The Best Films of 2024
As tragically late as this list is, I have a pretty good excuse for my tardiness: there were a lot of good films that came out in 2024 and I only had so much time to see them. I don’t get paid to write about films, yet, but I wanted to be thorough with my list this year since last year saw me miss films like “Anatomy of a Fall” and “The Zone of Interest” until after I published my list of the Best Films of 2023. Still, better late than never and I want to talk about my absolute favorite films of 2024 before the awards season honoring films from that year completely closes. 2024 may have been light on the usual funfare of superhero films, blockbusters and other big-budget goodies but it still offered many amazing stories across a variety of nations and budgets. So, here are my favorite films that I saw in 2024.
But first, I have quite a few honorable mentions that shouldn’t be overlooked:
Nickel Boys: A heartbreaking look at the Jim Crow south with impeccable cinematography, this Best Picture nominee was breathtaking every step of the way and warrants all the praise of the original, Pulitzer Prize-winning book.
Juror #2: The latest film from legend Clint Eastwood, this court drama breatheds a new kind of life in the genre with a compelling performance by Nicholas Hoult and a compelling narrative that keeps you guessing.
Conclave: “Conclave” really managed to surprise me this year thanks to an outstanding cast. Moreso, the narrative’s cutthroat games of politics and morality wer intriguing and resulted in one hell of a satisfying ending.
Longlegs: Nicolas Cage alone is enough reason to make this list but Osgood Perkins really struck the right horror chord at the right time with the overwhelming success of “Longlegs”. A strong performance by Maika Monroe and a gripping, surreal nature make “Longlegs” a story I’d gladly give another spin.
All We Imagine as Light: Criminally shuttered out of the race for Best International Feature Film, “All We Imagine as Light” is a thoroughly powerful tale of sisterhood worth a watch.
The Dead Don’t Hurt: As director, producer, writer, composer and lead actor, Viggor Mortenson knocks it out of the park with this remarkable western. Along with a towering performance from Vicky Krieps, “The Dead Don’t Hurt” is a worthy film to carry on the tradition of this uniquely American genre of film.
Deadpool & Wolverine: Pure, silly fun all the way through, this big-budget fan-ficiton stuffed as many characters, cameos and jokes in as possible and yet still made it a complete blast at the movies with a lot of heart behind it all.
Kneecap: A modern music biopic dripping in rebellion, “Kneecap” takes a bizarre true story and brings you on board with the extremely infectious and political songs of the titular rap trio.
Civil War: Alex Garland makes a grand and tragic spectacle with this tale set amid a second great American civil war. With compelling performances by Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny, “Civil War” is an exciting nightmare that remains with you long after you see it.
Joker: Folie à Deux: While this film was very polarizing, I stand by everything I originally said about this audacious film that completes the joke that “Joker” started back in 2019. I absolutely enjoyed this film and I will defend it to the last.
Heretic: Hugh Grant astounded me with his excellent creep factor in this horror film with a very smart spin on religious-themed films within the genre. Along with a remarkable pair of performances by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East and claustrophobic camerawork, “Heretic is wickedly satisfying.
A Real Pain: Kieran Culkin is the current frontrunner to win Best Supporting Actor for his performance in “A Real Pain” but that’s not the only reason to see this film (although it’s a really strong plus). Jesse Eisenberg’s screenplay, direction and lead performance along with a strong balance of comedy and drama all contribute to “A Real Pain” being a wonderful experience.
We Live In Time: Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh’s chemistry creates one of the most engrossing romance films of the year with the couple’s history being broken apart and put together in a completely different manner.
Kinds of Kindness: Yorgos Lanthimos delivers a delightfully strange follow-up to “Poor Things” just six months after his Oscar-winning fantasy film. It’s zany, bonkers and all kinds of excellent, showing just how much Lanthimos refuses to quit.
The Wild Robot: This offering from Dreamworks Animation is full of absolute beauty with its depiction of technology meeting nature combined with a heartwarming story of an unlikely family.
Sing Sing: Colman Domingo and an outstanding cast of participants in the real-life acting program of the titular prison craft an extraordinary story of hope and how creativity fuels the best of the human condition.
Twisters: A blockbuster blast with likable characters and excellent action, “Twisters” is the kind of summer fun that makes me glad to be beating the heat in a movie theater.
Challengers: Criminally excluded from much of the buzz of awards season, this stressful and intoxicating drama centered on a tennis match of growing importance is another incredibly strong entry from director Luca Guadagnino.
Love Lies Bleeding: Rose Glass delivers another outstanding film with this grimey queer romance that perfectly combines the glamour and grit of the 1980s in an insanely likable package.
MaXXXine: The concluding film of Ti West’s “X” trilogy had me from scene one thanks to a different tone than the previous films, an excellent setting of 1980s Los Angeles and Mia Goth doing no wrong as the titular scream queen.
As wonderful as “Challengers” was, it was Luca Guadagnino’s other film from 2024 that had me completely enthralled. Daniel Craig’s leading performance was the stuff of beauty with his compelling look at loneliness and a desire for higher knowledge. Based on a book by one of the great American writers, Guadagnino is able to create a film that immerses itself in the ideas of the Beat Generation while also making some out-there creative choices that only aid the material.
After much anticipation, this first part of the adaption of the classic Broadway musical completely blew everyone away with its delightful soundtrack, choreography and understanding of the original show. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-Butera have quickly become icons through their portrayals of Elphaba and Galinda and director Jon M. Chu’s depiction of the Land of Oz is full of creativity and wonder. While months may remain between now and the conclusion of this story, the first part of “Wicked” was more than enough to satisfy musical lovers and newcomers alike.
Robert Eggers remake of the classic silent monster movie was everything I wanted it to be and so much more. His phenomenal direction fostered an atmosphere of dread that complexly drenched itself in the gothic beauty of the original. But the century in between films gave this adaptation of “Nosferatu” plenty of ways to improve and the film has taken advantage of all of them. The cast is perfect, the visuals are stunning and the slow-building suspense all adds up to a modern horror classic.
The audacious nature of this film as well as its creativity and amazing performance from Demi Moore all have turned “The Substance” into a household name. Director Coralie Fargeat pushes everything to the nth degree with her uncompromising take on body horror and the creativity it yields had me complexly enthralled. It’s the kind of landmark film that doesn’t come about often and how good is it to been in its presence.
Delightfully funny for its entire speedy running time, Jason Reitman’s fictionalised telling of the first night of “Saturday Night Live” was full of a million laughs and so much heart for the misfits. The ensemble cast was masterful in their portrayal of comic legends and the whole love this film has for comedy and creativity is completely infectious.
Timothée Chalamet’s uncanny performance as Bob Dylan leads this remarkable biopic along with a more detailed look at Bob’s early career and the personal stakes that fueled him to become one of the most revolutionary artists of all time. Director James Mangold completely immerses you in the world of the 1960s folk scene and brings to life one of the most triumphant and turbulent times for music.
This landmark sequel took everything I loved about the first film and elevated it to grand heights. By taking the ideas surrounding emotions and evolving them, Pixar has created a potential ongoing series that will only grow more complex, more beautiful and more heartwarming.
Dripping with themes of obsession, disassociation and queerness, Jane Schoenberg’s Lynchian masterpiece completely blew me away and has remained lodged in my mind. Everything about this film is brilliantly surreal and all of the imagery and characterization are extraordinary. This is a must watch for fans of all things cerebral and complex.
Unfairly made a box office bomb, George Miller’s return to the world of “Mad Max” has some of the most outstanding action I’ve seen in all of 2024. Anya-Taylor Joy is a revelation as Furiosa and Chris Hemsworth is enjoying every second as the film’s diabolical villain. With each film in this series, Miller keeps taking the world of action cinema to new heights and the iconic post-apocalyptic world he made decades prior only grows more awesome.
An American epic in every sense, “The Brutalist” tells an immigrant story with such drive and stunning visual storytelling that I had no choice but to love it. Adrien Brody’s journey is worth every single minute of screen time and the film’s length and scale all feel reminiscent of the classic Hollywood epics. Brady Corbet has fashioned a modern masterpiece that shows the power of large stories and the intimacy that can be found within.
A hilarious comedy with a lot of heart and plenty of love for the stunt community, Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt lead this stunning summer blockbuster that had me from the first scene. The action is stellar, the characters are likable and the combination of tones and set pieces had me unsure of where the story would go, only that I was going to have a good deal of fun.
Sean Baker’s latest film is a triumph featuring Mikey Madison as one of the most dynamic protagonists I saw in 2024. Always riding the edge of drama and comedy, Baker makes a fascinating film about love, self-determination and frustration that has you on the edge of your seat rooting for its titular shooting star. Full of humanity and insanity, “Anora” is worth a watch and then an instant rewatch.
While released in 2023, this beautiful animated film didn’t make it to American screens until 2024 but that doesn’t make it any less remarkable. Told with no dialogue, this heartwarming story of the friendship between a dog and robot is full of wonderful memories, excellent music and a beautiful sense of love throughout the entire film. “Robot Dreams” also boasts a vibrant artistic style that opens up the world of 1980s New York and makes for a fun adventure for the whole family.
Denis Villenueve took the sequel to my favorite film of 2021 and completely blew my mind with the sequel. Everything that was great about his first installment was heightened multiple times over and the themes of Frank Herbert’s original novel are perfectly explored. The grand scale of this film makes for some of the most riveting battle sequences while never losing the intimacy of these characters in an impressive ensemble cast. With a third film planned as well, I am perfectly happy to wait until Villenueve is satisfied with making a sequel to the incredible “Dune: Part Two”.
It’s funny. My favorite film of last year was the big-budget, decades-encompassing, worldwide phenomenon that was “Oppenheimer”. This year, it’s a film about a guy who cleans toilets, listens to music and reads books. But that’s why I love “Perfect Days” so much: it’s a simple film with so many layers to uncover. The more I learn about its white protagonist, the more intrigued I am by the beauty he has found in everyday pleasures. Director Wim Wenders is no stranger to melting my heart with ethereal journeys like with “Paris, Texas” and I think that “Perfect Days” might be even better than that masterpiece. It’s hard to say for sure but there’s no doubt in my mind that “Perfect Days” was the finest film I saw in 2024.
