The top 5 films to watch before the end of 2025 – one is ‘masterpiece’ | Films | Entertainment

It’s been a great year for film, but it is by no means over yet. There have been many incredible releases from the likes of Sinners to Celine Song’s Materialists. Alongside new releases, I have been working my way through an ever-growing watchlist and have discovered some hidden gems, such as The Souvenir and Tangerine. But there are some specific dates marked out on my calendar that I cannot wait to arrive at. These are the five new releases I’m eagerly anticipating.

Ballad of a Small Player 

Ballad of a Small Player is a British psychological thriller film directed by Edward Berger, written by Rowan Joffé, and based on the 2014 novel The Ballad of a Small Player by Lawrence Osborne. It stars Colin Farrell, Fala Chen, Deanie Ip, Alex Jennings, and Tilda Swinton. The film’s plot is as follows: “When his past and his debts start to catch up with him, a high-stakes gambler laying low in Macau encounters a kindred spirit who might just hold the key to his salvation.”

Frankenstein 

The film’s synopsis reads: “Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro adapts Mary Shelley’s classic tale of Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist who brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.” Frankenstein stars Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, Lars Mikkelsen, David Bradley, Lauren Collins, Charles Dance, and Christoph Waltz.

Die, My Love 

Die, My Love is a psychological dark comedy-drama film directed by Lynne Ramsay, from a screenplay by Ramsay, Enda Walsh and Alice Birch. Based on the novel of the same name by Argentine writer Ariana Harwicz, the film stars Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, with Lawrence also producing. The film’s synopsis reads: “In a remote forgotten rural area, a mother struggles to maintain her sanity as she battles with psychosis.”

100 Nights of Hero

100 Nights of Hero is an upcoming historical fantasy film written and directed by Julia Jackman. It is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Isabel Greenberg, which is inspired by the Middle Eastern folktales collected in One Thousand and One Nights. 100 Nights of a Hero stars Emma Corrin, Nicholas Galitzine, Maika Monroe, Amir El-Masry, Richard E. Grant, and Felicity Jones, alongside Charli XCX. The film’s synopsis reads: “100 Nights of Hero follows the graphic novel’s narrative: In a fantasy world, a woman named Cherry is in love with her maid, Hero. Her neglectful husband leaves her with a boastful friend, Manfred, who has wagered he can seduce her in 100 nights. To save Cherry from this fate, Hero begins telling the suitor elaborate, captivating stories, much like Scheherazade, to distract and control him, weaving a web of fantasy that protects her and Cherry’s secret love.”

Sentimental Value

This is the film I am most excited about. Indiewire critic David Ehrlich called Sentimental Value “a layered masterpiece”. Sentimental Value is a comedy drama film directed by Joachim Trier, who co-wrote it with Eskil Vogt. It stars Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning. The film’s plot reads: “Sisters Nora and Agnes are reunited with their eccentric father, Gustav, a famous director who disappeared long ago. He offers Nora the lead role in his new film.”