Justin Chang

Film critic Justin Chang spent a lot of time this year watching movies at festivals and theaters and on his couch. He says that contrary to what popular opinion or gloomy box-office headlines may tell us, 2025 has been the strongest year for new movies in a long time. Here's Justin's list of the best films of the year.

Our film critic, Justin Chang, says the best documentary he's seen this year is a 5 1/2-hour film called "My Undesirable Friends: Part I - Last Air In Moscow." Filmed over several months in late 2021 and early 2022, it follows several independent journalists in Moscow as they deal with the fallout of Vladimir Putin's crackdown on reporters and Russia's initial invasion of Ukraine. "My Undesirable Friends" received a Gotham Award nomination for best documentary and is playing at select venues around the country.

In the new drama "Hamnet," which opens in limited release next week, Paul Mescal plays William Shakespeare as a young playwright, husband and father in the years leading up to his writing of "Hamlet." The film, which also stars Jessie Buckley as Agnes, Shakespeare's wife, was adapted from Maggie O'Farrell's 2020 novel. It's the latest movie from Chloe Zhao, the Oscar-winning director of "Nomadland."

Our film critic, Justin Chang, says that "Sirat" is the best new movie he's seen this year. It's about a man searching for his lost daughter at a rave in the desert of southern Morocco. "Sirat" won a jury prize at the Cannes Film Festival this year and will represent Spain in the Oscar race for Best International Feature. Here is Justin's review.

Four years after their Oscar-nominated comedy "The Worst Person In The World," the Danish-born Norwegian director Joachim Trier and actor Renate Reinsve are together on a new drama, "Sentimental Value." The movie, which also features Stellan Skarsgard and Elle Fanning, won the Grand Prix at this year's Cannes Film Festival and will represent Norway in this year's Oscar race for Best International Feature. Our film critic Justin Chang has this review.

In this wickedly funny dark comedy, Emma Stone stars as a high-powered CEO who gets kidnapped by a low-ranking employee, played by Jesse Plemons, who believes she's an alien from outer space.

Justin Chang reviews the film It Was Just an Accident from Iranian directer Jafar Panahi.

Justin Chang shares his review for After the Hunt from Italian director Luca Guadagnino.

Paul Thomas Anderson is one of Hollywood's great time travelers. He took us to turn-of-the-century oil country in There Will Be Blood, the 1950s London fashion world in Phantom Thread, and the '70s San Fernando Valley, twice, in Boogie Nights and Licorice Pizza.

Justin Chang reviews A Big Bold Beautiful Journey.