My Top 77 First Time Watches of 2025

Every year on Letterboxd when I watch a film for the first time that I really enjoy I add it to my list of fav first time watches. I would now like to share that list with you and a little or a lot as to why each film made it on to the list. I have attempted to keep the list in some form of order from least to most favourite, but honestly don't take it too seriously. 

77. It | 1990 | Dir. Tommy Lee Wallace | Horror

Technically a miniseries, but fuck it. Long live scary Tim Curry. 

76. Shall We Dance? | 2004 | Dir. Peter Chelsom | Comedy

Refreshing. We all thought an older man would shag a much younger woman and he doesn't, he just dances. Plus, Richard Gere is hot.

75. Scent of a Woman | 1992 | Martin Brest | Drama

I think this made it in based on pure shock factor and hilarity. 

74. Legends | 2025 | Tomas Quezada Manchester | Comedy

Short film watched at the Manchester Film Festival, very funny. 

73. Birds Whose Legs Break Off | 2022 | Dirk Verschure | Comedy

It's on YouTube, watch it. 

72. Nettle Day | 2024 | Jack Nicholls | Folk Horror

My friend made a film!!! and I got to watch it at a cinema!!!

71. Aspirational Slut | 2022 | Dir. Caroline Lindy | Comedy

Waiting very patiently for Lindy to make another feature length. 

70. Sump | 2017 | Dir. Mike Wozniak | Drama

Mike Wozniak, feminist king. 

69. The Grudge | 2004 | Dir. Takashi Shimizu | Horror

This doesn't seem very highly rated, but it scared me and not a lot of films do so I have to give it props for that. 

68. Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale | 2010 | Dir. Jalmari Helander | Horror

Something different for Christmas... 

67. My Old Ass | 2024 | Dir. Megan Park | Coming of Age

This made me cry. When will the coming of age genre release it's chokehold on me?

66. Daddy Superior | 2025 | Dir. Benjamin Partridge | Comedy

Just good fun, please make more shorts Ben!

65. Rear Window | 1954 | Dir. Alfred Hitchcock | Mystery

He literally just wants to gossip!!!

64. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On | 2021 | Dir. Dean Fleischer Camp | Emotional

Adorable! The poster alone should be cute enough to make you watch. 

63. House on Haunted Hill | 1959 | Dir. William Castle | Horror

EVERYONE should watch a slice of cunty ol' Vincent Price at least once in their life. And if you don't stay for him, stay for the skeleton. 

62. tick, tick... BOOM! | 2021 | Dir. Lin-Manuel Miranda | Musical

Am I? Getting into musicals? 

61. Chicago | 2002 | Dir. Rob Marshall | Musical

Oh god, maybe I am? I came to this for singing and dancing Richard Gere and stayed for cunty tunes. 

60. MaXXine | 2024 | Dir. Ti West | Horror

Unpopular opinion??? This might be my favourite of the trilogy, but then again I am just a slut for the 1980s. 

59. Black Phone 2 | 2025 | Dir. Scott Derrickson | Horror

To be honest, this probably doesn't deserve to be this high, I was just pleasantly surprised it wasn't shit. 

58. Blade | 1998 | Dir. Stephen Norrington | Action

Yo, I like a superhero movie! If the superhero connection is putting you off, I promise it's more campy than that!

57. Robin Robin | 2021 | Dir. Mikey Please, Daniel Ojari | Children's

So cute, so funny, perfect Christmas evening watching. 

56. John Candy: I Like Me | 2025 | Dir. Colin Hanks | Documentary

I can't say I've actually seen that many John Candy films, but he's always felt like a warming presence and a safe pair of hands whenever he is in one. Uncle Buck is one of my favourite movies of all time and this documentary felt more like learning about a friend than a celebrity. 

55. One of Them Days | 2025 | Lawrence Lamont | Comedy

Just pure fun, please make more fun movies and let women star in them. 

54. My Beautiful Laundrette | 1985 | Dir. Stephen Frears | Drama

I prefer this scene, to the Sinners (2025) scene. 

53. Bound | 1996 | Dir. Lana and Lily Wachowski | Drama

Much better than the Matrix. 

52. Fright Night |1985 | Dir. Tom Holland | Horror

Maybe slightly morally unsound, but horny horror will always have my heart. 

51. The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear | 1991 | Dir. David Zucker | Comedy

Can't believe it has taken me so long to realise what a comic star Leslie Nielsen was. 

50. Camera | 2000 | Dir. David Cronenberg | Horror

Cronenberg was my top watched director this year and this short freaked me OUT. 

49. Enys Men | 2022 | Dir. Mark Jenkin | Folk Horror

Beautifully shot. I'm not usually very good at recognising the skill in film making, but this does speak for itself. 

48. Escape from L.A. | 1996 | Dir. John Carpenter | Action

Oh please this is so much better than Escape from New York, because it does not take itself seriously. 

47. The Godfather Part III | 1990 | Dir. Francis Ford Coppola | Drama

Everyone told me not to bother with this and yes, it's not the first two, but my god the acting is still sensational. I think the image of Al Pacino's on the steps at the end of this movie will stay with me forever. 

46. Strange Days | 1995 | Dir. Kathryn Bigelow | Sci-Fi

This was different. Ralph Fiennes and Angela Basset are beautiful. 

45. Education | 2020 | Dir. Steve McQueen | Drama

Shall be finishing the Small Axe collection in 2026. 

44. Zodiac | 2007 | Dir. David Fincher | Drama

Surprised myself how much I enjoyed this. 

43. Frankenstein | 2025 | Dir. Guilermo Del Toro | Sci-Fi

Again, this may be a little high up on reflection, but I really enjoyed the gore. 

42. Tokyo Godfathers | 2003 | Dir. Satoshi Kon | Anime 

A 2026 movie goal is to watch more anime and it is essentially because of this movie. 

41. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! | 1988 | Dir. David Zucker | Comedy

It just a classic, isn't it? 

40. Singin' in the Rain | 1952 | Dir. Gene Kelly + Stanley Donen | Musical

Now this might arguably be my biggest fuck up positioning wise as realistically this deserves to be much higher up the list, but alas I am just a girl. The only word for this movie is SUMPTUOUS. 

39. Dead Ringers | 1988 | Dir. David Cronenberg | Horror

It's Jeremy Irons playing twins, I mean c'mon what's not to love?

38. Possum | 2018 | Dir. Matthew Holness | Horror 

The ending feels a little spelt out for you, but otherwise genuinely creepy. 

37. Wild Rose | 2018 | Dir. Tom Harper | Drama

I would die for Jessie Buckley and Julie Walters and that is final. 

36. Petite Maman | 2021 | Dir. Celine Sciamma | Drama 

Watch with your mum. Sciamma is disgustingly talented. 

35. The Power of the Dog | 2021 | Dir. Jane Campion | Drama

Every March I try to watch a film a day directed by a woman for International Women's History Month/International Women's Day and March was easily my month with the highest amount of entries on to this list - watch more women direct, it'll be good for you. Anyway, this one really got under my skin. Plemmons!!!

34. La Haine | 1995 | Dir. Mathieu Kassovitz | Drama 

My jaw practically fell off (complimentary). 

33. i used to be funny | 2023 | Dir. Ally Pankiw | Drama 

I am so lucky to be alive at the same time as Rachel Sennott, what an honour. 

32. Anora | 2024 | Dir. Sean Baker | Drama

I say drama, but I found it really funny. Baker follows a stripper who always comes up on my Instagram reels, he's a true man of the people. 

31. Romance & Cigarettes | 2005 | Dir. John Turturro | Musical

I finished watching The Sopranos and fell down a James Gandolfini rabbit hole earlier this year. If it wasn't for my James Spader Fan Club podcast, Gandolfini would have been my most watched actor this year. My resolution for Letterboxd last year was to fear the judgement of other users less. I am well aware that quite literally no one cares, BUT I was very easily swayed by the reviews and ratings of others after watching a film. Therefore I promised myself to at least keep my fav first time watches list nice and subjective, which is why this ranks higher than some of the best films ever made. On paper, if you described this film to me the idea would repulse me, but I really loved something about this, it was just so much fun. 

30. True Romance | 1993 | Dir. Tony Scott | Romance

Absolute sucker for freaks in love, sorry. 

29. Natural Born Killers | 1994 | Dir. Oliver Stone | Drama 

See above review. Again, thought I'd hate this, but it's just not like anything else I've ever seen and for that reason I fuck with it. 

28. D(e)AD | 2025 | Dir. Claudia Lonow | Comedy

One of the first new releases we've got to show at work. I am a sucker for a good story about grief and this was a lot of fun, would very much like to rewatch it with my family. 

27. The Shop Around the Corner | 1940 | Dir. Ernst Lubitsch | Romance 

The way James Stewart confesses who is he? SWOON. 

26. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy | 2025 | Dir. Michael Morris | Comedy 

Again, a very subjective pick and perhaps just pleasantly surprised that it wasn't dogshit. That being said, I did think there was something really beautiful in this. I could have totally done without the younger man and it being more of a focus on her relationship with her kids and finding a new love in Scott Walliker. That being said, I still left the cinema an absolute wreck completely relieved that our beloved Miss Jones was okay. 

25. Blue Jean | 2022 | Dir. Georgia Oakley | Drama 

I would say we're at the point in the list now where all that follows is objectively a good film. Obviously I thought this was great, it's set in the 80s and has a British realism feel. 

24. Where the Wild Things Are | 2009 | Dir. Spike Jonze | Children's 

There is something about James Gandolfini to me that feels like a big warm hug. I watched this on a particularly bad mental health day and whilst I don't think it helped me out of the slump at all, it really helped me feel and explore whatever was bogging me down. 

23. Klaus | 2019 | Dir. Sergio Pablos | Animation 

My new favourite subgenre is films that make my boyfriend cry. Men should cry. 

22.  E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial | 1982 | Dir. Steven Spielberg | Sci-Fi

WHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS A KID'S FILM? THIS MIGHT BE ONE OF THE MOST TRAUMATIC AND EMOTIONAL THINGS EVER COMMITTED TO FILM. GET THOSE KIDS OUT OF THE LAB WHILST E.T. IS DYING, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO THEM? 

21. I Saw the TV Glow | 2024 | Dir. Jane Schoenbrun | LGBT+ 

Lives up to the hype. Can't wait to see what Schoenbrun does next. 

20. Moonstruck | 1987 | Dir. Norman Jewison | Romance

Put this off for ages, because I don't particularly like Nic Cage or Cher, BUT I love Italian Americans and weirdos falling in love. 

19. The Birdcage | 1996 | Dir. Mike Nichols | Comedy 

I have no right to comment on what is or isn't a good depiction of queer people, but considering it's age and casting I think this movie does a really gorgeous job of depicting a queer relationship. It's a really funny film that stands the test of time mainly because America is no less conservative 30 years on. See my Letterboxd review for my burning hatred for their son. 

18. The Elephant Man | 1980 | Dir. David Lynch | Drama 

We lost dear David Lynch in 2025. Oddly, I now think this might be one of, if not my favourite film of his. I believe only David could direct this story, because he was so in love with and informed on the human condition, I would not trust anyone else to treat this story with such justice and kindness. 

17. Raw | 2016 | Dir. Julia Ducournau | Horror 

Congratulations Julia Ducournau, this is easily the closest a film has ever had me to vomiting

16. Ghostwatch | 1992 | Dir. Lesley Manning | Horror 

Presumed this would have lost its effect over the years and what with not being live and yet I was thoroughly creeped out. 

15. Videodrome | 1983 | Dir. David Cronenberg | Horror 

For a film made over 40 years ago its themes are still frighteningly relevant. I'm not sure how Cronenberg so accurately peered into the future of technology and it's effect on humanity, but if you like body horror and being disturbed by a sense of reality sit down for Videodrome. 

14. Your Monster | 2024 | Dir. Caroline Lindy | Horror 

Horror is probably not the correct genre, but then I'm not sure what is. I was definitely in a transitional phase in my life when I watched this and I recommend it to all the girlies in transitional phases as a comforting watch. 

13. The Red Shoes | 1948 | Dir. Powell and Pressburger | Musical 

I am so intrigued my ballet, something about it itches something in my brain and I really must see a live ballet soon. 

12. Sound of Metal | 2019 | Dir. Darius Marder | Drama 

Sometimes foregoing a happy ending is really important. 

11. Wake Up Dead Man | 2025 | Dir. Rian Johnson | Whodunnit 

Nothing intellectual to add, I was just hooked beginning to finish. 

10. Clue | 1985 | Dir. Jonathan Lynn | Comedy 

Okay, I did a teensy bit of shuffling around of my top ten before committing pen to paper but here we go. I can't believe it has taken me this long to watch this either. 

9. Sinners | 2025 | Dir. Ryan Coogler | Drama 

Score slaps. You already know this a good film you don't need me to tell you. 

8. There Will Be Blood | 2007 | Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson | Drama 

I am warning you now, There Will Be three PTA films in the top 10. I'd watch a few of PTA's films over the years and I did not recognise the hype and then I finally committed to watching this and understood what you were all so gaga about. Obviously, this also cemented that you're not wrong about DDL too. 

7. Coco | 2017 | Dir. Lee Unkrich | Animation 

Me and my best friend/housemate went through a spell of watching Disney/Pixar films whilst eating our tea and I was beginning to lose faith in our endeavour as nothing was bowling me over and then we watched Coco. Some kids films are just built different and this is certainly one of them. Gorgeous. 

6. Thelma and Louise | 1991 | Dir. Ridley Scott | Drama 

Obviously, I knew how this film ends and yet it is still goes so hard. I watched this with a gal pal who definitely needed to see some women doing empowering shit and standing up for themselves and that made this an even greater watch. Susan Sarandon was my most watched actress this year and rightly so!

5. Phantom Thread | 2017 | Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson | Romance 

Fighting to not put the genre as comedy, but I think this is such a FUNNY movie. I want to watch it again already, because once I discover a relationship in film I love the next time I watch I simply must analyse it and cherish every little facial expression and gesture. Anyway, my favourite subgenre in a movie is two freaks in love (I've made that up) and this is a all-timer in that genre - swoon.

4. Paddleton | 2019 | Dir. Alexandre Lehmann | Comedy

This movie has this spot purely for its representation of masculinity and male friendship. In a world where we are being constantly bombarded by negative masculine stereotypes and men are still forced to bury their love for one another and suffer in the male loneliness epidemic, Paddleton is a welcomed tonic. Paddleton's depiction of cancer is honest and raw, the dignity of choice has such power, but the cancer is there for two friends to show one another how much they truly love each other and that nothing will ever break that bond. If you watch nothing else on this list, watch this. 

3. One Battle After Another | 2025 | Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson | Action

Best time I've had in the cinema in a long time. 

2. The Ballad of Wallis Island | 2025 | Dir. James Griffiths | Comedy

This may not be objectively the best film of 2025, but as someone who will watch a movie for an actor/creator they love and has been burned many times before because it did not meet their expectations - TIM KEY DID NOT LET ME DOWN. It's beautiful and Tim Key is an acting talent we may have been sleeping on, because there are moments in this film where his face does twitch or his eyes glaze in a certain way and I feel like someone has shattered my insides. 

1. The Outrun | 2024 | Dir. Nora Fingscheidt | Drama

I'll probably never watch this film again. I watched The Outrun in March for my month of female directors, I knew nothing about it and put it on because I had access to Netflix and it had a female director and I needed to log something that day. It hasn't been knocked off the top spot since then. I was going through a lot in March. I was coming out the other side of a very long year, maybe even two, of a mental health journey that had really taken it's toll on me physically as well as mentally, but I finally felt like I was breathing the fresh air at the other end, feeling the sun again. And as I lay in my bed watching Saoirse Ronan learn to be okay in her own skin again and at peace with her own company in the comfort of nature and in her love of music, I felt seen and safe and I knew everything would be okay. It got late whilst I was watching, but I couldn't turn it off. I had a midnight snack after, alone in my kitchen and it's maybe the most sensational marmite on toast has ever tasted.