I watched over 100 new movies on Netflix, Prime Video, and more in 2025 – and these are the 12 best ones I saw
SOURCE:TechRadar|BY: Rowan Davies
Here are my 12 favorite new movies I streamed over 2025, including Anora, A Real Pain, and more.
(Image credit: Searchlight Pictures / Netflix / Prime Video)
My Monthly Streaming
This article is the final roundup of a regular series in which I review my favorite movies and shows that I streamed over the month. Check out my articles from January, February, March, April, May, June, July,August and September to find out what else I've been watching in 2025.
Going into 2025, one of my goals for the year was to watch as many new films as a I could and, looking back over the last 12 months, I can confidently say that I smashed it.
As we close the book on 2025 and look forward to the new year, I'm reflecting on my year in movies and have rounded up the top 12 new movies on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, and more that defined each month. When I say 'new movies', I'm not referring to releases from 2025, but ones that I hadn't seen before, therefore making them 'new' to me.
So without further ado, please dive into my list of favorite movies I streamed over the last year. I can't wait to keep the momentum up in 2026.
Director: Megan Park Age rating: R Runtime: 89 minutes Where to stream: Prime Video (US, UK & AU)
Megan Park's coming-of-age movie My Old Ass is the perfect balance of comedy and drama, resulting in a lot of laughs as well as floods of tears. Bittersweet in all its capacity, this was by far the best written movie I watched in January, which spotlights the tough and harsh realities of falling in love.
On the night of her 18th birthday while experiencing a mushroom trip with her friends, Elliott (Maisy Stella) comes face-to-face with her older self (Aubrey Plaza). What starts off as a humorous encounter evolves into a valuable life lesson for young Elliott who's warned about what she should and, most importantly, shouldn't do by her older self.
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Director: Luca Guadagnino Age rating: R Runtime: 125 minutes Where to stream: HBO Max (US); Mubi (UK); Stan (AU)
Back in February I signed up to Mubi for a little while, and I timed it so I could catch Luca Guadagnino's artsy drama Queer. After watching Daniel Craig in the first two Knives Out movies, I was in awe of his acting range outside of his successful run as James Bond, and I wanted more. From its dream-like landscapes to Craig and Drew Starkey's on-screen chemistry, everything about this movie is married so harmoniously.
William S Burroughs' novel comes to life with Craig as William Lee, an American immigrant traveling through Mexico, often finding himself in his own company. When young student and former soldier Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey) arrives in the same area, Lee becomes infatuated with the young man and see potential for a meaningful relationship to blossom.
Director: Sean Baker Age rating: R Length: 139 minutes Where to stream: Hulu (US); Now TV (UK); Foxtel Now, Binge (AU)
March was Oscars season, and though I do my best to watch all of the nominees each year, I always leave it until last minute. I did however catch Anora, and boy am I glad I did.
I've been a fan of Sean Baker's work for a while, but more specifically his focus on bringing the stories of minority groups to the forefront. He did this with grace and respect to the trans community in Tangerine (2015), but Anora spotlights the sex work industry through a gritty yet emotional Cinderella story gone wrong.
In Brooklyn, New York City, Ani (Mikey Madison) is a young sex worker with admirable confidence. One night during her shift she meets Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), the son of an incredibly wealthy Russian oligarch and spoiled rich kid. The two fall into a relationship rather quickly, resulting in a hasty Vegas marriage, but when the news of their marriage reaches Vanya's family in Russia they send a band of henchmen after them to annul the marriage – resulting in a rollercoaster race across New York.
April: A Real Pain (2024)
A REAL PAIN | Official Trailer | Searchlight Pictures - YouTube
Director: Jesse Eisenberg Age rating: R Runtime: 89 minutes Where to stream: Hulu (US); Disney+ (UK & AU)
On the subject of Oscars, A Real Pain was one of the nominees I watched following the ceremony, and I finally understood what the critics were saying. Jesse Eisenberg lured me right in with a very strong script that paints a captivating picture of familial tension and generational trauma, all carried by Kieran Culkin's dedication to the performance.
A trip to Poland brings two mismatched cousins David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Culkin) together who set out on a Jewish heritage tour in honor of their late grandmother. As they settle into their trip, past tensions surface as they traverse through the most triggering locations that hit home for them as members of the Jewish community, but both return to the US as changed individuals with an altered outlook on life.
May: Party Girl (1995)
Director: Daisy von Scherler Mayer Age rating: R Runtime: 94 minutes Where to stream: Hulu, Roku, Hoopla (US); Plex, Pluto TV (UK); Plex, Hoopla (AU)
As we crept into the warmer and brighter months, I sought after more light-hearted and less serious movies to watch, and along came Party Girl thanks to Prime Video. Parker Posey won me over as the campy Fiona in Josie and the Pussycats (2001), and the added buzz of her performance in The White Lotus enticed me further.
Party Girl is an easy 90-minute watch with a simple plot, perfect for when you don't feel like dedicating a lot of concentration to a movie. Fun fact: it was also the first feature film to premiere on the internet.
Mary (Posey) is a free-spirited young woman living in New York City, who, despite being short on cash, always finds a way to indulge in the NYC nightlife. When she's arrested for hosting an illegal rave she has to ask her godmother Judy (Sasha von Scherler) to post bail for her. To pay her back, Mary starts working at the library Judy manages, and is surprised to discover a serious side hidden beneath her party girl persona.
June: Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
Four Weddings and a Funeral Official Trailer #1 - Hugh Grant Movie (1994) - YouTube
Director: Mike Newell Age rating: R Runtime: 117 minutes Where to stream: Prime Video, Hoopla (US); Netflix (UK); Prime Video, Stan(AU)
Rom-coms are somewhat of a guilty pleasure for me, but when it comes to a '90s flick starring Hugh Grant I unapologetically embrace it. I've known and loved movies such as Notting Hill (1999) for years, so I knew that I'd love Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Playing his typical go-to role of a British bachelor obsessed with women, Hugh Grant stuns as Charles, a young man with serious commitment issues and is famously single by choice. Over the course of five different social events he meets and forms a close bond with an American girl Carrie (Andie MacDowell), and the two hit it off right away. However despite their immediate connection, it takes them several attempts to decide that maybe they were meant to be together all along. Will they confront their true feelings for each other, or will their romance slip away?
Director: Danny Boyle Age rating: R Runtime: 113 minutes Where to stream: Netflix, Pluto TV (US); Now TV (UK); Prime Video, Stan, Foxtel Now (AU)
I took a break from the comedies and romances as I was craving a return to gritty cinema – this is where I caught Danny Boyle's post-apocalyptic blockbuster 28 Days Later. I enjoyed it so much that I streamed its sequel 28 Weeks Later (2007) immediately after – but I've yet to see how the recent instalment 28 Years Later (2025) compares.
When Londoner Jim (Cillian Murphy) is knocked off his bike and enters a coma, he wakes up 28 days later to find that the city of London is completely empty. Bewildered at first, Jim then learns that a deadly virus has plagued the British population, which turns humans into uncontrollable psychopaths with a hunger to feast on others.
In the midst of his attempt to escape the city, he meets fellow survivors and hatches a plan to travel to Manchester where a military group has promised protection - but they uncover the truth about the group's motives on arrival.
August: John Wick (2014)
John Wick Official Trailer #1 (2014) - Keanu Reeves, Willem Dafoe Movie HD - YouTube
Director: Chad Stahelski Age rating: R Runtime: 101 minutes Where to stream: Roku Channel (US); Prime Video (UK); Netflix, Prime Video, Stan (AU)
I've never been one to think 'I quite fancy watching an action movie this evening', but something came over me back in July and for some reason, my calling was John Wick – not just because of my fancy for Keanu Reeves, but because I love a suspenseful revenge story.
Former hitman John Wick (Reeves) is grieving the sudden loss of his wife, but receives one final gift from her in the form of a small pup. However, things take a turn for the worse when his former boss's son Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen) and his gang break into his house, leaving him beaten and his new pup dead.
A wrath of revenge takes over Wick, and he sets out on a revenge rampage to hunt down the men, returning to his violent way of life that helped him gain his status as one of the best assassins.
Sound of Metal – Official Trailer | Prime Video - YouTube
Director: Darius Marder Age rating: R Runtime: 120 minutes Where to stream: Prime Video (US); Prime video (UK); Prime Video, Foxtel Now, Binge (AU)
For a movie about all about music and sound, Sound of Metal is filled with clever moments of silence that create an eerie but striking atmosphere, becoming my favorite title from September.
Metal drummer Ruben (Riz Ahmed) has used his love for music to help him overcome a drug addiction, but after years of loud gigs his hearing starts to deteriorate, bringing to life every musician's worst nightmare. When a doctor tells him his condition will get worse over time, Ruben fears the end of his career.
To help him comes to grips with what will become his new life, his partner Lou (Olivia Cooke) refers him to a rehabilitation center for the deaf, hoping that he will learn to live with his new condition as opposed to viewing it as a disability – but Ruben has other plans to chase a cure.
October: KPop Demon Hunters (2025)
KPop Demon Hunters | Official Trailer | Sony Animation - YouTube
Directors: Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans Age rating: PG Runtime: 99 minutes Where to stream: Netflix (US, UK and AU)
Even if you haven't seen KPop Demon Hunters, everything about this movie has been inescapable – just blame the radio stations for blasting 'Golden' on repeat. But if you set that annoyance aside, you're left with a solid animated movie with a bright use of color and a whole lot of style.
In every generation, three female pop singers are chosen to hunt and fight demons to stop them from entering the human world. When they're not on stage, Rumi, Mira, and Zoey of the band HUNTR/X are responsible for protecting the lives of humans around them, using their musical strengths to wear off evil forces.
The girls meet their match when a rival Kpop boy band Saja Boys come on the scene and climb the charts. But they're hiding a secret; all the band members are demons with a plan to unleash the rest of their kind and sinister leader into the human world.
November: Nightcrawler (2014)
Nightcrawler TRAILER 1 (2014) - Jake Gyllenhaal Crime Drama HD - YouTube
Director: Dan Gilroy Age rating: R Runtime: 117 minutes Where to stream: Plex (US); Netflix, Now TV (UK); Netflix, Stan (AU)
Though I missed getting around to doing my November roundup, I know exactly which movie topped my month; Dan Gilroy's thriller Nightcrawler, which packs one suspenseful scene after the next – with an unexpected climax that I was not prepared for.
Jake Gyllenhaal plays Lou Bloom, an unemployed loner and hustler in desperate need of an income. After he's turned down by employers unwilling to give him a chance, he comes across a freak car accident being filmed by a news photographer, sparking a lightbulb moment.
He acquires a video camera and soon begins his new career as a 'nightcrawler', racing to the scenes of violent accidents to record and sell footage to Nina Romina (Rene Russi), the news director of a local TV station. As he finds his footing in the underbelly of LA crime journalism, his competitiveness and drive grow stronger, but things get quite ugly when he gets involved in a deadly home invasion.
December: No Country For Old Men (2007)
No Country For Old Men (2007) Official Trailer - Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem Movie HD - YouTube
Directors: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen Age rating: R Runtime: 122 minutes Where to stream: Paramount+ (US); Paramount+, Netflix (UK); Stan (AU)
While I streamed a lot of Christmas movies (as you usually do in December) I also told myself that it doesn't have to be jolly and festive all the time - it's OK to watch that bloody and violent western movie that's been sitting in your watchlist. No Country For Old Men (2007) had been on my radar for a while and I thought to myself, if I loved Fargo (1996) then surely I'll like this one – and I was correct.
In 1980 rural Texas, welder Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) discovers the violent aftermath of a drug exchange gone wrong, coming across a suitcase filled with $2 million cash. Instead of reporting it to the police, he takes the money for himself, but he doesn't know that psychopathic murderer Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) has been hired to retrieve it, and will kill anyone who gets in his way.
Meanwhile, aging lawman Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) is also on the lookout for Moss, hoping to reach him before Chigurh – or else lives will be lost.
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Rowan is an Editorial Associate and Apprentice Writer for TechRadar. A recent addition to the news team, he is involved in generating stories for topics that spread across TechRadar's categories. His interests in audio tech and knowledge in entertainment culture help bring the latest updates in tech news to our readers.
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