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2024 has come and gone with some amazing movies. The year was dominated by Timothée Chalamet, who starred in the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown and Dune: Part Two.
There were other good blockbusters as well. The likes of Gladiator II and Twisters rocked theaters and showed how tentpoles should be done. At the same time, there were some indie movies that stuck out as well.
It has been another great year for movies, and 2024 paves the way for an even better 2025. Without further ado, here are my 10 favorite movies of 2024.
1. Dìdi (Dir. Sean Wang)
Growing up as an Asian-American can be hard, speaking from personal experience. Sean Wang's Dìdi tackles that head-on through the vehicle of a Taiwanese-American eighth grader, Chris (Izaac Wang).
He struggles with balancing his home and social life. Boys his age are fixated on girls, while he struggles with his older sister, Vivian (Shirley Chen), who leaves for college.
Sean Wang nails what it was like to grow up in the early 2000s with the rise of YouTube. Izaac Wang is perfect as the main character, who goes from despicable to someone you somewhat root for throughout the movie.
Dìdi is streaming on Peacock.
2. A Complete Unknown (Dir. James Mangold)
A Complete Unknown is the definitive Bob Dylan biopic. While it has been a Timothée Chalamet-heavy year, all it has proved is his stardom.
He completely owns the role of Dylan, nailing his singing voice and mannerisms. And, for once, A Complete Unknown isn't completely trapped by the usual music biopic tropes.
The supporting cast around Chalamet also deserves praise. Elle Fanning delivers one of the year's most heart-wrenching performances. Chalamet will get all the attention, but in a just world, Fanning would be getting awards love, too.
Similarly, Edward Norton does a remarkable job playing Pete Seeger. Monica Barbaro inhabits Joan Baez's singing voice and matches Chalamet's Dylan in their duets.
A Complete Unknown is a fun watch and a technical marvel. They recreated Greenwich Village from the 1960s perfectly and made the world feel lived in.
You could go into A Complete Unknown as a Dylan hater, but you'll be leaving whistling “Blowin' in the Wind.”
A Complete Unknown is in theaters.
3. Inside Out 2 (Dir. Kelsey Mann)
Expectations were high for Inside Out 2, the long-awaited sequel to Disney's 2015 movie, Inside Out. It is one of the company's greatest achievements, and Disney has a reputation for dropping the ball with sequels.
Luckily, Inside Out 2 packs a punch. It effectively ages with the main character, Riley, who is heading into her teenage years in the sequel.
It would be easy to dismiss Inside Out 2 as a children's movie, but it deals with the emotions adults feel. Riley feels like she has to choose between her old friends and new ones as she goes into high school.
Inside her mind, Anxiety (Maya Hawke) enters the fray. She attempts to overthrow the other emotions upon her arrival. Like it or not, the way Anxiety storms into her life is eerily similar to the real thing.
Inside Out 2 is streaming on Disney+.
4. Dune: Part Two (Dir. Denis Villeneuve)
Similar to Inside Out 2, Denis Villeneuve could have dropped the ball with Dune: Part Two. It was bound to be more action-packed than its predecessor, but would the heart be lost within its epic cope?
In short, no. Dune: Part Two is bigger than the first movie and is even more epic. Chalamet delivered his first of two stellar performances in Dune: Part Two, which came out just months after Wonka took over theaters. Zendaya and Rebecca Ferguson also do great work as they reprise their roles from Dune.
The Dune franchise offers a substitute for the usual sci-fi shlock we see. Villeneuve has a clear understanding of the source material and is a visionary behind the camera (as his past sci-fi works like Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 showed).
Dune: Part Two is streaming on Max.
5. We Live in Time (Dir. John Crowley)
The second the trailer for We Live in Time dropped, most knew they would need tissues. That's why it was fitting that A24 handed out tissues at screenings of the movie.
Of course, Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh's chemistry is impeccable. But the real highlight of We Live in Time is its candor. It shows the highs and lows of any relationship, including a hilariously vivid birthing scene.
It does fall flat in its subplots. Pugh's character is a chef who gets roped into a high-level competition. We Live in Time soars when it focuses on the mundanities of the main relationship. Luckily, there is way more of the relationship than the subplots.
We Live in Time is available to rent.
6. Hit Man (Dir. Richard Linklater)
The fourth collaboration between Glen Powell and Richard Linklater may be their best. For some, Hit Man may have too much slapstick or not enough drama. I'd argue it strikes the perfect balance.
I am aware that Hit Man is technically a 2023 movie, not 2024. It premiered at the 2023 Venice Film Festival before Netflix acquired the distribution rights. Since I didn't see it until 2024, it's on this list.
When it's moving, Hit Man allows Powell to display his charisma. Seeing him work through dozens of personalities makes for one of the year's best sequences.
Hit Man is a relic of a different age. It's a harmless 90-minute romp led by one of Hollywood's rising stars. Linklater is still sharp as a whip and brings his flair behind the camera as well.
Don't forget to have some fun when watching movies.
Hit Man is streaming on Netflix.
7. Gladiator II (Dir. Ridley Scott)
Now, I can see the argument that Gladiator II is a simple retread of the original movie. Lucius (Paul Mescal) is enslaved and attempts to fight his way to freedom.
I'd also argue that there are only so many routes a Gladiator movie can go. It has been decades since the Russell Crowe-led movie was released, so I have no complaints about a retelling with the talented Mescal.
Denzel Washington also delivers one of his most campy performances to date. His turn as Macrinus is one of the year's best performances. The chaotic combination of Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger brings a similar effect to the movie. Ridley Scott says he has ideas for a Gladiator III. I imagine the threequel will have to expand the world further than Gladiator II.
Still, the movie is a spectacle. Scott's set pieces — aside from some CGI animals — look great, and the choreography is on point. Mescal's delivery of the “Wood or steel, a sword is a sword” line is the cherry on top.
Gladiator II is available to rent
8. The Fall Guy (Dir. David Leitch)
I'm a sucker for David Leitch action romps. He is the best action filmmaker currently working and knows how to deliver fun blockbusters. The Fall Guy, starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, is no exception.
Fresh off his Oscar-nominated performance in Barbie, Gosling delivers another fun performance as stuntman Colt Seavers. He has his usual charm and is matched with Blunt, the straight edge in their relationship.
The romance is secondary to the action. Leitch ups the ante from Bullet Train, which was also great, with cannon rolls and fist fights galore.
Ultimately, The Fall Guy is a love letter to stuntmen. Having spoken to actual stuntmen after its release, it appears he successfully paid homage to them.
The Fall Guy is available to rent.
9. The Greatest Hits (Dir. Ned Benson)
One of 2024's biggest surprises was Ned Benson's latest movie, The Greatest Hits. It follows a young woman, played by Lucy Boynton, who is mourning the loss of her boyfriend (played by David Corenswet).
Whenever she listens to a particular song, she time travels to her time with her former partner. However, she meets another guy, played by Justin H. Min, and struggles to let go of the past while moving forward.
It's a beautiful story that uniquely uses music. Instead of making The Greatest Hits a feature-length music video, the soundtrack is a vehicle for the story.
The Greatest Hits is streaming on Hulu.
10. Conclave (Dir. Edward Berger)
I finally caught Conclave as the year drew to a close. I had heard good things, but it missed my radar when it came out. However, it was as good as advertised.
The search for a pope may not be as intriguing as Conclave makes it, but that doesn't detract from the viewing experience. There are twists and turns with all the politics and drama Ralph Fiennes' character, Thomas Cardinal Lawrence, deals with.
Peter Straughan's script is smart, and it makes a spectacle out of a conclave. It's one of 2024's most interesting watches, and we need more movies like it.
Conclave is streaming on Peacock.
