My Top 10 Best Films of 2024

I honestly think 2024 was a very great year for cinema. But there is a catch to that statement. 2024 had a lot of huge films that came out that were successful but some of these films didn’t do well in the box office and yet they were really incredible films. In other cases some films were only in theaters for a short run and were critically praised and found their success on streaming services. 2024 will go down as a great year for film but I think in the future it will be talked about in a way where we should appreciate it more. I took my time with deciding which films belonged on this list to what films I truly enjoyed and loved this year. There were a lot of films that I watched that I actually loved but in certain ways. I don’t want to give too much away as it will spoil the list. I didn’t see every single film this year due to either not being interested in the film or just because I haven’t gotten to it. This list was kind of hard to make as I was fighting for many films to be on here but had to sacrifice some in the honorable mentions. I was so close to including Daft Punk’s Interstella 5555 as I saw the film in theaters and had a great experience but the film didn’t come out this year so I couldn’t include it. I wanted to make this list very genuine, like I do with all the lists I make. But this one needed to feel more genuine as I had to actually sit down and think of what I thought were the best, which films left me with a great feeling and which films had me actually clap and express my gratitude in the end. These are those films and some mild spoiler warning as I might get into that territory. This is year 5 of us doing this list and I couldn’t be more proud. So without further ado, lets countdown my Top 10 Best Films of 2024.

10. Terrifier 3 – I’m starting off this list with a very controversial pick so to anyone who has a problem with it well I’ll met my man Art the Clown take care of your opinion. This independent slasher flick has left an impact to not only the horror community but the independent film community. Not only did it come in number 1 in the box office in its first week in theaters, beating out the biggest film to come out that week of Joker Folie a Deux, but it became the highest grossing unrated film ever, reaching over $89 million. Now that we covered how successful it was it’s time to say why I have it on this list. I’m a freak when it comes to horror movies and fuck did this movie let the freak out in me. Every kill was masterful and grotesque. Art the Clown is a icon in the horror community now and David Howard Thorton in this film was incredible as his role of Art the Clown. Lauren LaVera was incredible in her role as Sienna as this time we get to see a more dramatic role out of her as this film is set a few years after the events of Terrifier 2 so the anti needed to be up a bit and Damien Leone went through the roof with this one. The acting in this film, it’s no Oscar buzz acting but it was very impressive; especially with some scenes with Lauren LaVera as she carries the acting with the trauma her character has with Art the Clown. The gore once again was amazing and if you are squeamish then this film is not for you. I loved the chainsaw bathroom scene and of course everyone’s most remembered scene with Victoria and Art in the abandoned house where Victoria takes a shard of glass and …..the less you know might be the better as it is very disgusting and full of gore. I loved this movie and I honestly think it’s one of the best movies of the year. This is a film I was fighting for to keep on this list and  I had to sacrifice many good films but my love for Art the Clown and this franchise needed to be shared and this film needs more appreciation.

9. Saturday Night – Saturday Night Live has been a fixture in television since 1975 when it first premiered on NBC and this film was a great biopic that told the story of what went on before the cameras began to role in Rockefeller. Gabrielle LaBelle, learn the name and get used to the name, his performance as Lorne Michaels was incredible. He was amazing in the Fablemans but he really stood out in this film and made himself a future household name in Hollywood. As for the rest of the cast I think they were also incredible. Corey Michael Smith played Chevy Chase very well and honestly for a second I felt like he was actually a young Chevy Chase so it was very believable. Dylan O’Brien’s performance as Dan Akroyd was spectacular and then there was Nicholas Braun as both Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson, just mind fucked and amazed on how well he did. Now I thought the film as a whole was incredible as I love how it’s edited and how well the camera work is throughout the film. I also love the costume designs as each character looks like the actual person. I truly was thinking I was watching a young Chevy Chase and John Belushi at one point because they looked very believable and plus they did the roles really well for the film. I think this film did justice for SNL as it told its story for its first night very well and I found more respect in SNL as back then it had to been hard to put together a live telecast of a comedy show with skits and not much time to put everything together. This was a really incredible film that didn’t do well at the box office as it came out for a limited time but also Sony didn’t market the movie very well so not a lot of people knew about the film. Plus there were so many huge films that were out during its run from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice to The Wild Robot so it wasn’t getting huge traction. That’s why I want to give it its due and express how much I recommend this movie as I feel like you all would enjoy and have a great time watching the film.

8. Late Night with The Devil – This film did so amazing in film festivals in 2023 that it got a theatrical release in 2024 and while it wasn’t a box office success, it found its success from streaming and also word to mouth as many film lovers and horror fans were talking about this movie. Late Night with The Devil is a film that makes you feel like you are watching a broadcast of a 1970’s late night television talk show. David Dastmalchian just takes over this whole film and puts on a huge performance. The film’s horror is used pretty well here as the built up tension from beginning to end were incredible. In a film where a talk show host wants to bring himself back in the glory days of his show and save its ratings; but in order to do so he brings in a medium and a possessed 13 year old girl. If that doesn’t say hey I’m in for a good time then I don’t know what would. The film also makes you think by the ending of this film of what was actually real and not real as you can make two perspectives for the movie. I also love how we go back from the “telecast” to behind the scenes and in those behind the scene scenes the color is in black and white and the tension is built even more. The possessed girl in this film really did it for me with the tension too as there were times where I thought madness was about to happen and had me a bit frightened. I think the film did well with having you on the edge of your seat and making you think what is going to happen next and what’s real and not real. Plus it did leave me shook at one point and if a horror movie can leave me shook then you know it’s doing its job right at being a good horror movie but also its leaving me with an impression that I can’t forget. I think this film 10 years down the line will heavily be talked about and become more beloved as it did in 2024 but I think it will be heavily appreciated more in the future.

7. Inside Out 2 – Pixar knew that making this movie would lead to everyone wonder; is this a cash grab film to make a billion dollars for the company? And in the end I knew it wasn’t and others followed but in the end this film was a needed sequel. The 1st Inside Out taught us about our emotions and how we need to have all types of emotions to go on with our day. Some are sad, some are angry but then you have the moments where you are sad but that moment in time when you think about it will bring joy into your life. Inside Out 2 hits you with the puberty of our character but also the emotions that teenagers get when they are in the age of 13 to 16 and the biggest one of them all is Anxiety. Anxiety in this movie was really put together well by the filmmakers as they used her character as a way to not only make Riley feel the emotion but also the viewers watching the film. People that saw Inside Out back in 2015 are probably at this point graduating high school or going through the adult stages of life with college and adulting and credit where credit is due as I really felt this movie so much. As someone who had a hard time in school because of my ADHD but also with Anxiety, I understand how hard it must make someone feel and the pressure it puts you in. Hell even as an adult anxiety plays a role in my life as I’m constantly trying to do better but I have that one voice inside me that puts me into a spiral sometimes. I think the filmmakers make this bluntly clear in this film that this film is for everyone who is going through hardships as a teenager or even a young adult. We all go through anxiety in our life and how our emotions react to it makes us the person we become. This film brilliantly sets that goal and nails it perfectly. Sure I can talk about how amazing the voice cast/score/animation/story is but I think this one key element of the film does it enough. I loved this movie and felt a bit choked up at the theater watching the film because I know what Riley was going through and I know how much I deal with it still to this day in my everyday life. This was a beautiful film that knew what it was doing and knew its general audience. Plus $1.7 billion dollars in the box office, making it the highest grossing animated film ever is pretty sweet too. I actually want a third/final film for this franchise as I’m interested to see where the next story could go for Riley and all of her emotions.

6. Thelma – My experience for this movie was on a flight to Orlando and I honestly loved every minute of it. When I first saw the trailer for the film I was like this is going to be a very interesting movie and I was right. There were moments in this movie that had me dying of laughter like this was an unexpectedly funny film. June Squibb at 94 years old kills it in her first ever leading role. The entire cast in this film is incredible but June Squibb and even Richard Roundtree needs all the appreciation as they made this movie feel so genuine. This film also has such a great story that is based off of an actual event that happened to the director’s actual grandmother. The ending of this movie left me in actual tears and it wasn’t from laughing, it was genuine crying tears. I don’t want to give away the ending but I felt a kind of relatable moment with the grandson and Thelma so it touched my heart and I let out a few tears on the airplane. Did I expect that to happen with this sort of film, no, but I was happy that I did because I knew then and there that this movie would leave an impact for me. This is an independent film that did very well in the box office but I feel like could also do better on streaming platforms. At the time of me writing this it’s currently available on Hulu so I totally recommend giving it a watch. This was a very entertaining and fun film that left me with a wholesome feeling. I honestly think it needs more appreciation because not many people are talking about the film and I think they should because it’s funny and has a great story but also it has a deeper message that younger audience can learn a thing or two and older audiences will relate to in a very profound way.

5. Deadpool and Wolverine – The MCU needed Deadpool and Wolverine because let’s face it other than Spider-Man No Way Home and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the MCU is in shambles and a total makeover is needed. And I think it began with Deadpool and Wolverine. Of course I was going to love this movie; after all it had so many cameos that made a Marvel fan like myself happy but it had Deadpool and Wolverine together for the first time on the big screen. We don’t count that bullshit Wolverine Origins movie because that film never really happened in this universe. This film was everything I was hoping for and then some. Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman literally put this film on their back but I mean they weren’t the only thing that made this film spectacular. The action scenes were so incredible, the kills were great as expected, the soundtrack was amazing from Madonna’s Living like a Prayer to the opening title scene with Nysnc’s Bye Bye Bye. I guess you can say I truly loved this movie but it had so much more that I need to now say spoilers are ahead, but if you haven’t seen this movie at this point then sucks for you. Channing Tatum as Gambit!!!! Thank you Disney. Wesley Snipes is back as Blade, Disney is on a huge roll here. Chris Mother Fucking Evans as Johnny Storm, I’m literally wet. If there is one more huge character in here I might lose it. DOGPOOL!!!!! OMG SO PRECIOUS!!!!! Yeah I may have loved this film a little too much because It’s wet everywhere. All jokes aside I saw this movie 3 times in theaters. Of course that was all in a span of a week but hey nobody is perfect. This movie was phenomenal and I honestly can’t wait for a hopefully and possible another sequel to the Deadpool franchise. Yes this film was all nostalgia and fan fare but who gives a shit it’s still better than anything Sonyverse put out or that bullshit Crow movie or even that one clown movie DC and Warner Bros. put out…..I’m still bitter.

4. The Substance – So I gave this film a view and was like why is everyone saying that this is a body horror and sure enough I saw why. But this film is more than your average body horror. It is a cinematic film that tells a deeper story of loving yourself for who you are and for some other folks that have seen this movie it is about the damages of substance abuse; well that is a darker meaning of the film. This film grew on me actually as the more I thought about the film the more I started to like it. The acting in this movie was incredible as Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley destroyed all of my expectations and made me fall in love with them. I also love the sci-fi/psychological thriller vibe that is mixed into this movie. The practical effects need to be talked about because my goodness it was incredible. The make up in this move too was so incredible. I’m Oscar baiting this movie a bit but I mean it deserves it. What movie from this year can you think of that had very few exposure from marketing and yet found it’s calling from word to mouth so from there people became interested? Terrifier already had the hype as many people wanted to see the film and I’m pretty sure Better Man for the better half of this year is going to get this exposure as well because no one knows who Robbie Williams is but they will now after word of mouth about a film where a Chimpanzee becomes a rock star. I’m losing my train of thought here but my point here is The Substance was that movie. Everyone began talking about this movie which then led to others wanting to see what all the hype is about. For God sakes the film’s Wikipedia page is a mile long as it talks about each set design and effect. Without social media and word of mouth this film would had been a box office bomb that yes was still a good movie but nobody would know how good it truly is. The film is set to possibly get a huge amount of nominations including the big awards (Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Director and Best Picture) among other nominations like Hair and Make Up, Set Design, Visual Effects, etc. Body horror or not, this film is simply a cinematic phenomenon that if you haven’t seen by now then you probably should. But please be prepared for some gorey scenes.

3. Wicked – What is this feeling, so sudden and new? I felt this moment I laid eyes on you. That is probably the best way to describe how much I felt about Wicked because before seeing this film I wasn’t planning on seeing it in theaters as I’m not a huge Wicked the Musical fan and I honestly was just going to watch it on my laptop at home. But then my friend told me to go see it in theaters and so I did. And then I saw it again with many of my co-workers because it was so fucking beautiful. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, you don’t just deserve Oscar nominations, you deserve it all because my goodness they brought Elphaba and Galinda to life in this beautiful film. The whole cast honestly was amazing from Jonathon Bailey to Jeff Goldblum. The set design, cinematography, hair and make-up, visual effects and most of all the music were all beautiful and outstanding. Let’s talk about the music for a second because as I said before I wasn’t a fan of the musical but the movie kind of turned me more towards a somewhat fan and that’s mostly because of the music. The songs in this film all hit. Popular was a hit and a bop that I couldn’t get out of my head. Dancing through Life was a hit and I’m still wondering why it’s not as overplayed as Popular on Tik Tok. What is this Feeling is iconic and well then you have Defy Gravity…such an impactful song for this wonderful movie but also the musical itself. Now look this movie isn’t perfect as it does have tiny issues. I would have trimmed about 10 minutes and the lighting in some scenes was too bright and left too many shadows. Now these issues don’t ruin this movie at all because it was an extremely incredible film. I know some people are annoyed that there is going to be a 2nd part because they are nerds but I don’t have an issue with it. John M.Chu wants to tell his story of this musical and while he needed to stretch it a bit but hey it worked out in the end because everyone seems to love it and it’s one of the best films of 2024.

2. The Wild Robot – This was a very close race between 1 and 2 but either way both films are amazing films and The Wild Robot is one of those two films that were incredible cinematic masterpieces. The Wild Robot to me was the best animated film of the entire year. I knew this film was going to be a masterpiece the second I saw the trailer earlier in the year. My heart was touched by this film as the film is centered on this service robot who must adapt to her new surroundings on this island and while she adapts she begins a friendship with the wildlife around her and becomes an adoptive mother to a goose. The animation in this movie from beginning to end is sunning and the musical score really breaks through this animation as it gives it more depth and brings it’s animation to life. The voice cast is fantastic as well as Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, Catherine O’Hara, Ving Rhames and Matt Berry were all outstanding in the film. I got to give it to DreamWorks for this film as they have lately been on and off with their animated films but I’m very happy this one made it over the moon and was a huge home run. But there was something about the film that made me actually begin to tear up. I remember crying and letting out tears by the end of the movie and thinking how the fuck has DreamWorks done it again. They did it with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and now with The Wild Robot. But how have they done it? Beautiful storytelling; that is exactly how they did it. This was the last animated film to be animated by DreamWorks as they look to make their future films from outside vendors and to end it off with this perfect little movie was such a great way to have a little send off for your in house animators. All in all, The Wild Robot was perfection from beginning to end. I honestly wish I saw this movie in theaters like I planned on doing but I couldn’t find the time and that might be my biggest regret for this year when enjoying some of my favorite film of the year because I would had love to watch this beautiful animated film on the big screen because I bet it would had looked so gorgeous in IMAX or RPX.

1. Nosferatu - This isn’t a movie for everyone as most people will say they love this movie, others will say hey its pretty good and then you have the ones that say it’s an okay film and that’s okay. Everyone will have their own opinion but for me I think this film has a slight edge as the best film of the year and that’s only against The Wild Robot. Nosferatu was exactly what you thought it would be; scary and edge of your seat fear while also being a slow burning story that will make you wonder what is going to happen next. Now for many including myself your first introduction to Nosferatu was in that one episode of SpongeBob and for others they know him from the original film with the said name from 1922. It took 100 plus years for us to get another truly horrifying film and I’m not going to lie this film got me multiple times. It was a mixture of jump scares but also I mean it’s not hide the biggest elephant in the room as Bill Skarsgard didn’t just kill the role of Nosferatu, he became the role and scared the living piss out of me. Every time this man was on the screen you literally can feel his presence. His whole look was haunting and while he was literally a corpse walking among us, he also had a funny mustache that I couldn’t stop thinking of. That wasn’t a bad thing too as yes it’s a bit silly but he looks horrifying regardless of a mustache or no mustache. As far as the rest of the cast, every single person was incredible. Lily Rose Depp was so fucking fantastic in this film as she literally took her role as Ellen Hutter and killed it from beginning to end. Nicholas Hoult is amazing in any film he is in and I feel like this film I really got to see his acting chops as I’m used to seeing him as either a side character or a character that really didn’t have many lines like in Warm Bodies or Mad Max Fury Road. He really proved himself in this film and of course someone who needs no introduction to their acting is Willem Dafoe as the man as always was perfection. While the acting as amazing, everything else about this film was just as amazing. The cinematography was breath taking, the musical score was intense but also satisfying, the makeup and effects was beautiful and the horror; so much aura for the horror. Every little detail in this movie was perfection. And honestly like I said before you may love it or you may just think it’s okay; one thing we can all agree on is that Robert Eggers took this IP and made it his own and then some. He knew the assignment had to be perfect and in my eyes this assignment gets an A+. 

Honorable Mentions:

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – While the film didn’t perform well in the box office, the film itself was a really good film that had great action and some pretty cool cinematic shots. The acting was really good and I really enjoyed the score. It’s nowhere as perfect as Mad Max Fury Road but it’s a great addition to the Mad Max Saga.

The Fall Guy – This was the Barbie/Oppenheimer crossover we truly needed. Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt have such great chemistry together and this film was action pack from great action scenes to very comedic moments. I also loved the cinematography in the film and the soundtrack was very awesome as well.

A Quiet Place: Day One – A Quiet Place franchise might be one of my favorite horror franchises as each film seems to be as equally as good as the others. Great acting in this film and incredible visual effects are what make this movie spectacular. I also love that we went back to the first day these creatures invaded as yes it wasn’t a want or need but it was a very great addition to the Quiet Place franchise.

Now while these three films were my main honorable mentions I do want to mention some films I really liked and the part I liked about them that could have put them on this list. I thought IF was a very fun film that had great visual effects for the imaginary friends but also I loved the story.  I left the theater with a couple tears being shed but that’s only because I connected with the movie’s characters. Mufasa: The Lion King Story was pretty entertaining in my opinion. I thought the CGI was really good and I was so happy that they gave these animals more emotions. Most of all I loved the music in the film. I also want to give Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes some love as while I feel like it wasn’t as great as the 2010’s Planet of the Apes trilogy, I still think it’s a good sequel to the films. It has some cool character moments and the CGI was amazing as always. Kind of want to see more with this franchise so here’s hoping the next one is a whole lot better.