Looking back at the cinematic landscape of 2024, it’s invigorating to witness a diversity of outstanding films that contrast with the challenges faced in the previous year. While 2023 was marked by significant disruptions, particularly the short-lived but impactful SAG and WGA strikes, these hurdles did little to stifle creativity. Instead, they illuminated pressing issues within the filmmaking industry, such as fair compensation, working conditions, and the need for more authentic representation, all of which demanded urgent attention and reform.
Meanwhile, as the strikes delayed productions and releases, many audiences felt there weren’t enough appealing films in theaters, with steep ticket prices making matters worse. This combination of factors greatly contributed to a decline in movie ticket sales in 2024, even though the industry’s challenges were not as severe as during the pandemic. Now, these issues highlight the ongoing struggle to regain the confidence and enthusiasm of the movie-going public, requiring studios to adapt their strategies to deliver a more resonant film slate.
As a result of those production setbacks and industry challenges, many of the standout films that captured our attention in 2024 were completed the year before but only found their way to worldwide distribution this year, which is one of the reasons my list includes so many remarkable titles from 2023. With that in mind, let’s dive into the highlights and celebrate the extraordinary movies that have graced our screens this past year!
THE BEST MOVIES OF 2024 (in order of preference):
- The Taste of Things (France/Belgium, 2023)
- Dune: Part Two (USA/Canada/United Arab Emirates, 2024)
- Perfect Days (Japan/Germany, 2023)
- The Boy and the Heron (Japan, 2023)
- Poor Things (Ireland/UK/USA/Hungary, 2023)
- All of Us Strangers (UK/USA, 2023)
- Love Lies Bleeding (UK/USA, 2024)
- Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Australia/USA, 2024)
- I Saw the TV Glow (USA, 2024)
- Four Daughters (France/Tunisia/Germany, 2023)
21 OTHER FILMS AND MINISERIES THAT DESERVE MENTION:
About Dry Grasses (Turkey/France/Germany/Sweden, 2023)
American Nightmare (UK, 2024)
Anora (USA, 2024)
Baby Reindeer (UK, 2024)
The Bibi Files (USA, 2024)
Blink Twice (USA/Mexico, 2024)
Challengers (USA/Italy, 2024)
Civil War (USA/UK, 2024)
Inside Out 2 (USA/Japan, 2024)
Juror #2 (USA, 2024)
Kinds of Kindness (Ireland/UK/USA/Greece, 2024)
Longlegs (Canada/USA, 2024)
The Penguin (USA, 2024)
Queer (Italy/USA, 2024)
Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV (USA, 2024)
Robot Dreams (Spain/France, 2023)
Smile 2 (USA/Canada, 2024)
The Substance (UK/France/USA, 2024)
Terrestrial Verses (Iran, 2023)
To Kill a Tiger (Canada, 2022)
The Zone of Interest (USA/UK/Poland, 2023)
THE WORST MOVIES OF 2024:
- The Crow (USA/UK, 2024)
- The Deliverance (USA, 2024)
- The Strangers: Chapter 1 (USA/Slovakia, 2024)
- Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (USA/Australia, 2024)
- Never Let Go (USA/Canada/France, 2024)
- Nightbitch (USA, 2024)
- Bob Marley: One Love (USA, 2024)
- Club Zero (Austria/UK/Germany/France, 2023)
- Joker: Folie à Deux (USA/Canada, 2024)
- Borderlands (USA/Hungary, 2024)
COMPLETE LIST OF FILMS SEEN IN 2024 (in alphabetic order):
- Abigail (USA/Ireland/Canada, 2024) — ***
- About Dry Grasses, or Kuru Otlar Üstüne (Turkey/France/Germany/Sweden, 2023) — ****
- Afire, or Roter Himmel (Germany, 2023) — ****
- AfrAId (UK/USA, 2024) — **
- The After (UK, 2023) — *
- Air (USA, 2023) — ****
- Alien: Romulus (UK/USA/Hungary/Australia/New Zealand/Canada, 2024) — ****
- All of Us Strangers (UK/USA, 2023) — *****
- All We Imagine as Light (France/India/Netherlands/Luxembourg/Italy/Switzerland/USA/Belgium, 2024) — ***
- Altered States (USA, 1980) — ****
- American Fiction (USA, 2023) — ***
- American Nightmare (UK, 2024) — ****
- American Symphony (USA, 2023) — ***
- Anora (USA, 2024) — ****
- The Apprentice (Canada/Denmark/Ireland/USA, 2024) — ****
- Apt Pupil (USA/France/Canada, 1998) — ***
- Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (USA/UK/Canada/Australia/Iceland, 2023) — ***
- Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. (USA, 2023) — ****
- Asphalt City, or Black Flies (USA, 2023) — ***
- Asteroid City (Germany/USA, 2023) — **
- Atlas (USA, 2024) — **
- Austism in Love (USA, 2015) — *****
- Baby Reindeer (UK, 2024) — ****
- Bad Hair (USA, 2020) — ***
- Barabbas (Italy/USA, 1961) — ****
- The Barber of Little Rock (USA, 2023) — ****
- The Barber of Seville (USA, 1944) — ****
- The Beast, or La Bête (France/Canada, 2023) — **
- Beef (USA, 2023) — ****
- Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (USA/France, 2024) — ***
- Before Midnight (USA/Greece, 2013) — *****
- Before Sunrise (Austria/USA, 1995) — *****
- Before Sunset (France/USA, 2004) — *****
- The Bibi Files (USA, 2024) — ****
- Black Adam (USA/Canada/New Zealand/Hungary, 2022) — **
- Blink Twice (USA/Mexico, 2024) — ****
- Blitz (UK/USA, 2024) — **
- Bob Marley: One Love (USA, 2024) — **
- Bobi Wine: The People’s President (UK/Uganda/USA, 2022) — ****
- Borderlands (USA/Hungary, 2024) — **
- Bottoms (USA, 2023) — ***
- The Boy and the Heron, or Kimitachi wa dô ikiru ka (Japan, 2023) — *****
- Braindead, or Dead Alive (New Zealand, 1992) — ****
- The Breaking Point (USA, 1950) — ****
- The Bridge (UK/USA, 2006) — ****
- A Brighter Tomorrow, or Il Sol dell’Avvenire (Italy/France, 2023) — ****
- Captain Khorshid, or Nakhoda Khorshid (Iran, 1987) — ****
- Carmen (France/Italy, 1984) — ****
- O Caso Escola Base (Brazil, 2023) — *****
- Ceddo, or Outsiders (Senegal/France, 1977) — **
- Challengers (USA/Italy, 2024) — ****
- La Chimera (Italy/France/Switzerland/Turkey, 2023) — ***
- Chungking Express, or Chung Hing sam lam (Hong Kong, 1994) — ****
- Cidade; Campo (Brazil/France/Germany, 2024) — **
- City of God: 10 Years Later, or Cidade de Deus: 10 Anos Depois (Brazil, 2013) — **
- Civil War (USA/UK, 2024) — ****
- Club Zero (Austria/UK/Germany/France/Denmark/Turkey/USA/Qatar/Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2023) — **
- The Color Purple (USA, 2023) — ***
- Conclave (UK/USA, 2024) — ****
- Concussion (UK/Australia/USA, 2015) — ***
- Coup de Chance (USA/France/UK, 2023) — **
- Creed III (USA, 2023) — ***
- The Crow (USA, 1994) — ***
- The Crow (USA/UK/France/Czech Republic, 2024) — *
- Cuba and the Cameraman (USA, 2017) — ***
- Cuckoo (Germany/USA, 2024) — ***
- Damien: Omen II (UK/USA, 1978) — ***
- The Day of the Beast, or El día de la Bestia (Spain/Italy, 1995) — ****
- Deadpool & Wolverine (USA/Canada/Australia/New Zealand, 2024) — ***
- Death Note, or Desu nôto (Japan, 2006) — ***
- Death Note (USA, 2017) — *
- Death of a Bureaucrat, or La Muerte de un Burócrata (Cuba, 1966) — ****
- Death Whisperer, or Tee Yod (Thailand, 2023) — **
- The Deliverance (USA, 2024) — *
- Devs (UK/USA, 2020) — ****
- A Different Man (USA, 2024) — **
- Disclaimer (UK/USA, 2024) — **
- A Dog’s Will 2, or O Auto da Compadecida 2 (Brazil, 2024) — **
- Donnie Darko (USA, 2001) — *****
- Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (UK, 2019) — ****
- Doutor Castor (Brazil, 2021) — ***
- Dream Scenario (USA, 2023) — ****
- Dreamgirls (USA, 2006) — ***
- Dune: Part One (USA/Canada, 2021) — ****
- Dune: Part Two (USA/Canada/United Arab Emirates/Hungary/Italy/New Zealand/Jordan/Gambia, 2024) — *****
- 11’09′’01 — September 11, or Eleven Minutes, Nine Seconds, One Image: September 11 (UK/France/Egypt/Japan/Mexico/USA/Iran, 2002) — ***
- Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (USA, 1988) — ***
- Emilia Pérez (France/Belgium, 2024) — ****
- Estômago II: O Poderoso Chef (Brazil/Italy, 2024) — *
- The Eternal Memory, or La Memoria Infinita (Chile/USA, 2023) — **
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (USA, 2004) — *****
- Evil Does Not Exist, or Aku wa sonzai shinai (Japan, 2023) — ***
- Ferrari (USA/UK/Italy/China, 2023) — **
- The Final Conflict, or The Omen III: The Final Conflict (UK/USA, 1981) — **
- Firebrand (UK/USA, 2023) — ***
- The First Omen (USA/Italy/Serbia/Canada, 2024) — ****
- A Fistful of Dollars, or Per un Pugno di Dollari (Italy/Spain/West Germany, 1964) — *****
- Flamin’ Hot (USA, 2023) — **
- For a Few Dollars More, or Per Qualche Dollaro in Più (Italy/Spain/West Germany, 1965) — *****
- Foram os Sussurros que Me Mataram (Brazil, 2024) — **
- Four Daughters, or Les Filles d’Olfa (France/Tunisia/Germany/Saudi Arabia/Cyprus, 2023) — *****
- Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Australia/USA, 2024) — *****
- Ghostwatch (UK, 1992) — ****
- Gimme Shelter (USA, 1970) — *****
- Girl, Interrupted (USA/Germany, 1999) — ****
- Gladiator (USA/UK/Malta/Morocco, 2000) — ****
- Gladiator II (USA/UK/Morocco/Canada/Malta, 2024) — ***
- Godland, or Vanskabte Land (Denmark/Iceland/France/Sweden, 2022) — ****
- Godzilla: King of the Monsters (USA/Japan/Mexico/China, 2019) — *
- Godzilla Minus One, or Gojira ‑1.0 (Japan, 2023) — ****
- Godzilla vs. Kong (USA, 2021) — ***
- Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (USA/Australia, 2024) — *
- Golda (UK/USA, 2023) — **
- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, or Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo (Italy/Spain/West Germany, 1966) — *****
- The Graduate (USA, 1967) — ****
- The Greatest Story Ever Told (USA, 1965) — **
- Guantanamera (Cuba/Spain/Germany, 1995) — ****
- The Gun Runners (USA, 1958) — ***
- Heretic (USA/Canada, 2024) — ***
- Hit Man (USA, 2023) — ***
- Holy Smoke (USA/Australia, 1999) — **
- The House That Screamed, or La Residencia (Spain, 1969) — ****
- Humanzee! (USA, 2008) — ***
- I Am Cuba, or Soy Cuba (Cuba/Soviet Union, 1964) — *****
- I Saw the TV Glow (USA, 2024) — *****
- I’m Still Here, or Ainda Estou Aqui (Brazil/France, 2024) — *****
- Immaculate (USA/Italy, 2024) — ***
- In the Future, They Ate from the Finest Porcelain (UK/Denmark/Qatar, 2015) — ****
- In the Realm of the Senses, or Ai no korîda (Japan/France, 1976) — ****
- In Vitro (Denmark/UK/Palestine, 2019) — *****
- India Cabaret (India/UK/Canada, 1985) — ****
- Infested, or Vermines (France/USA, 2023) — ***
- Inside Out 2 (USA/Japan, 2024) — ****
- Invincible (Canada, 2022) — ***
- An Invisible Victim: The Eliza Samudio Case, or A Vítima Invisível: O Caso Eliza Samudio (Brazil, 2024) — ***
- Io Capitano (Italy/Belgium/France, 2023) — ****
- Island in Between (Taiwan, 2023) — **
- It’s What’s Inside (USA, 2024) — ***
- Jeanne du Barry (France/Belgium/UK, 2023) — ***
- The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (USA, 2015) — *****
- Joker: Folie à Deux (USA/Canada, 2024) — **
- Juan of the Dead, or Juan de los Muertos (Spain/Cuba, 2011) — ***
- Juniper (New Zealand, 2021) — *
- Juror #2 (USA, 2024) — ****
- Kidnapped, or Rapito (Italy/France/Germany, 2023) — ****
- The Killing of America (Japan/USA, 1981) — ****
- Kinds of Kindness (Ireland/UK/USA/Greece, 2024) — ****
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (USA/Australia, 2024) — ****
- Knight of Fortune, or Ridder Lykke (Denmark, 2022) — ****
- Knock Knock (Chile/Israel/USA, 2015) — ***
- Last Days in Havana, or Últimos Días en La Habana (Cuba/Spain, 2016) — **
- The Last Repair Shop (USA, 2023) — ****
- Last Summer, or L’Été Dernier (France/Norway, 2023) — ***
- Late Night with the Devil (Australia/USA/United Arab Emirates, 2023) — ***
- Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (USA, 1990) — **
- Lee (UK/USA/Australia/Singapore/Hungary, 2023) — **
- The Leguminous Monster from Outer Space, or O Monstro Legume do Espaço (Brazil, 1995) — *
- Lifeforce (UK, 1985) — **
- The Little Foxes (USA, 1941) — ****
- Longlegs (Canada/USA, 2024) — ****
- The Lord of the Rings (USA/UK/Spain, 1978) — **
- Love Lies Bleeding (UK/USA, 2024) — *****
- Lover, Stalker, Killer (UK, 2024) — ****
- Malu (Brazil, 2024) — ****
- Marcello Mio (France/Italy, 2024) — **
- Maria (Italy/Germany/Chile/USA, 2024) — **
- The Marvels (USA, 2023) — **
- MaXXXine (USA/UK/New Zealand, 2024) — ***
- Meet the Feebles (New Zealand, 1989) — ****
- Megalopolis (USA, 2024) — ***
- Memories of Underdevelopment, or Memorias del Subdesarrollo (Cuba, 1968) — ****
- The Mephisto Waltz (USA, 1971) — ***
- Mirror, or Zerkalo (Soviet Union, 1975) — ****
- Mississippi Masala (USA/UK, 1991) — ****
- Moana 2 (USA/Canada, 2024) — ***
- Monkey Man (USA/Canada/Singapore/India, 2024) — **
- Monsoon Wedding (India/USA/Italy/Germany/France/UK, 2001) — ****
- Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (USA, 2024) — ***
- Motel Destino (Brazil/France/Germany/UK, 2024) — ***
- Mothers’ Instinct (USA, 2024) — ***
- Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie (USA, 2023) — ***
- My Name Is Baghdad, or Meu Nome é Bagdá (Brazil, 2020) — ****
- Never Let Go (USA/Canada/France, 2024) — **
- Nightbitch (USA, 2024) — **
- Nimona (USA, 2023) — ****
- No Half Measures: Creating the Final Season of Breaking Bad (USA, 2013) — *****
- Nostalghia (Italy/Soviet Union, 1983) — *****
- Nyad (USA, 2023) — ***
- The Old Man and the Sea (USA, 1958) — **
- The Old Man and the Sea (UK, 1990) — **
- The Old Man and the Sea (Russia/Canada/Japan, 1999) — ****
- The Omen (UK/USA, 1976) — ****
- Omen IV: The Awakening (Canada/USA, 1991) — **
- Once Upon a Time in the West, or C’Era una Volta il West (Italy/USA, 1968) — *****
- Origin (USA, 2023) — ***
- Our Man in Havana (UK, 1959) — ***
- The Outrun (UK/Germany, 2024) — **
- The Passion According to G.H., or A Paixão Segundo G.H. (Brazil, 2023) — ****
- The Penguin (USA, 2024) — ****
- Perfect Days (Japan/Germany, 2023) — *****
- Perfect Endings, or 13 Sentimentos (Brazil, 2024) — **
- A Place in the Sun (USA, 1951) — ****
- Poison (USA, 2023) — ****
- Poor Things (Ireland/UK/USA/Hungary, 2023) — *****
- The Postman, or Il Postino (Italy/France/Belgium, 1994) — ****
- Predator (USA/Mexico, 1987) — ****
- Predator 2 (USA, 1990) — **
- The Predator (Canada/USA/UK/India/Australia/Brazil/China, 2018) — *
- Le Pupille (Italy/USA, 2022) — ***
- Queer (Italy/USA, 2024) — ****
- Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV (USA, 2024) — ****
- A Quiet Place: Day One (USA/UK/Canada, 2024) — ***
- The Rat Catcher (USA, 2023) — ****
- Rebel Ridge (USA, 2024) — ****
- Red Rooms, or Les Chambres Rouges (Canada, 2023) — ****
- Red, White and Blue (USA, 2023) — *
- Roberto Carlos em Ritmo de Aventura (Brazil, 1968) — *
- Roberto Carlos e o Diamante Cor-de-Rosa (Brazil, 1968) — ***
- Robot Dreams (Spain/France, 2023) — ****
- The Room Next Door (Spain/USA, 2024) — ****
- Rose Island, or L’Incredibile Storia dell’Isola delle Rose (Italy, 2020) — ****
- Rustin (USA, 2023) — **
- S. Darko (USA, 2009) — *
- Salaam Bombay! (India/USA/France/UK, 1988) — *****
- Salem’s Lot (USA, 2024) — ***
- Saltburn (USA/UK, 2023) — **
- Sanctuary (USA, 2022) — **
- São Paulo in Hi-Fi, or São Paulo em Hi-Fi (Brazil, 2013) — ***
- Satan’s Guide to the Bible (USA, 2023) — ***
- Sharp Objects (USA, 2018) — ****
- The Sicilian Clan, or Le Clan des Siciliens (France/Italy, 1969) — ***
- The Sign of the Cross (USA, 1932) — ****
- Smile 2 (USA/Canada, 2024) — ****
- So Far from India (USA, 1983) — ****
- Society of the Snow, or La Sociedad de la Nieve (Spain/Chile/Uruguay/USA, 2023) — ***
- Solaris, or Solyaris (Soviet Union, 1972) — *****
- A Space Exodus (Denmark/Palestine, 2008) — ***
- Speak No Evil (USA/Croatia/Canada, 2024) — ****
- Stalker (Soviet Union, 1979) — *****
- Stories of the Revolution, or Historias de la Revolución (Cuba, 1960) — ****
- The Strangers: Chapter 1 (USA/Slovakia, 2024) — *
- Strawberry & Chocolate, or Fresa y Chocolate (Mexico/Cuba/Spain, 1993) — ****
- The Substance (UK/France/USA, 2024) — ****
- Summer Lovers (USA, 1982) — **
- Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (USA/UK, 2024) — ***
- The Swan (USA, 2023) — ***
- The Taste of Things, or La Passion de Dodin Bouffant (France/Belgium, 2023) — *****
- The Teachers’ Lounge, or Das Lehrerzimmer (Germany, 2023) — ****
- Tell Me Who I Am (UK, 2019) — ****
- Terrestrial Verses, or Ayeh haye zamini (Iran, 2023) — ****
- Terrifier 3 (USA, 2024) — ***
- Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation, or The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (USA, 1994) — *
- Thelma (Switzerland/USA, 2024) — ***
- They Called Him Mostly Harmless (USA, 2024) — ***
- Those Who Wish Me Dead (Canada/USA, 2021) — **
- To Have and Have Not (USA, 1944) — ****
- To Kill a Tiger (Canada, 2022) — ****
- Tokyo Story, or Tôkyô monogatari (Japan, 1953) — *****
- Transe (Brazil, 2022) — *
- A Translator, or Un Traductor (Cuba/Canada, 2018) — **
- Trap (USA/Canada, 2024) — **
- La Traviata (Netherlands/Italy, 1982) — ****
- Tropical Utopia, or Utopia Tropical (Brazil, 2023) — ****
- A Tuba to Cuba (Cuba/USA, 2018) — ***
- 20 Days in Mariupol (Ukraine, 2023) — ****
- Twisters (USA, 2024) — ***
- Vai pra Cuba, Eduardo! (Brazil, 2024) — ***
- Vamp (USA, 1986) — **
- Viagens: Videartes (Brazil, 2024) — ****
- The Virgin Suicides (USA, 1999) — *****
- The Watchers (Ireland/USA, 2024) — ***
- Who Can Kill a Child?, or ¿Quién Puede Matar a un Niño? (Spain, 1976) — ****
- Wicked, or Wicked: Part I (USA/Japan/Canada/Iceland/UK, 2024) — **
- The Wild Robot (USA/Japan, 2024) — ****
- Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey (UK, 2023) — *
- Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 (UK/USA, 2024) — **
- With Love from Truman, or A Visit with Truman Capote (USA, 1966) — ***
- Woman of the Hour (USA, 2023) — **
- A Woman Under the Influence (USA, 1974) — *****
- The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (USA/UK, 2023) — ****
- You Hurt My Feelings (USA, 2023) — ***
- The Zone of Interest (USA/UK/Poland, 2023) — ****
Previous years: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018