Yes, it’s me. I’m still alive but still don’t have the imagination, intelligence, nor the drive that I used to and so here we are at this: my one and only post of the year, counting down my favourite films of 2024!

This is the part where I’d explore the possibility of doing more reviewin’ in the new year but let’s be real, that’ll surely never happen as I have fallen into complacency by simply doing mini reviews on Letterboxd, which I feel are sufficient (and which I do enjoy doing) and I believe that these days, I don’t have enough thoughts to write whole reviews anymore.

Within the first few days of the new year (and this last day of 2024), I do hope to read some of your reviews and I’d also like to thank anybody who’s still following me and reading this end of year post!

So as both Deadpool and Wolverine said in their popular big screen outing: Let’s F—ing GO!

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All have 2024 UK release dates.

20. The Wild Robot (2024)

As one of the more popular and critically acclaimed animated features of the year, The Wild Robot boasts plenty of lush animation as well as a unique story and a solid cast of voice actors. I can’t say that I was truly blown away by it, but it’s impressive enough to claim a place in my list this year.

19. Kneecap (2024)

Definitely an original film, and one that I went into completely blind, Kneecap focuses on an anarchic music group that predominately incorporates the Gaelic language into their rap lyrics. The film hits hard as it puts forward its message of not letting languages like this fall by the wayside and I feel that it’s an important film to see at least once.

18. Abigail (2024)

Horror films are a dime-a-dozen these days, with many presenting us with bland stories and failing to deliver the necessary fright, so it’s always a delight when an original film like Abigail comes along; it’s a fun, entertaining, and BLOODY rollercoaster ride and it benefits from game performances from Melissa Barerra, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, and young Alisha Weir, who seems to be firmly on that road to stardom. And good for her, I say!

17. The First Omen (2024)

While the Sydney Sweeney horror vehicle Immaculate failed to have any significant impact, this film, which makes use of a similar kind of story, is far superior as there’s quite impressive direction and general filmmaking on display – the feature retaining a palpable sense of tension and dread throughout – and it also helps that the story is an interesting one that rarely contains a dull moment.

16. Better Man (2024)

The most impressive and entertaining musical movie of the year, I think, Better Man takes a leaf out of Rocketman‘s book and treats us to a (mostly) fun, imaginative and enlightening journey through Robbie Williams’ life. The songs are well placed within the feature, playing at pivotal parts of the story and not just shoved in needlessly, and it’s all helmed impressively by Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey.

Plus, the final number gave me goosebumps and had me smiling!

15. Longlegs (2024)

Many filmmakers strive to create a truly great horror/thriller/mystery but here, Osgood Perkins has created an impressive one that boasts a smart, patient story as well as an unnerving atmosphere; Maika Monroe is a solid lead and Nicolas Cage is, of course, perfectly creepy and weird as the titular antagonist.

Hail Satan!

14. In a Violent Nature (2024)

I believe that this was an underseen and underrated horror film but I believe that people should see it because of its unique premise: what if we had a Friday the 13th film that’s told from the killer’s POV? Director Chris Nash here gives us a fresh, patient take on the slasher subgenre and it’s quite something to constantly follow our slow moving killer as all of the “important” events happen off screen or just out of earshot/eyeline. Good killings, too!

13. The Holdovers (2023)

A highly acclaimed and awards-nominated feature from the very start of the year, Alexander Payne once again makes great use of Paul Giamatti, casting him as the curmudgeonly, one-eyed professor who gradually learns to lighten up. The story is a very engaging one and the film truly shines, I believe, in its cinematography, presenting the film as if it really were a “lost gem” of the 1970s.

12. Alien: Romulus (2024)

The Alien franchise has seen its fair share of underwhelming, pointless entries but Evil Dead director Fede Álvarez shows us that there’s still life in the ol’ girl yet because Romulus is a very impressive, back-to-basics horror film that makes use of practical effects and sets, as well as the all important horror as the dreaded creatures go on their inevitable rampage.

More like this, please!

11. The Substance (2024)

A film that many, I’m sure, will have at their #1 spots, Coralie Fargeat’s popular feature gives Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley a big chance to shine (and shine they most certainly do!) and the film is ultimately an original and extreme cautionary tale about societal expectations of female beauty, highlighting the reprehensible behaviour of many sleazy, pervy, chauvinistic males in positions of power.

10. The Zone of Interest (2023)

A very patient and very different kind of Holocaust film, Jonathan Glazer’s film focuses on a Commandant and his family as they set up an Eden-like existence right beside a concentration camp.

Rather than showing the horrors of such a place, of which we’re certainly all too aware of now, the film instead decides to leave much to the imagination, only allowing us to hear the occasional scream, struggle or gunshot and to, from time to time, see the billowing smoke of the furnaces and the river that has been laced with ash.

It’s a quietly devastating piece and it’s bolstered by Glazer’s direction as well as Mica Levi’s haunting, otherworldly score.

9. Terrifier 3 (2024)

The first two Terrifier films were flawed but enjoyable – with the first one being an effective enough, but repetitive, low budget flick and the second one being more ambitious, but overly long – and with this third instalment, writer/director Damien Leone has confidently found his groove as the feature really ramps up the gore and violence, whilst tuning down all of the mystical stuff that the second film used too much.

Unlike its predecessors, this alternative Christmas film (where NO-ONE is safe!) has a superb pace and elsewhere, Art the Clown continues to be a most original and nasty villain, while Lauren LaVera’s Sienna Shaw is a formidable and very supportable “final girl”.

I really want to see the next one!

8. Society of the Snow (2023)

J. A. Bayona’s film tells the true life tale of a Uruguayan rugby team who found themselves trapped in an unforgiving, barren wasteland, having to resort to desperate measures in order to stay alive.

It’s a bleak feature, one that really gets you to feel the hopelessness of the people’s situation, while at the same time, it also makes use of select moments of levity and joy, getting us to really support the characters and to feel a sense of relief whenever things start to go right.

The cinematography is mighty fine here, while Michael Giacchino’s score is beautiful.

7. Conclave (2024)

Despite having previously been underwhelmed by his adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front (and despite having no interest nor great knowledge of the politics of the Catholic Church), Edward Berger really impressed me with this: a compact and taut little thriller that takes place during the selection process of a new Pope.

It’s written so well as the events depicted are always interesting and understandable, not being alienating in any way, and it’s easy to differentiate between the different main characters who, in lesser hands, could all have been interchangeable.

Cinematography-wise, it’s shot beautifully as special attention is paid to ever-present shadows and regarding the acting, Ralph Fiennes does excellent work in the leading role and he’s well supported by Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini.

6. The Iron Claw (2023)

A true-life story that really deserved to receive the big screen treatment, Sean Durkin’s film shines when it tells its tale of the band of wrestling brothers and when it shows just how much they all loved and admired each other.

There are indeed moments of great joy to be found within, but the film is also genuinely devastating as bad things begin to happen to the “cursed” family and as the boys’ tyrannical father makes things worse.

The film tells a consistently engaging story and it also benefits from great performances from Zac Efron and Holt McCallany.

5. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)

This was my first experience of watching a Mad Max film in the cinema and it didn’t disappoint!

As expected, the film is an epic, with all of the thrills, excitement and visual spectacle that you’d expect from a film from this franchise and the film is also strengthened by a strong story as well as the performances of its two leads: Anya Taylor-Joy is a perfectly intense Furiosa and Chris Hemsworth is wonderfully charismatic, but also wicked and nasty, as the antagonistic Dementus.

4. Anora (2024)

Another highly acclaimed feature from this year, Sean Baker’s Anora sees Mikey Madison’s young dancer enter into a whirlwind romance and subsequent marriage with a seemingly affable, but naive, oligarch’s son, only to find that her new in-laws are dead set against the marriage, and the film is consistently entertaining and engrossing, with fun humour to be found towards the beginning of the film, making way for compelling drama further down the line as things start to go wrong.

Much like Poor Things, the film is very sex positive, with all of the sex and nudity captured in the best possible way, with no uncomfortable male gaze, and regarding the cast, the film treats us to several excellent performances but, of course, the film clearly belongs to Mikey Madison because as the titular Anora, she is such a one-of-a-kind firecracker: a beautiful, sexy, funny, tough, force of nature wiseass who we can support and enjoy watching from start to finish.

One Academy Award for Ms. Madison, please!

3. Ultraman Rising (2024)

The source material here was one that I was previously unaware of but, thankfully, foreknowledge was unnecessary and I was able to enjoy it all as a standalone feature – being totally amazed and thoroughly entertained in the process!

Ultraman: Rising soars so highly because on the one hand, it gifts viewers with plenty of high octane and thrilling superhero smackdown goodness – all of it animated so beautifully – but it also has a massive amount of heart as we witness a thoroughly endearing (and so cute!) father/daughter relationship as well as a really affecting bond between the flawed hero and his father, their rocky relationship mending over time.

The film also benefits greatly from a solid script that gives us a very engaging story, good characters, and dialogue that is capable of genuinely tugging on the heartstrings, whilst also delivering several chuckles and smile-inducing moments along the way.

A film that is technically marvellous whilst also being so expertly written and directed – it’s a winner.

2. Poor Things (2023)

A popular film from the very start of the year, Lanthimos’ feature tells a very different kind of Frankenstein story!

The film can indeed be seen as “Barbie for adults”, given the very similar kinds of journey that both protagonists embark on, but I believe that Lanthimos’ film is greatly superior to Gerwig’s feature because it is strengthened by Tony McNamara’s particularly strong, smart script that presents the themes of feminism and self determination on a much deeper level than Barbie and also, Bella Baxter’s journey and development is remarkably compelling and credible, the music is haunting and weird, the unique locations give the film a wonderfully odd and otherworldly aura, and the film also benefits from an excellent and undeniably committed performance from Emma Stone (Oscar well deserved) and she is backed up by very strong support from Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo, and Ramy Youssef.

1. Dune: Part II (2024)

The first Dune film, I believe, made an appearance in many people’s end-of-year Top Ten lists but as for myself, I didn’t exactly love it as I thought that, despite the spectacle, the story was too dry and uninteresting.

But this second part really improves on what came before because, in addition to all of the visual spectacle, as well as another amazing Zimmer score, the film is so thematically rich as it tackles the hot button issues of war and religion, getting us to see just how horrific conflict is and how both war and fanatical beliefs can turn good people into tyrants, zealots, fanatics, and warmongers; Paul and his friends/family may start off as supportable protagonists but all (apart from Zendaya’s Chani, perhaps) eventually lose themselves and become truly corrupted by the closing moments – a rare thing to see in cinema.

Part II has a more interesting plotline than its predecessor and, thankfully, it manages to tell its epic story in a perfectly palatable manner, always keeping us on our toes, and it also manages to juggle both old and new characters very well – new additions who are brought to life well by performers such as Austin Butler and, of course, the magnificent and beautiful Florence Pugh (even if she didn’t have too much to do here).

So while the first Dune may have left me feeling slightly underwhelmed, Part II really wowed me and I will, this time, gladly agree with all the hyperbolic praise that the film has received, even if it didn’t make enough money at the box office. I don’t say this lightly, but I honestly felt as though this was something akin to the Empire Strikes Back of this particular film series and I now eagerly any future instalments.

Because I’m a believer now!

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So, that’s it. I’m sorry if you were expecting Challengers or Wicked to turn up in this list but the former juuust missed out on the top 20 and as for the latter, it just wasn’t that good! Yeah, I said it.

I wish anybody who’s reading this a happy and healthy new year. Myself, I’ll still be out there watching films and logging them on Letterboxd (HERE I am!) and I’ll be back next year for the best of 2025!

Live long and prosper, you beautiful people.

Plain, Simple Tom