Short answer: One Battle After Another is the best movie of 2025 by the strongest combined critics-and-awards case. Sinners, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, and Marty Supreme form the next tier. The five “worst” below are more precisely the five worst-reviewed qualifying U.S. releases in Metacritic’s year-end method—not an objective list of the worst films made worldwide.
There is no universally objective ranking of a year in film, but One Battle After Another has the strongest overall case for the top spot in 2025. It combines major critics’ support with the National Board of Review’s Best Film award and a Best Picture win at the 98th Academy Awards. Sinners, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, and Marty Supreme make up the next tier, while the order of the remaining titles is more debatable.
At the other end, the five films below are not being declared the five worst movies made anywhere in 2025. They are the five worst-reviewed qualifying U.S. releases in Metacritic’s official year-end ranking, which uses professional-critic averages and excludes films with fewer than four reviews.
How this ranking was decided
This is an editorial synthesis of several signals rather than a transcription of one critic’s list. The ranking weighs year-end critics’ recommendations from The Associated Press and RogerEbert.com, Rotten Tomatoes’ critical reception, National Board of Review recognition, the 98th Academy Awards, originality, cultural or cinematic significance, and—where relevant—commercial reach.
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Awards are evidence, not a complete definition of quality. They can strengthen a film’s case, but they do not replace critical judgment or make a ranking mathematically objective. The list also makes room for international cinema: a year-end selection that included only U.S. studio releases would leave out two of 2025’s most strongly recognized films, The Secret Agent and Sentimental Value.
The 10 best movies of 2025
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One Battle After Another
Why it ranks first: Paul Thomas Anderson’s film has the most convincing combined critics-and-awards case of the year. Associated Press writers placed it first in their year-end recommendations, RogerEbert.com treated it as a leading selection, and the National Board of Review named it Best Film.
Its Academy performance makes the number-one placement particularly defensible: it won Best Picture as well as awards for directing, adapted screenplay, editing, and casting. That breadth matters. Rather than relying on a single celebrated performance or technical achievement, One Battle After Another was recognized across the central categories that shape how a film is written, directed, assembled, and received as a whole.
The ranking is still an editorial judgment, not a claim that every viewer will prefer it. But when critics’ lists, a major critics’ organization, and the Academy converge this strongly, it is the clearest choice for 2025’s best overall film.
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Sinners
Why it ranks second: Ryan Coogler’s original genre hybrid was one of the year’s rare films to succeed simultaneously with critics, audiences, and awards voters. It appeared prominently in the Associated Press’s year-end coverage, received National Board of Review recognition, and won multiple Academy Awards.
It also had an unusually strong commercial showing for an original film. The Numbers records approximately $370.3 million in worldwide box office, giving Sinners a reach that many acclaimed year-end films did not match. That combination—an original concept, strong critical attention, substantial audience interest, and awards recognition—makes it one of 2025’s most complete successes.
For streaming viewers, Associated Press year-end coverage identified Sinners as available on HBO Max at that point. Catalogs change by country and date, so check a current U.S. listing for where to watch Sinners online rather than treating that historical availability as a guarantee.
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The Secret Agent
Why it ranks third: Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Brazilian political thriller is one of the list’s strongest examples of international cinema standing alongside the year’s major English-language releases. It received strong critical reception on Rotten Tomatoes, was covered by RogerEbert.com, and earned National Board of Review recognition.
The film also received Academy nominations in both Best Picture and the international-film category. That combination of critical support and recognition at the Academy gives it a firm place near the top, even though the exact position is contestable. Its presence helps make this a 2025 film list rather than a survey of only the largest U.S. productions.
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Sentimental Value
Why it ranks fourth: Joachim Trier’s Norwegian family drama appeared in year-end critics’ coverage and among the National Board of Review’s selections. It also received Academy recognition in Best Picture, directing, acting, and international-film categories.
That range of recognition suggests a film whose appeal extends beyond a single element. It was acknowledged for the work of its director and performers, its international identity, and its standing as one of the year’s most significant films overall. The fourth-place position is not a dismissal; it reflects how crowded the top tier is.
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Marty Supreme
Why it ranks fifth: Josh Safdie’s sports-comedy drama was a prominent Associated Press selection and received Academy nominations for Best Picture, Actor, Editing, and Original Screenplay.
Those nominations point to a film recognized both as a major production and as a showcase for its lead performance and screenplay. It sits just below the first four because the consensus evidence is somewhat less broad across the supplied year-end sources, not because its Academy profile is minor.
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It Was Just an Accident
Why it ranks sixth: Jafar Panahi’s film was supported by Associated Press coverage and a National Board of Review selection. It also received Academy nominations for international film and original screenplay.
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That pairing is especially meaningful for a film outside the dominant U.S. studio conversation: it was recognized both for its international standing and for the originality of its writing. The sixth-place slot reflects the editorial balance of this list, where strong critical and awards evidence is weighed against the even broader consensus surrounding the films above it.
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If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Why it ranks seventh: Rose Byrne’s performance and the film’s distinctive depiction of maternal exhaustion made it a significant Associated Press and National Board of Review selection. Byrne also received an Academy nomination for leading actress.
That performance recognition gives the film a clear point of distinction in an exceptionally competitive year for acting. Its placement also acknowledges the film’s unusual subject and perspective without pretending that every title on a consensus list needs the same kind of awards profile.
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Train Dreams
Why it ranks eighth: Train Dreams appeared in National Board of Review and Academy coverage, including recognition for adapted screenplay and consideration in the Best Picture field.
It earns this place because it was part of the year’s serious awards conversation even without the same volume of cross-source support as the top half of the list. The screenplay recognition is an especially important part of its case.
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Blue Moon
Why it ranks ninth: Richard Linklater’s film was highlighted by the Associated Press, while Ethan Hawke received Academy recognition for his leading performance and the film was recognized for its original screenplay.
Those two strands—an acclaimed central performance and writing strong enough to reach the Academy conversation—make Blue Moon a worthwhile inclusion. Ninth place should not be read as a score or a verdict; it is simply the point at which this synthesis gives way to a more cinephile-oriented final choice.
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Nouvelle Vague
Why it ranks tenth: Richard Linklater’s French New Wave drama was included in RogerEbert.com’s year-end best-film coverage. It is the most explicitly cinephile-oriented choice in this ranking and a fitting final slot for readers interested in film history, style, and the traditions that continue to shape contemporary cinema.
The evidence for this position is narrower than for the films above it, which is why the tenth slot is especially open to disagreement. Still, a list of the year’s best films should not be limited to titles with the largest awards haul. Nouvelle Vague represents the kind of choice that can matter greatly to dedicated film audiences even when consensus is less complete.
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The five worst-reviewed movies of 2025
Metacritic’s official methodology is narrower and more measurable than the best-films list. It covers movies released in the United States between January 1 and December 31, 2025, ranks professional critics’ average scores as Metascores, and excludes titles with fewer than four reviews. On that basis, these were the bottom five:
| Rank | Film | Metascore | What the criticism focused on |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | War of the Worlds | 6 | Metacritic’s official worst-reviewed movie of 2025. |
| 2 | Playdate | 20 | A straight-to-Prime Video action comedy criticized for weak writing and execution. |
| 3 | Gunslingers | 20 | A Nicolas Cage western that critics characterized as formulaic and undistinguished. |
| 4 | Alarum | 23 | A poorly reviewed spy-action film led by Sylvester Stallone and other recognizable actors. |
| 5 | Bride Hard | 23 | An action comedy led by Rebel Wilson that critics found predictable and ineffective. |
Playdate and Gunslingers share a Metascore of 20, as do Alarum and Bride Hard at 23. Their order should not be treated as a meaningful difference in quality. More importantly, a low Metascore does not prove that nobody will enjoy a film; it shows that the qualifying professional reviews were overwhelmingly negative on average.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the two lists reveal about 2025
Critical acclaim and commercial success can coexist
Sinners is the clearest example. Many acclaimed films have limited theatrical reach, while many box-office successes receive little awards attention. Sinners managed both: it was an original film with a worldwide gross of approximately $370.3 million, prominent critical support, and multiple Academy wins. Commercial performance is not proof of artistic quality, but in this case it strengthens an already substantial case.
Awards help confirm a consensus; they do not create one
One Battle After Another is number one partly because of its Academy wins, but the argument does not begin and end at the Oscars. The Associated Press, RogerEbert.com, and the National Board of Review supplied important independent support. Conversely, a film can be valuable, ambitious, or beloved by a particular audience without receiving major awards recognition.
International cinema belongs in the main conversation
The Secret Agent and Sentimental Value are not token inclusions. Both had substantial critical and Academy support, and both broaden the year’s conversation beyond U.S. studio filmmaking. Their presence is one of the reasons this ranking is more useful than a list based solely on domestic box office or awards publicity.
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Where the evidence comes from
The synthesis draws on year-end recommendations and coverage from The Associated Press and RogerEbert.com; critical-reception reporting from Rotten Tomatoes; National Board of Review selections; the official winners and nominees for the 98th Academy Awards; Metacritic’s official worst-reviewed-film methodology; and The Numbers’ worldwide box-office and Warner Home Video release information for Sinners.
Historical critic lists, awards results, and reported 2025 box-office totals are relatively stable, but streaming catalogs, physical-media listings, sellers, prices, stock, and marketplace editions can change. Verify those details immediately before publication or purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these objectively the 10 best movies of 2025?
No. The top 10 is an editorial synthesis of critics’ year-end selections, Rotten Tomatoes reception, National Board of Review recognition, Academy Awards attention, originality, and cultural significance. It is designed to represent the strongest overall consensus while acknowledging that the order—especially from third through tenth—is debatable.
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What does “the five worst movies” mean here?
“Worst” means worst-reviewed among qualifying U.S. releases in Metacritic’s official 2025 ranking. Metacritic used professional-critic averages for films released in the United States from January 1 through December 31, 2025, and excluded films with fewer than four reviews. It does not mean these are definitively the five worst films made worldwide.
Why is Sinners one of the best movies of 2025?
Sinners has an unusually strong combined case: it was an original genre hybrid with prominent critical support, National Board of Review recognition, multiple Academy Awards, and approximately $370.3 million in worldwide box office according to The Numbers. That combination of quality signals and audience reach makes it one of the year’s most significant films.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: One Battle After Another is the most defensible number-one movie of 2025 because critics and major awards bodies converged on it. Sinners is the year’s standout all-rounder, combining acclaim, audience reach, and awards success, while The Secret Agent and Sentimental Value show why international cinema belongs near the top. The five films in the second ranking are best understood as Metacritic’s lowest-reviewed qualifying U.S. releases—not an objective list of the worst movies ever made.
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