There is only so much attention to spread around the year, and that means a few notable movies and shows can fall through the cracks. That’s why you’re hearing friends, family, and co-workers exclaiming, “You just have to watch this!” So, let’s cover a few titles you may have missed in 2025.
Not the obvious ones. You’ve likely heard plenty about “White Lotus” and “Severance.” It was impossible to miss the buzz around the new “Superman” film, and unfortunately, the “Minecraft” movie… exists. And don’t worry, I’m not going to be the umpteenth person to tell you about “Weapons.”
Here are a few other movies and shows that you may have heard whispers about, or may have even gotten by you in 2025.
Movies
A movie filmed in Washington is getting a lot of award buzz. This is the kind of film your friend who really likes to mention their MFA might bring up. But even if you’re not into artsy flicks, “Train Dreams” is worth a watch.
Based on an award-winning novella of the same name, it tells the story of an average logger in the early 1900s, simply living a life as the world advances around him. This is a gorgeous movie to watch and not in an “Avatar” kind of way. It’s beautiful because Washington state is beautiful — its forests, its expansive plains, and all the natural settings around here that still feel like another time. “Train Dreams” is a movie you can really tune into, and tune out everything else.
Yes, this is a Marvel movie, and no, not the more popular “Fantastic Four,” which also came out in 2025. And sure, “Thunderbolts” will not be listed among Marvel’s best movies. But this film surprisingly excels at what all good speculative fiction does: It offers a giant allegory to ponder.
This new superhero team isn’t as glamorous as the Avengers, and they have baggage. Beyond the punches, this story is really about depression and related mental health issues. It’s something that can spur a conversation or perhaps help someone understand a thing or two about anxiety. It’s notable that Julia Louis-Dreyfus is also part of the cast, and she’s pretty much always great.
“KPop Demon Hunters”
It’s Netflix’s most-watched original movie ever, and the soundtrack for this animated film was the second-most streamed album on Spotify in 2025. Yet you still come across folks who get a weird look on their face when you tell them about “KPop Demon what… huh?” It’s based in Korean pop music culture, but that isn’t a hurdle for international audiences.
The girl group Huntrix uses music to battle demons. Not metaphorical demons, rather very real demons that want to consume human souls. But the demons are fighting back with a boy band of their own, and they have some catchy tunes to win over fans. “KPop Demon Hunters” is a lot like “Shrek” or “Wall-E” — an animated film that has as much for adults as it does kids — and offers a few laughs. Plus, it’s a musical that actually has decent music. Think of this movie as a blend of “Pitch Perfect” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”
“Sinners”
I would argue that the music in “Sinners” beats all other film soundtracks in 2025, and that includes “Wicked.” This horror film is about twin brothers (both played by Michael B. Jordan) who return to their southern hometown in the 1930s to start their own juke joint. They have the music, the booze, and the customers. Everything is going as planned before an undesirable element shows up and things take a horrific turn.
“Sinners” achieves great depth, taking notes from American history, folk tales, and a lotta blues. This horror movie will likely be my personal favorite of 2025.
There are a lot of reasons to be skeptical of this movie. Hollywood has a bad habit of pushing out remakes, reboots, and anything to avoid original, creative thinking. Heck, there was already a failed attempt to restart “Karate Kid” a few years ago. This new attempt, however, was like a well placed crane kick. It maintains the vibe of the original movie, sprinkles in a little charm from the “Cobra Kai” streaming series, and still forges a new path for itself. This is another movie for both kids and adults.
The story may sound familiar: A new kid in town faces bullies, meets a girl, and uses martial arts as a way to overcome challenges. But “Karate Kid: Legends” modernizes the story with a few unexpected plot punches. It also brings in the heavy hitters: the original karate kid Ralph Macchio, the great Jackie Chan, and newcomer Ben Wang, who is likely signing deals for a lot more movies.
Shows
It came late in the year, but “Pluribus” was worth the wait. This show will go down as one of the best of 2025 (it’s my personal favorite). Something has changed the entire world. For better or worse depends on your perspective.
As for Carol, she is quite disturbed by this sudden development. And while she is surrounded by all of humanity, she is very alone. That’s a mysterious description for quite an intriguing story, hatched by “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan.
“Andor: Season 2”
Yet another show that can impress viewers who insist they are not interested in the source material. In this case, it’s “Star Wars.” I have watched anti-sci-fi and fantasy viewers be awestruck by this show. After 2016’s “Rogue One” was more impressive than anyone expected, a prequel show was planned. This tale of espionage (and more) details how the rebellion began, before Luke Skywalker and the Death Star.
The resulting two seasons of “Andor” exceeded the hype. “Andor” is sophisticated, complex, and overall entertaining. If you’ve never been interested in Star Wars, or have been turned off by the more campy, kid-friendly offering in recent years, then this show will likely hit you even harder. Be prepared to be wowed.
“#1 Happy Family USA”
Yes, this sitcom is animated, but be aware that this show about a Muslim family navigating post-9/11 America offers laughs via more mature material. It’s partially written by standup comedian Ramy Youssef, so if you’re familiar with his work, you know what to expect.
Opinions about “#1 Happy Family USA” will likely be split — folks who understand jokes about Enron are more apt to get this show. Certainly, Millennials will relate.
“The Studio”
This is satire done right. Few shows are as clever as “The Studio.” It’s a great show for cinephiles who follow the happenings in Hollywood and for popcorn viewers. Seth Rogen, Catherine O’Hara, and Kathryne Hahn are among the cast, which also features a range of actors and directors playing themselves (Ron Howard’s episode is particularly funny).
Rogen is a studio head attempting to keep the business afloat while also making great movies — or at least decent movies after they get put through the industry machine.
“Daredevil: Born Again”
A violent superhero show on Disney Plus?! You might not expect that, but you also might not expect a comic book show to be so good. This is a superhero show that I often recommend to people who say, “I don’t like comic book movies.” This dynamic drama feels more like modern Shakespeare in a way.
Ever since this streaming Daredevil showed up on Netflix (it has since been born again on Disney Plus), it has set itself apart with impressive performances by Vincent D’Onofrio and Charlie Cox. This latest offering might have viewers a little uncomfortable, perhaps drawing too many correlations with real life. That can also make for some great catharsis.
“The Pitt”
This upgraded version of “ER” presents each episode as one hour of a shift in a Pittsburgh emergency department. It even has Noah Wyle on its cast.
This show had people talking. Perhaps one of the more fun byproducts is that real doctors have taken to YouTube to discuss the show, scene-by-scene, noting its accuracy and explaining the thoughts behind medical decisions. This has set a new high bar for medical shows.