I typically like to run the numbers a bit before diving into my 50 best movies of the year ranking. In 2024, I watched 164 new movies and reviewed 116 of them. I thought this year got much better as it went along. When I did my mid-year recap back in July, I was worried we were in for another down year considering the film festival circuit seemed less fruitful than in the past (for various reasons, one of which was almost certainly the strikes that took place last year). But as I continued to think more and more about the movies that I really liked from 2024, as well as revisited many of them multiple times, I’m much more positive on 2024 as a strong year for the industry.
It’s impossible to see everything in time for a ranking like this. Maybe I’ll revisit this list in the future and tweak it if I feel there are enough releases that I eventually saw that would crack my top 50. For now, these are the films I wasn’t quite able to get to: All We Imagine As Light, Hard Truths, The Devil’s Bath, Gladiator II, Queer, Venom: The Last Dance, The Room Next Door, The Shrouds, Maria, No Other Land, The Piano Lesson, The Shadow Strays, The Fire Inside, Sasquatch Sunset, Better Man and Joker: Folie à Deux. I suppose a few of these may qualify for my 2025 list, so I’ll reserve the right to include them next year if need be.
Here are the 50 best movies of 2024:
50. Longlegs
Longlegs makes good on the promise of being a freaky horror tale that injects dread in every frame and through every nook and cranny possible. Director Oz Perkins, if for nothing else, continues to prove himself as a singular horror director, with a style that no soul could replicate and a thirst for the absurd, demented, and disturbed. Maika Monroe and Blair Underwood offer enough to have you engaged, and Perkins is talented enough behind the camera to keep things rolling.
Read our review of Longlegs.
49. MadS
MadS reminds me of the joys of finding undiscovered independent horror movies. Although it’s gained some steam within the genre’s diehard community, MadS still feels as though it’s being underappreciated. Because for a film as muddy and down-to-Earth as this one is technically, it’s a thrill ride about as absurd as anything you’ll see in 2024.
Read our review of MadS.
48. Daddio
Sometimes, all it takes is a pair of skilled actors with strong on-screen chemistry to keep an audience engaged. The single-location, vehicle-based setup has been done sparingly, with Tom Hardy’s Locke standing as a standout example. While Christy Hall’s directorial debut movie, Daddio, doesn’t quite reach the same level of precision or intensity, it still holds its own. The passive, flowing conversations between Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn over the film’s 100-minute runtime manage to sustain interest and carry significant weight.
Read our review of Daddio.
47. Coma
Bertrand Bonello’s Coma doesn’t feel like it’s getting nearly enough attention as it deserves. Granted, it’s finally available to watch at home following a two year release strategy that made it nearly impossible to seek out for mainstream moviegoers, but this DIY COVID project has been released following the overwhelming critical success of The Beast, which offers a completely different viewing experience than Coma.
Read our review of Coma.
46. The Order
The Order may not offer anything particularly new by industry standards, but Justin Kurzel‘s direction keeps the film engaging and intriguing as the story unfolds. It’s well-made and interesting, even though it draws on themes and styles found in many similar movies. While some argue that Hollywood no longer makes films like it used to, The Order feels like it came from a different time.
Read our review of The Order.
45. Immaculate
Immaculate is not perfect, and sometimes the film feels like just another horror movie heavily indicting the Catholic church, but there’s enough stardom and unique direction to make it work. Sydney Sweeney is outstanding, and she carries the tension for much of the movie’s brisk 89 minute runtime.
Read our review of Immaculate.
44. His Three Daughters
43. 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.
Read our review of Blink Twice.
42. The First Omen
41. Memoir of a Snail
Family is inseparable. No matter how fractured and disjointed it can be at times, family is who you rely on to get you through the rough patches in life. Adam Elliot‘s 2024 animated movie Memoir of a Snail, in which a young girl Grace experiences nearly every form of trauma and loss imaginable, displays this in perhaps the clearest, most emotional gut punch you’ll see all year. It’s crafted with such a precise thumb on its own pulse in terms of tone and imagery that you’d be hard-pressed to find another director capable colliding this style with this material.
Read our review of Memoir of a Snail.
40. The Taste of Things
Make sure not to watch The Taste of Things on an empty stomach, because the latest film from director Tran Anh Hung depicts the art of cooking about is delectably as any movie this decade. There are long, uninterrupted sequences that simply observe the act in its purest form, with dishes that you wish would leap through the screen and onto your dinner table.
Read our review of The Taste of Things.
39. The Substance
The Substance is not without its flaws, but Coralie Fargeat latest film proves her distinct artistry. She’s able to pull grandiose performances from Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, and a few of the individual jolts of energy keep you locked in despite the movie’s indulgent 141 minute runtime. I’m not crazy about the ending, which aims for absurd quantity over quality, but I still want to see if Fargeat is offered the chance to do something bigger and even bolder moving forward. Regardless of where I ultimately landed with it, she announces herself as a director to look out for.
Read our review of The Substance.
38. Look Back
37. Smile 2
36. Drive-Away Dolls
Despite Ethan Coen’s Drive-Away Dolls feeling like “lesser Coen brothers” at times, there are still some great lines and hilarious set pieces to make the movie worthwhile. Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan shine, and the noir elements hint at a style that the Coens have only ventured into a few times with their earlier films.
Read our review of Drive-Away Dolls.
35. Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World
34. Y2K
The best way to approach Y2K is to go in completely blind. Seriously, avoid trailers and marketing if you can. The film’s absurd twists and genuinely hilarious moments are what make it so enjoyable, and knowing too much beforehand could spoil the fun. Kyle Mooney makes his directorial debut here, and he nails it. Throughout the brisk 91-minute runtime, he keeps the pace sharp and entertaining. The movie is often exhilarating, always self-deprecating, and has just enough 1999 nostalgia to hit the right notes without feeling overdone or cheesy.
Read our review of Y2K.
33. Girls State
Girls State isn’t quite the reckoning that Boys State was four years ago, but there’s still enough to reflect on as the events unfold at the Missouri campus. Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine deliver a lighter experience this time around with a movie that makes the case that society isn’t entirely doomed.
Read our review of Girls State.
32. Land of Bad
31. Chicken for Linda!
30. Good One
29. Here
Bas Devos‘ Here is a subtle delight, the kind of film that quietly sneaks up on you and leaves an unexpectedly profound emotional impact. Its supremely melancholic and understated style might appear unobtrusive at first glance, but Devos has a talent for crafting movies that stay with you long after they are finished.
Read our review of Here.
28. 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.
Read our review of The Brutalist.
27. Chime
Chime may feel sparse and bare, intentionally so, but few directors can put together a 45 minute film as engaging and constantly unnerving as Kiyoshi Kurosawa. A companion operating as a side story for many of his great works, Cure and Pulse included, Chime is for the diehard fans of the director, and anyone interested in the latest offerings of supernatural Japanese horror, and lean offerings at that.
Read our review of Chime.
26. ME
As reflexive, personal, and ambiguous as any animated feature made this decade, Don Hertzfeldt’s 22-minute return, titled ME, is an exploration into the ways society tries to shield ourselves from the atrocities that happen on a global scale, as well as a more personally mining tale of living for others as much as you live for yourself. Or at least that’s how I see it.
Read our review of ME.
25. The Beast
24. September 5
September 5 is a gripping and thoughtfully constructed film that succeeds in bringing an authentic and engrossing drama to life. It manages to walk the fine line between suspense and introspection, solidifying its place as a standout entry in the journalistic drama genre. The movie is bolstered by a strong ensemble cast that includes John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, Peter Sarsgaard, and Leonie Benesch.
Read our review of September 5.
23. We Live in Time
A movie like We Live in Time really shouldn’t work. The overly sentimental cancer drama is a well-trodden path, with its fair share of genuinely touching entries but even more bogged down by predictability and melodrama. We Live in Time doesn’t completely avoid these familiar pitfalls, as it leans into some of the same cheesy tropes that often plague this subgenre.
Read our review of We Live in Time.
22. Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is just as ridiculous and comical as its English-language title would suggest. The movie is a riff on the vampire genre in a similar way that What We Do in the Shadows is. They both poke fun at the blasé, mundane, and almost emo way in which we consume much of the vampire material that’s been produced this century. Because vampires have become synonymous with counterculture, often because the motifs and iconography of these monsters reflect that of the unimpressed teenage mindset.
Read our review of Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person.
21. Cuckoo
Sometimes, a good ole freak-out film that doesn’t make much sense is exactly what you need. Fortunately, Tilman Singer is responsible for two of them now. 2020’s Luz was an underappreciated shock to the horror system that signaled Singer as an auteur to look out for moving forward, and 2024’s Cuckoo only further cements him as one of the genre’s bravest image makers, even as he’s working out the kinks in his storytelling repertoire.
Read our review of Cuckoo.
20. The Seed of the Sacred Fig
The Seed of the Sacred Fig, winner of the 2024 Cannes Special Jury Prize, stands out as a top international feature film of the year. The story spans multiple genres, evolving significantly as it unfolds. The movie captures modern-day Iran during heightened tensions between citizens and the government, blending family drama with a tense, high-stakes thriller. Director Mohammad Rasoulof handles ambitious themes, and the film’s extended runtime and detailed storytelling bring cohesion to its complex ideas.
Read our review of The Seed of the Sacred Fig.
19. The Wild Robot
The overall package of The Wild Robot is ultimately quite honorable and noteworthy. The animated genre offers about 4-5 solid movies a year, and The Wild Robot falls into that category. It’s probably the frontrunner for Best Animated Picture at the Academy Awards, and I’d add that we’ve had much worse winners should this take home the prize. It’s sweet and effortlessly likeable, even if you can see the mechanisms of it working behind the scenes.
Read our review of The Wild Robot.
18. Sometimes I Think About Dying
Sometimes I Think About Dying has a distinct tone, but I was able to look past its understated delivery and find a lot to appreciate. Daisy Ridley and Dave Merheje share a unique chemistry that stands out among the early 2024 releases.
Read our review of Sometimes I Think About Dying.
17. Red Rooms
16. Robot Dreams
Suitable for children while also extremely relatable for adults, Robot Dreams is one of the most uncomplicatedly pleasant experiences I’ve had with a movie in 2024. It’s nice to relive an animation style that once was the norm, while also seeing it adapted in prescient and timely ways. Robot Dreams, while small scale and innocent, feels like the much needed break from convention.
Read our review of Robot Dreams.
15. Snack Shack
Snack Shack is an uncomplicated good time, anchored by two excellent and innocent performances by Conor Sherry and Gabriel LaBelle as 14-year-olds A.J. and Moose, respectively. Director Adam Rehmeier flexes his ability to tap into the mind of today’s youth and deliver a movie that is laugh out loud funny with a charming, heartfelt story.
Read our review of Snack Shack.
14. Megalopolis
Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis makes it crystal clear that the legendary director is disappointed in the trajectory of modern civilized life. To think that this passion project of his has been in the works for nearly four decades is astonishing considering how neatly it conveys modern anxieties about the fragility of social infrastructure.
Read our review of Megalopolis.
13. Twisters
Twisters is a remarkable victory for theaters, summer blockbusters, and movie stars. Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell are certified mainstays in the industry after their recent successes, and Lee Isaac Chung remains one of the latest risers in a young camp of talented filmmakers.
Read our review of Twisters.
12. Nosferatu
Robert Eggers might already be one of the greatest filmmakers of our time. Sure, it’s silly and hyperbolic to say that so early in his career, but few directors today can craft arthouse movies on the scale of his latest work, Nosferatu, and make it look so effortless. The subject matter feels like a natural progression from his earlier explorations of isolation and dread in The Witch, The Lighthouse, and The Northman. Here, Eggers reimagines the classic vampire tale with precise, stomach-churning detail, delivering a vision that both honors the original and reinvents it as a sadistic, psychosexual nightmare.
Read our review of Nosferatu.
11. A Real Pain
The announcement of Jesse Eisenberg’s sophomore film, A Real Pain, immediately intrigued me—especially with Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin cast as feuding cousins. Eisenberg brings his signature unsure, self-deprecating energy, while Culkin channels the same twitchy, sharp delivery that made him unforgettable in his Emmy-winning Succession role. The two are a seamless pairing, and their dynamic powers the film, creating an engaging and effective core that drives A Real Pain to standout results.
Read our review of A Real Pain.
10. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
George Miller finds so much new ground to cover with Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga that perfectly justifies its own existence. While Fury Road was interested in such a contained story propelled by larger-than-life action sequences and big rig warfare spawning from a game of cat and mouse, Furiosa fills in the gaps of a world much larger than what is expected. Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth stun in a prequel well worth the wait.
Read our review of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
9. Juror #2
Warner Bros. initially sidelined Clint Eastwood‘s courtroom drama Juror #2. Despite critical acclaim for the 94-year-old director’s latest work, the studio only pursued an awards campaign after the film gained praise. The movie had a limited theatrical release by Warner Bros., a decision that was widely criticized. After watching Juror #2, I share the frustration of those who missed the chance to experience this procedural drama on the big screen.
Read our review of Juror #2.
8. Babygirl
25 years after co-starring in Eyes Wide Shut, Nicole Kidman revisits similar thematic territory in Halina Reijn’s Babygirl, another holiday-set exploration of lust, power, and dissatisfaction. In Babygirl, she plays Romy, a high-powered tech CEO whose meticulously crafted life seems perfect on the surface. With a doting husband, Jacob (Antonio Banderas), two well-adjusted children, and a dreamlike home, Romy appears to have it all. Yet, beneath this pristine façade, she is deeply unfulfilled, yearning for something—or someone—to awaken her buried fantasies.
Read our review of Babygirl.
7. Evil Does Not Exist
Evil Does Not Exist could easily be viewed as a slighter work by Ryūsuke Hamaguchi compared to the bulkier projects he’s conceived of in the past, but his latest movie still runs circles around much of what has come out in 2024. A story with real themes tackled in a way that’s daring and singular. Hamaguchi is a one-of-one director, and Evil Does Not Exist is a one-of-one film.
Read our review of Evil Does Not Exist.
6. Dune: Part Two
There’s nothing like Dune: Part Two, which feels like it could only be conceived by Denis Villeneuve and the best crew around him possible. Everyone is working at the top of their game to create one of the best theatergoing experiences of 2024. Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya star in the science fiction movie that stands against the genre’s best.
Read our review of Dune: Part Two.
5. Anora
Sean Baker isn’t the sort of filmmaker you’d expect to be a Palme d’Or winning director and Oscar frontrunner. His movies (Tangerine, The Florida Project, Red Rocket) don’t scream “accessible” to large audiences, and they aren’t self-anointed, high art pieces. Even The Florida Project, which was critically acclaimed in 2017 and includes many of the best technical elements and set pieces I’ve seen in a movie in the 21st century, isn’t the feel-good drama that usually cleans up at awards ceremonies. But Baker’s craft is undeniable, and it was only a matter of time before one of his movies broke through the mainstream in a real way, announcing its director as a must-see auteur for decades to come. Anora is that – and some. Featuring grandiose style and a remarkably vulnerable and physical lead performance from Mikey Madison as the titular protagonist, Anora is among the greatest accomplishments in filmmaking in 2024.
Read our review of Anora.
4. Sing Sing
Few films in the 2020s have matched the emotional impact and resonance of Sing Sing. A deeply sincere and open exploration of how we channel our emotions into the things we care about most, while also examining how those same passions can serve as an escape from life’s pain points. The movie is a riveting drama that gently reminds viewers that, even within the broken systems we create, art has the power to both liberate and comfort.
Read our review of Sing Sing.
3. Challengers
Luca Guadagnino directs one of his best movies with Challengers, which pairs his interests in yearning, miscalculated protagonists to the competitive world of tennis. It’s exhilarating and wild, with three prophetic performances from Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor that’ll challenge many of the year’s best efforts.
Read our review of Challengers.
2. Nickel Boys
I’ve read pieces on Nickel Boys suggesting its unique style is either challenging or something you have to adjust to initially in order to be fully engrossed in the story. Some critics have even dinged it for such ambition, claiming its technical decisions—like telling the story almost entirely through literal first-person POV—create distance from the narrative. They argue that RaMell Ross‘ debut fictional feature sidesteps the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel it’s adapted from.
Read our review of Nickel Boys.
1. I Saw the TV Glow
I Saw the TV Glow is one of the best movies of 2024, showcasing exactly what independent filmmaking can be when handled by the right people. A24 adds another riveting drama by a fascinating young auteur to their trophy case, and Jane Schoenbrun announces themselves as an important and singular filmmaker to look out for moving forward.
Read our review of I Saw the TV Glow.
More ‘Best of 2024’ Lists from Cinephile Corner
Cinephile Corner has recapped the 2024 movie year with their ‘Best of 2024‘ list week, which includes:
- The Best Movies of 2024
- The Best Horror Movies of 2024
- The Best Animated Movies of 2024
- The Best A24 Movies of 2024
