From Hamnet to Frankenstein, Rolling Stone picks the best films of 2025. Check out which film topped the list

IT is dec, which substance awards flavour is showtime to use up shape ahead of the Golden Globes, the Critics' Choice Awards, and finally, the Oscars. A number of Hollywood films, from Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another to Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, to Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier's Sentimental Value, the films are all extraordinary. Now Rolling Stone has also released their list of the top 20 films of the year. Read more to know which film claimed the number 1 spot.20) WeaponsThe year's most talked-about horror film, directed by Zach Cregger, revolves around a small-town mystery involving the sudden disappearance of multiple children. Julia Garner plays the class teacher of the school, who is at the centre of the allegations as questions pile up regarding the mysterious disappearances.(Also read: Weapons first reviews: Viewers say the hype for this horror film is real, calling it ‘an unmissable new classic’)19) FrankensteinGuillermo del Toro's adaptation of the classic novel stars Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz and Jacob Elordi. The film is available to watch on Netflix.(Also read: Frankenstein Twitter reviews: Fans call Guillermo del Toro film one of the year's best, hail Jacob Elordi's performance)18) Caught by the TidesThe Chinese drama film, directed by Jia Zhangke, tells the story of two lovers who separate and reunite over the course of roughly two decades. The film is assembled from 22 years of footage.17) The Phoenician SchemeThe black comedy thriller film, produced, written and directed by Wes Anderson, tells the story of a billionaire arms dealer who, while trying to save his empire, reconnects with his estranged daughter and embarks on an adventure with her and a tutor.16) On Becoming a Guinea FowlThe black comedy drama film, written and directed by Rungano Nyoni, stars Susan Chardy and Elizabeth Chisela. The film is set in Zambia and deals in grief and dark family secrets.15) Orwell: 2+2=5The documentary film, produced, written, and directed by Raoul Peck, follows the enduring legacy of acclaimed author George Orwell. Through his works, diary entries, and political commentary, the film offers vital insights into the totalitarianism of the present era.14) Best Wishes for AllThe Japanese horror film is directed by Yûta Shimotsu. It tells the story of a college student who visits her grandparents in the countryside. She is happy to see them, but begins to feel a sense of discomfort. She then starts to see that there is more to the place than she sees.13) Universal LanguageUniversal Language is a Canadian absurdist comedy-drama film, co-written and directed by Matthew Rankin. It weaves together multiple stories that take place in a fictional zone located between Winnipeg and Tehran.12) EddingtonWritten and directed by Ari Aster, this neo-Western thriller stars Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Luke Grimes and Emma Stone. It follows a fictional New Mexico town in May 2020, focusing on a power struggle between Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) and Mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) during the COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests.11) Peter Hujar’s DayThe biographical drama film, written and directed by Ira Sachs, follows a single day in the life of acclaimed queer photographer Peter Hujar (Ben Whishaw) as he converses with writer Linda Rosenkrantz (Rebecca Hall).10) Sentimental ValueAfter The Worst Person in the World, Joachim Trier returns with a comedy-drama film about a dysfunctional family, somehow united in their love for the arts and cinema. It stars Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning.9) Marty SupremeTimothée Chalamet is garnering strong Oscar buzz for his performance as a NYC Ping Pong hustler in Marty Supreme. Loosely inspired by the life of the American table tennis champion Marty Reisman, this film is directed by Josh Safdie.8) Sorry, BabyA reclusive college literature professor struggles with depression following a sexual assault in this acclaimed directorial debut from Eva Victor. The film had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival where it won the Screenplay Award.7) No Other ChoiceSouth Korean auteur Park Chan-wook, who directed Oldboy, is back with No Other Choice, a satirical black comedy thriller that tells the story of a mill manager. After being laid off, he becomes desperate and goes on to attempt increasingly violent methods to get a new job by eliminating the competition.6) It Was Just an AccidentJafar Panahi won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival this year for this thriller. Billed as his bravest and most political film to date, it follows a group of former Iranian political prisoners who are confronted by the man they believe to be their torturer.5) Nouvelle VagueDirected by Richard Linklater, the film reimagines the shooting of Breathless, one of the first feature films of the Nouvelle Vague era of French cinema, in 1959. It stars Guillaume Marbeck as Jean-Luc Godard, Zoey Deutch as Jean Seberg, and Aubry Dullin as Jean-Paul Belmondo.4) Train DreamsAdapted from the novella by Denis Johnson, the film follows the decades-long journey of a railroad worker in the early 20th-century Pacific Northwest. His life is defined by his relationships and the many changes in American society. Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones star in this film directed by Clint Bentley.(Also read: Train Dreams review: Joel Edgerton is excellent in this gorgeous and poetic drama about life's many adjustments)3) Black BagWhen British intelligence officer George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) is assigned to investigate a list of suspected traitors, he realises that one of whom is his wife, Kathryn (Cate Blanchett). Thus follows an intense, intriguing new offering from Steven Soderbergh.2) HamnetJessie Buckley and Paul Mescal star in Hamnet, the new film from Chloe Zhao. The adaptation is a fictionalised account of the life of Agnes Hathaway, wife of William Shakespeare, and the tragic death of their 11-year-old son, Hamnet, from the plague1) One Battle After AnotherPaul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another claimed the top spot. The film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Regina Hall, Chase Infiniti and Benicio del Toro, follows a band of ex-revolutionaries who reunite to rescue the daughter of one of their own.(Also read: One Battle After Another review: Sean Penn, Leonardo DiCaprio shine in Paul Thomas Anderson's satire on Trump's America)