DRAMA - 2025, a list by Royce Bunn

8.3

/136263/

83

/5833/

73

/61/

4.3

/612242/

98

/204/

99

/599/

88

/42/

4.0

age 11+

Presenting the tale of American founding father Alexander Hamilton, this filmed version of the original Broadway smash hit is the story of America then, told by America now.

87

8.6

/4912/

83

/67/

82

/123/

4.3

/28694/

95

/88/

84

/20/

4.0

January 29, 2024. Red Crescent volunteers receive an emergency call. A five-year old girl is trapped in a car under fire in Gaza, pleading for rescue. While trying to keep her on the line, they do everything they can to get an ambulance to her. Her name was Hind Rajab.

86

IMDb 22

7.6

/22853/

75

/835/

78

/362/

4.2

/228999/

98

/172/

94

/26/

85

/39/

4.0

age 16+

Looking for a job? When a happy family man is dismissed after twenty-five years of loyal service at a paper company, he finds the perfect solution to land his next role: truly eliminate the competition.

86

IMDb 3

8.2

/28674/

80

/527/

81

/94/

4.3

/801066/

94

/285/

83

/1238/

89

/58/

4.0

age 15+

In 1950s New York, table tennis player Marty Mauser, a young man with a dream no one respects, goes to Hell and back in pursuit of greatness.

86

IMDb 26

7.9

/27840/

78

/679/

77

/284/

4.2

/341725/

97

/218/

94

/51/

86

/44/

4.0

age 14+

Sisters Nora and Agnes reunite with their estranged father, the charismatic Gustav, a once-renowned director who offers stage actress Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. When Nora turns it down, she soon discovers he has given her part to an eager young Hollywood star.

88

85

8.5

/8146/

85

/280/

79

/48/

4.2

/33775/

100

/29/

99

/120/

Diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at 15, John Davidson navigates his way against the odds through troubled teenage years and into adulthood, finding inspiration in the kindness of others to discover his true purpose in life.

85

IMDb 57

7.9

/10164/

78

/291/

79

/140/

3.9

/156794/

99

/150/

82

/42/

92

/34/

4.0

In 1977 Brazil, technology specialist Marcelo, fleeing a mysterious past, returns to Recife in search of peace, but realizes the city is far from the refuge he seeks.

85

IMDb 4

7.8

/266978/

74

/9643/

74

/2357/

4.2

/1758488/

94

/428/

85

/1999/

95

/63/

4.0

age 16+

Washed-up revolutionary Bob exists in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited, self-reliant daughter, Willa. When his evil nemesis resurfaces after 16 years and she goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her, father and daughter both battling the consequences of his past.

84

IMDb 21

7.5

/47384/

74

/1792/

73

/441/

4.1

/249348/

95

/223/

90

/17/

88

/42/

4.0

age 13+

A logger leads a life of quiet grace as he experiences love and loss during an era of monumental change in early 20th-century America.

83

IMDb 84

7.2

/17065/

71

/731/

68

/186/

4.1

/237787/

97

/187/

85

/58/

90

/36/

4.0

age 15+

Agnes feels stuck. Unlike her best friend, Lydie, who’s moved to New York and is now expecting a baby, Agnes still lives in the New England house they once shared as graduate students, now working as a professor at her alma mater. A ‘bad thing’ happened to Agnes a few years ago and, since then, despite her best efforts, life hasn’t gotten back on track.

82

IMDb 17

7.5

/227869/

76

/5436/

76

/2593/

3.9

/1857701/

85

/365/

94

/622/

78

/58/

4.0

age 16+

Dr. Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist, brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.

81

7.7

/769/

66

/20/

67

/16/

4.0

/5351/

98

/50/

83

/13/

4.0

An Iranian filmmaker participates in a series of video calls with a young Palestinian photojournalist who describes her life confined in Gaza during the current regional conflict.

81

7.4

/8439/

74

/473/

71

/68/

3.8

/96584/

97

/131/

94

/53/

80

/25/

3.5

age 15+

Two young men meet in a twin support group and form an unlikely friendship.

81

7.3

/6772/

73

/326/

74

/48/

3.6

/38199/

95

/75/

96

/45/

85

/7/

3.5

When Naveen brings his fiancé Jay home to meet his traditional Indian family, they must contend with accepting his white-orphan-artist boyfriend and helping them plan the Indian wedding of their dreams.

81

IMDb 6

7.4

/173346/

75

/9145/

72

/1729/

3.8

/1676886/

92

/326/

93

/257/

80

/59/

3.5

age 13+

When young priest Jud Duplenticy is sent to assist charismatic firebrand Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, it’s clear that all is not well in the pews. After a sudden and seemingly impossible murder rocks the town, the lack of an obvious suspect prompts local police chief Geraldine Scott to join forces with renowned detective Benoit Blanc to unravel a mystery that defies all logic.

80

IMDb 11

7.5

/348553/

76

/16187/

74

/3192/

4.1

/3126357/

97

/425/

96

/9466/

84

/55/

2.5

age 16+

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

80

IMDb 14

8.1

/10844/

79

/183/

76

/38/

4.2

/197443/

86

/286/

93

/527/

84

/53/

2.5

age 13+

The powerful story of love and loss that inspired the creation of Shakespeare's timeless masterpiece, Hamlet.

79

7.1

/1070/

71

/53/

70

/11/

3.7

/17552/

95

/61/

76

/21/

4.0

'90s indie-rock band Pavement reunites for their sold-out 2022 tour. But as preparations get underway, surreal tributes emerge: an off-Broadway musical adaptation of their songs, a museum devoted entirely to the band’s legacy, and a shamelessly awards-baiting Hollywood biopic.

79

7.4

/17690/

74

/784/

71

/132/

3.9

/82744/

96

/140/

93

/51/

78

/34/

3.0

age 12+

An eccentric lottery winner who lives alone on a remote island tries to make his fantasies come true by getting his favourite musicians to perform at his home.

78

7.9

/1970/

76

/101/

57

/14/

4.2

/6783/

90

/9/

3.5

Incarcerated men defy the odds to expose a cover-up in one of America’s deadliest prison systems.

78

6.8

/1186/

71

/138/

72

/7/

3.6

/2817/

100

/29/

91

/20/

3.0

When her only daughter goes off to university, an empty nest mother gets stuck taking care of her daughter's heart-broken ex-boyfriend, who she can't stand.

78

IMDb 27

7.3

/51970/

74

/2698/

73

/705/

3.7

/226624/

80

/294/

88

/358/

67

/42/

4.0

age 14+

In this extraordinary story of an ordinary man, Charles 'Chuck' Krantz experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained in all of us.

77

7.1

/19999/

73

/1500/

67

/153/

3.7

/113618/

99

/92/

81

/179/

83

/21/

3.0

age 15+

Police bodycam footage reveals how a long-running neighborhood dispute turned fatal in this documentary about fear, prejudice and Stand Your Ground laws.

77

7.7

/406/

72

/16/

67

/4/

3.9

/2387/

83

/9/

3.5

Librarians unite to combat book banning, defending intellectual freedom on democracy's frontlines amid unprecedented censorship in Texas, Florida, and beyond.

77

IMDb 90

7.2

/1013/

58

/23/

75

/4/

3.7

/15920/

100

/91/

62

/101/

79

/20/

4.0

age 15+

A socially awkward tween endures the ruthless hierarchy at a water polo camp, his anxiety spiraling into psychological turmoil over the summer.

77

7.3

/14524/

74

/1154/

72

/188/

3.5

/40279/

91

/144/

95

/2266/

66

/31/

3.0

age 13+

When Mary finds herself at the center of a public scandal and the family faces financial strife, the entire household grapples with the threat of social disgrace. The Crawleys must embrace change as the staff prepares for a new chapter with the next generation leading Downton Abbey into the future.

77

7.0

/1099/

60

/29/

64

/18/

3.7

/6018/

98

/62/

87

/21/

3.5

An octogenarian woman transitions to life in assisted living as she contends with her conflicting relationship to herself and her caregivers amidst her shifting memory, age identity, and desires.

77

6.8

/3857/

68

/208/

65

/26/

3.6

/48262/

95

/112/

85

/18/

78

/23/

3.5

When a twenty-something retail clerk meets a rising popstar, he takes the opportunity to edge his way into the in-crowd. But as the line between friend and fan blurs beyond recognition, access and proximity become a matter of life and death.

77

7.3

/6619/

71

/165/

73

/88/

3.7

/66615/

91

/171/

84

/43/

76

/38/

3.0

age 14+

After writing for Cahiers du cinéma, a young Jean-Luc Godard decides making films is the best film criticism. He convinces producer Georges de Beauregard to fund a low-budget feature, and creates a treatment with fellow New Wave filmmaker François Truffaut about a gangster couple. The result? Breathless, one of the first features of the Nouvelle Vague era of French cinema.

77

7.2

/100472/

72

/6610/

70

/1236/

3.5

/492507/

92

/238/

93

/976/

78

/43/

3.0

age 16+

A platoon of Navy SEALs embarks on a dangerous mission in Ramadi, Iraq, with the chaos and brotherhood of war retold through their memories of the event.

77

IMDb 87

6.7

/85384/

67

/5827/

63

/1050/

3.4

/355940/

96

/291/

70

/876/

85

/53/

4.0

age 15+

When intelligence agent Kathryn Woodhouse is suspected of betraying the nation, her husband – also a legendary agent – faces the ultimate test of whether to be loyal to his marriage, or his country.

77

7.1

/576/

Trakt

67

/24/

64

/14/

3.6

/8669/

93

/69/

91

/15/

77

/17/

3.5

age 10+

After wildfires take his ranch, a cowboy named Dusty winds up in a FEMA camp, finding community with others who lost homes, including his daughter and ex-wife.

77

7.5

/6524/

74

/319/

73

/97/

3.7

/29251/

95

/82/

98

/41/

71

/19/

2.5

Lily Trevino unexpectedly befriends an online stranger who shares her self-centered father’s name. This new Bob Trevino’s support could transform her life.

77

6.6

/825/

74

/13/

69

/14/

3.4

/10667/

91

/53/

78

/21/

4.0

Growing up in an environment torn apart by violence and alcohol, a young woman finds her voice through the written word and her salvation as a swimmer.

76

IMDb 91

6.9

/9952/

66

/308/

68

/109/

3.7

/66756/

90

/212/

77

/72/

78

/43/

3.5

age 15+

On the evening of March 31, 1943, legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart confronts his shattered self-confidence in Sardi’s bar as his former collaborator Richard Rodgers celebrates the opening night of his ground-breaking hit musical “Oklahoma!”.

76

6.6

/400/

68

/33/

63

/3/

3.6

/1451/

91

/23/

98

/30/

67

/8/

3.5

Disappearing into a monkey costume and creating a new persona, Jane strives to break free from a toxic relationship when she encounters a suicidal radio show host, Roy, who presents a path to freedom. After hitting the open road in Roy's Airstream, the unlikely duo soon hatch a plan that could help finance a new life, but could also land them in jail. Hot on their heels is Jane's controlling partner, Wade, who aims to put an end to Jane's newfound freedom.

76

IMDb 85

6.7

/12215/

65

/638/

66

/100/

3.8

/102906/

91

/185/

79

/23/

77

/34/

3.5

age 15+

With her life crashing down around her, Linda attempts to navigate her child's mysterious illness, her absent husband, a missing person, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist.

76

IMDb 28

7.1

/1629/

68

/35/

76

/3/

3.5

/28525/

85

/143/

83

/67/

73

/37/

3.5

age 16+

As their marriage quietly unravels, Alex faces middle age and an impending divorce, seeking new purpose in the New York comedy scene while Tess confronts the sacrifices she made for their family—forcing them to navigate co-parenting, identity, and whether love can take a new form.

76

7.1

/637/

54

/27/

45

/4/

3.5

/2452/

93

/61/

92

/23/

86

/16/

4.0

age 15+

A loving father grapples with how to protect his daughter-in-law when he discovers that his son is having an affair in a sensitive and searching portrait of a Southern family.

76

IMDb 33

7.7

/287815/

78

/15406/

78

/3036/

3.7

/1399258/

82

/363/

97

/5523/

68

/56/

2.5

age 12+

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.

75

7.2

/2046/

75

/107/

79

/25/

3.5

/3635/

83

/24/

96

/225/

2.0

age 13+

When loyalty to country becomes loyalty to a lie, one teen risks everything to expose the truth. With the Gestapo closing in, he must decide what it really means to be a good German.

75

7.2

/1331/

74

/96/

68

/28/

3.6

/2375/

87

/85/

97

/417/

59

/15/

3.0

age 14+

Through words, music, and mischief, Bono pulls back the curtain on his deeply personal experiences that have shaped him as a son, father, husband, activist, and U2 frontman.

75

6.6

/468/

55

/14/

66

/11/

3.5

/4855/

100

/22/

83

/9/

3.5

A sudden loss catalyzes an unlikely bond between two migrants in the Chinese community of Queens. Navigating lives far from home and the painstaking labor that supports them, they journey through grief together in hopes of finding family.

75

IMDb 36

7.0

/29424/

71

/1696/

71

/274/

3.8

/338932/

77

/184/

90

/214/

58

/36/

3.5

age 13+

In an afterlife where souls have one week to decide where to spend eternity, Joan is faced with the impossible choice between the man she spent her life with and her first love, who died young and has waited decades for her to arrive.

75

7.1

/2924/

72

/161/

77

/23/

3.8

/19365/

83

/89/

88

/28/

65

/13/

3.0

age 15+

In 1990s New York, an undercover police officer receives an assignment to lure and arrest gay men. However, he's surprised to discover a scintillating connection with one of his targets. As their secret connection deepens and internal pressure to deliver arrests intensifies, he finds himself torn between duty and desire.

75

6.8

/906/

71

/67/

64

/5/

3.4

/891/

81

/26/

98

/143/

3.0

Philadelphia. 1969. British physician, Dr. Audrey Evans, is newly recruited to a world-renowned children’s hospital and battles sexism, medical conventions, and the subterfuge of her peers to develop revolutionary treatments, purchase the first Ronald McDonald House for families of patients and, ultimately, impact the lives of millions of children around the world. Based on a true story.

75

6.6

/1408/

62

/33/

68

/10/

3.5

/7531/

95

/43/

80

/13/