2024 was a unique film year. Look no further than the diverse list of Oscar nominations to see the different genres from horror (THE SUBSTANCE), musicals (WICKED, A COMPLETE UNKNOWN), international features (I’M STILL HERE, EMILIA PEREZ), smaller budget films (ANORA, THE BRUTALIST, NICKEL BOYS), and a traditional one (CONCLAVE).
Yet, what stood out in 2024 is that there isn’t a clear front leader for the Oscars or my top ten list. It’s that close. This may be the first year in over two decades that I have no idea who will win the best picture at the Oscars on 3/2.
But voting for the Oscars aside, let’s dive into my top ten of 2024! 🤩
10. WILL & HARPER
The people who should see WILL & HARPER will most likely skip it. However, I encourage them to take the chance and stop at “Dunkin Donuts” with Will Ferrel. Watching him become an ally to Harper throughout the process is inspiring. His curiosity to understand her “why” with an open mind is what we should all be doing in America.
9. CONCLAVE
CONCLAVE was moving along like an Oscar-bait suspense thriller, and then that ending happened. This is one of the top-ten twist endings of all time, and I give even more kudos to the marketing team, which has kept the ending a secret from audiences. Go in knowing as little as possible for this Oscar-darling.
8. EMILIA PEREZ
When I thought PEREZ was a shoo-in to win big at the Oscars, all the backlash happened. Whether that criticism is unjust is not up to me. What’s within my control is to empower this story of love that’s an F.U. to masculinity. It’s beautifully complicated in all the right ways only director Jacques Audiard could make. I still can’t shake its haunting music, themes, dance numbers, and, most importantly, the lead performances. Karla Sofía Gascón is superb (just don’t look at her past tweets), Zoe Saldana delivers the best performance of her career, and Selena Gomez reminds us that she can sing and dance.
7. NICKEL BOYS
NICKEL BOYS is a flawed masterpiece that will remind audiences of early Terrance Malick (BADLANDS), David Gordon Green (ALL THE REAL GIRLS), Richard Linklater’s heady-WAKING LIFE, or my favorite 2012 film by Benh Zeitlin, BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD. Each of those directors crafted unique visions that challenged audiences outside of the conceptual norms for how to tell a cinematic story. The biggest compliment I can give RaMell Ross is he is now on the shortlist of directors who have reinvented the language of cinema in ways I’ve only seen a handful of directors do. NICKEL BOYS is that revolutionary.
6. HIT MAN
HIT MAN should’ve been a theatrical hit, man. It has the coolness and darkness of OUT OF SIGHT and the hilarity of a Coen Brothers movie. It’s all held together by the underrated leading man Glenn Powell and a star-making performance by Adria Arjona. Since Linklater makes hang movies, he can have Powell and Arjona play off each other to become two characters you want to spend more time with. I couldn’t get enough of their chemistry, the twists and turns of the plot, and just how much damn fun it was to watch them for a couple of hours.
5. STRANGE DARLING
I went into STRANGE DARLING with zero idea what it was about and left wanting to know everything. It’s rare for any film to surprise me emotionally, and that’s what STRANGE DARLING did. It takes all the elements that I love about its genre and puts them in the “deep freeze,” only for them to come out with something original. Kudos to the director JT Mollner and his cast, including an award-worthy performance from Willa Fitzgerald and “demonic” acting from Kyle Gallner as The Demon.
If “no means yes,” then I’m saying that no, STRANGE DARLING isn’t one of the year’s best films.
4. PIECE BY PIECE
PIECE BY PIECE takes two of my favorite things (music and LEGO) and turns it into one of the most original biopics in recent years (outside of BETTER MAN of course). It’s an uplifting universal story that should’ve been nominated for best documentary.
3. MY OLD ASS
MY OLD ASS is more profound than what audiences going to see it will expect. I went into it thinking I would laugh, only to leave with the hope and enlightenment of a BEFORE SUNRISE-light type of movie. In other words, this is a classic tear-jerker about love that is insightful as much as it’s entertaining. And that all hinges on the two lead performances from Aubrey Plaza and Maisy Stella. Both are superb in this mushroom trip gone right coming-of-age story.
The Tl;dr: MY OLD ASS is a gem that’s worthy of audiences time, even if they can’t get it back.
2. THE WILD ROBOT
Animated films about robots (THE IRON GIANT, WALL-E) remind us what it means to be human. Where THE WILD ROBOT escapes its “programming” is by teaching audiences the joys and hardships of being a parent. Because the film knows how to tug at the heartstrings of parents and kids, it will become a classic that future generations enjoy.
THE WILD ROBOT is movie magic. It’s timeless. And I cannot wait to return to it repeatedly, read the books, and share this with my kid when he’s old enough.
1. BETTER MAN
BETTER MAN is a f*cking bananas musical biopic of everyone’s favorite bad boy musician – Robbie Williams. Every ounce of me wanted BETTER MAN to be a smash hit. It turns the standard musical biopic genre upside down by sticking a monkey in the middle. Audiences should let Michael Gracey be their “Rock DJ,” and in return, they will see “Something Beautiful” in my favorite musical, biopic, and film of 2024.
