Well, 2025 is over, and it’s time to look back on the year and everything that’s happened. And while the world is still filled with chaos and turmoil, one good thing we can say about this year is that it was great for cinema. I saw some absolute bangers on the big screen this year, and was lucky enough to get to talk about a lot of them here at The Game of Nerds. With 2026 around the corner, the time is right for me to reflect on the year and decide what I think was the best about it. With that said, I’m RJ Writing Ink, and here are my picks for the best movies of 2025…and the one I consider the worst.

The One We didn’t need.

Unfortunately, before we get into my picks for the best movies of 2025, we should discuss the movie that I think is the worst: Snow White.

I haven’t seen this movie. I have no intention of seeing this movie. But I’m calling this the worst film of the year for one reason: it’s unnecessary.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was a legendary film, and for good reason. Disney and his team took a huge gamble on making an animated film in a time when no one thought it would work. Not only did it work, but it established that animated films could make big money. Every hit animated film since then owes its existence to Snow White. The fact that Disney decided to remake it in live action goes against the original’s reason for existing, and it’s something that many fans have taken issue with, myself included. 2025 wasn’t a good year for Disney, and they know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. But at least they managed to get a few good films out.

Fantastic Four: First Steps

I’ll admit it: this year’s MCU outings weren’t that good, at least on the theatrical front. The sole exception has to be Fantastic Four: First Steps, AKA the film that brought Marvel’s first family home. There’s so much that this movie managed to do right, from accurately capturing the personalities of the Fantastic Four to the retro-future ’60s aesthetic and the hope it inspired. Most importantly, though, it finally did Galactus justice by not having him as a scary space cloud. I actually spoke with the co-creator Jack Kirby’s granddaughter on Twitter and asked her if he would’ve been happy about this film, and she said she thinks he would, and I’m inclined to agree. Way to get it right, Marvel.

Frankenstein

For over two hundred years, the story of Frankenstein has captivated people young and old, standing as an icon of horror. There have been plenty of great film adaptations in that time, but I think Guillermo del Toro’s stands as one of the most emotionally-driven attempts to date. The Netflix film puts a heavy emphasis on the father-son relationship between Frankenstein and his creation as the titular Doctor refuses to live with the consequences of his actions, which ends up destroying his life. I was especially impressed with Jacob Elordi’s performance as the famous creature, as through him and his relationship with his creator, we are made to ask ourselves who is truly the monster.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba the Movie: Infinity Castle

If you need an example of how popular anime has become, look no further than Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. It’s such a big deal that Ufotable decided to release the grand finale as a film trilogy, with the first part releasing in Japan before hitting international theaters. And it was the right decision, because no TV, laptop, or smartphone can adequately contain how awesome the final battle between Demon Slayers and their hated enemy Muzan is. The animation is hypnotizing, the music is god-tier, and the storytelling is never compromised for the sake of time. Needless to say, this was worth the price of admission.

How to Train Your Dragon

In the longstanding rivalry between Dreamworks and Disney, it looks like Dreamworks got another feather in its cap. In this case, their live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon does a better job of justifying its existence than Snow White ever did. The irony is that HTTYD barely changed anything from the original because there was nothing it needed to change. The story was already solid, the emotional moments hit right, and the music was as good as ever! Why mess with a winning formula?

A Minecraft Movie

Okay, so I can think we can all admit that A Minecraft Movie wasn’t the perfect film the fans wanted. I think a lot of them were disappointed that they didn’t have the characters animated in the world of the game. And I know that the studio missed an opportunity to include some of the big name Minecraft YouTubers in roles or cameos. But  the sheer amount of memes like Chicken Jockey and “Steve’s Lava Chicken” were enough to justify this movie. That, and the tribute to the late king of Minecraft, Technoblade, was enough to make grown men cry.

Sinners

I’ve been a fan of Michael B. Jordan since Black Panther, and if Chadwick Boseman was still alive, they should have gotten the chance to play Smoke and Stack together in Sinners, because it would have been gold. However, seeing Michael play opposite of himself in one of the most unique takes on a vampire story showed me that he’s a great actor for a reason. The story was gripping, I loved the music and its messages about identity. The whole thing was just a cinematic masterpiece, and I regret not seeing it in theaters when I had the chance.

F1

When I was a little kid, I was enamored by the sight of fast cars racing down a track, and a part of me still. Which means that going to see this movie while on vacation with a relative was a relative no-brainer.  I loved the adrenaline of seeing the races on the track, but I think what made it memorable to me was the dynamics between Brad Pitt and Damon Idris. Seeing their characters start off as rivals before adopting this mentor-student relationship was very touching, as was getting to see them actually win it all. And then we saw Brad’s character walk off into the sunset in search of his next race was the cherry on top. That was a man who was doing it all for the love of the game, and that is something that I think everyone wishes they could do once in their lives.

Wicked: For Good

I could go on about how this was one of the best musical films of all time, but I’m not going to. I could explain how this improved upon the second half of the story of Wicked in all the right ways, but I’m not going to. Why? Because I have already gushed about this film twice, and I stand by what I said both times. It was worth seeing it in theaters, and I can’t wait for it to come home so k can watch both parts back to back.

K-Pop Demon Hunters

2025 will go down in history as the year K-Pop took over the world. Let the fact that HUNTR/X, the fictional band from K-Pop Demon Hunters, appeared on the cover of Time as the breakthrough of the year  and the bands voice actresses performing at Macy’s Thanksgiving parade act as proof. It’s not hard to understand why. The animation for the film is absolutely gorgeous, the themes about acceptance of one’s flaws are profound, and, of course, the songs. Every song in K-Pop Demon Hunters is an absolute banger, and I regret not dresssing up as a Saja boy for Halloween!

Superman

I normally don’t play favorites when it comes to picking my favorite movie of the year, but in this case, it has to be Superman. For several reasons. Firstly, in a time when Marvel has been struggling to recapture its glory at the box office, Superman has given DC the chance it needs to compete with its rival. Secondly, this film actually gets Superman right. He’s not supposed to be this grimdark and brooding man like what Snyder gave us; he’s supposed to be the best version of ourselves and inspire us to reach for that. And in a world full of cynicism, Homelanders and Omni-Men, I think we needed a reminder of what being a hero is supposed to be like. This has to be the best Superman movie since the 78 Chris Reeve film, and when the credits started playing, I gave it a standing ovation alongside everyone else in my theater. Plus, it managed to make “Punkrocker” one of my new favorite songs. It’s gotten to the point where I call it the song of 2025.