Movies of 2025 Ranked
- Dane Bundy
- 20 hours ago
- 7 min read
Listed below are some of the movies I saw in 2025. They were also released in 2025, and I have ranked them from poorest to best. While I wrote the Stage & Story takeaway, I have taken the summary for each movie from IMDB (Internet Movie Database).
Each movie has a rating out of 5 stars outlined below:
5/5 - Basically Perfect
4.5/5 - Phenomenal Must See
4/5 - Really Good
3.5/5 - Good
3/5 - Pretty Good
2.5/5 - Nominal to Poor
When I rate movies, I consider three things:
Craft - How well is the movie made (e.g. acting, directing, write, etc.)?
Content - What is the worldview, message, or themes of the film?
Impact - Most subjective of all: How does this impact me intellectually or emotionally?
#16 - Sinners (2.5/5 stars)
— Director: Ryan Coogler; Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell
IMDB Summary: Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
Stage & Story Takeaway: Ryan Coogler is a great director and this film is sure to win an Oscar, but my wife and I found the story, characters, and visuals disappointing. Coogler has much to say about Christianity, and it’s not positive. That’s not a reason to avoid the film, as it could lead to positive discussion. But, I don’t recommend the movie unless you’re interested in the way Coogler is wrestling with what he sees as the abusive-nature (especially in the past) of Christianity.
MPAA Rating - R
#15 - The Running Man (2.5/5 stars)
— Director: Edgar Wright; Starring: Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo
IMDB Summary: A man joins a game show in which contestants, allowed to flee anywhere in the world, are pursued by "hunters" hired to kill them.
Stage & Story Takeaway: The movie starts out strong, connecting us to the lead character’s noble intentions, but by the 2nd and 3rd act those intentions grow foggy and so did my interest in the movie.
MPAA Rating - R
#14 - Frankenstein (2.5/5 stars)
— Director: Guillermo del Toro; Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth
IMDB Summary: Dr. Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist, brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.
Stage & Story Takeaway: Guillermo del Toro is a master visual artist if you've ever seen any of his films. And Frankenstein is a well-crafted movie, especially visually. His set pieces are magnificent. But in terms of the story, I found the first act compelling but after that I slowly lost interest. Also, it was too gruesome for my taste.
MPAA Rating -R
#13 - Eternity (3/5 stars)
— Director: David Freyne; Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller, Callum Turner
IMDB Summary: In an afterlife where souls have one week to decide where to spend eternity, Joan is faced with the impossible choice between the man she spent her life with and her first love, who died young and has waited decades for her to arrive.
Stage & Story Takeaway: Here we have great actors in a bland storyline and nothing interesting to say about the after life.
MPAA Rating -PG-13
#12 - The Lost Bus (3/5 stars)
Director: Paul Greengrass; Starring: Matthew McConaughey, America Ferrera, Yul Vazquez
IMDB Summary: A wayward school bus driver and a dedicated school teacher battle to save 22 children from a terrifying inferno.
Stage & Story Takeaway: Paul Greengrass directed one of my all-time favorite thrillers Captain Phillips (2013). Unfortunately, The Lost Bus did not connect on an emotional level nor on a visual level. The movie felt like a made for tv, which it was.
MPAA Rating -R
#11 - Materialists (3.5/5 stars)
Director: Celine Song; Starring: Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal
IMDB Summary: An ambitious young New York City matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex.
Stage & Story Takeaway: Materialists is not a typical romantic comedy, though the trailer makes it feel that way. While it hits common plot points in this genre, Celine Song is a subversive storyteller, surprising us with wise insights on romance. If you want to see this director at her best, watch Past Lives (2023); it’s beautiful and surprising.
MPAA Rating - R
#10 - F1: The Movie (3.5/5 stars)
Director: Joseph Kosinski; Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon
IMDB Summary: A Formula One driver comes out of retirement to mentor and team up with a younger driver.Stage & Story Takeaway: With a solid performance from Brad Pitt and some impressive visuals, this is a really enjoyable movie. I enjoyed it even more when it occurred to me that it is a Western on Wheels.
MPAA Rating - PG-13
#9 - House of Dynamite (3.5/5)
— Director: Kathryn Bigelow; Starring: Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso
IMDB Summary: When a single, unattributed missile is launched at the United States, a race begins to determine who is responsible and how to respond.
Stage & Story Takeaway: You never know what another person is going through until you see life through their eyes! It’s a solid thriller that asks some scary questions. Prepare yourself that when it comes to answers, the movie leaves us with the heavy work.
MPAA Rating - R
#8 -Wake Up Dead Man (3.5/5 stars)
— Director: Rian Johnson; Starring: Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close
IMDB Summary: Benoit Blanc returns for his most dangerous case yet.
Stage & Story Takeaway: Deep with religious imagery and symbolism, Rian Johnson has something to say about Christianity and the Church in this movie. Some of Johnson’s sermon is worth keeping and other parts not. Here’s a great movie for biblically-based Christians to sharpen their skills of wisdom and discernment . . . and stir great discussion. Besides that, it's a fun and multi-layered detective story.
MPAA Rating - R
#7 - Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (4/5 stars)
— Director: Christopher McQuarrie; Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames
IMDB Summary: Hunt and the IMF pursue a dangerous AI called the Entity that's infiltrated global intelligence. With governments and a figure from his past in pursuit, Hunt races to stop it from forever changing the world.
Stage & Story Takeaway: While not the best of the Mission Impossible franchise, it’s a solid one. With impressive stunts from Tom Cruise, the editing and constant flashbacks made the film disjointed, severing my emotional connection to the characters. Still worth seeing, though! On a side note, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning (2023) is my favorite film of the franchise, and Dr. Grafton-Cardwell and I reviewed the film for the Circe Institute. Read here!
MPAA Rating - PG-13
#6 - Warfare (4/5 stars)
Warfare (4/5 stars) — Director: Alex Garland; Starring: Joseph Quinn, Kit Connor, Will Poulter
IMDB Summary: A platoon of Navy SEALs embark on a dangerous mission in Ramadi, Iraq, with the chaos and brotherhood of war retold through their memories of the event.
Stage & Story Takeaway: Brutal and visceral with astounding sound editing. This movie is based on a true story and will make you tremble with gratitude for their sacrifice.
MPAA Rating - R
#5 - Sketch (4/5 stars)
Director: Seth Gordon; Starring: Tony Hale, D’Arcy Carden, Bianca Belle
IMDB Summary: When a young girl's sketchbook falls into a strange pond, her drawings come to life: chaotic, real and on the loose. As the town descends into chaos, her family must reunite and stop the monsters they never meant to unleash.
Stage & Story Takeaway: Creative! Creative! Creative! That’s all I can say. This is a coming-of-age story that takes grief and the wounds of our broken world seriously. If you like movies/shows like The Goonies, Super 8, or Stranger Things, you’ll love this independent film.
📺 👉 Stage & Story TV
MPAA Rating - PG
#4 - Ballad of Wallis Island (4/5 stars)
Director: Tim Mielants; Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Jessie Buckley, Mark Rylance
IMDB Summary: An eccentric lottery winner who lives alone on a remote island tries to make his fantasies come true by getting his favorite musicians to perform at his home.
Stage & Story Takeaway: Packed with beautiful scenery, great music, fascinating characters, and profound redemption, there’s little to dislike about this independent film. A friend recently asked if I had seen any good movies lately, ones that were not broken or bent. I recommended this film to her!
MPAA Rating - PG-13
#3 - Predator: Badlands (4/5 stars)
Director: Dan Trachtenberg; Starring: Elle Fanning, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, Michael Biehn
IMDB Summary: A young Predator outcast from his clan finds an unlikely ally on his journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
Stage & Story Takeaway: With a creative turn in the franchise, we’re now following the predator – usually the villain. Although there’s not a single human being in the story, Trachtenberg humanizes the monster and android, taking us on a “buddy” journey. With surprising emotional impact and impressive visuals, this is a really fun time.
MPAA Rating - PG-13
#2 - Fantastic Four: First Steps (4/5 stars)
Director: Matt Shakman; Starring: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn
IMDB Summary: Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, the Fantastic Four must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic herald, the Silver Surfer.
Stage & Story Takeaway: With stunning retro visuals, relatable and likeable characters, and a strong affirmation of human life (including in the womb), this is a “best” for Marvel (and superhero films) and a family-friendly choice.
MPAA Rating - PG-13
#1 - Roofman (4/5 stars)