Here are Cinephile Corner’s 10 recommendations for movies like Eden:
The Brutalist
Throughout December, expect to see many outlets anoint Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist as the best film of 2024. It’s epic. It’s wildly accomplished. And it knows it. The movie’s operatic opening crescendos into a visually striking image of the Statue of Liberty flipped upside down—an arresting symbol that mirrors the film’s poster. It’s the kind of bold, declarative start that announces a filmmaker fully in command of their craft.
Blink Twice
Blink Twice wears its influences on its sleeve, but for a directorial debut like this for Zoë Kravitz, I thought it was pretty commendable. The industry is begging for a few more genre filmmakers capable of projects that are equally fun and thought-provoking, and Kravitz is able to switch between one and another on a dime. The performances help elevate the material, too, which inevitably pushes Blink Twice over the finish line.
Nightmare Alley
Guillermo del Toro has built a career on finding beauty in darkness, crafting stories that, even in their bleakest moments, hold onto some sense of wonder, nostalgia, or hope. Movies like Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water, and his stop-motion Pinocchio remake all explore the perseverance of the human spirit, even in the face of terrible atrocities. That’s what makes Nightmare Alley such a striking outlier in his filmography—it’s a film almost entirely devoid of hope, a cynical neo-noir that suggests people are, at their core, selfish and opportunistic. Instead of offering redemption, Nightmare Alley leaves you with a sick feeling in your stomach, hammering home its central thesis: trust is a liability, and grifters will always find a way to exploit it.
Old
It’s been a few years since M. Night Shyamalan‘s Old hit movie theaters and it still feels as fresh as that day. Shyamalan’s old school mixture of poignant commentary and rich thrills combine into his best film since 2002, and one that stays immensely rewatchable.
Infinity Pool
There are some real highlights in Brandon Cronenberg‘s newest art house horror movie, mainly the chemistry between Alexander Skarsgard and Mia Goth. But Infinity Pool struggles to build into anything beyond a set of shocking horror images and audacious scenes.
The Banshees of Inisherin
The story in The Banshees of Inisherin is simultaneously laugh-out-loud audacious and deftly potent with real questions on life and legacy. This is essentially Martin McDonagh’s treaties on friendship and what you leave behind once you leave Earth. Colin Farrell is the film’s stand-in for niceness towards those around you, and Brendan Gleeson’s character is a stand-in for tangible contributions to the world (in the film’s case, music). McDonagh constantly tries to unearth what it means to leave behind a legacy, and who will care about us when we die.
Fair Play
Fair Play is a commendable directorial debut from Chloe Domont, a film that sizzles with tension and passion right from its Sundance origins early in 2023. With stellar performances, especially from Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich, the movie navigates the intricacies of love and power with finesse.
Anatomy of a Fall
In Justine Triet‘s hands, the courtroom becomes a darkly comic battleground, where the stakes are life and death, but the weapons are wit. Anatomy of a Fall is as much a legal thriller as it is a front-row seat to the most outrageous courtroom circus you’ll see in 2023.
Triangle of Sadness
Although it’s visually pleasing and pretty refreshing at its peak moments, Triangle of Sadness doesn’t come together as tight as it should. For many filmmakers, winning a Palme d’Or would be a reason to stay the course for the foreseeable future, but Ruben Östlund keeps audiences guessing. He didn’t hit a home run here, but I can surely admire the effort and vision that he is trying to complete. It probably won’t compete for many awards this upcoming season, but I imagine Östlund will be back for a vengeance.
Don’t Worry Darling
While it’s easy to point fingers and blame the film’s issues on just a few individuals, Don’t Worry Darling, at its core, is flawed. A meandering story can’t be saved by Florence Pugh and Harry Styles.
READ MORE: Eden (2025)
