TAGGED AS: movies, streaming, TV
We are exposed to a lot of film and TV here at Rotten Tomatoes — it comes with the job, and that’s definitely not a complaint. Often this means that we get to see a lot of things that might not be on the radar of the casual moviegoer or weekend binge-watcher, and sometimes this means that even when we do, we might still prefer the latest big-budget popcorn flick or hot-topic prestige drama over anything else. The point is, we’re all human, and we have very human preferences.
With that in mind, we present our annual list of staff favorites, ranging from some of the buzziest titles of the year to some overlooked and underseen gems, both on the big screen and the small one. Read on to find out what the folks in the office here loved in 2025.
Black Phone 2 (2025)
Like any great slasher sequel (which you could probably count on one hand), Black Phone 2 significantly ramps up the gore, lore, stakes, and style. Grabbing (no pun intended) bits of brutal inspiration from legacy horror series such as Elm Street and Friday the 13th, Black Phone 2 delivers a striking blend of dreamscape thrills and campground terror that rivals anything released during the golden age of the hack-and-slash cycle. Extra kudos to writer-director Scott Derrickson and co-writer C. Robert Cargill for bringing Gwen to the forefront of the story — she’s a terrific final girl who can really hold her own alongside Finney. While I’m not sure how they’ll bring back The Grabber for a potential Black Phone 3, what’s certain is that I’ll be buying my ticket for opening weekend. – Andrew Allen
Dept. Q: Season 1 (2025)
I was on something of a crime drama kick in 2025, so I binged every serial mystery available to me. I saw a lot of great stuff and a few mediocre things, but I was pleasantly surprised by Netflix’s Dept. Q, and I’m not sure why it wasn’t more popular. Matthew Goode stars as a clever but unpopular Scottish detective recovering from a shooting who is promptly relegated to a dingy basement and tasked with solving cold cases. Over the course of the season, he attracts a small team of misfits and homes in on a peculiar missing persons case. It’s a nice mix of Broadchurch and Slow Horses — Goode looks remarkably like David Tennant’s Alec Hardy and carries himself like Gary Oldman’s Jackson Lamb (decidedly fewer farts, though) — and if you’re into either of those, like me, Dept. Q will absolutely scratch that itch. I’m quite happy it’s coming back for a second season. – Ryan Fujitani
F1 The Movie (2025)
The only thing I knew before going to see F1 The Movie was that it was directed by Joseph Kosinski, the same director as Top Gun: Maverick. That’s all I needed to know before I decided to go see it in theaters on the biggest screen possible. Do I know anything about F1 racing? Absolutely not. But that doesn’t matter once the charming swagger of Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), the infectious passion of Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), and the ambition of Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) draw you into this world. The cinematography makes you feel like you’re in the driver’s seat, and the score from Hans Zimmer will be pounding through your veins long after the credits scroll. It may be predictable how this race is going to end, but it will still keep you gripped to your seat for the whole ride. – Robin Canan
Hamnet (2025)
To watch or not to watch? That is the question. Hamnet is the 2025 movie that will make you cry through a whole box of tissues and call your therapist as the credits are rolling. Chloe Zhao delivers 125 minutes of pure emotional joy and agony. It’s a testament to the beauties and horrors of life, death, and the love that carries us through it all. The Academy should already be engraving Jessie Buckley’s name on Best Actress, because there are no words for her portrayal of Agnes, a woman so deeply rooted to her children, nature, and the magic of life that only Jessie’s heartbreakingly raw and pure performance could do the character justice. And a little bonus point: Paul Mescal’s little hoop earring is just a visual treat for all. – Kristen Hawley
Heated Rivalry: Season 1 (2025)
Heated Rivalry was one of the best shows of 2025 and it was clearly crafted to get people talking. Yes, about those very sexy hockey players, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, but to boil this brilliant piece of television down to “The Horny Hockey Show” is as reductive as it is misguided. What began as a small series airing on a lesser-known Canadian premium streaming service morphed into a pop culture phenomenon that rivaled the long-awaited climax of Stranger Things. It’s a simple love story about two closeted hockey players battling it out on the ice and tumbling between the sheets that is also expertly executed and feels like a dream to audiences in 2025.
Heated Rivalry is a near perfect adaptation because the people crafting it saw the potential in Rachel Reid’s pages and dared to take it further. Jacob Tierney and team never shied away from their source material or the women who loved it while still welcoming new audiences. And yes, the books are just as heartfelt and graphic. Many will say it’s popular because women, gays, and theys like watching hot boys kiss. We do, but it’s the yearning (”We didn’t even kiss” – Shane) and the tenderness (”So let’s wake up” – Ilya) that keeps us (and quite a few straight men) watching, completely obsessed, just sitting in the proverbial cottage anxiously waiting for season 2. – Jacqueline Coley
I Love LA: Season 1 (2025)
There’s something about self-destructive characters that makes them horribly relatable in the worst ways possible. I Love LA is laugh-out-loud funny, telling the story of a group of friends and influencers who are trying to make a name for themselves while living in (arguably) the best city in the world. As someone who was born and raised in Los Angeles, I found the dramatization of living in this city to be painfully accurate at times, to the point of giving you secondhand embarrassment, while also being insanely witty.
Overall, this show perfectly showcases that achieving your dreams is never quite as it seems. LA can either be the city of dreams or your imminent downfall. The only way to see which way you fall is to chase whatever it is you’re after. – Caitlyn Sagocio
It Was Just an Accident (2025)
It Was Just an Accident, an Iranian film by Jafar Panahi, is about a (potential) torturer (perhaps) meeting his violent end at the hands of various people he (supposedly) tortured. The film is not a complete downer, despite the subject matter — there are moments of levity throughout when you may find yourself chuckling. Just the dichotomy of laughing while taking in such a topic is an experience unto itself. The film washes over you and then sticks as you leave the theater. It’s a subtle experience, as I kept lingering over the film in the days after my viewing. Perhaps it is more apt to say that it haunted me. As an American viewer, it felt as if I was watching a group of people arguing through a window with the voices slightly muffled, the context not entirely clear, but the emotional weight of it all so palpable. – Corey Arterian
KPop Demon Hunters (2025)
Sony and Netflix really didn’t miss with this fantastic film whose animation style was gorgeous and reminiscent of that comic book style that we’ve seen in Spider-Man: Into and Across The Spider-Verse. This film led with so much heart, leaving audiences assured to step into their vulnerability and embrace their imperfections.
I knew I would see nods to Kpop groups and idol culture, but even those were blown out of the water! EJAE’s pen game is truly unmatched — the music hit me like a ton of bricks, and although “Golden” may be the movie’s golden child, “Free” and “What It Sounds Like” take the cake for me.
Honorable mention to the Saja Boys, the multiple nods to TWICE (my faves), and Bobby! Now, stop reading this and sing your heart out to the soundtrack loud enough to seal the Honmoon… THAT’s how it’s done, done, done! #Rujinu – Nadine Cortez
Mr. Scorsese (2025)
There’s ample Popcorn streaming fare to feast on. This year, I’ve enjoyed All Her Fault (episode-turner), The Girlfriend (juicy AF), and I finally got around to season 3 of The White Lotus (the acting!!!). But sometimes, one needs to be nourished, and Mr. Scorsese is chicken soup for the cinephile soul. This documentary series is an honest portrait (Baroque with touches of Renaissance, maybe?) of one of the most prolific and authentic directors of our generation, a thick slice of film history, and a masterclass in the art of direction. It is essential viewing. – Ivette Garcia Davila
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (2024)
The untimely death of a respected uncle leads to horrible revelations bubbling to the surface in Rungano Nyoni’s dramedy On Becoming a Guinea Fowl. There’s a moment early on in the film when Shula, played brilliantly by Susan Chardy, opens the door to find her aunts grieving, groveling, and crawling on the ground. They’re making a scene, but to them, the real travesty is Shula’s apathy towards her abusive uncle and their strict traditions. And that’s just the start of Shula’s quiet defiance as she fights to distance herself from them, observing all the ways a family reveals the worst sides of themselves when an inheritance is on the line. In Nyoni’s debut feature, I Am Not A Witch, she examined how a community’s culture can be used to perpetuate misogyny and uphold the patriarchy. She explores similar themes here, with a sharper eye and a drier sense of humor. – Bryce Marrero
Overcompensating: Season 1 (2025)
I’m riding for Benito Skinner’s Overcompensating. Silly and sincere, the new series is the perfect 30-minute comedy. Episode 5’s closing scene is the best TV moment of 2025! – Anthony Alicea
The Paper: Season 1 (2025)
TV spinoffs are a huge risk, especially when you’re considering a beloved, iconic series. Some have hit — think Better Call Saul and Frasier — while others haven’t so much. Remember Joey and That ’80s Show? Yikes.
So, as a die-hard fan of The Office, I was on the edge of my desk chair waiting for the premiere of The Paper. I’m not sure if it’s the incredible ensemble cast or the hilarious throwbacks to newspaper journalism, but I’m hooked. I’ve been lucky to work a job at Rotten Tomatoes that meshes journalism and media with TV and movies, and this show is just a constant reminder of that. The jokes land perfectly, and the characters are easy to fall in love with. If Oscar Nunez didn’t win the Critics Choice Award, I’m just glad it went to Sal Saperstein.
I’ll be shocked if The Paper doesn’t get nominated for several Emmys. I wanted to give Greg Daniels and Michael Koman an A+, but I completely forgot there’s an A++. – Stephanie Ornelas
The Phoenician Scheme (2025)
Wes Anderson churning out another immaculate entertainment only to be met with accusations of repeating himself has become a time-honored tradition. To my eyes, these complaints sound akin to returning to a gourmet restaurant and whining that your perfectly prepared meal was crafted with signature ingredients. Especially when it’s seasoned with Benicio Del Toro at his most wryly controlled. He’s an absolute gift in this wondrously bespoke caper, wherein his heartless profiteer embarks on a hopelessly convoluted business venture that might lead to his financial ruin. What’s more, you get spiky garnishes like Mia Threapleton as his drolly disapproving long-lost daughter and Michael Cera in a role so perfectly tailored to his wiry charms that it makes you wonder why he hadn’t worked with Anderson before. So, pull up a seat, take a bite, and surrender to a dish that’s more distinctive and flavorful than its presentation might suggest. – Rob Fowler
Queens of the Dead (2025)
Tina Romero forges her own Zombie legacy in this exquisite debut, bringing queer storylines to the forefront with Queens of the Dead. Who knew mixing humor, horror, and glitter with heartfelt performances could make for a bloody good time? A must-watch new voice in horror. – Dom Pembleton
Sinners (2025)
If you’ve been holding out on Sinners, consider this your invitation to step inside. Sinners is the kind of movie that lingers in your chest — grief braided with love, fear softened by freedom, endings inseparable from beginnings. Through haunted silences and aching confessions, the film understands that the most formative moments of our lives are often brief, imperfect, and gone before we realize it.
As a period piece, it is meticulous; as a horror film, it is soulful; as a love story, it is devastating. Coogler’s masterpiece wrestles with legacy, sin, and survival in Black America, without spectacle for spectacle’s sake. Sinners feels like standing at a threshold: mourning what’s lost, honoring what was, and stepping forward despite it all. As we look ahead to 2026, Sinners is a perfect film to close one chapter and begin another, carrying its truth into the new year. – Tobi Perez
Sorry, Baby (2025)
What’s been said about Sorry, Baby is true: Eva Victor (who wrote, directed, and stars in the film) has re-written the way that trauma can be reflected on screen. With gentle tenderness, their script and direction allow us a glimpse at pain, patience, and healing. But the film’s truest magic lies in the friendship between Victor’s character, Agnes, and Naomi Ackie’s Lydie… later to be joined by one most precious Olga. For those of us whose friendships from the early phases of life carry us into the best and hardest chapters later on, there is something deeply true about Sorry, Baby: This film understands that patience and companionship can heal the deepest wounds when our people give us the space and love to share them. – Sophie Marie Prime
Thumbnail images by ©Focus Features, Sabrina Lantos/HBO Max, Netflix
