Best New Movies of 2025, Ranked by Tomatometer

(Photo by Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON.)
The latest: How to Train Your Dragon continues the streak: It’s Certified Fresh, just like the original animated trilogy. And Celine Song’s first feature after Past Lives, Materialists, has its match made with critics.
Week 2 of June brings Pavements, Predator: Killer of Killers (see the franchise ranked), Dangerous Animals (47 best shark movies), The Life of Chuck (a top 10 Stephen King adaptation), Ballerina (100 best new action movies), Jane Austen Wrecked My Life, and Mountainhead.
June kicks off with Sharp Corner and Bring Her Back.
One last shower of May Certified Fresh films: The Phoenician Scheme, The New Boy, Sister Midnight, Final Destination Bloodlines, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
Welcome to the best new movies of 2025! (If you’re looking for the previous big list of 2024’s best movies, it’s now in this guide, or you can find it using the navigation links below.) We’re adding the latest Certified Fresh films as they come out, so check back every week!

#1
Critics Consensus: A vibrant exploration of family and social mores, On Becoming a Guineau Fowl marks another superb effort from writer-director Rungano Nyoni.
Synopsis: On an empty road in the middle of the night, Shula stumbles across the body of her uncle. As funeral
[More]
#2
Critics Consensus: Revealing character through the rules of the game, Eephus is a bittersweet baseball outing thrown at a perfect pitch.
Synopsis: As an imminent construction project looms over their beloved small-town baseball field, a pair of New England Sunday league teams
[More]
#3
Critics Consensus: An intimate epic that captures the passage of time with melancholic clarity, Caught by the Tides might be director Jia Zhangke and star Tao Zhao's most profound collaboration yet.
Synopsis: An enduring but fragile love story shared by Qiao Qiao and Guao Bin, set in China, from the early 2000s
[More]
#4
Critics Consensus: Directed with a wry personal touch by Alex Ross Perry, Pavements distinguishes itself as a music doc by not only paying affectionate tribute to its subject but also unpacking the cultural philosophy it personifies.
Synopsis: It's not just a story about a band. It's a story about mankind.
[More]
#5
Critics Consensus: Darkly funny even while tinged with mounting dread, Vulcanizadora is another micro-budgeted gem in Joe Potrykus' indie crown.
Synopsis: Two friends trudge through a Michigan forest with the intention of following through on a disturbing pact. Once their plan
[More]
#6
Critics Consensus: A rip-roaring fusion of masterful visual storytelling and toe-tapping music, writer-director Ryan Coogler's first original blockbuster reveals the full scope of his singular imagination.
Synopsis: Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers (Michael B. Jordan) return to their hometown to start again, only
[More]
#7
Critics Consensus: Carried along by Fernanda Torres' superb performance, I'm Still Here poignantly explores a nation's upheaval through one family's search for answers.
Synopsis: As Brazil faces the tightening grip of a military dictatorship, Eunice Paiva, a mother of five, must reinvent herself and
[More]
#8
Critics Consensus: Mocking the pressures of matrimony with a sly wink, Sister Midnight is a thrilling genre-bender that's impossible to predict.
Synopsis: A newly arranged marriage sees an oddball couple shoved together in a small Mumbai shack with paper-thin walls. They are
[More]
#9
Critics Consensus: Buoyed by Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff's appealingly sweet performances, A Nice Indian Boy navigates cultural mores and romance with an infectiously kind heart.
Synopsis: Naveen Gavaskar is a self-effacing, soft-spoken doctor with a boisterous mother, seemingly perfect sister and quiet father. The Gavaskars are
[More]
#10
Critics Consensus: Guan Hu delivers a poetic and redemptive journey through China with Black Dog, reminding us that the best of friends often has four legs.
Synopsis: On the edge of the Gobi desert in Northwest China, Lang returns to his hometown after being released from jail.
[More]
#11
Critics Consensus: Sleek in design and spiked with dry wit, Black Bag is an exemplary espionage caper that lets movie stars like Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender do what they do best -- light up the screen.
Synopsis: BLACK BAG is a gripping spy drama about legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse and his beloved wife Kathryn. When she
[More]
#12
Critics Consensus: The Ballad of Wallis Island hums along a sweet melody without lapsing into outright sentimentality, mining a great deal of warmth from its humble premise.
Synopsis: THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND follows Charles (Tim Key), an eccentric lottery winner who lives alone on a remote island
[More]
#13
Critics Consensus: Taking a hammer and chisel to a quintessential fairy tale, The Ugly Stepsister's masterful application of gore and subversion are the stuff that nightmares are made of.
Synopsis: In a twisted take on the classic Cinderella story, 'The Ugly Stepsister' follows Elvira as she battles to compete with
[More]
#14
Critics Consensus: Navigating a diabolical story with fleet-footed tonal mastery, Misericorida is another superb foray into the dangers of desire from writer-director Alain Guiraudie.
Synopsis: The teasingly entwined ambiguities of love and death continue to fascinate Alain Guiraudie (Stranger by the Lake), who returns with
[More]
#15
Critics Consensus: Plunking the Predator into a series of inspired matchups with a striking visual palette, Killer of Killers is a lean, mean, and just plain awesome addition to the iconic sci-fi franchise.
Synopsis: The anthology story follows three of the fiercest warriors in human history: a Viking raider guiding her young son on
[More]
#16
Critics Consensus: Director François Ozon deftly walks a tonal tightrope with When Fall is Coming, a darkly funny thriller given genuine humanity by Hélène Vincent.
Synopsis: Michelle is enjoying a peaceful retirement in a Burgundy village, close to her longtime friend Marie-Claude. When her Parisian daughter
[More]
#17
Critics Consensus: Directed with unflinching verve by Dea Kulumbegashvili, April is a searing depiction of professional integrity and the visceral realities of childbirth.
Synopsis: Nina works in the only small hospital of a provincial town as an OB-GYN. Single and in abstinence from personal
[More]
#18
Critics Consensus: Carrying off painful subject matter with a light touch, My Dead Friend Zoe invites audiences to a healing process that comes with both chuckles and tears.
Synopsis: MY DEAD FRIEND ZOE is a dark comedy drama that follows the journey of Merit (Sonequa Martin-Green), a U.S. Army
[More]
#19
Critics Consensus: Dishing out enough laughter and chemistry to spare through Keke Palmer and SZA, One of Them Days makes the buddy-comedy genre feel like magic once again.
Synopsis: Best friends and roommates Dreux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA) are about to have One of Them Days. When they
[More]
#20
Critics Consensus: A fiendishly clever contraption that doesn't rest on the laurels of its twists, Companion thrillingly puts the demented into domestic bliss.
Synopsis: New Line Cinema--the studio that brought you "The Notebook"--and the unhinged creators of "Barbarian" cordially invite you to experience a
[More]
#21
Critics Consensus: Narratively cut to the bone and geared up with superb filmmaking craft, Warfare evokes the primal terror of combat with unnerving power.
Synopsis: Written and directed by Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland (Civil War, 28 Days Later), Warfare embeds audiences
[More]
#22
Critics Consensus: Paddington in Peru whisks away cinema's politest bear to a fresh setting under new creative stewardship, delivering a most agreeable adventure for the whole family.
Synopsis: When Paddington discovers his beloved aunt has gone missing from the Home for Retired Bears, he and the Brown family
[More]
#23
Critics Consensus: Exuberant in both its palette and sound, The Colors Within gets the band together to deliver a kaleidoscopic celebration of human connection.
Synopsis: Totsuko is a high school student with the ability to see the 'colors' of others. Colors of bliss, excitement, and
[More]
#24
Critics Consensus: Putting Ben Foster's talent for playing men on the edge to good dramatic use, Sharp Corner is an unsettling psychological thriller that might make audiences crack from nerves even before its anxious antihero.
Synopsis: Sharp Corner follows Josh (Ben Foster), a troubled man increasingly consumed by the fatal car crashes in front of his
[More]
#25
Critics Consensus: Adding some surprising emotional layers onto the ghoulish bones of Final Destination's mythology, Bloodlines ingeniously executes grisly set pieces with precision and turns impending doom into outrageous fun.
Synopsis: The newest chapter in New Line Cinema's bloody successful franchise takes audiences back to the very beginning of Death's twisted
[More]
#26
Critics Consensus: Director Miguel Gomes continues to leverage the possibilities of cinema to explore passion and time in this globetrotting lark, richly realized in striking black-and-white photography.
Synopsis: From Miguel Gomes, the award winning director of Tabu and Arabian Nights, comes a globe-trotting tale of unrequited love. Earning
[More]
#27
Critics Consensus: By withholding clear heroes or easy villains in its tale of a destructive neighborly feud, Bring Them Down stands out as an exceptionally nuanced exercise in vengeance.
Synopsis: Starring Oscar-nominee Barry Keoghan (Saltburn, The Banshees of Inisherin) and Christopher Abbott (Possessor, Sanctuary), BRING THEM DOWN is a tense
[More]
#28
Critics Consensus: Heavy on mood and existential terror, The Damned's patient approach to horror pays off with cerebral chills.
Synopsis: Eva (Odessa Young), a 19th-century widow is tasked with making an impossible choice when, in the middle of an especially
[More]
#29
Critics Consensus: A domestic nightmare that draws its most profound scares from Sally Hawkins' deranged performance, Bring Her Back is an exemplary chiller that reaffirms directors Danny and Michael Philippou as modern masters of horror.
Synopsis: A brother and sister uncover a terrifying ritual at the secluded home of their new foster mother.
[More]
#30
Critics Consensus: A bittersweet romp about new beginnings with another sparkling turn by Renée Zellweger, Mad About the Boy gracefully closes the book on Bridget Jones' diary.
Synopsis: After jumping back into the dating pool, single mother Bridget Jones finds herself caught between a younger man and her
[More]
#31
Critics Consensus: Assembling a ragtag band of underdogs with Florence Pugh as their magnetic standout, Thunderbolts* refreshingly returns to the tried-and-true blueprint of the MCU's best adventures.
Synopsis: In "Thunderbolts*," Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes -- Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and
[More]
#32
Critics Consensus: Tim Robinson expands his exquisitely painful cringe comedy style to feature length with seamless results in Friendship, a toxic bromance that'll make audiences laugh and wince in equal measure.
Synopsis: Suburban dad Craig falls hard for his charismatic new neighbor, as Craig's attempts to make an adult male friend threaten
[More]
#33
Critics Consensus: A tribute to classic films while being a very good one in itself, Superboys of Malegaon is a charming dramedy that will resonate with anyone who's ever been inspired to pick up a camera.
Synopsis: Superboys of Malegaon is a film based on the life of Nasir Shaikh, an amateur filmmaker from the town of
[More]
#34
Critics Consensus: A slow-burning spectral thriller, Presence reaffirms that Soderbergh plays with form as deftly as he flits between genres.
Synopsis: A family moves into a suburban house and becomes convinced they're not alone.
[More]
#35
Critics Consensus: Andrew Ahn lends a tender eye to a humorous and heartfelt remake that boasts loving performances to be embraced by all.
Synopsis: From Director Andrew Ahn comes a joyful comedy of errors about a chosen family navigating cultural identity, queerness, and family
[More]
#36
Critics Consensus: Nicolas Cage expertly rides the waves of toxic masculinity in this sand filled arena of torment.
Synopsis: In the psychological thriller directed by Lorcan Finnegan, a man returns to the idyllic beach of his childhood to surf
[More]
#37
Critics Consensus: Restoring much of Looney Tunes' quintessential charm with a daffy dose of high energy and inventive gags, The Day the Earth Blew Up goes to show that these iconic characters remain evergreen fun.
Synopsis: That's not all folks! Porky Pig and Daffy Duck, one of the greatest comedic duos in history, are making
[More]
#38
Critics Consensus: A mature deconstruction of the conventional rom-com, Materialists provides its trio of swoon-worthy stars some of their meatiest material yet while reaffirming Celine Song as a modern master of relationship dramas.
Synopsis: A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex.
[More]
#39
Critics Consensus: Leavening its parable of grief with some adorable human-canine bonding, The Friend is a winsome dramedy that'll resonate with pet owners and just about anyone who's experienced loss.
Synopsis: In The Friend, writer and teacher Iris (Naomi Watts) finds her comfortable, solitary New York life thrown into disarray after
[More]
#40
Critics Consensus: Drenched in atmosphere and riveting even as its procedural plotline gets subsumed within a surreal headspace, Only the River Flows is a startling showcase for leading man Zhu Yilong.
Synopsis: 1990s small town China. A woman's body washes up in the local river. The chief of police, Ma Zhe, is
[More]
#41
Critics Consensus: Stuffed to the gills with memorable shocks and a thrillingly unhinged heel turn by Jai Courtney, Dangerous Animals will be irresistible chum for horror aficionados.
Synopsis: When Zephyr, a rebellious surfer, is abducted by a shark-obsessed serial killer and held captive on his boat, she must
[More]
#42
Critics Consensus: An amusingly perceptive comedy about the push and pull of friendship, Sacramento glows with charm even when its characters drive each other mad.
Synopsis: Following the death of his father, energetic and free-spirited Rickey (Michael Angarano) convinces long-time friend Glenn (Michael Cera) to go
[More]
#43
Critics Consensus: A Hitchcockian thriller that cleverly utilizes modern technology for its twists and turns, Drop delivers on its pulpy premise while providing a welcome showcase for leading lady Meghann Fahy.
Synopsis: Emmy nominee Meghann Fahy, breakout star of White Lotus and The Perfect Couple, plays Violet, a widowed mother on her
[More]
#44
Critics Consensus: A modern, literate and sweet riff on finding the kind of happiness that can't be found in a book, Jane Austen Wrecked My Life will make your day.
Synopsis: Agathe, hopelessly clumsy yet charming and full of contradictions, finds herself in desperate singlehood. Her dream is to experience love
[More]
#45
Critics Consensus: Showing a sweeter side of director Mike Flanagan's deeply-felt emotional register, The Life of Chuck is a buoyant and often wonderful adaptation of one of Stephen King's more cosmically optimistic tales.
Synopsis: Charles "Chuck" Krantz experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained in all of us.
[More]
#46
Critics Consensus: A stimulating sci-fi that invests its high concept into ideas rather than special effects, The Assessment puts a trio of superb performances under a microscope and invites the audience to join in the scrutiny.
Synopsis: THE ASSESSMENT follows Mia (Elizabeth Olsen) and Aaryan (Himesh Patel), a successful couple who hope to become parents in a
[More]
#47
Critics Consensus: Like a homey dish prepared for family, Nonnas just wants to provide heaping helpings of comfort — and does so with enough charm that audiences may want seconds.
Synopsis: After the loss of his mother, a man risks everything to honor her by opening an Italian restaurant with a
[More]
#48
Critics Consensus: Getting an adrenaline shot from Jack Quaid and Amber Midthunder's considerable charm while finding increasingly demented ways to utilize its concept, Novocaine is the opposite of a pain to watch.
Synopsis: When the girl of his dreams (Amber Midthunder) is kidnapped, everyman Nate (Jack Quaid) turns his inability to feel pain
[More]
#49
Critics Consensus: Gargantuan in action, runtime, and scope, The Final Reckoning is a sentimental sendoff for Ethan Hunt that accomplishes its mission with a characteristic flair for the impossible.
Synopsis: Our lives are the sum of our choices. Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning.
[More]
#50
Critics Consensus: A mixture of gory slasher and sweet rom-com that ingeniously nails both formulas, Heart Eyes serves up a bloody valentine that'll make the heart skip a beat.
Synopsis: For the past several years, the "Heart Eyes Killer" has wreaked havoc on Valentine's Day by stalking and murdering romantic
[More]
#51
Critics Consensus: Realizing Dav Pilkey's canine creation with a frenzied energy that never lets up, Dog Man will delight kids while throwing their parents a bone.
Synopsis: When a faithful police dog and his human police officer owner are injured together on the job, a harebrained but
[More]
#52
Critics Consensus: Ratcheting up the tension to a riveting degree, Last Breath tells a remarkable true story with the utmost efficiency and a dependably terrific performance from Woody Harrelson.
Synopsis: A heart-pounding film that follows seasoned deep-sea divers as they battle the raging elements to rescue their crewmate trapped hundreds
[More]
#53
Critics Consensus: A caper made with all the intricacy of a Rube Goldberg machine, The Phoenician Scheme doesn't deviate from Wes Anderson's increasingly ornate style but delivers the formula with mannered delicacy.
Synopsis: The story of a family and a family business.
[More]
#54
Critics Consensus: The Penguin Lessons is appealing even if it curiously elides some disturbing geopolitical history, and is elevated by a winning performance from Steve Coogan with a little help from a lovable pint-sized companion.
Synopsis: Inspired by the true story of a disillusioned Englishman who went to work in a school in Argentina in 1976.
[More]
#55
Critics Consensus: Hypnotic and stylish if a little too indulgent in its pacing, Gazer is an intriguing mood piece featuring a terrific performance by Ariella Mastroianni.
Synopsis: Afflicted with a rare and fatal condition that affects her ability to perceive time and causes sudden blackouts, single mother
[More]
#56
Critics Consensus: Improving on the original by leaning into Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal's buddy comedy chemistry, The Accountant 2 can safely be filed under a good time at the movies.
Synopsis: Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) has a talent for solving complex problems. When an old acquaintance is murdered, leaving behind a
[More]
#57
Critics Consensus: Crafted with loving fidelity to the animated classic by original co-director Dean DeBlois, How to Train Your Dragon doesn't best the first iteration but still reaches enchanting heights of its own.
Synopsis: On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup (Mason Thames; The
[More]
#58
Critics Consensus: Josh Hartnett's go-for-broke performance gives Fight of Flight wings, sustaining this daffy action-comedy at an entertaining cruising altitude that refreshingly doesn't wear out its welcome.
Synopsis: Exiled American agent Lucas Reyes (Josh Hartnett) is given one last chance to redeem himself -- the assignment is to
[More]
#59
Critics Consensus: One of director Atom Egoyan's most successful efforts in years and a multidimensional showcase for Amanda Seyfried, Seven Veils dives from the rafters to make an uneven but ultimately insightful landing.
Synopsis: After years away, theater director Jeanine (Academy Award® nominee Amanda Seyfried) re-enters the opera world to stage her former mentor's
[More]
#60
Critics Consensus: Mickey 17 finds Bong Joon Ho returning to his forte of daffy sci-fi with a withering social critique at its core, proving along the way that you can never have too many Robert Pattisons.
Synopsis: Mickey 17, known as an "expendable," goes on a dangerous journey to colonize an ice planet.
[More]
#61
Critics Consensus: A marvel of state-of-the-art puppetry and visual effects, The Legend of Ochi elevates its predictable story with enchanting presentation.
Synopsis: In a remote village on the island of Carpathia, a shy farm girl named Yuri is raised to fear an
[More]
#62
Critics Consensus: The New Boy bites off more than it can comfortably chew, but this heady exploration of faith and cultural tensions has an ethereal allure.
Synopsis: From acclaimed filmmaker Warwick Thornton, The New Boy takes place in 1940s Australia at a remote monastery with a mission
[More]
#63
Critics Consensus: Continuing writer-director Jesse Armstrong's sterling streak of skewering the rich and powerful, Mountainhead counterbalances its repellant characters with terrific acting and dialogue.
Synopsis: A group of billionaire friends get together against the backdrop of a rolling international crisis.
[More]
#64
Critics Consensus: Ruminating on the love within loss, The Shrouds is a personal and peculiar examination of grief by director David Cronenberg.
Synopsis: Karsh, a creative entrepreneur who lost his spouse, develops a machine designed to communicate with deceased individuals.
[More]
#65
Critics Consensus: Whenever Armand's ambitious structure threatens to collapse into its own rabbit hole, Renate Reinsve's outstanding performance holds everything together even as her character's composure falls apart.
Synopsis: When defamed actress Elisabeth (Renate Reinsve) is abruptly called into a parent-teacher meeting after hours, she is presented with scathing
[More]
#66
Critics Consensus: Clown in a Cornfield doesn't reinvent the corn-maze, but its clever insights, subversion of expectations, and solid foundation help slash its way to the top.
Synopsis: Quinn and her father have just moved to the quiet town of Kettle Springs hoping for a fresh start. Instead,
[More]
#67
Critics Consensus: Emily Bett Rickards is terrific in this straightforward sports biopic, which puts on a good show even if it only glancingly grapples with the surface of its true story.
Synopsis: An extraordinary, true-life tale that follows Mildred Burke, the legendary professional wrestler and single mom who defied incredible odds to
[More]
Previous best movies by year: 1969 | 1975 | 1984 | 1985 | 1994 | 1995 | 1999 | 2005 | 2009 | 2014 | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024