If you saw my most recent post you would have gotten to know all about the ten movies that let me down in 2025. That list was filled with films that broke my heart in the wrong way, leaving me sitting in silence riddled with dismay. Now it's time to turn things to the positive side of things. While every year has its disappointments, there are always a handful of movies that either came out of nowhere or looked like garbage that wind up being among the year's best. Whether they be films I knew nothing about or ones I had low expectations for, 2025 delivered some absolute delightful surprises. As with my last list I have some honourable mentions. Some out of nowhere surprises I loved were Little Amelie or the Character of Rain, Lost in Starlight, and Resurrection, while The Amateur, Ballerina, Eternity, Freakier Friday, Heart Eyes, and Silent Night Deadly Night were all films that vastly exceeded my expectations. Now, let's get into my top 10 surprises of the year.
#10 - The Life List
Last year, The Idea of You was a surprise streaming rom-com hit that I thought would flop but I ended up really enjoying. This year we have The Life List, a Netflix rom-com with a lot more emotional weight than I expected. The film follows Sofia Carson as a young woman whose late mother leaves her with a teenage bucket list that she must complete to earn her inheritance. I wasn't overly familiar with Carson's work, but she gives her all here and delivers a performance that was far more moving than I would have expected. It's a bit by the numbers, but The Life List is the kind of movie that just warms your heart and sometimes we need that.
#9 - Kpop Demon Hunters
If there was one movie I'd assume wouldn't be my thing based on the title, this would probably be it. I'm not a K-Pop fan, and to be honest it's a music genre that scares me a bit with how passionate its fanbase is. Putting K-Pop at the front of a brightly coloured animated action-musical just doesn't seem like something I'd enjoy, but Kpop Demon Hunters is simply a ton of fun. It's a high energy and beautifully animated, with a soundtrack that has captured the sound waves everywhere. If you're on the fence, just give this one a shot, it's an excellent time.
#8 - The Naked Gun
This is one movie on the list that I was praying would be good, but even still I had my doubts. Liam Neeson is an all time fav, but his recent body of work is sadly underwhelming. The Naked Gun perfectly combines the hilarious spoof comedy of the original and Neeson's deadpan action hero persona to deliver something so much better than I could have expected. This is pretty easily the funniest movie of 2025, with some great jokes falling flat simply because you can't hear them over your laughter from the previous joke. This is a kind of movie we just don't see much of anymore, and there are few movies that brought me as much joy this year as The Naked Gun.
#7 - The Ballad of Wallis Island - FULL REVIEW
I had a feeling going into it that I'd enjoy The Ballad of Wallis Island, but I had no idea it would wind up being one of my absolute favourite films from the first half of the year. This follows a washed up musician as he journeys to a small coastal island town to perform a live show, the only catch being that the crowd he'll be playing for is comprised of just one super fan dead set on reuniting him with his former collaborator. The dynamic between the grumpy Tom Basden and full of joy Tim Key is perfect, and is only heightened by Carey Mulligan in a supporting role. The music is great and the film as a whole is just a delight.
#6 - Predator: Killer of Killers
There were two things going against this one for me. The first was that I didn't really see how making the leap to animation would be the right next step for the Predator franchise. The second was that historically I'm not the biggest Predator fan. I like a handful of the movies but in terms of sci-fi franchises there are so many I care about more. To put things simply, Predator: Killer of Killers is awesome. Initially I didn't love its anthological storytelling approach, but as the film grows on it winds up making a lot of sense. Rather than being held back from the animation medium, it is used to craft something bigger and bolder than what could have realistically been achieved in live action, sending us to three different points in history and delivering terrific, brutal action accurate to the period. If you haven't already, check this one out as it is easily one of the year's best animated films.
#5 - The Threesome
I was excited for The Threesome thanks to its leading trio of Zoey Deutch, Ruby Cruz, and Jonah Hauer-King, three actors I've been wanting to see more of recently. I went in expecting a fun comedy, but was wowed by how surprisingly down to earth the film is. The dynamic between the three is fascinating, showcasing how complicated adult life can be in a hilarious way. I don't want to spoil where the plot goes but I wasn't entirely prepared for it, and was even further unprepared for how well the screenplay handles pretty sensitive subjects. As soon as the credits rolled and I saw Chad Hartigan was the director (he previously made the fantastic Little Fish) everything made sense, as this is a delightful but also very emotionally fulfilling watch.
#4 - Sorry, Baby - FULL REVIEW
Every year it seems a debut film comes out of the Sundance Film Festival and winds up being one of the year's very best. For 2025 that has to be Eva Victor's dramedy Sorry, Baby. The plot was advertised simply as "something terrible happened to Agnes" along with a poster of Victor as Agnes holding a cat, a marketing decision that not only builds intrigue but also protects the very tender and sensitive core of the film. Victor's sharp direction is only matched by her terrific lead performance, further heightened by terrific supporting performances from Naomi Ackie and Lucas Hedges as well one of the best scenes of the year featuring John Carroll Lynch. This is one that really came out of nowhere to be one of 2025's very best.
#3 - Dangerous Animals - FULL REVIEW
I'm a sucker for a good shark movie, but sadly there just aren't nearly enough good ones. Save for Jaws of course and the occasional hit like The Shallows, the history of shark movies has been written more by tacky straight to tv nonsense than real hits. This year though, we not only got a good shark movie, but an Australian shark/serial killer movie. Jai Courtney stars as a twisted murderer who lures his victims with a cheap "swim with sharks" excursion only to wind up feeding them to said sharks. The end result is a twisted fun time thanks to Courtney's wonderfully over the top performance and a claustrophobic tension from start to finish. Just an absolute blast of a movie.
#2 - Black Phone 2 - FULL REVIEW
I really enjoyed the first Black Phone film, and I tend to be a fan of Scott Derrickson's work. That being said, I didn't think the first film needed a sequel by any means, and the lack of source material to pull from for a second entry made me nervous. Rather than a cash grab though, Black Phone 2 manages to surpass the original in nearly every way. Mason Thames isn't the focus as much but is still great, meanwhile Madeline McGraw takes full command of her larger role. The supernatural elements sprinkled through the first film allow this story progression to feel authentic and the atmosphere is simply immaculate. I'll be talking about this in my best of the year list so I won't say anything more, but I was not prepared in any way for Black Phone 2 to be so damn good.
#1 - Final Destination: Bloodlines - FULL REVIEW
Speaking of horror sequels far surpassing expectations, how on earth was Final Destination: Bloodlines so good?! Final Destination is a franchise I enjoy but not one I have too much of an attachment to, and frankly any time a long running franchise adds "Bloodlines" to the title it usually winds up being a trainwreck. This latest entry delivers some of the absolute best kills in the series, with some having a bit too much CGI but enough creativity to more than make up for it. For the first time in the franchise we also follow a family, making the stakes a little bit larger than usual. This ensemble is terrific, full of characters that are easy to love so much so that it's kind of sad to watch them go. Perhaps the biggest thing this has going for it though is its farewell to the late great Tony Todd. Todd was a key figure in the franchise and Bloodlines gave him the opportunity to not just say goodbye to the character he's played since the early 2000s, but also essentially break the fourth wall to say goodbye to the fans who have grown to love him. His big scene had my tear ducts going full blast, something you just don't expect from this kind of movie. There's so much clear heart in this and the end result is maybe the best in the series, and most certainly the one that I'll be going back to most. A pleasant surprise of the highest order.
Comments
Post a Comment