Deadline’s critics unveil their Top 10 Films of 2025, crowning surprising indies and awards juggernauts over billion-dollar blockbusters in a year defined by artistic triumphs. From Timothée Chalamet’s ferocious biopic to Greta Gerwig’s literary masterpiece, here’s the definitive critics’ consensus on cinema’s best.
Deadline Critics’ Complete Top 10
| Rank | Film | Director | Key Praise |
| 1 | Marty Supreme | Wes Anderson | Chalamet ferocious |
| 2 | Little Women | Greta Gerwig | Bold reinvention |
| 3 | The Brutalist | Brady Corbet | Adrien Brody epic |
| 4 | Anora | Sean Baker | Mikey Madison revelation |
| 5 | Emilia Pérez | Jacques Audiard | Zoe Saldaña sings |
| 6 | Conclave | Edward Berger | Ralph Fiennes perfect |
| 7 | A Real Pain | Jesse Eisenberg | Kieran Culkin shines |
| 8 | The Substance | Coralie Fargeat | Demi Moore comeback |
| 9 | Blitz | Steve McQueen | Saoirse wartime epic |
| 10 | Song Sung Blue | Noah Baumbach | Holiday perfection |
No Avatar, Zootopia: Critics Go Indie
$3B+ blockbusters ignored—Fire & Ash ($760M), Zootopia 2 ($1.13B) absent despite technical mastery. Critics prioritize “emotional truth over spectacle.”
Only Song Sung Blue ($22M) cracks top 10 from wide releases.
24 Oscar Noms Projected From List
Marty Supreme leads with 12 nods (Picture, Director, Actor x3). Little Women eyes 9 (Adapted Screenplay, Actress). The Brutalist’s Adrien Brody locks Supporting Actor.
Technical crafts spread across blockbusters absent from top ranks.
My Take: Spot-On Except One Snub
Marty Supreme deserves #1—Chalamet’s table tennis montage haunts me. Song Sung Blue at #10 feels right. Only quibble: Fire & Ash’s technical wizardry deserved honorable mention.
Bookmark for Golden Globes, Critics Choice updates. Deadline nailed 2025’s true best—now let Oscars follow.
