Adam Vaughn’s Top 10 Films of 2025

2025 was a year that continued to solidify the reign of the I.P. (intellectual property): story reboots upon sequels upon installments of franchises permeated the cinematic experience. Yet, amongst the rising I.P. epidemic were some truly captivating works and some original concepts from the horror movie genre that took the film industry by storm. While I admit I have yet to see some of the more recent films to hit theaters (One Battle After Another being on that list of honorable mentions) here is my Top 10 list of; my picks either wielded the power of the franchise to their best ability or started from scratch and made something beautiful. Where I have previously reviewed the film (in this case, there is just one), the title is hyperlinked to that review. Where I have not, I have written a short description of the movie to help explain why I chose it.

1. Sinners (Ryan Coogler): As soon as everyone got to see this film, it was clear that director Ryan Coogler had struck gold with his 1930s vampire tale. Sinners combines a unique new look at the blood-sucking mythology and does it well but also adds a tremendous amount of period-piece narrative. Coogler expresses his full-fledged voice as a director, and as a truly studio-free independent film, Sinners was a breath of fresh air, featuring amazing performances and a phenomenal score that stuck with me months after the film was gone from theaters.

2. Frankenstein (Guillermo del Toro): A day late and a dollar short for Halloween this year, Guillermo de Toro’s Frankenstein is the most accurate and powerful rendition of Mary Shelley’s classic horror and science-fiction novel. While del Toro can’t resist taking some narrative liberties in his rendition, and the runtime is less than desirable, Frankenstein is a wonderfully written story, an aesthetically marvelous picture, and has powerful and memorable performances from Oscar Isaac in the titular role and Jacob Elordi as an iconic creature that will be remembered for years to come.

3. Mickey 17 (Bong Joon Ho): Leave it to Bong Joon Ho to deliver a bizarre, yet wildly entertaining, dystopian piece, as he has countless times before! Mickey 17 allows Robert Patterson to shine brightly as a cloned individual fighting the ultimate identity crisis, with tremendous supporting performances from Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, and Mark Ruffalo. With a fantastic science-fiction aesthetic, playful storytelling, and vivid visual effects, Joon Ho’s latest film is not afraid to hit notes of absurdity while weaving a touching narrative about what it means to be human in a world mesmerized by mass media and conformity.

4. The Long Walk (Francis Lawrence): When many people think of Stephen King, they are enthralled by the horror and ghostly elements of his storytelling, yet this year director Francis Lawerence reminds us that Stephen King works marvelously utilizing pure, situational suspense. The Long Walk takes masterful storytelling, lovable boyish characters, and a vicious performance from Mark Hamill and blends it into a film that keeps the viewer invested and intrigued. While it may not go down in history as the most memorable King adaptation in history, The Long Walk comes to mind as a timely and tense thriller that hits the top of the charts this year.

5. Weapons (Zach Cregger): Director Zach Cregger, fresh off his success with his first feature, Barbarian, delivers yet another twisted story, this time centered around a group of kids caught in an eerie supernatural plot. Weapons keeps the viewer invested in a whodunit-styled horror piece, with Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, and Benedict Wong leading the cast, with viewers also getting a chilling performance from Amy Madigan about halfway through the film. While the overall suspense leads to a less-than-original plot twist, Cregger’s film still rings fresh enough to claim the #5 spot in my Top 10 this year.

6. Superman (James Gunn): Did we necessarily need another Superman? The answer is both yes and no! While James Gunn had no issue jumping straight into DC Comics IP in his rendition of Superman, at the same time there is something personal and touching about the movie, primarily thanks to David Corenswet’s dedicated approach to a more humanized and honest version of the Man of Steel. While the overall film becomes overwhelming at times, ultimately James Gunn uses Superman to kick-start a bouncier and family-friendly DC Universe, while still having timely and impactful themes in his story and capturing the essence of the red-and-blue caped crusader.

7. Warfare (Alex Garland): Sadly, the worst thing with Alex Garland’s Warfare is simply the saturation of Iraq War films that have come out in the past decade, taking away a bit of originality from the  storytelling (not to mention Garland is still fresh off of 2024’s Civil War). Yet, content aside, Garland’s real-time war movie paints a vivid and intimate representation of a soldier’s experience in Iraq, bringing the action to an authentic, and inadvertently chilling pace. Will Poulter leads a cast of relatable characters, no doubt made believable by the actual soldiers from Iraq who helped shape the film’s script. Overall, Warfare makes for an interesting and passionate addition to the Iraq War stories out there.

8. 28 Years Later (Danny Boyle): Returning to a franchise that has been left alone for 18 years, Danny Boyle—working once more with Alex Garland as writer—delivers the third installment of the “28” zombie movies. Yet despite the strictly industrial/urban dystopian tone of the first two movies, Boyle and Garland went out on a limb and added vivid imagery for 28 Years Later, utilizing set design and characters, particularly Ralph Fiennes’ “Bone Temple” which triumphs for both Fiennes’ performance and the top-tier art direction. Ironically, the film works best when seen as a stand-alone post-apocalyptic zombie film, rather than latching onto the IP of the “28” franchise and dissolving a bit of its originality.

9. Good Boy (Ben Leonberg): When I heard that a horror film was coming out that would be told completely from the point of view of a puppy dog, I was already sold on the fun and never-before-attempted experience. After seeing it, I was certainly left wanting a bit more in terms of fresh storytelling, as the overall plot had a decent-but-nothing-special story to tell. Nonetheless, the cinematography, shot from the low-angle POV of a dog, kept my interest throughout, and surprising (for most horror films) was the utterly heartfelt film’s conclusion (which had me a bit teary-eyed towards the end).

10. Predator: Killer of Killers (Dan Trachtenberg/Joshua Wassung): It took every bone in my body not to have Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator: Badlands in my Top 10 list, as I wildly enjoyed his third Predator movie. Yet, for all the excitement and adventure in Badlands, Predator: Killer of Killers brought something to the Predator franchise that I highly appreciated. It wove several period-piece stories (Vikings, samurai, and WWII) into the world of the Predator, playing to the franchise’s strengths and following the same immense success that Prey brought to the series. This is in tandem with some beautifully animated sequences, which make it a much more unique storytelling experience.

Adam Vaughn

Adam Vaughn is a graduate of the Film & Moving Image program at Stevenson University, with a focus in Cinematography and Production. He also has a minor in Theater and Media Performance. Adam works as a freelance photographer and videographer, focusing his craft on creating compelling photographic and cinematic imagery. Adam is excited to join the Film Festival Today team and explore the world of cinema and visual arts.