‘Masterpiece’ film that’s the ‘best movie’ of 2025 | Films | Entertainment

The 2025 cinematic season has delivered a standout – but the title of “best film of the year” may not go to the blockbuster you were expecting. One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, has captured critics’ hearts and earned an impressive 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti, the film follows the story of Bob, a former revolutionary, who must confront his violent past when his daughter, Willa, is kidnapped by a ruthless old enemy.

What unfolds is a tense, darkly funny and visually stunning journey that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. Anderson, who adapted Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland, combines the original material with his own vision and adaptation, creating a film that is as visually striking as it is emotionally intense.

The film was shot in California between January and June 2024 using VistaVision, a rare format that enhances visual clarity and gives the movie a cinematic grandeur reminiscent of classic epics.

Critics have praised the film for its daring blend of genres, tight performances, and bold visual style.

It received nine Golden Globe nominations, the most of any film this year, with particular attention given to Anderson’s direction and Johnny Greenwood’s score.

Many reviewers are calling it a “masterpiece,” highlighting its ability to combine intense action sequences with deeply human storytelling.

One Battle After Another was named number 1 by Rolling Stones in its roundup of the 20 best movies of the year. 

David Fear wrote: “Paul Thomas Anderson’s stunning, thundering thriller about fathers, failed revolutions and our f*cked-up moment is, without a doubt, the movie of the year.”

Peter Bradshaw, the chief film critic at The Guardian also gave the film five stars describing it as “Paul Thomas Anderson’s thrillingly helter-skelter counterculture caper.”

One person gave the film a 10/10 score on IMDb and wrote: “This is the best movie of the year! It is a masterpiece in directing with a stellar cast and at least one sure-fire Oscar winner in Sean Penn.”

Someone else called it “one of the greats.” The viewer added: “Movies like this do not come along very often anymore. It’s a vast open story spanning generations.

“It’s a chase movie at heart but the characters flesh the world out so well that you just get caught up in the roller coaster. All the performances are fantastic but I have to applaud Leo, Sean Penn and Beneto for some stunning performances.”