I Watched 133 Movies In 2025 And Ranked Them By How Well The Cars Are Used

I watch a whole lot of movies every year. Cinema is pretty much my only non-car-related hobby. It combines my twin passions of storytelling and sitting in a comfortable chair eating snacks. This year I saw slightly fewer movies than the year previous, and some of those movies had some pretty rad cars in them. I thought it would be a good idea to give you all a rundown of the ten most rad and ten most disappointing use of cars appearing in film this year. It's awards season, after all, so consider this kind of the Jalopnik version of the Oscars. 

For the purposes of this list I'm sticking to movies released in 2025 or the back half of 2024. While I absolutely loved watching 2009's "The Final Destination" for the first time, and it's definitely a car movie, it doesn't warrant a place on this list. I am also considering every kind of transportation a "car" because a plane is a sky car, a space ship is a space car, a train is a car on tracks, motorcycles are two-wheeled cars, etc. It's just better if you don't question it.

I took my movie watching a lot more serious in 2025, and I've actually seen all of the Academy's Best Picture nominees, maybe for the first time ever. Some of them even made these lists. Obviously I want to hear about your favorites, and which car scenes you felt were the best in cinema across the year. Sound off in the comments below and we'll have a little chat about it. There are so many good scenes not included on my list, and I didn't see everything, so toss yours into the ring.

Here we go. Good and bad car movies of the year.

10. Pillion

Has there ever been a homosexual motorcycle BDSM romance before? Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgard star in one of the most fascinating romantic dramadies I've ever seen. It's definitely sexually graphic, so perhaps don't bring the kids to this one. Bikes are cool, and sometimes they help you figure out who you are. 

9. Marty Supreme

God, what an incredible film. Timmy really did it, didn't he? This clip is just the best, the unbridled joy of victory, depicted by two friends celebrating pulling off an elaborate con job. The cab is merely the vessel for this joy, and even then it spills over. Beautiful, ridiculous, and heart-pounding. I loved this movie from beginning to end. And I never want to see it again. 

8. Eenie Meanie

This is kind of a bad movie, it has a terrible meaningless title, and it went straight to Hulu so nobody saw it, but it's basically a love letter to lower middle class Midwest car culture. Samara Weaving is one of my favorite gritty action shoot-em-up stars, and in this movie she has to steal a car with a trunk full of cash from the floor of a casino for convoluted reasons. Shut your brain off and love it. This definitely made the list because it was shot in my neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio. 

7. Friendship

God, what a wild ride. I don't have much to say about this except you really need to see it. Regular suburban guy relationships are built around playing hooky and exploring the sewers together and then riding around in a bright yellow C6 Corvette. 

6. Train Dreams

They should make biopics of non-famous people. That's basically what this movie is. It's beautiful, it's devastating, and I haven't stopped thinking about it for months. Truly one of the greatest movies I've ever seen, and I still can't really tell you what it's about. Progress, trains, society, the human condition, love, grief, loss, technology, a life well lived, a dollar earned? I guess all of it? William H. Macy stole the show. 

5. The Secret Agent

I went into this movie without knowing anything about it, and was pleasantly surprised. The car casting for 1977 Brazil is so impressive, and beautifully builds the world it lives in. I don't want to tell you anything about it, because I want everyone to see this film the way I did. Go in blind, try to figure out what the heck is happening, and live in the world. It's incredible. 

4.  F1: The Movie

I had a whole lot of things to say about "F1: The Movie" when it was released. Absolutely the best part of the film was found in the opening sequence at the 24 Hours of Daytona. Not only was it some heart-pounding action, but it showed some real impressive camera work. It's so dang cool. 

3. The Naked Gun

I can't remember the last time I laughed this hard in a theater. It's so refreshing to see Hollywood release a real old-school comedy in the modern era. Above and beyond just being hilarious, there are so many great car and motorcycle scenes, including Drebbin's totally relatable addiction to eating chili dogs while driving. An instant classic. 

2. Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning

Tom Cruise was really up there on them planes, man. This guy might really be America's last great action hero. Nobody else is doing stunts like this. Unfortunately the movie was a little bit disappointing from a story perspective, but I'll be damned if these aren't the most impressive stunt sequences I've ever seen in any movie ever. Between the mid-movie submarine heist and the biplane sequence at the end, I was absolutely locked in. 

1. One Battle After Another

There isn't a world where this wasn't the single greatest movie released in 2025. Everything about it was so incredible to see unfold on the big screen. Paul Thomas Anderson is among the best to ever do it, and the "River of Hills" chase sequence was riveting, suspenseful, and a proper throwback to the 1960s and 70s action films we grew up loving. I've seen plenty of references to The French Connection, but while sitting in the theater, this chase sequence reminded me of "Bullitt," and not simply because it features a Dodge Charger running away from a Ford Mustang. I've been thinking about this movie for nearly a year. It's my winner of 2025.

10. Thunderbolts*

This was something of a return to form for Marvel Studios. It felt a lot less like homework than anything else they've produced in the last few years. Halfway decent action movie, bad car movie. 

The car chase is little more than a sight gag using a vintage Lincoln Town Car limousine before The Winter Soldier (A former Soviet super soldier is a U.S. senator now, I guess? Isn't that a little hat on a hat?) shows up and deus ex machina's the day on a Harley-Davidson. Yawn.

9. Weapons

This movie means whatever you decide it means. I thought it was totally killer. But while cars play a big part in the movie, they're just regular cars. They don't do anything really fun with them, like get the hell out of town! 

8. Die My Love

LaKieth Stanfield rides a motorcycle sometimes. Is it a dream sequence? What does it mean? Nobody knows, man. I'm so glad I don't have kids. Honey, we're the big door prize. 

7. The Running Man

It should come as no surprise that I love Edgar Wright movies. Who doesn't? This one was a bit disappointing, but still fun enough to enjoy. Definitely not enough good car sequences, because if I were on the run in America, I'd definitely do most of my running in a car. 

6. Frankenstein

One of the best movies of the year, but they're on a big boat and don't ever go anywhere. 

5. Good Fortune

I really liked this movie. It's funny and poignant, and has a great premise. Keanu Reeves is incredible, and I enjoyed Seth Rogen's performance. Aziz Ansari basically played to type, for better or worse. Everyone knows a movie about a southern California rich loser has to have good car casting. There is one funny moment where the rich guy shows off his Porsche 911 Turbo, the broke gig worker asks about it, and he replies that he's never driven the car because he can't drive stick. A vintage 911 Turbo is either too on-the-nose for a socially inept billionaire dingus, or not realistic enough.

4. Caught Stealing

This had a lot of promise, but was kind of let down by the car action. For a movie that referenced its cars so often, and a protagonist with car-related trauma, I really hoped it would have better car chases, or cars in general. Just watch this car chase and tell me it's exciting in any way. No stakes, no drama, lame. Darren Aronofsky is in his villain era. Wear your seat belt, and watch it anyway.

3. Flight Risk

This could have been a really good plane movie if it weren't terrible instead. This is one of those movies that simultaneously does way too much and not enough. Why is Mark Wahlberg wearing a terrible bald cap? How did this cost $25 million to make?

2. Hamnet

William Shakespeare would be a lot cooler if he drove a diesel Land Rover Range Rover Classic or something. The horse was way too slow. He didn't make it in time. 

1. The Long Walk

I really loved this movie, but it would be so much easier to drive. Go watch it and try not to cry.