2024 was a massive year for film. While not as top heavy as the past few years (there was no Oppenheimer or Everything Everywhere All at Once this year), there were as many quality film offerings as ever, and the Best Picture race is still wide open.
From sci-fi/horror hybrids to animated masterworks to historical biopics, 2024 gave us plenty to chew on. There were the technically impressive films like Dune: Part Two and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. Then there were the well-acted ensemble pieces like Conclave, Saturday Night, and A Complete Unknown. It’s safe to say I loved them all.
Here’s my list of my 40 favorite films from 2024, featuring elderly action stars, campaigning cardinals, wicked witches, horny tennis players, Russian oligarchs, and everything in between.
40. The Apprentice
Buoyed by award-worthy performances from Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice thoughtfully explores a young Donald Trump’s ascent to unscrupulous, unfazed billionaire.
39. Smile 2
2022’s Smile birthed a creative horror concept, and Smile 2 took this concept and ran with it. In a universe hellbent on violence, nobody is safe — not even Naomi Scott’s prodigious popstar.
38. All We Imagine as Light
Payal Kapadia has been a rising star in Indian cinema for years, and with All We Imagine as Light, she’s finally arrived. Her stirring debut feature film boasts gorgeous cinematography and music.
37. The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Mohammad Rasoulof risked a prison sentence to complete The Seed of the Sacred Fig. In this familial epic, the Iranian filmmaker exposes the authoritarian evil that forced him to flee his country.
36. His Three Daughters
Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, and Elizabeth Olsen combine forces as three estranged sisters in His Three Daughters, a film that carefully handles family dysfunction in the face of losing a parent.
35. Hit Man
2024 was the year of Glen Powell, and no movie showcased his talents better than Hit Man. Richard Linklater’s best film since Boyhood fully unlocks its leading man’s charm and likability.
34. Ghostlight
One of the 2024’s best indie films, Ghostlight is also one of the year’s most genuine expressions of grief. It’s a slow-burn rumination on grief, and it makes the most of its unknown cast.
33. Longlegs
Some have called it the scariest horror flick in years. While I don’t quite agree with that description, Longlegs actually works better as the atmospheric, dread-inducing serial killer film it aspires to be.
32. Thelma
Chalk one up for the elderly: Thelma proves that at 95 years young, June Squibb has still got it. Squibb dominates the screen in this wholesome revenge thriller — and she even did her own stunts.
31. A Different Man
Sebastian Stan and Adam Pearson were perfect fits to play different versions of the same character in A Different Man, effectively driving home a vital message of self-acceptance.
30. The Fall Guy
Can we just let Ryan Gosling do action-comedies for the rest of his career? A year removed from his comedic turn as Ken, he’s continuing his reign as a quirky big-budget star in The Fall Guy.
29. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
The previous Wallace & Gromit full-length feature came out nearly 20 years ago, but with Wallace’s latest defective invention in Vengeance Most Fowl, it’s as if no time has passed at all.
28. Saturday Night
The actual premiere of Saturday Night Live in 1975 wasn’t exactly like it’s portrayed in Saturday Night. But this impressive chamber piece flaunts its cast’s acting chops and quick-witted synergy.
27. We Live in Time
Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh: What else needs to be said? John Crowley, best known for 2015’s Brooklyn, brings out the dramatic and romantic strengths of both actors in We Live in Time.
26. Robot Dreams
Not many animated films can match the heart of Robot Dreams — and this Spanish-directed work does so without a lick of dialogue. The summery tragicomedy is heartwarming as it is heartbreaking.
25. Hard Truths
The biggest snub of Oscars season? Marianne Jean-Baptiste for her career performance in Hard Truths. That’s no surprise given it’s a Mike Leigh film, and it’s both his funniest and saddest film yet.
24. Flow
Robot Dreams wasn’t the only dialogue-free animated film of 2024. Bringing together a cat, dog, capybara, and lemur, Flow is a triumph — given it was animated using open-source software.
23. Gladiator II
No one asked Ridley Scott to make a Gladiator sequel, but that doesn’t stop Gladiator II from being one of the most immersive, action-packed blockbusters of the year. Are we not entertained?
22. Didi
The most awkward and relatable coming-of-age film since Eighth Grade, Didi is a trip down memory lane for those who were teens in the late 2000s when skating and emo music were all the rage.
21. My Old Ass
A movie with the title My Old Ass has no right to be this good. But Audrey Plaza and acting newcomer Maisy Stella show seamless chemistry in this surprisingly deep coming-of-age comedy.
20. The Count of Monte Cristo
The strongest adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo to date came in 2024, and it came in the text’s native French. One of France’s most expensive films ever made, it’s an adventure in every way.
19. Nickel Boys
Nickel Boys‘ experimental first-person narrative is jarring to say the least. But you have to give it credit for telling this story in an artistic manner, putting you directly in the shoes of the characters.
18. September 5
One of the most impressive journalism films since Spotlight, September 5 is a high-powered retelling of the 1972 Munich Olympic hostage crisis from the perspective of the newscasters.
17. A Real Pain
While A Real Pain is Jesse Eisenberg’s moment as writer and director, it’s Kieran Culkin who steals the show in this profound buddy comedy about family and all the baggage that comes with it.
16. Conclave
Conclave is the year’s most gripping political drama — go figure it involves the election of a pope. As cardinals draped in Catholic robes, Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci have never looked better.
15. Inside Out 2
Nearly a decade removed from Inside Out, the sequel feels like a vital continuation of Riley’s story. This time, she hits puberty, leading to a new slew of emotions to keep things interesting.
14. A Complete Unknown
Timothée Chalamet was born to play Bob Dylan. As massive of a career he’s already established, A Complete Unknown is his peak performance — and it’s an important moment for modern biopics.
13. Hundreds of Beavers
A slapstick comedy in the vein of Charlie Chaplin and The Three Stooges, the cartoon-esque, gag-filled Hundreds of Beavers has already become a surprise hit, and it’s soon to be a cult classic.
12. The Substance
Move over, David Cronenberg. The Substance is staking its claim as the most enthralling body horror film in a generation, bolstered by a comeback performance for the ages from actress Demi Moore.
11. Memoir of a Snail
Adam Elliot established himself as a master of stop-motion with 2009’s Mary and Max, and he remains at his peak artistry with Memoir of a Snail, a bleak but moving story of a lonely misfit.
10. Wicked
The most-hyped movie of the year lived up to the hype. Wicked is an exceptional adaptation of the musical, with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande stealing the show with their singing voices.
9. Challengers
Tennis meets romance in Challengers, and it may just be Luca Guadagnino’s finest film to date. The sex is steamy, the tennis is sweaty, and Zendaya is at the top of her game, set, and match.
8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Perhaps the only thing holding back Furiosa is the fact it’s following up one of the best action films of all-time. But it’s a masterful sequel to Mad Max: Fury Road — and just as engrossing.
7. I’m Still Here
Aside from City of God, I’m Still Here is arguably Brazil’s greatest cinematic achievement. Part sociopolitical narrative, part slice-of-life family drama, it’s a film that hits all the right notes.
6. Nosferatu
Robert Eggers is back doing what he does best. With Nosferatu, he’s crafted yet another period horror masterpiece, complete with a gothic European setting and an undeniable atmosphere of dread.
5. The Brutalist
The Brutalist is a new American epic. While clocking in at 3 1/2 hours, this monolith of a film never feels its runtime. It helps to have a blossoming auteur in Brady Corbet steering the ship.
4. The Wild Robot
The Wild Robot is up there with How to Train Your Dragon and Shrek as Dreamworks’ standout offering. With a brilliant watercolor aesthetic and plenty of heart, it’s on its way to becoming a classic.
3. Sing Sing
They say art imitates life, but in the case of Sing Sing, the line between is completely blurred. Featuring real-life incarcerated men playing themselves, no other film in 2024 is this genuine.
2. Anora
Anora is Sean Baker’s magnum opus. His penchant for sex worker dramas meets screwball comedy in this Russian Cinderella story, with Mikey Madison staking her claim as the next great actress.
1. Dune: Part Two
Dune: Part Two is the next great blockbuster — the rare instance when a high-grossing film is also a timeless work of art. Not since The Lord of the Rings have we seen a film series so seamlessly accomplish both. Dune: Part Two exceeds its predecessor in every way. Only Denis Villeneuve could make an action sequel enter the same conversation as paragons like Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
Honorable Mentions: Monkey Man, Snack Shack, Kinds of Kindness, Deadpool & Wolverine, Evil Does Not Exist, Problemista, Alien: Romulus, Twisters, Juror No. 2, Transformers One, Strange Darling, The Room Next Door, Maria, The Bikeriders
The Verbatim 