Another year down in the books and another year of movies is done. I took an unplanned break from movie reviewing this year and haven’t kept this website up and running as usual. Was refreshing in some capacities and was hard in some areas. Although I don’t have reviews for all of the following movies, I did have the chance to see them and feel confident about the following list. I might add a few more thoughts this go around to help explain why certain movies made this list, but hope to get back to full review cycle in 2026! Here are my top 5 movies from past year.
5. Weapons
Now streaming on HBO Max
When I saw the trailer for this film, I was chilled to the bone and thought that I didn’t have the stomach to see this in theaters. Thankfully my sister convinced me to be brave and I was very pleasantly surprised. This is one of those films that is more of a thriller and less of the horror genre as a group of individuals seek to understand what happened to a group of missing kids from a classroom. What works with this movie the most is the way in which the story is told through multiple different perspectives each giving key insights as to what is actually going on. You see different events from multiple angles and brings you through what I thought was a very unique viewing experience. It’s got good thrills and great payoff and easily was one of the best thrillers I have seen.
4. F1
Now streaming on Apple TV
From the director who made Top Gun: Maverick takes the same energy and applies it to Formula 1 racing. This is one of those movies that throws back to the age of 90s action film but updates it with 2020s technology. The racing is exhilarating, the character development is engaging, and the story kept me gripped until the very end. Seeing this in the IMAX screen only added to the intense feeling of sitting in a Formula 1 car and feeling the dynamic waves and turns of the experience. This was a theatrical experience that I won’t soon forget.
3. KPop Demon Hunters
Now streaming on Netflix
When our friend Hannah told us about this movie, my wife and I were skeptical based on its zany title. We had no idea it would become the pop culture sensation that it did as we now play the soundtrack on repeat in the car. This film works on so many levels that it has absolutely no right to. The characters are instantly ones to connect with as their sisterhood and relationship is tested. The story is compelling exploring themes of identity with great complexity mixed with the heartfelt exploration of coming to age. And the music is instantly catchy with so many excellent hit songs that I cannot get out of my head to this day. It is a shame that we probably won’t see a continuation of this story for quite a while but at least we have this original to hold us for a while.
2. Ne Zha II
Now streaming on HBO Max
I’m sure most of you may have no idea what movie this is but it was the highest grossing movie worldwide in 2025 (no seriously), and after seeing the movie it isn’t hard to see why. Ne Zha is a Chinese film of a character that is integral to the culture of China and we do not have anything like it in America. After seeing the first film (which is also streaming on HBO Max), I was unsure of why this franchise was so popular as it seemed like a fart comedy for kids. However, this sequel amplifies everything up to the intensity of 1 billion. This film is absolutely mind-blowing on all levels. The animation of this film is truly on another level that is eons ahead of anything we have seen up to this point. The large scale spectacle on screen had my jaw dropping when I saw the film, and I was mesmerized from beginning to end. The story is an epic odyssey of finding one self in a pantheon of gods and monsters and writing ones own destiny. The characters are much more realized and fleshed out and provided a truly memorable experience that I went back in theaters to see multiple different times. This one is definitely worth your time and would recommend the quick watch of the first one too in advance.
1. Wake Up Dead Man
Now streaming on Netflix
I knew this film was going to be good as I loved the previous two films Rian Johnson put out but I didn’t expect to be as deeply moved as I was, especially when I watched it for the second time. Yes this film has a great murder mystery, a fantastic cast, and great subversion of the films that came before it but what hit me the most on a deeper level was its exploration of faith. The authenticity and genuineness of Josh O’Connor’s performance was so engaging and heartfelt that I now get a little emotional during that final shot. This film was bold and it was deep and it paid off exponentially to receive my top commendation for the year.
Raj Reviews 