The year 2025 brought us vampires. Lots of vampires. Sinners dominated the box office and our feeds, and the film is taking a big bite out of the 2025-26 awards season, with major accolades and recognition. On other screens, we laughed and cried over a day gone sideways (because we’ve all been there), defied gravity once again with a witch who makes the ultimate sacrifice and fought the establishment: in the streets, in the bank and in our own homes.
Whether you’re seeing them for the first time or revisiting for the second (or more), here are the films that kept us in a chokehold during their runtimes and had us dissecting their meanings long after the credits rolled.
Sinners
“I love Sinners because it doesn’t spoon-feed the audience or try to make its darkness digestible. The film leans into silence, tension and flawed humanity, and the nods to voodoo add a layer of ancestral mysticism that feels rooted, dangerous and intentional rather than decorative. It lingers with me long after the credits because it refuses to flinch, and I respect a film that trusts the audience to sit with discomfort and spirit at the same time.” — Victor Vaughns, Beauty & Fashion Editor
Watch Sinners on HBO Max.
One of Them Days
“For the last few years, my movie-going experience never quite lived up to pre-pandemic levels. That was until I saw One of Them Days with my girls, and later with my teen daughter. I forgot how much I missed laughing out loud with unscripted audience commentary.
From the undeniable comedic timing and chemistry between stars Keke Palmer and SZA to the breakout moments and jokes — most notably the clueless antics of Janelle James as a stripper-turned-blood-bank-technician — sitting in the theater felt like a long-awaited homecoming for my soul.” — Cori Murray, EVP, Editorial Content
Watch One of Them Days on Netflix.
Highest 2 Lowest
“The highs of Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest: a Puerto Rican Day Parade performance featuring late salsa legend Eddie Palmieri, David King (Denzel Washington) effortlessly battling Yung Felon (A$AP Rocky) with Nas lyrics, all the Basquiat and Kehinde Wiley paintings stunting on the walls of King’s pricy penthouse—far outweigh any lows. This reimagining of director Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller High and Low far outshines Lee’s other late-career remakes (Oldboy, Da Sweet Blood of Jesus).” — Miles Marshall Lewis, Entertainment Writer
Watch Highest 2 Lowest on AppleTV+.
HIM
If you’re walking into HIM expecting another Get Out, adjust your expectations. Directed by Justin Tipping and produced by Jordan Peele, the film is messy, uneven, and often incoherent, but intentionally so, functioning less like a traditional movie and more like a high-budget Nike ad with arthouse ambitions. It abandons a clean plot in favor of a mythic, mind-bending descent that reaches beyond the human, even if it doesn’t always seem to hold together. That’s probably why I liked it.” — Jonathan Giles, Editor
Watch HIM on Peacock.
Wicked: For Good
Where Wicked: Part I was a pink-and-green-saturated fantasy that revealed the real evil in Oz, Wicked: For Good shows us how fighting back can become the ultimate sacrifice. It’s a darker and grittier broom ride for Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), who, despite her best efforts, will always be judged harshly. But she doesn’t shy away from those revelations; she claims them and still finds in her heart the empathy to save those she loves.
And if there’s no other reason to see it, the romantic scene between her and Fieryo (Jonathan Bailey) is literal fire. I can’t wait until both films are streaming so I can sit down with an enormous tub of popcorn and watch them back-to-back.” — Delaina Dixon, Entertainment & Culture Editor
Watch Wicked: For Good, currently playing in theaters.
One Battle After Another
“Though audiences did not know what to expect with this film, One Battle After Another was one of my favorite films of 2025. The film’s radical yet timely messaging was executed with a balance of satire and comedic timing (sometimes dark) that allowed us to think about the deeper meaning of current events in today’s world. Seeing all-star actors like Teyana Taylor, Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Benicio Del Toro, and breakouts like Chase Infiniti bring this story to life was a pleasure to witness—I watched this movie twice in theaters!” — Savannah Taylor, Director-Editorial
Watch One Battle After Another on HBO Max.
Hedda
“In the more than capable hands of writer-director Nia DaCosta, this period piece drama of Henrik Ibsen goes from whimsical to distressing with each seductive story beat. Hedda delivers Oscar-worthy work from DaCosta, Tessa Thompson, Imogen Poots and Nina Hoss, who make the film a feminist tour de force.” — Miles Marshall Lewis, Entertainment Writer
Watch Hedda on Prime Video.
Tyler Perry’s Straw
“Turning on Tyler Perry’s Straw, I thought, ‘I’ll give this 30 minutes, and we’ll see…’ But I was hooked at the 20-minute mark. Taraji P. Henson strips down to play Janiyah, a woman who can’t catch a break at every turn, until she finally hits her last straw. Her desperation pulled at my heartstrings because we’ve all had those days where we felt we’d just lose it. With strong supporting performances from Sherri Shepherd, who nailed dramatic empathy, and Teyana Taylor, who internalizes Janiyah’s pain, it’s a movie about sisterhood, support and salvation.
I’m still left with just one burning question: what brand of lip gloss is Taylor wearing in the film, because it’s doing something. For those who want something lighter, Tyler Perry also offered up Madea’s Destination Wedding; two hours of silly, good fun.” — Delaina Dixon, Entertainment & Culture Editor
Watch Tyler Perry’s Straw and Madea’s Destination Wedding on Netflix.