It was clear to me by early Fall of 2024 what movie would take the #1 spot on my Best Films of the Year list. Not since Amélie in 2001 and Terminator 2: Judgment Day in 1991, have I become so utterly obsessed with a film. After watching The Beast seven times, I felt like it might be time to check myself into cinematic rehab. As cinephiles, this is the dream though — to be so completely knocked flat by a contemporary film that it furthers fuels your passion for the medium.
This year in movies was the gift that kept on giving with filmmakers creating monumental stories that were equal parts transformative, inventive, and formidable. Not to mention the absolute deluge of extraordinary horror films that came our way to shock, terrify and delight us.
Personally, it was also quite the year for repertory cinema providing me with a nearly religious experience (not felt since seeing Children of Paradise at the New Beverly decades ago) watching the 1922 Nosferatu film synched with two of my favorite Radiohead albums of all time (a project created by genius, Josh Frank). I also got the opportunity to see for the first time on the big screen the full-length television version of Ingmar Bergman’s magnum opus, Fanny and Alexander in December at the historic Egyptian Theater.
Following is my Best Films of the Year list —it is infused with movies that each had a tremendous impact on me, and I hope a few of them connected with you as well.
1. THE BEAST
What if our irrational fears or unexplained anxieties were the result of a trauma from a past life? This existential question is explored by visionary filmmaker Bertrand Bonello in his magnificent decade-defining film, The Beast.
Bonello utilizes experimental filmmaking techniques to craft an astonishing story that is a multitude of genres all at once – it’s science fiction, a romance, a noir, a slasher film, a techno thriller, and a period drama. The film explores a future where Artificial Intelligence has taken over the world and reduced humans to endure menial jobs unless they undergo a purification process to help pacify their emotions. Léa Seydoux’s character, Gabrielle, submits herself to this process hoping to gain a more rewarding career, and it plunges her into a Rubik’s cube of past lives spanning different time periods culminating in a gut punch of an ending topped with a QR code.
It’s been over 20 years since a film has completely taken hold of me and compelled me to revisit it over and over. The Beast gets more profound with each subsequent viewing, and I truly believe I could watch the last six minutes on a loop for a lifetime and still be in awe every single time.
If you’re interested in hearing me talk more in depth specifically about The Beast, I did a guest appearance on Geekin’ with James Hancock’s YouTube channel for his “Top Ten Favorite Movies of 2024” video. You can watch at the 24:40 mark here.
2. MY OLD ASS
Despite its unfortunate title, this coming-of-age movie is a revelation. On the night of her 18th birthday, Elliot meets her future 39-year-old self in a drug-induced state leading her to a summer where she reevaluates all that she thought she knew from her identity to her relationship with her family. Maisy Stella and Aubrey Plaza deliver charming, funny, and emotionally nuanced performances of the younger and older versions of Elliot in this life-affirming story warmly written and directed by Megan Park. I was not at all prepared for this smart, wonderful, poignant film which broke me three separate times. Every once in a while we need a beautiful movie like this to come along and remind us that life is a gift.
3. NOSFERATU
Robert Egger’s fourth directorial effort is one for the ages. It is mesmerizing, haunting and a glorious tribute to its 1922 namesake. Every single frame is breathtaking, meticulous, and spellbinding coupled with electrifying performances by the entire cast. It’s a stunning gothic masterpiece which ratchets up the horror tenfold in its epic conclusion.
4. THE BRUTALIST
Seeing this film in 70mm at the Vista Theater in Hollywood was a spectacular cinematic experience. It’s wildly ambitious, grand in scope and is filled with gorgeous compositions that would have made Ingmar Bergman’s master cinematographers, Gunnar Fischer and Sven Nykvist take notice.
Adrian Brody practically scorches the celluloid out of the projector with his performance as a flawed, complicated, brilliant Jewish immigrant in the pursuit of the American dream. It all makes for a riveting 215 minutes that absolutely demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible.
5. INSIDE OUT 2
“I don’t know how to stop anxiety. Maybe we can’t. Maybe this is what happens when you grow up. You feel less joy.“
When I first heard Joy say these words to the other emotions in Riley’s head, it completely wrecked me. I quickly learned post-screening that it had the same effect on many people around the world too. Those Pixar folks sure know how to pierce our hearts and minds with their incredibly relatable and universal prose. Inside Out 2 perfectly captures the dizzyingly complex emotions and decisions teenagers are faced with as they strive to develop their own unique identity and value system. It also provides adults with a window into a time when they first learned to grapple with the anxieties of growing up and navigating a whole host of new thoughts and feelings. This sequel to the immensely moving 2015 film proves it is every bit as special as its predecessor and I cannot wait to follow Riley into college one day.
6. JUROR #2
Clint Eastwood added another film to his enduring legacy with a captivating, thought-provoking courtroom thriller that is enrapturing from start to finish. Its stacked cast from Nicholas Hoult to Toni Collette give blistering performances in a film where Eastwood demonstrates so effortlessly a master class in creating suspense, tension, pacing, and straight up classic efficient storytelling.
7. CIVIL WAR
“What kind of American are you?” Jesse Plemons’ character asks civilians in a pivotal scene in this bone- chilling story that seems more prescient than ever. One of our greatest living filmmakers, Alex Garland imagines a not-too-distant future where two states like Texas and California are willing to overcome their vastly different political positions to team up in a war against a reigning fascist president who is killing its own citizens, shooting press onsite in Washington DC, and has eliminated term limits for the highest office in America.
Like Alex Garland in Civil War, Ingmar Bergman’s vision of war in Shame was criticized for not assigning blame to any party. But what they both accomplish without glorification in their films is far more powerful—presenting war as chaotic, confusing, devastating, and dehumanizing. This film is a landmark achievement and deserves to be celebrated as one of the best films of the year.
8. HIT MAN
Richard Linklater’s Hit Man is intelligent, witty, and sexy as hell. Glen Powell has finally found his magnetic match with Adria Arjona— there are scenes in this film where I actually felt like I was witnessing them falling in love and it was sublime. My greatest hope is that this Hepburn/Tracy-like duo makes ten more films together to lock in their undeniable sizzling chemistry for film historians to revere for years to come.
9. STRANGE DARLING
J.T. Mollner’s searing portrait of a serial killer completely blows apart the horror genre with Strange Darling. Told out of order in six different chapters, it creates a pulse pounding, adrenaline fueled, staggering feat of filmmaking. The remarkable opening shot of a sensational Willa Fitzgerald clad in a red jumpsuit running for her life takes hold of you and never releases its grip until the propulsive, deeply satisfying end. This is a kinetic ride packed with one clever beat after another. 2024 was an absolute knockout year for horror because of uniquely talented voices like Mollner creating bold and original stories like this one.
10. TRIGGER HAPPY
A subversive satire where every single cast member gets their moment to pop off the screen. It’s a phenomenal directorial debut from Tiffany Kim Stevens of a script by David Moya that is hilarious, sardonic and audacious. One day, this will be considered the Bottle Rocket of Steven’s illustrious filmography.
Honorable Mentions: WILL & HARPER, FLOW, THE ROOM NEXT DOOR, A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, ODDITY, SATURDAY NIGHT, EVIL DOES NOT EXIST, MAXXINE, THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG, PERFECT DAYS, LISA FRANKENSTEIN, A REAL PAIN, STEVIE VAN ZANDT: DISCIPLE, ANORA, THE WILD ROBOT, LONGLEGS, WICKED, ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT