2025 was a solid year for film and television, with some really great surprises and hidden gems playing in theaters alongside major hits. While expected hits like Superman (2025) took flight and fresh blood like Sinners (2025) swept away theaters, there were plenty of great movies playing just down the hall that were as inventive, compelling, and well-constructed. The same applies to the realm of television, where new shows took fresh riffs on established genres.
Understandably, some movies and shows slipped under the radar, despite being tremendous in their own way. That doesn’t mean you should just skip them, though, as January, which is especially slow for new releases, is the perfect time to play catch-up. Here are 10 hidden gem movies and TV shows that might have slipped by you in 2025. Watch them now on streamers like Netflix, Hulu, and more.
Companion (2025)
2025 was a pretty great year for horror comedies, with Companion setting the bar high at the top of the year. Sophie Thatcher stars as a young woman on a trip to a remote cabin with her boyfriend and his buddies, and revealing anything else about the film would give away some of the terrific twists and turns that happen throughout.
While it’s just as funny as other recent riffs on the genre like Heart Eyes (2025) and Queens of the Dead (2025), Companion’s darker thriller elements give it an edge that makes it all the more compelling and rewarding. If you’re looking for a sweet romance, look elsewhere, but fans of thrillers and dark comedy alike will have plenty to love about this one.
It Ends (2025)
It Ends is a creepy movie that will haunt horror fans in some uniquely cerebral ways. Plenty of great horror films in 2025 dealt with larger questions about the cross-section of madness, life, and death, such as Bring Her Back (2025) and 28 Years Later (2025). They share a meditative core with It Ends, but the latter also feels like a terrific modern episode of The Twilight Zone (1959), with a single setting and tight script creating an atmospheric and haunting story.
Currently set for a theatrical release sometime in 2026, thanks to Neon, It Ends may not be what fans of slashers are looking for in their horror movie. However, if you’re brave enough to face a wonderfully abstract and deeply memorable experience, It Ends is one of the best quiet dramas of 2025, and a gem that too few people have seen yet.
The Ugly Stepsister (2025)
If you love gory body horror, then The Ugly Stepsister will scratch that itch while delivering a tremendously dark take on a classic story. Reimagining Cinderella’s fairy tale in a way that’s a far cry from the Disney version of Cinderella (1950), The Ugly Stepsister is a grim remix of classic archetypes, focusing on one of the daughters of the cruel matron who finds herself competing for the attention of a prince with her stepsister.
Elvira’s abuse of her body in pursuit of beauty gives the film a powerful thematic core that’s also just grisly to watch. It’s also perfect for anyone who loves the period setting of The Witch (2015) or Nosferatu (2024). Not for the faint of heart, The Ugly Stepsister is a good fit if you’re a horror fan.
Twinless (2025)
A strange and deeply compelling mix of an Alfred Hitchcock thriller and a mumblecore indie dramedy from the Duplass Brothers, Twinless was one of 2025’s best surprises. The film initially presents itself as the story of an unexpected friendship between two men, both mourning the loss of their twin. However, as the movie goes on, motivations unravel, and character development plays out with an air of complex love and sudden rage.
The movie is a great showcase for the filmmaker James Sweeney. The surprise dual role also helps Dylan O’Brien earn his place among his generation’s most exciting actors. Deceptively emotional and engrossing on several levels, Twinless is one of the year’s best movies, and it makes for a fine pairing with fellow hidden gem, Lurker (2025).
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (2025)
2025 was a solid year for international cinema, with On Becoming a Guinea Fowl standing out as one of the year’s most grounded and affecting tales. Released in North America last year after rolling out in international markets in 2024, a Zambian family deals with the death of an uncle who was loved among the older members of the family and a figure of quiet abuse to the others.
Emotionally raw, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl explores a heavy subject with a clear sense of humanity. It moves through lingering trauma and family drama with a mournful edge, not too dissimilar from how Sentimental Value (2025) copes with a legacy of heartache and silent suffering. On Becoming a Guinea Fowl earned a deeply impressive 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, a score it definitely earned. While it’s not exactly a lighthearted affair for audiences seeking out a good time, fans of strong character dramas need to check this film out.
Death by Lightning (2025)
Death by Lightning is a terrific snapshot in history, with the four-episode miniseries delivering a timeless tale of obsession that still resonates over a century after the historical event it was based on occurred. The four-episode show depicts the presidency of James Garfield, as well as Charles Guiteau, the man who will eventually go on to kill him.
The show’s grounded approach and well-constructed world are fascinating to explore, and the cast is universally impressive at imbuing their historical figures with the right mix of gravitas and grounded humanity. A great show to check out if you loved the historical drama of John Adams (2008), Death by Lightning is an intriguing and effective real-life story reimagined as a deeply compelling version of history.
Murderbot (2025)
A great new sci-fi show with the right mix of heady concepts and unexpected comedy, Murderbot is a delight. Based on the sci-fi novel series of the same name, Murderbot centers around the titular android, who has broken his programming but decided to remain in hiding to avoid destruction and keep watching his soap operas.
In a year where shows like Severance (2022) and Fallout (2024) came back with just as much terrific subversive sci-fi energy as ever, Murderbot established itself as a more openly entertaining and terrifically engaging show. With a lot more comedy to it than drier sci-fi like Foundation (2021), Murderbot is perfect for anyone bummed out about Resident Alien’s (2021) cancellation, or anyone who enjoyed the comedic edges of Cowboy Bebop (1998) and Firefly (2002).
Common Side Effects (2025)
Adult Swim has been on a hot streak, with Common Side Effects serving as one of the network’s most ambitious projects yet. While shows like Smiling Friends (2020) and Primal (2019) have underscored the programming block’s commitment to traditional genres like absurdist comedy and well-animated action, Common Side Effects is a trippy and unrelenting social satire that takes just as much from The Fugitive (1993) as it does from Idiocracy (2006).
It’s animated with a distinct style that gives it a grounded tone but offers the ability to become absurdist and trippy at a moment’s notice. In a year when Adult Swim pushed boundaries with new experiments like The Elephant (2025), Common Side Effects was a thrilling surprise from the animation giant. Season 2 can’t come soon enough!
The Lowdown (2025)
Following up his critically acclaimed Reservation Dogs (2021) was always going to be a challenge for Sterlin Harjo, but he absolutely proved any doubters wrong with The Lowdown (2025). A hangdog mystery in Tulsa that quickly involves citizen journalist Lee Raybon and private investigator Marty Brunner, The Lowdown is equal parts Tulsa King (2022) and Poker Face (2023), with a sardonic edge that makes for a hilarious experience.
The show’s surprising sense of humor makes it a blast to watch, even as the mystery deepens surrounding a murder and a robbery. Perfect for fans of Justified (2010), The Lowdown is a delightfully droll and grimy comedic hit for FX that feels criminally underseen for how good it is. If you love Guy Ritchie, then this American-fried take on his style of crime thriller is a must-watch.
Paradise (2025)
One of the best shows of the year, Paradise is a twisty show that keeps escalating the situation in absurdly effective ways while never losing sight of what makes a good drama so compelling and keeps the real focus on the people, not the situation. Starting as a mystery thriller about the death of the United States President and the Secret Service Agent desperate to find out answers, the show gradually reveals a central sci-fi concept that grows more complex as time goes on.
While fans of Lost (2004) have gotten a lot of great shows in recent years, like From (2022) and Yellowjackets (2021), Paradise’s focus on blending character backstories with the modern mystery makes for one of the most compelling shows to debut in 2025.
