As we settle into 2025, theaters are offering an intriguing mix of powerful new releases, seasonal favorites, and classic re-releases that remind us why the big screen experience remains irreplaceable. After spending the weekend catching up on current releases, I'm here to give you the honest breakdown of what deserves your theater dollars versus what can wait for your couch.
The Must-See Big Screen Experience
All That's Left of You stands as the most compelling reason to visit theaters this month. This sweeping Palestinian epic spans seven decades, following one family's journey through displacement, survival, and hope in the Occupied West Bank. The film centers on a pivotal 1980s protest that changes everything for a Palestinian teenager and his family, with his mother Hanan serving as our guide through their multigenerational story.
What makes this essential big-screen viewing isn't just its impressive 8.1 rating, but the sheer cinematic scope that demands theatrical presentation. The film's gorgeous cinematography captures both intimate family moments and sweeping historical landscapes that would lose significant impact on smaller screens. This is storytelling that requires the immersive power of cinema to fully appreciate its emotional weight and visual grandeur.
The performances are uniformly excellent, with particular praise going to the actress portraying Hanan, whose weathered face tells the story of decades of struggle and resilience. Director's choice to structure the narrative as an intergenerational tapestry pays off beautifully, creating a film that feels both deeply personal and historically significant.
Verdict: Must see in theaters - This is the kind of important, beautifully crafted cinema that theaters were made for.
Classic Horror Gets the Royal Treatment
Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is back in theaters, and honestly, if you've never experienced Jack Torrance's descent into madness on the big screen, you owe it to yourself to remedy that immediately. This 1980 masterpiece follows Jack (Jack Nicholson in one of his most iconic performances) as he takes a winter caretaker job at the isolated Overlook Hotel with his wife Wendy and psychic son Danny.
What's remarkable about seeing The Shining theatrically in 2025 is how Kubrick's meticulous craft reveals new details on the massive screen. The hotel's oppressive architecture becomes a character itself, while the famous Steadicam shots through endless corridors create an almost hypnotic dread that simply doesn't translate to home viewing. Nicholson's unhinged performance is magnetic in ways that demand the big screen's power.
The film's 8.2 rating reflects its enduring power, and the current restoration is pristine. Every creepy detail of the Overlook's décor, every unsettling expression on Nicholson's face, every drop of blood in those elevator doors – it all hits different when you're surrounded by theater-quality sound and imagery.
Verdict: See it in theaters - Classic horror deserves classic presentation, and you'll never get a better chance to experience this masterpiece as Kubrick intended.
Holiday Holdovers and Comfort Food Cinema
Ron Howard's How the Grinch Stole Christmas is still playing in select theaters, and while Jim Carrey's rubber-faced performance as the Christmas-hating creature is undeniably entertaining, this is prime "wait for streaming" territory. The 2000 adaptation expands Dr. Seuss's simple story into a full-length feature following the Grinch's plan to steal Christmas from Whoville, only to discover the true meaning of the holiday through little Cindy Lou Who's kindness.
Carrey's commitment to the role is admirable, buried under Rick Baker's impressive makeup, but the film's visual effects haven't aged particularly well, and the expanded plot feels padded. At 6.8 rating, it's perfectly adequate family entertainment, but there's nothing here that requires theatrical viewing. The sets are colorful and whimsical, but they'll look just as good on your home screen.
Verdict: Wait to stream - Save your theater money for something more deserving.
The Art of Anticipation
While Goodbye June won't hit theaters until December, early festival screenings suggest this family drama about four siblings dealing with their mother's declining health during the holidays will be worth the wait. The 6.7 rating indicates solid but not spectacular execution of familiar themes, likely making it better suited for intimate home viewing when it eventually arrives.
Similarly, Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility is getting limited theatrical re-releases, and while Emma Thompson's adaptation of Jane Austen's novel remains exceptional (7.4 rating), this is intimate period drama that works beautifully at home. The story of the Dashwood sisters navigating love and financial hardship in Regency England benefits more from cozy viewing than theatrical grandeur.
Final Verdict: Where to Spend Your Movie Money
Right now, All That's Left of You and The Shining represent the best theatrical experiences available. Both offer the kind of cinematic scope and technical excellence that justifies the theater experience. The Palestinian epic provides contemporary relevance and emotional depth, while Kubrick's horror masterpiece reminds us why some films become timeless.
The holiday fare can wait for streaming, where comfort and convenience match their more intimate storytelling approaches.
Looking for more personalized movie recommendations based on your taste? Try CinemaSearch to discover films perfectly matched to your preferences – whether you're seeking powerful dramas like "All That's Left of You" or classic thrillers that demand the big screen experience.