Another year in cinema is in the books and it has been quite a ride as usual. We have seen everything from Jason Statham save the country from corruption, to Nicole Kidman drinking milk from a plate, and a whole lot of other things between. I love movies, but when I look back on everything I saw, I definitely have some favorites, and that it what brings us to this list. There were some great movies, as well as a lot of really good ones, but unlike Highlander, there can be more than one, here are my favorite twelve movies of 2024. But before we get to that list, here are some films that almost made the cut. The Substance, Challengers, The Beast, How to make Millions Before Grandma Dies.
- Good One
India Donaldson’s first feature film has set the table for a pretty promising career, as Good One is pretty damn good. In it we follow Sam (Lily Collias) as she partakes in a weekend backpacking trip with her father and his oldest friend. The trip starts off fun, but soon egos get in the way, and Lily spends the rest of the trip trying to navigate those complications and becomes an excellent lesson in listening and reading those subtle signs.
- 11. The Wild Robot
I did not have on my bingo card this year that a story about a lost robot on an island filled with animals would produce Niagara Falls, but nonetheless here we are. One of the most vital stories about family I have seen, as well as humane. Sometimes when you see something you know instantly that you are watching the birth of a classic. The Wild Robot it that, as no fun this year evokes more strong emotions than this movie.
- Nickel Boys
Much like the previous film, Nickel Boys it unlike any other movie you will see this year, because you are seeing the movie though the eyes of its characters. This is a heartbreaking story about racism, told in a unconventional and bold way, that only adds power to the film. The cinematography is breathtaking, and there are many reasons to seek this one out, as it tells truth about American history.
- The Kingdom (Le Royaume)
Some moves you see and you can’t stop thinking about them, for me, one of those films was The Kingdom, a film from Julien Colonna, from France. This tells the story of Lesia (Ghjuvanna Benedetti) and her first summer as a teenager. Lesia it no normal teenager though, as her father is part of the underworld and when they go on the run, father and daughter learn to love and understand one another.
- Ghostlight
Life can be full of ruts, and sometimes it just takes a lucky break for you to find something to help you get out of one. That is what happens to Dan (Keith Kupferer), as a day on his job helps him find a theater group, who he joins in their production of Romeo and Juliet. Everything feels sincere and is exquisitely told in this deeply moving story about love, loss, regret, and repressed emotions, and just as important, the healing power of human connection.
- Conclave
Following one of the world’s most ancient and secretive events, which it the selecting of the next Pope. Conclave is a low boil, but even at that temperature, it keeps you on the edge of your seat, in this entertaining thriller. Sometimes you get more than what you paid for in a movie, and with Conclave you get an acting class, as you will be hard pressed to find a better set of performances this year.
- The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Filmed entirely in secret, The Seed of the Sacred Fig it a revelatory film that it engrossing and quite tense, as it tells the story of a judge and his family during political unrest in Tehran. While also showing the power of art, especially in the time of unrest, and it also delivers what can only be described as a cinematic punch that only draws its audience in closer.
- Nosferatu
The classic gothic story told though the eyes of Robert Eggers, it’s all you needed to get me in the theater, and it brings this almost ancient past to stunning life. Nosferatu it packed with details and filled with grisly violence, but a lot of beautiful things to look at. This it for sure a visual feast, but it will also burrow under your skin, and Count Orlok’s voice will stay with you long after the last real turns.
- Red Rooms
No movie that I saw this year left my mouth open longer than Red Rooms. This is simply one of the more thought-provoking and at times disturbing, and surly bold serial killer films I have seen. At the heart of the film is the obsession of modern true-crime and the not so healthy relationship many people who are into it have with the genre. Ultimately Red Rooms burrows under your skin and feels like a tick that won’t stop long after the movie ends.
- Flow
This is a movie that feels like it should be hanging in a museum, as it is simply that beautiful to look at. Flow it about a solitary cat, who after his home it devastated in a giant flood, finds refuge on a boat, that is populated by different species, that have to team up in order to survive. Flow’s visual style is striking and the music will entrance you, as it’s visual beauty will enthrall all ages . There is almost a dreamlike feel to this movie, that will have you completely engaged and connected to the characters.
- The Brutalist
This story of a visionary architect who fled post-war Europe to rebuild his life, is an incredible work of art. The Brutalist it a larger than life epic, about the American Dream and art, specifically an artist being haunted by their art. It I also a captivating portrait of the immigrant experience, that will make you have emotional investment into its story. Ultimately The Brutalist is a monumental film, with great performances, that begs to be seen in a theater to witness all of its beauty.
- Anora
An audacious and often thrilling variation of the modern day Cinderella story. Anora it just two hours of cinema joy. Driven by the magic that is Mikey Madison’s performance, this is a roller coaster ride, that it not without its flaws, but Amora embraces those flaws and delivers something that is utterly exhilarating.
