Since 2011, I have been pulling together a list of the best movies of the year according to the Brisbane-based critics who I run into regularly at preview screenings. Films to have topped prior year lists have been Drive in 2011, Argo in 2012, Gravity in 2013, Boyhood in 2014, Mad Max: Fury Road in 2015, La La Land in 2016, Get Out in 2017, The Favourite in 2018, Parasite in 2019, Nomadland in 2020, Nine Days in 2021, and The Banshees of Inisherin in 2022, and Oppenheimer in 2023, and The Substance in 2024.
To come up with an overall top 10, I’ve used a simple points system and applied it to the list of each critic. It is as follows:
- 3 points for the top film on each list.
- 2 points for the films ranked between 2nd and 5th on each list.
- 1 point for the films ranked between 6th and 10th on each list.
If two films finished on the same score, the film that appeared on the greater number of top 10 lists is ranked higher (as an indication of wider approval). If that's the same, it goes to an average of the individual rankings of each film.
The 10 list includes movies released in Australian cinemas and also those made available on streaming platforms.
There was a clear winner in 2025 – Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. Of the 13 Brisbane critics surveyed, everyone had it on their top 10 list with 5 of them naming it as the #1 film of the year.
It’s been a terrific year for non-franchise horror movies, and the other podium finishers fell into that genre – Sinners and Weapons. They’ve become two of the most talked about movies on social media in 2025 with a combined global box-office haul of almost $1 billion AUD.
Thanks to a 3-way tie for 10th place, a total of 12 movies featured in the final list.
Released in Australia back in January, two Oscar winning dramas from last year’s awards season being selected – The Brutalist and Conclave.
A bumper crop of low-budget independent films came out of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and three of them earned a spot on the top 10 list. Each featured a great lead performance – Rose Byrne in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Dylan O’Brien in Twinless and Eva Victor in Sorry, Baby.
The top foreign language film was Norway’s Sentimental Value which won the Grand Prix at Cannes and could feature in upcoming Academy Award nominations.
The final films making the cut added spice with their varied genres – the intense war flick Warfare, the dark comedy Bugonia, and the romantic comedy Eternity.
On that note, here are the top 10 movies of 2025 according to Brisbane critics…
Brisbane Film Critics - Top 10 of 2025
1. One Battle After Another
2 Sinners
3 Weapons
4. The Brutalist
5. Buognia
6. Conclave
7. Warfare
8. If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
8. Sentimental Value
10. Eternity
10. Sorry, Baby
10. Twinless
You can view a table of all the votes and final scores by clicking here.
A big thanks to all who submitted their lists. If you're a Brisbane critic would like to contribute in future years, please reach out to me on social media.
You can check out information on all the Brisbane critics (along with their choices for the best and worst of 2025) below.
|
 Matthew Toomey
Born in Brisbane, Matt Toomey was introduced to the world of cinema when he landed a job at a video store fresh out of high school in 1995. A few years later, he started his own website and reviewed movies regularly on a community radio station. In 2005, he joined the team at 612ABC and can be heard reviewing the latest releases every Thursday morning. He can also be heard weekly on regional ABC throughout Queensland.
Website: thefilmpie.com
|
| |
| Top 10 Films: |
| 1. |
Sing Sing |
| 2. |
Twinless |
| 3. |
The Brutalist |
| 4. |
Weapons |
| 5. |
Bring Her Back |
| 6. |
The Long Walk |
| 7. |
Warfare |
| 8. |
The Last Journey |
| 9. |
One Battle After Another |
| 10. |
Sentimental Value |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Bring Her Back |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Flow |
| Best Documentary: |
| The Last Journey |
| Best Performance: |
| Dylan O'Brien (Twinless) |
| Worst Film: |
| Bride Hard |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Thunderbolts* |
 |
|
 Sarah Ward
Sarah Ward is a film and television critic; arts, entertainment and culture editor and journalist; and film festival organiser. She is a film and TV critic for ABC radio, the Australia-based film critic for Screen International, a critic and writer for ScreenHub, and a critic and member at the Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Sarah’s bylines also span Goethe-Institut Australien’s Kino in Oz, Birth.Movies.Death, SBS, SBS Movies, Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Lumina, Senses of Cinema, the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts, Flicks, Junkee, FilmInk, Broadsheet, Televised Revolution, Metro Magazine, Screen Education, Concrete Playground, Variety Australia, Rolling Stone Australia, the City of Gold Coast, the World Film Locations book series and more, and she has worked with the Brisbane International Film Festival, Queensland Film Festival, Sydney Underground Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival and Sydney Film Festival.
Websites: screenhub.com.au/author/sarahward/
awfj.org/blog/author/wardsarah/
screendaily.com/sarah-ward/1101313.bio
screendaily.com/sarah-ward/1100859.contributor/
|
| |
| Top 10 Films: |
| 1. |
One Battle After Another |
| 2. |
Die My Love |
| 3. |
Sorry, Baby |
| 4. |
Frankenstein |
| 5. |
April |
| 6. |
28 Years Later |
| 7. |
The Mastermind |
| 8. |
Sing Sing |
| 9. |
Sentimental Value |
| 10. |
Sinners |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Inside |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Flow |
| Best Documentary: |
| Black Box Diaries |
| Best Performance: |
| Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I'd Kick You) |
| Worst Film: |
| Hurry Up Tomorrow |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| The Accountant 2 |
|
 Garry Williams
Garry Williams is a reviewer for Film Club, a radio program broadcast on 4ZZZ-FM each Thursday from 7-8pm.
Website: 4zzz.org.au/program/film-club
|
| |
| Top 10 Films: |
| 1. |
Kokuho |
| 2. |
Conclave |
| 3. |
One Battle After Another |
| 4. |
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery |
| 5. |
I'm Still Here |
| 6. |
Sinners |
| 7. |
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning |
| 8. |
A Complete Unknown |
| 9. |
Bugonia |
| 10. |
Eddington |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| The Correspondent |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Zootopia 2 |
| Best Documentary: |
| Riefenstahl |
| Best Performance: |
| Ryo Yoshizawa (Kokuho) |
| Worst Film: |
| Regretting You |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Predator: Badlands |
| |
| Top 10 Films: |
| 1. |
Sinners |
| 2. |
Weapons |
| 3. |
Twinless |
| 4. |
Kiss of the Spider Woman |
| 5. |
Eternity |
| 6. |
The Brutalist |
| 7. |
Nosferatu |
| 8. |
If I Had Legs I'd Kick You |
| 9. |
Bugonia |
| 10. |
One Battle After Another |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Together |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Predator: Killer of Killers |
| Best Documentary: |
| Until the Sky Falls Quiete |
| Best Performance: |
| Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I'd Kick You) |
| Worst Film: |
| Smurfs |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| A Minecraft Movie |
|
 Ella Donald
Ella Donald is a change and communications manager, writer, and PhD candidate. She has written for publications like GQ magazine, CNN, The Guardian, and ABC.
Website: n/a
|
| |
| Top 10 Films: |
| 1. |
One Battle After Another |
| 2. |
The Brutalist |
| 3. |
Sentimental Value |
| 4. |
If I Had Legs I'd Kick You |
| 5. |
Roofman |
| 6. |
Bob Trevino Likes It |
| 7. |
Conclave |
| 8. |
28 Years Later |
| 9. |
I'm Still Here |
| 10. |
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Lesbian Space Princess |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Lesbian Space Princess |
| Best Documentary: |
| Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery |
| Best Performance: |
| Anapela Polataivao (Tinā) |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Drop |
|
 Rob Hudson
Rob Hudson is the editor of popular culture website modmove.com and reviews film, theatre and music.
Website: modmove.com
|
| |
| Top 10 Films: |
| 1. |
One Battle After Another |
| 2. |
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey |
| 3. |
Conclave |
| 4. |
Sinners |
| 5. |
Bugonia |
| 6. |
Eddington |
| 7. |
Companion |
| 8. |
Black Bag |
| 9. |
Weapons |
| 10. |
Predator: Badlands |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Inside |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Predator: Killer of Killers |
| Best Documentary: |
| Becoming Led Zeppelin |
| Best Performance: |
| Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another) |
| Worst Film: |
| Play Date |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Predator: Badlands |
|
 Baz McAlister
Walkley Award-winning journalist Baz McAlister is a writer and deputy night editor at The Courier-Mail and The Sunday Mail, and co-hosts Force Material, a podcast about the secrets, history and influences of Star Wars.
Website: bazmcalister.wordpress.com
www.forcematerial.com
|
| |
| Top 10 Films: |
| 1. |
Weapons |
| 2. |
Bugonia |
| 3. |
28 Years Later |
| 4. |
Sinners |
| 5. |
Sisu 2: Road to Revenge |
| 6. |
Predator: Badlands |
| 7. |
One Battle After Another |
| 8. |
The Ballad of Wallis Island |
| 9. |
The Surfer |
| 10. |
The Long Walk |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Bring Her Back |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Predator: Killer of Killers |
| Best Documentary: |
| Grand Theft Hamlet |
| Best Performance: |
| Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons (Bugonia) |
| Worst Film: |
| War of the Worlds |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Dangerous Animals |
|
 Nick L'Barrow
Nick is the founder and film editor of World Of Screens, and the head interviewer for Novastream. Outside of writing reviews for the latest films and interviewing the filmmakers and actors behind them, he is hosting panels and Q+As, which in 2025 included Leigh Whannel and Delvene Delaney.
Website: novastreamnetwork.com/
worldofscreens.com
|
| |
| Top 10 Films: |
| 1. |
Sinners |
| 2. |
Weapons |
| 3. |
The Brutalist |
| 4. |
Bring Her Back |
| 5. |
Nosferatu |
| 6. |
The Life of Chuck |
| 7. |
One Battle After Another |
| 8. |
Warfare |
| 9. |
Nuremberg |
| 10. |
Twinless |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Dangerous Animals |
| Best Animated Film: |
| The Bad Guys 2 |
| Best Documentary: |
| Mistress Dispeller |
| Best Performance: |
| Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I'd Kick You) |
| Worst Film: |
| Ella McCay |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Freakier Friday |
|
 Jacob Richardson
Jacob is a Brisbane-based filmmaker and film critic, who runs Film Focus Magazine. He also writes film reviews for local publications the Village Voice in New Farm and Hamilton.
Website: filmfocusmagazine.com
|
| |
| Top 10 Films: |
| 1. |
Conclave |
| 2. |
One Battle After Another |
| 3. |
F1 |
| 4. |
Warfare |
| 5. |
The Brutalist |
| 6. |
Rental Family |
| 7. |
El 47 |
| 8. |
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery |
| 9. |
Caught Stealing |
| 10. |
I'm Still Here |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| The Aegean (have to, given I made it) |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Zootopia 2 |
| Best Documentary: |
| The Perfect Neighbour |
| Best Performance: |
| Ralph Fiennes (Conclave) |
| Worst Film: |
| Regretting You |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Freakier Friday |
|
 Ashlee Pradella
Ashlee Pradella is a film reviewer and Instagram-based digital creator, and a contributor to World of Screens covering awards season.
Website: www.instagram.com/moviewatchinggirl/
|
| |
| Top 10 Films: |
| 1. |
Sinners |
| 2. |
One Battle After Another |
| 3. |
Frankenstein |
| 4. |
Eternity |
| 5. |
Splitsville |
| 6. |
Sorry, Baby |
| 7. |
Good Fortune |
| 8. |
Anaconda |
| 9. |
Superman |
| 10. |
The Ugly Stepsister |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Bring Her Back |
| Best Animated Film: |
| KPop Demon Hunters |
| Best Documentary: |
| The Age of Disclosure |
| Best Performance: |
| Michael B. Jordan (Sinners) |
| Worst Film: |
| A Big Bold Beautiful Journey |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Train Dreams |
|
 Richard Houlihan
Richard Houlihan has been a film reviewer and Oscars prognosticator for ABC Capricornia Radio, Rockhampton’s The Morning Bulletin and Brisbane’s Indulge Magazine. Like Moira Rose, his favourite season is awards.
Website: soundcloud.com/richard-houlihan-8814866
|
| |
| Top 10 Films: |
| 1. |
One Battle After Another |
| 2. |
Sentimental Value |
| 3. |
Sorry, Baby |
| 4. |
Bugonia |
| 5. |
Warfare |
| 6. |
If I Had Legs I'd Kick You |
| 7. |
Weapons |
| 8. |
The Materialists |
| 9. |
Companion |
| 10. |
Black Bag |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Bring Her Back |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Flow |
| Best Documentary: |
| I Like Me: John Candy |
| Best Performance: |
| Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein) and Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I'd Kick You) |
| Worst Film: |
| War of the Worlds |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Sorry, Baby and The Housemaid |
|
 Mike Gambaro
Mike Gambaro is a Brisbane based entertainment reporter with a deep passion for the city’s social fabric and the people who shape it. Known as a genuine man about town, he’s a fixture at openings, premieres and local happenings, giving him a front row view of Brisbane’s evolving culture. His strong connections across hospitality, media and the creative community allow him to bring an informed, inside perspective to every story. At The Courier-Mail, he focuses on capturing the moments and personalities shaping Queensland’s capital as it steps confidently toward Brisbane 2032.
Website: instagram.com/mikegambaro/
|
| |
| Top 10 Films: |
| 1. |
Superman |
| 2. |
One Battle After Another |
| 3. |
Caught Stealing |
| 4. |
Weapons |
| 5. |
Sinners |
| 6. |
Rental Family |
| 7. |
Eternity |
| 8. |
Freakier Friday |
| 9. |
Avatar: Fire and Ash |
| 10. |
Thunderbolts* |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Bring Her Back |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Looney Tunes: The Day the Earth Blew Up |
| Best Documentary: |
| Pee-Wee as Himself |
| Best Performance: |
| Amy Madigan (Weapons) |
| Worst Film: |
| A Big Bold Beautiful Journey |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Caught Stealing |
| |
| Top 10 Films: |
| 1. |
One Battle After Another |
| 2. |
Weapons |
| 3. |
Sinners |
| 4. |
If I Had Legs I'd Kick You |
| 5. |
Lurker |
| 6. |
Train Dreams |
| 7. |
Flow |
| 8. |
The Brutalist |
| 9. |
Bugonia |
| 10. |
Warfare |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Bring Her Back |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Flow |
| Best Documentary: |
| Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk |
| Best Performance: |
| Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I'd Kick You) |
| Worst Film: |
| Bride Hard |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| KPop Demon Hunters |
Peter Gray
Adam Roboczi