Best Of 2025: Evie Editors' Favorite Films, Books, and Shows

We get it. But the sheer volume of content this year is enough to make any sane person’s head spin. “How do they have time?” I think, as someone casually mentions the 37th episode of Love Island they just watched.

There are only so many hours in a day, and I, for one, am not wasting them on something terrible. These days, I only press play or pick up a book if it comes recommended by someone I actually trust. Someone with taste, discernment, and a track record of not steering me wrong. And if you’re anything like us, you feel the same way.

That’s where we come in. From trending shows we couldn’t stop talking about to books that genuinely shifted something in us, here’s what stuck in 2025. These are the titles we’re still thinking about months later, the ones we text our friends about unprompted, and the recommendations that earned a permanent spot in our rotation.

Brittany Hugoboom, Co-Founder

Movie: KPop Demon Hunters

K Pop Demon Hunter might be the best film of the year, and it’s definitely one of Netflix’s highest-watched films. If you liked Disney’s Frozen or enjoy anime, it’s worth a watch. The movie centers on a group of pop stars who fight demons with their songs, a modern take on Korean shamanism or Gregorian chant (from Catholicism). But when the demons decide to use music against them, the girls have to not be seduced by their lies, and they can only do that by truly exposing their flaws.

Show: The Studio

I wouldn’t say The Studio is my favorite show of the year. That would be All Her Fault, which I think nearly everyone else on our team already picked as their number one, but I have an affinity for this show because Seth Rogen reminds me of a guy that my husband and I knew well in Hollywood. And I don’t watch much TV (outside of the occasional The Apprentice or Shark Tank reruns). If you ever wonder why Hollywood makes some movies and not others (even if they suck), it’s worth a watch. Some of the episodes are meh, but I like that it seems to be shot in one take.

Book: The Period Brain: The New Science of Why We PMS and How to Fix It: A Manifesto for Women by Dr. Sarah Hill

Period Brain by Dr. Sarah Hill (the famous scientist behind the infamous “your brain on birth control” book and study) takes a look at the second part of the luteal phase and how that part specifically affects our brain, mood, and behavior as women. She argues that PMS and PMDD are misunderstood and gives you a guide on how to thrive by working with your body, not against it.

Anna Hartman, Managing Editor

Movie: The Woman in Cabin 10

If you've ever used the word "gaslighting" in conversation, you need to watch this. Keira Knightley never disappoints and, although I was hesitant to watch this movie at first because I don't typically like films focused only on one location (like a plane or a boat), I'm so glad I did. It's the kind of movie that makes you want to immediately discuss it with someone afterward.

Show: All Her Fault

This one had my stomach in knots. It's emotionally brutal in the best way. The show discusses one of the internet's favorite topics: the mental load of motherhood (minus the cringe). Every episode leaves you questioning who the real villain is and what you'd do to protect your own child. It's our team's collective favorite of the year for good reason.

Book: I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen And Other Lies I Think Will Make Me Happy (Small Habits and Mindset Shifts to Find Contentment and Joy in Life) by Kate Strickler

I started crying within the first five minutes of hitting "play" on this audiobook. It's funny, relatable, and captures the emotional reality of being a wife and mom in 2025, without ever feeling preachy or shallow. I read this for a book club with my mom friends and it sparked some of our best conversations of the year.

Carmen Schober, Culture Editor

Movie: Fly Me to the Moon

Fly Me to the Moon was cute! Space travel is a subject I'd normally find pretty uninteresting, but Channing Tatum and Scarlett Johansson turning it into a romance made me pay attention.

Show: Million Dollar Secret

I loved Million Dollar Secret because it felt like a blend of Clue and Knives Out, with really beautiful cinematography. Way more clever than your average reality TV show!

Book: The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt

The Anxious Generation is a must-read for parents. Jonathan Haidt has been sounding the alarm about the negative sides of social media and phone use among children and teens for years. Eye-opening in a scary way but helpful.

Rachel Squier, Social Media Director

Movie: Regretting You

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but what can I say? I'm a sucker for a cutesy love story! I didn't read the book, so I can't comment on how closely it tied to it, but it was just nice to get a "Nicholas Sparks style" romance on our screens again!

Show: The Summer I Turned Pretty

Is the entire plot of one girl falling in love with two brothers completely problematic? Yes. Did I still shamelessly love this show? Also yes. The final season was so well done, and I can't wait for the movie to come out that's rumored to be on its way!

Book: None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

I can't stop recommending this book to everyone I know! It's a psychological thriller where, as soon as you think you know what's going to happen next, you're quickly proven wrong. I genuinely couldn't put it down!

Nicole Dominique, Social Media Editor

Movie: Materialists

Materialists is one of those movies that people either love or hate, there is no in-between. If you want the modern Notebook, check out Materialists.

Show: Pluribus

Vince Gilligan never disappoints. The premise is creative, the scenes are carefully shot and sometimes slow, but the pacing is much-needed in today's overstimulated era.

Book: The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff

This is a really cute easy read from the '80s. Perfect before bedtime or on a chill day at a park. It will teach you to surrender, let go, and trust the process.