Ana Lily Amirpour (‘The Bad Batch,’ ‘A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night’)

“The Substance“: Went on a Monday night to a theater in L.A. and sat in a packed room filled with equal parts men and women, young and old, laughing and cringing in delight. This was a cinematic experience like I haven’t had in years. You could feel the excitement in the room. The delicious tension. You could feel the audience connected and relating to how badly we want to change the things we hate about ourselves, and how critical we are of our flaws. We are our own worst enemy. This concept is so simple and profound, it’s so universal, that it transcends being a women’s film, it transcends being body horror, it transcends being satire. It just transcends. It’s what I dream cinema can be — fun, wild, provocative and uncategorizable. Coralie isn’t giving you a hero to watch, she puts you inside Sue and you have no choice but to feel it completely. This is not a movie you watch, it’s something you experience. Days after I saw the film, I kept seeing it, thinking about it, the moments and visuals imprinted in my head. “It’s me Sue!” Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley are savage and iconic in these performances. And I’m just grateful we get to live in a world where Coralie Fargeat makes movies. This isn’t an artist echoing cultural trends, this is an artist creating culture.

Joanna Arnow (‘The Feeling That The Time For Doing Something Has Passed’)

2024 favorites by people I haven’t met

“Janet Planet”
“Last Summer”
“Nickel Boys”
“No Other Land”
“Problemista”
“Terrestrial Verses”
“Evil Does Not Exist”
“Ghostlight”
“Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World”
“The Animal Kingdom”

Sean Baker (‘Anora,’ ‘A Florida Project’)

I can’t compile a list right now as I still have so many films to see, but I would like to highlight a film that had a true impact on me and that I think deserves more attention: Catherine Breillat’s “Last Summer.” Breillat is one of my favorite directors and her newest film (a remake of May El-Toukhy’s 2019 film “Dronningen”) contains all the trademarks of a Breillat film and shows that this master is still delivering on her truly specific vision.

Edward Berger (‘Conclave,’ ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’)

If ever there was a year in recent memory where cinema has revealed its true power it was this past one. We’ve said it before, but this time, it’s really true. TV is broken, our minds are saturated, and a plethora of authors return to high form by giving the audience an experience they’re not going to get anywhere else. These are some of the films I loved.
 
“The Seed of the Sacred Fig” (Mohammad Rasoulof): That this movie exists is a sheer miracle. I don’t think we have seen the sense of quiet paranoia portrayed this well on screen since the 1970s. The constant whisper, the oppressive silence, the wild cats lurking behind a glass wall in a café. It must have taken every bit of courage, integrity, and intelligence to make this film. I bow to you, Mohammad Rasoulof, for making this masterpiece. That Germany selected it to represent the country at this year’s Oscars is nothing but deserved. I have to admit that it makes me a bit proud. And I don’t ever use that word.
 
“Anora” (Sean Baker): The journey of a woman who performs what is expected of her to find a kernel of truth in raw emotion is such a wild ride of pure energy and fun. I love Sean Baker’s carefree gaze, every part of his frame feels real and of the moment while the camera stays so nonchalantly observant. It all feels thrown away while never haphazard. In the chaos there is restraint, and that is a sign of pure cinematic mastery.
 
“Dune: Part Two” (Denis Villeneuve): No one applies an author’s vision to a mega-blockbuster as elegantly as Denis Villeneuve. This film is radical in every aspect, and its radicality is what makes us go see it. In every shot, we feel every actor and crew member following the director to a “t.” We gladly lose ourselves in his world because he absolutely knows what he’s doing. To this extent, we don’t get this from any other film or its maker.  
 
“Nickel Boys” (RaMell Ross): We thought we had seen it all, and here comes RaMell Ross. Another author who reinvents our cinematic language and turns everything on its head. I have never seen a film where I get so much joy from its direction. There are images of pure poetry and beauty that I’ll never ever forget. The precision of the blocking and camera, as it seemingly just looks around, makes me smile as I sit in the dark. In the future I’ll steal a lot from RaMell Ross, I think.
 
“The Substance” (Coralie Fargeat): So well choreographed, so well designed, so well shot, and so well acted. To cast Demi Moore is such a genius idea. Everything is pop and pulp and plastic, and that is so much fun to see. Coralie Fargeat is a great director. Show us one frame of her films, and we know that she made it. That is a true signature.
 
“C’È Ancora Domani” (“There’s Still Tomorrow) (Paola Cortellesi): My God, how come all the best filmmakers always come from Italy? Paola Cortellesi is one of them now. To think this is her first film as a director makes my head spin. This movie is so entertaining. And if anyone ever tells me again that 4:3 black and white is not commercial, I have this to throw right back at them. Thank you, Paola Cortellesi, for giving us this argument. I love your work and I’ll run to go see what you do next.
 
“Challengers” and “Queer” (Luca Guadagnino): Another Italian. What is going on? To have two films out in a single year is an achievement in itself, but to make them so differently bold and inventive commands nothing but our respect.
 
“Hollywoodgate” (Ibrahim Nash’at): While watching this I incessantly caught myself thinking how he got to make this film? In Afghanistan, among the Taliban? And where is he now? Does he need to hide? Again, a work of pure honesty and courage. It’s a brilliant documentary. Just watch it.

Maggie Betts (‘The Burial,’ ‘Novitiate’)

1. “The Beast”
2. “Nosferatu”
3. “Furiosa:
4. “Anora”
5. “Emilia Pérez”

Davy Chou (‘Return to Seoul’)

I’ve seen almost none of this year’s new releases, but among the very few I’ve watched, these are the ones that stayed with me:

“Furiosa: a Mad Max Saga” by George Miller
“Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell” by Pham Thiên Ân
“Last Summer” by Catherine Breillat
“Megalopolis” by Francis Coppola
“Chime” by Kiyoshi Kurosawa
“The Substance” by Coralie Fargeat

And three shocks that I watched for the first time this year:

“There Was A Father” by Yasujiro Ozu
“The Battle of Algiers” by Gillo Pontecorvo
“Running on Empty” by Sidney Lumet

Kelly Fremon Craig (‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,’ ‘Edge of Seventeen’)

This year so many films swept me away. There are still a ton I want to see, but here are a few I’ve loved:

“Anora“: What a ride, and what an achingly perfect last scene.

“My Old Ass“: Warm, lived-in, quietly profound. I so loved this gem of a film.

“The Substance“: I mean this as a compliment: I found it so effectively disturbing, I had to watch it in three installments. I’ll be processing this movie for the rest of my life.

“Thelma“: The most life-affirming film l’ve seen in a long time. Made me want to run out and hug everyone I love!

“We Live in Time“: Both performances — WOW.

“Conclave“: Riveting, sharp, thought-provoking. I was spellbound.

“Challengers“: Luca Guadagnino knows exactly how to pin me to my chair, and Zendaya continues to be one of the most magnetic actors alive.

“The Bikeriders“: A visually gorgeous character study that completely transported me.

“Babygirl“: Goes beyond its provocative premise to explore genuinely complex questions. A brave, honest, absolutely absorbing performance by Nicole Kidman.

“Ghostlight“: A beautiful little film about love, loss, and the power of art to heal. It went straight to my heart.

R.J. Cutler (‘Martha,’ ‘Elton John: Never too Late,’ ‘The September Issue’)

Five Films I’m Grateful For in 2024.

(in alphabetical order)

“Anora” (writer/director Sean Baker): This utterly contemporary throwback to the Hollywood screwball comedies of the 1940s was a thrilling delight throughout, and then in the final 30 minutes, it tore my heart apart with a series of scenes that have called out to me again and again. After the oligarchs go back home, Mikey Madison, hurrah and bravo.

“Emilia Pérez” (writer/director Jacques Audiard): Don’t read about it. Don’t ask your friends about it. Just go see it. I’ve said too much.

“Frida” (director Carla Gutierrez): Every film is a work of art; in this story, every work of art is a film too. And while some filmmakers might find that intimidating, it has clearly only inspired and emboldened Carla Gutierrez. What a thrill. What courage. What a brilliant poet. Do I mean Kahlo or Gutierrez? Both, man, both!

“Janet Planet” (writer/director Annie Baker): Every new Annie Baker play is a journey into a universe that is somehow both utterly surprising and deeply familiar. You enter the work and it rejiggers your very thought process. The experience becomes part of you in the deepest way, as it scrambles your obsessions and ricochets against the truths that define your inner life. The great news is that the same appears to be true for every new Annie Baker movie. “Janet Planet” is the first of these. Can’t wait for number two.

“Sugarcane” (directors Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie): How often do we experience a film that rips us to shreds and elevates our spirit at the same exact moment? What guts, what integrity, what honesty on display both in front of and behind the camera; what beauty even amidst the horror of human cruelty as its most horrific. One feels honored to have experienced this film so early in its life as it will most surely be considered a landmark not only of verite filmmaking, but of its filmmakers’ body of work as well.

Saela Davis & Anna Rose Holmer (‘God’s Creatures,’ ‘The Fits’)

We are still working our way through our watch lists, however, two films we saw this year that left us with that post-screening joyful rush and screaming CINEMA were:

“Evil Does Not Exist” written and directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi — A haunting, meditative examination of the relationship between humans and nature. Challenges conventions in a delightfully surprising and transcendent way. From one of the most mesmerizing opening sequences to Eiko Ishibashi’s beautifully discordant score and the atemporal editing of the end— this film leaves an indelible imprint in our memories.

“La Chimera” written and directed by Alice Rohrwacher — pure magic. The muddy entanglement of the mundane and the profound is palpable in every frame, and we especially loved Hélène Louvart’s graceful, multi-dimensional cinematography.

Vera Drew (‘The People’s Joker’)

10. “Here” (Robert Zemeckis)
I cried through the whole movie. From dinosaurs to Ben Franklin. Movies are supposed to be this on the nose, you fucking hipsters. Thirty years ago, this would have made a billion dollars and would win Best Picture.

9. “MaXXXine” (Ti West)
The best of the trilogy and honestly probably Ti’s best film. Honestly hit for me on an emotional level I wasn’t prepared for. More  v in movies please.

8. “All the Golden” (Nate Wilson)
This counts as a movie that came out this year because (like my movie…) most people saw this one this year. It’s absolutely nuts. Absolutely unlike any movie I’ve ever seen (except maybe “Inland Empire” or something made by Racer Trash). Extremely low budget, deconstructive, intense, honestly annoyingly experimental at times and 1000% non-linear YET extremely engaging, hilarious, sexy, disgusting, and somehow follow-able…like this movie feels like you’re having a LITERAL dream — you have no idea what is “actually” happening linearly or logically but you FEEL-understand and know everything that is unfolding with these characters. Anything else I write about this film will reveal too much about my own experience with polyamory, unionizing, and lesbianism.

7. “Carnage for Christmas” (Alice Maio Mackay)
I’m biased because I edited it, but this is Alice’s best movie (and she’s my favorite living filmmaker). Definitely her funniest, leanest, most ambitious, and sweetest. A little bit of Nancy Drew, “Twin Peaks,” Rob Zombie, Knife+Heart, and Kevin Smith rolled into a sweet queer solidarity holiday mystery. Gory as fuck but not exploitative. Sincere but not saccharine. An unnerving caper that is equal parts well acted, beautifully shot, delightfully weird, and honestly a pretty solid Christmas movie. Working on it restored my passion to edit other people’s material and helped me honestly feel like a person again. I look up to Alice as a filmmaker — she’s just an absolute machine when it comes to making and releasing quality content…a girl genetically designed to make genre films. And I am beyond lucky to have her as a friend, my sister from another mister, my favorite living director, and one of the other three heads on the Edgy Doll Cinema Hydra (see more about this in my #1 movie pick).

6. “The 4:30 Movie” (Kevin Smith)
The year is 2024, and I cried like a little bitch during a new Kevin Smith movie. His best film in years. Do not skip it.

5. “In A Violent Nature” (Chris Nash)
At this moment of my own life — feeling the strains of aging, the impermanence of time and body, how scary God and the idea of soul and magick and the All have been to me lately… I can’t adequately articulate the long-awaited release that I felt watching that yoga girl get ripped apart by cute little Johnny.

4. “The Visitor” (Bruce LaBruce)
Hilarious, sexy, disgusting, scary, disturbing, and beautiful. There is simply no other filmmaker like Bruce LaBruce. These movies make me a better artist and a better human being when I watch them. Obsessed, transfixed, and inspired by how he casts. By how he stretches the definition of porn and genre as a whole. And with the fact that the dad in this has sex with both of his children but not his wife.

3. “Aggro Dr1ft” (Harmony Korine)
Definitely an all-timer for me. Vibe-y, experimental, chaotic, weird, but also the perfect distillation of macho action cinema. Maybe I’m projecting, but I think this movie is just about how you only become a filmmaker (a “shooter” aka the “world’s greatest assassin”) if it’s something that you’re like… destined to do. Making movies is dangerous for your ego, your mental health, it exposes you to people that say you’re their friend and they backstab you, people fuck you for cache, you might get so fucked up your mother won’t even recognize you… but there are some of us on this planet that are just born to do it. We gotta make movies. Despite the cost. In spite of the darkness it brings. An Angel (or a demon) is pulling our Chariot. I think this might be Korine’s most personal movie. It’s watching a brilliant artist say, “look…yeah…I make fuckin awesome movies. I make the best movies. I’ve influenced a lot of people for better or worse. But makin’ movies is so hard and it takes so much out of you and it pulls you away from your family and what even IS a movie anymore when you can make something that looks like this and employs technology that we couldn’t have ever dreamed of when I made ‘Trash Humpers.’ I don’t wanna be on set. That shit ain’t important. Saying goodnight to my kids is important. Who needs to reinvent indie cinema and inspire and infuriate audiences and artists…when you got a wife at home who fucking loves u and you fuckin love and has a huge ass and wants to bounce on ur dick. So yeah…look…I like makin’ movies, I like hanging out on a boat with some pals, but I’d rather be home playing video games with family.”

2. “Megalopolis” (Francis Ford Coppola lol)
I was watching this interview with Coppola where he talks about how his only regret as a filmmaker is that he and his contemporaries aren’t leaving the industry in better shape than when they found it. That the next generation of filmmakers have it harder than ever, perhaps implying that he and the other movie brats are to blame. I can’t help but think about the fact that he named a character in this Francis. That character isn’t our hero. He’s an old mayor who refuses to retire. He doesn’t want civilization to grow. He wants to build a casino. When Coppola made “Jack,” one of his most panned films, it was because he had always wanted to work with Robin Williams. When he made the first two “Godfather” films – his “masterpieces” – it was because he was broke. The role of a supposed auteur director up until our modern era has just been about megalomania. Is the selfish human grasping at the fact that it is not god. Creating worlds. Perhaps inspired from a place of purity. Your wife. Your children. Corrupted by your drive. Your mania. Your legacy.

1. “Castration Movie Pt 1” (Louise Weard)
So I will start by saying that I am biased because I cameo in this film, but even if I didn’t I would highlight it because I have felt for years now that Louise Weard is the most interesting trans filmmaker working right now. The most vulgar, bombastic, and (somehow) horniest third of what Willow Catelyn Maclay calls “The Three Headed Hydra of Edgy Doll Cinema” (a mythical beast that myself and Alice Maio MacKay are also a part of), Louise is making art that most trans people would be too afraid or have a false sense of self-importance to ever make. Mercilessly DIY and shot entirely on consumer grade Hi-8 tape, the movie follows a Vancouver sex worker named Traps who seeks a back alley orchiectomy. Clocking in at four-and-a-half hours, Weard takes you hostage inside a fearless odyssey into the more humbling, messy, and beautiful parts of modern queer life. Grey market DIY hormone therapy. Functional alcoholism. Golden showers. T4T sex. 4chan. An amazing soundtrack by Aoife Josie Clements/Ravine Angel. Cameos from me, Alice, Rook from Black Dresses, Lea Rose Sebastianis and Nate Wilson (“The All Golden”), and Cricket Arrison (Wham City Comedy, Chomp). With shades of early Harmony Korine, the murky realism of Tobe Hooper, and the politics and humanity of a conversation you’d have at 3 a.m. with your best trans friends, this is what I’ve been craving from queer indie cinema my entire life.

Lena Dunham (‘Catherine Called Birdy,’ ‘Sharp Stick,’ ‘Tiny Furniture’)

This year all I wanted to watch were films that brought me joy. Bear with me — this doesn’t mean only long YouTube vids of baby animals (though I did watch a lot of those too.) Joy can take many forms- it’s about laughter, but it’s also about connection, recognition, and validation. Only in my old age have I realized how precious all of that it is. My early 20s indie snobbery has drifted away (2014 would have been a much more pretentious list) and so the below films come from every budget tier and corner of Hollywood and Hollyweird.

“Love Lies Bleeding“: sexy, demented, totally unique. Rose Glass has got IT.

“Challengers“: This was an especially horny year at the cinema, and Luca G was responsible for at least 75% of that — not all heroes wear capes (and not all directors wear baseball hats.) This film was a potential source of pleasure for everyone, showing so many iterations of erotic fixation (even being obsessed with tennis is like having a burning crush, apparently.) Never have I cared so deeply about sports.

“Babygirl“: speaking of horny, nobody does female desire like Helina Reijn. Fearless, funny, and sleek — I was a distraction, talking aloud to the characters in a crowded screening room.

“Messy“: (as yet unreleased) Alexi Wasser depicts the disease of boy craziness with more truth and humor than I’ve seen in a long time. I love the parade of pitiable boyfriends she lays out, and how game the male actors were to take on the task.

“How To Have Sex“: a lush, laidback, and deeply honest look at female friendship, toxic peer pressure, the subtlety of sexual abuse and party culture — surprising and surprisingly lovely. Molly Manning-Walker’s cinematography on films like “Scrapper” has been a highlight, and her direction is just as refreshing.

“Rebel Ridge“: a classic revenge thriller through a modern lens, this movie has something big to say about the small bureaucratic injustices that lead to big consequences. Aaron Pierre is such a star, saying it all with the tilt of an eyebrow.

“Civil War“: OK maybe not ALL the movies brought joy — this one scared me shitless, but was impossible to turn away from. Alex Garland can do no wrong (“Men” is huge to me), and can we finally just say that Kiki D has been the finest actor of our generation for the longest time?

“The Fall Guy“: a love letter to making movies, a chance for Ryan G to get goofy, Emily Blunt’s director ‘fits, Aaron Taylor-Johnson with silly hair. 100% on Lena Tomatoes.

“This Is Me… Now: A Love Story“: a rallying cry for over-sharers everywhere. Justice for Jenny L, let her tell her story again and again!

“Problemista“: Julio Torres’s mind is my favorite store.

“I Saw The TV Glow“: Jane Schoenbrun is the one — this is a love letter to the iterative powers of television to make and remake us. Bridgette Lundy Paine and Justice Smith will break your heart.

“Am I OK?“: I love the softness of this film and how gently it presents the complexity of female friendship and the challenges of knowing yourself.

“The Bikeriders“: evocative, aggro, and hugely romantic. I couldn’t take my eyes off these filthy men!

“A Family Affair“: I’m sorry, Zac Efron is and always has been a comedic genius. Nicole is showing us all her sides and reminding us she has the power to date a younger hunk in drama AND comedy: we are not worthy.

“National Anthem“: I’m biased because the director is my friend and collaborator, but this film is such a loving portrait of a culture that is so often reduced to stereotypes. You had me at queer rodeo and kept me because of the intimate yet epic camerawork and soulful performances.

“Speak No Evil“: A fucking blast. James McAvoy does demented with more glee than anyone since Jack Nicholson. I could have watched 11 hours of him being slightly menacing at a dinner table.

“Wolfs“: Please never forget George Clooney as the only celebrity to keep his pet pig even when it reached full size, and for that reason alone I will always support him in all his endeavors (except Casamigos — that would be the death of me.) Clooney plus Pitt equals an act of public service. I like when movies are just a little old-fashioned in their ambitions; it reminded me of when I used to watch “Dragnet” on Nick at Night and Marvel at how fast Jack Webb could talk.

“Janet Planet“: Annie Baker has never written a dishonest word, and her filmmaking is just as wise, wry, and masterful. This movie is a whisper that lands with a bang.

“Strange Darling“: Giovanni Ribisi becoming my favorite cinematographer of the year was not on my 2024 bingo card, but I love it. Didn’t know we had any more to wring out of the “pretty girl hunted by serial murderer” trope until this. Will land with Lucky McKee’s “May,” which previously occupied this spot alone, as a sinister flick I’d be glad to watch over and over again.

“A Real Pain” and “Between the Temples”: these work beautifully in conversation. Two witty, winning filmmakers looking at the legacy of American Judaism in film and on masculinity, and finding the universal in the specific.

Have not yet watched: “Parachute,” “Hard Truths,” and “His Three Daughters,” but they’re the ones I’m itching to consume over the holiday.

Robert Eggers (‘Nosferatu,’ ‘The Northman,’ ‘The Witch’)

Because of the release of “Nosferatu” I didn’t get to see very many new films this year, and especially this season. But here are some things I saw and admired. Like most people on the planet, I loved “Anora” and “The Substance.” Both films perfectly executed their entirely specific visions in every way. Magnus von Horn’s “Girl with the Needle,” Eva Nathena’s “Murderess,” and Arkasha Stevenson’s “The First Omen” were all impeccably directed and received little attention. Victoria Carmen Sonne and Trine Dyrholm’s performances in “The Girl with the Needle” were inspiringly nuanced and powerful. I also loved all the performances in “Babygirl” from Nicole Kidman to Antonio Banderas. Anya Tayor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth were both excellent in “Furiosa.” And I really enjoyed “Fancy Dance” in its solid, economic storytelling. On the other end of the spectrum, the practical FX in “Alien: Romulus” were glorious. Ten minutes ago, I just came home from “Mufasa” with my family. It was truly moving to see what Barry Jenkins’ singular voice brought to this massive event film. Also, hats off to Redwood Creek’s restoration and Blu-Ray release of Lev Kulshov’s 1926 “By the Law.” I hadn’t seen it until this year. I am very eagerly looking forward to seeing “The Brutalist” on the big screen as soon as possible.

Adam Elliot (‘Memoir of a Snail,’ ‘Mary and Max’)

1. “Anora“: so refreshing to see a film that is so visceral. So real and authentic with moments of verisimilitude. That final scene was sublime.

2. “The Substance“: I thought I was going to hate this and how wrong I was. It slowly built to one of the best endings I have seen in a long time. Great comment on how fucked up and obsessed we all are with cosmetic enhancements.

3. “Conclave“: as an atheist, I was riveted. Isabella Rossellini was a highlight.

4. “Fall“: Such a fantastic premise. As someone who has genuine vertigo, I had to have several valiums to calm me down after this.

5. “Dune: Part Two“: Purely for the cinematography by Aussie Greig Fraser and a sound design that is so dense, sophisticated, and nuanced (including, of course, Hans Zimmer’s incredible score).

Coralie Fargeat (‘The Substance,’ ‘Revenge’)

With finishing the post-production on my own film and then traveling for the release, I unfortunately haven’t been able to go a lot to the cinema to see films and there are so many I still need to catch up… but here are a few I was able to watch and loved in 2024

“The Apprentice,” directed by Ali Abbasi: raw cinema with a stunning performance of Sebastian Stan

“Niki,” directed by Celine Salette: A very impressive first feature film on the life of the feminist artist Niki de Saint Phalle with an amazing performance of Charlotte Le Bon.

“Conclave,” directed by Edward Berger: Ralph Fiennes at his best in this men’s war behind closed doors brilliantly directed by Edward Berger.

“The Room Next Door,” directed by Pedro Almodóvar: Such a poetic take on death and female friendship.

“Nickel Boys,” directed by RaMell Ross: Such a sensitive first feature film that impressively talks about violence without showing it…

I must add that I can’t wait to see “The Balconettes” by Noémie Merland and “Dog on trial” by Lætitia Dosch, two fellow French filmmakers who were both selected at Cannes this year and show how vivid cinema is right now to bring new visions to screen!

Tim Fehlbaum (‘September 5,’ ‘The Colony’)

It’s been an incredible year for auteur cinema. Whether with a big or small budget, the films I chose could not be more different in the most marvelous ways. Yet, there is one thing that unites them: they are all defined by a strong directorial vision. Even though it was difficult, I tried to limit myself to a dozen titles. In alphabetical order.

“A Real Pain“: It’s not very often that a movie can make you laugh while quietly breaking your heart. “A Real Pain” succeeds in that thanks to Jesse Eisenberg’s delicate direction and Kieran Culkin’s performance, who so effortlessly blends humor with emotional complexity. This film is so authentic that it occasionally felt overwhelmingly real, and it is so charming that you hardly register the subtle wave of melancholy gradually settling over it.

“Anora“: There was the Italian Neorealism, the Nouvelle Vague, New Hollywood, Dogme 95… and now we have next level Cinéma Vérité with Sean Baker. This is him at the absolute top of his game. The cast is stellar, the timing impeccable, and the ending leaves you devastated for days.

“Better Man“: This concept is so anarchic and wild that it’s hard to put into words how this film works; you have to see it to believe it. Michael Gracey has just created one of the best music biographical films of all time, certainly the most original.

“The Brutalist“: Brady Corbet’s film seems to have arrived from another dimension of history, the kind of epics the 70s thrived on. My admiration could not be greater for how he accomplished this gigantic work. What a tour de force.

“Conclave“: Masterfully directed by Edward Berger, this film begins as a gripping political thriller set in an original backdrop, only to gradually unfold its deeper theme: destiny as a consequence of one’s actions. It is a triumph on every level. I’ve already watched it twice and am eager to see it a third time before the year’s end.

“Dune: Part Two“: Films like this are the reason cinema was invented. At the moment when the Harkonnen lift off and silently float through the air, my jaw dropped in awe, and by the time the end credits started rolling, I was still sitting in the same position, completely absorbed. It’s incredible how Denis Villeneuve continually surpasses himself with each film. He is the Kubrick of our generation.

“Evil Does Not Exist“: Hamaguchi’s meditation on nature is of quiet anger and outrage. It so perfectly captures that unknowable sentiment when we stare point-blank into an animal’s eyes.

“Saturday Night”: I know a bit about the challenges of making a film set entirely in a ’70s TV studio, and Jason Reitman has accomplished this brilliantly. What a masterpiece in the choreography of actors and camera. It’s like a constant, elegant dance. It’s incredible how the film can feel both so authentic and perfectly timed at the same time.

“The Seed of the Sacred Fig“: What a courageous film on every level. Beyond its political dimension, it is astounding how Rasoulof succeeds in infusing every moment with a breathless, almost physically capable tension.

“Sing Sing“: Like many great films, this is a film about the craft of putting on a show, more specifically about the craft of acting. Slipping into another person is not about disguise or illusion but rather about finding a deep truth within yourself.

“The Universal Theory” (Die Theorie von Allem): This film set in the Swiss Alps struck me with its innovative storytelling and visual style, making complex themes accessible without losing depth. With brilliant performances and a profound reflection on life and the search for truth.

“Zeit Verbrechen“: Premiered at this year’s Berlinale as a German true-crime mini-series, but for me, it is four standalone artistically outstanding films that are all a must-see. Especially Mariko Minoguchi’s incredibly sensitive and authentic one-shot episode Dezember about a completely senseless crime captivated me with its intense pull from the very first minute. A hidden gem.

Documentary:

“John und Yoko“: I crave every new film by Kevin Macdonald, and as a big John Lennon fan, this was the perfect match for me. It’s incredible how Macdonald is a master of his craft in both feature films and documentaries.

Animation:

“The Wild Robot”: This is the first movie I went to see at a theater with my daughter, and there could not have been a better choice to introduce her to the magic of cinema.

Short Film:

“Edge of Space“: This short film blew me away. What a mature, visually powerful, and captivating work. I absolutely want to see a feature film by Jean de Meuron.

Trailer:

“28 Years Later“: Couldn’t be more excited for this one. Garland and Boyle teaming up again. The trailer is a true piece of art.

Paul Feig (‘A Simple Favor,’ ‘Bridesmaids’)

As I get older in this industry, I find that I more and more love and admire movies that simply exist to entertain. Sure, I love a good Oscar-bait movie as much as the next person but find that my loyalties are more and more lying with films that just want to make you laugh, make you scream, make you say “Oh my god!” and very often do it all at the same time. And so I present to you my favorite movies of 2024:

“Five Nights at Freddie’s“: I truly had no idea what to expect going into this. I’d never seen or heard of the video game and had read all kinds of weird reviews of the film. And so I went in with my expectations low. What I discovered was a completely entertaining and emotional story told with an inventiveness that I truly admired and a commitment to doing as much visual effects as possible in camera. I found the movie to be a ton of fun and it even choked me up in a few places. Director Emma Tammi did an amazing job and I hear there’s a sequel coming. I hope it’s true because I can’t wait to see what Emma and team do for the next chapter.

“The Beekeeper“: My love of Jason Statham should come as no surprise to anyone since my experience with him on my movie “Spy” justified my decades-long love of the man’s work. There’s truly nothing more fun than a Jason Statham movie, whether it’s one of the great ones or one of the lesser ones. But for me, “The Beekeeper” jumped to the upper echelon of his oeuvre as soon as I saw it. It’s such a satisfying story of taking down the awful people who rip off the elderly and vulnerable with online and telephone scams, which sounds a bit dry until you add in Jason Statham kicking ABSOLUTE FUCKING ASS throughout the entire film. This is a really cathartic watch in these days of the con men. Kudos to director David Ayers for not pulling any punches with this one.

“Dream Scenario“: Nicholas Cage is amazing and just gets more amazing with every film role and completely nutty choice he makes for his on-screen characters. “Dream Scenario” is such a slow-motion train wreck of a nightmare that you find yourself both wanting to look away and completely hanging on whatever terrible thing is going to happen next. Nic plays it with so much lowkey bewilderment that you can’t help but feel your heart breaking for the guy even as you laugh at just how awful the circumstances happening to him become. It’s truly inventive storytelling by writer/director Kristoffer Borgli and wholly original. Get ready to cringe and be thoroughly entertained.

“Longlegs“: And yet another amazing Nic Cage performance hit our screens this year. The movie is great across the board, but when you figure out halfway through the film (or at least it took me that long) that it’s Nic under all that insane makeup playing one of the most fucked-up characters I’ve ever seen in a film, you can’t help but want to stand up and give him one of those 15-minute ovations you hear about at the Cannes and Venice film festivals. (We can discuss how weird I think that tradition is at a later date. But really? Can anyone clap for 15 minutes? My hands hurt just thinking about it.) This movie is a terrifying delight, and writer/director Osgood Perkins has a really exciting career ahead.

“Abigail“: I consider myself a maximalist and so love when a movie just goes for it, unbound and unafraid to let everything fly. I found “Abigail” to be so hilariously over the top in its performances and its sheer amounts of blood and humor that I was smiling ear to ear the entire time. A great cast and the great filmmaking team of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett working from a script by Steven Shields and Guy Busick really gave us a vampire adventure worth watching again and again. I couldn’t have loved this film more.

“The Wrath of Becky“: OK, this movie came out last year but I only saw it this year and just have to shout it out because it was so goddammed entertaining. I loved the first “Becky” movie but “The Wrath of Becky” seemed to improve on everything that was so fun in the first film by giving us great villains and really turning Becky loose. Lulu Wilson is so much fun as the titular character, and my pal Seann William Scott, playing a terrifying white supremacist, just added up to a movie experience every bit as cathartic as “The Beekeeper.” Please, filmmakers Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote, tell me there will be more Becky movies. We need her these days.

“Thelma“: What an absolutely delightful film this was. What I admired most about it was that it was a movie that could have been very soft and cloying but writer/director Josh Margolin and star June Squib gave it just the right amount of edge to make you laugh out loud while never losing the film’s enormous heart. And what a great final role for the amazing Richard Roundtree. That he left us that gift of a performance before he passed is something very special. If you haven’t seen Thelma because you think you know what to expect, think again and watch it, for cryin’ out loud. June Squib rules!

“Late Night with the Devil”: I love nothing more than a very contained idea that is then allowed to go nuts. The idea of setting a horror film during an episode of a late-night talk show is nothing short of genius, one of those ideas that, as a filmmaker, you watch and think, “Dammit, why didn’t I think of that?” David Dastmalchian as the talk show host does a great job of making us believe that this insane situation is actually real, allowing filmmakers Cameron and Colin Cairnes to methodically and convincingly build the film to its wonderfully insane ending. (Special shoutout to Rhyes Auteri for playing the show’s hilariously heartbreaking announcer/sidekick.) I can’t wait to see what these filmmakers do next.

Hannah Fidell (‘A Teacher’)

2024 really felt like a great year for film. I am still working my way through the awards contenders and haven’t seen “The Brutalist,” “Nickel Boys,” “A Real Pain,” etc… but here are my favorites that I have seen and loved (in no particular order):

“Anora“: I’ve seen this twice and cried both times. It’s a perfect film. The catharsis of that last scene in the car makes me weep just thinking about it. The directing, writing, cinematography, acting… it was all working at the highest level and took my breath away. I would even go so far as to say this: “Anora” is now in my all-time top 10 favorites. I know I’m going to keep going back to this over and over again to study how it works so beautifully and brilliantly.

“Conclave“: I have also seen this film twice. I thought it was hilarious both times. No notes. Edward Berger is a genius.

“Civil War“: More movies like this please. Action-packed, propulsive, amazing acting and camera work… terrifying as hell. My kinda film!

“The Substance“: I went to a screening at UTA by myself not really knowing anyone there. Before the film began, I made small talk with the gentleman sitting next to me. We had both heard good things! We couldn’t wait! And once the film started to play and began to reveal itself to us, I could sense my neighbor squirming in his seat. I think I even heard an audible, “Oh my god” coming from his direction at one point. To be clear, I have a real aversion to body horror films AND YET I fucking loved this. It felt bold and weird. It got under my skin and has stayed with me. I genuinely can’t believe this film got made. But it did. And we should all celebrate! Maybe, just maybe, there is hope out there for the rest of us to get weirder with our art.

“Challengers“: I have now seen this film three times. Once with a group of ladies I play tennis with (we saw it in IMAX opening night I believe), and I’m not sure if I have ever felt more alive. The energy of the crowd watching this film was electric. The next time I watched it was on a plane. It felt wrong in the best way to put this film on while sitting between two strangers, but once that score came on, nothing else mattered. The third time I watched the film was in the dentist chair as I was having a cavity filled. The dentist doing the work had never seen the film and kept looking up at the TV. I realize now that this probably was the wrong choice for the moment but she seemed to really enjoy it just as much as I was.

“Gladiator II“: Denzel. Need I say more?

“The Apprentice“: I saw this film right before the election, mid work day in Pasadena. My friend and I were the only ones in the theater. Somehow the film is… incredible? I was jealous of the directing. And editing. And basically everything. Of course, the subject matter felt dangerous, which made it all the more enjoyable to watch. It actually played like a horror film to me…. Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong are out-of-this-world good. Don’t let your politics get in the way of a great film!

“Saturday Night“: I have no idea how Jason Reitman pulled this off, but he did. It is a true feat of filmmaking that looks easy but damn near impossible to pull off. You can feel Jason’s love for “SNL” in every single frame. What is crazy is that of course we all KNOW that “Saturday Night Live” does indeed air but somehow while watching you really begin to believe it just might not happen. A cinematic magic trick if there ever was one!

Todd Field (‘Tár,’ ‘In the Bedroom’)

Last year Nina Hoss—with typical understatement—said that she’d worked with this “very interesting guy named Radu Jude.” This in no way prepared me for the hallucinogenic excursion of “Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World;” a strange concoction of absurd humor, rage and disgust with the TikTok world we occupy. The film’s pleasures are many, including Nina as a German automaton CEO overseeing a Bucharest-based production services company. And there’s a very funny, not-so-funny, cameo by the director Uwe Boll who shares a sentiment held by many today, that cinema is dead. So, it’s especially gratifying to watch Jude prove him wrong. Unleashing a ferocious skillset he shares with the incomparable Ilinca Manolache. An actor and director so perfectly aligned it’s impossible to separate praise for the wickedly smart execution of their aims. Seven months after seeing their film, I’m still thinking about it.
 
While 2024 offered some remarkable movies, there’s one, that until recently, I hadn’t heard much about, Ali Abbasi’s “The Apprentice.” Perhaps this was due to associations with the off-putting title, not to mention the precarious political landscape we’ve occupied these too many years. Nonetheless, I feel lucky to have finally had the opportunity to see it.
 
Ali Abbasi and Gabriel Sherman introduce Donald Trump and Roy Cohen where they live, in this case 70s & 80s Manhattan. One of the admirable things about their film is that this introduction takes place at a human scale (the antithesis of the Mark Burnett-inspired title). Another is that Abbasi and Sherman’s film looks and feels like New York back then. Not in an overly considered movie way, but as if The Apprentice was in fact shot in those decades. Abassi’s creative alignment with his keys is clear, and so it is with his wonderful cast.
 
Sebastian Stan takes on the herculean, and many would argue thankless, task of portraying the most imitated man (besides Elvis) in modern history, and in the process performs a miracle. Showing Trump as if for the first time; a young man with Oedipal issues who comes under the spell of a dark magician, a sorcerer in the form of Roy Cohen (played by Jeremy Strong in perhaps the best work of his career). Strong’s Cohen is an infinitely more skilled, ambitious, and hard-charging version of Trump’s father (an unrecognizable Martin Donovan). And while Sherman’s script focuses on men, his Ivana Trump (the wonderful Maria Bakalova) is a don’t-fuck-with-me force to be reckoned with.
 
As displayed in his previous films, Abbasi himself is a sorcerer who possesses the uncanny ability to force us into shoes we otherwise might not be willing to try on. His art creates an odd sense of claustrophobia that’s both uncomfortable and surprising, two adjectives that reflect where we’ve been and are likely still heading.

Parker Finn (‘Smile,’ ‘Smile 2’)

There’s one particular shot from Luca Guadagnino’s “Challengers” that I find myself thinking about a lot.

It occurs barely a few minutes into the film’s opening. Donaldson (Mike Faist) and Zweig (Josh O’Connor) have just begun playing a tennis match, fiercely volleying the ball back and forth. The smack of the ball and their grunting efforts are the only sounds we hear.

Then, we cut out wide, viewing the entire court in tableau from behind the line judge’s chair. As Donaldson serves, the very first notes of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ impossibly sexy, propulsive, capital-T techno score begins, and the camera starts pushing forward, slickly moving past the line judge and straight out across the court as Donaldson and Zweig face-off, the tennis ball streaking back and forth past the lens over and over again. The camera continues toward the crowd of spectators as every head cranes back and forth in synchronicity, watching the tennis ball. The shot finally settles on Tashi (Zendaya) in the crowd — but curiously, she’s not watching the ball with everyone else. She’s watching Donaldson and Zweig.

It’s a 30-second long shot where every element of filmmaking comes together. Thirty seconds of Guadagnino letting us all know: this movie fucks.

Jeff Fowler (‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’)

“Dune: Part Two“: An absolute masterclass in cinematic storytelling. Every film frame is a work of art, and the infrared filming technique Denis Villeneuve pioneered with his cinematographer, Greig Fraser, was such a beautiful and innovative look. I hope he makes ten more of these… we need all the big-budget sci-fi we can get!

“The Wild Robot“: Chris Sanders is responsible for some of my favorite animated films (“How to Train Your Dragon,” “Lilo & Stitch”), and this was such a wonderful new entry in his filmography. I’m a huge fan of painterly/impressionistic visual styles when it comes to animation, and his team absolutely knocked it out of the park. And the story’s heartfelt and emotional love letter to parenting hit me with ALL the feels.

“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga“: George Miller is one of the all-time greats, and I loved the world-building he was able to accomplish with this expansion of the Mad Max wasteland. We were incredibly fortunate to cast Alyla Browne to play the iconic role of Maria in “Sonic 3” and have to thank George for putting her on our radar as the young Furiosa in his film. She’s an amazing talent and no doubt has a very bright future ahead!

Drew Goddard (‘Bad Times at the El Royale’)

Here are some of the works that brought me joy in 2024:

“Barbie“: Yes, it came out last year. Yes, it’s on my list this year because it’s so wonderful it bends space-time. It’ll be on my list next year, too.

“Better Man“: Somewhere around Regent Street my jaw hit the floor and I have yet to recover. There are sequences in this movie that cannot have been made by mere humans.

“The Brutalist“: Empathy, compassion, and humanity in exquisite VistaVision.

“Emilia Perez“: Jacquez Audiard out here running circles around the rest of us. Fearless filmmaking in front of the camera and behind. Loved every second.

“Furiosa“: Of all the different Types of Endings, I think my favorite is “Protagonist and Antagonist Have an Existential Conversation and Then Both Are Sad The End.” (See also “Blade Runner,” “Faces,” “Miller’s Crossing,” “The Master”) Also, the midpoint of this movie is “Chris Hemsworth gets his nipples ripped off.” Masterpiece.

“A Man on the Inside“: The Era of Schur continues in television comedy. We should replace the Hollywood sign with Ted Danson.

“Shoresy“: My second-favorite Type of Ending is “Nat Holds Shoresy in Her Arms When His Knees Buckle in the Hall.”

“Wicked“: When Cynthia Erivo sings, the Earth shakes.

“Will and Harper“: You’ll arrive better than you left.

William Goldenberg (‘Unstoppable’)

“September 5“: Shows the power of great editing. Beautifully directed by Tim Fehlbaum. Sheds a new light on a story I thought I knew everything about.

“Civil War“: An all-too-real look at our possible future. The graveside scene with Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst will haunt me forever.

“A Real Pain“: A simple and beautiful film about an incredibly complex subject. Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin are superb.

“Anora“: A unique and powerful film. I’m so happy that the rest of the world is discovering Mikey Madison.

“Wicked“: I’ve been in love with the show for years. The film greatly exceeded my expectations.

“Sing Sing“: A much-needed reminder of how the arts can change lives.

“Conclave“: Gorgeous in every way. Ralph Fiennes is at his very best.

“A Complete Unknown“: The scenes between Dylan, Seeger, and Guthrie broke my heart. The design, the costumes, the music, everything was great.

“My Old Ass“: Megan Park’s screenplay is funny, innovative, and perfectly reveals life’s surprises.

“Young Woman and the Sea“: I love movies about athletes overcoming incredible odds. ;)

Michael Gracey (‘Better Man,’ ‘The Greatest Showman’)

The “Saturday Night” script by Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan dances with a jazz-like tempo, each line snapping like fingers in a smoky club. It’s a rhythm that Jason Reitman translates flawlessly to the screen, underscoring the tension and excitement of crafting a live sketch show. The performances, featuring fluid movement from overlapping conversations and action, are directed to perfection, turning the impossible dream into a high-wire act of creativity.
 
In “Emilia Perez,” Jacques Audiard orchestrates a symphony of outstanding performances, each note striking with precision in a musical story that defies convention. Zoe Saldana’s incredible musical talent injects deep emotion into every note and lyric, making her performance a true storytelling powerhouse. Karla Sofía Gascón’s portrayal is remarkable — there are too many moments to list, but the scene in bed with her boy as he smells her hands destroyed me. Adriana Paz brings a commanding presence, making each moment on screen unforgettable. Meanwhile, Selena Gomez delivers one of the film’s most memorable musical numbers, “Mi Camino.” Her performance feels startlingly authentic, conveying a powerful exploration of self-identity that resonates throughout the film’s female characters.
 
“The Substance” brings Demi Moore back to the forefront with a performance that’s nothing short of revelatory. It is a testament to the relentless pursuit of artistry and a narrative of an unfinished song finally finding its melody, fully realized through director Coralie Fargeat’s vivid, fearless vision. Moore’s willingness to embrace the film’s humour and gore resonates with a daring honesty that is unforgettable.

Kitty Green (‘Royal Hotel,’ ‘The Assistant’)

(unranked)

“The Substance”
“Babygirl”
“Julie Keeps Quiet”
“Anora”
“Red Rooms”
“Green Border”
“Nickel Boys”
“Look Into My Eyes”
“Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat”
“Hollywoodgate”
“Intercepted”
“Union”

Reinaldo Marcus Green (‘One Love,’ ‘King Richard’)

I must admit, creating these lists raises my anxiety. I have so many films I haven’t seen! So my list must be qualified by the fact that I’m massively behind with my viewing slate and cannot comment on the films I haven’t seen, many of which I’m certain are brilliant. Of the films that I’ve seen thus far this season, these I was very fond of.

BONUS **”Kruste” (Short Film): A quirky short that was very well made. Simple narrative, complex storytelling, wonderfully engaging, and entertaining. Heartfelt and unique.

“Conclave“: Simply excellent filmmaking and stellar cast

“Memoir of a Snail“: Amazing film which took home the top prize at BFI this year. It’s a touching and brilliantly crafted film, told with immense heart and human sensibilities.

“On Becoming a Guinea Fowl“: This film moved me. It was refreshing to see a film from a part of the world not known for cinema. Not only was this great cinema, it was a wonderfully directed, and very unique lens into a very dark world, with hope for a brighter future.

“Dune: Part Two“: Denis and Greig are truly masters. The cast is spectacular. The vision for this film is clear and singular. Great to be living during a time where we get to see this type of cinematic achievement on screen.

“The Wild Robot”: Fun and beautiful storytelling. My whole family loved it.

“Piece By Piece“: I must admit, I’m a Pharrell fan — I grew up with his music. This piece hit home. It was a good throwback to some classics that had me bobbin’ and weavin’ all film long, recalling the hits from my seat.

“Mad Bill to Pay“: Joel Alfonso Vargas is a raw new voice. Great to see Latin culture on screen captured this authentically. This director is going places. I loved it.

“Emilia Perez“: This movie is wild, in the best possible way. I’ve loved Audiard since I discovered “Un Prophete,” so with this one, he had me at hello.

“Wicked“: Absolutely brilliant performances from Cynthia and Ariana. Jon Chu does a great job with this one, He had my whole family enthralled for nearly three hours.

“The Brutalist“: Films like this remind me why I love Adrien Brody. Brilliant. The film was brutal in the most beautiful way. The intermission was necessary but four hours wasn’t long enough. Amazing work.

Robert Greene (‘Procession,’ ‘Actress’)

16 nonfiction achievements for 2024

“Look Into My Eyes” (Wilson)
“Dahomey” (Diop)
“No Other Land” (Abraham/Adra/Szor/Ballal)
“I Like It Here” (Arlyck)
“Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (Grimonprez)
“An All-Around Feel Good” (Lord)
“Mistress Dispeller” (Lo)
“Power” (Ford)
“SpermWorld” (Oppenheim)
“The Taste of Mango” (Abrahams)
“Flying Lessons” (Nichols)
“Union” (Maing/Story)
“War Game” (Gerber/Moss)
“Eno” (Hustwit)
“Suburaban Fury” (Devor)
“Sweetheart Deal” (Levine/Miller)

SPECIAL MENTION: “The Featherweight” (Kolodny)

Luca Guadagnino (“Queer,” “Challengers”)

1. David Cronenberg, “The Shrouds”

Then, in no particular order:

Wang Bing, “Youth” (Homecoming)
Damien Leone, “Terrifier 2” (I watched this movie this year after having seen “Terrifier 3”)
Bruce LaBruce, “The Visitor”
Denis Villeneuve, “Dune: Part Two”
Edgard Reitz and Nathan Zellner, “Filmstunde_23”
Scandar Copti, “Happy Holidays”
Clint Eastwood, “Juror #2”
Lav Diaz, “Phantosmia”
The Maw Naing, “Ma – Cry of Silence”
Muhammad Hamdy, “Perfumed with Mint”
Mikey Madison and Yuriy Borisov in “Anora,” by Sean Baker
Alonso Ruizpalacios, “La Cocina”
George Miller, “Furiosa”
M. Night Shyamalan, “Trap“

Ciro Guerra (‘Embrace the Serpent,’ ‘Birds of Passage’)

1. “No Other Land” (Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal) – Palestine/Norway
The most essential and urgent film of now, of our time. Unmissable.

2. “Shambhala” (Min Bahadur Bham) – Nepal
A precious gift from the middle of the Himalayas. Every frame is embedded with spiritual delight, with joy to be alive.

3. “Flow” (Gints Zilbalodis) – Latvia
An animated miracle, a treat of pure cinema and imagination.

4. “All We Imagine as Light” (Payal Kapadia) – India
A tremendous feat of directing; its rhythms, its colors, its movement, and its shadow all dance to transform the mundane into a completely hypnotizing experience.

5. “The Room Next Door” (Pedro Almodóvar) – US/Spain
A warm embrace from a loving master.

6. “Kneecap” (Rich Peppiatt) – Ireland
Alive, explosive, youthful, and angry. Also very funny.

7. “The Devil’s Bath” (Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz) – Austria
A reminder of what great horror is about: When what’s most frightening and disturbing is not in its images, but in its ideas.

8. “Megalopolis” (Francis Ford Coppola) – US
Truly a film like no other, one that condenses the grand folly, insane hubris, and ultimate failure that is all cinema, art, and creation. A leap into the unknown, the great, and the horrendous.

9. “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” (Mohammad Rasoulof) – Iran / Germany
A muffled scream into to the face of rising authoritarism everywhere. The courage it took from its cast and crew to bring this film to life is overwhelming.

10. “Black Dog” (Guan Hu) – China
An incredible surprise, wholly original and unforgettable. A gem in the mud.

11. “Grand Tour” (Miguel Gomes) – Portugal
A playful, beguiling theatre of light and shadow, of History and misunderstanding. No one does it like the portuguese.

Have not yet seen but looking forward to seeing on the big screen:

“The Brutalist”
“Nosferatu”
“Hard Truths”
“Anora”
“Juror #2”
“On Becoming a Guinea Fowl”

Bill Hader (‘Barry’)

The best movie I saw this year was “Flow.” I’ve watched it now three times. It makes me want to get a cat (and I’m allergic to cats).

Drew Hancock (‘Companion’)

The chaotic middle third of “Anora.” Also, the last ten minutes of “Anora.” Also, all of “Anora.”

Willa Fitzgerald in “Strange Darling.” My favorite performance of the year. I binge watched all of “The Fall of the House of Usher” so I could see more of her.

“A Quiet Place: Day One.” Of all the sequels/reboots/remakes this year, this one at least did something different. Big world, small story. All she wanted was a slice of pizza. Beautiful.

Margaret’s possession scene in “The First Omen.” Hypnotic. Terrifying. Hypnotically terrifying.

“My Old Ass.” The best movie about cranberry farming I’ve seen this year. I cried.

David Jonsson in “Alien: Romulus.” Magnetic performance. And I don’t use that word loosely. Seriously. I don’t even call magnets magnetic.

“Longlegs” the opening scene. I don’t really have anything clever to add other than that it’s a really creepy, really chilling opening scene.

“Trap.” The second best movie about cranberry farming I’ve seen this year. Just kidding. There is very little cranberry farming in this movie. What it does have is 105 minutes of Josh Hartnett having the time of his life. And what’s not to love about that?

Shoutout to all the terrific non-sequel, non-IP based movies this year: “Oddity,” “Rebel Ridge,” “I Saw the TV Glow,” “It’s What’s Inside,” “Immaculate,” “In a Violent Nature,” “The Substance,” “Civil War.”

Movies I haven’t seen yet and therefore why you shouldn’t take this list too seriously: “Conclave,” “The Brutalist,” “Come Closer,” “Thelma,” “Didi,” “Flow,” “Snack Shack,” “A Different Man.”

Also special thanks to my YouTube algorithm for feeding me a steady stream of “Burn After Reading” and “Moneyball” clips this year. You get me.

Chad Hartigan (‘Little Fish,’ ‘This Is Martin Bonner’)

First, a list of all the films I wanted to see but haven’t been able to yet: “The Breaking Ice,” “Disco Boy,” “Wicked Little Letters,” “Io Capitano,” “The Tuba Thieves,” “Free Time,” “Coup de Chance,” “Sasquatch Sunset,” “Omen,” “Stress Positions,” “Terrestrial Verses,” “Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1,” “Summer Solstice,” “Nosferatu,” “Happy Campers,” “Meanwhile on Earth,” “The Goldman Case,” “Omni Loop,” “Here,” “A New Kind of Wilderness,” “The Brutalist,” “Queer,” “I’m Still Here,” “Y2K,” “Hard Truths,” “Nickel Boys.”

5 Favorite New Films Seen in Theaters
“The Zone of Interest”
“Challengers”
“Megalopolis”
“Anora”
“The Wild Robot”

5 Favorite Old Films Seen or Re-seen in Theaters
(heavily influenced by my 5 year old son)
“Mary Poppins”
“A Bug’s Life”
“Toy Story”
“Taking Off”
“The Graduate”

5 Favorite New to Me Films Seen at Home
“The Day of the Jackal” (1973)
“The Sleeping Car Murders” (1965)
“The Legend of the Holy Drinker” (1988)
“Leon Morin, Priest” (1961)
“Police Story” (1985)

Don Hertzfeldt (‘World of Tomorrow,’ ‘It’s Such a Beautiful Day’)

“All We Imagine As Light”

“The Brutalist”

“The Devil’s Bath“: Most times I’ve said, “Oh no,” during any film this year.

“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”

“Inside Out 2”

“My Old Ass“: I just thought Maisy Stella was great in this. Wish we could normalize appreciating comedy performances as widely as all the roles with the crazy accents.

“Nickel Boys”

“The Seed of the Sacred Fig“: I’m not sure yet if I’m fully on board with the ending, but the rest of it had me locked in.

“Twin Peaks: The Return“: Well, somehow it’s taken me several years to finish watching this! But what a rare and amazing thing for so much funding and power to have been given to our last great surrealist.

Nicole Holofcener (‘You Hurt My Feelings,’ ‘Walking and Talking’)

In no particular order.

“Woman of the Hour”
“Nickel Boys”
“Emilia Perez”
“I’m Still Here”
“Sing Sing”
“Lovable”
“Alemania”
“Eric”

I know I’m going to love “Hard Truths,” but I haven’t seen it yet! Same with “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.”

Raven Jackson (‘All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt’)

So much love to all the filmmakers who’ve brought work into the world this year. Below is a short, unranked list of a few works I watched in 2024 that sparked something in me and lingered for a while. 

“Nickel Boys,” directed by RaMell Ross
“Anora,” directed by Sean Baker
“All We Imagine as Light,” directed by Payal Kapadia
“Longlegs,” directed by Oz Perkins
“Babygirl,” directed by Halina Reijn
“Last Summer,” directed by Catherine Breillat

Azazel Jacobs (‘His Three Daughters,’ ‘French Exit’)

“Queer” (Luca Guadagnino) and “Bird” (Andrea Arnold): Almost equal inversions in terms of amount of magic and realism, both using the fantastical to reach for a higher truth in the way I love in films, and am inspired to do so in my own. Both also have the deceptive feeling that they poured out, though only years of lived in experience and personal connection, along with incredible talent in every aspect of production, allow for such fearless, bold, work. Two movies that quickly joined my long list of favorites, from, what I believe, was a great year in film.

Matt Johnson (‘Blackberry,’ ‘The Dirties’)

1. “The Brutalist“: For the first 10 minutes alone, this wins the Oscar for Best “Son of Saul” impression. Dropped the “ist” by Part 2 but that epilogue goes down as the greatest prank on film students I’ve ever seen in my life.

2. “Anora“: Snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when she got on that plane BUT half this cast joins “Captain Phillips'” “Amazing Performance; You Will Never Work Again” club.

3. “The Count of Monte Cristo“: France took their best book, their best-looking actors, and their entire national arts budget and made an unironic ’90s blockbuster. Other minor countries take note: it can be done.

4. “The Wild Robot“: Before it started talking, this was in my Letterboxd top 4. 

5. “Drive Away Dolls“: Laugh of the year as I left the theatre 25m in feeling weightless and full of life.

6. “Sasquatch Sunset“: “Dinosaurs” (1991) meets “Gerry” (2002).

7. “Civil War“: I hope Warfare is REALLY good.

8. “Challengers“: Between this and “D2” Zendaya has perfected the “Every Man’s Nightmare” archetype.

9. “The Heirloom“: A star is born.

10. “Megalopolis“: “Men who come out here should have no entrails.” He sealed the utterance with that smile of his, as though it had been a door opening into a darkness he had in his keeping.

Radu Jude (‘Don’t Expect Too Much from the End of the World’)

1. “Scenario” + “Expose du film annonce du film Scenario” (Jean-Luc Godard)
2. “A Traveler’s Needs” + “By the Stream” (Hong Sang-soo)
3. “Grand Tour” (Migues Gomes)
4. “Intercepted” (Oksana Karpovych) + “No Other Land” (Yuval Abraham, Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal)
5. “Tourists of the Familiar” (Ken Jacobs)
6. “Misericorde” (Alain Guiraudie)
7. “If I Float” (Bogdan Alecsandru)

Payal Kapadia (‘All We Imagine as Light’)

1. “La Chimera” (Alice Rohrwacher)
2. “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” (Mohammad Rasoulof)
3. ⁠”Misericordia” (Alain Guiraudie)
4. ⁠”Youth” (Hard Times) (Wang Bing)
5. ⁠”Grand Tour” (Miguel Gomes)
6. ⁠”Toxic” (Saule Bliuvaite)

Karyn Kusama (‘The Destroyer,’ ‘Jennifer’s Body,’ ‘Girlfight’)

My Top 12:

“La Chimera”
“The Brutalist”
“Challengers”
“Love Lies Bleeding”
“Anora”
“Babygirl”
“All We Imagine as Light”
“Dream Scenario”
“Didi”
“A Different Man”
“Maria”
“His Three Daughters”

Greg Kwedar (‘Sing Sing,’ ‘Transpecos’)

I didn’t get to spend as much time in the cinema as I wished I could but here are some wonderful films I saw at Deauville American Film Festival.

(In alphabetical order)

“A Different Man” directed by Aaron Schimberg: This movie works on you in so many ways. Its humor has a terrifying bite in that it holds a mirror to the pernicious ways that comparison is a plague on our self worth. The performances by Sebastian Stan and Adam Pearson and Renate Reinsve are stunning. Sebastian Stan and I got to tuck into comfy chairs at the hotel lobby bar, a soulful conversation I’ll never forget.

“Anora” directed by Sean Baker: What a ride. I’ve gotten to know Sean and his producing/life partner Sammy Quan a bit, and they are as good of people as the films they make. Mikey Madison is incandescent and ferocious alongside a tremendous cast. Even though in the screening all the Russian was in subtitled French, so I’ve got some gaps to fill in!

“Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point” directed by Tyler Taormina: It’s a gauzy and delightful hang movie that charts a family packed in for a final Christmas at the family home. This movie is so full of life and charm and deep currents of melancholy. There’s a shot of a lone skater on a wooded frozen pond as a commuter train wraps around it that is just breathtaking.

“Color Book” directed by David Fortune: This movie is so tender and confident. Every frame of it is carefully composed and precisely executed, but nothing about it is sterile. It’s bursting with heart. William Catlett delivers a soaring performance of a father stretched but never broken. Cast him in everything please!

“Daddio” directed by Christy Hall: Single-location movies are tough to make. Single-cab movies damn near impossible. But Christy did it, fortified by her delicate and provocative script, exquisite performances by Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn, and elegant direction. Christy has devised entirely new film grammar for filming scenes in a vehicle that will be adopted for years to come but never lost sight of the high wire act of two strangers in search of connection. 

“Gazer” directed by Ryan Sloan: This movie is pretty astonishing at face value, and then you learn how it was made and it breaks your brain. Ryan directs Ariella Mastroianni (who is a revelation!!) through a surreal and tense maze on the Jersey streets. It harkens to the works of David Lynch but is its own singular creation. Ryan and Ariella self-financed this picture pulling together cash from their jobs as an electrician and server and playing gigs with their band to shoot on weekends with their cast and crew whenever they could afford the film stock and their team. Which is the most badass thing ever. 

“In the Summers” directed by Alessandra Lacorazza Samudio: A story told in three acts over three summers as a father and his two children draw close and apart from each other like the tides of the ocean. It’s sublime and heart wrenching in equal measures. René “Residente” Pérez Joglar is transfixing and volatile and warm but Leo Mehiel is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors, shoutout to Mutt if you haven’t seen it!!

“La Cocina” by Alonso Ruizpalacios: I don’t normally toss around words like “virtuosic” and “bravura” about filmmakers, but my god Alonso earned these monikers and more in this descent into the chaos of a kitchen and the relentless expectations placed on the immigrants that fuel this country and the indomitable resilience to exceed those expectations. It’s a technical miracle, sequences so packed with visual marvels that to draw close and study the stitching would only increase its majesty. It’s a big swing of a film that also aches with yearning and love. I’m in awe of it.

Savanah Leaf (‘Earth Mama’)

“On Becoming a Guinea Fowl” Rungano Nyoni
“Last Summer” Catherine Breillat
“April” Dea Kulumbegashvili
“No Other Land” Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor
“Janet Planet” Annie Baker
“Nosferatu” Robert Eggers
“Evil Does Not Exist” Ryusyke Hamaguchi
“Conclave” Edward Berger

David Lowery (‘Green Knight,’ ‘A Ghost Story,’ ‘Pete’s Dragon’)

There are a lot of end-of-year titles I have yet to see, so this list is incomplete — but as of right now, here are the movies I found great comfort in this year:

‘The First Omen“: This movie will not be nominated for Best Picture, but it could easily go toe to toe with any of the eventual nominees. What Arkasha Stevenson has made is scary, elegant, beautifully directed, and invigoratingly confrontational in its approach to all manner of dogma — including but not limited to the stuffy burden of prequels. The fact that this is a franchise entry would be irrelevant if Stevenson didn’t so delicately link this film to Richard Donner’s original, whose reputation is now burnished by its new predecessor. This is a masterpiece and my favorite movie of the year.

“Anora“: What an all-timer! This is the most capital-M movie of the year, full of so much love and energy and celluloid that one almost — but never completely — misses what Sean Baker is setting up from the very beginning.

“Vulcanizadora“: Joel Potrykus’ new movie haunted me for days. I couldn’t shake it. It entrenched in me a hopelessness that I didn’t want to let go of. I tended to it and turned it over and over until gradually, finally, it receded and let me rest.

“Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point”: A beautiful smear of Christmas Spirit. Everything I love and loathe about my favorite time of year, crammed into one extended and incredibly well-calibrated montage. So many incredible reaction shots. I saw this movie in an empty megaplex in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in early November, and it may have been the high point of my holiday season.

“Red Rooms“: In spite of being exhilarated by “The First Omen” and pulverized by “Vulcanizadora,” it’s this film that contains the scariest single image I’ve seen all year. Another one I couldn’t shake. In a year of great long takes, the courtroom scene in this one may take the cake.

“Furiosa“: After my third time watching this on the big screen — in Germany, dubbed in German, without subtitles, because who needs them — I knew I loved it as much as but differently from “Fury Road,” and that it also had the bonus side effect of making me want to watch “Fury Road” every time I went to see it.

“Challengers”: Such a wild combination of so many electric things: sharp dialogue, iconic performances, incredible staging, and a score that charges everything with 10,000 more volts of pent-up sexual energy than conventional wisdom would suggest.

“Sometimes I Think About Dying“: The type of little independent gem that you want to tell everyone about but want to keep locked up like a secret. If I had seen this when I was 16, it might have become one of my favorite movies of all time.

“Dune: Part Two“: The sort of epic moviemaking that inspires me to dream big and to never again settle for inferior VFX. Also, Hans Zimmer’s best score since “Interstellar.”

“Dying“: This movie from Matthias Glasner was one I stumbled into at a film festival knowing nothing about it other than its running time. It’s a three-hour family drama, and it is the best adaptation of a Jonathan Franzen novel not actually based on any Jonathan Franzen novel one could ever hope for. It is full of life and death and music and hurt feelings and projectile vomit and who knows when or if it will be released in the U.S.!

“Flow“: The most healing, hopeful cinematic experience of the year and another example of how personal a medium CG animation has become. It made me want to hug my cats, and also adopt a capybara.

“Universal Language“: I loved Matthew Rankin’s previous film, “The Twentieth Century,” but his new one is next level Canadian cinema. I had to see it twice just to wrap my head around what he’s done here, and I also had to call my friends in Winnipeg to ask them about exactly how much Iranian culture exists in their city, and if Louis Riel is really buried where the movie purports his grave to be.

“Rumors“: More great Canadian cinema! Guy Maddin, doing something brand new, along with collaborators Evan and Galen Johnson. This was the comedy event of the year for me. I couldn’t stop laughing.

“Sasquatch Sunset“: A prankish short film has begat a mournful elegy for the natural world, one which contains the most suspenseful and devastating set piece I’ve seen in a long time.

“Nosferatu“: What a lush comfort this movie is! As an avowed Dracula fan, seeing an adaptation like Robert Eggers’ is akin to coming home on a winter night to the coziest of warm beds, one whose contours you know by heart but that you never don’t want to snuggle down into.

“Megalopolis” / “The Brutalist” / “Our Little Secret“: It is admittedly reductive to combine these three very different and worth-talking-about films into one entry, but I can’t help but marvel at how all three hinge on the visionary ability of one man to envision the perfect marriage of form and aesthetics in pursuit of the ideal mixed-use community space.

Dana Ledoux Miller (‘Moana 2’)

This year was a great reminder of the joy of watching a blockbuster film in a crowded theatre, surrounded by strangers who’ve collectively agreed to go on an adventure together. It was especially thrilling to watch my kids discover this magic for themselves as they fell in love with some of this year’s great animated films: “Inside Out 2,” “Transformers One,” “The Wild Robot.” (There’s another one they loved, but… they were born with that bias).

But in thinking of the films that excited me this year, I’d like to celebrate a few that won’t get the same box office love… these films strive to tell stories that live in the tension between immigrant and indigenous people and a modern world that was built on top of us but not for us. Asian, Pacific Islander and Indigenous American filmmakers are still only beginning to let the broader world in on the rich nuance and depths of who we are, where we come from and how we navigate the world. Manuia to these filmmakers and their work!

“Didi” (弟弟), Written and Directed by Sean Wang
Not only do Joan Chen and Sean Wang have the most adorable filmmaking meet-cute of all time, they’ve crafted something truly special together. Here’s hoping this is the first of many collaborations between them and that they continue to get their flowers this year.

“Molokai Bound,” written and directed by Alika Tengan
Alika Tengan’s second feature premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival this year. His first was the micro-budget Everyday in Kaimuki was the first narrative feature by a Kanaka Maoli filmmaker at Sundance in 2022.

“The Mountain,” directed by Rachel House, Written by Rachel House and Tom Furniss
The directorial debut by powerhouse Māori actress Rachel House and executive produced by Taika Waititi screened at TIFF this year.

“Tinā,” written and directed by Miki Magasiva
The feature directorial debut for Miki Magasiva premiered at the Hawai’i International Film Festival this year giving space for the talented Samoan actress Anapela Polata’ivao to shine.

“Fancy Dance,” directed by Erica Tremblay, written by Erica Tremblay and Miciana Alise
This Lily Gladstone-starring gem was a festival darling in 2023 but I’m including this year because I want to commend the producers (Deidre Back, Nina Bongiovi and Heather Rae, Tommy Oliver and Erica Tremblay) for being bold enough to wait for a distribution deal in 2024 that celebrated the film for the beauty it is.

J.T. Mollner (‘Strange Darling’)

I’ve had a very busy year, and am behind on movie watching. There are still some l haven’t seen yet that will, no doubt, play into my overall 2024 picture. For now, I’d like to celebrate five very special films that I feel are near perfect, and the performances in each of them that stuck with me the most. I’ve seen many good ones this year, but these five inspired me deeply, all in very different ways. No particular order…

“Challengers” (Luca Guadagnino)- Josh O’Connor
“Love Lies Bleeding” (Rose Glass) – Kristen Stewart
“Nosferatu” (Robert Eggers) – Lily-Rose Depp
“Lisa Frankenstein” (Zelda Williams) – Kathryn Newton
“Wildcat” (Ethan Hawke) – Maya Hawke as the great Flannery O’Connor

In addition to this, it’s important for me to mention my favorite acting performance of the year, and also to mention that it’s not close:

Willa Fitzgerald as The Lady in “Strange Darling”.

I couldn’t help it.

Julius Onah (‘Luce,’ ‘Captain America: Brave New World’)

1. “Megalopolis“: Perhaps the most transporting experience of 2024 in a theater. Seeing it in IMAX was absolutely glorious. Coppola pouring himself into every frame of this film was so inspiring. Rich with ideas, images and an unwavering faith in what is possible. Watching Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito and the entire cast work so passionately was incredibly moving.

2. “Red Rooms“: Pascal Plante has made a film that speaks to how we live today that’s so brilliantly uncompromising. From its mesmerizing opening scene to its tension filled finale, it’s a powerful look at our relationship with technology and media. Exposing how we turn each other’s lives into spectacles for consumption and become further siloed in front of our screens.

Lance Oppenheim (‘Spermworld,’ ‘Ren Faire’)

I’m behind on a lot of the big movies of the year that I will probably love… But here are the ones that I managed to see, as well as a bunch of older flicks that I’ve been revisiting. In no particular order…

New Releases:

“Civil War” (Alex Garland)
“Challengers” (Luca Guadagino)
“Look Into My Eyes” (Lana Wilson)
“The Brutalist” (Brady Corbet
“Megalopolis” (Francis Ford Coppola)
“Anora” (Sean Baker)
“A Different Man” (Aaron Schimberg)
“Didi” (Sean Wang)
“Y2K” (Kyle Mooney)
“Juror #2” (Clint Eastwood)
“Coreys” (Dan Streit and Connor O Malley)
“Hoard” (Luna Carmoon)
“The Apprentice” (Ali Abassi)
“The Featherweight” (Robert Kolodny)
“The Code” (Eugene Kotlyarenko)
“Thelma” (Josh Margolin)

Revisits and First Watches:

“The Hollywood Complex” (Dylan Nelson, Dan Sturman)
“The Exorcist” (William Friedkin)
“Ace in the Hole” (Billy Wilder)
“Sexy Beast” (Jonathan Glazer)
“Manhunter” (Michael Mann)
“Snake Eyes” (Brian de Palma)
“Bigger than Life” (Nicholas Ray)
“Six O’Clock News” (Ross McElwee)
“Mephisto” (Istvan Szabo)
“Dead Zone” (David Cronenberg)
“A History of Violence” (David Cronenberg)
“The Candidate” (Michael Ritchie)
“Vengeance is Mine” (Shōhei Imamura)
“Born on the Fourth of July” (Oliver Stone)
“Patton” (Franklin J. Schaffner)
“Mike Wallace Is Here” (Avi Belkin)

Joshua Oppenheimer (‘The End,’ ‘The Act of Killing’)

I was completing “The End” for most of 2024, which meant long days spent staring at screens. Nights offered my eyes a much-needed rest, and I spent them reading, walking, talking with my husband or friends. I therefore haven’t seen enough films this year to make a best-of list, but here are some favorites – including, if I may, a limited series from 2023 that I only this year:

“The Curse“: Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie’s hypnotic 2023 series. I was blown away by its singular tone, its innovation in language, its incredible casting, and writing and performances so nuanced and well observed that you can’t help but recognize the most uncomfortable parts of yourself.

And five incredible films:

“Hard Truths”
“Kinds of Kindness”
“Mistress Dispeller”
“The Seed of the Sacred Fig”
“Two Strangers Trying Not To Kill Each Other”

Two soulful, bravura performances that deserve special celebration:

Jeremy Strong’s heartbreaking Roy Cohn in “The Apprentice.” Since filming Anwar Congo (“The Act of Killing”) trying to compose himself after retching, I have not seen a man gaze into the abyss of his own wasted life with such precision and honesty.

Barry Keoghan’s vulnerable, ecstatic Bug in “Bird.”

Laurel Parmet (‘The Starling Girl’)

There is still so much from this year I have to see! Here are some highlights of 2024 for me, some new things and some older things.

“The Taste of Things”: I want to be this movie.

“Perfect Days”

“The Substance”: Coralie Fargeat be my friend.

Watching Karpo Godina’s “Red Boogie” for the first time

Watching “The Remains of the Day” for the first time

Yura Borisov in “Anora” — I loved him in “Compartment No.6” and it was such a joy to see him in a different kind of role. I would watch this actor stare at a wall.

“Conclave”

“The Great Happiness Space: Tale of an Osaka Love Thief”

The “Defying Gravity” sequence in “Wicked,” holy shit Jon M. Chu and Cynthia Erivo

Nelly on “The Great British Bake Off”

Pascal Plante (‘Red Rooms’)

#10 ***Canadian Invasion*** tie between “Universal Language” (Matthew Rankin), “Intercepted” (Oksana Karpovych) & “In A Violent Nature” (Chris Nash)
Rankin’s film is one of the most original and heart-warming; Karpovych’s film is one of the most political and stylistically lucid; Nash’s film is an unexpected breath of fresh air to the slasher genre—equal parts gory and funny.

#9. “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” (George Miller)
The best blockbuster of the year, even if it kind of bombed. But who cares about numbers: it’s too good to be truly mainstream, anyways…

#8. “Dahomey” (Mati Diop)
Does more in 68 minutes than most films try to do with twice its length. The use of animism to illustrate ancestral beliefs— through this effective ominous voice-acting—is a stroke of genius. But the passionate—and eloquent—debates of the Beninese youths about the scars of colonialism is what truly stands out.

#7. “I Saw The TV Glow” (Jane Shoenbrun)
A film in which you get sucked in completely: perfectly coherent between its esthetics and its themes. The perfect midnight movie, and a cult classic in the making.

#6. “On Becoming A Guinea Fowl” (Rungano Nyoni)
How can a film that deals with such a dark topic be this funny without having an ounce of cynicism? Blending social and magical realism to such a perfect dosage is impressive. Nyoni is truly a filmmaker to watch out for.

#5. “Bird” (Andrea Arnold)
Speaking of magic: never before has Arnold indulged more on that front than on this one; and I was all up for it! But the real magic is that it manages to still be emotionally affecting while having all the obvious quirks of its filmmaker’s distinctive style. Proof that Arnold ranks among the greatest filmmakers working today. Oh… and these needle drops were *chef’s kiss*

#4. “Hard Truths” (Mike Leigh)
At 81-years-young, Leigh’s wisdom radiates through “Hard Truth”: a kind of reverse mirror from his “Happy-go-Lucky,” but switch Poppy’s optimism with Pansy’s misanthropic bitterness. A rollercoaster of emotions: laugh-out-loud funny to truly devastating. The most powerful “thank you” I’ve ever witnessed in any film. Ever.

#3. “Crossing” (Levan Akin)
Feel-good thematically-dense auteur films are a rare breed, but this is exactly what “Crossing” is. Amazing lead performance by Mzia Arabuli. I would follow her through Istanbul for another two-three-four hours, easily.

#2. “The Apprentice” (Ali Abbasi)
I guess that’s a controversial one, and I get it: we’re all tired of the character. It’s even more depressing to watch this one now than it was pre-November… but let me just say that I think this is the best film that could be made about him. It properly pissed him off, didn’t it?

#1. “Yintah” (Jennifer Wickham, Brenda Michell, Michael Toledano)
Essential watch. Netflix acquired it: cool… but why didn’t they push it for the Oscar race? Not that the Oscars are a guarantee of quality, but it helps give a huge spotlight on topical, important films. And to me, this is the one. Filmed over more than ten years, featuring real heroes, Yintah commands respect. It is a cinematographic act of resistance. And the most powerful film of the year.

Laura Poitras (‘All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,’ ‘Citizenfour’)

For me, this year was marked by transcendent cinematic experiences. A year in which filmmakers reimagined cinematic language itself. From the astonishing vision of “Nickel Boys,” to the fever-dream of “Dahomey,” and the generative form of “Eno.”

Resistance runs throughout these films: Not simply political resistance, but resistance to cinematic tropes and formulas. Resistance to business-as-usual, offering instead possibilities and innovation to meet the emotional and historical imperatives of the stories being told.

Many of these films were made at extraordinary risks to the filmmakers, crew, and their protagonists, including “No Other Land,” “Queendom,” and “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.” Risks taken with the belief that somehow the unique emotional capacity of cinema can contribute to different futures.

As always, my “end-of-year” reflections are subjective and incomplete.

Non-fiction:

“No Other Land”: The most shattering and urgent film of the year. Relentless in its empirical depiction and condemnation of apartheid and occupation. Centered upon collective resistance and friendship, the stakes on and off screen could not be higher.

“Queendom“: The brilliance of the filmmaking and ravishing cinematography matches the radical beauty of Jenna’s transcendent art.

“Eno“: A film that takes the generative practice and Oblique Strategies of this protagonist as its starting point. A joy to watch, and delight to know it will never end.

“Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat“: A film of extraordinary, propulsive intelligence about the depravity of empire and the C.I.A.

“Dahomey“: A sci-fi fever dream of a documentary that breaks all the rules only to get closer to truth.

“Sugarcane“: The journey of filmmaker Julian Brave NoiseCat and his father Ed Archie NoiseCat is breathtaking at every turn. A film in which what cannot be uttered says everything.

Fiction:

“Nickel Boys“: An astonishing work of profound beauty and pain. The film’s “sentient perspective” redefines cinema as we know it.

“All We Imagine as Light“: Ravishing and transcendent in its depiction of friendship, sacrifice, and desire.

“The Seed of the Sacred Fig“: A monumental act of filmmaking and protest in which the stakes on and off the screen are life and death.

“Kneecap“: A knockout of a movie, with my favorite opening of the year. When the credits rolled, I wanted to see it again immediately.

“Anora“: A film full of obsession, comedy, and sex, told with a reverence for the authenticity of place.

Mohammad Rasoulof (‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig,’ ‘White Meadows’)

The joy of watching several outstanding films this year remains vivid in my memory. However, I would like to focus on one particular film I had the privilege of experiencing in November during my visit to Ukraine at the Molodist Film Festival.

“Honeymoon” (Ukraine, 2024), the debut feature by Zhanna Ozirna, is an exceptional piece of cinema. Set entirely within the confines of a small apartment — the home of a loving couple — it tells a poignant story against the backdrop of a nation at war.

The couple’s shared life begins just as the war in Ukraine erupts. Their apartment becomes a symbolic small boat, carrying two solitary passengers adrift on the stormy waves of a vast and unforgiving ocean.

What stands out most is the director’s ability to transcend limitations. Zhanna Ozirna has masterfully brought her vision to life, crafting a film that thrives on its constraints rather than being hindered by them.

The two lead actors deliver extraordinary performances, infusing the narrative with depth and authenticity. The film’s inventive staging and cinematography, coupled with seamless editing and sound design, result in an immersive experience. The director’s ability to blend simplicity and beauty into a compelling storytelling style is truly remarkable.

One image from the film lingers vividly in my mind: the trembling leaves of a living plant in the corner of the apartment after a nearby bomb explosion. This poetic detail encapsulates the fragility of life amidst the chaos of war.
The violence of war is conveyed not through graphic depictions but through ominous off-screen sounds, which sharply contrast with the visual serenity inside the apartment. As the story progresses, this fragile sanctuary is consumed by darkness and despair.

The film’s understated yet striking conclusion leaves a deep impression — a chilling sense of dread and a profound loathing for the destructive forces of war.

Walter Salles (‘I’m Still Here,’ ‘The Motorcycle Diaries,’ ‘Central Station’)

No country has suffered more brutal structural changes in the past 25 years than China, and no filmmaker has captured these changes more acutely than Jia Zhangke- in stories of friendship or betrayal, of search or loss of identity, of youth and death. As much as any filmmaker, Jia Zhangke has become a seismometer of his country. I cherish the anticipation of unveiling each of his new films. They offer not only a reflection of a country in a trance but also a vital understanding of the times we live in. The NYFF offered me the opportunity to see Jia’s new film, “Caught by The Tides.” I was literally floored by it.

You see, I find the passage of time profoundly moving in cinema. It is ingrained in Jia’s filmmaking, as much as it is ingrained in Hou Hsiao Hsien’s or Wim Wenders’. It is the fabric of “Platform,” of “Still Life,” and now of “Caught by the Tides.” But in his latest film, the passage of time is more central than it’s ever been.

What made the film possible is, at its source, remarkable. As he was shooting throughout China over the past decades, Jia was registering the human geography that he was meeting along the way. People waiting, working, singing, dreaming, sleeping. The spaces in-between, where life just is. His handheld camera is unobtrusive and empathizes with the life that pulsates within. In “Caught By the Tides,” this humanity, one of a documentary nature, blends with the non-verbal moments of the different fictional characters that actress Zhao Tao has given life to in Jia’s films.

And as we accompany Zhao Tao’s journey through time, we travel with her through Jia’s films– from “Unknown Pleasures” to “Platform” and “Still Life” to the extraordinary last part of “Caught by the Tides”– the present, filmed in the Shanxi province. And as we watch Zhao Tao’s mutations, we are reminded that her face contains multitudes.

In Jia Zhangke’s filmmaking, even personal journeys are essentially collective. The way “Caught by the Tides” captures a humanity in flux is mesmerizing. Every face is a human map, and through them, we are reminded of how diverse and fragile we are. As this humanity transitions through time, so does a country drifting tragically from the Marxist orthodoxy to the orthodoxy of market economy.

Since the birth of cinema, we’ve seen films combine a documentary nature with a fictional one. But not like this. Film critic Jean Michel Frodon sustains that never before in the history of cinema were these tools used in such a similar manner, and in such a subversive way. I subscribe to this. “Caught by the Tides” touches us on a deeply sensorial level thanks to its extraordinary cinematic fluxes. And yet, it can’t be described solely as an experimental film, as a Vertovian experience would be. One of the reasons is that Jia’s film deeply impacts you emotionally. We’re enraptured by the humanity on the screen. We’re part of them.

Since the Greeks created the architecture for storytelling, from Aeschylus to Sophocles and then to Homer and Shakespeare, narratives have utilized the same principles, act structure, and character arcs. Films generally respect these same principles. Not “Caught by the Tides.”

As I write these lines, it comes to mind that Jia’s film may be, perhaps, the extension of a human form of expression that came way before the Greeks. An artistic gesture that can be linked to the cave paintings in Altamira or Lascaux. These first drawings depicted a strong desire to leave a reflection of a specific group, in a specific place, in a specific time. They reveal an irrepressible yearning to depict a humanity in flux. A memory of who we were, in a given moment in time. In “Caught by the Tides,” Jia Zhangke offers us the same.

As months ensued, other films are now reverberating in my mind. One of them is “All We Imagine as Light” directed by Payal Kapadia. Its characters reminded me of the humanity that pulsates through “Caught by the Tides.” The miracle of transmutation happens again, and we’re with the three unique women at the heart of the story. As faces and voices blend polyphonically in Mumbai, merging seamlessly what is of a documentary nature and what is of a fictional one, I am reminded of how unique this year in cinema has been.

Nancy Savoca (‘Household Saints,’ ‘Dogfight’)

Watching “Hard Truths“:

I fell in love with the star of Mike Leigh’s “Hard Truths,” Marianne Jean-Baptiste, in her debut work, Secrets & Lies (also directed by Mike Leigh). Seeing her performance there led me to cast her for our own movie together, “The 24 Hour Woman.”

While I know Marianne is a terrific talent, nothing prepared me for the experience I had with this film. Marianne plays Pansy, a stomping, snapping, furious woman – wife, mother, sister – who is stumbling through a life that she can barely manage. She is a middle-class, middle-aged, Afro- Caribbean British woman (her voice has the beautiful lilt when she gets passionate) and there is neither explanation nor apology for why she is the way she is. To watch her is excruciatingly painful as well as hilariously funny. Yes – both. Sometimes at the same time.

The film fan in me walked away after the screening wanting to put the film in a time capsule labelled ‘2024’. It is a movie for our times.

And the filmmaker in me wanted to unpack the incredible work done by the director and actors and crew. I don’t have the time capsule, but I will unpack some of the film …

The first thing we see when we meet Pansy is that she is terrified. She howls and bolts up in bed, waking from a nightmare and we jump with her. She peers out of her antiseptic kitchen to a tiny patch of patio grass, shuddering at the pigeons cooing outside. And without any words spoken, we understand that she’s cowering in a self-made cage.

Pansy is also furious. She is pissed at both her aimless young adult son, Moses, and her hardworking husband, Curly; railing against their slovenly ways. She accuses Moses of having no ambitions. She berates Curly and calls him useless. Her intensity leaves us wondering- how easily could she use these insults against herself?

The extraordinary achievement here is that Marianne’s Pansy is an impenetrable woman, snarling at us, daring us to get closer. And yet, scene by scene, we do get closer and closer, as her face and her body let us in. It is an emotional strip tease performed by an artist who knows how what the camera sees – she knows how much to show – how much to hide.

Meanwhile, Pansy’s sister, Pearl, is her polar opposite; a hairdresser who is popular with her clients, a single mom with two daughters who form a lively tightknit family. Pearl’s emotions are on tap, while Pansy’s are buried deep.

Not much is revealed about the siblings but there are hints that they’ve experienced their childhood so differently, they may as well have grown up in separate households.

There’s not much plot to the film, at least not in the way we’ve come to expect. But the interplay of character’s faces and bodies, lighting and set design, camera placement and movement, feelings, music and cutting all work at optimum levels to tell a riveting story.

In the cinematography of the film, Pansy is imprisoned in her home. Her first look at the outside world is seen as a P.O.V. through window blinds that look like prison bars. The large sliding doors of her kitchen are framed in a wide shot to resemble a fishbowl with her (and us) in it as she peers fearfully outside. Yet in her most emotional outbursts, the camera is unafraid to be right up close. And there it stays for an uncomfortable amount of time. We can’t escape her anger because, well, she can’t escape her anger. Out in the world, we’re sometimes shown a wider view– so we can see (and feel) the ricochet effect of Pansy’s awful and funny torrent of insults fired at a line of supermarket customers. At other times, the frame divides her from others – like when she meets her match in an enraged guy looking for a parking spot.

The production design and the props all work to reveal her world. In contrast to sister Pearl’s colorful, bursting-at-the-seams, plant-filled home, Pansy’s house is a clutter free, controlled environment- in neutral shades of whites, greys and beige, more like a generic Airbnb than a family home. The huge glass doors that dominate the kitchen form the barrier that separates her from the wild ‘out there’. If you look closely, you’ll see that she keeps her kitchen towel neatly double-folded at the sink and the only color in the room comes from a pair of green rubber cleaning gloves. Her son Moses lives mostly in his bedroom (the only room with splashes of color and personal items). Unbuoyed by his family, he fidgets with a model airplane as she scolds him. Maybe he does have dreams.

Whites and beige and grey are featured again in Pansy’s costume design and so her wardrobe serves as camouflage when she’s home. And we wonder, does she get anxious just wearing these clothes since they easily show how dirty life can get?

“Hard Truths” is an independent movie. People often think ‘independent’ is just another way of saying ‘low budget’ and that can certainly be true. But independent can also mean that filmmakers are in charge of the filmmaking. In this case, Mike Leigh (a director who not only “navigates the ship” but collaborates with his team), gave time to the actors, to the DP, to the art department, to costumes and to himself as a writer so that everyone could ponder and plan and richly layer Pansy’s complex world. He is known for setting up situations that nourish creative curiosity. In this, as with his other films, Jean-Baptiste and her fellow actors were free to explore their characters with lengthy conversations, research and improvisations. And he works with the crew in similar ways, encouraging them to explore and research, and then bring back what they found. As screenwriter, it seems that Leigh writes and re-writes to include these discoveries. Then he and his creative team weave it all together as they shoot so that later, Leigh can shape the raw material in post- production with his editor.

Tragically, it is this essential time of preparation that is often seen as frivolous and costly to our media companies. The biggest complaint from filmmakers working in studio productions is that their prep time is constantly being whittled down. And the work suffers for it. So, I am elated to champion a small budget independent film that shows what can be achieved when artists are given the gift of time.

I was glued to my seat at the Walter Reade Theater the day I saw the film. It felt like I was hit by an emotional tsunami. I laughed, cried and laughed/cried my way through it. And I could feel the same emotions hitting the people around me as each went through their own journey.

The most enlightening quote I’ve read about the power of films was by Roger Ebert. He said that our best movies are empathy machines. When I think about Hard Truths and how we get to inhabit the life of this woman in crisis, and how we all, regardless of age, class, race or gender, end up seeing ourselves in her — I am awed by this art form. 

Daniel Scheinert (‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’)

“Hundreds of Beavers“: Best movie title: 30 minutes into the movie all was revealed and the whole theater applauded!

“Sing Sing“: Talk the Talk then Walk the Walk award. The most riveting life affirming film of the year inspired the shit out of me as I watched it, then inspired me all over again when I researched the care with which the producers made the film. Equity in the film? Pay Parity? Careful collaboration with real life subjects? Am I dreaming!?

Simon McBurney + “Nosferatu“: Best sex scene (spoiler alert). The weasel guy in “Nosferatu” rubbing his bare ass on his candle lit pentagram ruled. Mr. Mcburney came out of nowhere and stole the show!

“It Ends With Us“: Best screenplay plus publicity extended universe narrative experience. I found this movie and its drama endlessly thought provoking and upsetting. On screen and off.

“Civil War“: Best theatrical experience. I saw this in the Texas History Museum’s IMAX theater while drunk.

Other 2024 BANGERS: “Babygirl,” “Problemista,” “Thelma,” “The Fall Guy,” “Challengers,” and “Queer” in one year, & hear me out… SUSHI GLORY HOLE.

Paul Schrader (‘First Reformed,’ ‘Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters’)

“Oh, Canada”
“The Seed of the Sacred Fig”
“The Brutalist”
“Conclave”
“Emilia Pérez”
“A Complete Unknown”
“My First Film”
“Babygirl”
“I Saw the TV Glow”

Celine Song (‘Past Lives’)

(Unranked)

“Challengers”
“Queer”
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”
“Babygirl”
“The Brutalist”
“The Room Next Door”

Whit Stillman (‘Metropolitan,’ ‘Barcelona’)

Just back in the States I haven’t seen that many of this year’s films. Three films seen in cinemas that I admired were:

“Between the Temples” (written by C. Mason Wells & Nathan Silver; directed by Silver)

“Volvereis” (“The Other Way Around” written by  Jonás Trueba, Itsaso Arana & Vito Sanz; directed by Trueba)

“Juror #2” (written by Jonathan Abrams; directed by Clint Eastwood).

Nicolas Stoller (‘Bros,’ ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’)

“Challengers” !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Other movies I loved:

“Wicked”
“Civil War”
“Road House”
“Dune Part Two”

Oliver Stone (‘JFK,’ ‘Platoon’)

“Anora” was the most surprising new film to me and really hit me hard. I liked it very much, so I’d say it’s one of, if not, my favorite film for 2024, but I haven’t had time to see many of the new movies yet.

Juel Taylor (‘They Cloned Tyrone’)

Unfortunately, I have way too many movies to catch up on this year to make a list that anybody should take seriously. Nevertheless, here’s a hodgepodge of films that…

A) I really loved in the moment, or…
B) Stuck in the back of my head for a while after seeing them (maybe because of cinematography, a performance, PD).

“The Wild Robot”
“Twisters”
“The Substance”
“Late Night With The Devil”
“Rebel Ridge”
“Wicked”
“Anora”
“Longlegs”
“Nosferatu”

Erica Tremblay (‘Fancy Dance’)

When I think of all the films I’ve seen in 2024, my heart keeps circling back to the documentary “Sugarcane.” The heartbreaking resilience of the residential school survivors, brought to the screen by the compassionate direction of Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, reminds us of cinema’s ability to heal, confront, and inspire.

Nacho Vigalondo (‘Daniela Forever,’ ‘Colossal’)

1. Final episode of “The Curse“: I know, I know, but this is the best piece of media I’ve experienced last year. In a time when prestige movies are as transparent as old-school TV dramas, this hour of comedy dares to challenge any attempt to be deciphered. Similarly, the visual wizardry resurrects the sense of awe and mystery we thought was lost forever. This is what we deserve to get from the XXI century.

2. “Furiosa“: A true perfect epic action movie that manages to do the unthinkable, to elevate the resonance of “Fury Road” in our memory.

3. “Baby Invasion“: This movie is the “Quadrophenia” for an urban tribe that doesn’t exist and the product of a cultural movement that is not real. Is like an object from another world, a place where underground cinema is still a thing.

4. “Rebel Ridge“: I simply wish Jeremy Saulnier made one movie per year, like Woody Allen in the old days.

5. “Civil War“: Not the political satire we asked for, but the J.G. Ballard landscape we didn’t know we needed. At this point in my life I thought I would never watch a movie with Suicide and Silver Apples in the soundtrack.

Malcolm Washington (‘Piano Lesson’)

In no particular order:

“Blink Twice”
“The Brutalist”
“Dahomey”
“Evil Does Not Exist”
“Good One”
“Jimmy”
“La Chimera”
“Maria”
“Nickel Boys”
“Nosferatu”

Adam Wingard (‘Godzilla vs. Kong,’ ‘The Guest,’ ‘You’re Next’)

Embarrassingly, out of the 84 feature films I’ve watched this year, only three were new. Two of them I didn’t enjoy, and one was “Furiosa,” which I’ve seen multiple times. I’d rank it as my second favorite of the “Mad Max” movies and one of my favorite films of this decade. 

Gints Zilbalodis (‘Flow’)

(unranked)

“My Sunshine”
“Blue Sun Palace”
“Ghost Cat Anzu”
“Close Your Eyes”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Universal Language”
“Good One”
“The Village Next to Paradise”
“Look Back”
“A Different Man”