Another 12 months of cinema has come and gone, seemingly in a flash. While it was not marred by any strikes, the aftereffects of those strikes had a hangover effect on the year.  Despite that, it has certainly been an interesting year for films, with the box office seemingly dominated by sequels, but in and among those sequels, there were plenty of original and exciting films. So without further ado, let’s look at the films that stand out as the best in 2024. My main criteria for selecting films for this list is whether I have watched them in the past 12 months. I will aim to include films that were released in 2024, according to IMDb. However, some films may not be available in the UK until later in the year, which could affect their eligibility for this list. Additionally, I haven’t seen every film released in the last year, so if you believe there’s a film that should be included but isn’t, please let me know. Lastly, as usual, while I have not reviewed every film here, grades do not determine the rankings. This is my list to highlight and celebrate the films which resonated with me the most and defined the past 12 months of cinema, As usual, there are some honourable mentions, films which are excellent and well worth your time but just didn’t quite make my list this year: Twisters  [review]. Nearly 30 years after Twister caused a storm at the box office and led to a rise in the number of students looking to study meteorology, this standalone sequel came along and blew everyone’s expectations away with a riveting and timely story about the deadly impacts of Mother Nature and climate change, while providing further evidence that there is no stopping Glen Powell’s meteoric rise to superstardom. Civil War [review]. It was a brave decision by A24 to release this film in a bitterly divided United States of America in the run-up to a tense US Presidential election. However, by focusing on the horrors of conflict from the perspectives of photojournalists who risk their lives to document the hostilities from an objective lens, Alex Garland’s film captures the brutality of war in an unflinching and tense manner, with one scene, in particular, standing out as perhaps the most intense scene of the year, thanks to Jesse Plemons. Anora [review]. I think I was one of the very few people who utterly despised Sean Baker’s previous film, Red Rocket, due to its extremely unlikable lead character and the predatory nature of its central relationship. So I was delighted to see him redeem himself with this enthralling (fairy)tale of a New York sex worker who thinks she has the rest of her life set up when she meets a wealthy client, only to soon realise, she in fact does not. It’s an enthralling watch, with an absolutely phenomenal lead performance from Mikey Madison. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga [review]. George Miller might be approaching his 80th birthday. Nevertheless, this visionary and madman director is showing no signs of slowing down as he revved back to the world of Mad Max for an enthralling prequel that charts the origin story of Imperator Furiosa, and how she became the badass who utterly stole the show in Fury Road. A very different film to that action bonanza with much more emphasis on character, but still delivering some truly incredible action scenes, and Chris Hemsworth as you have never seen him before. It deserved to do much better at the box office. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Everyone’s favourite Northern inventor and his mute but very expressive dog return for their second feature film after 2005’s The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, for a thrilling adventure about the perils of modern technology, with the return of one of cinema’s most dastardly villains and criminal masterminds, Feathers McGraw. Nickel Boys. Plenty of films have often explored the ugly history of racism in the USA, but so rarely has it been captured in such a unique way by RaMell Ross in this harrowing adaptation of the novel by Colson Whitehead. The film focuses on the friendship of two boys as they must learn to survive the cruelty of a reform school in Florida. It’s not an easy watch by any means, but it’s a necessary one.  

Honourable mentions honoured. Now, here comes the top 10…

 

10. Wicked

Going into this, I had absolutely no knowledge of the story, having never seen the stage show in any format, I only knew that it served as a prequel to the events of 1939’s The Wizard of Oz, and well its presence on this list, albeit at #10 indicates how much of a blast I had with this. After directing an adaptation of another musical with 2021’s In the Heights, Jon.M. Chu brings that magic touch to this adaptation of the insanely popular 2003 Broadway show that has taken the world by storm. Granted it is just the first half, having only adapted the first act of the musical, but Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo absolutely crush it with both their performances, and their singing, as Galinda and Elphaba, and I defy anyone to tell me that they didn’t get chills during the “Defying Gravity” sequence. Time cannot fly by fast enough to see Wicked: For Good cannot get here soon enough. Now if you don’t mind, I’m just off to listen to “Defying Gravity” again.  

9. Sing Sing

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you have a passion for one particular form of the arts, specifically, cinema. However, the arts as a whole, be it theatre, music, painting or literature, offer so much to any individual person to explore and develop talent and express yourself. This is particularly true for the men at the centre of this captivating and life-affirming prison drama, as participation in the Rehabilitating Through the Arts programme, offers them an escape from the harsh and unforgiving surroundings they find themselves in and gives them a newly found passion for life.  The film adds so much authenticity to its uplifting story by having former alumni of the programme play themselves, and at the centre of it all, is another magnificent performance from Colman Domingo, whose career is just going from strength to strength.

8. The Fall Guy

review

Stuntmen and women, these incredible people who risk their lives for our entertainment, yet somehow the industry has not found a way to honour their incredible feats of bravery into awards shows. While you’d hope that one day, these people will get their dues, this utterly delightful blast of pure popcorn fun offers a delightfully entertaining tribute. Filled to the brim with insane and committed stuntwork, director David Leitch and his incredible team of stuntmen deliver a glorious film which packs comedy, action and romance. If that was not enough, Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt (in a further continuation of the Barbenheimer trend from 2023) share the most perfect, sizzling-hot chemistry.

7. Conclave

review

In the same vein, as Civil War was released during the year of a US election, it was fitting that a film featuring the election of the new leader of the Catholic Church was also released, as many people worldwide went to the polls to cast their ballots in elections. As is the case with the election of any world leader, it can be a fraught process with agendas and political power plays, all while engaging in backstabbing and squabbling in a vain and egotistical bid for power, because as one cardinal puts it: “No sane man would want the papacy”. Only this tension is compounded when some disturbing truths come to light. A very dialogue-heavy film, but when it is written this well and flawlessly acted by its cast, especially by the consistently brilliant Ralph Fiennes, it never fails to be utterly compelling to watch.  

6. Inside Out 2

review

Inside Out is still to this day one of my favourite Pixar films as it was such an inventive and clever concept exploring what goes on in those brains of ours as we navigate this world. Therefore, those little voices in my head were a bit anxious when it was revealed a sequel was being worked on, but I needn’t have worried, since those geniuses at Pixar usually do not disappoint. Taking Riley as she navigates the crazy and utterly emotionally chaotic time that is puberty, with new emotions running amok (particularly the scene-stealing Anxiety voiced by Maya Hawke). It might lack the devastating emotion of its predecessor, however, this sequel retains that wittiness and extremely clever visual metaphors of the inner workings of the madness that is the human brain.

5. The Wild Robot

review

“Animation is cinema, animation is not a genre”. These words that were spoken by Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro at the Oscars have never rung as true as they have this year when Inside Out 2 became the highest-grossing animated film of all time, and when you have studios producing arguably some of their finest ever work, such as this adaptation of the popular book series by Peter Brown. Parenthood is one of the most daunting yet rewarding journeys anyone could find themselves on. Even if you have never been through it yourself, you will find it hard not to be moved by this beautiful tribute to those who work tirelessly to bring us up from the moment we are born to the moment we leave the nest, especially if they are as dedicated to the job as Rozzum Unit 7134 (or Roz for short) is.

4. We Live in Time

review

Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, two of the UK’s popular actors, set the internet ablaze with their instant chemistry when presenting a couple of awards at the Oscars. That tiny glimpse of the rapport they had is fully on display here in this beautifully emotional story about one couple’s romance over the course of several years, while coming to terms with a devastating cancer diagnosis. A film, as the title suggests, reminds its audiences to cherish every moment they have. Pugh and Garfield are phenomenal in this film that will have you contemplating your life by the end, while also trying (unsuccessfully) to fight back tears. Those who know me will know Florence Pugh is one of my favourite actors working today. So, getting the opportunity to meet her and have a selfie with her, along with my wonderful friends Katie and Kelechi, after the screening was truly special and a moment I will be forever grateful for. For that reason, this film will forever hold a special place in my heart.  

3. Challengers

review

Luca Guadagino’s filmography doesn’t exactly shy away from sensuality, passion and seduction, and all three were on very prominent display in what is his best film to date. A film about the desire to be the best at what you do (in this case winning at tennis) combined with a complicated love triangle. A love triangle in which the passion and love they have for each other at the start, is replaced with a rivalry which only grows more complex, bitter, and increasingly nastier as the years progress. Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist are scintillating to watch as former friends turned opponents, but the film’s aces are unquestionably Zendaya’s outstanding performance and the irresistibly catchy score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Game, set and match.  

2. The Iron Claw 

review

Growing up, I was really into wrestling in the late ’90s/early 2000s when the likes of The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H were big stars. Yet, despite this, I knew next to nothing of the tragic legacy of the Von Erich family and the legacy they left on the world of wrestling. A moving story of the power of brotherhood in the face of unrelenting physical demands to be the best in the business to ensure they leave a lasting legacy on the sport. Like all brilliant sports films, it doesn’t matter if you are a devout wrestling fan or have no interest in the sport, it pulls you in with its impactful family drama, entertains you with the brilliant recreation of the wrestling matches, and will leave you down and out for the count by the time the credits begin to roll. Incredible performances by all, with a career-best performance from Zac Efron.  

And so my favourite film of 2024 is..

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1. Dune: Part Two

review

I feel like I am beginning to run out of superlatives to describe what a master filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is.  Adapting the world of Frank Herbert’s Dune was said to be an impossible task, but Villeneuve showed the passion he has for the source material and through some incredible world-building brought Arrakis to life in spectacular fashion. However, Part One was a mere prelude to what Villeneuve had in store as he takes the foundations laid by the first film and turbocharges them to deliver an enthralling second film that features Paul Atriedes learning the ways of the native Fremen before striking back at the Harkonnens for orchestrating the death of his father. Filled with some of the most dazzling cinematography I have ever seen, every single member of the cast rises to the challenge, especially Chalamet and Austin Butler’s utterly psychotic villain Feyd-Rautha, and the maestro Hans Zimmer’s score is just perfection.  Desert power is a form of power that cinema has not yet seen, the ultimate power. Bring on Dune Messiah.

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And that brings the curtain down on my list of the best the big screen had to offer in 2024. Thank you for reading, especially if you read all the way through! What were your favourite films of 2023? Let me know in the comments below or you can find me on the following platforms: Bluesky, Facebook or Letterbox’d.