2025 films that deserved more attention

While the same titles continue to dominate Oscar predictions and annual best-of film lists, many high-quality movies pass by almost unnoticed.

The reasons vary: limited theatrical releases, poorly timed premieres, or genre labels that fail to spark serious discussion, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

As reported by CE Report, Critics from Variety have decided to highlight a series of 2025 films that, despite being overlooked or receiving mixed reactions, have demonstrated exceptional authorial vision, strong performances, or fresh perspectives on familiar themes, reports KosovaPress.

Alto Knights

Alto Knights is a drama by Barry Levinson that was unexpectedly met with negative reactions from some critics. The film explores the real-life conflict between Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, key figures of New York’s mid-20th-century mafia, with Robert De Niro portraying both characters.

While many saw this casting choice as excessive, Variety critic Owen Gleiberman argues that De Niro shows a subtle understanding of mafia psychology, clearly distinguishing the politically cautious Costello from the impulsive and violent Genovese. In his view, the film has been unfairly mocked, despite being a rare attempt to depict those who truly ruled the criminal underworld in the 1950s and 1960s.

The Ballad of Wallis Island

With a completely different tone, The Ballad of Wallis Island initially appears to be an eccentric comedy with a potentially irritating protagonist. Tim Key plays a socially awkward wealthy man who retreats to a remote Welsh island and attempts to reunite a former music duo, played by Carey Mulligan and Tom Basden.

Variety’s Chris Willman admits the film provokes skepticism at first, but gradually becomes one of the most sincere contemporary stories about music, devotion, and the emotional scars left by broken relationships. Its ability to overcome its own “red flags” makes it one of the year’s most pleasant surprises.

Bring Them Down

Dark, bleak, and intensely powerful, the Irish film Bring Them Down begins with a brutal attack on a flock of sheep and escalates into a study of revenge and poverty. Christopher Abbott plays a farmer who suspects his longtime rival, while Barry Keoghan portrays an unstable young man who further fuels the conflict.

Variety critic Peter Debruge described the film as a piercing blow, noting that director Christopher Andrews avoids easy villains and instead depicts a vicious cycle of anger, poverty, and violence in a community already on the edge of survival.

Caught Stealing

The crime thriller Caught Stealing takes viewers back to 1990s New York, where Austin Butler plays a bartender who accidentally finds himself caught in a gang war. After agreeing to look after his neighbor’s cat, he unknowingly sets off a dangerous chain of events.

Jazz Tangcay of Variety praises Butler’s ability to turn a lost, failing character into a relatable hero, as well as Darren Aronofsky’s direction, which culminates in one of the year’s most memorable car chases.

Surfer

Surfer blends thriller elements and allegory to tell the story of a man who loses everything while trying to protect his place on a beach. Nicolas Cage stars as the unnamed protagonist who confronts a violent group of surfers led by Julian McMahon.

Described as a kind of nightmare, the film gradually erases the line between civilization and psychological collapse, as noted by Variety’s William Earl, with each decision pushing the main character deeper into the breakdown of his identity.

Eternity

The romantic drama Eternity presents an unusual vision of the afterlife, imagined as a space of waiting and choice. Elizabeth Olsen plays a woman who must decide which relationship will define her eternity, choosing between characters played by Miles Teller and Callum Turner.

Critic Clayton Davis highlights that beneath its vivid premise, the film hides emotional depth and melancholy, balancing humor and existential questions in a rare way.

Steve

More intimate in tone, Steve is a drama in which Cillian Murphy plays a teacher at a boarding school for boys with behavioral problems. The film focuses on the everyday, often invisible struggles within the education system.

Variety’s Jenelle Riley considers it one of Murphy’s most humane and restrained performances, noting that the film was unfairly overlooked due to Netflix’s crowded release schedule.

The Lost Bus

The Lost Bus retells the true story of the dramatic rescue of children during the 2018 Camp Fire. Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera portray ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances.

Clayton Davis notes that the film avoids sentimentality while still powerfully conveying fear, chaos, and quiet courage.

A Normal Family

The South Korean drama A Normal Family begins with a car accident that exposes moral dilemmas and family secrets. Two brothers—a lawyer and a doctor—gradually find themselves on opposite sides of justice as their children’s crime complicates matters further.

Critic Peter Debruge emphasizes that the film skillfully blends genre thriller elements with family drama, asking difficult questions without easy answers.

Novocaine

The action film Novocaine follows a man who cannot feel pain due to a rare disorder. Jack Quaid plays an unconventional hero drawn into a violent confrontation to rescue a girl.

Variety’s Jordan Moreau notes that while the film is clearly inspired by successful action franchises, it finds its own identity through Quaid’s charisma and an unusual mix of humor and brutality.