Having already shared my favourite horrors and festival watches of 2024, it’s now time for the best of the rest. Whilst my writing is skewed towards horror cinema and festival coverage, I am a fan of plenty of different genres. Read on to find out what made the cut.
10. Deadpool and Wolverine
There is no denying that recent years have seen my interest in the Marvel machine wane, but Deadpool and Wolverine managed to entertain me regardless. The primary plot might be somewhat weak, and the film might rely too heavily on its never-ending cameos, but those appearances are what really made the film for me. Having been a movie-goer during the early 00s when the first X-Men film came out, all of the characters that popped up from Blade and Electra, to Johnny Storm and Gambit, were very much my era.
Some people got to grow up doing the MCU heyday, I however grew up in the reeds of the before time. To see these actors and characters return was beautiful and I’m not ashamed to admit that the end credit throwback to the 00s era of Marvel hit me right in the feels. Plus, how can you hate a movie that starts with an extended dance sequence set to N*Sync’s Bye, Bye, Bye?
9. The Fall Guy
Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling both get to showcase their action and comedy skills in David Leitch’s The Fall Guy. The rom-com actioner is a love letter to the world of stunts and watching this film left a big dumb grin on my face. A film made for the cinema, The Fall Guy is a proper popcorn blockbuster that is full of spectacular action and well-executed humor. Whilst on the surface a story of two characters reconnecting in extreme circumstances, The Fall Guy really does honour stunt performers. Director David Leitch began his career in the stunt arena and his love for the craft is evident throughout. Leitch goes one step further though and uses the end credits as an opportunity to highlight some of the greatest stunts in film history, managing to beautifully honour these performers in a way that the Academy never has.
8. The Wild Robot
As part of this year’s Movies with Mummy season we took a trip to the cinema to see Chris Sanders’ animation, The Wild Robot. Based on the book of the same name, the film is a beautiful exploration of parenting, found family, and discovering one’s place in the world. The score from Kris Bowers is simply stunning, as is the animation. It’s been a little while since Dreamworks was this good and, in a just world, The Wild Robot will take home some awards when the season rolls around. Be warned though, The Wild Robot is an assault on your emotions and left both me, and my mini co-host, in puddles of tears across the course of the film. A proper modern day tearjerker, the type that devastates a childhood with its onslaught of ‘happy tears’.
7. Furiosa
Like many people, I enjoyed Mad Max: Fury Road, but I didn’t love it as much as some. For me, whilst the action was incredible, the plot was little more than one long car chase that ended up where it began. That being said, I was still keen to see the prequel, Furiosa, especially when Anya Taylor-Joy was announced as playing the younger version of Charlize Theron. Both women are incredibly talented actors, and two of my favourites, so the concept of them sharing a role was an immediate win for me.
From the minute Furiosa started, I was hooked. The action that made Fury Road so compelling was back, but this time there was also more of a story. Getting to fill in the history of the character of Furiosa was a real treat, the film building an emotional core that was lacking in its predecessor. It’s also incredibly funny thanks to an insanely entertaining turn from a near unrecognisable Chris Hemsworth. Sadly, Furiosa underperformed at the box-office, but hopefully George Miller will get to tell at least one more story in this sandy, sun-scorched saga.
6. The Crow
The inclusion of Rupert Sanders’ The Crow on a ‘best of list’ is likely shocking, but I absolutely loved it. I followed the film’s development for what must have been well over a decade and had reached the point where I thought it would never get made. Then, all of a sudden, it did. Whilst I will forever be sad that Corin Hardy never got to bring his version to the screen, I was thankful to see another The Crow movie released into the world.
Right from the first trailer I was invested in this version, which sees Bill Skarsgård step into Eric Draven’s trench coat. Then, I watched it during a break at FrightFest whilst having had no sleep and being pumped up on sugar. I came out having absolutely LOVED it, but questioned if the sleep deprivation and sugar rush had affected that stance. I then returned to cinemas a couple of weeks later, better rested and adored it even more. The moody vibes, and atmospheric soundtrack gave me everything I wanted from a The Crow film, and Skarsgård was great as a very bloodthirsty iteration of Eric.
I stand by the main reason for this film getting the backlash it did being that it was marketed as a remake, when it is not one. Reception would have been better had this simply been another Crow, like in the sequels. In using the name Eric Draven, certain expectations were conjured and many piled on the hate due to a lack of cohesion to the source material. Plus, a big portion of The Crow fans have never ventured outside of the Alex Proyas’ original and therefore haven’t seen just how low the franchise got. In comparison to the later sequels, Sanders’ film is a masterpiece.
5. Nightbitch
Although only released in December, Nightbitch was an instant addition to my films of the year list due to the existential crisis it gave me when I first watched it. I caught Nightbitch during the London Film Festival and was immediately struck with how well it manages to nail the monotony of motherhood. Nightbitch also does an excellent job at expressing the conflicting emotions of wanting to be with your child, but also the desire to not be forgotten by the outside world, to still be seen as an individual person, and that drive to get back to a career placed on pause.
There are two very distinct readings of Nightbitch. The first is by those that do not have children who happily enjoy the film as a comedy. For the parents in the audience however, Nightbitch is a triggering nightmare. Being sat on a screen surrounded by childless viewers was a confronting experience, as everyone appeared to be laughing at what were real aspects of my own life as a mother. Watching the film stirred something deep within me, and once the screening was over, I had to take myself off for a decompression walk, having been emotionally scarred. To have that effect on me, makes its inclusion on this list a true no brainer.
4. Strange Darling
JT Mollner’s Strange Darling made last year’s ‘Best of Fests’ list, and a further three viewings have confirmed it as one of my favourites of the year. Strange Darling debuted in the UK at FrightFest and won over the legion of attendees with its non-linear narrative, mesmerising central performances from Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner, and gorgeous cinematography, lensed by Giovanni Ribisi. All of this is wrapping inside a luscious, hazy soundtrack from Z Berg, an artist who quickly rose to the top of my Spotify Wrapped this year.
What makes Strange Darling so good is that it is a film that demands repeat viewing. The non-linear narrative is masking some great reveals on an initial watch, and subsequent viewings allow the audience to dig deeper and look out for earlier signs of these turns.
3. Anora
Alongside Nightbitch, Anora is another late watch, but an immediate addition to my 2024 highlights. Directed by Sean Baker and featuring a stellar performance by Mikey Madison, Anora is a film that has it all – love, lust, sex, drama, tragedy, comedy and, above everything else, luxury. Billed by many as a modern day Pretty Woman, Anora is much greater and sadder than that. The constantly in motion story perfectly replicates the sensation of a whirlwind romance, whilst not shying away from what happens when they end.
Anora is a dead-cert to bag plenty of awards this season and it is most certainly a worthy winner. The film scoops the audience up and transports them to another world for a couple of hours, before returning them with a full, but slightly bruised, heart.
2. All of Us Strangers
Although All of Us Strangers released in the US in December 2023, the UK didn’t get this slice of emotional devastation until January this year. The film, which features beautiful performances from its leads Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal, was criminally overlooked during award ceremonies, and its inclusion on my list is my attempt at rectifying this grievous mistake. Given its January release, I imagine that All of Us Strangers will be forgotten by many other lists, but this is truly a film that has clung to me since my first viewing.
My view count is now up to three, but that has not diluted the emotional potency one iota. In fact, if anything, it has intensified it, and director Andrew Haigh has most certainly ruined the songs You Were Always on My Mind and The Power of Love for me. It’s been months since my last viewing, but I recently heard The Power of Love featured in a TV show that I was watching and I instantly burst into tears in my kitchen. It is exceptional work from all involved to be able to induce that level of trauma on a viewer, but still leave them yearning for a second viewing.
1. Boy Kills World
Whilst the bulk of my writing focuses on the horror genre, I am a girl that was raised watching action cinema. Some of my all-time favourites are films that come from the genre, with the revenge actioner being a sub-genre of stories I will never get bored of viewing. I was thrilled this year to add another to my all-time list after my first viewing of Moritz Mohr’s Boy Kills World left me breathless.
An action revenge film, Boy Kills World is packed with exceptional fight choreography and stunt work, and enabled Bill Skarsgård to prove his prowess in a genre outside of horror. As the lead character, Boy, Skarsgård is brilliant, utilising his muscular frame to maximum potential, whilst remaining mute. His character’s internal monologue is instead voiced by H. Jon Benjamin of Bob’s Burgers fame. What makes Boy Kills World especially fantastic is that it’s a revenge film that is not afraid to have some fun. Whilst there are moments of seriousness, and Boy’s backstory is horrifically tragic, it is always very funny. The overall feeling when watching Boy Kills World is that of a cartoon or video game coming to life on screen, its zany energy taking the sting out of the sadder moments, making it a film that truly gets the adrenaline pumping. A rewatch confirmed my love for Boy Kills World, and if you haven’t taken a chance on it yet, I implore you to see it out. Brutal fights, whip-sharp humour, and a bloodied Skarsgård are just three of the many components that make Moritz Mohr’s Boy Kills World utterly irresistible.
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