FEATURE: THE TOP 10 FILMS OF 2025

By Stephen Pytak

My favorite films of 2025 were Weapons and Sisu: Road to Revenge.
I also had a soft spot for the science-fiction thriller Companion. 

Sophie Thatcher as "Iris" in "Companion (2025)." Copyright 2025 New Line Cinema.

But in the past year I found myself, more often than not, looking backward.
My best cinematic experiences were screenings of older films, some  being classics remastered for IMAX, some being grindhouse fare
on 35mm. I'm a cinephile who still enjoys going out to the cinema to see 
movies.
And in 2025, the most significant thing to happen in my area regarding
film was the opening of GAP Theatre at 47 Broadway in Wind Gap,
Pennsylvania.
A single screen theater located in a small community, it opened in
the 1940s and closed in 2020.In early 2025, it was remodeled and reopened by Harry Guerro of 
Exhumed Films. And he started showing classic films on 35 mm
seven days a week.
For showtimes, visit https://thegaptheatre.com/
I've visited GAP a number of times.
The first time was on Saturday, March 8, 2025. That night I saw a John 
Carpenter triple bill, Escape From New York (1981), Assault on 
Precinct 13 (1976) and Dark Star (1974).
Then I returned that Tuesday to see Halloween (1978).
I was really impressed with the place. It looked like the kind of 
small town movie houses I visited in the 1970s and 1980s.
The best experiences I had out there included screenings of 
The Burning (1981) on April 1, Cleopatra Jones (1973) on Aug. 2,
Night of the Comet (1984) on Sept. 20, Wes Craven's Deadly 
Blessing (1981) on Oct. 15 and the Robert Ginty post-apocalyptic
flick Warrior of the Lost World (1983) on Nov. 22.
But this wasn't the only venue where I saw classic films on the big
screen in 2025. There are others. And while they may be showing digital presentations, it's still very cool.
On April 7, I caught a screening of Sergio Leone's Once Upon
A Time In The West (1968) at Campus Theatre, 413 Market St,
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. 
On May 22, I saw Cronenberg's The Fly (1986) at The Emmaus
Theatre at 19 S. 4th St., Emmaus, Pennsylvania.
A few classics were remastered for IMAX in 2025. The ones I
saw included Se7en (1995), Back to the Future (1985) and Kubrick's
The Shining (1980).
Of those, The Shining impressed me the most. While I'm not an
obsessed fan of the film, I really like the look of it. And I like how
Kubrick generated an eerie tension, the kind of frightening 
atmosphere he infused into 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).
Seeing The Shining on such a big canvas was wonderful. 
Traveling shots really pulled you into the haunted Overlook. It was
simply awesome.
Then a couple weeks ago I was fortunate enough to see Tarantino's
Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair (2011) at AMC Center Valley. 
When I saw the film when it was originally released, cut into two
parts and edited, I wasn't all that impressed. "Gee," I thought, "there's
a good film there somewhere. Maybe someday I'll get to see it."
Well, now I have.
So, I'm glad theater chains and independent movie houses are 
screening classics like these. I check the listings every week to see
what's out there. 
I can't go back in time. And there are some days I really wish I could.
Seeing movies like this on the big screen is probably as close as I'll
get to that.
So, what about the films that were released in 2025?
For me, I was just an okay year. I liked some new films. But I wasn't 
totally blown away by anything. 
I thought Weapons was interesting, the structure of the story, how it
carefully revealed its mysteries, and the actors. Everyone is pretty
good in that.
I don't want to see a prequel to Weapons. and I don't want to see a 
sequel either.
What I do want is to see more new films from the guy who made it,
Zach Cregger. He made Barbarian (2022), another very impressive
flick. 
And that's what Hollywood needs right now.
Something fresh and exciting.
I'm sure someone over at Blumhouse will agree, even though the 
stuff that studio churned out in 2025 wasn't all that interesting.
I know Blumhouse is looking to do another film in the M3GAN
universe, an R-rated film called Soulmate.
I can't say I'm looking forward to it.
Maybe it's because Companion (2025) already nailed this concept.
Sophie Thatcher is excellent as a love bot for rent who finds herself
in the middle of a murder plot. It's funny. Bonkers. Suspenseful. And
honest. 
So, what other films did I like in 2025? 

1. Weapons

2. Sisu: Road to Revenge 

3. Companion

4. Thunderbolts

5. The Long Walk

6. Del Toro’s Frankenstein 

7. Superman

8. The Monkey

9. Predator: Badlands

10. Good Boy









 

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