That’s right, we’re switching things up a bit!
I watched way more movies and shows this year than I normally do. So, I decided to split my yearly-review article of movie/show into two distinct articles. It just felt like a more appropriate way to highlight my thoughts on my favorite movies and shows of the year without feeling like some entries got a bit shortchanged. So here’s an article just about the movies, and you can expect the show article to go live in just a few minutes (if it isn’t already).
As before, they might not have actually come out this year, I just simply need to have watched them for the first time (or experienced a transformative re-watch) in 2025.
Let’s jump into things!
Honorable Mentions: Green Snake, Oblivion, Fantastic Four: First Steps, Extraction 2
5) Zootopia 2
The original Zootopia is one of my all-time favorite Disney animated movies, so I was really looking forward to this film coming out. So much so that I couldn’t resist popping in to theaters to give it a watch. And while my theater experience was so-so (a risk you run with children’s films, or sometimes any film, really), the movie was still really solid. Maybe not quite to the heights I hold the first movie, but it was still a super enjoyable watch. The action was exciting, the quips were funny, the villain was surprisingly memorable, and Judy and Nick continue to be the best duo that Disney has ever put together. Every single second with them is just magnetic.
4) KPop Demon Hunters
Thanks to my best friend tipping me off about this film right after it debuted, I ended up seeing it before it absolutely exploded the entire world. And from that very first viewing, I had a feeling this movie was going to be big. I couldn’t have predicted just how big, though! But this movie’s hype is certainly deserved. While not an animated masterpiece, it’s an extremely entertaining and rewatchable film with fun characters, mesmerizing animation, and an unexpectedly deep story and themes. And, of course, the music is phenomenal. It is a 100% guarantee that you will finish this film with at least one of the songs engrained into your brain! I’m super hyped for the already-greenlit sequel.
3) Thunderbolts*
This was another film I’d been eagerly anticipating from the moment it was first teased years ago. Long-time Contrarian Corner fans know that I’m a sucker for minor characters and supporting cast figures when it comes to storytelling, and this entire movie is basically a bunch of side characters thrown together into a single dysfunctional team. It’s a simple concept and a refreshingly straight-forward movie premise for the MCU, filled with great acting performances, solid jokes, and fun action. The highlight, though, is the shockingly emotional central themes and arc of the film and it’s protagonist, Yelena. It’s as surprising as it is deeply resonant, and the cathartic way it all comes together in the climax is genuinely pretty magical.
2) Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Each of the Sonic the Hedgehog movies have been an absolute blast to watch, because even if their quality is ultimately ‘just okay‘, you can just feel the passion and love for the source material in every single scene. Unlike the (unfortunately) vast majority of video game adaptation movies, the Sonic the Hedgehog trilogy (with a fourth on the way) is made by people who adore the original games and have deep respect for the fanbase. The philosophy lends itself to movies almost impossible to hate, and that statement has never been more true than with this third entry.
Now, I will admit to some amount of bias. This movie is loosely adapting the Sonic Adventure 2 video game, a game I played extensively when I was younger. So there’s definitely some nostalgia at play, and I’ll own up to tearing-up a bit when this film played some snippets of “Live and Learn” (the game’s theme song) alongside an awesome orchestral remix. But even putting aside nostalgia, this is a fun, fast-paced, character-driven movie with goofy shenanigans and emotional beats in equal, well-paced measure. I can’t wait to see where this creative team goes from here.
1) The Bad Guys 2
Apparently, 2025 was the year for me to just devour a whole ton of awesome animated movies, and the pinnacle of that entire lot was for sure The Bad Guys 2. I’d heard nothing but good things about this film since it came out, but since I’d never seen the original one I decided to watch the both of them across a single weekend. I think that viewing proximity really highlighted just how great and somewhat-underrated both of these films are, but between the two of them I give the final shoutout to the sequel.
DreamWorks actually has a pretty good reputation with stellar sequels, and The Bad Guys 2 is no different. Without the need to build up this universe or these characters, we can just dive right into crazy new plot moments, insane and energetic chase sequences, wacky shenanigans, quieter character moments, and so much more. The main villain is a standout too, managing to be surprisingly intense for a family film. The animation style is pretty sublime too.
I think the biggest point that stood out to me was spectacle, which I don’t think I expect too often from an animated film. But this movie really revels in it, with so many scenes that had me either grinning like a goofball or had my eyes widened in surprise. The film’s climax, in particular, is some pretty top-notch stuff. A really excellent film!
But hey, that’s just my opinion!
The Contrarian Corner 