Best Movies of 2025: Best of the Techs
The 2025 cinematic year is officially over; now, it is time to look back at the best movies, performances, and achievements of the year. I will begin by looking at the top technical achievements of 2025. I will be looking at the best screenplays, cinematography, production design, score, and other technical categories. Like every year, each category will have five “nominees” (my personal top five) with my “winner” (my favorite) in bold, followed by short reasoning as to why I chose it as the best of the year. Here are my picks for the best of the techs of 2025.
Best Original Screenplay
Blue Moon
Sinners
Sorry, Baby
- Ryan Coogler’s screenplay masterfully balances several tones and genres to create a music-driven vampire film unlike anything we’ve ever seen.
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Long Walk
No Other Choice
Train Dreams
Wake Up Dead Man – A Knives Out Mystery
- Rian Johnson’s third entry in his murder mystery franchise is his most complex screenplay yet. It’s a delicate look at modern religion while also being an outstanding murder mystery.
Best Ensemble
Eephus
It Was Just an Accident
The Long Walk
One Battle After Another
- The Long Walk boasts some of the most talented young actors working today, giving impressive performances, and is capped off by a menacing performance from Mark Hamill.
Best Cinematography
Resurrection
One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sinners
- Bi Gan takes us on a beautiful and technically astounding dreamlike exploration of the history of film.
Best Editing
F1® The Movie
One Battle After Another
No Other Choice
Sinners
- Andy Jurgensen’s swift editing is key to keeping the kinetic pace of Paul Thomas Anderson’s film.
Best Sound
After the Hunt
F1® The Movie
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Sinners
- F1‘s sound design and editing completely immersed audiences in the races. It’s a movie that deserves to be viewed on the loudest sound system possible.
Best Production Design
Ballad of a Small Player
The Phoenician Scheme
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
- The Phoenician Scheme is another beautiful gem from Wes Anderson.
Best Make-Up & Hair
Frankenstein
Kiss of the Spider Woman
The Toxic Avenger
- The work done on Jacob Elordi as Frankenstein’s monster is some of the finest work ever in a del Toro movie.
Best Original Score
F1® The Movie
The Long Walk
The Mastermind
One Battle After Another
Tron: Ares
- Tron: Ares isn’t a particularly good movie on the surface, but Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s killer atmospheric electronic score does some heavy lifting to make the film somewhat enjoyable.
Best Costumes
Frankenstein
The Phoenician Scheme
Sinners
The Wedding Banquet
Wicked: For Good
- The costumes of Sinners play a key part in immersing us in the era while also looking slick and stylish.
Best Visual Effects
Tron: Ares
- Avatar: Fire & Ash is yet another visual spectacle from James Cameron. It’s an astonishing experience that deserves to be seen on the biggest screens possible.
Best Original Song
“Home Alone” – A Very Jonas Brothers Christmas Movie
“Drive” – F1® The Movie
“Trunks” – Highest 2 Lowest
“Golden” – KPop Demon Hunters
“I Lied to You” – Sinners
- 2025 was a strong year for Original Songs, but A$AP Rocky’s “Trunks” is a certified bass-rattler.
Best Stunts
F1® The Movie
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
One Battle After Another
Thunderbolts*
- Tom Cruise hanging on to the side of an airplane is genuinely one of the most insane things I’ve ever seen on the big screen.
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