Not every great film gets the attention it deserves. Plenty of quieter releases slipped through the cracks in 2025.
This list isn’t ranked in any particular order. Each of these films offers something special for viewers willing to seek them out.
These are the most underrated movies of 2025.
‘The Assessment’
A little bit of everything is the perfect way to describe “The Assessment.” It’s heartbreaking, uplifting and packed with psychological warfare – all through its exploration of parenthood.
Elizabeth Olsen (Mia), Himesh Patel (Aaryan) and Alicia Vikander (Virginia) all excel. The film’s smart script and technical feats, mixed with the phenomenal cast, turn “The Assessment” into a masterpiece.
Providing a haunting look at reproductive rights and parenthood as a whole, “The Assessment” leaves its mark.
‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’
If you couldn’t guess from the title alone, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” is hilarious. And effortlessly so.
The film succeeds more often than not because it spins the central character’s challenges into humor. It’s much like real life in this way. Rose Byrne (Linda) delivers a commanding performance, showcasing emotional toll and stresses of motherhood through her mannerisms and delivery.
“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” is a raw, funny and unflinching story. It’s not aiming to comfort – in fact, quite the opposite. And that’s what makes it so excellent.
‘Bring Them Down’
“Bring Them Down” quickly establishes tension and continuously escalates it.
Utilizing a perspective-shifting structure, it presents one side of the story before rewinding and offering an entirely new point of view. This shift allows the story to take shape, fully fleshing out the characters in the process.
Barry Keoghan (Jack) and Christopher Abbott (Michael) both succeed in the lead roles.
“Bring Them Down” is like a puzzle. It gradually fits all of its pieces together to provide tremendously satisfying payoff.
‘The Surfer’
This can be categorized as a “vibe.” “The Surfer” has its own distinct style, with a variety of different angles, lenses and effects used throughout.
It’s also a Nicolas Cage movie through and through. He continues his streak of wild indie projects with another eccentric performance.
“The Surfer” is just as strange as you’d hope. With a dreamlike story and out-there performances, this proves to be another likely-to-be future cult classic for Cage.
‘Freaky Tales’
Anthology movies are often a mixed bag – not “Freaky Tales.”
The film is a celebration of connection. Oakland becomes the thread that ties it together, with the city’s personality and culture shining through onscreen.
Whether through resistance, dreams or redemption, “Freaky Tales” honors the communities that shape us and the stories that bind them together.
‘Sorry, Baby’
Telling its story in nonchronological order, “Sorry, Baby” puts pieces of the central character’s life together. This allows the audience to view a complete picture, while also showing that recovery isn’t always linear.
Writer-director-star Eva Victor (Agnes) deserves all of the praise they have received – and then some.
Rather than showing the audience everything, “Sorry, Baby” tells. It’s a powerful story about the aftermath of sexual assault, while also being about so much more. Through Agnes’ experiences, the film highlights all the beauty, hope and love that humans can be capable of.
‘Twinless’
“Twinless” is an unpredictable experience. At first glance it seems like a fairly generic comedy-drama, but this eventually shifts into something much darker.
While the film is full of hard-hitting jokes, it also explores themes of grief, isolation and the need for human connection.
James Sweeney (Dennis) and Dylan O’Brien (Roman/Rocky) each deliver. Sweeney also injects style as writer-director, with inventive visual tricks and personal yet twisted storytelling.
“Twinless” is a powerhouse of emotional baggage and awkward humor that lingers long past the credits.
‘Violent Ends’
“Violent Ends” is subtle until it’s not. The film quietly assembles piece after piece before they all come tumbling down.
Billy Magnussen (Luke) has played “fun” characters in the past. This time it’s different. He finally gets to showcase his entire range here – easily delivering the best performance of his career.
Despite being weighed down by a slow second act, the movie more than makes up for this in its conclusion.
“Violent Ends” is a compelling and thought-provoking crime-thriller. It’s a beautifully devastating film.
‘Lurker’
Deliberate by design, “Lurker” makes each plot progression feel purposeful. This minimalism draws the audience in through atmosphere rather than exposition.
The movie works so well because of the performances from Théodore Pellerin (Matthew) and Archie Madekwe (Oliver). Pellerin perfectly captures the obsession and desperation of the character while Madekwe is charming and confident.
Shot on 16mm film, “Lurker” also crafts its own identity through visual flair.
“Lurker” rarely allows the audience to breathe. This isn’t always comfortable, but it’s undeniably effective.
‘Ash’
“Ash” immediately dives into its central premise and commits to it. This is at its best as a psychological thriller, examining the mind of a woman who has committed horrific acts but has no idea why.
It’s a visually striking film, with its vibrant and heavy use of color serving as a key storytelling device.
Carnage arrives in full force in the final act of “Ash,” delivering the insanity that genre fans are likely hoping for.
This is a psychological thriller, character study and full-blown sci-fi horror – all in one.
‘The Threesome’
“The Threesome” is about the complexities of love, navigating modern dating culture, maturing into adulthood and the ups and downs of pregnancy. It covers so much ground while also feeling wholesomely simple.
At 112 minutes, the film takes its time analyzing the characters. And while you may expect this to be a raunchy rom-com from the title, it’s actually surprisingly heartfelt.
This isn’t to say that it’s not hilarious. The movie blends serious subjects into an absurd setup that is made for the big screen.
“The Threesome” is a hidden gem, with great performances, a well-written script and lively direction. Beneath the comedic surface is an intimate and emotional journey.
‘The Thing with Feathers’
Exploring grief, “The Thing with Feathers” takes a heavy-handed approach in metaphorical storytelling. Surprisingly, the presence of a literal large crow allows the film to flourish.
It leans into artistic expression – both in the narrative and the visuals. While it may frustrate some audiences, those who are able to stick with this will likely have a lot to take away.
Benedict Cumberbatch delivers a powerhouse performance that will likely be overlooked. He shifts from despair to rage to happiness with ease.
“The Thing with Feathers” will have viewers either loving it or hating it. Look a little deeper, however, and there’s a movie full of heart.
‘Watch the Skies’
Dripping with nostalgia, “Watch the Skies” captures the excitement of discovering the unknown and the belief that something bigger is out there. Alongside excelling as a sci-fi film, it also succeeds in action, comedy and drama genres as well.
Originally released in Swedish as “UFO Sweden” in 2022, this features AI-driven “visual dubbing.” It’s compliant with SAG-AFTRA, updated with new English dialogue from real voice actors that is synced with the actors’ mouth movements.
“Watch the Skies” is a refreshing piece of cinema that deserves to be seen.
‘Neighborhood Watch’
“Neighborhood Watch” is a movie driven by character development. This takes strides to address mental illness – grounding the story with a human core.
It’s aided by the performances of Jack Quaid (Simon) and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Ed Deerman).
While the plot may not stand out, it’s the characters that make “Neighborhood Watch” shine. This doesn’t linger through thrills, but rather empathy and connection.
‘Jimmy and Stiggs’
“Jimmy and Stiggs” is committed to the bit. The film has its own distinct style and never loses it throughout the 80-minute runtime.
It’s drenched in colors, full of chaotic camerawork and completed with exciting practical effects. Made on a roughly $200,000 budget, the constant neon glow and feverish ambiance grows all the more impressive.
For fans of indie horror, “Jimmy and Stiggs” is a visual feast. The neon-soaked journey proves to be a maddening experience from beginning to end.
