Amy Madigan plays freaky Aunt Gladys in the horror movie "Weapons."
Will Arnett is a middle-aged man on the cusp of a divorce who finds stand-up comedy as an unlikely passion in "Is This Thing On?"
Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) chats with Superman (David Corenswet) amid the rubble of Metropolis in James Gunn's "Superman."
Jessie Buckley (center) stars as Shakespeare's grieving wife Agnes in Chloé Zhao's historical drama "Hamnet."
Marty Mauser (Timothee Chalamet) has big dreams of being a ping-pong champ, if his own selfish attitude doesn't derail him first, in 1950s-set sports comedy "Marty Supreme."
Vahid Mobasseri plays a mechanic and former Iranian political prisoner who kidnaps his former torturer in the genre-mashing thriller "It Was Just an Accident."
A young priest (Josh O'Connor, left) accused of murder gets help from detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) in the third "Knives Out" mystery, "Wake Up Dead Man."
Brendan Fraser stars as a struggling actor and American expat who plays the long-lost dad of a young girl (Shannon Gorman) in "Rental Family."
Twin brothers Stack and Smoke (both played by Michael B. Jordan) return to their Mississippi hometown to open up a juke joint in Ryan Coogler's "Sinners."
Chuck Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) enjoys a dance with Janice (Annalise Basso) in "The Life of Chuck," based on the Stephen King novella.

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Superman saved us this year. So did Shakespeare, Benoit Blanc, the Smokestack twins and crazy old Aunt Gladys.

In the past 12 months, films have been a needed escape from in an unstable world as well as a cultural reflection of the real-life tumult. ("One Battle After Another" and "The Long Walk" weren't just movie titles, they were existential descriptors.) The movies were consistently here for us, though, and of course, Tom Cruise hung off an airplane, which is pretty much like comfort food at this point.

So which ones fed our soul the most? Here are 2025’s best movies, definitively ranked:

10. 'Weapons'

In Zach Cregger's follow-up to his deliciously twisty "Barbarian," there are metaphors aplenty to interpret in a thriller about a town that goes bonkers when 17 kids go missing in the middle of the night and everybody points to their teacher (Julia Garner). The provocative, genre-defying horror flick boasts unhinged gore, a delightfully dark sense of humor, an Oscar-worthy Amy Madigan as the creepiest aunt ever, and a crowd-pleasing finale.

Where to watch: HBO Max, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home

9. 'Is This Thing On?'

Bradley Cooper's latest directorial effort is a more relatable, downright funnier outing than either "A Star Is Born" or "Maestro," plus unlocks Will Arnett's dramatic chops. He plays a middle-aged man who's split from his ex-athlete wife (Laura Dern) when he stumbles into the world of stand-up comedy and finds a needed outlet for his issues. Cooper also has a hilarious role in the film about creative catharsis and complicated relationships.

Where to watch: In theaters Dec. 19

8. 'Superman'

For too long we subsisted without a really good cinematic Man of Steel. Then David Corenswet came along, with a morally powerful Superman worthy of the name and a modern "kindness is punk rock" vibe. Director James Gunn's electric superhero adventure not only relaunched the DC universe in positive fashion but also unleashed a timely tech-bro villain in Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor and a role model for good journalism in Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane.

Where to watch: HBO Max, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home

7. 'Hamnet'

Prepare to be an emotional wreck by the end of Chloé Zhao's heartfelt look at William Shakespeare's family life. Jessie Buckley is absolutely sensational – and an Oscar best actress no-brainer – as Agnes, who's married to Will (Paul Mescal) and raises the kids while the Bard works in London. Tragedy leads to resentment and disconnection between the two, but ultimately also to the creation of "Hamlet" and different ways of dealing with grief.

Where to watch: In select theaters now, expanding wider into January

6. 'Marty Supreme'

Like "Uncut Gems," director Josh Safdie's sports comedy is another masterful panic attack of a movie, this time set in the world of 1950s table tennis. Shoe salesman Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet) will do anything to be a ping-pong champion. He's also a selfish, conceited jerk, and his pursuit of glory sucks assorted players into his chaotic world, from Marty's childhood best friend (Odessa A'zion) to a famous actress (Gwyneth Paltrow).

Where to watch: In theaters Dec. 25

5. 'It Was Just an Accident'

Jafar Panahi's thriller is an unforgettable juggling of serious moral questions and clever screwball comedy. Following an incident where a family hits a dog with its car, a mechanic (Vahid Mobasseri) believes the driver (Ebrahim Azizi) was his peg-legged torturer in an Iranian jail and kidnaps him, then brings in other former political prisoners who have to figure out if he's their tormentor and what to do with him in a breathtaking modern fable.

Where to watch: In theaters now

4. 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery'

James Bond? Pfft. Daniel Craig again proves Benoit Blanc is the franchise role he was born to play, and Rian Johnson's third "Knives Out" mystery is the Southern-fried super-sleuth's most personal and thoughtful case yet. When good-hearted young priest Father Jud (Josh O’Connor) is accused of killing his church's imperious monsignor (Josh Brolin), Blanc and Jud become a dynamic duo tackling faith and religion amid a superbly crafted whodunit.

Where to watch: In theaters now, Netflix starting Dec. 12

3. 'Rental Family'

Brendan Fraser exudes compassion and awkward, earnest charm in director Hikari's fish-way-out-of-water dramedy. Fraser stars as an American expat who can't find his groove as a thespian in Japan until he works for a service that hires out actors to play stand-in roles in their clients' lives. It's an entertaining character study that doubles as a touching look at found family and how we all deal with loneliness.

Where to watch: In theaters now

2. 'Sinners'

Is it a gangster film? Heck, yeah! Is it a vampire movie? You bet! Is it a musical? That, too! Ryan Coogler pulls off something devilishly spectacular with this genre-bending, 1930s-set flick, featuring a magnificent Michael B. Jordan in double duty as twins who come home to Mississippi and have their party crashed by a band of charismatic bloodsuckers. Coogler also tackles racism and cultural appropriation in a wondrous fright fest that’s mesmerizing in its filmmaking and meaningful in its message.

Where to watch: HBO Max, Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home

1. 'The Life of Chuck'

The only Stephen King adaptation where you'll feel better about life, the universe and everything after watching it. Directed by Mike Flanagan, a filmmaker who captures the magic of King's prose better than most, the soulful three-act character study is a life told in reverse, where the confusion caused by the end of the world leads to a child finding his artistic self after navigating tragedy. (There's a whole lot of dancing involved, too, and none of it by evil clowns.) Tom Hiddleston is the grown-up title character, Benjamin Pajak impresses as the younger Chuck, and Mark Hamill plays the coolest grandpa ever in a killer ensemble. "Chuck" is the kind of life-affirming journey that everyone could use, a must-see film that warms hearts, captures minds and blows up convention.

Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home, Hulu starting Dec. 26

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What was 2025's best movie? From 'Sinners' to 'Hamnet,' our top 10

Reporting by Brian Truitt, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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