It has been a wonky few months of movies. I have been on record that 2025 has been an immensely underwhelming year for movies thus far... filled with a ton of disappointing movies and very mediocre theatrical experiences as well. We are now HALFWAY through 2025 and despite the large bag of disappointing and not very good movies released so far this year, we have had some pretty good to great movies that I want to celebrate as we cross the halfway point of the year. So, today I am going to be giving you guys the list of my top ten favorite movies of 2025 so far! Keep in mind, we're only halfway through the year, so I don't exactly think all ten of these movies are GREAT, but they're the ones that have stuck with me the most. Enjoy and let me know what your top ten favorite movies of the year so far are, in the comments on Spotify!

She's back! After the smash success that was the first M3GAN that released in January of 2023, M3GAN has returned for her second adventure from Blumhouse. I enjoyed the first M3GAN way more than I should have at the time, despite it being a relatively tame, paint by numbers killer robot movie. I appreciated the attempt to at least tie it into the idea of heavy technological reliance when parenting; it was more than I expected from a mid-tier Blumhouse movie. Admittedly, that description makes up almost the entirety of the studio's output but nevertheless. The sequel, from the trailers, looked bigger and badder in just about every way. Is it sure to be one of the most entertaining films of the summer? Find out in this review!

M3GAN 2.0:

Directed by: Gerard Johnstone

Screenplay by: Gerard Johnstone

Story by: Gerard Johnstone and Akela Cooper

Based on characters created by: Akela Cooper & James Wan

Produced by: James Wan, Jason Blum, Allison Williams

Executive Producers: Gerard Johnstone, Adam Hendricks, Greg Gilreath, Michael Clear, Judson Scott, Mark D. Katchur

Music by: Chris Bacon

Cinematography by: Toby Oliver

Casting by: Sarah Domeier Lindo, Miranda Rivers, Terri Taylor

Production Design by: Brendan Heffernan, Adam Wheatley

Costume Design by: Jeriana San Juan

Cast: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Amie Donald, Jenna Davis, Ivanna Sakhno, Aristotle Athari, Timm Sharp, Jemaine Clement

Synopsis: After the underlying tech for M3GAN is stolen and misused by a powerful defense contractor to create a military-grade weapon known as Amelia, M3GAN’s creator Gemma realizes that the only option is to resurrect M3GAN and give her a few upgrades, making her faster, stronger, and more lethal.

One of the biggest films of the summer - Joseph Kosinski's F1 - has now arrived on the biggest screen near you! This is the latest collaboration between Kosinski and Jerry Bruckheimer, who last produced Top Gun: Maverick together. This has been one of my most anticipated movies for YEARS now, because Top Gun: Maverick is easily my favorite movie of the decade so far, making it therefore the best new release I've covered. I've also been a casual fan of Kosinski's previous work, the strongest film of his being Only the Brave prior to Maverick. But, the idea of him doing a race car movie with another one of the biggest stars on the planet - now Academy Award winner Brad Pitt - was so exciting. Is F1 (The Movie) the best movie of summer 2025 so far? Let's talk about it!

F1 The Movie:

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

Story by: Joseph Kosinski, Ehren Kruger

Screenplay by: Ehren Kruger

Produced by: Jerry Bruckheimer, Dede Gardner, Lewis Hamilton, Jeremy Kleiner, Joseph Kosinski, Chad Oman, Brad Pitt

Executive Producers: Toby Hefferman, Daniel Lupi, Penni Thow

Original score by: Hans Zimmer

Cinematography by: Claudio Miranda

Edited by: Stephen Mirrione

Casting by: Lucy Bevan, Emily Brockmann

Production Design by: Ben Munro, Mark Tildesley

Costume Design by: Julian Day

Cast: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, Kim Bodnia, Tobias Menzies, Shea Whigham, Sarah Niles

Synopsis: Racing legend Sonny Hayes is coaxed out of retirement to lead a struggling Formula 1 team—and mentor a young hotshot driver—while chasing one more chance at glory.

Danny Boyle and Alex Garland have reunited for the first film in a new 28 YEARS LATER trilogy. Following up on the 2000 cult classic and a somewhat forgotten late oughts sequel, 28 Years Later is the LONG awaited return to the world of the infected, from the mind of Alex Garland. I watched the original film years ago but forgot most of it until revisiting it just a week ago; I loved it even more than I remembered. That being said, I had never seen 28 Weeks Later until just a few days ago. But, as a fan of Boyle's and Garland's work, I've been looking forward to this for a while now, especially with those AWESOME and creepy trailers they've been putting out for this movie. Is 28 Years Later the best of the franchise so far? Find out in this review!

28 Years Later:

Directed by: Danny Boyle

Written by: Alex Garland

Produced by: Andrew Macdonald, Peter Rice, Bernard Bellew, Danny Boyle, Alex Garland

Executive Producer: Cillian Murphy

Music by: Young Fathers

Director of Photography: Anthony Dod Mantle

Edited by: Jon Harris

Casting by: Rebecca Farhall, Gail Stevens

Production Design by: Carson McColl, Gareth Pugh, Mark Tildesley

Costume Design by: Carson McColl, Gareth Pugh

Cast: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O'Connell , Alfie Williams, and Ralph Fiennes

Synopsis: Twenty-eight years since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one member departs on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.

Well, well. It took a while but another major studio is now in the business of remaking animated classics. How to Train Your Dragon has meant a lot to me since I was a kid. The first film is near perfect, the second is an amazing follow up, and the third is a flawed but incredibly satisfying and deeply emotional farewell to Hiccup & Toothless. I’ve been lucky that Disney hasn’t really been going after my childhood favorites, with the exception of The Lion King, to remake but now Universal and DreamWorks has dipped into my well of favorites. What piqued my curiosity very early on in the process of this film's development was that Dean DeBlois, director of all three of the animated films, was returning to tackle the live-action film, which was certainly a surprise. That being said, I have loved almost all the casting for this film and the trailers have certainly given me the nostalgic feels... but if you've listened to any of the episodes where I've discussed this film, you'll probably know that there has been one lingering question in my head: why? Why remake one of the only films that truly spawned a new franchise of the current generation. It seemed far too son, even for the nostalgic effect to be felt to its maximum. But of course, I went in hopeful and optimistic that Dean DeBlois could recapture the magic of the animated entries. Was he able to? Find out in this review!

How to Train Your Dragon:

Written and Directed by: Dean DeBlois

Based on the book by: Cressida Cowell

Based on DreamWorks Animation's 'How To Train Your Dragon' animated film by: Will Davies and Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders

Produced by: Marc Platt, Dean DeBlois, Adam Siegel

Executive Producers: David Cain, Michael A. Connolly, Roy Lee, Chris Sanders

Music by: John Powell

Director of Photography: Bill Pope

Edited by: Wyatt Smith

Casting by: Lucy Bevan

Production Design by: Dominic Watkins

Costume Design by: Lindsay Pugh

Cast: Mason Thames, Gerard Butler, Nico Parker, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Ruth Codd, Peter Serafinowicz, Murray McArthur

Synopsis: On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart, defying centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society.

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, which will probably take the cake as the longest movie title of the year, has FINALLY hit theaters. If you couldn't tell from the title, this is the LONG delayed John Wick spin-off starring Ana de Armas, which actually takes place between John Wick: Chapter 3 and John Wick: Chapter 4. It has, by the way, now been over two years since John Wick: Chapter 4 came out. Time flies, but that also means that my excitement for this film has just been waning and waning since it was announced. This expansion of the John Wick universe is probably one of the most baffling things I've seen from Hollywood recently. As interesting as the world of John Wick is, I still wholeheartedly believe that Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski's action directing is the draw of those movies. Add on top of my skepticism of turning everything into a cinematic universe all the news of this movie not really working and needing multiple rounds of reshoots, I went in skeptical. So, is Ballerina a worthy addition to the franchise? Find out in this review!

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina:

Directed by: Len Wiseman

Written by: Shay Hatten

Based on characters created by: Derek Kolstad

Produced by: Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Chad Stahelski

Executive Producers: Kaley Smalley Romo, Louise Rosner, Kevan Van Thompson

Music by: Tyler Bates, Joel J. Richard

Director of Photography: Romain Lacourbas

Edited by: Jason Ballantine, Julian Clarke

Casting by: Olivia Scott-Webb

Production Design by: Philip Ivey

Costume Design by: Tina Kalivas

Cast: Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Norman Reedus, Keanu Reeves, Lance Reddick, Ian McShane

Synopsis: Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Eve Macarro begins her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.

The latest Predator film to hit streaming released just a few days ago on Disney+/Hulu. This is the second Predator film from Dan Trachtenberg (Prey), and the first of two Predator films coming from him this year. Badlands, though, will hit cinemas in the fall. I am a newbie to the Predator franchise. Despite loving Arnold and ‘80s action flicks, I only saw the first film for the first time last year, have just caught up on all the sequels as a of a few days ago. I have some mixed opinions on the franchise for sure but there’s no questioning how iconic the Predator itself is and how cemented the legacy of this franchise has been into the cinematic tapestry. Is Predator: Killer of Killers, the first animated film in the franchise, one of the best entries? Find out in this review!

Predator: Killer of Killers

Directed by: Dan Trachtenberg

Co-Director: Joshua Wassung

Written by: Micho Rutare

Based on a story by: Dan Trachtenberg

Produced by: John Davis, Ben Rosenblatt, Marc Toberoff, Dan Trachtenberg

Executive Producers: Lawrence Gordon, Stefan Grube, John C. Thomas

Casting by: Jessica Sherman

Production Design by: Ames Carter, Joel Chang

Cast: Lindsay LaVanchy, Louis Ozawa, Rick Gonzalez

Synopsis: This anthology story follows three of the fiercest warriors in human history: a Viking raider guiding her young son on a bloody quest for revenge; a ninja in feudal Japan who turns against his Samurai brother in a brutal battle for succession; and a WWII pilot who takes to the sky to investigate an otherworldly threat to the Allied cause. But while all these warriors are killers in their own right, they are merely prey for their new opponent — the ultimate killer of killers.

Just a few months after Cobra Kai ended, the Karate Kid “universe” is back with a new movie. Karate Kid: Legends hit theaters today and I had a chance to see the film! While I love the original Karate Kid, I don’t think there has been a single good Karate Kid sequel and I have the unpopular opinion that The Next Karate Kid is probably the most enjoyable movie in this franchise outside of that original, but maybe on a ‘so bad it’s good’ level than being legitimately great. But of course, I love Cobra Kai. My reviews of some of the season of Cobra Kai are some of my most popular episodes I’ve ever published, but I did get quite a lot of flack for my disappointments with the final season. I always found it so odd how quickly after Cobra Kai we were already seeing Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso again, epically because of how perfect that final scene between him and Johnny was. Also, this franchise has just beaten the Karate Kid formula to death by this point. Does Karate Kid: Legends stand as the best film in the franchise since the original, and is it a worthy follow up to Cobra Kai? Find out in this review!

Karate Kid: Legends:

Directed by: Jonathan Entwistle

Written by: Rob Lieber

Based on characters created by: Robert Mark Kamen

Produced by: Karen Rosenfelt

Executive Producers: Jenny Hinkey, Ralph Macchio

Music by: Dominic Lewis

Edited by: Dana E. Glauberman, Colby Parker Jr.

Production Design by: Jon Billington, Maya Sigel

Costume Design by: Mirren Gordon-Crozier

Cast: Ben Wang, Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio, Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, Ming-Na Wen

Synopsis: After a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren’t enough. Li’s kung fu teacher Mr. Han enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.

The finale of The Last of Us season 2 aired last night and... damn. I absolutely loved season 1 of The Last of Us and have been looking forward to season two for YEARS now. For context, I played the first game in full for the first time alongside the release of the first season but, unfortunately, have not found the time to play The Last of Us Part II yet. But, I have played a few hours of it and did know about a few of the surprising turns the season would be taking early on. Is season 2 as good as season 1? Well, let's talk about, in full SPOILER detail!

Hello everyone and welcome back to another review here on MOVIE Morning. Wes Anderson's latest film - The Phoenician Scheme - hit UK cinemas this past weekend and will have a slow international rollout over the next month or so. I am a bit of a Wes Anderson noob. I watched Fantastic Mr. Fox obsessively when I was younger and have seen The Grand Budapest Hotel but other than that, I don't have an exact recollection of whether I've seen any of his other movies. Because of the early release here, I thought I'd give The Phoenician Scheme a shot, especially because Anderson has such a passionate following and the plot description seemed interesting to me. Is it worth seeing at the cinema? Find out in this review!

The Phoenician Scheem:

Directed by: Wes Anderson

Story by: Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola

Screenplay by: Wes Anderson

Produced by: Wes Anderson, Jeremy Dawson, John Peet, Steven Rales

Executive Producers: Roman Coppola, Henning Molfenter

Original music by: Alexandre Desplat

Director of Photography: Bruno Delbonnel

Edited by: Barney Pilling

Casting by: Douglas Aibel

Production Design by: Adam Stockhausen

Costume Design by: Milena Canonero

Cast: Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe

Synopsis: The story of a family and a family business.