As the global awards season gains momentum ahead of the Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice Awards, and the Oscars, film critics and audiences are buzzing about the standout titles of the year. Rolling Stone has now joined the conversation by releasing its ranking of the top 20 films of 2025, showcasing a diverse range of genres, filmmakers, and performances. The list highlights everything from acclaimed international dramas to big-budget Hollywood releases, reflecting the rich variety of cinema delivered this year.
The countdown begins with Weapons at number 20, a gripping small-town horror mystery by Zach Cregger led by Julia Garner’s powerful performance. At number 19 is Guillermo del Toro’s visually striking Frankenstein, starring Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth, Jacob Elordi, and Christoph Waltz, which continues to draw attention on Netflix. Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke’s Caught by the Tides takes the 18th spot with a decades-long love story assembled from more than 20 years of footage.
A Wes Anderson black comedy, The Phoenician Scheme, secures number 17, followed by Rungano Nyoni’s Zambian family drama On Becoming a Guinea Fowl at number 16. Raoul Peck’s documentary Orwell: 2+2=5 ranks 15th for its timely exploration of totalitarianism through the lens of George Orwell’s writings. At number 14 is the Japanese horror film Best Wishes for All, directed by Yûta Shimotsu. Matthew Rankin’s surreal Canadian drama Universal Language follows at number 13.
Ari Aster’s pandemic-era neo-Western Eddington takes the 12th position, featuring Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal. Ira Sachs’ intimate portrait Peter Hujar’s Day ranks 11th, portraying a day in the life of the famed photographer. Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, a heartfelt family-focused dramedy, lands at number 10.
Timothée Chalamet earns major attention in Marty Supreme, the number 9 film, where he plays a charismatic Ping Pong hustler. Eva Victor’s Sundance-winning debut Sorry, Baby secures the 8th position. Park Chan-wook’s darkly comedic thriller No Other Choice follows at number 7, while Cannes winner It Was Just an Accident by Jafar Panahi sits at number 6.
Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague, reimagining the making of the legendary French New Wave film Breathless, holds the 5th spot. At number 4 is Train Dreams, an evocative historical drama starring Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones. Steven Soderbergh’s espionage thriller Black Bag ranks 3rd, featuring intense performances from Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett.
Chloé Zhao’s emotional period drama Hamnet takes the number 2 position, with Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal portraying the tragic story of the Shakespeare family. Taking the top spot on Rolling Stone’s list is Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, a gripping action-drama following ex-revolutionaries on a dangerous rescue mission, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti, and Benicio del Toro.
