We looked at the works of film and television that hit us in the feels with emotions in our last awards. Now it is time to pivot hard to the other side of the spectrum and look at the films that were a riot of fun. So today, I take a moment to champion those works that brought joy, whether through upbeat action, one laugh after another, or that silliness that brings a smile to your face.
However, I note that this might be the most subjective of all the lists because what people think is funny can vary drastically.
Our Highly Commended Films in 2025 are: A Minecraft Movie, The Bad Guys 2, Companion, M3GAN 2.0, Paddington in Peru, Regretting You, Superman & Wake Up Dead Man
Our Highly Commended TV in 2025 are: Murderbot, The Recruit, The Residence & Twisted Metal
So, without further ado, these are the works of film and television that brought the fun in 2025. Be warned that there may be slight spoilers ahead.
Heads of State
This was a riot of fun from start to finish because even though it could have just been a paint-by-numbers straight-to-streaming action flick, Heads of State decided to go all-in on their cast, and it worked. Every member of the cast is here to make the film a comedic blast, and I am here for it.
We have a long track record of live-action remakes of beloved animated films that have become soulless husks of what made the original grand. How to Train Your Dragon may have been the first to truly buck that trend by leaning into everything that made the animated films good and then dialling up that fun notch a point or two.
Now, no work on this list has the density of jokes that The Naked Gun has, and it would be on this list for the coffee gag alone. Do all of the jokes land? No. But I have not seen a film in a long time that commits to this kind of comedic bit in a long time. It is a carnival of fun.
All the films in the Aliens/Predator world have this seriousness to them that works so well, right up until you add a ‘Vs’ to the title. However, Predator: Badlands took a tack of being a touch lighter in tone, and it worked. It is an explosion of energy, and a fun romp to boot.
Hey, remember when the Star Wars films were for kids, and not for the adults who watched them as kids? Well, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew remembers. It took the concept of “what if Star Wars was also The Goonies” and ran with it with a commitment that is stunning to behold. Led by a cast that understood the assignment and a world ready to bring the fun back.
The Most Fun Work of Television or Film in 2025 is: Predator: Badlands
Directed by – Dan Trachtenberg
Story by – Dan Trachtenberg & Patrick Aison
Screenplay by – Patrick Aison & Brian Duffield
Based on – Predator by Jim and John Thomas
I walked into Predator: Badlands with such trepidation. Sure, it was the creative team behind Prey, but a PG Predator film … how would that work? It turns out it can work very well if you both understand the medium and how to make a fun film. You have an unlikely duo, a world wanting to kill you with a moment’s chance, a liberal spraying of (not red) blood over everything, oh, and a cast that is having a blast.
This is a film that can have separated legs undertake a stealth mission, wiping every henchman off the face of the map, and still work in the world it is presenting. Sure, it is not trying to be a farce of the greater universe it is working in. But it is also understanding that you can have a film in this space that is also a fun action romp, and I delighted in every moment.
What are your favourite fun moments from 2025 that made ROFL? Let us know which film you would have chosen as your number one in the comments below.
By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Bluesky at @Tldrmovrev, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.
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Credits – All images used were created by the respective studios and artist of each films
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