn’t have expected to have a Final Destination film listed in my top 10, but here we are. Plagued by a violent recurring nightmare, college student Stefanie (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) heads home to track down the one person who might be able to break the cycle and save her family from the grisly demise that inevitably awaits them all. Final Destination: Bloodlines is a masterclass in how to do a legacy sequel correctly. It gives us characters to care about, have fun with, and fear for within what are entertainingly brutal set pieces. The deaths are as gory and insane as ever and it gives a solid send-off to the iconic Tony Todd.
Honourable Mentions:
- 28 Years Later
- Sentimental Value
- Sorry, Baby
- Eternity
- Black Phone 2
- Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere
- Wake Up Dead Man
- The Ugly Stepsister
- The Gorge
- Jay Kelly
- Roofman
2026 Releases I’m Looking Forward To:
- If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
- No Other Choice
- The Testament of Ann Lee
- Send Help
- “Wuthering Heights”’
- Ready or Not 2: Here I Come
- Practical Magic 2
- Hoppers
- The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
- How to Make a Killing
And many more…
Happy New Year!
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