2025 had a slow start when it came to movies, but did it ever finish strong! This year boasts a respectable mix of studio projects and independent mavericks in That Shelf’s survey of the best films of 2025. All contributors at That Shelf were invited to submit their picks for the top ten best films of the last 12 months. Writers were welcome to consider films they saw at festivals as well as in commercial release. This year, we’re presenting our lists individually to help showcase our eclectic range of tastes. Please join us in saluting the best films of 2025!
The Best Films of 2025
Emma Badame
1. Hamnet
Very rarely does a film not only meet expectations, but exceed them. Chloé Zhao’s adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel is one of those rare cinematic birds. It’s hard to approach Shakespeare in an original way, but this story does just that by not only exploring the family behind the playwright but by giving real dimension to them and to their grief upon the loss of their young son. Jessie Buckley’s lead performance as Agnes Shakespeare is genuinely one of the best of the year, if not the past few years, and she’s surrounded by compelling supporting performances from Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, and young Jacobi Jupe (as Hamnet). It’s a heartbreaking tale that never feels manipulative and provides hope even in the face of pure devastation.
2. Sentimental Value
There are very few things that excite me more than a well-done character piece, and Joachim Trier’s latest is just that. Stellan Skarsgård excels as an aging actor confronting his troubled relationship with his daughters amid a career on the skids. From start to finish, it’s a master class in acting and a director letting his cast do what they do best.
3. Aontas
One of the most original films of the year, this festival thriller tells the story of a desperate heist in a small Irish town–but in reverse. With standout performances from Carrie Crowley and Brid Brennan, who deliver dialogue in their native Irish Gaelic (a rarity), this is one worth seeking out. And make sure to go in spoiler-free.
4. Sinners
There’s very little to say about Ryan Coogler’s epic horror film that hasn’t already been said, but this is Southern Gothic in its finest form. The film positively drips with atmosphere, assisted by a fantastic score and production design. Still, it’s the tremendous performances from Michael B. Jordan and a stellar supporting cast, and a pitch-perfect script from Coogler, that elevate this from simply a good horror flick to layered social commentary at its finest.
5. Sirāt
Oliver Laxe’s desert epic has been a hit at festivals all year long, winning big after its premiere at Cannes, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s a film that defies classification, both intimate and expansive in equal measure. While One Battle After Another also deals with a father in search of a missing daughter, there’s something that sets Sirāt in a category all its own. Both are great films, but they head in different directions, and so it’s Laxe’s surprising storytelling that puts this one slightly higher on my list.
6. Come See Me in the Good Light
One of the most emotional films of the year comes to audiences courtesy of this intimate documentary that follows poet/activist Andrea Gibson and their partner Megan Falley as they navigate Gibson’s diagnosis of terminal ovarian cancer. It’s a beautiful examination of love, strength and humour in the hardest of circumstances. It’s a must-see.
7. Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro is my jam, so his cinematic version of Mary Shelley’s gothic tale of humanity and hubris was one of my most anticipated films of the year. Though not an exact adaptation, it sticks more closely to the source material than almost any other screen version–a treat for fans of Shelley. Everyone involved here is at the top of their game–from the actors to the set designers to the costumes and score, and the result is a new standard version of a centuries-old favourite.
8. Weapons
Originality is a scarce commodity in Hollywood these days, so films like Weapons are always a breath of fresh air. A creative horror flick that keeps you guessing, with committed performances from a talented cast headed by a memorable turn from Amy Madigan, gave the summer box office a boost, and has remained top of mind even as the award-film rush overwhelms.
9. Blue Moon
Very rarely do directors set out to make a film feel “stagey.” Richard Linklater sets out to do just that here, and against all odds, it works. Perhaps it’s the letter-perfect script, or Ethan Hawke’s riveting performance as Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart, or a purpose-built Sardi’s set that transports audiences to 1943 New York. Still, whatever it is, it leads to one of the smallest but most resonant character pieces of 2025.
10. The Secret Agent
This has been an excellent year for international film, and this Oscar-tapped entry from Brazil’s Kleber Mendonça Filho is among the best. Even if you’re not super familiar with the military dictatorship at the heart of the neo-noir political thriller, it’ll keep you riveted from start to finish. Star Wagner Moura is electrifying as a former professor caught up in the chaos of the regime’s final throws.
Colin Biggs
1. Sinners
I wasn’t sure if Ryan Coogler’s summer surprise would still be at the top of my list at year’s end, but here we are! We all remember scenes that “popped: in theatres: the Infinity War “snap,” the dream folding in on itself in Inception, and the Burj Khalifa climb in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, moments where every audience member went “whoa.” The music montage in Sinners is absolutely in that class. Not to mention the lead who carries the film. Michael B. Jordan’s turn as twins is impressive in that each character is immediately distinguishable. In a scene where it’s only Jordan acting against himself, we’re completely riveted.
2. One Battle After Another
Adapting Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland into a film was a daunting task. Somehow, Paul Thomas Anderson made a film that feels timeless while still reflecting the reality of this moment. Pat (Leonardo DiCaprio) slides into the same malaise that the last decade has reduced us to, but he shakes out of it for the sake of his daughter (Chase Infiniti), and finds he’s less prepared for fighting than he used to be. The cyclical nature of history means that we’ve fought this battle before, and we will fight it again. Hopefully, we’ll all be lucky enough to have someone like Sensei (Benicio Del Toro) to show us the way.
3. Sentimental Value
People go to the theatre to feel something, yet artists can fall into the trap of not being able to express themselves. Here, a renowned director (Stellan Skarsgård), who only communicated through his art, reckons with the impact that choice made on his daughters (Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas). Reinsve has established herself as one of the best actors of her generation, Sentimental Value is your notice to take attention.
4. It Was Just an Accident
Jafar Panahi’s run-ins with the Iranian government are well-documented. With It Was Just an Accident, Panahi offers audiences a moral prism to explore the lasting ramifications the cycle of violence perpetrated on us all. A chance encounter gives Vahid (Vahid Mobasseri) a chance at revenge for his wrongful imprisonment. Yet Vahid’s uncertainty about his captive’s guilt entangles many more survivors who were ready to move on with their lives. What starts in a flash of anger spirals into torturous hours of difficult questions for those who were wronged.
5. Weapons
In an otherwise unremarkable neighbourhood, one lawn hasn’t been mowed in months. The windows are covered in newspaper. Garbage is strewn about. Even when a cop car sits outside the home for hours. No one notices. Zach Cregger’s film about a (supposedly) tight-knit community revels in and skews the fact that no one is paying attention. No one cares about anything outside of their bubble. Many prestigious films try to tackle modern life; Weapons did it in an orange wig and bright red lipstick.
6. Hedda
A dinner party this combustible could only come from Ibsen, but the flair that Tessa Thompson brings on-camera and Nia DaCosta brings behind it make for a thrilling pair. You see blurbs every year about an actor “setting the screen ablaze,” but Thompson tears and shreds her way through the entire cast. It’s her story, we’re just waiting to see what she’ll do next.
7. Sirāt
How quickly the ecstasy of a rave ends in anguish. A father (Sergi López) and son (Bruno Núñez Arjona) search for a missing daughter at an EDM festival in North Africa. Oliver Laxe’s film, beyond that short premise, is difficult to pin down. It’s not a fun watch. The film explores how the tragedy of a single loss becomes insignificant in the face of Armageddon. The film’s music is a sustaining force. Propulsive enough to carry you past the point of danger—if only for past tragedies to mean something.
8. F1
In terms of technical prowess, nothing surpassed Joseph Kosinski’s racing sequences in IMAX. Brad Pitt relies on the movie star charm that got him this far, but it’s Kosinski and Claudio Miranda that go to extreme lengths to create the most immersive racing experience depicted onscreen. He’s covered planes and race cars, the only thing for Kosinski to tackle next is submersibles. I’ll be the first one in line.
9. Black Bag
Steven Soderbergh has accomplished a lot in his decades in Hollywood. Recontextualizing Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? into an espionage story? Brilliant. Tradecraft makes for great storytelling, but not necessarily successful marriages. As we get inside the headspace of Kathryn (Cate Blanchett) and George (Michael Fassbender), they test the boundaries of national security and trust in each other as husband and wife.
10. Friendship
A Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd pairing shouldn’t work, but the two play off each other’s energies beautifully. I never knew where Friendship was going, and that, honestly, is rare with modern movies.
Sarah Gopaul
1. Kokuho
Over the course of five decades, audiences witness two distinct sides of Kabuki — the beautiful artistry and the cutthroat business. This is a 15-year passion project for director Lee Sang-il. His devotion to the subject is evident in the attention to detail throughout the period drama. The film is a love letter to the art of Kabuki. Lee doesn’t only try to help audiences understand it, but he invites them to love it as much as he does. Excerpts from the various plays in which the actors perform add marvellous depth to the story. Kokuho blends a riveting narrative with an immense appreciation for performance that immerses audiences into the distinctive world of Kabuki.
2. Sinners
This was not the movie most people expected from Ryan Coogler. The torn flesh and ghastly amounts of blood confirm it’s a horror movie, but the first half of the picture expertly establishes a connection between the characters and the audience.
3. No Other Choice
It’s easy to see co-writer and director Park Chan-wook, and Canadian co-writer Don McKellar in the script, which balances family drama with a dark sense of humour. There are some laugh-out-loud moments, but it’s designed to be absurd rather than outright funny.
4. One Battle After Another
In spite of the chaos, this is one of Paul Thomas Anderson’s most accessibly bizarre pictures. It’s frenzied but unambiguous, mixing political commentary with human connections in a way that won’t please everyone, but will entertain those open to its intense energy.
5. Rental Family
Much of the story is predictable, but the journey is so profound audiences don’t miss being surprised by the narrative — they’re too engrossed by the heartfelt performances to notice. The poignant story about compassion and human connection makes the film one of the year’s best feel-good movies.
6. The Perfect Neighbor
Strictly using police bodycam footage, this true-crime documentary is a horrifying chronicle of bitter hatred. The film draws audiences into the unfolding conflict, makes them uneasy as it reaches a boiling point and eventually breaks their heart with the resulting tragedy.
7. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
The film features the keen depiction of a woman on the brink. Close camerawork puts viewers in her shoes so they experience the endless string of crises and demands together, constantly wondering how much more they can endure.
8. 40 Acres
Writer-director R.T. Thorne’s debut feature tackles a variety of subjects, but the Freeman family is the heart of the story. It’s not often one can call a post-apocalyptic movie about an organized militia of brutal killers heartwarming, but that’s where this film starts and ends.
9. Black Phone 2
It’s rare for a sequel to match its predecessor, but this is one of those rare occasions. Director Scott Derrickson and his co-writing team return to create a film that’s equally creepy, while also successfully reimagining a classic horror technique.
10. The Monkey
Writer-director Osgood Perkins is a fast-rising star in horror. In this film, he uniquely reimagines the cursed object narrative, generating a frightening tale of shocking deaths and impossible choices.
Honourable mentions: This was a great year for genre films: 28 Years Later, Bring Her Back, Clown in a Cornfield, Dangerous Animals, Death of a Unicorn, Dust Bunny, Good Boy, Heart Eyes, and Weapons.
Jason Gorber
1. One Battle After Another
2. Eddington
3. Eephus
4. Nouvelle Vague
5. Song Sung Blue
6. Marty Supreme
7. Is This Thing On?
8. Twinless
9. The Phoenician Scheme
10. Train Dreams
Pat Mullen
1. Come See Me in the Good Light
There’s a certain cynicism among film critics that says we’re supposed to be suspcious of any film that moves us. But to take a line from the late Andrea Gibson, as they say in Come See Me in the Good Light, why write a poem that’s over somebody’s head, let alone their heart? Movies move us, and it’s simply wrong to devalue a work that deftly earns the catharsis it inspires. It takes genuine skill to nimbly craft a film that navigates such a spectrum of emotions as this doc does, guiding audiences from tears to laughter with a single cut. Moreover, there’s a beautiful union between subject and style in this intimate portrait directed by Ryan White as Gibson and partner Megan Falley invite audiences into their lives during their most vulnerable moments while Gibson undergoes treatment for terminal cancer. This is a film about what it means to savour every moment you have left. It wonderfully shares Gibson and Falley’s skill for finding poetry in the quotidian, while embracing the emotive quality of their work to create a film that makes us laugh and cry with equal measure. Come See Me in the Good Light starts with a dire prognosis, but does any film this year make you feel so alive?
2. Hamnet
If 2025 is the year where we do one for feelings, then Chloé Zhao’s exploration of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy will move you in ways that the Bard’s words rarely do. It’s no easy feat to take some of the most familiar words in theatre and make them seem so fresh and new. Someone at a junket told me they think Hamnet is the test of whether someone has a soul, and based upon some of the critical reactions, I’m inclined to agree.
3. Twinless
Canadian distributors completely dropped the ball on this one, as James Sweeney’s darkly hilarious film deserves an audience for how authentically it captures the surreal reality of navigating the dating scene as a twin when someone else is always looking for your better half. Sweeney should be a star on both sides of the camera.
4. Sirāt
This anxiety-inducing, heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat thrill ride takes audiences perilously close to the precipice between life and death, yet its zen-like atmosphere inspires moments of genuine serenity amid the techno beats. No film rocked my world like Sirāt did.
5. The Tale of Silyan
With a cluck-cluck here and a cluck-cluck there, The Tale of Silyan witnesses an intimate connection between the animals and the members of the working class. Beautifully shot and full of great bird clucking, this doc challenges Sirāt for the title of 2025’s big screen must-see!
6. The Voice of Hind Rajab
This is a powerful and borderline unbearable portrait of heroism that asks the world why it’s so hard to do the right thing. The world might have failed Hind Rajab, but this film ensures that her voice will be forever seared into your memory.
7. The Testament of Ann Lee
This story of movers and Shakers is without equal. Mona Fastvold reimagines the movie musical with an conventional portrait of a religious leader who emphasized gender equality and love long before the Church reluctantly came around to it. Amanda Seyfried is simply a marvel — find me a musical performance from the past decade that hits like “Hunger & Thirst” does.
8. Pillion
As tender as it is hot and as sweet as it is nasty, dom-com Pillion certainly, er, tops the year in movies for its swelteringly affectionate study of desire and control. Alexander Skarsgård’s press tour walked so that the guys of Heated Rivalry could run.
9. Sentimental Value
With a play on art imitating life, or stealing from it, outdone only by Hamnet, Stellan Skarsgård’s career-best performances makes clear why his son Alexander has acting in his bones.
10. Marty Supreme
Imagine if Martin Scorsese reconceived Inside Llewyn Davis as a ping pong biopic, we might something like this wild odyssey. Timothée Chalamet gives an all-timer performance, while Canada’s resident sleazebag Kevin O’Leary completely surprises as, well, a sleazebag business tycoon. Best Casting Oscar, yes?
Honourable mentions: Hedda, Song Sung Blue, The Secret Agent, Is This Thing On?, Train Dreams, No Other Choice, Bugonia, BLKNWS, Blue Moon, Endless Cookie, Blue Heron, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, My Father’s Shadow, One Battle After Another, Sinners.
Adam Schoales
1. One Battle After Another
I know, I know, not a surprising choice, but what can I say? This is an absolute freight train of a movie: Once it starts, it does not let up until the credits roll. It just flies by. But also felt like I might have a panic attack at multiple points while watching it. I’ve never been a big fan of PTA, so believe me when I say no one is more surprised than me that this is my film of the year. And while obviously everyone wants to talk about the performances (they’re amazing), or the Vistavision cinematography (it’s stunning), my highest plaudits goes to Jonny Greenwood’s score, which is part of what gives this film its incredible energy.
I leave the rest of my picks unranked…
28 Years Later
While I didn’t vibe with this as much as others, I love Boyle’s stylistic experimentation, and subversion of expectations. Excited to see what’s to come.
Black Bag
One of my favourite filmmakers today working in one of my favourite genres? And it looks this good? Pump it into my veins!
F1
Big screen filmmaking at its finest. Claudio Miranda’s cinematography achievements here are truly incredible (although will likely go overlooked in favour of One Battle After Another), and Zimmer’s score has been in constant rotation ever since.
Highest 2 Lowest
A bit shaggy, but at the end of the day it’s Spike and Denzel, and I’ll always show up for that.
The Naked Gun
I went in with tremendous hesitation, and subsequently laughed my butt off. It’s an absolute joke machine that does net let a minute go by without a inspiring a laugh. Absolutely justified its existence. BRING BACK STUDIO COMEDIES!
Sinners
I didn’t know this thing existed until I saw Ryan Coogler discussing the cinematography on social media. I bought my ticket that afternoon and am so glad I did. It’s an incredible cinematic feat that demands to be seen on the big screen. And that score!
Superman
The film that cured my superhero burnout. It’s fun, it’s got heart, and it surprisingly something to say. For once I’m excited to see what comes next.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Rian Johnson levels up; I loved everything about this (especially the two gags for Andrew Lloyd Webber fans), and this is no question the best looking of the trilogy. Please never stop making them.
Weapons
An absolute treat! I wouldn’t have guessed one of the funniest movies of the year would be a horror movie, yet here we are. Maybe my favourite experience at the cinema this year.
Matthew Simpson
1. Train Dreams
A magnificent accomplishment of filmmaking. A survey of a simple, beautiful life that will tug on your heartstrings and prove that ultimately, what gives life meaning is time. Time spent with people you care about, people who care about you, and appreciating everything around you, even in the toughest of times. A tender film, beautifully composed by Clint Bentley and achingly performed by Joel Edgerton. Train Dreams will leave you thinking and feeling in the days and weeks after you watch it, as all great art does.
2. Black Bag
Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender lead a slick-as-hell spy thriller in which you’re never quite sure who is on whose side until the very end, even the married couple. Low-key one of the most fun films of the year.
3. Superman
There’s an inherent assumption that Clark Kent’s alien abilities are what make him super: He’s faster than a speeding bullet, stronger than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. But director James Gunn and star Michael Corenswet remember that what actually makes Clark Kent great is that he’s a good, decent, human man.
4. 28 Years Later
One of the best legacy sequels made to date, in no small part because it’s unafraid to be something unique and different than other entries in the franchise.
5. Wake Up Dead Man
Rian Johnson’s most ambitious script in the Knives Out series so far threads the needle of criticizing the church and those who would co-opt its message and mission without being disrespectful. Wonderful stuff, and a (hopefully) star-making turn from Josh O’Connor
6. The Naked Gun
Akiva Schaffer, along with co-writers Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, and star Liam Neeson, managed to do the impossible and accurately recapture the madcap energy of Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker. The most and biggest laughs of the year are contained herein.
7. Weapons
Weapons is a smart and savvy meditation on grief and the feeling of powerlessness brought on by catastrophic actions, and one that plays with our expectations. Everyone is great, but Julia Gardner has the line read of the year in this film.
8. The Assessment
A stark look at a seemingly utopian but actually dystopian world where disease is eradicated and life extended, and what the price might be to exist in such a world.
9. Thunderbolts*
Marvel’s recent track record hasn’t been great, but Thunderbolts* does that magic thing where they bring together a number of C-list heroes and make something special, in this case a meditation on depression and loneliness.
10. Blue Moon
Set entirely in a New York bar and following lyricist Lorenz Hart on the first night of his former writing partner, Richard Rodgers, of Rodgers and Hammerstein- smash hit new play, Blue Moon might be an excuse to let Ethan Hawke act his heart out, but you know what? It’s a great performance, easily one of the best of the year.
Courtney Small
1. BLKNWS: Terms and Conditions
An exhilarating and thought-provoking piece of cinema. Khalil Joseph’s BLKNWS: Terms and Conditions is a documentary that blends Afro-futurism, history, popular memes, archival footage, scripted content, commentary on news/media, elements of science fiction, clips from classic and new cinema, philosophical and intellectual thoughts on everything from Black freedom to the creative process to style. Joseph manages to capture it all in a cohesive and digestible way that feels personal and accessible at the same time.
2. One Battle After Another
Worthy of all the critical acclaim it has and continues to receive, Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film is a masterful piece of cinema. After years of making period films, Anderson creates an energetic and endlessly rewatchable work that speaks to our current times.
3. The Secret Agent
Taking viewers to 1977 Brazil, a time of great mischief, Kleber Mendonça Filho’s The Secret Agent is a sprawling tale of corruption, crime, and those who risk it all fighting against it. This is a film that takes viewers in various directions while still sticking the emotional landing.
4. It Was Just an Accident
Few films had me on the edge of my seat like Jafar Panahi’s latest thriller. It’s truly a film that keeps viewers guessing up to the very end.
5. My Father’s Shadow
One of the year’s most surprising and moving films, My Father’s Shadow hits viewers with an emotional gut-punch that they won’t soon forget.
6. The Testament of Ann Lee
I knew little about the Shakers movement, but was absolutely riveted by the way this film blends music, faith, and patriarchal hypocrisy into a delicious stew.
7. Sinners
An original work steeped in culture and history, Ryan Coogler has constructed an instant classic that cinephiles and casual moviegoers will be discussing and dissecting for years to come.
8. Eephus
Brilliantly using baseball as a vessel to explore friendship, community, and the desire to hold on to things that have reached their end, Eephus was one of the year’s hidden gems.
9. Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie
Easily the funniest movie on the festival circuit this year, Matt Johnson’s time-traveling comedy will entertain fans of the series and newcomers with equal measure.
10. Marty Supreme
Timothée Chalamet delivers a career defining performance in this wild and tension filled film about a man determined to achieve the greatness he believes he embodies.
Honourable mentions: Blue Heron; The Perfect Neighbor; Sirāt; On Becoming a Guinea Fowl; Train Dreams; Sorry, Baby; Hamnet; Blue Moon; Weapons
Rachel West
1. Sirat
An unassuming premise gives way to so much more in a heart-wrenching and harrowing tale that navigates the complexity of both the family you are born into and the one you choose. Sergi Lopez gives a quietly devastating performance as a man searching for his missing adult daughter in the Moroccan desert. With his young son in tow, the pair embark on a journey with a convoy of ravers that will leave viewers on the edge of their seats. With driving scenes that match the intensity of Sorcerer, Lopez is masterful as he leads a cast of largely non-professional actors in the film by Oliver Laxe. With a throbbing EDM soundtrack and stunning visuals, Sirāt is not just the year’s best film, it’s the one that demands to be seen on the biggest screen with the biggest speakers.
2. Twinless
When you watch over 300 movies a year, it takes a lot to elicit surprise, but both Sirāt and Twinless managed to keep their twists and turns hidden. Shockingly funny and deceptively clever, James Sweeney proves he has all the makings of a star as writer, director, and co-lead of the film. The U.S. Dramatic Audience winner at Sundance, it is a shame the film wasn’t widely released in Canada.
3. Eternity
Even as a self-avowed rom-com hater, Eternity proved that even the coldest of hearts can melt in what is a surprisingly sweet story reminiscent of Defending Your Life and Heaven Can Wait.
4. Frankenstein
Leave it to Guillermo del Toro to humanize his monsters and make his humans monstrous in the gorgeously filmed gothic drama.
5. The Last Viking
Mads Mikkelsen reteams with Thomas Anders Jensen and adds another zany, violent, and oddly wholesome film to his resume.
6. Come See Me in The Good Light
A deeply touching and life-affirming look at Poet Laureate Andrea Gibson’s cancer journey. I recommend keeping at least one box of tissues handy while watching.
7. Souleymane’s Story
In his first film acting role, Abou Sangaré absolutely dominates every frame of the French immigrant drama Souleymane’s Story. It’s easy to see why he won Best Actor at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard and Breakthrough Performance of the Year at the Toronto Film Critics Association Awards.
8. No Other Choice
No Other Choice may not be peak Park Chan-wook, but it’s certainly entertaining. Adapted from the book The Ax by Don McKellar, Park, and others, the story is so firmly ingrained in Korean culture and customs that it’s astonishing the original novel is set in 1990s’ suburban Connecticut.
9. Sentimental Value
Stellan Skarsgård, Renate Reinsve, Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas are an incredible tight ensemble in Joaquim Trier’s exceptional drama.
10.The Tale of Silyan
Very rarely does a documentary blend magical realism so effortlessly as it winds its tale of family, nature, the economy, and survival into a beautiful portrait of a man and a white stork.
Honourable mentions: Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, Black Bag, I Swear, The Testament of Ann Lee, Space Cadet
More of 2025’s Bests
Best Lead Performance
Only one performance found a point of agreement in this category: Jessie Buckley in Hamnet, as voted on by Emma and Pat. “One of the greatest performances of this or any year,” says Emma. “Her free-spirited Agnes is charismatic and riveting from the get-go, but it’s her performance as a grieving mother trying to hold herself and her family together that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.” Pat, on the other hand, encourages the Hamnet haters to get get on board with Agnes going full Regina Hall in Scary Movie, since that was the norm for peanut gallery audience behaviour back in the days. “It’s a soul-shaking performance,” Pat says, “and best-yet work from an actor who continually demands attention.
Among the one-vote wonders, Adam picks Jonathan Groff in Merrily We Roll Along “because my goodness what that man can do with just a look is truly a sight to behold.” Meanwhile, Colin praises Michael B. Jordan’s double trouble turn as twins Smoke and Stack in Sinners, while Courtney picks Wagner Moura’s smouldering performance as a paper pusher with a past in The Secret Agent. Jason favours Stellan Skarsgård, campaigned as supporting in Sentimental Value, saying, “A legend to many of us for years now (Breaking the Waves being but one all timer), it’s nice to be reminded in 2025 from both a Star War [Andor] and a Scandinavian family-of-filmmakers drama what a titanic talent this guy truly is.” Rachel taps Abou Sangaré’s breakout performance as a migrant bike courier in Souleymane’s Story as the feat that wowed her most, while Matt votes for Josh O’Connor in Wake Up Dead Man.
Best Supporting Performance
Go tell Aunt Gladys! Amy Madigan’s batshit crazy performance as a witch with a killer ’do scores the highest here with Courtney and Rachel providing the only point of agreement in the acting polls. Colin, meanwhile, taps award season’s critical favourite Benicio del Toro as the standout in the sprawling ensemble of One Battle After Another, while Adam gives a shout out to The Naked Gun’s Pamela Anderson “because she’s so pitch perfect in that thing!” Jason says Joel Edgerton’s work in The Plague deserves more notice: “performed with much empathy and consternation…Train Dreams quietly rode with another terrific take, but this particular performance truly exemplifies the notion of support, both in front of and behind the camera given all he did to help bring the film to life.” Emma says Stellan Skarsård in Sentimental Value: “Though arguably a lead role, the film is entering the actor in the supporting categories this award season and who am I to argue? Skarsgard has been a stalwart actor for decades, but there’s something about this role that plays to the best of his abilities and reminds us how good he really is.” And Matt keeps the Knives Out train going with Andrew Scott. Pat, finally, is the only respondent to answer the question correctly, saying Nina Hoss in Hedda.
Best Canadian Film
There was a relatively small showing for Canadian films on our lists, but two of our writers, Emma and Pat, agree that Endless Cookie is the standout homegrown title this year. “A fantastic animated documentary about two Canadian half-brothers, Seth and Peter Scriver, and how their lives have differed and come together,” says Emma. “There is a 16-year age gap and one lives in Toronto, while the other lives on a remote Cree reservation in Northern Manitoba. The original animation style is colourful and eye-catching, while the storytelling itself is full of humour and memorable moments.” And Pat says, “This zany yarn about storytelling reminds us that the detours and the ‘getting theres’ are much more rewarding than the destination.” Rounding out the category are single picks for Blue Heron (Matt), Ghosts of the Sea (Rachel), His Father’s Son (Colin), and Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (Courtney).
Best Documentary
Proving that the best film of 2025 can also be a documentary, three respondents pick Ryan White note-perfect balance of heartache and humour, Come See Me in the Good Light with Colin, Emma, Pat, and Rachel tapping the film about Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley as the year’s best doc. “2025 was another great year for non-fiction films, but it’s this intimate look at mortality and love that stands out most among the crowd,” notes Emma.
Two docs that defy convention also land as 2025’s standouts: BLKNWS: Terms and Conditions and Pavements, picked by Courtney and Adam, respectively. Finally, Jason’s verdict favours The Perfect Neighbor: “It was a good year for docs, yet The Perfect Neighbour seems the perfect exemplar for where we’re at culturally and politically in 2025. It’s a complicated film stripped down to its core, and its various contradictions, biases and frustrations are all baked into what’s otherwise on its surface a journalistically pure form of storytelling. It asks more questions than it promises to answer, and yet provides a unique, at times shockingly intimate, portrayal of how fragile notions of community can be. It shows how we as vicarious witnesses become culpable even as we become informed.”
The Flop
To quote Jason Lee in Vanilla Sky, “Without the bitter, the sweet just isn’t as sweet.” 2025 had its share of misfires and stinkers to accompany all the big swings. Jason acknowledges that an Oscar contender might not constitute a flop and picks Hamnet [sic] as the film that irked him the most: “Beloved by many, this aimless, maudlin, ridiculous film can’t sustain its pretentiousness, and the hands-across-the-stage ending is one of the most risible in recent memory (for a fun drinking game, look at the tall dude just to Jessie’s left mugging through that whole scene and take a swig every time he parses his lips at her meltdown).” Pat disagrees and says that an Oscar contender can indeed be a flop, calling bullshit on It Was Just an Accident: “I was giving full Elaine Benes watching The English Patient vibes whilst enduring this over-hyped hamfisted howler. Jail him on grounds of taste.”
Meanwhile, when it comes to the film that flopped the hardest, Colin picks After the Hunt, Emma says The Smashing Machine, and Rachel says M3gan 2.0—only one of presumably had award season ambitions. (“There were a lot of films that failed to make a mark this year, but given the buzz about this one – it was surprising to see it come and go so quickly,” writes Emma about her pick. “Although an interesting story, with good performances, it’s also largely depressing. Given the state of the world in 2025, it felt easy to give this one a miss while instead seeking out films to uplift.”)
Finally, Adam picks Snow White, which bombed no matter what kind of hopes Disney had for it: “Rachel Zegler was absolutely done dirty by having to carry the entire weight of this film on her shoulders. She did the best she could (she is the only reason to see the film), but one hopes that this is the nail in the ‘Disney Live Action Remake of Beloved Animated Property’ coffin. (What’s that? They’re releasing a live action Moana next year?)”
Best Film Still Awaiting (Canadian) Distribution
Our festival-going crowd also differs when it comes to movies looking for a home. Courtney picks Hen, a live action cousin to Flow, while Rachel hopes fellow TIFF selections The Last Viking and Bad Apples help the festival make some of the big business it’s hoping to inspire. Pat echoes the latter point, citing Toronto premiere You Had to Be There was the doc that really needs to find its way to audiences. Jason looks to a Cannes hit, Dossier 137 “a Francophilic version of The Wire, and I adored it.” And Emma says The Thing with the Feathers, which got a U.S. release but has noting on the horizon for Canada that we know of: “An adaptation of Max Porter’s novel Grief is the Thing With Feathers debuted at Sundance to mixed reviews, but the Benedict Cumberbatch drama sounds different and worth a look. But like some other recent smaller British films (The End We Start From), the film has yet to nail down a Canadian distributor. It used to be a given that we’d get all of the films from across the pond, but now it’s an unfortunate crap shoot.
Most Anticipated Film of 2026
There’s another clear favourite here as Adam, Courtney, Emma, and Jason all hope that Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey lives up to expectations. Emma’s pick is actually a tie with fellow adaptation Wuthering Heights: “Both are classic stories. One will give us a new take on a Gothic fave, while the other is set to bring possibly the grandest literary epic to the big screen. There’s a chance that one or both will crash and burn, but either way they’ll be worth seeing!” says Emma. Colin keeps That Shelf’s Arrakis flag waving with Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Part Three as the film he’s most looking forward to. Meanwhile, Pat inevitably picks Meryl Streep vehicle The Devil Wears Prada 2 as the one to watch: “Meryl should have won her eleventh Oscar for her turn as Miranda Priestley, and she criminally hasn’t been nominated since her performance in The Post, so she’s way overdue for a return to the podium with one of her best roles.” Rachel, finally, can’t Sophie’s Choice it between Pressure, Devil Wears Prada 2, Disclosure Day, Project Hail Mary, and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple with Matt co-signing the latter.
