5 best movies of 2025 according to Rotten Tomatoes — and why you should watch them

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While some projects loudly flopped at the box office, others quietly (or not so quietly) received accolades from critics.

Rotten Tomatoes published a selection of the highest-rated movies of 2025. I reviewed the list and chose five projects in different genres that seemed the most interesting to me.

Here's why you should add them to your watchlist.

"Caught by the Tide" — 98% on RT

Starring: Zhao Tao, Li Zhubin

Director: Jia Zhangke

One of the most subtle, beautiful, and humane films of this year. Jia Zhangke, whose filmography long deserves a dedicated shelf in any media library, makes a personal statement about the changes in China — and within himself.

"Caught by the Tide" is the story of a woman who searches for her lover for decades against the backdrop of the disappearing old China and the birth of the new.
Trailer for the film 'Caught by the Tide'
It looks like an epic, filmed with incredible warmth and dignity. And yes, it's not just a drama but also a document of the time.

"Black Dog" — 97% on RT

Starring: Eddie Peng, Lia Tong

Director: Guan Hu

A small town in China, the summer before the Olympics, a man is released from prison after serving time for a crime and finds the strength to bond with a stray dog for which a reward has been offered.

It sounds simple — until you start watching. This is a story about a world where hope is a dog you chase not for money, but to feel that you still have something to fight for.
Trailer for 'Black Dog'
A lyrical, quiet, yet very lively film.

"Companion" — 93% on RT

Starring: Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage

Director: Drew Hancock

What do you get when you mix a romantic comedy, thriller, sci-fi, and social satire? You get "Companion." Iris goes on a weekend trip with her boyfriend, and then everything starts to unravel: from suspicions to secrets of the past, and suddenly — to companion robots, one of whom turns out to be a main character.
A man with a serious expression is talking on the phone and a woman with white eyes
Scene from the trailer of the film 'Companion'
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It's a film that initially pretends to be simple, but then leaves you with the feeling that you've just watched something smart. And very unsettling.

"Paddington 3" — 93% on RT

Starring: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Antonio Banderas

Director: Dougal Wilson

Paddington Bear is on the move again. This time to his native Peru to find his Aunt Lucy. But, as always, the journey leads not only to the destination but also to a heap of adventures.

The film is both a fairy tale and a road movie, and a reminder once again: bears with good manners save the world.
Trailer for 'Paddington 3'
A great movie for all ages and possibly the kindest film released this year.

"Presence" — 87% on RT

Starring: Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan

Director: Steven Soderbergh

A family moves into a house where something lives that they can't see, but they can feel. It sounds like another horror movie, but Soderbergh turns it into an atmospheric psychological story: atypical, minimalist, with a hint of "prestige television."

The mysticism here is just a shell, beneath which lies a film about paying attention to those you think you know well. Or not at all.
Trailer for the movie 'Presence'
This list includes a variety of films: from arthouse poetry to popcorn family movies. But they all have one thing in common. They all, in one way or another, talk about something important.

Earlier, we at zoomboola.com shared about the seven best series of 2025 with 100% freshness on Rotten Tomatoes: drama, animation, comedy.