‘Sinners’
“Yes, I love the blues.”At this point, Ryan Coogler’s opus is an easy contender for movie of the year. Packed with gripping performances, gorgeous cinematography and breathtaking original music, "Sinners" is a film it's hard to find a problem with.
The film follows brothers returning to their 1930s Mississippi hometown to start anew, soon to be met by a greater evil coming for their family’s talent and the voices of their ancestors.
Rising star Miles Caton and the dual-performing Michael B. Jordan steal the show and are already generating Oscar buzz, and composer Ludwig Goransson delivers both driving plot moments and musical backdrops that make the film vivid. There just isn’t an experience like it.
Its play on vampire tales is unique, but its balance of excellence on all fronts make it far from just a horror film and an excellent watch for audiences of any kind.
‘Materialists’
A strangely divisive film, Celine Song’s take on modern dating explored through the star-studded love triangle of Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal executed exactly what it was meant to.Though using the matchmaker profession to explore the material qualities embedded in dating is a trope that has been seen before, it’s used to greater depth in “Materialists” to explore the characters and what love truly means in the 21st century.
Romantic comedies are often stylistically boxed in and focus on the chemistry (which this film certainly still has), but wonderful cinematography and composition help “Materialists” stand out from the typically straight-to-streaming bunch of rom-coms that have populated the 2020s.
Johnson delivers one of her better performances, and Pascal can’t seem to mess up a role. It’s not groundbreaking, but good conversation and a generally cozy atmosphere make Song’s sophomore feature an easy and enjoyable experience.
‘Mickey 17’
In a long-awaited return, Bong Joon Ho delivered in the highly anticipated “Mickey 17.” It was never going to top “Parasite,” but this unique take on sci-fi, paired with perfectly-timed societal parallels, makes this film a 2025 must-watch.“Mickey 17” follows a man employed to die by a space exploration company, only to be reconstructed in a new body each time he’s killed — naturally leading to crossovers and shenanigans.
The film is incredibly strange, which makes its world feel all the more immersive. Surprisingly funny and romantic, it pushes the bounds of what sci-fi movies typically explore.
Robert Pattinson’s versatility both within this movie and compared to his other popular roles is extraordinary. Even while exploring dark themes, Pattinson’s whimsy remains center stage to lighten the experience. This juxtaposition further highlights the commentary the film makes on fascism, romance and other topics.
‘Warfare’
More than ever, it's important that the realities of warfare are seen onscreen. Alex Garland’s latest film is less of a traditionally structured wartime feature and more of a jarring, screaming, thrashing horror take on what combat does to those involved (some by choice, some without).Following a group of soldiers in enemy territory, “Warfare” explores the inefficiencies, psychological damage and terror of combat in a true story based on the memory of one of the real-life soldiers, co-director Ray Mendoza.
Though imperfect, the film’s sincerity shines through its often hard-to-watch action, which is impressively acted by its talented cast. Unfortunately, its relevance only seems to grow as 2025 continues, and “Warfare” is a necessary watch to destroy the glamour often associated with violence.
‘F1 The Movie’
Racing movies are nothing new, and they’re hard to mess up. Joseph Kosinski brings the high speeds of his “Top Gun: Maverick” jets straight to the racetrack in “F1 The Movie,” an exhilarating, action-packed blockbuster starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris.Its plot is predictable — desperate team, hard-nosed "could’ve been" veteran, hotshot rookie — but even with easy-to-read story beats, it’s still undoubtedly thrilling.
Excellent practical and virtual effects are the star here, making the Formula One racecars come to life on screen. The beauty of the movements and the details of the strategy are a well-rounded look at racing, even if you’ve never watched F1 before.
A standard and easy blockbuster, this film is sure to attract plenty of new fans to the sport just based on its looks alone.
