Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘One Battle After Another’ Tops Sight and Sound’s 50 Best Films of 2025
The 2025 list was notably populated by films exploring fatherhood, including titles like No Other Choice and Sentimental Value.
RMN Stars Movies Desk
New Delhi | December 31, 2025
LONDON — In a year defined by global political and social upheaval, the annual Sight and Sound international critics’ poll has named Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another as the best film of 2025. The list, which highlights a thriving cinematic landscape, reflects a year where filmmakers directly engaged with “global troubles” including authoritarianism, protests, and culture wars.
A Cinema of Rebellion and Reflection
Critics noted that 2025’s cinema was “no bystander” to the news cycle, with many top films capturing reflections of contemporary horrors despite being produced years prior. Rebellion was a recurring pulse throughout the selections, exemplified by fugitive narratives like The Secret Agent, The Mastermind, and Sirât.
Despite these heavy themes, the poll also highlighted a trend of “laughing in the dark,” where humor and horror frequently overlapped. A standout example is Jafar Panahi’s Palme d’Or-winning revenge thriller, It Was Just an Accident, which drew on his personal experience in prison to create a space for farcical comedy.
The Top Five Contenders
The top tier of the 2025 poll showcases a diverse range of genres and narratives:
- One Battle After Another (Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson): An “incendiary portrait of modern America” that blends heist elements, romantic melodrama, and satirical comedy.
- Sinners (Dir. Ryan Coogler): A genre-bending 1930s vampire-gangster-blues drama praised for its “soul-stirring songs” and historical awareness.
- The Mastermind (Dir. Kelly Reichardt): A slow-burn heist movie centered on an art thief, set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War era.
- Sirât (Dir. Oliver Laxe): A “vivid spectacle” involving Moroccan desert raves and spiritual quests.
- The Secret Agent (Dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho): A 1970s-set thriller following an academic resisting Brazil’s military dictatorship.
Emerging Talent and Enduring Themes
The 2025 list was notably populated by films exploring fatherhood, including titles like No Other Choice and Sentimental Value. However, critics also emphasized a bright future for the medium, pointed to by several arresting debut features such as Pillion, Sorry, Baby, and Sound of Falling.
Ultimately, the poll suggests that 2025 was a year of bold artistic flourishes and “sonic shocks,” proving that cinema remains a vital tool for both artistic experimentation and political testimony.
