We’re officially halfway through 2024, which means its time for a mid year roundup! 122 new releases later, and my 2024 is off to a great start for movie watching. With some truly incredible films, some disastrous misfires, and lots of solid entertainment, it’s been a good year for movies so far! Denis Villeneuve wowed audiences with Dune: Part Two, Hit Man finally came out so I could officially put it on the best of my year list, and Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers introduced viewers to a sexy and competitive vision of tennis. For every great film, there was a Madame Web and Sasquatch Sunset which left audiences perplexed as to how such films could be made. And with highly anticipated films like Wicked, Joker: Folie à Deux, Twisters, Deadpool & Wolverine, and Gladiator II, it is shaping up to be one epic year for cinema..
Without further ado, my top ten films of the year so far are:
10. Robot Dreams
The power of animation continues to be an artistic force of storytelling bringing to life meaningful stories that will connect with audiences on a deeper level as the art form, as done here in Robot Dreams. While not inappropriate for younger viewers, Robot Dreams is made for adult audiences who can appreciate and resonate with its important discussion of friendship, loneliness and life that is to take you on an emotional rollercoaster ride over the course of the film. Brought to life by incredible animation, wonderful soundtrack selections and a powerful musical score from Alfonso Vilallonga to allow the story to be told without dialogue, Robot Dreams is a poignant piece of cinema that captures the joys and struggles of life that will have audiences crying by the end as well as blasting Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” on loop for days!
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9. Inside Out 2
Inside Out 2 was never meant to eclipse the first film, and it never tries to do that. It’s a beautiful extension of its predecessor that sees Riley take the first step towards adulthood and finding inner harmony with the new emotions brought on by puberty, which allows the story to move in new directions while maintaining the heart of the original film. The voice performances are spot on and the animation is incredible, both working to help capture the awe inspiring and soul searching storytelling that helped make Pixar Animation the giant it is in the animation genre. Even without a masterful musical score and some casting changes, Inside Out 2 is a more than worthy sequel that captures the spirit of the original and builds upon it to once again conjure up a deeply moving and emotional story that will not only connect with audiences of all ages, but does so with an entertaining film that is bound to be a fan favourite this summer movie season.
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8. The First Omen
As a horror fan, it is rare that a film rattles me to my core that I am left hyperventilating throughout, occasionally screaming and walking out of the cinema shocked and constantly looking over my shoulder at midnight. Not only did The First Omen do all that, it scared me in a way that very few horror movies have ever managed to do, delivering not only the best film in The Omen franchise since the first film, but the rare film in a series that manages to eclipse the original. Conjuring up an unholy experience from start to finish with gruesome and unforgettable imagery, an unsettling atmosphere thanks to the impeccable direction of Arkasha Stevenson and one of the year’s best performances so far from Nell Tiger Free, audiences are not ready for the terror that is about to be unleashed in The First Omen which rightfully earns its title as my favourite film in The Omen franchise.
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7. The Fall Guy
While David Leitch has made a name for himself making action heavy, revenge based films, his crowning achievement to date is without question The Fall Guy. It’s a callback to the larger than life action blockbusters of the 1990s, that combined with a love of filmmaking intertwined with the action romantic comedy story, he has created one exciting and wildly entertaining trip to the cinema that must be experienced on the big screen. With the dazzling pairing of Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt who set the entire screen on fire with their off the charts chemistry, David Leitch orchestrates a jaw dropping symphony of jaw-dropping action sequences, memorable needle drops, hilarious moments and passionate romantic moments, ensuring that The Fall Guy is not only one of the best action romantic comedies to ever grace the silver screen, but one incredible tribute to the stunts department that captures the love of filmmaking in every scene!
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6. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
There was no chance that George Miller was going to eclipse the masterful Mad Max: Fury Road with his latest film in the series, which he himself knew, setting him on the path to create a different beast of a Mad Max film that is every bit as exciting and spellbinding to behold. Possessing the same technical prowess he has displayed in all his previous films, George Miller has crafted a wild, truly jaw-dropping spectacle that deepens the mythology of the Mad Max franchise while taking audiences on one unforgettable adventure. In the words of the war boys, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is a prequel worthy of Valhalla as George Miller orchestrates a fantastic, action filled epic that is nothing short of a breathtaking return to the world of Mad Max that is an exhilarating blockbuster experience thanks to the mesmerizing work of Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth!
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5. Longlegs
Profoundly disturbing, unsettling and just downright horrifying! It’s been a great year for horror so far, but Longlegs is hands down the best. Nicolas Cage gives a terrifying performance that is bound to live in the horror history books, and Oz Perkins has crafted an unnerving horror spectacle that you won’t ever forget. A new horror classic has arrived! Watch at your own risk!
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COMING SOON
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4. Civil War
Every year there are blockbuster scale films that capture an audience’s attention like no other, while also sharing dangerous parallels to our world that serve as a warning, and the latest film to join this select group is Civil War. While it’s not the divisive politically charged war film that audiences expected it to be based on the film’s title and the trailer, Alex Garland has not only directed another perfect film, but has highlighted the importance of wartime journalism, which is something we need to be reminded of in today’s world. It’s only more important in a world dominated by social media and artificial intelligence, as without these journalists on the ground in the midst of the danger, we as a human race cannot see the atrocities of war first hand and work towards a future where we do not recommit the sins of our race’s past. Visually arresting and haunting, there is not a second of Alex Garland’s latest film that does not scream masterpiece with its gripping and harrowing vision of a war torn America that focuses on truth and journalism that is led by two spectacular performances from Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny, easily cementing Civil War as not only one of the best films of the year but one of A24’s best films to date!
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3. Challengers
By the time the final act begins, it is evident that Challengers is a game, set and match for Luca Guadagnino. In every aspect of the film, it’s a magnificent piece of storytelling that completely snares the audience’s attention as this steamy love triangle unfolds on screen that is sure to raise your heart beat for many reasons throughout and leave you speechless when the screen cuts to black and the credits begin rolling. Led by the sensational performances of Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor, Challengers hits with a wicked backhand that boasts a seductive and enthralling screenplay from Justin Kuritzkes brought to life by outstanding cinematography, bombastic sound design and one of the best musical scores from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross to date, serving up true grand slam that is destined to be one of the year’s best films!
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2. Hit Man
While I have been championing Hit Man since seeing it on the festival circuit at both last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and this year’s Sundance Film Festival, nothing can prepare you for the dazzling, wildly entertaining and all encompassing cinematic experience that Glen Powell and Richard Linklater have conjured up. Glen Powell delivers a career best performance in addition to penning a phenomenal screenplay with director Richard Linklater, that combined with the lovely and captivating Adria Arjona and their fiery romantic chemistry, makes Hit Man not only the most entertaining experiences that you will have at the cinema this year, but one of the year’s undisputed best films!
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1. Dune: Part Two
Nothing can prepare you for the overwhelming and exhilarating experience that is Dune: Part Two. It is grand cinematic filmmaking at its finest that not only demands to be seen on the biggest screen you can find, but reminds you why watching a film of this scale at a cinema is an experience to cherish. And the best part is that Denis Villeneuve still has one more story left to tell with the script for Frank Herbert’s second novel in the series, Dune: Messiah, already in the works. While it's only February, the bar has been set for the rest of 2024 as it is going to be incredibly difficult for any film to pass the standard set by Dune: Part Two, which could very well be the best film of the entire year come December. Anchored by amazing performances from Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson and Austin Butler, Denis Villeneuve’s vision for Frank Herbert’s revered novel is nothing short of cinema at its finest with one of Hans Zimmer’s finest musical scores to date, stunning cinematography from Greig Fraiser and an incredible screenplay that will simultaneously send chills down your spine while making your jaw hit the floor, that allows Dune: Part Two to give a whole new meaning to the terms epic and masterpiece!
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What have been some of your favourite films of 2024 so far? Let me know in the comments below!
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