Last year, I went out of my way to see as many new movies as possible. I ended up seeing more movies in theaters than I had any year before. I wanted to send off my 2024 cinematic journey by counting down my favorite films from last year. Now, there are some big movies from last year that I have not seen yet, so the list is subject to change. However, I feel very strongly about these 10 amazing films. Before we jump in, I would like to list off a few honorable mentions (in no particular order):

        Honorable Mentions

1. Abigail: The horror gem that got me to watch more horror gems.
2. Sonic the Hedgehog 3: An absolute joy, especially as a Sonic fan
3. Wicked: A stunning musical with two amazing leads
4. Kill: An intense and brutally violent action flick that never bores
5. Your Monster: Utterly charming mix of comedy, romance and horror
6. Flow: Beautiful animation with a show-and-do-not-tell storyline
7. Fancy Dance: Lovely drama with Oscar nominee Lily Gladstone
8. Nosferatu: Disturbing vampire horror at its finest
9. Saturday Night: Sharp bio with the best pacing of a movie this year
10.  Thelma: Heartwarming action-comedy with a 93-year-old woman.

With all these honorable mentions, time to get to the list.

Directed By: M. Night Shyamalan

Stars: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donoghue, Alison Pill, Hayley Mills and Jonathan Langdon

This is probably my most controversial pick for my top 10, considering its divisive reaction from both critics and audiences. However, Trap became one of my favorite moviegoing experiences of 2024 for its absurdity and tense mind games. I particularly love Josh Hartnett’s acting range as Cooper/the Butcher with how he starts out as a fun-loving dad who jokes around and is revealed to be a pretty frightening serial killer. Hartnett has one of my favorite performances of the year and gives his character wells of depth, charm and ruthlessness.

Beyond that, the story here is a thoroughly entertaining cat and mouse game where Cooper tries everything to get out of the concert. He goes to great lengths to cause as many distractions and chaos as he can, but I love that when he reaches Lady Raven, she starts participating in the mind games too. It was a nice twist when I thought that Lady Raven was just here to perform music, but she ends up being a good role model for influencers by using her platform to help people.

Also, M. Night Shyamalan’s direction is slick, with how he builds up the tension in the concert and outside of it. The cinematography is beautiful and it highlights key details for the story and the characters. Particularly when Cooper is shown as the only person not raising the light on his phone during Lady Raven’s “Release”, since it’s a song where she states the lights are about forgiving. Not to mention, the movie is just funny. Like with the antics of Jonathan Langdon’s character or when the mother of Riley’s best friend tries to get the two girls together, only for the audience to find out why Riley does not hang out with her daughter; this is a delightfully silly movie.

Trap is far from perfect, but it surprised me with how much fun I had with it and how much I was invested in the mind games. I am proud to be a Trap truther!

Directed By: Rose Glass

Stars: Kristen Stewart, Katy O’Brian, Ed Harris, Dave Franco, Jena Malone and Anna Baryshnikov

What a cool title for a movie… Watching this movie months after it came out was like finding a hidden cinematic gem of 2024. Love Lies Bleeding is such a well-written romance story full of dark secrets, betrayal, crime and true love. This movie does not shy away from the pain love can cause both partners. This is a queer love story with a flawed couple who go to great lengths to protect each other even in the most dangerous of times. It also shows how just because someone is family, it does not mean we should respect them. Furthermore, Glass touches upon the dangers of drugs by showcasing the drug user’s POV of how their world is messed up and their personality changes for the worst.

The cast is phenomenal with Kristen Stewart killing it as Lou, who is harsh at times, but has a soft center. The star, however, is Katy O’Brien, who plays a morally complex bodybuilder with so much charisma. One performance that surprised me was seeing Dave Franco play such an unpleasant scumbag so well, making him pretty scary to watch. Ed Harris also shows a frightening dark side with his character that makes him a compelling character to watch.

I also love the way this movie looks. Ben Fordesman’s cinematography has that grimy, blood-red style with its color grading, making it feel like a throwback to a lot of older movies of this genre. Even the credits sequence looks dazzling with the silhouette making the movie end on a more memorable note. Love Lies Bleeding is such a satisfying movie to watch, both from a story and a technical perspective of what it does. 

Directed By: Luca Guadagino

Stars: Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist

I saw this one for Zendaya and it blew my expectations away. Challengers displays competitive nature at its finest. The story takes a love triangle and puts it in the scope of a tennis match. The result is a gripping, sexy and intense drama that exposes the flaws of the three main characters as these problems take over their careers. Also, the movie feels a lot shorter than it is because of its fast pacing which helps the story play out perfectly while remaining juicy and exciting.

Out of all the movies I have seen this year, this one has to be one of the most impressive technically. The editing is razor sharp in its ability to build the tension between two guys who used to be friends, the musical score by Trent Renzor and Atticus Ross is awesome with its techno beats and the cinematography by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom is very impressive with his sweeping camera work and intriguing composition of the shots in the film. One of my favorite shots of the year is seeing the match from the point of view of the tennis ball for several seconds. I never thought a movie could get me excited about Tennis, but here we are.

All three leads are excellent here. Zendaya shows a lot of range and charisma as Tashi Duncan while effortlessly playing a more vulnerable side with her morally ambiguous character. Tashi’s rant against Patrick is one of my favorite rants of the year. Josh O’Connor is great as Patrick who has a sense of calmness in his rivalry with Art, played by Mike Faist who is perfectly stoic while showing signs of unhappiness. We can even see how much more passionate both men were in their younger years, with O’Connor and Faist’s on-screen chemistry reflecting their friendship and enthusiasm. 

The best kind of movies are those that take me out of my comfort zone. Challengers did that and so much more with Luca Guadagino’s sharp direction.

Directed By: Sean Baker

Stars: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Lindsay Normington, Darya Ekamasova and Luna Sofia Miranda

I am so glad that I got a chance to see this movie in theaters. Anora is such a great combination of comedy, drama and romance led by a magnificent Mikey Madison. She plays Ani who is so charming and likable, but has a short temper that is a lot of fun to watch. Madison also has a lot of physically demanding moments where she looks absolutely exhausted. 

The story is like a Cinderella dream gone wrong. Ani is proposed to by a man who seems to really care about her and her life seems to be taking a turn for the better, but then she learns that Vanya is not the man she thought he was. It is hard to watch her go through so much, but the sequences searching for Vanya lead to some hilarious moments. The invasion scene where Ani is swearing at the people searching for Vanya is a riot to watch.

Beneath the comedy and erotic moments, the movie is a really sad look into how some people could care less about their partners when they get into trouble. No matter how hard one person wants to make a relationship work, it can all end with the other person if they don’t fight for their partner. This movie is not afraid to show off some of the more unsavory moments of romance, which makes the relationship between Ani and Vanya more compelling.

The supporting cast is awesome too with Yura Borisov being a standout as probably the friendliest henchman, Igor. Mark Eydelshteyn delivers a deceivingly charming side to Vanya as well as a slightly less savory side perfectly. Darya Ekamasova as Vanya’s ice cold mother only has a few scenes, but had a frightening presence each time that always brought with it a sharp tonal shift in the film. This cast looked like they had the time of their life filming while also taking their roles very seriously. Everyone here helped make this crazy romantic dramedy a joyride, engaging and enjoyable to watch. 

Directed By: George Miller

Stars: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Alyla Browne, Lachy Hulme, Charlee Fraser and George Shevtsov

I am still really sad about Furiosa doing so poorly at the box office. This prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road is not only an absolute blast to watch, but it makes Fury Road’s story even stronger. It shows how tough Furiosa truly is. We get to see how she became the woman we know from Fury Road in some of the coolest ways possible. In Fury Road, Furiosa has a mechanical arm and in this movie, the revelation how she lost her arm made my jaw drop on the floor. It is moments like this that make Furiosa such an awesome character.

On its own, Furiosa is just a spectacular action movie. There is a chase scene in this movie that goes on for 15 minutes and it is filled with awesome shootouts, cool parachute fighters, sweeping camera work and impressive stunts. During the action, there was never a clear winner because the combatants were constantly gaining and then losing the upper hand, making the fight and chase sequences more intense.

However, it is the climactic confrontation between Furiosa and Dementus that floored me. The amount of tension in that scene between the two is chilling especially with no music playing. This is a revenge-story at its best and most brutal while not holding back in the ruthless nature of the characters.

The cast is terrific too. Chris Hemsworth plays one of my favorite villains of the year with Dementus, who is insane, but has a lot of charisma and tragic moments without being too sympathetic. Anya Taylor-Joy nails Furiosa, especially in the climax, Alyla Browne is fantastic as young Furiosa, and even the supporting characters are very memorable. Seen in the performances of Tom Burke as Praetorian Jack and Charlee Fraser as Furiosa’s mom.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is a blast to watch, and while it bombed at the box office, I think history will look back on this movie very kindly.

Directed By: Chris Sanders

Stars: Lupita N’yongo, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Catherine O’Hara, Bill Nighy, Matt Berry, Stephanie Hsu, Ving Rhames and Mark Hamil

I got very lucky when I got to see this movie on my own in theaters alone. The Wild Robot is an amazing animated film with beauty inside and out. This movie has some of the prettiest visuals and animation I have ever seen and it backs them up with a terrific story about motherhood, survival and loneliness. This is a great comfort movie for anybody, but especially for mothers because this movie shows the challenges and rewards of motherhood.

However, what makes The Wild Robot so lovable and memorable are the wonderful characters. Roz is a sweet robot who slowly emotes more and more the longer she is on the island played beautifully by Lupita N’yongo and Brightbill, played by Kit Connor, is an adorable gosling who copies all of her mannerisms. There are a lot of great supporting characters who all contribute to the story as well as a diabolically cool villain played by Stephanie Hsu.

My favorite character is Fink the Fox voiced by Pedro Pascal. He is the perfect package of adorable, hilarious, sympathetic and fun to be around. This fox cracked me up one moment and made me feel sorry for him the next. Fink might just be my favorite character of the year.

Let us talk about the wonderful animation. The movement is so smooth and the expressions are so vivid taking full advantage of the animals’ traits. Chris Sanders excels at showing how dangerous and beautiful the island is through Roz’ perspective. The action scenes are highly entertaining and the soundtrack is fantastic with a great musical score by Kris Bowers and some great songs by Maren Morris such as “Kiss the Sky” and “Even When I’m Not”.

The Wild Robot is the perfect movie for a family movie night, but I think adults will love this movie as much as kids, if not moreso.

Directed By: Coralie Fargeat

Stars: Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid, Gore Abrams and Edward Hamilton-Clark

As the final movie I watched in 2024, The Substance had a lot of hype to live up to. It was every bit as good as I heard it was. I had no idea what kind of movie I was in for, but it is a horror flick that is as equally funny as it is depressing. This is campy body horror at its finest. The Substance “creates” better versions of a person and they need to take care of both versions of themselves. The last 30 minutes goes spectacularly hard with its gruesome energy, but it also makes for a compelling narrative of how Elisabeth Sparkle gets to that point. The makeup and prosthetics are horrifically phenomenal with its creative and creepy monster designs.

Demi Moore’s performance as Elisabeth Sparkle might just be my single favorite role of the year. Moore combines her impeccable body language, expressions and her bombastic line delivery in her angrier scenes to deliver a truly memorable character. Seriously, her rant about Sue is crazy to watch. Margaret Qualley as the aforementioned Sue is just as good with her charming presence and fantastic line delivery.

The movie is equally funny as it is depressing. There are a lot of hilarious moments in here, such as Demi Moore dragging Margaret Qualley around like a Looney Tunes character,  Moore mocking Qualley, and Dennis Quaid being a satirical sexist jerk. I cracked up at several points in this movie, almost making me forget how sad I found the story to be.

I expected the message of the movie to be about drug abuse with the title, but it is more about self-loathing and how self-destructive that can be. This movie’s message is very important because it encourages people to not let their insecurities control their lives. It is a great message that lies underneath a rather gory horror film.

The Substance makes me want to watch more body horror films and it also makes me excited for what Director Coralie Fargeat will do next. 

Directed By: Pablo Berger

Star: Ivan Labanda

Art Director:  José Luis Ágreda

Some movies can tell amazing stories without a single line of dialogue. Robot Dreams is an utterly magical animated flick that perfects the art of “show, don’t tell.” This movie manages to be so heartwarming and wholesome while being one of the biggest tearjerkers I have seen in a while, but not outright pessimistic. The last 10 minutes made for one of the biggest emotional rollercoasters of the year making me want to yell at the TV.

The friendship between Dog and Robot is simply infectious to watch. They have more chemistry than most movie stars do nowadays. Simply watching them skate-dance to Earth, Wind and Fire’s “September” warms my heart on a spiritual level. Also, the robot humming that song makes my heart melt even further. Their bond makes watching their separation even more heart wrenching.

I love the animation here too. The movie has beautiful hand-drawn 2D animation that looks smooth and crisp. Also, the art direction is very creative with great shot compositions from a simple scene of Dog watching tv by himself to an elaborately funny The Wizard of Oz Parody. This movie uses its visuals to say a lot about the characters and what emotions they are going through, making the visuals compliment the story in a compelling way. That’s not even getting into the cool details the animators put in the film, such as Dog wagging his tail and Robot using his mouth to help a bird fly.

Directed By: Jane Schoenbrun

Stars: Justice Smith, Jack Haven, Ian Foreman, Helena Howard and Fred Durst

I am flabbergasted at the low IMDB score for this movie. I Saw the TV Glow is one of the most unique films I have seen. It combines horror and drama to create a movie about the dangers of never changing. It is about two people who watch a TV show call “The Pink Opaque,” which they really enjoy and can relate to. One of them claims that they are the characters in the show and they need to embrace their change. I am not an expert on transgender symbolism in film, but after reading about director Jane Schoenbrun’s experience coming out as transgender, I can see how this movie could be their way of showing the consequences of not transitioning or accepting your identity.

On the surface, I Saw the TV Glow is just a great deconstruction of the comfort of nostalgia with some terrifying imagery and moments. Owen’s journey through the whole film shows how he clings onto his life without taking any risks and how that breaks him. It is heart wrenching to watch. It honestly made me think about my situation and whether I am too fixated on the things that I am nostalgic for.

On a technical level, I Saw the TV Glow has the best cinematography of any film of the year, in my opinion. Eric K. Yue’s work here is magnificent with several great tracking shots, immaculate lighting, beautiful composition and colors that pop perfectly. I love the production design too, especially with “The Pink Opaque” reminding me of old spooky shows I watched as a kid. I think the movie is worth watching for its visuals alone.

Performance-wise, Justice Smith delivers his best performance to date as Owen capturing the awkwardness and tics of a shy kid who struggles socially. His expressions show a lot about Owen as a character too, without him even saying a lot on screen. Jack Haven as Maddy is just as memorable, especially their monologue about being in the Midnight Realm which is a legendary scene both narratively and visually. These two performances are some of the most overlooked of last year.

Actually, I Saw the TV Glow, in general, is one of the most overlooked films of 2024. There are not many films that make me think about my current situation, but this is one of them

Directed By: Denis Villeneuve

Stars: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler, Rebecca Ferguson, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Josh Brolin, Christopher Walken, Javier Bardem and Stellan Skarsgård

There is no other movie that came out last year that captured the magic of movies for me than Dune: Part Two. I was thoroughly entertained, engaged, and wowed by this masterpiece from Denis Villeneuve. I still think of seeing the scene where Paul Atredies rides the sandworm for the first time as one of my favorite moments in any movie in a theater because it felt like I was part of the experience. There are so many scenes like that which make me glad that I still go to the movies.

The story matches its brilliant visuals and cinematography with a prophecy-story turning out wrong. This movie dives more into the flaws of Paul Atredies and the reasons why he should not be worshipped as the savior the Fremen recognize him as. His relationship with Chani is amazingly showcased with Chalamet and Zendaya’s chemistry shining. The last act of the movie sent chills down my spine and they did not go away until the credits finally rolled.

I heard Austin Butler was gonna play as Feyd-Rautha, but if I did not know before seeing the film, I would not have recognized him. Butler completely transforms into this ruthless villain who can kill easily, but has a weird sense of honor. Feyd-Rautha instantly became one of the most memorable movie villains of recent memory, just from the arena scene alone. Every scene with this guy drips with tension and I still cannot get the arena scene out of my head.

I could go on and on about this movie: The larger than life action set pieces, the final duel between Paul and Feyd, the terrific Timothee Chalamet who greatly improves from the first Dune, the outstanding musical score by Hans Zimmer, the intriguing world-building and the insane costume, makeup and set designs here; Dune: Part Two is the perfect cinematic package. This movie was nearly three hours long and I think I could have watched it for three more hours.

That is why Dune: Part Two is my favorite movie of 2024. 

Links to my reviews for these movies on Letterboxd:

Trap: https://boxd.it/784qp3

Love Lies Bleeding: https://boxd.it/84E5j3

Challengers: https://boxd.it/zld0

Anora: https://boxd.it/7PZo1p

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga: https://boxd.it/tABk

The Wild Robot: https://boxd.it/7qehuF

The Substance: https://boxd.it/8fQU5p

Robot Dreams: https://boxd.it/7lB0qn

I Saw the TV Glow: https://boxd.it/6GH3Dn

Dune: Part Two: https://boxd.it/5XIuxN