The best and worst movies of 2025

We are taking a look at all the movies form the past year ranking the worst of 2025.

There were many highs and many lows across the cinema world in 2025 and film reviewer Matt Demers, A.K.A. Mr. Hollywood, joined CTV Your Morning Ottawa ahead of the New Year to speak about his most and least favourite films of the year.

The worst

Hurry Up Tomorrow (Rated R)

This film directed by Trey Edward Shults and starring The Weeknd, Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan, left much to be desired, Mr. Hollywood said.

“It was unfocused, it was murky, it was this kind of self indulgent. I don’t want to call it an ego trip, but it didn’t work at the end of the day,” Mr. Hollywood said.

“I like The Weeknd, it just didn’t work as a movie. Maybe if they shortened it into a music video, it could have been better.”

Hurry Up Tomorrow is available to watch on Crave.

Snow White (Rated PG)

While Mr. Hollywood says he enjoyed lead actor Rachel Zegler’s performance, this adaptation of a beloved children’s classic missed the mark.

“Uneven, is a great way to put it,” Mr. Hollywood. “It’s tricky when they do these live action adaptations. Sometimes they get it right, sometimes they do not. She’s got those seven companions, which they do CGI — a little garish, to put it nicely.”

The film is directed by Marc Webb and stars Zegler, Andrew Burnap and Gal Gadot.

Snow White is available to watch on Disney+.

The Strangers: Chapter 2 (Rated R)

This latest instalment in the long-running horror movie franchise felt a little stale, Mr. Hollywood said but he’s hoping the planned third chapter of the series will offer some redemption.

“They’re really stretching this franchise here; they’re recycling the same scares. It’s just run and hide, run and hide, run and hide,” Mr. Hollywood said. “And [they’re] trying to peel back the mask, which kind of ruins the purpose of that franchise.”

The Strangers: Chapter 2 is directed by Renny Harlin and stars Madelaine Petsch, Gabriel Basso and Ema Horvath. The film is available for digital rental from YouTube, Apple TV, Amazon Prime and more.

War of the Worlds (Rated PG-13)

Mr. Hollywood says this modern take on H.G. Wells’ classic novel from the late 1800s misfired in more ways than one.

“It’s one of those screen-life formats. So, he’s talking to people through the screen, you see him typing on the screen,” he said. “Talk about feeling empty. You don’t feel the urgency, you don’t feel anything with this one. A lot of product placement thrown in there and the acting was stale.”

War of the Worlds is directed by Rich Lee and stars Ice Cube, Eva Longoria and Iman Benson. The film is available to watch on Amazon Prime.

The best

Superman (Rated PG-13)

The future of D.C. movies was riding on this latest Superman film, and Mr. Hollywood says director James Gunn delivered the goods.

“There was so much riding on this by the way, because James Gunn was basically reigniting the franchise, the D.C. Cinematic Universe, with this movie,” Mr. Hollywood said. “I think he did fantastic. It’s an action comic come to life and it embodies Superman. The humanity. The heroics. A little bit of nostalgia to the older ones.”

The film is directed by Gunn and stars David Corenset, Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult. Superman is available to watch on Crave.

Bugonia (Rated R)

Mr. Hollywood says Bugonia, the latest film from the director-actor pairing Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone, is a must watch.

“You’ve got to watch it if you have not seen it. You’ve got Emma Stone, and Jesse Plemons in maybe a career best performance and it’s a surreal descent into paranoia,” Mr. Hollywood said. “He thinks that she is an alien, and they kidnap her and try to find out, and I won’t go into where this movie goes, because it goes there.”

The film is directed by Lanthimos and stars Stone, Plemons and Aidan Delbis. It’s available for digital rental from YouTube, Apple TV, Amazon Prime and more.

Weapons (Rated R)

Mr. Hollywood says Weapons, from writer-director Zach Cregger, was his favourite horror movie of the year.

“Thriller, horror and very, very dark comedy. It’s got it all,” he said. “It’s got nice little twists and turns, and boy does it sink its teeth into you.”

Mr. Hollywood praised the storytelling as well as the movie’s satisfying ending.

The film is directed by Cregger and stars Julia Garner, Josh Brolin and Alden Ehrenreich. Weapons can be watched on Crave.

One Battle After Another (Rated R)

Mr. Hollywood says the movie that topped the rest in 2025, was One Battle After Another.

“Another movie that takes you on quite the journey and boy oh boy does Leo DiCaprio know how to pick them, and he knows how to make them better,” he said. “He’s teamed up here with director Paul Thomas Anderson for this incredible story. He’s a mercenary and he takes you on a wild ride, that you can’t miss. My favourite movie of the year.”

The film is directed by Anderson and stars DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro.

One Battle After Another is available to watch on Crave.

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