2024 was a big year for me professionally, as it was the year I finally left my day job to work on NBP full-time. With that came a tremendous amount of pressure, but also a fire was lit inside me, the likes of which I’ve never felt before, to push further than ever to deliver the best we could for the NBP Community. Having seen over 300 films again this year, narrowing that number down to ten favorites feels pointless because I still consider so many films outside of this ten to be some of my favorites and the very best of what 2024 offered. While many might say it’s a weak film year, I wholeheartedly disagree. It may be a weak awards season compared to last year, but there are so many great pieces of cinema to explore, revisit, and dissect from all around the world. After re-watching many films over the holidays, I agonized over these final ten and their order. Still, I generally feel these ten films captured the highest points of my year at the movies in 2024. Before I get started, here are a few honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “All We Imagine As Light,” “Conclave,” “The Count Of Monte Cristo,” “Flow,” “Hard Truths,” “I Saw The TV Glow,” “Memoir Of A Snail,” “No Other Land,” “A Real Pain,” and “Wicked.” And now, here are my top ten favorite films of 2024…
10. The Wild Robot
Every year, it seems at least one animated film manages to crack my top ten. This year, Chris Sanders’ adaptation of the 2016 novel of the same name by Peter Brown unexpectedly surprised me. I went from “Flow” being my favorite animated film of the year back at Cannes to “Memoir Of A Snail” at Telluride a few short days later when I saw this wholesome film during its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. While those other films may be better for subjective reasons, what helped allow “The Wild Robot” to resonate for me so deeply was how I saw my relationship with my mother reflected in the film’s narrative of a robot’s uncompromising love for her adoptive son. Re-watching it recently with her only helped to crystalize this feeling as something I will personally cherish. Along with its central theme of parenthood, the film also incorporates topics pertaining to survival, technology dependence, kindness towards others, and finding coexistence in our natural living world while facing life’s natural cycle of birth, growth, prosperity, and death. It may be geared primarily toward children, but there are just enough worthwhile ideas for adults to chew on and ponder. With big-hearted storytelling, plenty of laughs, a lush watercolor aesthetic, phenomenal voice acting from the entire cast, and a beautifully epic score by Kris Bowers that rivals the iconic theme from “How To Train Your Dragon” (and one hell of a training montage sequence set to Marren Morris’ lovely “Kiss The Sky”) that captures the grandeur of Chris Sanders’ vision, “The Wild Robot” is a crowd-pleasing and emotionally stirring story that represents the pinnacle of DreamWorks Animation as they celebrated their thirtieth anniversary this past year.
9. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
“Mad Max: Fury Road” was not just one of the best action films of 2015 but one of the best films of the year overall, as it placed number 1 on my top ten list for 2015. Many consider it to be the greatest action film ever made (I throw myself in that conversation), and so, there was a tremendous amount of expectation and hesitation placed upon George Miller’s return to the “Mad Max” franchise. However, with “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” Miller shifted gears, offering a prequel that explores Furiosa’s origin story in a sprawling, chaptered narrative with a more measured sense of pacing compared to the relentless adrenaline-pumping thrill ride that was “Mad Max: Fury Road.” The result is a more thoughtful and rich examination of the world Miller has been revisiting for decades with memorable characters, unreal attention to detail in the world-building through the costumes and production design, and the expected desert road action that nobody else can quite produce like Miller in all of its maximalist glory. Anya Taylor-Joy’s seamless transition into the role Charlize Theron made iconic in 2015 and Hemsworth’s standout work (one of his best performances to date) as the brutally unhinged but tragically layered Dementus elevates the film’s emotional stakes, making this a more character-focused entry in the franchise that reveals startling new depth with every rewatch. Balancing themes of revenge and survival amidst a post-apocalyptic desert wasteland where there is seemingly no hope, “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is a visually striking companion piece that enriches the “Mad Max” universe. The film deserved far better than audiences gave it as it struggled at the box office after its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, but such an underperformance only reinforced my love for it even more. Though it may not surpass the masterpiece “Mad Max: Fury Road,” it firmly stands alongside it, proving once again that George Miller is a master of his craft and, at 79 years of age, is showing no signs of slowing down.
8. The Seed Of The Sacred Fig
There were many brave feats of storytelling in 2024, such as the documentaries “No Other Land” and “Black Box Diaries,” but ever since I saw it at Cannes, Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” has always stood out as one of the year’s most courageous and compelling films. Shot entirely in secret from the Iranian Government, Rasoulof was sentenced by the Islamic Republic to eight years in prison, whipping, and a fine. He was forced to flee his home country, where he remains in Germany to this day, but thanks to his bravery, we not only have this film, but we will hopefully get many more films from him in the future. There’s no denying that such context helps to boost this film in mind, and seeing Rasoulof enter the Palais at Cannes to a thunderous ovation before the film even began was momentous in itself. However, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” fully highlights Rasoulof’s masterful ability to intertwine political criticism with intimate storytelling of a family coming undone by its clash between modern and traditional values in present-day Iran. The sense of tension is palpable throughout, and Soheila Golestani, Missagh Zareh, Mahsa Rostami, and Setareh Maleki give outstanding performances that keep you riveted through the film’s nearly three-hour-runtime. The fractured dynamics of this family grappling with paranoia, rebellion, and authoritarian control have those themes reflected in the streets of Iran as real-life cellphone footage woven throughout the gripping narrative displays women casting away their hijabs and dozens of protests and arrests, showing how Rasoulof’s act of defiance is just one in a larger wave of unrest currently taking place. Some have thrown criticism towards the film’s climax, which culminates in what some might deem to be a silly hide-and-seek chase through the ruins of Iman’s hometown, but I never saw this as a deterrent in all my viewings. Instead, I believe the film skillfully builds to an undeniably powerful finale that thematically solidifies the film overall as a profound and urgent work of heroic activism that courageously captures the moment, thus making it essential viewing.
7. Nosferatu
Since he was a child, director Robert Eggers has dreamed of bringing his own version of “Nosferatu” to the big screen. Now, that dream has become a dark, twisted reality with his masterful reimagining of the 1922 gothic classic, blending his meticulous attention to period detail with visceral horror to create one of the most seductively macabre films ever made. Lily-Rose Depp delivers an eye-popping, soul-shaking performance that will undoubtedly turn some heads towards her way in the industry after the failure of HBO’s “The Idol” earlier this year, as Ellen, whose inner torment over her sexual desires and affliction from the Transylvanian vampire anchors the film’s exploration of 19th-century female autonomy in a way that helps to make this new telling all the more relevant to a modern audience. Bill Skarsgård’s mesmerizing portrayal of Count Orlok is both menacing and magnetic as he disappears into the role visually under tons of makeup (including a memorable Romanian mustache, which I’m personally a fan of) and sonically with an unrecognizable deep voice that casts a spell over you with its power and allure. Eggers’s precision as a filmmaker is evident in every frame, from Jarin Blaschke’s dreamlike cinematography to Craig Lathrop’s production design and Linda Muir’s costumes, which fully transport viewers into the 1800s setting to Robin Carolan’s haunting score, which elevates the atmospheric terror and dark beauty. By centering the story on Ellen, Eggers recontextualizes the vampire mythos as a commentary on societal oppression and psychosexual dynamics with a supporting cast, including Nicholas Hoult, Simon McBurney, and Willem Dafoe, all committed to his vision. The film’s deliberate pacing crescendos into a breathtaking final sequence, delivering a symphony of horror, seduction, and gloom as Eggers ends his tale on another unforgettable final shot that lingers long after the credits roll. Simultaneously classical and contemporary, “Nosferatu” brilliantly showcases the growth of Eggers’s artistic vision, one that has become more refined over four films as he’s learned to work with larger budgets and hone in on his craft to bring us one of the year’s most stunningly crafted films. That’s just capital, man!
6. Nickel Boys
It’s pretty rare for me to watch a film and say, “I have never seen anything like this before.” We may declare that in a hyperbolic sense from time to time, but as someone who sees, on average, over 300 new movies a year and has a pretty extensive back catalog of film watching behind him dating back to the birth of cinema over a hundred years ago, what RaMell Ross achieves in his adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “Nickel Boys,” truly blew me away. I’ve seen first-person point-of-view films before, but I’ve never seen that style maintained throughout an entire film while the perspective shifted from one character to another. Taking his experience as a documentary filmmaker and applying it to a narrative feature, Ross’s vision for “Nickel Boys” is truly unlike any other film, not just this year but of any year, as the story of two young Black boys enduring abuse at a Jim Crow-era reformatory school is transformed into an evocative, intimate and unparalleled sensory experience. The images gathered by cinematographer Jomo Fray (who also wowed us with his work on the 2023 film “All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt“) challenge the conventions of traditional storytelling with a spontaneity and exquisite vibrancy I have not felt since Terrence Malik’s “The Tree Of Life.” The poignant focus on Elwood’s idealism and Turner’s pragmatic survivalism as the two young boys navigate the horrors of the fictionalized Nickel Academy (based on the historic reform school in Florida called the Dozier School for Boys) is a layered psychological look at the physical and emotional scars left by institutional abuse, not just from the school but from society towards Black individuals as a whole. With exceptional performances from Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Daveed Diggs, and especially Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, the film’s devastating final act delivers a bait and switch that sends a potent message about finding endurance against the weight of systemic oppression. By blending artistry with immersion, Ross has crafted an indelible impression with his narrative feature debut that is unforgettable in how it captures the spirit and tragedy of Whitehead’s source material, cementing its place as a cinematic accomplishment by every metric that will be written about and discussed for another hundred years and beyond.
5. The Substance
Few experiences in 2024 could ever rival the euphoric feeling I felt leaving the theater at Cannes after Coralie Fargeat unleashed “The Substance” onto the world. The world was not ready for it, but once we got a taste of it, the balance could not be maintained, and I’ve been revisiting it ever since, wanting to see it again with grossed-out or sicko crowds trying to recapture that same feeling I felt on the first viewing. It helps that it’s an unrelenting masterpiece of body horror, with grotesque imagery, satirical commentary, and deep-rooted emotion on confronting society’s obsession with beauty and self-image. All of these elements, plus the film’s impeccable crafts, knocked me out and had me squirming in my seat, cheering and smiling from ear to ear at the sheer audacity of it all. Fargeat refuses to shy away from explicit metaphors and over-the-top imagery, as her film’s hideous and unsubtle (but not lacking in substance) messaging hits you repeatedly until you’ve been pummeled into submission by its awesomeness, ensuring it lands with uncompromising clarity. The direction is unapologetically bold, featuring some jaw-dropping practical effects and best-of-the-year makeup work that plunges viewers deep into the bowels of self-hatred and vanity. None of this would work without Demi Moore’s meta career-best performance and Margaret Qualley’s fearless work as Sue. I cannot mention one without the other (they are one, after all) but perhaps no other scene this year derived such sympathy from me than watching Moore repeatedly fix her appearance in the bathroom mirror before a big date over and over, making herself look worse in the process until she completely self-destructs and chooses to not leave her apartment at all. For all the bold imagery, style, and sledgehammer-like storytelling from Fargeat, that scene resonated on a level literally everyone could empathize with, whether they vibed with the rest of the film or not. By the time we get to the film’s shocking third act—a bloody explosion of gore and symbolic self-loathing, it’s clear Fargeat, with only her second feature film (definitely seek out “Revenge” if you haven’t already), has already cemented herself as a mighty force in today’s cinematic landscape producing a polarizing, intense, provocative and unforgettable raged-filled experience. “This is…The Substance.”
4. Sing Sing
As a former theater kid, many movies tapped into my nostalgia for that time on the stage, such as “Wicked” and the under-seen but nevertheless moving “Ghostlight.” However, despite its world premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, “Sing Sing” has been able to endure for over a year as one of the most emotionally moving experiences I’ve had all year. Time and many rewatches have only confirmed this, as it always manages to leave me a puddle of tears by the end each and every single time. Directed by Greg Kwedar, the film expresses the transformative power of creativity and community within the prison system through art, inspired by the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York. Many will say from time to time that a film has the ability to change lives, well “Sing Sing” can literally claim that as it features formerly incarcerated actors whose natural, heartfelt performances bring authenticity and warmth to the story, displaying how these men are not defined by the confines of their imprisonment but by their ability to learn, grow and move on to a better life outside those walls. Led by a heartbreaking career-best performance from Colman Domingo, the film also features “Sound Of Metal’s” Paul Raci as a compassionate theater director and a breakout performance from Clarence Maclin playing a variation of himself in a role that demands your attention and announces to the world the birth of a new star. Through the creation of the comedic play the incarcerated men are putting on for the season, “Breakin’ The Mummy’s Code,” the delicate film overcomes any preconceived notions one might have heading in that it’s just another prison drama as it shows the vulnerabilities, conflicts, and camaraderie of its characters, illustrating how art can connect them all and help them to become human again even in the harshest circumstances. With sensitive direction and a lovely score by Bryce Dessner, “Sing Sing” is a testament to the restorative power of the arts, creating a life-affirming story that will melt the coldest heart.
3. Anora
Sean Baker has always had a knack for authentically portraying oppressed groups within American society that we usually wouldn’t bat an eye at if we saw them begging for money in the streets. His fascination and fixation on the American dream, as seen through the eyes of these unlikely protagonists, has made him a seminal voice in independent filmmaking from his directorial debut “Four Letter Words” to his latest run with “Tangerine,” “The Florida Project,” “Red Rocket” up until today. It’s easy to see how Baker’s career has been building towards this moment of recognition he’s been receiving with “Anora” since it had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and went on to win the Palme d’Or, Baker’s first and NEON’s fifth in a row (absolutely insane but deserved!). The film is a chaotic, vivacious exploration of themes Baker has explored before, brought to life by his empathetic storytelling and Mikey Madison’s firecracker performance as Ani. When Ani’s seemingly sweet marriage to Ivan threatens to unravel under the pressure of the young Russian oligarchs disapproving family and their hired enforcers, she refuses to surrender her grip on what she sees as her ticket to a better life, turning the film into a high-stakes, vulgar-filled and ever-evolving chase through Brooklyn, New York. Baker’s grounded direction captures Ani’s fierce confidence and emotional vulnerability, creating a layered character worth rooting for as she fights for what she earns, even if she has to use her body to achieve it. The final scene between her and Yura Borisov’s Igor elevates Baker’s latest from a good film to a great one as we see Ani’s entire view of herself completely shatter through the eyes of someone who finally sees her as an actual person with agency and worthy of respect rather than as a body looking for a transaction. It’s a gut punch that ends the otherwise propulsive film on a dower note, creating a reflective and complex contrast, solidifying itself as one of Baker’s finest works. With Madison’s star-making turn, that will surely catapult her career to new heights, complemented by strong and hilarious supporting work from Borisov, Mark Eydelshteyn, and Baker regular Karren Karagulian, this finely textured character study is filled with comedy, drama, tension, romance and chaos delivering what many feel to be the best all-around film of 2024.
2. Dune: Part Two
Those who know me know very well how much I agonized over the placement of my number 1 and number 2 of 2024 in my top ten of the year list. For me, these two films are interchangeable as they represent both ends of the spectrum of what can be accomplished in today’s cinematic landscape system, either with a high budget backed by a big studio or a low budget with independent financing. The end result, though, either way, is pure cinema and, for me, not only encapsulates the year as a whole but also stands as a model of everything I love about the movie-going experience and cinema as a whole. First up, we have Denis Villeneuve’s completion of Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel with one of sci-fi’s grandest achievements, the cinematic masterpiece that is “Dune: Part Two.” Expanding on the intricate politics, religion, and mythology of the story, the continuation of Paul Atreides’s story dives deeper into Herbert’s characters and themes, presenting a narrative that is both epic in scope and deeply personal for Villeneuve as this has been a long passion project for him which started when he was a teenager reading the book for the first time and started with 2021’s “Part One“ (which also, landed at no. 2 on my top of 2021 list). Ever since its premiere in March, I said continuously throughout the year I would be astonished if another film came around and knocked this one out of my top spot for best of the year, and while we’ll get to that in a minute, what’s here is truly special and should not be taken for granted. Considering how many big-budgeted films are made each year, practically none of them feature the same level of care, attention to detail, and focus on character and story as Villeneuve has brought to “Dune.“ Timothée Chalamet, who is having one hell of a year between this and “A Complete Unknown,“ delivers what might be his best performance since “Call Me By Your Name,“ as he effectively has to play two opposing sides of Paul and somehow make the transition between the two feel organic throughout the course of the film. His chemistry with Zendaya adds an emotional core to this film, which helps to underscore the greater tragedy of Paul’s arc, while Austin Butler’s menacing Feyd-Rautha and Javier Bardem’s chilling take on religious fundamentalism as Stilgar add texture to the mammoth world of “Dune.” The film balances superb world-building and breathtaking visuals from Greig Fraser, from the awe-inspiring sandworm-riding sequence to the gorgeous desert landscapes, with emotionally resonant moments accentuated by Hans Zimmer’s sweeping, booming, and grand score. “Dune” has always been a story about cautioning society against messianic figures, and in a post-2024 election where we’ve seen an influential figure promise the people something we know deep down he will not deliver upon, it makes it almost impossible not to view “Dune: Part Two” in a political context that only enriches its meaning and allows it to resonate beyond the standard studio blockbuster. Featuring some of the best crafts of the year, an otherworldly vision from Villeneuve, and storytelling that still has significance nearly six decades since the novel was first published, “Dune: Part Two” not only completes the story begun in “Part One” but also leaves audiences eagerly anticipating the next chapter with “Dune: Messiah.” Villeneuve’s crowning triumph is one very few filmmakers have ever achieved (Peter Jackson’s “The Lord Of The Rings” trilogy and James Cameron’s “Avatar” films come to mind but not much else), successfully translating to the big screen a story many thought they would never see fully realized in their lifetime, combining art and commerce to craft a timeless epic that reaffirms the magic of cinema.
1. The Brutalist
“Monumental.” That’s been the defining word used to describe Brady Corbet’s sweeping American epic “The Brutalist.” Shot for under $10 million, what this behemoth that has been compared to “There Will Be Blood,” “Giant,” “Citizen Kane,” and many other great American films told on an impressive scale was able to achieve cannot be understated as it may have set a new precedent for what is possible for independent filmmakers to put up on the screen if given the time and (hopefully slightly more than this film was given) resources. There is a structural elegance to how “The Brutalist” is presented as it begins with an overture set to Daniel Blumberg’s blaring score (and features one of the year’s most iconic shots of an upside-down Statue of Liberty) and is split with an intermission that lasts about 15 minutes, arriving at a pivotal point that sharply cuts through the feelings one has towards the first half versus the second half and then ending with an epilogue that recontextualizes everything you’ve been watching up until that point to make you wonder what the ultimate takeaway from “The Brutalist” actually was all this time. I have a pretty firm idea now (take a listen to our podcast review if you haven’t yet to hear more), but getting to that point was a journey in and of itself. Watching “The Brutalist” at the Toronto International Film Festival for the first time this year, when we got to the intermission, and that image of László and his family flashed up on the screen, I was standing out of my seat, beaming with excitement, high-fiving my friends around me energized and fueled by the cinematic bravura Corbet was displaying in is storytelling. When we got to the end of the second half, the feeling was extremely different. Somber, puzzled but in a good way; no other film this year gave me more to chew on than this one as my friends and I endlessly debated our complicated readings of the second half with curiosity and amazement. Regardless of where anyone ended up, we could not deny the resounding strength found within this human narrative that distills the essence of the immigrant experience and its ties to today. The first half presents its main character and his pursuit of the American Dream, filled with all the hope and optimism you could possibly imagine, while the second half does everything in its power to dismantle that very notion and burn it all to the ground to reveal the deep, rotting underbelly this country truly is founded upon and how difficult it really is for an artist’s legacy to truly stand the test of time when so many are craving a piece of it. As a visionary Hungarian architect who is forced to leave Europe due to the Holocaust, Adrien Brody is utterly incredible as László Toth, his most captivating and complex role since his Oscar-winning performance in “The Pianist.” The degree of empathy he’s able to generate for László while never shying away from the more challenging aspects of his personality makes him such a fully realized character that one would be forgiven (just like with Cate Blanchett’s performance as Lydia Tár in 2022) for thinking this was a biopic. That’s how textured and highly specific Brody’s work is here, and the result is single-handedly the very best performance anyone has given in 2024. Brody’s soulful work is complemented by Guy Pearce’s meanly spirited and smug work as a patron who lends a helping hand to László with his own ambitions in mind (Felicity Jones also turns in what I personally thought was one of her best performances to date as László’s disabled wife in the film’s second half, even if more people are divided on it). Their dynamic and how such servitude to those who have the means to fund your creativity stands as a meta-commentary on Corbet’s journey (or really, any independent filmmaker’s journey) to finance the film and see his vision come alive without compromise. Fortunately for Corbet, whatever hardships he and his crew had to endure under such a tight budget, what ends up on the screen is nothing short of greatness. Spanning three and a half hours, the vast cinematography shot in VistaVision (and looks stupendous if you can see it projected on 35mm or 70mm), gorgeous production design (it is a film about architecture, after all), the before-mentioned score, and skillful editing which allows the 215-minute runtime to fly by all add up to a masterwork that leaves an everlasting imprint as one of the year’s most ambitious and unforgettable films.
What do you think of my list? Please let us know in the comments section below or on our X account. Be on the lookout for more of our Top 10’s for 2024 as we say goodbye to the year and say hello to a new one. Thank you everyone for a memorable year. Our annual NBP Film Awards and the NBP Film Community Awards will come in a few days to allow you all some time to see those final 2024 awards season contenders and vote on what you thought was the best 2024 had to offer. Till then, I wish you all a Happy New Year!
