2025 gave us gems that flew under the radar. Films that spoke softly but left a mark. Stories about connection, chaos and quiet human truth. These films didn’t dominate headlines, but they deserve your attention!
Back in September, I shared Part 1 and now, it’s time for Part 2 — 10 more films that quietly stood out, moved me or simply refused to leave my mind.
10 ‘Picture This’
I’m a sucker for rom-coms, and Picture This is exactly the kind of feel-good film that reminds me why. It’s a charming, if slightly predictable, story about love finding you when you least expect it. The setup is classic, a struggling photographer is told her soulmate will appear within her next five dates, but the film’s warmth and chemistry make it work.
The film balances humour and sincerity, never taking itself too seriously. Simone Ashley brings effortless charisma, and again, it follows familiar beats, but sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
It may not reinvent the genre, but Picture This understands the heart of a good rom com: comfort, laughter and a bit of hope.
9 ‘Freaky Tales’
What a ride. Freaky Tales is pure creative chaos. Directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, it unfolds across four interconnected stories, each bursting with energy, attitude and nostalgia.
The film jumps from gritty street drama to comic-book madness without ever losing its rhythm. It’s packed with cameos — Pedro Pascal, Tom Hanks and Angus Cloud (RIP) all show up, sometimes just long enough to steal a scene. Each segment feels like its own world, but together they form something electric.
It’s ambitious and the kind of film that reminds you why cinema should always take risks.
8 ‘Adulthood’
I’ll admit it — I find Josh Gad very funny and seeing him team up Anthony Carrigan makes Adulthood such an unexpected treat. A dark comedy about two siblings finding a body in their parents’ basement. Anthony Carrigan steals scenes effortlessly every time he appears. He gives the film that offbeat rhythm that keeps it from feeling like any ordinary mystery.
The film blends crime, comedy and melancholy in a way that shouldn’t work, yet somehow does. Beneath the absurdity, it’s really about siblings facing their past and realizing that adulthood doesn’t come with answers — just messier questions.
Adulthood is a strange little gem that sticks with you and honestly, I’d watch these three together again in anything.
7 ‘Deep Cover’
What a clever surprise. Deep Cover takes a ridiculous idea: three improv actors recruited by London police to infiltrate the criminal underworld and turns it into one of the funniest, most original buddy comedies of the year. Directed by Tom Kingsley, it balances sharp British humour with real tension, constantly blurring the line between acting and survival.
Nick Mohammed, Orlando Bloom, and Paddy Considine make a bizarre but perfect trio. The pacing dips in the middle, but the finale delivers both laughs and heart. It proves that even the most absurd setup can work when the performances are this good. A must-watch for anyone who loves British wit!
6 ‘Death of a Unicorn’
Only A24 could give us something this bizarre and make it work. Death of a Unicorn is part dark comedy, part folk horror, and somehow also a tender family story. Directed & written by by Alex Scharfman, it stars Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega as a father and daughter who accidentally kill a unicorn and then have to deal with their billionaire boss (played by Richard E. Grant) who wants to exploit the creature’s magical properties.
The movie is just as crazy as it sounds, it’s bloody, funny, and a bit sad too. What makes it stand out is how it takes this strange idea and turns it into a story about greed and how people ruin special things for money.
5 ‘Sacramento’
I’d watch Michael Cera do anything and Sacramento is exactly why. He brings his usual awkward charm but with more depth this time. Directed, co-written and co-starring Michael Angarano, the film follows two old friends on a quiet road trip from Los Angeles to Sacramento, trying to make sense of life, love and getting older. It’s small, funny and surprisingly emotional. Cera and Angarano have great chemistry, their conversations feel real, sometimes silly, sometimes painful. You can tell Angarano poured a lot of himself into it, both in the writing and direction. It’s not loud or dramatic, but that’s the beauty of it. Just two guys talking, remembering who they were, and figuring out what comes next. A simple film with a big heart and Cera makes every minute worth it.
4 ‘Drop’
Drop is a tense little thriller that gets under your skin fast. Directed by Christopher Landon, it follows a widowed mother on her first date in years, a night that spirals when she starts receiving creepy, anonymous messages during dinner.
What makes it work is how simple it is. One location, a few characters and a rising sense of anxiety that never lets up. The film plays with the fear of modern dating and technology in a way that feels real, every text, every buzz of the phone builds tension.
I really enjoyed how it kept me guessing until the last moment!
3 ‘Love Me’
It honestly feels like I’m the only one who watched and truly connected with this film. Love Me is strange and beautiful in its own lonely way.
Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun play a buoy and a satellite who fall in love after humanity has vanished but it’s really about what it means to be seen, remembered and loved when no one’s left. It’s slow, weird, and deeply emotional, I also know that it’s not for everyone, but it hit me hard.
2 ‘Splitville’
I love when a film takes messy human emotions and turns them into dark comedy and Splitsville does exactly that. Directed, written, and co-starring Michael Angelo Covino, it’s about love, hate and the crazy things we do for both things.
When Ashley (Dakota Johnson) asks for a divorce, her husband Carey (played by Covino himself) turns to his friends for help — only to make things worse. What follows is awkward and really funny. The humor doesn’t come from punchlines but from people trying (and failing) to be emotionally mature.
It’s smart, sad and uncomfortably relatable. Covino’s direction keeps everything grounded, and the cast has great chemistry, especially Johnson, who nails that mix of frustration and warmth.
Splitsville isn’t a typical comedy. You laugh, you cringe, but it’s definitely one of the best comedies of the year.
1 ‘Elio’
Criminally underrated. Elio is easily my favorite animated film of the year and I honestly don’t understand why it’s not part of the Oscar race. It’s classic Pixar, it’s imaginative, emotional and full of heart.
The story of a boy accidentally chosen as Earth’s intergalactic ambassador could’ve been silly, yet it turns into something deeply touching about friendship, family, belonging and identity. The visuals are stunning, the humour lands and the emotional moments hit just right.
It’s one of those films that reminds you what Pixar does best which is making you feel like a kid again while quietly breaking your heart.