Top 50 Movies of 2024
I'm back again for the second annual Maxwell’s Movie Corner’s Top 50 movies of last year. I watched 127 - 2024 releases. This year, many more films left me uninspired, but there were a few that I loved.
50. Last Summer – Catherine Breillat
49. Between the Temples – Nathan Silver
48. All We Imagine As Light – Payal Kapadia
47. Love Lies Bleeding – Rose Glass
46. His Three Daughters – Azazel Jacobs
45. The Beast – Bertrand Bonello
44. Snack Shack – Adam Rehmeier
43. Conclave – Edward Berger
42. Janet Planet – Annie Baker
41. In a Violent Nature – Chris Nash
40. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – George Miller
39. The Substance – Coralie Fargeat
38. It’s What’s Inside – Greg Jardin
37. National Anthem – Luke Gilford
36. Late Night with the Devil – Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes
35. Trap – M. Night Shyamalan
34. MaXXXine – Ti West
33. Didi – Sean Wang
32. Inside Out 2 – Kelsey Mann
31. Nosferatu – Robert Eggers
30. September 5 – Tim Fehlbaum
29. Better Man – Michael Gracey
28. Oh, Canada – Paul Schrader
27. The Order – Justin Jurzel
26. The Apprentice – Ali Abbasi
25. Kneecap – Rich Peppiatt
24. Hard Truths – Mike Leigh
23. The Wild Robot – Chris Sanders
22. V/H/S/Beyond – Jay Cheel, Jordan Downey, Virat Pal, Justin Martinez, Christian Long, Justin Long, & Kate Siegel
21. The Seed and the Sacred Fig – Mohammad Rasoulof
20. A Real Pain – Jesse Eisenberg
Yes, Kieran is very good. Nevertheless, if you’ve seen Succession, he isn’t doing anything we have not seen. Jesse Eisenberg took me aback, not just with the writing but his full range acting. So many writers attempt their version of Woody Allen, which I thought this might be. However, Jesse makes it wholly his own.
19. I’m Still Here – Walter Salles
It's very honest; no filmmaking flourishes. We experience the events as they play out and affect the family. Spending so much time early with the family is a great choice; we learn to care about them. Fernanda Torres conveys so much with just a glance.
18. Juror #2 – Clint Eastwood
At 93, this very well could be Clint’s final film, or not. If you haven’t heard of this film, maybe you have by now since it’s been plopped on Max, here is the conceit: A man is on the jury of a murder he may have committed. Intrigued? Watch it on Max! It deserved a better release plan.
17. Woman of the Hour – Anna Kendrick
Anna Kendrick, coming in hot as a director. Taking a true story, she changed certain aspects to help tell the story she wanted to tell, never losing the horror or sensationalizing the true aspects. I cannot wait to see what she does next.
16. I Saw the TV Glow – Jane Schoenbrun
Ever watch something you loved as a kid and realized it sucked? We’ve all been there. New filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun used this idea to tell a trans experience story in one of the best Lynchian-style films not from David Lynch. Another exciting new filmmaker.
15. The Bikeriders – Jeff Nichols
What’s better than this? Guys being dudes. A hangout movie of the Biker culture from the 1950s and 60s. The smartest move Jeff Nichols does is morphing this from the 1950s style biker films to the exploitation style biker films of the 1960s. Plus, the ending is one of the best of last year.
14. Hit Man – Richard Linklater
A sharp script with a movie star performance by Glenn Powell. Along with a stellar performance by Adria Arjona and an amazing supporting one by Austin Amelio. It’s one of the smartest and most fun times I had watching a movie this year. In addition, it probably has the best uses of a smartphone in a film to date.
13. Longlegs – Osgood Perkins
Marketing of a film can be annoying; this was a perfect example. I went in expecting the scariest movie to date and was left underwhelmed. Upon rewatching, I found that this isn’t supposed to be terrifying.
Yes, at parts, but this is a darkly comedic film about a man who becomes too into 1970s Rock. Alicia Witt gives a performance I didn’t know she had in her.
12. Rebel Ridge – Jeremy Saulnier
A sharp script inspired by the real events of small-town police departments utilizing asset forfeiture to take money from citizens. A real issue in this country. Aaron Pierre proves he has what it takes to be our next great action star. As well as giving a complex and layered performance, I have never seen code-switching used to such effect.
11. Flow – Gints Zilbalodis
I really liked The Wild Robot this past year. That being said, Flow does what The Wild Robot does but without dialogue. Watching a group of different animals work together to survive a flood. It’s beautiful to look at, and the score is perfect, helping to tell the story and convey emotion.
10. Dune: Part Two – Denis Villeneuve
Denis Villeneuve wasn’t nominated for directing either Dune film. Instead, Jacques Audiard was nominated for Emilia Perez…All you have to do is watch the Shai-Hulud scene to understand why Denis should be competing for Best Director. One of the best theater experiences of last year.
09. Civil War – Alex Garland
You may not have liked the story that Alex Garland told, but you cannot say this is a bad movie. In fact, it’s one of the best-directed and technically sound films of 2024. Holds up on a rewatch. just a bad choice to have rewatched this on November 6th.
08. The First Omen – Arkasha Stevenson
I’ve never been a big fan of the original Omen. So, I had pretty low expectations of this prequel from a filmmaker I had never heard of. But I was surprised that this film is not only better than the first but was one of the best of 2024. I’m an Arkasha season ticket holder now.
07. Challengers – Luca Guadagnino
Reznor and Ross’s score not getting in at the Oscars should be a crime. It’s their best since The Social Network. This film is deliciously fun, Josh O’Connor is perfect as the sleaze ball of the century. He should also be winning the Supporting Actor race.
06. Evil Does Not Exist – Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Ryusuke’s follow-up to his multiple Oscar-nominated film Drive My Car is another contemplative film. With half the runtime instead of grief, this film focuses on a small-town community and how things can disrupt these dynamics. It also has one of the best endings of the year.
05. Red Rooms – Pascal Plante
Indelible imagery, some images from this film I will never forget. The central performance of Juliette Gariepy is a masterclass in reticence. You never know her next move or her motivations. In weaker hands, this character would feel flat. But Juliette is perfect at fleshing out this character, we learn what she wants us to know.
04. Anora – Sean Baker
Sean Baker pulled off a magic trick. Anora is equally intoxicating as it is depressing. The American dream is not just one rich person away. For most, it’s never coming. Mikey Madison proved me wrong. I hadn’t liked her performances until now, and I am now a fan.
03. Sing Sing – Greg Kwedar
The most vulnerable film of 2024. It will make you cry, not because it is deeply upsetting. But because it’s so vulnerable, it will bring your walls down and burrows its way into your heart. A film to show that not every person behind bars is a monster. They’re humans capable of change.
02. Nickel Boys – RaMell Ross
Based on the novel of the same name by Colson Whitehead. After the credits started I knew instantly that this was a new essential film, important to be seen by everyone. It’s rare to get a film this special and crucial. Like our generations Do the Right Thing.
01. The Brutalist – Brady Corbet
Everything you’ve heard from every annoying cinema fanboy is accurate. It only cost 10 million dollars. The Vistavision is staggering, and the performances are amazing (especially Brody).
It’s one of the few films I had to go back to the theater and see again. I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind. It’s ambitious and a kind of film we just don’t get anymore; in that sense, it is special.
