Top 10 Films of 2024

Well, we've reached the end of yet another year, and 2024 has been... a rather mixed bag for cinema, to be honest. There's not been anything inherently bad about it, certainly no global pandemics or strikes disrupting matters in the film world as we've seen in previous years this decade, so the stage has been set for new releases to come in and leave an impact just fine. Despite this, there sadly haven't been that many films to write home about upon reflection.

Granted, I have seen a lot less new films than usual this year, and it's entirely possible that the ones I did choose to subject myself to may not have been the best selection; in fact, I can safely say that they weren't. I'm still yet to catch a lot of popular and acclaimed titles such as Nosferatu, Anora, and Conclave, and there are, as usual, a couple of that same category that haven't yet had their UK release such as The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, and Memoir of a Snail, meaning I haven't been able to see them (and hopefully enjoy them) just yet. But, even so, many that I hoped and even expected to be great ended up disappointing, such as Paddington in Peru, Gladiator II, and The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, many that others were enthusiastic about left me personally feeling slightly underwhelmed, such as Challengers, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, and The Wild Robot, and, above all else, the vast majority of what I saw was just okay or decent. Whether it was Monkey Man, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, A Quiet Place: Day One, Kinds of Kindness, Deadpool & Wolverine, or Wicked, so much of the output from 2024 wasn't necessarily bad, it just wasn't anything special in my opinion. I don't like to be one of those people who purports that modern cinema is in a bad place or is merely a shadow of what it once was, especially since the films of 2022 and 2023 are enough to make such a claim seem plainly false, but it's definitely been harder to champion the latest offerings these last twelve months, and I've generally found myself having more fun with watching pre-existing films I hadn't previously seen instead.

For a while, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to construct a 'Top 10 Films of 2024' in good faith given the high possibility of such featuring several films that, while good, I wouldn't otherwise consider worthy of being listed as among the best of its respective year. But alas, I've managed to gather ten films that I do feel are worthy of such, so the list can go on, though I unfortunately don't have any honourable mentions to list off because of this shortage. Let's get started!

10. Blitz

As weak a year for film as 2024 has been, we did at least get not one, but two great films starring my beloved Saoirse Ronan. Blitz is the first of the two, and one where I can understand the somewhat mixed reception it's received. While it is quite a tame and simplified depiction of the Second World War, it's for that very reason that I have a lot of admiration for it. This feels like a film made with the consideration of children as a target audience, with almost everything from its childlike viewpoint to its restrained indulgence in depicting tragedy, it feels designed to convey how distressing the Blitz were without being too upfront and potentially disturbing. This is a text I can see being very valuable, as I think children ought to learn about the World Wars at a young age given how so many young people were affected by the conflicts, so it's important to have things like this that can be educational for them and not too distressing. I wish I had a film like this when I was ten years old and first learned about the Second World War, so I can only hope today's youngsters benefit from it. On top of this, Saoirse is of course fabulous, so I enjoyed my time with it sufficiently.

9. Piece By Piece

Something you may not know is that I love Lego, so I'm always excited when a new Lego film is released. I wasn't so sure about this one since Pharrell Williams certainly isn't the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Lego, but this documentary about his life that utilised the latter for its aesthetic was nonetheless rather delightful. I loved how elegantly it connected the nature of Lego to the basis of Pharrell's outlook on life, that being that the world is merely a set of existing pieces waiting to be rearranged by anyone who encounters them, and I found this idea quite intriguing in itself too. It was refreshing to see a documentary where the focus wasn't simply on relaying the story at hand, but rather serving as a thoughtful reflection on what can be gathered from such, in this case, showing how this philosophy was gradually shaped throughout Pharrell's various experiences over time. On top of this, in a world where a Lego aesthetic is often seen as gimmicky and perhaps best fit for a more tongue in cheek tone, it was really something to see it be used as a serious form of artistic expression. Someone high-profile like Pharrell having the faith that Lego is the best way to articulate his values makes me ever so happy, and I hope it's another step towards the otherwise cyncial connotations surrounding Lego being squashed some day. Beyond that, the story itself is very inspiring and well told, and the animation is generally a pleasure to take in, so this was a great time overall.

8. Twisters

Mainstream blockbusters aren't in the best of places right now. I used to be fairly accepting of the dominance of ongoing franchises and monotonous computer-generated nonsense, but I've now reached a point where that just doesn't cut it for me anymore. In fact, I've found myself quite nostalgic for the 1990s, a decade where the most successful blockbusters were often standalone high concept films with a couple big names thrown in and made possible by effectively utilised early digital effects; for the audience, no prior knowledge of any sort was required, just the desire to be swept up in a simple yet engaging narrative with an emphasis on making it as exciting as can be. A prime example of this would be 1996's Twister, a bonkers but brilliantly fun watch that I thoroughly enjoyed checking out for the first time this year, and upon this inaugural viewing, I was convinced that everything great about it would be everything that its then upcoming sequel, Twisters, would lack. Well, it was a pleasure to go and see the latter and realise that the opposite was true, as this was a rather terrific throwback of a blockbuster. It isn't perfect, with definitely a bit too great reliance on digital augmentation, the likes of which the original was careful to hold back on, but almost everything else about it really worked for me. The characterisation is basic but effective, as Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones are both extremely likeable leads, and the set pieces they find themselves navigating are just spectacular, retaining the scope and sense of awe that its predecessor had and finding ways to satisfyingly up the ante to distinguish itself. There may not be any flying cows this time, but you better believe there are FIRE TORNADOS! In fact, that's one of the film's best attributes in multiple ways; it does little to function as a sequel to the 1996 film, with no returning characters or blatant acknowledgement of the previous events, and all the better for it. You get the sense that the filmmakers were sincerely more interested in making an accessible, wide-appeal piece here rather than alienating a large chunk of the audience for the sake of directly appeasing fans of the original. That's what tends to weaken a lot of 'legacy sequels' of this sort, definitely a few released in 2024 for that matter. But, much like 2022's Top Gun: Maverick, Twisters instead prides itself in being a grand, standalone cinematic spectacle that anyone can get something out of, and I have a ton of respect for it on that front. Honestly, it's such a shame that this didn't take off and become the film of the summer in the same way Maverick did in its respective year, because I think it had every bit of potential to do so. It's even more unfortunate that the film that more or less did end up taking that title (which released merely a week after this) is closer to the slop side of modern blockbuster cinema. Oh well, I'm very glad to have seen it and only hope we get more like it!

7. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

I began constructing this list a few days before Christmas Day, the day this film premiered here in the UK. But, I couldn't help but reserve it a spot, as even in a year filled with disappointments, I just knew the infinitely reliable Aardman wouldn't let the side down with their latest offering, and surprise surprise, they did not. Vengeance Most Fowl was a welcome return to what is probably my single favourite media franchise of all time; I've always adored the many adventures of Wallace & Gromit, and to have more time spent with the two here was expectedly delightful. It was interesting to see the series take a stab at a direct sequel for the first time, and while it does occasionally retread elements of The Wrong Trousers slightly too much, which had the unfortunate side effect of making the thirty-minute format seem more desirable given just how efficient it was in that film, it made sense as it panned out because, above all else, this mainly thrived from how it reaffirmed the heart of the franchise. This film sees what is arguably the duo's greatest struggle with technology and the consequences of superfluous inventions, a clear agitation with the present which has caused Wallace to lose sight of the authentic friendship he has with Gromit. It only makes sense for this to coincide with the return of the deliciously evil Feathers McGraw here, who maniuplates things just as he did back in the day but on a far greater scale. By the end of it, the irreplacable value of the bond between the titular characters becomes clearer than ever, making this feel like a complete love letter to the series and the human connection at the heart of it. This is aided by how it feels so cohesive in the newly serialised state, with numerous callbacks to the previous entries that feel completely earned, even if it raises some questions about the exact continuity at hand for my pedantic brain as a massive fan. Additionally, the tactile stop motion animation is as enchanting as ever, and its handcrafted nature makes the heart at hand feel all the more faithful (well, once you ignore the recent controversy with AI being used in the Wallace & Gromit remasters). However, even putting all that aside, this was just wonderful to watch in the time and place it emerged; Christmas Day is typically very busy and active in our household, especially when we have people round, but this managed to get everyone to drop everything and gather around the telly for, and it had our group of all ages consistently chuckling away. If it hadn't been for the Gavin & Stacey finale later in the evening, this surely would've been the undisputed highlight of the TV line-up (well, it was to me anyway). Obviously, it doesn't live up to most of the previous entries in the series, but given that films like The Wrong Trousers and The Curse of the Were-Rabbit are some of the best pieces of animated media I've ever seen, I don't think that's too unexpected. Given everything I believe it stands for, I can easily imagine Vengeance Most Fowl becoming even more favourable with time, so a couple rewatches down the line, it may well find itself higher up this list!

6. Juror #2

Every year, I like to label one entry in my Top 10 as the most underrated film of the year, as I find it rewarding to shed light on something great I've seen that perhaps not many others have, or that others may not have liked as much. I can't decide exactly which entry deserves that title this year, but it would likely be either this or the next one. Juror #2 was a great watch, one that I'm so glad to have seen at the cinema considering it wasn't given the best opportunity to thrive in such, a bit odd considering the high-profile director and stars, but not surprising once you've seen the film itself. Amid being a thoroughly engaging courtroom drama, something I'm very partial to, this was a really thoughtful critique of the legal system in the USA as it still stands today. It makes no secret how old the system is, and also highlights the present setting in which the film takes place, making all the flaws that become apparent throughout all the more striking. Juries are still imperfect, they can still be populated by indifferent people, and the consequences of such can still be unfair, everything the system is designed to not be. Coming from Clint Eastwood, this is all the more noteworthy, as the somewhat old-fashioned nature of its direction and presentation furthers how sharp its critiques are. It's a film that encourages the audience to question their values if necessary, and to care about what goes on in the world around them, especially if they have any power to influence it. Overall, an extremely thought-provoking piece, and I'm glad to see more people giving it the attention it deserves since its release.

5. The Outrun

The second Saoirse feature on the list, and the other film I would consider eligible for the label of 'most underrated', arguably more so than Juror #2 since, not only do I like it more, but I feel as though even less people have seen it. What I loved so much about The Outrun lies at the core of its narrative; this is a story about someone with a desire to escape, specifically to escape both a troubled way of life and the environment in which such thrived. I love stories about people trying to escape something, it's the sort of thing I find myself longing for from time to time given how overwhelming even the simplest parts of day-to-day life can be. In the case of this film, its protagonist is a recovering alcoholic, and their desire is to abandon the urban world in which their condition was at its worst and return to their rural roots, a place that allows them to make a true connection with the world for once. Surrounded by nature, she finally finds her way, discovers her true passions, and formulates a plan going forward. There's a careful focus on the sights and sounds at hand here, and you really feel how desirable the remote Orkney Islands are compared to the bustling world of London. Although, as someone from London who finds the way of life here extremely exhausting, you don't have to do much to convince me of that fact! Saoirse is excellent of course, and there's an intimacy and authenticity about her performance that grounds everything really well, helping the film avoid coming across as emotionally manipulative in any way. While it suffers from an often inelegant structure and some clunky narration, I found this a really memorable experience. It's difficult for something that tackles such serious subject matter to end up being so life affirming, but the way The Outrun does precisely that makes it absolutely worthwhile if you haven't seen it already.

4. Inside Out 2

I've said it plenty of times, but 2024 has had many disappointments with its new releases, especially with the franchises that have made a return. However, if you were to tell me that one of the few sequels that wouldn't end up disappointing and would even go on to exceed most expectations would come out of Pixar, the studio I honestly have the least faith in to deliver any memorable output these days, I one hundred percent would not have believed you. I don't hate Pixar, but it's hard to deny that they're no longer the animation powerhouse they once were. I've gone out to see each and every new film of theirs for almost twenty years now, but many of the recent ones haven't done that much for me, and from next year onwards, I honestly don't think I'll force myself to catch their latest output if it's something I otherwise have no interest in (looking at you, next year's Elio). Because of this, my expectations for this Inside Out sequel were fairly low, yet it somehow managed to almost be as good as the amazing original! It does have some problems, occasionally repeating certain plot beats from its predecessor in a less effective manner as well as retaining the somewhat egregious lack of subtlety that comes as a result of the central concept. But, it also retains what worked about the original too, mainly by finding extremely fun and creative ways to expand and deepen the worldbuilding of what goes on inside the mind, with so many inventive new concepts and just about the right amount of self-indulgence in what novelty and cleverness they contain. While the first film was simple story about the melancholy of leaving one's childhood behind and the acceptance of sadness as an emotion not to be suppressed, this is a more elaborate tale about the complexities of adolescence and the struggle of letting one's sense of joy flourish amid a new wave of complicated feelings. It's perhaps not as heartfelt a sentiment due to the added convolution, but it's nonetheless able to register completely resonant. Overall, this might be the biggest surprise of the year, where even though I may not have enjoyed it as much as some lower entries, the fact that it was this good undeniably makes it worthy of a place this high up. Pixar have still got a way to go in terms of convincing me they've consistently still got it, but at least I can take solace in knowing that they're still capable of making the odd great thing every now and then.

3. The Substance

Despite its shortcomings, one thing that 2024 didn't completely fail to deliver was a couple of unexpected surprises every now and then, films that weren't on my radar at the start of the year but ended up as some of my favourites. The Outrun and Juror #2 are two good examples of just that, but if there's one film that fulfils the criteria better than anything else, it would have to be The Substance. My experience with this film was ever so bizarre; before heading back to university in the autumn, my Mum and I were seeking out one last film for us to see at our local cinema. She didn't fancy Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which was rather wise because it didn't turn out particularly good when I went to see it, but, on the literal last day before I left, she asked if I was interested in this film called The Substance. I was vaguely aware of it beforehand, but dismissed it as something I'd see eventually and wouldn't bother catching in a cinema. But, since she was intrigued, I thought we may as well go ahead. Well, I'm ever so glad we did because this is honestly one of the most memorable experiences I had at the cinema all year. Throughout the surprisingly brisk two and a half hours, the two of us were sat at the back of the cinema going back and forth between wincing and covering our eyes at some moments, but completely mesmerised and even laughing in disbelief at others. Keep in mind that, while my Mum is generally open to seeing any type of film at the cinema with me, horror definitely isn't something she's too keen on, so the fact that this was all her idea is what's most impressive! While she mainly enjoyed the social satire regarding the critique of female beauty standards in today's world, I was just in awe of how utterly insane and enthralling this film was. It goes all out in its body horror, starting rather ruthless yet somehow becoming increasingly bloody, brutal, and bonkers as it progresses. The editing and cinematography are lively and erratic, ensuring that everything seen on screen gets under your skin as much as it possibly can, aided by some really unnerving sound design too. By the utterly unbelievable climax, I was just sat there wide-eyed and covered in chills, fully confident that I was witnessing something truly special. I feel bad for anyone who missed this at the cinema, because seeing it in an environment where every bit of phenomena it offers is near-impossible to ignore is absolutely the way it needs to be seen. It's a tremendous experience with something meaningful to say beneath the surface, and easily one of the cinematic highlights of the year.

2. Civil War

I've seen a myriad of responses to Alex Garland's Civil War, some good, some bad. When I saw the film, I found myself undeniably on the more positive side, and the extent of such when considering the many less favourable reactions I've seen has really only made me like it more with time. There are many things I can understand as valid points of criticism here, particularly the lack of depth in the political subtext, something that may be disappointing in a film that, on the surface, seems to be intent on addressing political divisions in the USA. However, this didn't bother me at all because what I liked most about the film is that it isn't primarily about the politics of the country in which it takes place, deliberately so. It vaguely takes a stand on the matter, but exploring the nuances of such is not where its main interest lies, instead wanting to take a step back and observe the broader picture when it comes to the essence of war and, more specifically, the psychological turmoil that trying to uphold a state of indifference in the face of such can have on someone, as exemplified through the war photographer protagonists. For me, this is what Garland does best, not limiting the thematic scope of his pieces to what they concern on a surface level, always striving to situate them in the context of bigger and bolder ideas. It's why films like Ex Machina and Annihilation work so well, and why his previous film, Men, which was more insular in its themes, perhaps didn't. Civil War might just be my favourite of his filmography, because not only do I find the aforementioned ideas that it tackles really fascinating, but the way they're articulated is especially impactful too. Every atrocity big or small is strongly felt, with the sound at hand being particularly effective. It's not the spectacle of war that's used to immerse the viewer, but the low-level intimacy with well-realised characters in a morally ambiguous position. As a slow burn, it consistently had me glued to the screen, all the way to the harshly satisfying final note. While it is completely possible that my reaction here is ignorant of blatantly problematic issues with the film that others have registered, what I do know is that I found it to be quite remarkable, and easily one of the best things I saw all year.

1. Dune: Part Two

If you've seen my Top 10s of previous years, you may know that it's common for me to lament how my top spot is often taken by an extremely predictable choice. The thing is, I don't formulate these lists at the end of the year primarily when preparing to get things written, I instead keep a best-to-worst ranking of every new release I see throughout the year that I add each new entry to as I see them. Because of this, the results are just decided by process of elimination, meaning the film in the top spot simply emerges there naturally, and more often than not, the one that does so is one I haven't specially curated to do so. But, hey, I can't help it if my favourite is what it is, and if it seems to be quite basic, it's got to be basic for a reason. With that said, Dune: Part Two, one of the most popular and acclaimed films of the year, is quite easily my favourite. Part of me was tempted to place Civil War in the top spot just to make things a little more interesting, but I couldn't do that in good faith because, as good as it is, there's no way I think it's better than this. If you read my post from last summer regarding my experiences with cinema trips while living in Sweden, you'll know what great experiences I had with this one, whether it was seeing it on opening night with a packed crowd, or seeing it again in glorious IMAX a few weeks later while travelling. While in both cases my enjoyment was slightly hindered by a bothersome subtitling situation (read the full post for more on that), it didn't stop me from having the most brilliant time with it on each occasion. While the first Dune film preoccupied itself with setting the stage and establishing this universe and all its factions, Part Two has the freedom to go all out with making everything that was only ever alluded to before as spectacular as possible. Like the great cinematic epics of old, it expertly contrasts its extraordinarily vast scope with intimate turmoil found in its rich characters, making the narrative advancements all the more compelling with a mixture of satisfying and tragic revelations and developments. It looks and sounds gorgeous, the ensemble is excellent, and not a single moment of its extensive runtime is dull or wasted. Honestly, what more is there to say? It's Dune: Part Two, and chances are you've probably seen it and enjoyed it too. I can't say I'm too proud of likely being just another person labelling this as the best of the year, but I think it's fair to see why that may be the case.

So, there we go. While 2024 may not have been the best year for film overall, there are at least a couple noteworthy titles at the very top of the tree. Sadly though, my lack of enthusiasm for new films seems to be carrying over into 2025, as upon taking a glance at the current line-up of upcoming releases, there aren't many I'm especially excited about. There's no doubt plenty I'm interested in seeing, but only a select few that I'm particularly eager to catch as soon as they arrive. So, when it comes to new releases this year, I'll definitely be placing most of my hopes for greatness in what unexpected gems pop out of nowhere, things like The Substance, or The Outrun, or Juror #2 that we saw from this year. That said, it is tradition for me to list my most anticipated films of the forthcoming year at the end of these annual Top 10s, so with that in mind, here are some of my most anticipated films of 2025:

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy - I love this series, will gladly enjoy more of it

Mickey 17 - can't go wrong with something by Bong Joon-ho

A Minecraft Movie - my favourite video game being adapted, but can't say I'm too optimistic

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning - can't contain my excitement much longer!

Ballerina - anything John Wick-adjacent has to be at least a little good, right?

How to Train Your Dragon - not at all needed but I'm morbidly curious

Jurassic World Rebirth - should be extinct by now but I have some faith in Gareth Edwards

The Running Man - Edgar Wright teaming up with Glen Powell? Count me in!

Wicked: For Good - had some issues with the first one, maybe this will resolve them?

Zootropolis 2 - more Inside Out 2 than Moana 2 would be nice

Avatar: Fire and Ash - can't get enough of this franchise (yet), very keen to see more

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery - same as above, bring it on, Rian!