My 20 Favorite Films of 2024

A better year than anyone anticipated.

In January of 2024, word on the street was that the movie year would be less that spectacular all the way around. Due to the writer’s strikes of 2023, it seemed as though most major works would be pushed back a year, and some films could be nixed altogether.

And yet, 2024 proved to be better than just about anyone anticipated, at least much better than what I expected. The box office was robust, bolstered by tentpoles and sequels of all kinds, and there were a surprising number of smaller films that managed to find their audience. The tired claim that “We” don’t make the same types of movies we once did is just proof you haven’t been looking hard enough.

I saw 54 new releases in 2024, and these are my favorite twenty trips to the theater (or the couch). There are movies just beyond the cutoff - Gladiator II, Strange Darling - that exemplify the deep bench of tentpoles and indies spread across the 2024 calendar. Even the bottom of the list, where disasters like Ghostbusters: Afterlife (I cannot remember a single frame) and Red One (Chris Evans, jail) loiter, there are interesting auteurist swings and misses from two legends: Robert Zemeckis with Here and Francis Ford Coppola’s baffling Megalopolis.

My list is incomplete, as usual, because I haven’t had the time to see a few films that I predict could make an appearance in this top twenty. There are three in particular - A Complete Unknown, The Brutalist, and Nickel Boys - that would be somewhere along this road, barring some sort of unexpected experience with one of them. Who knows? All I know is I had a good time with a lot of movies this year, and I feel like we don’t have to lament the death of the theatrical experience anymore. It’s thriving.

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20) Heretic - The first hour of Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’ religious thriller is a masterclass in tension, elevated by an engrossing performance from Hugh Grant, who seems to relishing his heel turn in recent years. Unfortunately, the back half of Heretic abandons much of the tension of the first half in lieu of more standard horror tropes. These scenes are decidedly less interesting than Grant’s pontifications and dilemmas he delivers to the two unsuspecting young women, but it’s still worth seeing.

19) Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga - The return to the Wasteland from Fury Road is a welcome one on a base, visual level. Even though the imagery George Miller paints on his canvas isn’t as arresting this time around, mostly because of the familiarity we have with this world, he can still compose action set pieces better than almost anyone in the business. Anya Taylor-Joy is a solid replacement for Theron, but this is all about Chris Hemsworth chomping up scenery like a boss. It doesn’t work as well as Fury Road, but its energy is undeniable.

18) Wicked - I am not the demographic for this adaptation, especially the musical elements, but in the end the energy and the sincerity of Chu’s direction won me over. Perhaps it’s my base instincts, but the second half of the film when we get to Oz and the machinations of the plot take over for the less interesting school scenes elevates the picture into something rousing and, ultimately, memorable. I am down for Part 2.

17) Conclave - This is an interesting conundrum of a film. Very little happens, and yet, with every passing glance or revelation it feels as if the earth is shifting beneath these very serious, somber men. Beyond the parade of terrific faces like Fiennes, Lithgow, Tucci, and strong work from Lucian Msamati, Isabella Rossellini, and Carlos Diehz keep this static, repetitive movie humming with an undercurrent of energy that’s aided greatly by the operatic score. I’m not sure a third act burst of violence pays off the way Edward Berger intended, but that is a minor quibble in an otherwise taut, unique thriller.

16) Rebel Ridge - Speaking of taut, unique thrillers, Jeremy Saulnier’s triumphant return to film after a six-year hiatus is one of the most original action thrillers of its kind. In part, it has very little in the way of traditional action. The tension here centers on the threat of violence, the conversations between Aaron Pierre and Don Johnson, and the fact that this film hones in on a specific legal action small-town law enforcement exploits regularly is a testament to the film’s focus from top to bottom. When the action does spring up, it is immediate and plausible. Aaron Pierre should be a star.

15) Fresh Kills - What is billed as a sort of female Goodfellas from first-time director Jennifer Esposito is, in reality, a much more intimate portrait of the women lost in the background of a Mafia family. We are almost exclusively with these women, and often times we are scrambling to understand the implications of the crimes men commit in the name of protecting their families. Instead, it is a feeling of isolation, not protection, and Esposito captures this beautifully in the different arcs of mob boss Joe Larusso’s two daughters, Rose and Connie. Emily Bader and Odessa A’zion both deliver, but it is A’zion, with the meatier role of Connie, who should become a star based on this performance.

14) Love Lies Bleeding - Rose Glass’s lesbian crime thriller is one of the more original genre exercises of the year, and Katy O’Brian is a revelation as Jackie, the fiery bodybuilding love interest for Kristen Stewart’s Lou. The plot elements are fairly straightforward, but Glass takes big swings with magic realism, and many of her compositions are reminiscent of Darren Aronofsky, helped immensely by the presence of Clint Mansel’s score. Mileage may vary on the surreal elements in the final act, but it’s worth seeing for O’Brien, Stewart, and a pair of skin crawling, villainous turns by Ed Harris and Dave Franco.

13) Blink Twice - Zoe Kravitz’s directorial debut is equal parts fun and unsettling, and once the story begins to separate itself from feeling like a shameless Saltburn ripoff and takes on its own identity, the thriller elements pop. I also love the device that’s driving the plot, it’s creative and defined just well enough to follow what’s happening. Everyone is good in their roles, but Adria Arjona takes over in the final act. A fun time.

12) Woman of The Hour - Anna Kendrick does great work behind the camera, but this is a showcase for Daniel Zovatto as the serial killer who appears as a contestant on The Dating Game. He channels a young Vincent D’onofrio, perfecting a balance of alluring charm, mystery, and complete insanity just barely below the surface. The loose structrue plays into the hands of the story, and Kendrick and her art department nail the seventies aesthetic.

11) Alien: Romulus - Sometimes, you can measure the effectiveness of an Alien franchise entry by the strength of the android they include. David Jonsson as Andy, a sympathetic, sensitive droid is delightful from beginning to end. I’m not totally on board with the inclusion of Ian Holm, but for the most part it’s passable. And besides, this is just a blast. Cailee Spaeny is great as the de facto Ripley, physical and convincing. While it may seem like cynical fan service, all the callbacks and references to the other Alien films work as well as possible.

10) Nosferatu - Robert Eggers is definitely one of my guys, and he designs these immaculate, intricate visual worlds that are absorbing and awe inspiring, capturing a specific image of a particular world, real or otherwise. The only hangup this time around is the inherent Dracula problem where the first half of the story is better than the second. Some of the surprises that were the best parts of Eggers’ first three works don’t exist, but the performances and the physicality of Lily-Rose Depp in a challenging role are captivating and worth seeing on a big screen.

9) Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 - This is easily the most sentimental choice on the list, the reason why this is a favorites list and not a “best of” declaration. This first chapter of Kevin Costner’s four-chapter opus may have put the rest of the films in danger because of its underperformance, but Costner’s intention here was to always play the long game. That’s the case with the film itself, a sprawling, sometimes disjointed, sometimes rousing Western spectacle that definitely needs its sequels to feel complete.

8) Longlegs - Nicolas Cage. That is essentially the only reason you need to see Longlegs, but beyond that, Oz Perkins’ story pulls us in. There are echoes of Silence of The Lambs, but it soon takes on its own identity as the puzzle pieces fall into place and Maika Monroe’s skittish FBI agent falls deeper into the depths of what is a pretty unsettling series of murders. Perkins captures this cold, isolated world where seemingly nobody interacts with anybody else. It is an exemplar in mood and tone, bolstered by Nicolas Cage doing Nicolas Cage things.

7) Abigail - Here is another big surprise of 2024. I didn’t expect much of anything from this new ballet vampire genre exercise, but the stellar cast clicks as well as any horror ensemble cast, and I was blown away by the energy and the cleverness of the plot construction. Alisha Weir is also convincing as the titular Abigail. This subgenre of grisly, metal vampire movies - think John Carpenter’s Vampires or the first Underworld - are my cup of tea, and Abigail is one of the very best versions of its kind. I only wish they would have kept the vampire reveal out of the marketing, it could have been even better going into it without knowing.

6) Juror #2 - It is a travesty the way Warner Brothers treated Clint Eastwood’s latest, shuffling it out quietly in 50 theaters nationwide before dumping it on their terrible streaming platform without anyone noticing. Those of us who did track the 94-year old legend’s latest suspense film were treated to Eastwood’s finest work in a at least a decade. Nicolas Hoult, back again after Nosferatu, is captivating as a man torn between what is right and what is best for his own family. His icy blue gaze and his clenched jaw do the heavy lifting in his performance, and the terrific, twisty plotline - however implausible it may be - keeps you always leaning in, listening, trying your best to figure out what Hoult’s character might do next. On top of that, the final shot is a real asskicker.

5) The Substance - A bizarre, gory, graphic, clever, amusing carnival ride of a body-horror movie. Obviously, there are echoes of David Cronenberg’s films, but the final act owes a great deal to Brian Yuzna’s 1989 Gonzo gorefest, Society. None of those referential films have Demi Moore in them, however, and her mere presence in this elevates what could have been simple, high camp. Moore commands the screen, her age and career informing her performance in undeniable ways. Margaret Qualley is also excellent. It may not be for everyone, but in the end, it is inventive and pulsing with such energy and immediacy that it makes the 140-minute runtime fly by.

4) Anora - Sean Baker’s modern, cynical take on Pretty Woman brims with the same unwieldy energy that carries Baker’s better films. At the center is Mikey Madison as the stripper/call girl who takes a chance, baring it all and diving into one of the more challenging roles of the year with a reckless abandon. It is a film about false hope and the way some fantastical sojourn into another world and another life cannot fend off the crashing weight of reality. You can see the heartbreak in Madison’s wonderfully expressive face. I can’t imagine anyone more deserving of the Best Actress Oscar this year.

3) The Order - Jude Law has not been in much lately, so it’s nice to just see him in a real movie where he’s giving an interesting performance. He slips into the role of a grizzled, tired FBI agent on the trail of a militant White Supremacy group in the Pacific Northwest, his matinee-idol looks taking a backseat to internal performance in ways he hasn’t shown since he appeared in every other movie back in 2004. Ty Sheridan is also better than he’s been in most other things, and Nicholas Hoult (making a third appearance in the top ten) as the villainous family man who thinks he’s doing God’s work is all rigid glances and wide eyes, emanating control and power, but vulnerability at the same time. This is a terrific genre thriller, even if that last title card is a groaner.

2) Dune: Part II - Denis Villeneuve is one of the modern masters, and his ability to overwhelm the audience with visuals and sound design that is second to none is what defines his auteurism. This is very much The Empire Strikes Back; or, perhaps I should say, The Empire Strikes back is very much this portion of the Dune lore since Herbert’s story came first. Regardless, Dune 2 has the advantage of being the meatiest and most consequential portion of the overall story, and Villeneuve continually shows us things we’ve never seen before.

Civil War - I should have never doubted Alex Garland. Nothing sounded less interesting than a story of America in a new civil war when the trailer first came out early in 2024. It felt gross or, maybe, repellant, given the temperature of the country at the time. Then I saw it, and the overwhelming imagery, the pitch-perfect needle drops, and the cavalcade of arresting performances shaped Garland’s film into something wholly unique. Not to mention, the action scenes are thrilling and visceral, especially the now-famous scene involving Jesse Plemons that is as nerve-jangling as anything I’ve seen in some time. Complaining that the motivations of each side and the politics of heroes and villains in this conflict are unclear or intentionally vague is an argument completely at odds with Garland’s intentions. The motives aren’t important. It’s about finding humanity in a place where decency and rules have unraveled, all told in Garland’s rich texture.

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