As 2024 draws we look back at what has been a strange, sometimes frustrating, often compelling year of cinema. Some films work, some don’t (hello Madame Web). But we’re here to celebrate the very best of the year.
Our movie guru, Russell, breaks down his pick for films of the year, the movies that must be sought out and promise cinematic brilliance.
5 gems to catch up with
There are always films that just miss out on a spot in the top 10 and this year is no exception. So here are five films worth seeking out as 2024 comes to an end:
Dune: Part Two: Denis Villeneuve’s return to Frank Herbert’s sci-fi universe was an epic of scope and scale. Much of what was admirable in part one is here, with an all-star cast and resplendent visuals helping propel Dune: Part Two to a big finale that leaves the door open for even more sci-fi shenanigans.
The Substance: Cinema went gonzo in 2024, and no more-so then with Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance, a sprawling, horrifying, captivating body horror satire, with some of the best performances of the year and visuals that tattoo themselves on your retinas. Be warned though – this is not for the faint hearted.
Love Lies Bleeding: Equal parts sexy and sleazy, Rose Glass’ sophomore effort is a pure vibe. A thriller that reaches emotional heights and horrifying lows, Love Lies Bleeding is as compelling as its trailer promised, with wonderfully committed turns from its cast and a finale that goes for broke.
Longlegs: The best horror of 2024, Longlegs is a haunting, strange, exhilarating watch. Osgood Perkins creates something that, at times, feels genuinely evil, a brilliant throwback to 90s police procedural thriller. Plus it’s a great reminder that when he wants to be, Nicholas Cage is a brilliant actor.
Anora: No one quite captures the desperation and hope of working class America quite like Sean Baker. And his latest is a sensational Pretty Woman-like story that lingers long after the credits roll. And Anora also features the best use of Take That ever put to screen.
Ten best films of the year
Now we reach our movie guru's top ten, the films that defined 2024 for him, including his film of the year.
Conclave
The exact nexus point between the ridiculous and the sublime is Conclave. On the one hand this contains some of the best performances of 2024, with wrenchingly, captivating work from all involved. And on the other hand this is a beautifully mounted thriller with a wickedly pulpy edge. It shouldn’t all work and yet it does and becomes one of the year’s best.
Challengers
Director Luca Guadagnino rarely misses and Challengers is his truly sensational melodrama of three tennis players’ lives weaving across several decades. Guadagnino throws everything at the screen to craft a propulsive, compelling, sweaty watch that may be about tennis but also about so much more.
American Fiction
One of the treats of each award season is when a beloved performer gets some much deserved attention. And the captivating satire American Fiction works best as a testament to just how good an actor Jeffrey Wright is. His turn is sharp and funny, but builds in a sadness that speaks to something outside of the film’s narrative.
The Iron Claw
A contender for one of the saddest films of 2024, The Iron Claw follows the real life story of a family of wrestlers and is a captivating, bruising watch. A pitch-perfect ensemble turn in rich, nuanced performances in a film that will leave you in tears. Plus how Zac Efron didn’t achieve an Oscar nom for his turn, I have no idea.
Hit Man
A charming, sexy, silly comedy, Hit Man is a real crowd pleaser and all the evidence you need for why Glen Powell is such a big star now. Every few years director Richard Linklater reminds us why he is such a good director and Hit Man is perfect watching for your end of year catch-up.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Whenever George Miller gets to return to his sci-fi sandbox, he creates something special. And Furiosa is just that, a brilliant, sprawling prequel epic to Fury Road. It has much of the same vibe as that film but offers something very different, a deeper, stranger look inside Miller’s head. Here’s hoping he’s allowed another trip to the Wasteland.
All of Us Strangers
All of Us Strangers is a brutal, beautiful watch. A wrenchingly impactful queer ghost story that follows a writer as he is able to return to his old home and talk to his deceased parents, the film is a sensational experience, one that spoke to me both as a son and as a parent.
The Holdovers
A return to form for director Alexander Payne and a career best turn from Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers is a spikey and effective seasonal watch. Capable of being hilarious and deeply sad in the same scene, there is a richness to The Holdovers that pushes it beyond its teen cinema set-up. Although why this was released after Christmas I’ll never know.
River
It’s a neat trick for director Junta Yamaguchi to follow up his time loop comedy Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes with another time loop comedy. The set up for River is the same – a locale finds themselves stuck in a looping two minute – but what Yamaguchi has produced is something richer, deeper, sweeter and funnier, a film that offers something profound and hopeful to say even when the universe seems stacked against its characters. Seek this gem out, you won’t be disappointed.
The Wild Robot
Something strange has happened in Dreamworks of late. They’ve thrown aside some of their previous sensibilities and are now making visually stunning, richly compelling works. And The Wild Robot may be the best film the company has ever produced. A rich, deeply moving animation that shares DNA with the likes of The Iron Giant and How to Train Your Dragon, it nevertheless is its own thing and is this film fan’s film of 2024.