2024 ended with a total of 96 movies reviewed and with that here are my 10 favorite films of the year.
This year was filled with plenty of unexpected surprises especially in my favorite genre, horror, which is always welcome.
As always, I’ll add the disclaimer that these are my personal favorites of the year which include a handful of admittedly flawed films that I enjoyed, nonetheless.
Without further ado here is my list presented in no particular order.
Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is a gothic marvel of the macabre that leaves an indelible impression. The film shows a director on a steady upward trajectory as he gains even more confidence in his craft. Lily-Rose Depp delivers one of her best performances here while Willem Dafoe steals every scene, he’s in.
Heretic is one of those films that came out of seemingly
nowhere to deliver a heady piece of horror.
It doesn’t manage to stick the landing as it feels the need to fall back
on standard horror tropes, but Hugh Grant’s inspired turn makes it more than
worthwhile.
Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance not so subtle critique of
unattainable standards in Hollywood uses its aggressive visuals and stellar performances
from Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley to deliver a singular experience. The back end turns into something more akin
to 1989’s Society which may not be for everyone, but you must appreciate the
sheer guts to go full bore into the metaphor.
The original Smile was decent at best for my taste, so the
sequel didn’t rank highly on list of anticipated films. Parker Finn’s sequel delivered well above
expectations with its more meticulous decent into madness led by a star making
turn from Naomi Scott as a pop star fraying at the seams.
The Wild Robot is a deceptively simple mix of Wall-E and The
Iron Giant but that doesn’t keep it from being any less impactful. Its lush visuals paired with heartfelt voicework
by an all-star cast led by Lupita Nyong'o make it a poignant emotional journey.
As a child of the 80’s, Transformers will always hold a special
place in my heart and the news of a new animated film until an underwhelming trailer
had my expectations set low. Surprisingly,
this reimagining was thoughtful and gave the central bots well defined
characteristics and motivations. The vibrant
animation and strong voicework resulted in one of the best Transformers movies since
the original animated film.
Strange Darling is a fun jigsaw puzzle of a movie that takes advantage of its nonlinear set up to keep the audience off kilter until the central reveal. It’s not a new approach but J.T. Mollner’s style is refreshingly energetic throughout his efficiently paced thriller. Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner deliver excellent performances as predator and prey.
2024 was filled with plenty of pleasant surprises but nothing quite as unexpected as the Indian import, Kill. What starts as a cheesy melodrama quickly turns into an ultra-violent story of survival confined almost entirely to a moving train that feels like a spiritual successor to the 2011 Indonesian import The Raid.
The First Omen could have come and gone as another cash grab pilfering from an established IP. Arkasha Stevenson could have delivered a paint by the numbers prequel and collected an easy paycheck however what she actually delivered was far more refined and layered. Nell Tiger Free performance is sure to earn cult status in the coming years and left me anxious for her next big screen role.
All the set-up work done in Denis Villeneuve’s first Dune paid off in spades with the second entry which brought together the story to deliver an epic sci-fi drama. Massive on multiple levels but the film’s real highlight is that we finally get more involved emotionally with the central characters’ journey, ambitions and betrayal.
Honorable Mentions
Justin Kurzel's latest, The Order, came an went with little fanfare even though it sported a strong cast and engaging true crime tale. Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult and Tye Sheridan all deliver strong work in this taut thriller that deserved more attention than it received.
Fede Álvarez managed to bring back the look and feel of the first two Alien films with this impressive refresh. Sure, it shoehorns call backs to those film throughout with some landing better than others but that doesn't keep it from being an effective bit of cinematic comfort food.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is another one of those film's that came and went with little fanfare even though it has a name director and cast. Guy Ritchie's WW2 is a fun ensemble piece that's fun and thrilling for the majority of its runtime plus its always great to see Henry Cavill having fun onscreen.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Review
Late Night with The Devil is one of those horror gems that pops up from time to time as it recreates the look and feel of the 70's talk show with an sinister underpinning. It doesn't seem to know how to bring it all together at the end but that doesn't keep it from being an impressive bit of filmmaking powered by a great performance from David Dastmalchian.
Late Night with The Devil Review
Rose Glass' sophomore film shows a noticeable level of growth and confidence from her impressive debut film, Saint Maude. This love story takes us through a series twisted and hallucinatory sequences that keep you off balance throughout. Kristen Stewart and Katy M. O'Brian make for hell of onscreen couple with their energy popping offscreen. Ed Harris steals every scene he's in while wearing one of the more impressive wigs in recent history.
