After watching over 300 movies in 2024, here are my 10 best of the year:
Note: This list does not include documentaries.
10. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Streaming on: Max
Available for rent on: Apple TV, Amazon, YouTube
Quote: “You may be raw, but you have about you a purposeful savagery.”
Mad Max: Fury Road was essentially one long chase. This sequel has multiple chase scenes. What remains the same is director George Miller’s dedication to giving the audience an amazing visual experience. The stunt work, the action, and the special effects are a pleasure to watch. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is longer than its predecessor, but this film feels much shorter than its two-hour, 28-minute runtime. What’s also fun is Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal of Dementus, the villain of the year. Hemsworth strikes the perfect balance of being unhinged without going completely over the top. The lone complaint: you wish Anya Taylor-Joy (Furiosa) had more lines of dialogue.
9. Exhibiting Forgiveness
Available for rent on: Apple TV, Amazon, YouTube
Quote: “I put it on canvas so I can hold it by the throat.”
André Holland plays Tarrell, an artist who has turned his painful childhood into a successful career. He’s forced to confront the abusive and dysfunctional upbringing when his dad La’Ron (John Earl Jelks) renters his life. The father is now sober and has found religion, but reconciliation doesn’t — and shouldn’t — come easy. Tarrell is a family man and is determined not to repeat his parents’ mistakes. Exhibiting Forgiveness is a compelling and well-acted drama about grappling with the past while trying to find a path forward. Holland is best known for Moonlight and Selma. This might be his best overall performance.
8. The Fall Guy
Streaming on: Peacock
Available for rent on: Apple TV, Amazon, YouTube
Quote: “I’m not the hero of this story. I’m just a stunt guy.”
Blame the lack of box-office success on the marketing department. There’s no reason why The Fall Guy shouldn’t have been a huge hit. This stealth rom-com is very meta and has everything the movie-going public would want: big stars (Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt), big action, and big laughs. Sure, there is some silly stuff in it, and at times the plot doesn’t make sense. But this isn’t a movie about plot. It’s about fun. And in terms of pure fun, it’s easily one of the most enjoyable theatre experiences of the year. The Fall Guy is an ode to stunt performers directed by David Leitch, a former stuntman.
7. I Used To Be Funny
Streaming on: Netflix
Available for rent on: Apple TV, Amazon, YouTube
Quote: “My big flirty move on a date is to make the guy pinkie promise not to kill me.”
Rachel Sennott is one of the most hilarious people on the planet. You know this if you’ve seen Shiva Baby, Bodies Bodies Bodies, and Bottoms. I Used To Be Funny is different. What do you do if you’re a stand-up comic and you’ve lost the ability to be funny due to post-traumatic stress disorder? That’s the dilemma facing Sam (Sennott). Most of Sam’s material centers around poking fun at toxic men, which makes what happened to her even more horrific. I Used To Be Funny is a dark comedy for the #MeToo era written and directed by Ally Pankiw. Many of the jokes are uncomfortable, and that’s precisely the point.
6. Civil War
Streaming on: Max
Available for rent on: Apple TV, Amazon, YouTube
Quote: “I’ve never been so scared in my entire life. And I’ve never felt more alive.”
Inaugural Day will be here soon as well as the Jan. 6 anniversary. With a new presidential administration taking over, now is the perfect time to check out Alex Garland’s portrait of a divided America. Garland is less concerned about discussing what each side is fighting for and is more interested in how divisiveness can tear apart a society. Civil War also introduces the audience to the perils of war photography. Kirsten Dunst is terrific as Lee, a veteran photojournalist. So is Cailee Spaeny as Jessie, a newbie. There’s a lot more action here than you’d expect, and Jesse Plemons’ memorable cameo alone makes this worth the watch.
5. Between the Temples
Available for rent on: Apple TV, Amazon, YouTube
Quote: “It’s OK to be loud and to be sloppy.”
When two lost souls find a connection, it’s beautiful. Ben (Jason Schwartzman) is a depressed cantor who no longer sings following the accidental death of his wife. Carla (Carol Kane) is his much older former music teacher who wants a bat mitzvah after being denied one as a teen. These two have carried the burden of sadness alone, but through their friendship they rediscover joy. It’s a connection neither Ben’s family nor Carla’s family understands or condones. Between the Temples highlights that it doesn’t matter what other people think. If you find someone you care about, your opinion is the only one that matters.
4. Challengers
Streaming on: Prime, MGM+
Available for rent on: Apple TV, Amazon, YouTube
Quote: “Unfortunately, my only skill in life is hitting a ball with a racquet.”
Director Luca Guadagnino serves up a sports movie we’ve never seen before. Challengers is more than a drama about tennis, although the attention to detail is remarkable. It gets a lot right about life on the tennis circuit, including a scene at an Applebee’s in Ohio. Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist give standout performances as a once-close trio reunited at an ATP Challenger Tour event in New Rochelle, New York. There is heartbreak. There is tension. There is a showdown. Challengers isn’t your typical underdog story about overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles. It’s about how people find a way to reconnect.
3. Snack Shack
Streaming on: Prime
Available for rent on: YouTube, Apple TV, Amazon
Quote: “You bid $2,000 on the Snack Shack at the swimming pool?”
A 90s-era summertime comedy set in Nebraska is the most pleasant surprise of the year. The jokes are fast and furious, especially in the first half. But then the movie settles into a tale with depth, heart, and a surprising ending. Best buds A.J. (Conor Sherry) and Moose (Gabriel LaBelle) decide to run concessions at the local pool in hopes of making some easy cash. It’s so much fun to watch A.J. and Moose talk their way into schemes and out of trouble. Their friendship, however, gets tested when a love triangle develops between them and Brooke (Mika Abdalla). This coming-of-age film will remind you of summers past and the jubilation of falling in love for the first time.
2. Woman of the Hour
Streaming on: Netflix
Quote: “Which one of you will hurt me?”
Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut is stunning and parts of this feature are reminiscent of David Fincher’s Zodiac. Woman of the Hour is based on the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala, who infamously appeared on the television show The Dating Game in 1978. Instead of focusing too much on Alcala, Ian McDonald’s script examines the story from the point of view of the women. Kendrick stars as Sheryl, a struggling actor who reluctantly agrees to be on the show. No one has a clue about Alcala (Daniel Zovatto)— partially because Alcala is charming and partially because complaints and warnings about Alcala were ignored. Woman of the Hour shows how often men fail to listen to women.
1. Love Lies Bleeding
Streaming on: Max
Available for rent on: Apple TV, Amazon, YouTube
Quote: “Don’t ever fall in love, OK? It hurts.”
Can you ever escape your criminal family? Or are you doomed to be dragged back in due to the choices you make? Lou (Kristen Stewart) has steered clear of the felonies committed by relatives, including those of her estranged father Lou Sr. (Ed Harris). You would think owning and operating a gym would be a safe space. But when Lou falls for steroid-using bodybuilder Jackie (Katy O’Brian), her once mundane routine unravels quickly. A murder puts Lou in a dangerous situation where she must confront Lou Sr. This 1980s-themed crime thriller, directed by Rose Glass, is sexy, violent, and delivers surprises. If you enjoyed Bound (1996), you’ll love Love Lies Bleeding.
