As 2025 begins and new films start to arrive in cinemas, 2024 emerges in hindsight as a phenomenal year for movies.
The originality and excitement at the multiplex were evident last year, and we’re here to highlight some of the best films today.
20. ‘The Wild Robot’
“The Wild Robot” follows Roz, a sentient robot stranded in the wilderness with little semblance of civilization. She adapts to her new environment quickly, learning the language and ways of the wildlife around her, and finds herself charged with raising a young duck named Brightbill.
The film is visually striking, honing much of the design sensibilities that made “Puss In Boots: The Last Wish” a major success for Dreamworks Animation. Its emotional center, the parental relationship between Roz and Brightbill, invests the audience in a beautiful and emotional journey throughout. “The Wild Robot” is a wonderful film for families of all shapes and sizes.
19. ‘We Live In Time’
“We Live In Time” tells the story of Tobias and Almut, two young people brought together through a chance encounter, as they fall in love and live together through a decade-spanning romance. It’s a triumphant, bittersweet story about a powerful love that struggles through immense hardship and the pain of inevitable loss.
Its thesis is powerful — love comes with the painful inevitability of loss, but in that exists beauty and joy beyond imagination. We follow these two through their relationship, from its beginning to its untimely end. To anyone in search of a classic, tragic romance, this is a movie worth seeing.
18. ‘The Room Next Door’
In Pedro Almodóvar’s English language debut, Ingrid and Martha, two friends who once worked for the same magazine, reunite as Martha undergoes treatment for cancer.
This movie becomes a beautiful exploration of life, the paths it sets us down, and the feeling of bearing witness to its end. The performances from Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore are as subtle as they are moving. The story is a poignant meditation on life and death, and the power every person possesses within both.
17. ‘Sing Sing’
This film, which earned nominations from the Academy Awards in Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor for Colman Domingo, centers around the inmates of Sing Sing Correctional Facility as they express themselves creatively through their theatre program.
It’s a wonderfully tender story about men who find themselves utterly trapped in their circumstances and find a way to fight against it through the creative outlet of art and performance. Especially noteworthy is the casting of many of the real inmates from Sing Sing, who all play themselves. Clarence Maclin is one of the standouts from this film, bringing a layered performance steeped in equal parts pain and joy. It’s a sublime journey sure to have its audience hooked.
16. ‘Memoir of a Snail’
In this tragic and comedic Oscar-nominated animated film from Adam Elliot, Grace is a young woman who finds herself outcast from those around her. After being separated from her twin brother, she battles against loneliness her whole life, finding joy and friendship in unlikely places along the way.
The film is rendered in stopmotion, an art that rarely makes it to the big screen nowadays, and it lends itself to creating both hilarious and utterly brutal visuals throughout. It’s perhaps the most gut wrenching film on this list while simultaneously being incredibly funny. It’s a radiant portrait of a misfit who finds her comfort and place in the world.
15. ‘Sometimes I Think About Dying’
In this quiet indie dramedy, a young office worker named Fran finds sensation in her dull, colorless world by imagining herself dying in various ways. When she meets a new coworker who quickly takes a liking to her, life begins to change around her.
This is a film that flew under most audience’s radar, but is a worthy entry in this end-of-the-year rundown. Daisy Ridley gives a beautiful, layered performance as Fran. It’s heartening to see her find such a role as this, contrasting her career as a Star Wars lead previously. This film is a hidden gem that deserves a lot of love.
14. ‘Conclave’
In this film, directed by Edward Berger and nominated in eight categories by the Academy, Ralph Fiennes plays a cardinal charged with overseeing a conclave following the death of the Pope. The film is visually stark, with glorious cinematography, set design, and costumes, as well as being sharply written and well acted.
It’s a great political thriller about the inner workings of the Catholic church and the intense personalities and egos vying for power over the church at large. It asks questions about where true power lies and the essentiality of faith among those who wish to instill it. It’s an incredible feat of suspense and intrigue.
13. ‘A Different Man’
In this overlooked A24 gem, Sebastian Stan plays a man who undergoes a procedure to rid himself of his facial disfigurement, only to find himself hopelessly chasing what he’s lost. Not only does the character rebuild his face, he rejects and buries the person he once was in favor of a new life.
It changes the theme of the movie in a significant and intriguing way; it turns from a case of discontent to a story about losing one’s own identity. Also worth noting is the great performance by Adam Pearson, an actor who previously appeared in Jonathan Glazer’s Under The Skin, who has the real-life facial disfigurement central to the film’s story. One of many great films on this list robbed of well-deserved Oscar nominations.
12. ‘Hundreds of Beavers’
This outrageous comedy from Mike Cheslik is a silent film following a drunkard in the wintry Wisconsin wilderness as he quests to become the greatest fur trapper in North America. The film is a delight, looking to outdo itself comedically with every scene and visual gag.
It evokes memories of Wile E. Coyote escapades as our hero faces off against the elements. It’s a testament to what a group of drunken, devoted filmmakers can accomplish when they set their full efforts on making something fresh, unique, and uproariously funny.
11. ‘Dune: Part Two’
The followup to the incredibly successful first Dune film follows Paul Atreides as he leads the Fremen into war against the Harkonnens and the Imperium at large in this science fiction epic. The Dune series exemplifies what modern blockbusters aspire towards.
Its epic scale and storytelling are paired with the expert direction of Denis Villenueve, whose passion and drive are evident in every stitch. The gorgeous cinematography and set pieces elevate this classic sci-fi story into what will undoubtedly go down as a historic cinematic event. The performances from everyone are top-notch as well, breathing life into the intricate threads that weave this epic together. “Dune: Part Two” is a cinematic event unlike any other.
10. ‘Kinds of Kindness’
Yorgos Lanthimos returns to the multiplex with an anthology film about the desperate ways people try to connect with and please each other. While perhaps not as succinct or grand as his previous film, “Poor Things,” “Kinds of Kindness” delivers uncomfortable and hilarious reflections on humanity that Lanthimos has become well-practiced in delivering.
The performances by the whole cast as they move between different roles are varied and colorful. The cinematography is also worth noting — the colors of the real world are so vivid and striking int his film. For fans of Lanthimos’ other works, this is a must-see.
9. ‘Queer’
In Luca Guadagnino’s adaptation of a novel by William S. Burroughs of the same name, Daniel Craig plays a heroin addict in Mexico who becomes fixated on winning the affections of a young man, played by Drew Starkey.
What follows is a slow, tender story about two men trying to find themselves and each other. The film is a dark exploration of loneliness and the need to belong. As William Lee, Daniel Craig exposes a bitter, sad portrait of a man desperate to feel desired. “Queer” is truly a film that draws its audience close.
8. ‘I Saw the TV Glow’
In this queer drama from Jane Schoenbrun, a high schooler named Owen is introduced to a show by his classmate, Maddy, which causes him to question everything he’s ever known and felt about the life he leads.
It’s a deeply tragic tale about the woe of feeling suffocated by the pressures of normality, life, and identity, while being poignantly depicted through a horror lens. The movie is incredible, misunderstood, and breathtaking.
7. ‘Civil War’
“Civil War” follows a group of journalists in the midst of a fractured America at war with itself. Kirsten Dunst leads a cast of characters through a harrowing journey across a version of the United States that feels imminent and terrifying.
The story is fast paced and devastating, depicting violence and fear in its most primal form. It’s a truly visceral film that makes for one of the most compelling theater experiences of 2024.
6. ‘Nosferatu’
Robert Eggers directs an epic retelling of the classic 1922 silent film of the same name about a vampire who becomes infatuated with a young woman, bringing with him terror and pestilence.
This film is perhaps the best retelling of the Dracula mythos, with incredible performances from Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Willem Dafoe, and a truly unrecognizable Bill Skarsgård. It takes the horror of the original and amplifies it tenfold into something modern audiences can truly love. Don’t miss it.
5. ‘Nickel Boys’
Directed by RaMell Ross and nominated for Best Picture, “Nickel Boys” is a truly immense film about two boys who cultivate a friendship as they try to persevere at Nickel Academy, a reform school in Florida.
This film is one of the most unique new films to come out of 2024, taking place almost entirely from first person perspectives as we experience this world through the eyes of the two leads. It encompasses a wide breadth of human emotion; sorrow, pain, fear, laughter, and so much more are conveyed so powerfully through this creative cinematic device. Nickel Boys is truly a masterpiece.
4. ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’
“Furiosa” is the companion piece to 2015’s “Mad Max: Fury Road.” It tells the story of Furiosa, who is taken from her home as a child and fights through hell to get it back. The film was originally envisioned as an anime to be released alongside “Fury Road” and the “Mad Max” video game, with all three projects under the close supervision of director George Miller.
However, the idea was scrapped, and “Furiosa” lived on a shelf for years before being developed into this fantastic, devastating epic starring Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa and Chris Hemsworth as the villainous and charismatic Dementus. While underperforming at the box office, this film still succeeds as a fantastic ride through the wasteland and a story of bitter vengeance. The action set pieces are phenomenal, and the entirety of the film is an absolute joy to behold.
3. ‘Anora’
This Best Picture nominee from writer/director Sean Baker follows Anora, played vividly by Mikey Madison, a young sex worker in New York who becomes financially and romantically involved with a 21-year-old Russian trust fund kid who loves to party. When his family catches wind that the two have eloped, they intervene and set in motion a wild chase across the city to annul the marriage.
This film is utterly hilarious throughout most of its runtime until it completely devastates at the end. It’s a wonderful film, beautifully crafted, and may prove to be Sean Baker’s finest work. That is, until he makes something else.
2. ‘Challengers’
“Challengers,” directed by Luca Guadagnino, is a film centering around three professional tennis players: two childhood best friends and the tennis star they both pine after. It follows the trio across decades as they wrestle with their feelings and relationships with one another.
The soundtrack is electric, the cinematography is inspired, the editing is immaculate, but what really defines this film is its performances and script. Mike Faist, Josh O’Connor, and Zendaya are woefully missing from awards conversations this season (as is everyone involved in the making of this film). It’s a sexy, energetic, and exciting story that defines this era of modern filmmaking in so many ways. If you haven’t had the chance, watch this film. It’s perfect.
1. ‘The Substance’
Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself? This film, written and directed by Coralie Fargeat, follows Demi Moore as Elizabeth Sparkle, a fading star who decides to use a black market drug to generate a perfect version of herself in order to retain her own legacy. What results is the creation of Sue, a younger version of herself who immediately eclipses Sparkle’s legacy and sparks a growing hatred between the two versions.
The films is an ingenious commentary on beauty standards and discontent, while also being a thrilling, over-the-top body horror that stretches the limits of what’s possible. The Substance has been nominated for five well-deserved Oscars, including best picture, which is an exciting step for horror when it comes to awards considerations. The Substance is an exciting new film and perhaps the best film of 2024.
