Unmissable Cinema: 2025’s Top Five Big-Screen Highlights

There’s something about sitting in a darkened cinema, waiting for the lights to fade and the screen to come alive, that just can’t be matched at home. As Nicole Kidman famously put it in that AMC promo,

“That indescribable feeling we get when the lights begin to dim and we go somewhere we’ve never been before — not just entertained, but somehow reborn.”

This year, punters have been treated to a cracking line-up of films and, more importantly, some truly memorable experiences only the big screen can deliver.

Rediscovering Hong Kong’s Action Heritage

Early in the year, Shout! Studios made waves by picking up the Golden Princess collection, a treasure trove of over 150 action flicks from Hong Kong. These gems, featuring early work from legends like John Woo and Tsui Hark, have been popping up in indie cinemas all over the country as part of the “Hong Kong Cinema Classics” series. For many, it’s been a chance to catch or revisit standouts like Woo’s Hard Boiled and The Killer, or Tony Ching Siu-Tung’s A Chinese Ghost Story trilogy, all on the big screen where they belong. The series is set to roll on into next year, with some titles even making their way into the multiplexes.

Modern Masterpieces and Technical Feats

Guillermo Del Toro’s take on Frankenstein might have been made for streaming, but seeing it in a proper cinema was a real treat. Every shot is crafted with such care, from the visuals to the set design and effects, that it’s hard not to be drawn in. A lucky few even caught it in IMAX, but even a standard screening was a feast for the eyes. With Netflix now under Warner Bros., here’s hoping more of their films get a proper run at the flicks.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another was shot in VistaVision, though only a handful of cinemas worldwide showed it that way. Most had to settle for 70mm IMAX, which still did justice to Michael Bauman’s stunning camerawork. The film’s full-height aspect ratio throughout is a rare sight, making for an immersive experience that’s tough to replicate at home.

Blockbusters Pushing Boundaries

James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash took another swing at high frame rate 3D, and this time, he seems to have nailed it. Earlier attempts at HFR have been hit and miss, but here, Cameron dials back the gimmicks and lets the visuals shine. Shown in Dolby 3D, the result is one of the sharpest, most lifelike images you’ll see at the cinema. If ever there was a film made for the big screen, this is it.

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners tops the list for one unforgettable moment: Miles Caton’s performance of “I Lied to You” in the Smoke and Stack Twins’ juke joint. When the picture expands to the full IMAX 70mm frame, it’s almost a spiritual experience. The rest of the film looks brilliant too, from road trips through the countryside to a wild vampire showdown, but that musical scene is something else. No wonder it’s already had two encore runs in the format.

What were your favourite cinema moments this year? Drop your thoughts below.