What are the best movies of 2024?
Last year was arguably the strongest movie in a decade; for the first time in a long time, creating a top ten list without leaving several worthy films on the cutting room floor was impossible.
In 2024, things came back down to Earth—yet even still, there were several movies that I loved that didn’t quite make the cut. Those movies included the zombie flick MadS, thrillers It’s What’s Inside and Blink Twice, and the latest from one of my favorite directors, Anora.
The foreign drama I’m Still Here almost made the cut, too, as did the excellent Sing Sing and surprisingly riveting His Three Daughters. The indie western The Settlers and coming-of-age drama Didi were considered as well.
But ultimately, those movies are looooosers… because they didn’t make this list. So what are the 10 best movies of 2024? Read on, my dear reader. Read on.
A knockoff Dracula lures Johnny Depp’s spawn in this visually gorgeous and atmospheric horror-thriller from Robert “Atmosphere Is My Middle Name” Eggers. The movie never quite reaches the highs of the masterpiece that is The Witch, and hell, it may be Eggers’ “worst” movie to date—but that doesn’t stop this remake from sinking its fangs deep into your flesh. The first half is made of foreboding perfection, and while the second half isn’t as strong, there are too many great ideas at play and powerful stretches for Nosferatu not to be considered one of the best movies of 2024.
The Pope is dead, long live the Pope. Whoever the hell he will be. That’s the premise for the captivating and surprisingly fun Edward Berger drama-thriller Conclave, a movie stacked with garish costumes and actors–most notably Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci–putting on a masterclass. Simultaneously serious and unexpectedly funny, Conclave leaves you with an ending that is both controversial and thought provoking.
Amidst massive national and global divisiveness caused by the latest Israeli invasion of Gaza, the timing of this thriller about the terrorist hostage situation at the 1972 Munich Games is suspect. And yet for its mercilessly short 90-minute runtime, September 5, an “in real time” depiction of the NBC Olympic broadcast team navigating the tragic situation, is downright captivating. Even breathtaking. I literally had to take a piss halfway through and refused to get up until the movie was over.
Guy Ritchie’s WWII action-comedy—based on a true story—won’t appear on too many Top 10 Lists, but it’s too fun to not include. A sometimes violent, often humorous spy/mission film, it’s the 2024 release that everyone who has seen it who isn’t a professional movie critic seems to love. After all, it’s about cocky British misfits who get to kill a lot of Nazis, often in gloriously bloody fashion… what’s not to love? It also helps that Henry Cavill, who starred in Ritchie’s amazing (and bomb of a film) The Man from U.N.C.L.E., is perfectly cast, as is Reacher’s Alan Ritchson.
The Brutalist didn’t win me over the way it did some critics… and yet it still may be a masterpiece. I use that word sparingly. An absolutely epic drama with a stirring score, meticulous cinematography, and visionary filmmaking, The Brutalist doesn’t at all feel long given its nearly four-hour runtime. Powered by Oscar-worthy performances by Adrien Brody, Guy Pierce, and Felicity Jones, this is one drama about an architect making an ugly building that you won’t want to miss.
Well, if The Substance isn’t the boldest and wildest movie of 2024, I don’t know what is. Demi Moore goes all in and writer/director Coralie Fargeat still runs circles around her with this in-your-face and shockingly engaging takedown of ageism in the entertainment industry (and ageism in general). With Margaret Qualley also turning heads and Dennis Quaid playing the grossest mouth eater put to screen, The Substance is absolutely mindblowing.
Sometimes just because you haven’t heard of it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t watch it. Ghostlight, starring a family of actors who play a family (but not themselves), is the feel-good movie of the year, with great performances, a fun story, and a light-but-not-too-light screenplay. It’s this year’s CODA.
A tennis movie that is actually a movie about power and control, Challengers isn’t for everyone–but it is an excellent, fun, and sexy drama nonetheless. Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist are all playing, and competing, at another level here, and it’s an utter blast to watch them volley for the best position. Featuring a standout score and a fast pace, this one goes 40-Love.
For those who found the first Dune boring or slow will not be won over by Denis Villeneuve’s expertly crafted Part II, but if you’re bought into this magnificent piece of sci-fi world-building… wowsers. With more action than the first one and a semi-conclusion (that still sets up a third part), Dune: Part II fires on all Spice, gifting audiences with a visually gorgeous, mesmerizingly intense experience that stands apart from just about any other sci-fi movie in recent memory.
That’s right. George Miller’s arguably too-long action spectacle is the best movie of 2024. No movie rivals the intensity, action, and energy that Furiosa brings to the desert. It matches much of the action of the revered Fury Road while providing a wholly different experience in terms of structure and story. The movie is by no means flawless, and yet its mind-blowing, engine-roaring highs make up for any issues and then some. It’s time to watch or re-watch this badass. Sit close to the screen, crank up the volume, and make your living room shake.
That’s right. No Wicked (liked it, but like the play overrated), Deadpool & Wolverine (liked it, but let’s not kid ourselves), Inside Out 2 (liked it), or The Wild Robot (liked it, though not as much as some people).
How did I rank the rest of 2024’s movies? Here’s my full list of movie reviews–the good, the bad, and the ugly–ranked in rough order of preference.
By Erik Samdahl