Another year has come and gone, and I had the pleasure of writing more reviews this year than I had since I regularly blogged pre-pandemic, and I am proud of the consistency. It was a year of loss with the owner of CinemaScore passing away, and the city where I live lost two art house theaters thanks to Landmark Theaters downsizing both The Esquire Theatre and Chez Artist Theatre. They gave the city a charming, off-beat vibe to catch alternative movies. With the end of the era, I have to celebrate the highlights of 2024 movies.
10. Inside Out 2
The Disney Pixar sequel touched a relatable nerve with the general public and became the highest-grossing movie of the year, and for good reason. The creative world-building from the first one continued even if the plot had very familiar beats to the original animated hit. The anxiety zeitgeist spoke to a society overcome with many emotions, especially yours truly, who began taking medicine for it. Read more Here.
9. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
I found George Miller’s prequel intense and was disappointed that it never found an audience that appreciated it. The use of stonework and visual effects impressed me, and I know they will be appreciated over the years. The images of the tree at the end have stuck with me ever since. Read more Here.
8. Dune: Part 2
Another sequel!? You bet! I found Denis Villeneuve’s follow-up vastly superior to the first one. The sci-fi epic is well shot and more confident to guide the story seamlessly, along with impressive set pieces and breathtaking cinematography. Timothee Chalament is a star, and I admire what Zendaya, Florence Pugh, and Austin Butler have done here. The next generation of actors has arrived.
7. The Substance
Demi Moore is incredible, delivering the best actress performance of the year in a movie that demands so much from her as much as an aging woman in Hollywood has to overcome, balancing satire, horror, and drama that’s physically transformative. Director Coralie Fargeat Cronenberg’s aesthetic with shades of the Fly and, I would argue, Eric Prydz’s “Call On Me“ music video. The result was a breakout hit that established Mubi as the new Neon.
6. All We Imagine As Light
The deliberately paced drama embeds viewers into India, its culture, and its way of life while confronting loneliness and finding meaningful connections. A modern movie that feels timeless, it is so transcendent that I felt the ground shift metaphorically beneath me. I need to re-watch it (after putting it off for weeks), but Payal Kapadia created a powerful film about relationships. India was foolish for not submitting this as their Oscar International pick.
5. Sing Sing
Greg Kwedar made a tremendous gritty drama authentically cast about the human spirit defying the odds and expressing. It is somber, thought-provoking, and touches as many emotions as Inside Out 2 with actors from the real-life prison theater group. This rawness taps into the universal human experience of acting through one’s feelings, making the film emotionally vibrant and relatable for any artist. More Here.
4. Challengers
Luca Guadagnino is a master filmmaker, and though I am bummed to have missed Queer from this year, I got a kick out of his soapy melodrama Challengers. The strengths of his sports drama are embodied in that final Matchpoint scene, the pulsating Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross score, the kinetic cinematography, the flashy editing, Zendaya’s dramatic flair, and the simmering tension between Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist. Perfection. It’s a future cinephile classic.
3. Nickel Boys
Sometimes, you see a movie and know it will change the trajectory of a director and implement a new style of filmmaking (think Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan). RaMell Ross’s groundbreaking and contemplative Nickel Boys is one of the year’s exceptional, impressionistic cinematic experiences. With POV shots and outstanding performances from the ensemble cast, this is original filmmaking that upends conventional literary adaptation.
2. Anora
Sean Baker’s career has led to what he accomplishes in Anora. It’s a triumph that’s so funny and engaging with a knockout ending. The world and the characters Sean Baker likes to give dignity to in the sex worker industry. Mikey Madison delivers a captivating tour de force performance as the movie’s heart: sharp, confident, and fierce. It is a refreshing take. The living room sequence is chaotic and shows what he can do as a filmmaker.
1. The Brutalist
An art-house epic is about the immigrant story of an architect and how the foundations of American institutions are rotten. The budget is a testament to the hardworking grit of the independent film community that makes a $10 million movie look like a $25 million one. Thank you, Brady Corbet, for your vision. An incredible Adrien Brody performance is the highlight that captivates in every frame. Felicity Jones was stunning in the second half while Guy Pierce chews the scenery. After a second viewing, I picked up on some low-key, human touches and thematic moments that emphasize how well it plays on multiple watches. These themes hit differently after the 2024 election, especially its Pennsylvania setting. Overall exceptional.
***
Honorable Mentions
A Real Pain
Jesse Eisenberg’s second feature directing balanced comedy and drama very well, with the individual pain of the grieving family and the collective pain of the Jewish community while touring Holocaust history and concentration camps. Kieran Culkin stole every scene with humor, hiding his hurt. This resonated with me more after my Nana passed away and the cousins want to plan a trip next summer.
Cabrini
The best biopic of the year, the Angel Studios release, genuinely touched me, especially the handsomely mounted cinematography and the grace of Cristiana Dell’Anna’s delicate performance, which was full of determination and grit. The melodramatic moments bugged me, but that is par for the course of a biopic, significantly when the subject overcomes the odds. What an important message that all Christians need to hear. Of course, it bombed with MAGA.
Dandelion
Nicole Riegel has a bountiful career ahead of her. This was no sophomore slump. What a lovely gem of an indie film. The music was catchy and set a vulnerable mood. Kiki Layne delivers an excellent performance, and her chemistry with Thomas is very believable. A step up from HOLLER, I admired that movie shot in my high school.
Emilia Perez
Jacques Audiard’s trans cartel musical Emilia Pérez won awards at Cannes and took Telluride audiences by storm. The movie defies definition as it blends multiple genres. The plot and execution are unbelievable, boldly original, and funny! Zoe Saldaña gave a showstopping performance, and I was impressed with Karla Sofía Gascón and Selena Gomez, too. Incredible with its ambition, Emilia Pérez is memorable and like nothing you have ever watched.
The Fall Guy
One of the most entertaining movies at the theater was the action comedy starring two terrific leads, with Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. It was a lot of fun. Read more Here.
Ghostlight
Like Sing Sing, this is about the healing power of art and community theater. We see little movies about small-town living and honest explorations of grief. We are lucky to have Ghostlight. Read more Here.
Hit Man
Richard Linklater’s psychological analysis of The American Dream concludes people who commit crimes succeed, all masquerading as a screwball romantic comedy noir with the charming Glen Powell’s devilish smile.
I’m Still Here
Walter Salles’s bio-drama gives two phenomenal performances from Fernanda Torres and Fernanda Montenegro with a captivating, emotionally resonant plot and a satisfying ending.
Kneecap
A highwire act of kinetic energy and chaotic attitude, the darkly humorous tale has unexpected comedic timing. At its heart is the Irish language as resistance and cultural identity. Rich Peppiatt’s impressive breakout is all over the place in the best way possible. It’s a worthy new cult classic.
Memoir of a Snail
Adam Elliot’s Memoir of a Snail is a quirky, adult-only animated film. Achingly beautiful and dark, many quick scenes are gags with comic relief, balancing out grim moments like a devastating flashback that sunk my heart. The stop-motion animated film is both amusing and slightly sad but always profound, and the unpredictable moments hold my attention. It is a dazzling animated masterwork.
My Old Ass
Megan Park’s lovely balance of humor and heartbreak with a fun Aubry Plaza performance, funny one-liners, and vulnerable plot points. One of my favorite endings to any movie this year that stuck with me was not regretting how your life turned out.
Nosferatu
The period piece is exquisitely detailed, with some of the best production design and cinematography of the year. Its horrific beauty will haunt you for ages, and some shots will remain in my head weeks later. Lily-Rose Depp could be Robert Eggers’ new muse, if not Willem Dafoe. I prefer Eggers to make more original movies, but just give him the budget to make what he wants.
The Order
The movie 2024 deserves this snapshot of the past that reflects the current moment. It features terrific ensemble acting (Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, and Jurnee Smollett) and boiling tension that unfolds to a thrilling conclusion. Prejudice and hate motivate the worst of humanity. Some of the photography shots of the Mountain West were stunning.
September 5
This is a meat-and-potatoes movie. Tim Fehlbaum’s September 5 is a lean, dramatic thriller perfectly told and crisply edited. Peter Sarsgaard and John Magaro were captivating in dramatic roles, and the German-speaking crew member Leonie Benesch played just as well. Thanks to a different perspective, the tension is riveting even though the story is known.
We Grown Now
The last first-run movie I watched at the Landmark Esquire before it closed was director Minhal Baig’s indie gem coming-of-age indie gem, which showcases the marginalized Chicago neighborhood. The Cabrini-Green Housing Project feels like a lingering supporting character that immerses the audience, the power of art house cinema projected on a big screen I will miss.
The 10 Best Documentaries
- Soundtrack to a Coup d’État
- A New Kind of Wilderness
- Sugarcane
- Daughters
- Union
- No Other Land
- Black Box Diary
- Gaucho Gaucho
- Will & Harper
- God & Country: The Rise of Christian Nationalism
Top Ten First Time/New To Me Watches
- Notorious (1946)
- Suspicion (1941)
- The Phantom Carriage (1921)
- Stalag 17 (1953)
- The Organist at St. Vitus Cathedral (1929)
- Sullivan’s Travels (1941)
- The Palm Beach Story (1942)
- The Search (1948)
- Why Worry? (1923)
- The Last of Sheila (1973)
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