2024 "On Your Left" Film Year-in-Review
It's that time again - celebrating a year's worth of movies! While there were certainly some strong films this year, overall it was a down year, at least to me. I didn't see even twenty movies in theaters this year (18), the first time in a (non-pandemic) year in a long time. There were several reasons for this. First, the actors' and writers' strike of 2023 had a big impact on what got released in 2024: it certainly seemed like there were even more horror movies (which I hardly ever see) and relatively few big releases or just many of the industry's biggest/best names absent. Second, several of the genres I like best were particularly quiet: Marvel and DC had just one movie release each (and I skipped the Joker sequel); I was so desperate, I saw both (bad) Sony superhero movies. My local theater also showed few of the Oscar nominees, and the ones it did show were either at a bad time for me or didn't interest me (3.5 hours of The Brutalist? Pass).
Still, I had plenty of fun in theaters in 2024, featuring both a wide array of films but also some recurring themes/genres. Without further ado, these were the highlights (and a few lowlights).
Here is the format of this post, same as in years past:
- Top 10 films of the year!
- Most underrated/overrated films
- Most surprising/disappointing films
- Worst film of the year
- List of other films I saw in theaters (with links to my reviews)
- Films I saw on streaming
Please check out my companion post here, which is more like my Oscar-style awards. I hope you'll check out some of these movies for yourself!
Top 10 Films of 2024
10. Fly Me to the Moon (directed by Greg Berlanti; starring Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Woody Harrelson, et. al.)
This rom-com lands in my top-10 list partly thanks to it being a down year, but it's still an impressive movie worth watching (Apple TV+). A fictionalization of the lead up to the moon landing, it is light-hearted and often silly, yet funnier and more poignant than expected, and contains many accurate insights on the real political/cultural setting that work well and are not just thrown in. Scarlett Johansson is excellent as the lead, an expert marketer NASA hires to gin up support (financial and otherwise) for the mission; Tatum is pretty bad (apparently Chris Evans was originally cast... if only!!). The supporting cast is fantastic (Rash, Romano, etc.) and the "just-in-case" fake moon landing plot is great. One of the stronger "old-fashioned" Hollywood movies in recent years.
9. Wolfs (directed by Jon Watts; starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Amy Ryan)
It is a crying shame that this clever, funny, action-packed thriller was never put in theaters, instead forcing viewers to make do at home. It's hard to go wrong when you start by reteaming Clooney and Pitt (Ocean's Eleven), veterans who could make this in their sleep but do seem to really enjoy this and give it their best effort. They are certainly portrayed to be very capable fixers, but the movie's key ingredient is its level of surprise (to me, at least) and the heroes' foibles, both tactical and ethical. As tense and violent as it can get, the movie is frequently funny, more so than most others. The story confined to a matter of hours, it's also really well made and entertaining - unlike much other streaming-only content.
8. A Real Pain (directed by Jesse Eisenberg; starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin)
I saw this one on Hulu, one of the large number of Oscar nominees or contenders that just didn't come to theaters near me. It's a very small-scale indie movie, focusing on the relationship of two cousins who were close when they were young but have since diverged significantly in their life paths. The plot touches on the Holocaust, as the cousins tour their ancestors' Polish home, including a brief and quiet but powerful tour of a concentration camp. But the cousins' push-and-pull is the main feature. Eisenberg and especially Culkin are both tremendous, each of them with likable as well as maddening traits. A great portrait of a realistic relationship, but it's not a classic that's likely to stick with me.
7. Unfrosted (directed by Jerry Seinfeld; starring Jerry Seinfeld, Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Amy Schumer, et al)
And now for something very different! Yet similar, in that I had to stream it because it wasn't released in theaters (damn you, Netflix!!!). This is a wonderfully bonkers "origin story" for the Pop-Tarts breakfast treat, with no bearing on the product's real development but plenty of clever parallels to other real events, both historical and current (from JFK to Jan. 6). The cast is full of top-notch comedic talent, from Seinfeld himself (who seems like an odd fit but is great) to McCarthy, Max Greenfield, Peter Dinklage and so many more. It is just stuffed full of gags; not all of them land, but the cheerful, uncynical attempts will still make you smile. Ignore the critics: this is one of the best pure comedies in years and well worth your time when you need a laugh.
6. Dune Part Two (directed by Denis Villeneuve; starring Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, et al)
Dune Part Two was the biggest, most epic blockbuster of the year that I saw in theaters (thankfully!), a cinematic experience more impactful than all but a handful of peers. This sequel is again directed by Villeneuve, a fantastic filmmaker who's shown he can handle the big scifi stuff but also ground it in specific, unique, strange-but-not-off-putting styles. And Dune is certainly a big, strange story, especially the second half of the book which this movie covers. Villeneuve capably translates a lot of abstract and mystical writing into a comprehensible, cohesive (mostly) structure. But the real draw is the visual and aural presentation of the desert world, even more impressive than in Part One; from the sensory overloading sandwurm riding to the magical, hallucinatory effects of the sand itself, it's immersive. The story and characters may be forgotten, but the world will stay with you for a long time.
5. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (directed by George Miller; starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth)
Another desert-based epic, this one is even better! George Miller improbably resurrected his 1980s scifi/ action franchise with 2015's Fury Road, and this one is nearly as good as that instant classic (better in some ways). The female character introduced in 2015 is the star here, and Taylor-Joy, despite a slight frame, is sufficiently fierce and focused to resemble Theron's version. Hemsworth is a great foil, perhaps the maddest of them all in the survival-of-the-fittest desert world, and is by turns humorous, villainous, and human. As Dune is defined by its wondrous world, Furiosa is all about its virtuosic action sets. There is some CGI, but most of it is practical effects (or looks it), and there are several ludicrously (in a good way) extended scenes. Despite great critical reviews, it somehow bombed at the box office - make sure to see it now at home, at least.
4. The Order (directed by Justin Kurzel; starring Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, et al)
This one came out of the blue for me, popping up in my theater's showtimes; fortunately, I looked it up, gave it a chance, and enjoyed one of the best films of the year. The story is based on true events in rural Pacific Northwest in the 1980s revolving around a white supremacist group's terrorist plot. The structure is straightforward and tightly focused around a new-in-town FBI agent's growing investigation. Jude Law is unbelievably good in the role, a stoic individual, not a superhero but very competent with unassailable integrity and concern for the public. Holt is nearly as good as the leader of the white supremacists, chilling in his combination of almost normal family life with charismatic villainy among his followers. This is ultimately a tale of remarkable law enforcement, resisting the temptation to preach a message or add Hollywood action. Watch it for both great entertainment and enlightenment.
3. Challengers (directed by Luca Guadagnino; starring Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, Mike Faist)
Here is another film that came as a surprise to me, but likewise rewarded me for giving it a try. The director has made some other notable films (Call Me By Your Name was nominated for Best Picture) but this is the first I've seen. And whoa, he has a distinctive style. Challengers is essentially an athletically, emotionally, and sensually-charged tale of the tennis and romantic competition of two young men and a young woman. The tennis scenes are riveting, filmed in a variety of clever ways that make you feel the power of the shots and the sheer exertion. The love triangle is just as intense; nothing close to X-rated scenes, but the actors' fully convey their passions both verbally and in body language. The story also makes good use of a non-linear sequencing, so the way you feel about each character in the present keeps shifting based on what you see in the past. Extraordinarily entertaining and well-made.
2. Deadpool & Wolverine (directed by Shawn Levy; starring Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, et al)
This was the only Marvel superhero movie release of 2024, but fortunately, it also turned out to be among the studio's best productions. Marvel had fallen on hard(er) times lately, with diminished critical scores and box office results for its films, so it took a detour from its regular storyline, instead featuring two megastars from other superhero "worlds". Reynolds' Deadpool and Jackman's Wolverine turn out to be excellent, hilarious partners. This is essentially a third Deadpool movie in its tone and style - irreverent but not quite parody, raunchy and bloody but not grossly so - but Jackman does a great job of adjusting his character to fit into it, while staying true to the Wolverine we've known from nine (!) previous movies. If anything, D&W pokes fun at the Marvel franchise more than advancing its story, and instead focuses on being a great action-comedy for everyone (from boy band-scored battles to beef-settling in the family minivan).
1. Saturday Night (directed by Jason Reitman; starring Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith, Matt Wood, Cooper Hoffman, et al)
The best - and my favorite - movie of 2024 was about one of my favorite TV shows, Saturday Night Live. Like many of the best historically-based films, this is focused on a very specific time frame - here, it is appropriately the 90 minutes leading up to the first episode of SNL (a show that runs 90 minutes). The film deftly includes a variety of storylines and themes, but the main one tying it all together is the joyous chaos of bringing a creative production to life as a community. We follow Lorne Michaels, the creator and producer of SNL, as he attempts to juggle the eccentric personalities of his stars, the high-pressure demands of his studio bosses, and the general chaos of the set. Most of the action is behind the scenes, in the halls and offices of Studio 8H; there's plenty of compelling drama, both showbiz and personal, as well as much great humor. We also get regular glimpses of the SNL sketches being rehearsed, and the actors portraying the original cast are top-notch. The ending, which is technically the actual launch for SNL, is surprisingly tense with uncertainty and provides a poignant send off. So well made from top to bottom, Saturday Night is highly recommended for all audiences and my favorite movie of the year.
Honorable mentions: The Wild Robot, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
Most Underrated Film of the Year: Unfrosted
This made my top-10 of the year, and it's a crying shame that it was not released in theaters (damn you, Netflix!!). Unfrosted got quite a chilly critical reception, with just a 40% Rotten Tomatoes score. I'm not sure what they were expecting? If you go into it looking for a remotely realistic founding story for the legendary Pop-Tarts breakfast treat, you will indeed be disappointed. But if you are looking for a ridiculously silly and fun time, you will be hard-pressed to find anything better than this. They throw a lot at the wall and sure, not all of it sticks, but its heart is in the right place.
Most Overrated Film of the Year: Thelma
This movie offers a fascinating comparison to Unfrosted. Thelma should have been much closer to Unfrosted in its silliness and fun than it was. Was it bad? No. But it got a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is insane for a movie that is "meh" at best. Maybe I simply had the wrong expectations going into this, like critics apparently did for Unfrosted. But honestly, I can think of more situations where I would actively avoid this movie than those in which I would seek it out. It has moments of silliness, sure, but it has about as many heavy or even depressing ones. Be warned.
Most Surprisingly-Good Film of the Year: Red One
I almost put this as my most underrated movie, and you could easily swap categories between this and Unfrosted. Red One got an even more miserable critical score, at 30% on RT - BUT, it has a 90% score from audiences. I mostly went to go see this in theaters (Amazon made this but they DID release it in theaters and not just streaming - see, you can do both, Netflix, wake up!!!) because I was desperate for something fun in what had been a pretty barren year. I was fully prepared for this to be an action-comedy holiday with big stars cash-grab. But... it wasn't. Certainly there were better movies this year, but Red One is MUCH better than it has any right to be. Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans are perfect for their roles and clearly are having fun and applying their considerable talents. It's not quite a Christmas classic, but I can certainly see myself revisiting this in years to come.
Most Disappointing Film of the Year: Gladiator II
Sequels are usually difficult, and sequels coming twenty-plus years after the original are even more so. Still, the original Gladiator was so good that I had to try this, especially with director Ridley Scott returning. Well, so much for my hopes that GII could pull off a successful reincarnation anything near the level of George Miller's new Mad Max movies. This movie has many problems, most especially: way too beholden to the original (callback moments, characters and plotlines galore), and poor writing and acting (especially the new hero, Maximus's son, played by Paul Mescal). The only thing saving it from being a complete failure is Denzel Washington, who is phenomenal as always. He gives you hope that the movie might eventually get its act together (which it doesn't).
Worst Film of the Year: Argylle
This was the first 2024 movie release that I saw in theaters, and fortunately, everything after it got better! The previews made it seem like a fun action-comedy in the vein of 2014's Kingsman: The Secret Service which I loved. This time, I agree with the critics (33% on RT) giving it a bad score - but I would have gone even further. The acting and writing are both atrocious despite featuring people who we know have some talent. It is so derivative, uncreative, and glaringly predictable that it is 2 hour-20 minute running time feels even more excruciating. Apple has made some quality, fun movies (see Wolfs from my top-10, Napoleon from last year, etc.) but this was a complete, epic fail.
(other) Movies I Streamed in 2024:
- Roadhouse (B). I haven't seen the original, but in its own this is quite a fun action movie, its story definitely reminiscent of other 80s flicks. Gyllenhaal is good as always, and the movie elicits more human sympathy than most other in the genre.
- Jackpot! (B). This is an uber-silly movie similar to Unfrosted, but not as good. Still, Awkwafina (who can be a bit grating) is a good choice for a woman who wins the lottery - one that allows other people to kill you to take your winnings. John Cena plays a silly but fun protector.
- Hit Man (B). This was one of the hottest streaming movies of the year, though I think it's a bit overrated. Yes, rising star Glen Powell is pretty fun and has some range as a professor turned police undercover disguise contractor. But it could/should have been even better, and the ending was revolting to me.
- Will and Harper (B). Will Ferrell stars as himself in this non-comedic documentary following him as he goes on a road trip with a recently-transitioned old friend. There are some poignant moments but it felt a bit slow to me and somewhat directionless at times.
- IF (B-/C+). Even Ryan Reynolds's considerable charm and talent can't save IF (Imaginary Friends) from drowning in a cloying story whose whimsy, which should be the main attraction, is really not that interesting. Should have dumped the serious/sentimental elements and gone Unfrosted-style uber silly.
- Lift (C+). I honestly don't remember this one very well, which tells you something. But you could do worse for a different kind of action movie that has a few chuckles (though not nearly as many as you'd expect with Kevin Hart starring).
- The Beekeeper (C). Typical Jason Statham action movie - if you've seen one, you'll pretty much know what to expect from this. However, I'm downgrading it even from that modest standard since the finale felt to me like it was leaning way too much into MAGA-type conspiracies.
Other Movies I Saw in Theaters:
- The Fall Guy (B+)
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (B). Saw this in a "cheap" theater, didn't write a review. It was fine with some interesting ideas and decent action; certainly better than the disappointing War of the PA (which seemed like it would be the final film in the series... I should know better!).
- Inside Out 2 (B)
- Kong x Godzilla: New Empire (C+). Didn't write a review because there's not a lot to say. It is even more ridiculous than the other new Godzilla movies. But it certainly had some entertainment value from the sheer scope of the visuals and action. If you didn't see it in the theater, though, don't bother.
- Venom 3 (C)
- Madame Web (C-). This is a pretty terrible movie, as just about everyone seems to agree. The director needed a "Spidey-sense" that this was going to be bad, and just made it one of those "so bad it's good" movies. Instead, the awful acting, dialogue, story, etc. isn't balanced out at all by any fun zaniness.
* By source: https://images.app.goo.gl/smFHYfmgYVScLGpSA
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