Top 10 Movies of 2024

The impossible task of choosing my favorite films of 2024

We have reached the end of 2024, and while there are still some unwatched films sitting in my inbox, it’s time for my top ten of the year. According to my Letterboxd account, I have watched 207 movies this year, most of which are first watches. This year has been a bit of a mixed bag, but the films I’ve enjoyed have stuck with me. Making these lists is always awful because once I start looking through them, I think of like 20 more than I loved. So, as usual, my top ten is mostly a collection of favorites, and the order is fairly arbitrary, depending on the day.

Honorable mentions:

• The Beekeeper—Maybe this should be a dishonorable mention? It’s definitely not a stunning piece of cinema, but I adored the throwback vibes of this action movie. Josh Hutcherson was an amazing, coked-up tech bro, and Jason Statham was perfection as the titular beekeeper. It is an entirely absurd movie, and I flat-out adored it. I can’t, in good conscience, put it in my actual top 10, but I would be remiss not to give it a shout-out. (Streaming on Prime Video)

  

• Scrambled–Pregnancy/fertility/choice was a huge theme in movies this year, but one of my favorites was Scrambled by writer, director, and star Leah McKendrick. I know Babes was the critical darling, and I did enjoy it, but for whatever reason, this one just resonated with me in a profound way. (Streaming on Hulu)

• Anora–Honestly, I’m still chewing on this. It is an impressively made film, and as I was watching, I was enjoying it in kind of a general way. But when the end came, it made me cry, which feels like maybe I did connect with it in a way I didn’t think I did? Anyway, it’s not my top 10, but it feels like it needs a mention. (In theaters and VOD)

• His Three Daughters–I know that we have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to Best Actress awards when no one from this gorgeous film is even in the conversation. As one of three sisters, His Three Daughters struck a chord with me. I loved the way that it portrayed adult relationships between siblings, and I really adored the interplay between the three actors. (Streaming on Netflix)

  

• Good One–When you’re one of the good ones, you don’t make a fuss when something bad happens. You just roll with it. That is the premise of this understated yet gorgeous debut film from India Donaldson. I love the performances, I love the story, I love the way it was shot. Quiet films like this can sometimes be a little too understated, but Good One is exceptional. (Available on VOD)

Top 10:

• Thelma–This may be recency bias since I just watched this, but Thelma is one of the most delightful movies you’re going to watch this year. I can’t think of many action spoofs that work, but this does, and so well. Plus, the mid-credit scene made me absolutely weep. Comedy is always hit or miss, but this is an absolute hit. (Streaming on Hulu)

• Challengers–It’s always a little weird when a movie I didn’t review anywhere shows up in my top ten, but that’s where we landed with Challengers. This is easily the sexiest movie I watched this year. Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor are all perfect, and the tension between them is exquisite. I love the time jump storytelling device. It’s just a fantastic watch. (Streaming on Prime Video)

  

• Late Night with the Devil–This was a fantastic year for horror, and one of my absolute favorites was this little indie movie with some entertaining, genuinely scary practical effects. It goes a little off the rails, and some of the behind-the-scenes stuff doesn’t super make sense (why are they allowing Very Private Conversations to be filmed?), but this one stuck with me in a way a lot of other movies didn’t. (Streaming on Hulu)

• How to Have Sex–This is such a provocative title, but it is, without a doubt, the best film I’ve ever seen on the topic of consent. It shows how tricky it is and how, even though it seems incredibly straightforward, it can be confusing, especially when you’re young. I saw this early this year, and I have thought about it often throughout the year. It is not to be missed. (Streaming on Mubi)

• Will & Harper–Honestly, there are almost certainly better documentaries released this year, but this is my favorite. I love how this film makes having a transgender friend incredibly accessible. It is funny, it is moving, it has an incredible song. And it manages to avoid being a cis savior movie. It’s ultimately a movie about friendship, and I think it is absolutely lovely. (Streaming on Netflix)

  

• The People’s Joker–If Will & Harper is a movie about trans folks for cis folks, The People’s Joker is a movie about trans folks for trans folks. What makes it remarkable is that it is relatable to any audience. I never expected to cry at the end of a Joker parody film, but here we are. Vera Drew’s voice is incredibly strong, and I cannot wait to see what she does next. (Streaming on Mubi)

• Ghostlight–This movie came out on a week when nothing else looked good to me, so I went to see it, knowing nothing about it, and it was one of the best things I watched this year. I know we’ve had a lot of films examining grief in the past few years especially, but this one was genuinely one of the most unique stories I’ve seen. The family dynamic is perfect, no doubt, due to the cast being an actual family. This movie is my reminder to you to go see movies you’ve never heard of. Some won’t be good, but some will be incredible. (Streaming on AMC+)

  

• Hundreds of Beavers–I’m pretty sure I have recommended this movie more than any others this year. It can be described, but you shouldn’t read descriptions of it because nothing can prepare you for what you’re going to experience. But I’m pretty sure nothing made me laugh harder this year than Hundreds of Beavers. If you have ever trusted my film recommendations, please trust this one and watch this movie. (Streaming on Prime Video, Tubi, Roku, Freevee, and Hoopla - you have no excuse not to watch this)

• Wicked–A year ago, if you had told me this would be one of my top ten movies of 2024, I would have laughed at you. A movie musical, a part one, starring a pop girlie, and 2 ½ hours long? Absolutely not. But this movie won me over. Perfect casting, immaculate pacing, gorgeous sets, beautifully shot, all while telling a story of rising fascism? Right now? Yes, please. I just need one of the sing-along showings to come to my local market so I can see it again. (In theaters and VOD today!)

  

• The Substance–The Substance was one of my most anticipated movies of the year, and it completely lived up to what I hoped for. Coralie Fargeat created an absolutely spectacular piece of body horror that I’m pretty sure tapped into every kind of ick you could feel about bodies while also telling the horror of being a woman of a certain age. And that age is 50, which is what I am. One of my clues that a movie is a favorite is how quickly I need to see it again because I don’t rewatch movies very often. And I was itching to see The Substance right away. Now, let’s see if a horror film can have a seat at the Oscar table! (Streaming on Mubi)

Thank you so much for joining me for this year of movies (and some television)! I love getting to write about what media means to me, and I appreciate you reading those thoughts. I’ll be back tomorrow with a wrap up from 2024 and some goals for 2025. In the meantime, thank you for another amazing year. And tell me about your favorite movies!