It’s here. The big one. According to Grandmaster Letterbox, I’ve watched 59 films that were released this year, and it’s time to give ‘em a ranking.
I’m defining 2024 films as films that were released in the UK in this year, so don’t be getting confused if you see ones that were technically released earlier in the ol’ US of A.
Oh, and if you’re not a fan of those newfangled words and such like, you can view a summary list of the films on my Letterbox account at the bottom of the post. Enjoy.
59 Kinds of Kindness
This might be a controversial placement for some, but in this writer’s humble opinion, Kinds honked. Absolutely honked. Yorgos has different levels of weird, sure. Poor Things, which arrived in the UK early this year, was my perfect level of Yorgos weird. This one though, not so much. I really liked The Favourite, but I was kind of indifferent to The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer. This one? Definitely the weakest.
58 Megalopolis
Yeah, this was ass. I didn’t think it was too bad on my initial viewing, but it seems kind of shite on reflection. And it’s kind of an achievement that Shia Le Beouf has created a supremely irritating, nonsensical figure that’s on par with Jared Leto’s crackpot figure in House of Gucci. What are they doing there? Why? Why can’t I procure some Willy Wonka style tech, reach through the screen and give them a major league bitch slap? There are plenty of other problems, but yeah. It hard not to think that Francis Ford Coppola could’ve poured all his millions into a more charitable endeavour rather than the dreaded ‘passion project’ that has unfortunately come into being here.
57 Red One
Really? A $250 mil budget and this was all you could come up with? The cast is pretty decent, but this doesn’t change the fact that the film’s shite. No Christmas spirit, a horrible screenplay and a lacklustre plot to boot. Boot this stinky brown present onto the curb and don’t give it a second glance. Arguably, don’t give it a first glance.
56 My Old Ass
What is this garbage? I was expecting something smart, sassy and a little bit poignant, but this film is none of those things. I like Aubrey Plaza, but the whole narrative felt hollow and needlessly sentimental. The film couldn’t really settle on whether it wanted to be a cheesy chick flick (chick flick, yay! My most-hated film genre) or a more serious coming-of-age drama. Like the above entry. Ass.
55 The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare – I knew this flick would be dumb as hell before starting it. You just need to look at the director to confirm that (it’s directed by Guy Ritchie, btw). There’s also an increased level of dumbness when it begins with the usual bs ‘based on a true story’ shtick. And a further level of dumbness when I saw that Freddie Fox is in this joint. Bleugh. But hey, it’s about opening a British can of whoop ass on a bunch of Nazis, which is nice.
54 Hostile Dimensions
This is probably more of a reflection of my inexperience with super low budget flicks, but the plot just didn’t quite work for me, and the acting quality was pretty low, too.
53 Damsel
Decent visuals and a spirited performance from Millie Bobbie Brown aren’t enough to detract from weak plotting and weaker characterisation. Also, it’s probably in competition for the ‘Film That’s Quickest to Mention Its Own Title’ award.
52 Sonic the Hedgehog 3
The voice acting is great (a particular shoutout to Keanu Reeves, charismatic as ever), and the choice to cast Jim Carey as Doctor Robotnik is certainly inspired. However, the high energy, multiple cut excuse for a narrative isn’t something I got into so much. It’s a kid’s film, after all, but still, it needed more focus. Most of the kids in the theatre enjoyed it though, so there’s that. *Goes into Seymour Skinner monologue* Am I so out of touch? No. It’s the children who are wrong.
51 Kraven the Hunter
Not quite as terrible as a lot of people said, but I realise that’s not a ringing endorsement. Essentially an advertisement for Aaron Taylor Johnson’s abs. If you’re looking for narrative depth or half decent characterisation, hunt elsewhere.
50 Venom: The Last Dance
The original was fun and silly, the sequel didn’t work, and the threequel’s slightly superior to the sequel, which isn’t saying a whole lot. But, you know, it could’ve been worse.
49 Maestro
OH HEY IT’S YOU BRADLEY COOPER WEE WOO I GUESS A STAR IS BORN WASN’T ENOUGH OSCAR BAIT FOR YOU EH SO LET’S GO AGAIN WEE WOO OH NO IT DIDN’T WORK THIS TIME EITHER OH WHAT A SHAME WEE WOO BEGONE YOU UNDERWHELMING FU-
It was at this point that the writer was forced to step away from the laptop and rationalise that she probably had an irrational hatred of Bradley Cooper, partly because she thinks he’s an overrated actor/director, but mostly because of The Place Beyond the Pines. If you know, you know.
48 Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Hey. It’s me again. Yeah, I’m cool. But not as cool as this frozen mess. Admittedly, I didn’t see Afterlife, but the characterisation here didn’t do much for me, even despite the charisma of Paul Rudd. Also, the nostalgia ploy with the original crew appearing again felt a bit cheap and unwarranted.
47 The Beekeeper
These generally aren’t the kind of films I’m into, but it does a decent job of, uh, doing what it does, I guess. And it’s fun to see Josh Hutchinson play an all-out douchebag for once. If you’re willing to accept the complete lack of logic in this flick, you’ll probably enjoy it.
46 Bob Marley: One Love
Admittedly, I did arrive to this screening a couple of minutes late, but that doesn’t change the fact that One Love can be quickly added to the very average pile of music biopics like Bohemian Rhapsody that follow the lead musician’s career in a rather dull, linear and unilluminating fashion. And like Bohemian Rhapsody, the central performance is impressive, but there’s not much going on in terms of supporting characters or screenplay.
45 If
I’m sure there was a bit of heart in this, and the central concept is nice, but the plot doesn’t really go anywhere, and Ryan Reynolds doesn’t bring a whole lot to the table. Good intentions, bad execution.
44 The Iron Claw
This one didn’t really do it for me, despite getting a lot of love from critics. Zac Efron puts in a good performance and widens his acting range, and there’s other good acting in there, the plot just didn’t really convince me. It is based on a true story, but that fact didn’t pull enough punches (see what I did there?) to add any depth to the narrative. For me, anyway.
43 Joker Folie a Deux
I didn’t hate this as much as most peeps did, but it wasn’t exactly vintage, either. Juaquin Phoenix puts in a committed performance as Arthur Fleck/Joker, but the plot structure holds on by a thread. Then again, the soundtrack certainly pops. Gotta love those scary strings.
42 The Bikeriders
This, like a few of the entries on here, is based on a true story. But again, this doesn’t change the fact that it’s not very good. Sure, there’s a decent amount of rizz being shared around here with Tom Hardy, Austin Butler and Jodie Comer, but the source material seems inconsequential and the screenplay ain’t as smart as it thinks it is.
41 Wicked
No, it won’t be getting me into musicals any time soon, but I guess it’s good at what it does. That’s not to say I’m completely against the musical as a genre. There are certainly some bangers out there (see: Bugsy Malone, Oliver!), but Wicked just didn’t do much to change my mind. I certainly appreciate the immense revenue it brought in for the cinematic world, though.
40 Society of the Snow
Hey look, another guy based on a true story. But a definite true story this time, since it’s based on Alive!, an earlier adaptation of the true story based on the book of the same name that was based on the true story of the tragic plane crash. Yeah, a lot of confusing prose to deal with there. The narrative is pretty clinical, and it’s difficult to engage with the characters. It’s still an impressive piece of filmmaking, though.
39 Civil War
I don’t get the people who are hyping this up so much. Which isn’t to say it’s bad, because it’s not. It’s a compelling dystopian narrative and there’s some decent characters to latch onto. And Jesse Plemons is on impressive scary form, even though he’s only a cameo. There’s just not enough depth here to give the film much attention.
38 Paddington in Peru
Yep, I’m going to repeat the boring narrative that this threequel’s not as good as the first two films. Because it isn’t. But that’s not to say that the third entry is terrible. It’s got the same spirit, it’s just a shame that original Paddington director Paul King handed over the reins and that Sally Hawkins departed from her role as Mary Brown. Paddington in Peru is nonetheless perfectly cromulent.
37 Red Rooms
A compelling psychological thriller in the vein of David Cronenberg, with an equally compelling plot and an intriguingly blank protagonist to go along with it. You never know exactly what the motivations are behind her actions, but that’s what makes things interesting.
36 The Fall Guy
Hey, it’s not vintage Gosling, but it’s still a decent bit of fun, and his chemistry with Emily Blunt is suitably impressive. Like The Nice Guys, but not as good. Then again, The Nice Guys is Gosling’s comedic magnum opus (so far, anyway), so that’s hard to beat. Lots of fun stunts, and the film is a nice shout out to the stuntman community in general.
35 Drive Away Dolls
I wasn’t really sure which direction this joint was going in, but maybe that’s kind of the point. It is a Cohen film, after all (just the one, mind you; Ethan Coen departed from the dynamic duo to make a solo film venture). Also, I wish Pedro Pascal had more screen time, because this is Pedro pascal we’re talking about here, goshdarnit. But hey, I can’t have everything.
34 Wicked Little Letters
It’s always great to see Olivia Coleman on screen, and even though this isn’t one of her standout performances, she still has some decent sparring with Jessie Buckley. The attempt to eject some emotional oomph in there with the suggested repressed background of Colman’s character doesn’t quite land, but there are some decent verbal fights to enjoy here nonetheless.
33 Deadpool and Wolverine
The second entry in the Deadpool franchise was a slight disappointment, but this instalment puts things back up to standard. And it justifies Hugh Jackman’s return after Logan, which is nice. Because I wasn’t expecting that. And while the central villain ain’t that compelling, it’s got enough jokes and camaraderie from the duo to make sure that it’s definitely worth a watch.
32 Cadejo Blanco
An impressive, slow-paced thriller that has a lot more to it than you might think. Yes, this film was indeed released officially three years ago, but it only received its UK release this year. It’s only available on digital platforms, but you should seek it out.
31 Inside Out 2
Still can’t get over the fact that this is already the highest-grossing animated film of all time. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed it, I just wasn’t expecting it to gain traction that quickly. Anyway, it’s a big boost for the cinema in general, and it should also act as a subtle nudge to Disney executives to maybe not put their animated joints straight on Disney+ before airing them on the big screen. Like the original, this sequel manages to pack a big emotional punch, but also opens up warranted ideas for potential future films in the series.
30 The Apprentice
No, it was never going to win voters towards the democrat side. If anything, it probably encouraged right wing leaning folks in the annoying orange’s direction. Nonetheless, Ali Abbasi’s biographical film on Trump’s rise to power is an illuminating look at the structures of power and corruption in the US of A.
29 Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Well, it’s technically a television movie rather than a big screen movie, but Letterbox let me put it on my account, so I’m, uh, counting it. The dynamic duo’s latest adventure perhaps doesn’t have the simplicity and subtlety that made the original trilogy so iconic, but it’s still got oodles of creativity as Wallace and Gromit are forced to go up against their feathered foe once again. The guy who stands in for Peter Sallis’s voice is also pretty convincing too.
28 Frida
I’ve got a lot of love for Frida Kahlo. I loved studying her in art lessons, and I even got the opportunity to see her famous portrait in New York’s Museum of Modern Art (It’s tiny! Whoa!). The film tells Kahlo’s life story through her letters rather than using the talking heads technique, and it’s cool to hear her own thoughts rather than talking heads explaining her work with their lofty opinions.
27 Priscilla
It’s a pretty admirable feat to be associated with a visual aesthetic all of your own. At least from my point of view, I can’t think of the colour ‘pink’ in the film world without going straight to Sofia Coppola. The director keeps her distinctive pastel visuals here, building an immersive picture of a woman in her husband’s shadow.
26 Firebrand
A very impressive period piece that focuses on Henry VIII’s final bride. Katherine Parr is often set aside for earlier partners in film and television, so it’s nice to see the queen take the spotlight here. Assuming you’re willing to forgive a few historical revisions here, you’ll have a good time. Oh, and I didn’t notice the guy playing Henry VIII was Jude Law until the end credits. So good acting and make-up work there.
25 The Kitchen
Daniel Kaluuya’s debut directorial joint had a really cool vibe, but it seems to have mostly fallen under the radar for some reason or other. It combines a low-key sci-fi aesthetic with a more timely political edge, to not give away details. This one definitely deserves more attention.
24 American Fiction
A great mix of comedy, drama and social commentary. I haven’t really seen Jeffrey Wright in many central roles, and on the evidence of American Fiction, he certainly needs to be in more. The screenplay’s electric, and the supporting cast are pretty great too.
23 Road House
This remake of the Patrick Swayze original (I can’t think of that name without the sound of Trailer Park Boys’ Conky entering my head. If you know, you know) didn’t get enough love. Part of that was probably due to the appearance of a certain Irish boxer in this, and, while he may indeed be the weakest element, that’s not enough to detract from a thoroughly entertaining joint that’s full of great scrambles and fight choreography.
22 Love Lies Bleeding
A really original noir that’s lifted (body lifted?) by main leads Kristen Stewart and newcomer and real-life body lifter Katy M. O’Brian. The distinct female gaze feels like a rare and fresh balm that definitely needs to be applied more in cinema.
21 Alien: Romulus
My Alien knowledge isn’t great. As in my Alien franchise knowledge. My knowledge of aliens in general ain’t great either. Because those dudes don’t exist *X Files title theme plays*. But yeah, I’ve only seen the original and prequel. Plus Prometheus, I guess. That one was shite. I haven’t seen the other ones. But Romulus is definitely the strongest entry since the sequel. Despite relying on nostalgia in some cases, it has enough effective shocks and engaging plot to make a serious scary impact.
20 We Live in Time
A surprisingly powerful British romance. Not British in the sense of Brexiteers, alcoholics or hefty amounts of c bombs being thrown around, but more in terms of the food. You know, chocolate oranges, Jaffa Cakes and plenty of Weetabix. And a bit of Weetabix foreplay. Compelling.
19 Heretic
I watched this shortly before another viewing of Paddington 2 with my brother, who had yet to see the masterful ursine spectacle. It helped me remember that, while Hugh Grant’s devious magician is a lovably hateful pantomime villain, the dude Grant portrays in Heretic is an all-out bastard. Claustrophobic, unsettling and tense, it’s probably not the kind of horror I normally go for, but it’s certainly effective.
18 Jackpot!
If Everything Everywhere All At Once came across The Purge and those two got together, well, their lovechild could look something like this. This was a whole load of fun, and I need to watch more of John Cena’s stuff. Even though I can’t think of the name John Cena without hearing the ‘IT’S JOHN CENA’ music followed by a loud chorus of some horn orchestra, that’s ok. Even though thinking of that leads me to think of the dude on YouTube who harnessed the power of his nostrils to recreate that song through not one, but two recorders. Outstanding.
17 Gladiator II
Ridley Scott’s epic sequel ended up being a lot more entertaining than I expected. As long as you’re willing to accept a few historical edits (no, there were no sharks in the colosseum. There were apparently crocodiles, though?). Denzel Washington may take the ham too far at certain points, but main man Paul Mescal keeps the narrative grounded in some good old-fashioned action and rage. And yes, there are various extreme close-ups of hands touching wheat at the start and end. You’re welcome.
16 Robot Dreams
A fairly simplistic but really sweet animation about friendship and loss. I’m always going to be a fan of silent films (understood as films with no spoken dialogue), so this touching, quirky tale of a dog and his robot definitely hit the spot. No, the animation isn’t anything revolutionary, but it’s nonetheless creative and colourful. At the end of the day, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of whimsical and slightly melancholic storytelling when, as with this example, it’s done right.
15 Conclave
Potential Popes parlaying with other potential popes with potentially pernicious purposes to try and achieve papal omnipotence (omnipopence?). Okay, that’s enough ‘p’ sounds for now. Claustrophobia and tension are only increased by tight framing and jarring strings in this adaption of Robert Harris’ hit novel. Ralph Fiennes also puts in one of his best performances as the morally ambiguous convenor of the conclave. Not quite as shouty and impactful as some of his ‘louder’ roles (career highlights include Harry Waters and Gustave H), but Fiennes is effective nonetheless.
14 Kneecap
I didn’t quite know what to expect here with this mockumentary of the real-life Irish political musical band, but there’s tonnes to enjoy here. It’s incredibly refreshing to get a modern music biopic that doesn’t slavishly follow cliches and expectations. Riotous, funny and very entertaining crack.
13 Longlegs
It’s standard practice at this point to expect craziness when you see the name ‘Nicolas Cage’ on a cast list. You still get occasional powerhouse performances in more subdued roles like Pig and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, but this one’s definitely in the realm of crazy Cage. And scary, too. Like many great horror villains, he doesn’t have much screen time, but he certainly makes an impact whenever he’s around.
12 A Quiet Place: Day One
The first Quiet Place was a great slice of tense horror with an intriguing central concept. The second entry was also fantastic (contrary to what a lot of critics might tell you). I wasn’t sure about this one when I heard about it, but it definitely exceeded my expectations, with a killer performance from Lupita Nyong’o. I also thought the old ‘don’t talk or you’ll be instantly killed by alien monsters’ idea would be getting tired by now, but hey, it isn’t.
11 Late Night With The Devil
If the name David Dastmalchian doesn’t sound familiar to you, then that’s a crying shame. The dude has played multiple bit parts in major films over the years, most of them directed by Dennis Villeneuve and Christopher Nolan, two of my all-time favourite directors (not sure who I prefer, though. That’s another tightly fought issue entirely). Examples include The Dark Knight, Blade Runner 2049 and the first Dune film. He finally gets a chance to shine in a lead role here, and it’s well worth the wait. No spoilers, though. Or plot description, for that matter. My favourite horror of the year.
10 Challengers
Goshdarn, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ soundtrack absolutely slaps. I’m a fan of electro music as it is, but damn. The film is also complimented by the many fine performances from Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist. Luca Guadagnino tricked you into thinking he was making a standard movie about tennis rivalries, when he was actually making a film about sex. Wow (It’s much better than that, I’m just not describing it very well). But yeah, great soundtrack, great acting and supreme editing and directing. Nice.
9 Poor Things
Gloriously odd through and through, with a deliriously strange and joyous ending to boot. Easily one of Emma Stone’s finest performances. And props to Mark Ruffalo for also dedicating them to the cause of going for the all-out whacky performance. Definitely my favourite Yorgos film. Which does make me wonder how he can make a film as disappointing as entry 59. But hey, everyone’s got their preferences, I guess.
8 Perfect days
An absolutely beautiful, quiet and soulful piece of cinema. I really want to put this higher up, but there has been a load of great films this year and it’s hard to decide. But anyway, this is bound to be a cult classic one day. It’s also got one of the best ending facial expressions on film I’ve seen in a decent while. I won’t go into too much detail on that, because you’ll have to watch the whole film to appreciate its subtle beauty and sadness.
7 Monkey Man
As soon as I heard some guy compare this film to The Raid, my backside was firmly in a cinema seat. And it certainly lives up to that flick’s feral brutality, with Dev Patel’s intense training regime resulting in various broken bones. Outstanding fight choreography, plus a great performance and directorial debut from Patel. Very violent, very enjoyable.
6 The Holdovers
Not sure why the US decided to release this later over here, but whatever, their loss. A genius, heartfelt treatise about loneliness and companionship, this is easily one of Paul Giamatti’s finest roles. And I still really need to get round to watching Sideways, too. Anyway, great performances from all the central cast here, and the film was absolutely deserving of all its awards attention.
5 Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Definitely the loudest entry of my top 5, but its placement is more than justified. Somehow managing to better the fantastic 2015 original, Furiosa gives us the origin story of one of the Mad Max Saga’s most compelling characters. Violent, chaotic and chock full of, uh, fury, Furiosa also features some dynamite performances from Anya Taylor Joy and Chris Hemsworth, as well as a nice understated cameo from Tom Burke. And I still want to do a Furiosa cosplay at some point in the future. The more you (didn’t ask to) know.
4 All of Us Strangers
Two Irish lads, one darn fine emotional drama. Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal are at the top of their game playing two loners in a seemingly abandoned building of flats. Intimate, poignant and tragic in turns, Andrew Haigh’s latest venture might just be his best yet.
3 Dune Part Two
Expectations were high after Denis Villeneuve’s first entry into the Duniverse. Somehow, the director managed to eclipse his first film and create an outstanding second part with audacious spectacle, fascinating characters and daring scope. His decision to split Frank Herbert’s tome in two was a supremely educated decision, and one that’s paid off in spades. Not spades of sand, mind you. Spades of spice. Lots of it.
2 Small Things Like These
This one came later in the year and knocked me straight out of the park. It’s understated and slow paced, and I imagine it won’t be getting anywhere this high a position in the critics’ top picks for this year (if at all). But that’s of no consequence. If you see Cillian Murphy’s name on the cast list, you know it’s worth a watch. He puts in one of the finest performances of his career as a taciturn coal merchant who discovers a shocking secret in his small community.
1 The Zone of Interest
Jonathan Glazer’s latest film skews closest to his previous masterpiece Under the Skin, employing silence to sound to unbearably chilling effect while unseen suffering takes place in the background. It’s still incredible to remember that this is the same guy who directed Sexy Beast, another stone cold classic with a completely different tone. Oh, and Mica Levi is the legend of scary synth tunes.
Awards:
Yeah, just some shout outs to my faves. Nothing out of the ordinary. The Oscars. Or the Nancys, if you (arrogantly) will. Also, no spaces here, because WordPress doesn’t let you use single line spaces, and the double line spaces look a tad weird. So get ready for some cramped entries:
Best Picture: Zone of Interest Best Sci-fi: Dune Part Two (Runner Up: Furiosa) Best Drama: The Holdovers (Runner Up: All of Us Strangers) Best Soundtrack: Challengers (Runner Up: Dune Part Two) Best Actor: Cillian Murphy (Runner Up: Paul Giamatti) Best Actress: Lupita Nyong’o (Runner Up: Kristen Stewart) Best Supporting Actor: Dominic Sessa (Runner Up: Paul Mescal, All of Us Strangers) Best Supporting Actress: Katy M. O’Brian (Runner Up: Da’Vine Joy Randolph) Best Screenplay: The Holdovers (Runner Up: Poor Things) Best Costume Design: Poor Things (Runner Up: Furiosa) Best Foreign Film: Perfect Days (Runner Up: Robot Dreams) Best Animated Film: Robot Dreams (Runner Up: Inside Out 2)
Yep, those are enough jumbled up awards before your eyes go square.
Summary Thoughts:
Top 10: Oof, it was so difficult to order these. So many great films, such competition. I could have gone a bit cheeky by including multiple films in the same spot like Mark Kermode did for his top 5, but I didn’t go for that.
Dark and/or depressing films: 5. Not bad. My top 10 normally has a greater number of these guys, as dark vibes are generally my bread and butter.
Comedies: 1. Like I said, dark and depressing is where I’m at. But The Holdovers was a golden slice of wit and wisdom.
Mysterious: 3. I’m aware Mysterious isn’t a recognised genre, but that’s what I’ll go for when putting together All of Us Strangers, Perfect Days and Small Things. They’re all a bit different, but in a nice way.
Sport: 1. Sure, Challengers is so much more than that genre, but yeah, this is my only sport-y one in the top 10
Big up the Irish: Those lads have done well this year. As they should. Cillian got the second spot, while Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal bagged number four. Mescal even got in again at entry 17. Good work.
Bottom 10: Sure, there are some honkers here, but it’s fair to say that some honked a lot more than others. It’s not like all the ones down here are all atrocities, just a few here and there *COUGH*KindsOfKindnessMegalopolisRedOne*COUGH*. Phew. That was a big cough.
Gaps: Foreign Films. Yep, my Cineworld is never going to help me out in this area, since it prefers to stick to safer commercial fare. I’ll need to travel further afield to try and see more of this kind of stuff.
Rom-coms. My most hated genre besides the evil chick flick. I’m not going to go out of my way to see these next year, but it’s worth acknowledging that it’s nonetheless a gap in my viewing routine.
- My Ranking on Letterbox (Same thing, fewer words):
https://letterboxd.com/kd637rg/list/2024-film-ranking-films-released-in-the-uk