2024 didn’t feel like a major year in terms of cinema releases. There is still a recovery going on two years after the pandemic loosened its grip on the ability to go out and see films but, with the bonus of a writer and actors strike last year, a member of high profile films were shunted to the 2025 release schedule. That and the absence of the usual Marvel output (bar Deadpool) meant that there was an opportunity for other films to step up and make their mark. Looking back it should not have been a surprise that the summer movie slate featured so many films that just didn’t fire up the public. The fact that there was a half a billion dollar difference in box office receipts between the number one film and the number ten film in the summer perfectly encapsulated the issue. People are becoming more cautious with spending their hard-earned cash on something that might be just OK. It is far more economical just to wait three to four weeks and watch a film on a streamer, in the comfort of your own home, for a fraction of the cost of a cinema trip. With the greater turnover of cinema releases allowed some smaller films to get a run resulting in more exposure and in my case, entries in my top films of the year.
This year there are no superhero films featured on my list, although a mention of the much maligned Kraven the Hunter is due. Not quite making the list, it was a far better film than predicted. Stories of script changes and the publicised delays didn’t dent the enjoyment of the movie for me. If this marks the end of the current run of Spider-Man adjacent films from Sony then at least it didn’t go out with a whimper. Other notable films that are worth mentioning in passing include The Bikeriders, It’s What’s Inside, Monkey Man, and Longlegs.
10 The Room Next Door
Given Pedro Almodovar’s stature in cinema, the first question that came to mind when it was announced that he was making an English language film was why? It certainly piqued my interest to see just what he would do. Given that his storytelling prowess is well established it was intriguing to see what would the finished product would be like. With a limited cast list and a story of two friends reconnecting after several years apart, the film was a beautiful study of female friendship, the passing of time, illness, and assisted suicide. The majority of the film was a series of conversations between the two leads, Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore. It was the type of film that makes you lean in a little closer to take in as much as possible, as the relationship between the two women unfolds in a naturalistic way.
9 Love Lies Bleeding
Kristen Stewart continued her post Twilight journey through cinema with this exceptional neo-noir tale of bodybuilding, small-town corruption, and a family at war with themselves. Set in a run-down gym in the early nineties, a young woman who is passing through town on her way to a Las Vegas bodybuilding competition gets involved with just about every member of the family who runs the town and by design or otherwise changes everything. It is a terrific thriller that gets to the point quickly and doesn’t let up. For a film to be seedy, sexy, and intriguing in equal measure while having the threat of violence always in the background makes for an excellent watch. Look out for a spectacular hair performance from Ed Harris in a film that displays some haircuts for the ages.
8 Abigail
I went into Abigail with so little in the way of expectations. That it was so good, and one of the first major highlights of the year was a genuine surprise. On paper, a film about a kidnapping that goes wrong in a horrible way isn’t anything new. The execution of the idea made it something unique. There is a beautifully crafted build-up with the almost botched kidnapping of the daughter of a wealthy industrialist. Holed up in a mansion for twenty-four hours, the kidnapping crew, all strangers before the job, start to realise that all is not what it seems and they are the ones that are in serious trouble. The first forty minutes of the film are very good but in an instant, the film switches to high gear and never lets up from there. I can guarantee that you will not see a film with more blood this year.
7 Conclave
All hail the return of the mid-budget drama. For a long time, studios have been unwilling to finance films in the bracket of up to forty million dollars. They generally deem this to be a market not worth investing in given the probable low returns. So, it was nice to see Edward Berger taking on Conclave as his follow-up to the award-winning war drama, All Quiet On The Western Front. Based on the Robert Harris book of the same name, the film is in essence the process of electing a new Pope. The film is pretty much a series of conversations between old men in nice rooms. That description is a disservice to the film as it is a tale of intrigue, deceit, and drama. Ralph Fiennes gives one of the best performances of his career as the Cardinal in charge of the Conclave and ensuring that the outcome is fair and beyond question. Slow-moving at times to build tension, it is a superb piece of cinema.
6 Alien: Romulus
Just when you thought that the Alien franchise was done, along comes Fede Alvarez to breathe (sorry!) new life into it. Set just after the events of the first film, the remains of the Nostromo are transported to a Wayland-Yutani space station above the Jackson colony with the inevitable results. On the colony Rain, her synth ‘brother’ Andy and her friends are looking for a way off the planet, and the lure of the now abandoned space station allows them to gather equipment to take them far away from their subservient existence. It is the world-building and the team dynamic that initially impresses but once the team encounters the xenomorph and Andy changes unexpectedly, the film hits its peak. The inventive set pieces and strong performances elevate what could have been just another Alien movie. It gives you more than enough action to want more and that is not something that could be said about the franchise in some time.
5 Late Night With The Devil
I had pretty much convinced myself that I wouldn’t enjoy Late Night With The Devil. A low-budget horror film that relies on the found footage concept to get across its point. Surely that approach has been beaten to death by now? Not in this case. The film takes these tired tropes and weaves something special from them. The film tells the story of the broadcast of a Halloween special of a nineteen seventies chat show that goes horribly wrong. The show has been in decline for some time and as a ratings-grabbing idea, the producers program a show filled with odd, sinister, and possibly evil guests. What makes the film so compelling is the way it is constructed. It starts in a documentary style using the footage from the show as the basis for retelling the story. Intercut with is footage is behind the scenes work filmed during the commercial breaks. The contrasts between the on and off-screen segments drive the film and increase the tension. It is a steady build which ensures that you cannot take your eyes off the screen as there is so much going on in a very subtle way.
4 Anora
Sean Baker returned this year with another slice of life drama that centered on the people who inhabit the margins of society. In this case, he focuses on two weeks in the life of an exotic dancer who meets a young Russian man, spends some exclusive time with him, gets married, and has to face the consequences as the family of the young man trying to get the marriage annulled. The film starts quite literally with a bang as we meet Anora, or Ani as she prefers, in the club where she works. To a dance remix of a Take That tune, the camera shows the world she inhabits in all its seedy glory. This sets the tone for the entire film which involves blundering mobsters, party animals, Russian Oligarchs, and every determined woman who has to fight for herself every single day. The film is funny, sad and tense. Sometimes in a single scene. The whole film is held together quite brilliantly by Mikey Madison in the title role. Just about every scene in the film revolves around her and her screen presence is magnetic.
3 Dune: Part 2
In my opinion, one of the few films that has warranted being split into two parts. The story is so big and intricate that constricting it into a single three-hour movie would be doing a disservice to the story. The second film expects that you have seen the first one as it dives right into the story without so much as a recap. This is a bold choice as I’m sure the pressure would have been there to have some sort of a recap. That it doesn’t is the mark of the control that Denis Villeneuve had on the production. A mix of sweeping landscapes political machinations, love, and epic fight scenes, the film delivers on the expectation created by Part One. Once again, Timothee Chalamet leads a stellar cast with additions of Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, and Christopher Walken to the already impressive ensemble. News that a third installment, covering the second book in the series, is in production is a testament to the impact that Part Two had.
2 Heretic
For me, 2024 horror films stood out more than any other for their intelligence, variety, and enjoyment. It is no surprise that they feature in the best films I have seen this year. Heretic is the perfect example of a film that takes a limited budget, top acting talent, and a premise that seems promising and then delivers something truly superb. Two young Mormon missionaries call on an older man living at the edge of town to spread the good word about their beliefs. What they encounter is a rather odd man who is all too eager to discuss religions. That is pretty much the first hour of the film. Basically a three hander set in two rooms. It is the casting of Hugh Grant that makes it work as well as it does. He has been stretching himself in recent years, taking on roles that are some distance from the bumbling Englishman type he is so famous for. Here, he is creepy in a very benign way. It is the whole look that puts you on edge with the rather dowdy appearance, especially the over large glasses, and a manner that oozes intelligence and evil. It is a quite brilliant performance of a movie that is of the highest quality.
1 The Substance
I was an admirer of Coralie Fargeut after I saw her 2017 thriller, Revenge. Her follow-up has been some time in the making but it was worth it. The substance is by some distance the best film I have seen this year. The film blew me away when I had the chance to see it on the big screen. Demi Moore is a washed-up TV fitness personality and after being fired and getting involved in a car accident, she is introduced to The Substance. This is a chance to create a better, younger version of herself. Of course, some rules come with this. The better version and the principal have to co-exist with each having seven days awake while the other sleeps. As you would expect, things do not go to plan and the two versions have issues with each other leading to a third act that is not the easiest to describe. The term brave is used liberally to describe all manner of performances but I believe the term does apply here. If this film was not the success it became it could easily have spelled the end of Demi Moore’s career. She is magnificent here. It is a performance that puts everything on the screen. I know of very few major actors who would trust a director so much that they would agree to quite such a graphic birthing scene when Margaret Qualley forces her way out of the back of Demi Moore. It is horrific and spellbinding at the same time. Not something you will forget in a hurray
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