2025 saw the release of an all-time high number of instant classics such as Sinners, Weapons, Frankenstein, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, and many more, a return to superhero viewer engagement with instant genre staples Superman, The Fantastic 4: First Steps, Thunderbolts*, and many more notable cinema history moments. In this article, Knox McCalla (KNOX) and Fletchor Toft (FLETCHOR) review some of the biggest movies of 2025 and reflect on their impacts as a whole.

NOTE: This article follows the fair use doctrine of the US copyright statute: due to the article’s nature as a collection of critiques and reviews, all movie posters and stills are fair use.

KNOX SAID:

Mickey 17 is one of the greatest science fiction dramedies of all time — for the first hour and a half. Based on the book of the same title and directed by the legendary Bong Joon Ho, director of Parasite, Mickey 17 follows Mickey Barnes in the distant future, who gets a job where he has to die — for a living. Mickey’s brain is backed up; he dies for any given reason, and they print out a new Mickey to repeat the cycle. Until the 17th, Mickey survives his death, and has to grapple with his new lease on life as there’s another Mickey out there. It’s laugh-out-loud hilarious, strikingly politically apt, deeply profound and thought-provoking, and Robert Pattinson gives a generational performance as both Mickeys. If you can’t tell by my McCalla Minute, I’m a sucker for clone stories, and this really just scratched my itch as few other movies have. Too bad the third act is a painfully drawn-out sci-fi mess of bleh that lost the film’s previous bite, wit, and cleverness. A high 7/10.

FLETCHOR SAID:

Superman was James Gunn’s official welcome to his new DC Cinematic Universe, and my-oh-my what an introduction it was. I actually saw it twice in theaters. David Corenswet embodies the role of Superman: hopeful and strong, but human. The entire movie just leaves an inspired feeling in your heart. When Superman appears from the dust of a toppled building, and John Murphy and David Fleming’s epic rendition of the Superman theme plays, you feel triumph, hope, and strength all at the same time. The whole supporting cast elevates this movie to another level. Lois Lane, played by Rachel Brosnahan, is a strong, independent woman who doesn’t love Superman because he’s an all-powerful alien. The two argue and fight just like any other couple. The Justice Gang isn’t something to sweep aside either. My standout role from this film was definitely Nathan Fillion’s Green Lantern, Guy Gardner. James Gunn really did an amazing job bringing back the original values and personality of Superman. The character is no longer brooding and dark, but someone strong and triumphant, while still human. I give this a glimmering 10/10.

KNOX SAID:

Dog Man is a certified blast of a movie. The movie goes at a breakneck pace, following a story combining elements from each installment of the Dog Man book series, and perfectly matches the ADHD elementary school feel of the books, mainly following the characters of Pete the Cat and his clone/son, Lil’ Pete. The movie isn’t life-changing or anything seriously deep, but it definitely didn’t need to be. It’s a really good kids’ movie with feel-good emotions and some really pretty animation. While it doesn’t come nearly as close to the level of the absolute cinematic masterpiece that is Captain Underpants, it doesn’t disappoint either. I’m going to show my hypothetical kids this movie. 6/10.

FLETCHOR SAID:

A Minecraft Movie was the most hyped movie of 2025, and it had a lot to live up to. Did it? Probably not. Did I still enjoy this movie? Abso-frickin-lutely. Jack Black plays the mysterious main character of the Minecraft game, Steve. Jables’ performance was extremely quotable, spawning countless memes out of his incredible ability to deliver one-liners. This movie went viral for the theater shenanigans it created, where huge groups of Minecraft-loving teenagers would jump in Avengers: Endgame levels of applause and scream Steve’s one-liners, such as “I– am STEVE!” and “CHICKEN JOCKEY!” Also making gigantic messes of popcorn, candy, and some even sneaking live chickens into the theater. Although I loved this movie, with respect to the disgruntled movie theater employees, I give it a 7/10.

KNOX SAID:

Sinners, Twilight, and Egger’s Nosferatu had me in a freaking vampire craze for the first half of 2025. Sinners is so stinking good, and I can’t get over it. Sinners follows twin brothers Smoke and Stack, both played by Michael B. Jordan (what’d I say about clone movies), leaving their old life of crime behind to start again in their hometown, establishing a juke joint. One of their music hires, Smoke and Stack’s little cousin Sammie Moore, is cursed with a music talent so great it bridges the gap between life and death. Essentially, his music is so good it summons demons. There’s one scene in the movie, the scene where Sammie first plays for the juke joint, and it’s one of the best scenes in recent cinema. The entire movie carries a certain air to it. It’s suffocating, haunting, and foreboding. It’s an intense, horrifying, brilliant movie with one of the best soundtracks ever made. It also greatly improved my love life. A strong, strong 9/10.

FLETCHOR SAID:

Lilo & Stitch as a live action re-make did not need to happen. It was a pointless cash grab that only functioned to spit on the original 2002 animated movie. While some parts stuck with the plot of the original, unnecessary changes were made for no reason. Pleakley (Billy Magnussen) and Jumba (Zach Galifianakis) were disguised as humans for most of the movie, and, spoilers, instead of staying in Hawaii to raise her sister Lilo (Maia Keoloha), Nani (Sydney Agudong) chooses to leave for college in California. The creator also chose to leave some of the aliens out of the movie simply because it was “too hard” to put them into the movie. I give it an extremely lazy 2/10.

KNOX SAID:

One Battle After Another is my personal pick for the best movie of 2025. Directed by one of my personal favorites, Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another follows a group of ex-revolutionaries having to reunite to rescue the daughter of one of their own from the hands of Sean Penn’s Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw, aka the literal devil. It’s an intensely gripping thriller, a hilarious comedy, but also a crucially important and profound movie that expertly points out the flaws in our society and the dangers of our current political climate, a warning of what is to come. In the months it’s been out, One Battle After Another’s themes have only become more and more relevant, and have already aged like a fine wine, famously predicting current politics as it came out, despite being written before said events. A desperate and brutal reminder, a sign of the times that people will look back on for many, many years to come. I cannot urge you to watch this movie enough. A critically important warning of the future if nothing changes. It’s also the only movie that’s gotten me to cry in theaters. A very easy 10/10.

FLETCHOR SAID:

Jaws: 50th Anniversary was the correct way to reintroduce a movie to the new generation. Instead of remaking his 1975 classic, Steven Spielberg opted to remaster Jaws in 4k and re-release it in theaters. I had never seen the film before, and I thought it was incredible, from its incredible score and the absolutely terrifying shark, this was the perfect way to bring it back. Visually, the movie was beautiful, and all of the remastered audio sounded immaculate. There’s not much to say as this movie has always been a classic. Jaws: 50th Anniversary gets a very deserving 10/10.

KNOX SAID:

Michael Nation II: The Briefchase is the second step in what could quite possibly be the greatest run in cinematic history. The Briefchase raises the idea everyone else is too afraid to say: Hope is a tool for good and bad. The Briefchase follows many characters on a hunt for the deceased, iron-fisted world ruler Tusk McNasty’s hidden briefcase with an unknown prize. Directed, edited, written, produced, and filmed by one of the most promising talents of our generation, Knox McCalla, The Briefchase displays a level of technical brilliance far above the caliber of movies with infinitely more budget and production value. The Briefchase has an ensemble cast portraying some of the most memorable and intriguing characters ever written such as Junior (Ismael Elba), the killer of Tusk McNasty, Boris Bloodstone (Dawsen Sorensen) and The Kangaroo (Zephyr Mitchell), two men ruthlessly competing for the ruling of the new world post-McNasty, Diesel (Fletchor Toft) and Derecho (Kayden Newman), unknowns that might be more involved in the story than they thought, and many more. The Briefchase is lauded for its breathtaking fight scenes and iconic soundtrack. A cinematic achievement that demands the attention of viewers worldwide and is perhaps the greatest sequel ever made. An awe-inspiring 11/10.

FLETCHOR SAID:

Michael Nation II: The Briefchase is a masterclass in creating a sequel. Higher production, a larger cast, and even more action! Following the footsteps of the original Michael Nation: The Movie, The Briefchase does exactly what it needed to do and more. With the whole original cast returning (although some portraying new characters), the added support from Zephyr Mitchell’s Kangaroo, Kayden Newman’s Derecho, and Kaden Simmons’ Brad really extended this film into stardom. You don’t catch a break in this movie, and you feel like a part of the chase all the way through it. Zephyr Mitchell was a standout actor from this film, and only extended the writing of the genius behind The Briefchase. Michael Nation II: The Briefchase is a must-watch 12/10.