Top Ten Films Of 2024

I stopped posting on this blog in 2020, except for annual discussions--around this time of year--of my friend Jesse Walker's top ten movie lists.

But I saw quite a few movies in 2024, including a fair number of good ones.  And I noticed that most of those I liked best were lesser-known titles.  So I thought I'd post my own list for the first time in years.  Not many may read it, but it's a chance to spread the word.

When I was regularly posting, the annual film wrap-up was my most popular feature, but also the most labor-intensive. So I'm not going to discuss all the movies I saw, or last year's cinema in general.  I'm just going to list my top ten, selected from films I saw in theatres and were released in Los Angeles in 2024.

But first, I'll note in passing I saw some spectacularly awful films as well.  Some were big-budget studio projects--it's hard to explain how Madame Web could be so bad.  And some were smaller, personal projects--Chris Pine's bizarre Poolman is an excellent example.  Then there is that rare hybrid--personal and big-budget. I'm referring, of course, to Megalopolis.  Francis Ford Coppola spent well over $100 million of his own money on this complete misfire. I'll give him credit, though (he probably needs credit now)--at least he swung for the fences.

But enough about poor films.  What are the good ones (that is, the ones I like)?

Before I get to the top ten, here's a list of films that almost made it:

Bookworm

The Coffee Table

Evil Does Not Exist

I Like Movies

Look Back

My Old Ass

Perfect Days

Red Rooms

Robot Dreams

Here are films that weren't in the running (usually due to significant flaws or because they're too slight) but I still found intriguing or funny:

Art Talent Show

The Beast

Didi

Do Not Expect Too Much From The End Of The World

Flow

Hippo

His Three Daughters

Lake George

Problemista

Scream Therapy

Sleep

The Substance

The Sweet East

Thelma

THE TOP TEN (in alphabetical order)

Anora

A sex worker gets swept off her feet by a rich man.  It's the plot of Pretty Woman, but Anora does it on a more realistic level.  Yet another Sean Baker film about people you don't usually see on screen--and I recommend all of them.

Daaaaaali!

I look forward to Quentin Dupieux films, which tend to be short (usually under 80 minutes) and absurdist.  Has there ever been a better subject for him than Salvador Dali? I bet Dali would have loved it.  Or maybe he would have sued--he always liked publicity.

A Different Man

The famous line from The Elephant Man is "I am not an animal!" But hey, everyone's got problems.  And if life gives you neurofibromatosis, that's no excuse. (That's not really what this film is about, but it's part of it.)

Ghostlight

A man going through a tough time starts working with a community theatre.  A simple premise. A small film.  No names.  It once again shows a simple drama about real people is more interesting than millions in special effects.

Hundreds Of Beavers

A silent, black and white, partly animated comedy about a 19th century trapper dealing with wildlife while trying to get the girl.  No one was waiting for this film, but it was exactly what we needed.

I Saw The TV Glow

Two teens bond over a weird television show.  I Saw The TV Glow is spooky, but not a horror film.  It's about how important connections are, and how difficult it can be when you don't feel you fit in. But what makes this film special is the way it manages to communicate these feelings.

Late Night With The Devil

A new twist on a horror film--done as a 70s late night talk show.  The re-creation is fun, but there's a sense of foreboding as you're waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Let's Start A Cult

What happens when your cult kills themselves and you miss out?  Why, you start a new one, of course.  Some of my favorite comedies are about decent but intensely stupid people trying their hardest to accomplish something.

Memoir Of A Snail

There were a lot of animated features last year, but this was my favorite.  It's done in stop-motion and is about a woman telling us the story of her life. It may be a sad story, but in the telling is quite funny, as well as touching.

Strange Darling

The strangest thing about this film is why it didn't catch on.  It's a well done (and well shot--by Giovanni Ribisi) thriller about a psycho killer.  I know the genre is tired, but the way the story is unveiled keeps you guessing.  Featuring two fine leads and one amazing breakfast.