7 Recent Movies That Are Basically Perfect

This year, a wave of movies hit theaters and streaming services carrying that familiar cloud of anticipation — the kind that had been building ever since their first announcements. And surprisingly, a few of them actually delivered. And no, we’re not talking about seventh-art masterpieces or cinema-defining classics, but about movies that gave audiences exactly what they wanted (and sometimes even more). They’re the kind of films you finish thinking they worked way better than they had any right to. Whether it’s clever ideas, solid execution, or simply understanding their own viewers, these titles stood out so much that they became impossible not to call perfect.

And in a season full of stories that promise big and deliver little, it’s a relief to find films that genuinely know what they’re doing. With that in mind, we’ve picked 7 recent movies that can easily be labeled as perfection. Some are simple and efficient, others are ambitious and impressively organized, but regardless, they all share one thing: they left audiences satisfied. That’s the point here. Who really nailed it? Who didn’t waste anyone’s time? Who understood their own hype and lived up to it?

7) Five Nights at Freddy’s 2

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is not a movie for anyone who isn’t already a fully invested fan of the franchise. Critics hit it with complaints about a confusing, overloaded, poorly structured script, but the audience reaction was the complete opposite. The story keeps following the incidents involving the pizzeria and the haunted animatronics, now with more action scenes and even more Easter eggs — and that’s exactly where it wins. The film doesn’t reinvent anything, and that’s exactly why fans have fun. Everything is made for the fandom, giving that perfect sense of belonging. It’s an automatic win for its target audience.

So, to sum it up, FNAF 2 works because it delivers the basics: loud jump scares, creepy characters, and an absurd amount of lore thrown on-screen like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Sure, it doesn’t attract new viewers, and yes, that’s a pretty big flaw if you think about what a movie is supposed to do. But within what it always promised long before release, it ends up being perfect. It’s the best example of how to make a fan feel rewarded.

6) Thunderbolts*

It’s already clearer than daylight that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has faced (and is still facing) some major challenges in trying to get back on its feet. This year, it proved it’s at least trying, and Thunderbolts* is one of the strongest signs of that. Sure, the movie took a hit from some negative reception, but overall, it’s one of the most genuinely innovative films in its genre. Why? It embraces the idea of being a story about messy antiheroes trying to look professional, with a message that fits perfectly with today’s world. Its plot centers on that classic government mission filled with characters who absolutely shouldn’t work together — yet somehow end up looking like the perfect team.

With that, the movie packs humor, conflict, and a looser energy than the MCU usually allows. But the real charm is that it never pretends to be some Avengers-level spectacle. It delivers exactly what the audience wants: solid action, characters with great chemistry, and a dynamic that feels ripped straight out of an improvised RPG party. And that’s enough. Thunderbolts* doesn’t try too hard to stand out, but it has a ton of personality, and that’s what makes it perfect. It’s one of the very few movies in this beloved universe that truly understands its own purpose (and the mental health angle is a great bonus).

5) The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Just like Thunderbolts*, it seems the MCU finally got the hang of the right path to take. With The Fantastic Four: First Steps, it stops trying to make a new version “the ultimate, definitive one” and focuses on simply introducing the characters in a natural way. The story is straightforward, following the four heroes as they enter a new phase of their lives after gaining their powers. We watch them adapt and see how their dynamic needs to evolve for the team to actually function as a unit. But instead of overdoing the scale, the movie bets on chemistry, humor, and a lighter pace — exactly what audiences wanted after years of failed attempts.

The result is a film that doesn’t try to impress but actually makes fans feel like they’re finally seeing the real Fantastic Four. The MCU understood that everyone wanted to see them as people first, heroes second. And it even throws in a retro aesthetic for a subtle nostalgia. First Steps is, without a doubt, one of the best films of 2025, managing to meet (and even exceed) expectations. The studio found the right formula here. It’s perfect, simply because, for the first time, it doesn’t try to force perfection.

4) Wicked: For Good

When Wicked first came out, the hype was massive, sparking a global frenzy. So when Wicked: For Good arrived, it was no surprise that it caused a similar buzz. The second part of the story follows the evolution of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda’s (Ariana Grande) relationship, as Oz goes through changes that put them on opposite sides. Compared to the first film, it might not feel absolutely spectacular, but it still stands as one of the most emotionally satisfying recent releases. It gives the audience exactly what they wanted: drama, conflict, just-right special effects, and a clear expansion of the characters’ dynamics. It’s a sequel that knows how to wrap up its story without trying to reinvent the wheel.

The perfection of Wicked: For Good lies in its consistency. Even when it doesn’t hit 100% of the notes (because no movie ever does), it nails what matters most: great songs, impactful moments, and a controlled sense of scale. Like FNAF 2, it’s the kind of movie you watch knowing exactly what you’re getting, and leave completely satisfied. And it delivers all of that with confidence, which is honestly the best thing a blockbuster can do.

3) Predator: Badlands

You know why Predator: Badlands works so well? Because it gets something a lot of franchise movies still seem to forget: less is more when the concept is already strong on its own (something the superhero genre had to learn the hard way). This movie doesn’t try to reinvent the saga; it just takes a different approach. It drops Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a young exiled Predator, onto a hostile alien planet where everything is a threat. Alongside Thia (Elle Fanning), a survivor of a Weyland-Yutani mission, he has to deal with lethal wildlife, a brutal climate, and a monstrous creature hunting him. The premise is simple, and that’s exactly what gives the film its strength.

The highlight of Badlands is how it delivers tension and survival instinct without any unnecessary fluff. There are no cosmic explanations, pointless dialogue, or out-of-place human villains; just real danger, smart hunting strategies, and the challenge of staying alive. The narrative puts the audience right alongside the characters, making you feel every attack, ambush, and moment of alert. It’s sweat, blood, and pure survival — the same elements that made the original Predator a classic. And even while keeping things this way, the film hits with surgical precision: it captures the spirit of the franchise and, for the first time in years, truly honors the concept in a pure and direct way.

2) Frankenstein

One of the highlights of recent times, Guillermo del Toro added another spectacular monster movie to his repertoire. His new take on Frankenstein drew in audiences effortlessly simply by treating a classic story with intensity. The plot follows what everyone already knows: Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) brings the Creature (Jacob Elordi) to life, and things spiral out of control. The difference here is that the film focuses much more on the emotional impact of that relationship than on trying to reinvent the myth, instantly creating an experience that feels solid, dark, and easy to get invested in.

Plus, Frankenstein strikes a strong balance between bold visuals and straightforward storytelling. It doesn’t over-explain, over-flourish, or turn the horror into heavy-handed allegory. The key move is showing both sides of the story: the real villain and the one who seems like a villain but actually isn’t. Plus, the movie works both for fans of dramatic horror and for anyone who just wants a well-told story. It quickly became a favorite for many in 2025 because it’s an adaptation that understands its audience while still respecting the original. It’s easily one of the best interpretations ever made of a classic.

1) Sinners

One of the best movies of the year, tipped by audiences as an Oscar contender and widely acclaimed, is Sinners. Here, you get a story meticulously built with detail, without losing what people love about horror: pace, style, and impact. The plot follows a group caught up in violent and supernatural events that escalate as the story unfolds. By the time the climax hits, it’s everything you could want from a vampire tale. You’re inevitably hypnotized, and right from the start, it pulls you in naturally. It knows how to build tension and exactly where to place each twist to make everything simultaneously unsettling and thrilling.

Looking at it more broadly, the main reason most people still put Sinners at the top of the “most perfect recent films” list is the movie’s confidence. It never hesitates, and it doesn’t try to be “elevated horror,” but it also avoids disposable scares. It’s stylish without overdoing it, intense only when necessary, and clear enough to never wear you out. It even got people talking for days, and we all know that’s the ultimate proof that something worked — and it worked brilliantly.

Have you seen any of these movies? Which one do you think is the best of them all? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

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