It feels like 2025 came and went in a flash, and with it, the strongest year for media in this decade so far. Plenty of great cinematic highlights occurred. Theaters for A Minecraft Movie and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 were filled with overpassionate fans. A surprising number of films gained an abundance of critical acclaim, like One Battle After Another, Sentimental Value, and Marty Supreme. Multiple films redefined their specific genres, and cinema as a whole, like the topic of this year in review: Sinners, Superman, and Wake Up Dead Man. This article will go over the impact these films had and how they added to 2025 being an incredibly exceptional year for cinema.

Weapons is a type of horror movie that only Zach Cregger could conceive. The follow-up film after his breakout film, the bizarre yet captivating Barbarian, did not disappoint. It follows a small town being affected by the sudden disappearance of a classroom of children. One night, at 2:17 AM, all the kids got up, walked out their doors, and ran into the woods. This review will be short because the ideal way to watch this movie is to go in knowing as little as possible about the plot. The movie is built around slowly revealing its mystery, and it is best to learn about things during your viewing. I can say that the performances are all stellar, including Julia Garner as the schoolteacher Justine, Josh Brolin as the aggressive parent Archer, and Austin Abrams as his ridiculous character of James. Hopefully, Zach Cregger will go on to make more creative innovations in horror like Weapons.

Secondly, Superman is a triumph… for its own genre of action and the Superman character. Since Man of Steel in 2013 (a phenomenal or terrible movie, depending on what type of fan you ask) the character has been seen as bland, boring, or only interesting when turned evil. The influx of “evil Supermen” in media like Homelander in The Boys, Omni-Man in Invincible, and the horror film Brightburn does not help either. But when acclaimed comic book filmmaker James Gunn took over WB’s broken DC Universe with The Conjuring franchise producer Peter Safran, there was a glimmer of hope. James Gunn has proven he understands comic books with his Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and his version of The Suicide Squad, so it seemed like it would be perfect. But, it would be a lie not to admit that the first viewing of this feature can feel off. Superman came out in this current era, where superhero film adaptations have gotten a bit out of hand, and it subverts your expectations by doing things no comic book movie has done before. Despite this being the first film in this new DC film universe, it throws you into the middle of a plotline at the start of the movie, using a series of events that have already happened to set up its true plot. It also throws an abundance of absurd sci-fi and fantastical elements at you without an explanation, but in a way that is extremely refreshing, considering most comic book movies still feel the need to water down silly things from the source material and make it “grounded” for general audiences.

Superman also has a full cast of characters from the comics that all feel perfectly presented, and it is nearly impossible to cover all of them. After having a cinematic Superman in the previous DC universe, who many criticized for being serious and uncaring, this new version of Clark Kent is a breath of fresh air. David Corenswet brings such charm and depth to this version of the character, and he truly feels like a Superman for the modern era. Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane is also adapted very well from the comics, being a dedicated reporter with a heart of gold. The ensemble of the Daily Planet newsroom all unfortunately feel like an afterthought, except for Skylar Gisondo’s Jimmy Olsen, whose characterization and sideplot feel ripped straight from the page. There is also an ensemble of superheroes, including Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, who all get their moment to shine. However, the standout performance, arguably the best in the movie, is Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. No previous adaptation of the character has been portrayed with such pure jealousy and arrogance radiating in every scene and line of dialogue. This version of Lex is hateable and lovable at once, and is arguably the best villain of the year. Overall, Superman is a breath of fresh air that saved the blue boy scout from the creative rut he has been stuck in.

Wake Up Dead Man, like Superman, is a fantastic new subversive film for its own genre of murder mystery. This feature is the third in the Knives Out mystery trilogy by writer-director Rian Johnson, the previous installments being the immediately iconic 2019 film of the same name and 2022’s Glass Onion. The narrative takes the focus from the rich and lavish locations of its past outings to focus on a personal story with former boxer Father Jud, played by Josh O’Connor, who is assigned to a small-town parish in Upstate New York, which is run by the harsh and manipulative Monsignor Wicks, played by Josh Brolin. After a murder makes it appear as if Father Jud is the only suspect, private detective and recurring character of the film series, Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig, must solve the mystery so Jud is not falsely accused further. All the Knives Out films have been crafted with such care and a strong understanding of the mystery genre and how to subvert it. However, the biggest subversion is that this entry has the strongest emotional depth of the franchise. It brings a new perspective to faith, how hope affects it, that most other filmmakers would not tackle out of fear of causing controversy. The emotional core is also carried heavily by Josh O’Connor’s performance, and the film would not be the same with any other actor in the lead. Overall, Wake Up Dead Man was a pleasant surprise that keeps the consistent positive reputation of the Knives Out franchise.

To conclude, I wanted to address one of the most praised films of the year, Sinners. The feature sets itself in 1932 and follows young musician Sammy, played by first-time actor Miles Caton. His cousins Smoke and Stack, both twins played by Michael B. Jordan, return to their hometown in the Mississippi Delta to open a Juke Joint for their community. As the night unfolds, they are forced to face unexpected horrors when they are set upon by the violent Irish vampire Remmick, played by the electric Jack O’Connell. The performances are all top-notch. Michael B. Jordan puts in the work to portray Smoke and Stack with such distinction that an audience member may forget they are watching one person onscreen. Miles Caton is phenomenal as Sammy, not just in his acting ability, but in his singing. Something the marketing hid was the fact that this movie is a musical of sorts. It features long musical performance sequences, and music is directly tied to the plot and the villain’s motivation. You would think something like a period piece horror musical would have conflicting tones, but writer-director Ryan Coogler was able to craft it perfectly. He and his whole production team put in so much work to make the movie perfect in every way, from the costumes to the editing to the songs and composition. This may be the closest a film came this year to being a perfect 10/10, and I feel guilty for anyone unable to witness its beauty in theaters.

In conclusion, 2025 was fantastic for films. Even though fear is abundant for the future of the industry right now, with the rise of AI, bizarre studio transactions, and politicians influencing studios, as long as human artists continue to use the outlet to make strong features, there is hope. 2026 looks like it could be another strong year, with critically acclaimed directors and actors releasing intriguing projects, like Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. Films like Weapons, Superman, Wake Up Dead Man, and Sinners are all proof that the industry is alive and thriving, and will hopefully continue to do so.