Andrew Daume
New year, new semester, but more importantly, we’re entering into one giant year for movies. From Avengers to Dune to even Shrek 5, 2026 is a stacked year for movies. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves; 2025 had plenty of hits, too. Let’s take a look back at this year’s biggest films, flops, cashgrabs, and masterpieces. This article will cover a handful of films from September – December 2025. Stay tuned to The Beacon to see a Spring 2025 review soon!
One Battle After Another,Released September 26th
This film is likely going to be one of the Oscar sweepers this year. It has all the makings of a giant hit, with Leonardo DiCaprio playing a panicking stoner, Sean Penn playing who Pete Hegseth imagines he is in his dreams, themes of revolution and political unrest during a politically divided time in America, spotlighting military abuse, and stellar acting from every ensemble member. The plot is gripping until the very end, with constant reveals and high-stakes moments that keep you on your toes. OBAA is a film that begs to be seen without distraction, and certainly one for the books.
Overall: 4.5/5
The Smashing Machine, Released October 3rd
This film serves as three things: a wrestling biopic, a commentary on drug abuse, and a desperate Hail Mary to get The Rock an Oscar nomination. I feel very torn about this movie; it has lots of heart and a good message, but there’s so much that feels like nothing here. The progression of Mark Kerr, the real actor that The Rock portrays, and his drug use is very interesting, as we see an invincible macho man turn desperate and broken as he ruins his health and relationships. Lots of the meat of that story, like his rehab, is mostly glossed over. Besides that, the wrestling is barely entertaining, and the matches are too quick to be gripping and his mundane daily tasks of training take up too much time in what should be a gripping story of love, drugs, and fighting. I want to give this a better rating, but it drags too often.
Overall: 2/5
Black Phone 2, Released October 17th
This spooky sequel to the smash hit horror flick is a decent raise in stakes from its predecessor. It’s a fairly slow burn, but this pace justifies bringing the grabber back from the dead, or rather, back while dead. Seeing the ghost grabber wasn’t all that shocking, but when the protagonist starts floating around the room while being strangled, I was pulled out of the frightful mood. But the film wins me back with an emotional reconciliation with Mason Thame’s character, his sister, played by Madeleine McGraw, standing up to their father. The grabber secures his spot as a horror icon, and Ethan Hawke plays the hell out of him.
Overall: 4/5
Regretting You, Released October 24th
This movie will not win any Oscars, nor will it gain any nominations, nor will critics be very positive about its existence. But overall, I’d be lying if I didn’t enjoy this insane movie that’s certainly carried by the two young leads, Mason Thames and McKenna Grace. Every other plot point is a confusing drag, but the 2 lovers steal the show, just barely enough to make my ticket purchase worth it.
Overall 2/5
The Running Man, Released November 14th
The Running Man is a very standard action flick filled with epic stunts, a not-too-predictable story, and standout performances from Glen Powell, Michael Cera, and Colman Domingo. Powell is clearly the next Tom Cruise, and he wears the title well. In between the explosions, this film is not subtle about its criticism of AI, but it still handles the message nicely overall. The best part about this film is the breakneck pace. The manhunt never drags, and it’s a perfect flick to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Perfect movie for those who want nonstop action with a story that’s engaging without a huge amount of depth.
Overall: 3.5/5
Wicked: For Good, Released November 21st
This sequel to the smash hit adaptation is a musical, like its predecessor, obviously. If you like this type of high-flare, colorful musical, then this is right up your alley. For movies like this, you’ll likely either definitively know if you’ll enjoy the rest by the first song. Although it’s simply adapting the second act of the Broadway show, Wicked: For Good feels like its stakes are twice as high, but its worldbuilding took a hit. Connecting the songs, characters, and dramatic moments is all excellent, although I can’t help but feel the first felt had more magic.
Overall: 4/5
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, Released December 5th
After all these critically acclaimed movies, this might be an odd one to include, but I’d be risking my journalistic integrity if I said this movie didn’t have cultural significance. Everyone under the age of 30 has heard of FNAF, and this is the second movie adaptation of the smash hit horror games. Although it loosely follows the original storyline, it weaves a fine enough story of child spirit hauntings, murderous animatronics, and enough beats and easter eggs to keep fans entertained. This film lacks polish and adequate use of scares, but fans of the series should be mostly happy, although those who barely know the series will likely remain a bit confused and possibly unsatisfied. This movie’s for the fans, but it’s still a decent, albeit barely scary, horror flick to sink your teeth into
Overall: 2.5/5
Avatar Fire and Ash, Released December 19th.
Avatar 3 is exactly what you’d expect. If you didn’t like The Way of Water, find a way to the exit. It’s more blue cat people fighting blue cat people, this time with fire. As dull as that may sound, there’s a real appeal to this expansive world, and each film presents so many beautiful scenarios to flex their CGI and nearly photo-realistic graphics that even if the plot is at times predictable, the visuals enthralled me time after time. There were a few solid moments where I was caught off guard at where the plot went, and the villain is more entertaining this time around, especially the sexually charged Fire Navi-Human team-up. This movie shines when the visuals are in your face, and the action is full throttle, but it doesn’t when the characters are replaying the same “violence bad, family good!” beats as the last 2 films.
Overall: 4/5
Marty Supreme, Released December 25th
Starting off with the most recent release, Marty Supreme is listed online as a sports-comedy-drama, but this film cranks up the drama in the latter half of its meaty 150 runtime. This film is long, not Avatar long, but a lot happens. But Marty Surpeme shines in this aspect, because I did not feel the runtime at all, and was caught off guard when the credits materialized. This film starts with a simple premise: a 1950s New Yorker wants to be the greatest ping pong player in history, then the plot explodes with so many electrifying sequences that ping pong often takes the backseat in the best way. The cast is stacked from Tyler, The Creator’s first-ever major acting role (which he nails) to left-field casting picks like the Shark Tank judge, Kevin O’Leary, and Ted Williams, the guy who went viral in 2011 after spotlighting his radio voice on the side of the street while homeless. Most importantly, Timothée Chalamet leads as Marty. This is supposedly going to be the role that lands him Best Actor for the Oscars, and there will be many, myself included, upset if this doesn’t happen.
Overall: 5/5
There are many more movies that were released this fall, so watch some yourself just in time for awards season. Stay tuned to the Beacon for our review of the Spring 2025 films as well as the Oscar Roundup!
