We’ve reached the midway point of 2024, and the Next Best Picture team has compiled their top ten favorite films of the year individually, and we put those lists together to come up with this super-sized top 50 consensus list on what we feel are the best films from the first half of the year. The consensus list was generated based on how often and then high a film was placed on a person’s top ten list. Eligible films included any feature film that has officially been released in 2024 from January 1st-June 30th (sorry, no film festival-only titles here). Enjoy scrolling through to see what we’ve enjoyed so far in 2024.
50. DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS
THE STORY – In search of a fresh start, two women embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, Fla. However, things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.
THE CAST – Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Bill Camp & Matt Damon
THE TEAM – Ethan Coen (Director/Writer) & Tricia Cooke (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 84 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Dan Bayer
49. THE ANIMAL KINGDOM
THE STORY – In a world hit by a wave of mutations transforming humans into animals, François does everything he can to save his wife. As some of the creatures disappear into a nearby forest, he and their son embark on a quest that will change their lives.
THE CAST – Romain Duris, Paul Kircher, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Tom Mercier & Billie Blain
THE TEAM – Thomas Cailley (Director) & Pauline Munier (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 130 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Dan Bayer
48. SLOW
THE STORY – Elena is a contemporary dancer whose bond with Dovydas deepens from platonic to romantic. When Dovydas discloses his asexuality, the couple commit themselves to honouring their individual needs in tandem.
THE CAST – Greta Grinevičiūtė, Kęstutis Cicėnas, Pijus Ganusauskas & Laima Akstinaitė
THE TEAM – Marija Kavtaradzė (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 108 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Dan Bayer
47. FRIDA
THE STORY – The life of iconic artist Frida Kahlo, told through her own words from diaries, letters, essays, and interviews.
THE CAST – Frida Kahlo & Fernanda Echevarría del Rivero
THE TEAM – Carla Gutierrez (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 87 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Nadia Dalimonte
46. THE IDEA OF YOU
THE STORY – When Solène, a 40-year-old single mother, must step in to chaperone her teenage daughter’s trip to the Coachella Music Festival after her ex bails at the last minute, she has a chance encounter with 24-year-old singer Hayes, and there is an instant, undeniable spark. As they begin a whirlwind romance, it isn’t long before Hayes’s superstar status poses unavoidable challenges to their relationship, and Solène soon discovers that life in the glare of his spotlight might be more than she bargained for.
THE CAST – Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin, Annie Mumolo, Reid Scott, Perry Mattfeld, Jordan Aaron Hall, Mathilda Gianopoulos, Raymond Cham Jr., Jaiden Anthony, Viktor White & Dakota Adan
THE TEAM – Michael Showalter (Director/Writer) & Jennifer Westfeldt (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 116 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Ema Sasic
45. THE FALL GUY
THE STORY – After leaving the business one year earlier, battle-scarred stuntman Colt Seavers springs back into action when the star of a big studio movie suddenly disappears. As the mystery surrounding the missing actor deepens, Colt soon finds himself ensnared in a sinister plot that pushes him to the edge of a fall more dangerous than any stunt.
THE CAST – Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Winston Duke, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham & Stephanie Hsu
THE TEAM – David Leitch (Director) & Drew Pearce (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 125 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Dan Bayer
44. SASQUATCH SUNSET
THE STORY – In the misty forests of North America, a family of Sasquatches—possibly the last of their enigmatic kind— embark on an absurdist, epic, hilarious, and ultimately poignant journey over the course of one year. These shaggy and noble giants fight for survival as they find themselves on a collision course with the ever-changing world around them.
THE CAST – Riley Keough, Jesse Eisenberg, Christophe Zajac-Denek & Nathan Zellner
THE TEAM – David Zellner (Director/Writer) & Nathan Zellner (Director)
THE RUNNING TIME – 89 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Dan Bayer
43. YOUNG WOMAN AND THE SEA
THE STORY – The story of competitive swimmer Trudy Ederle, who, in 1926, was the first woman to ever swim across the English Channel.
THE CAST – Daisy Ridley, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Stephen Graham, Kim Bodnia, Sian Clifford,Christopher Eccleston & Glenn Fleshler
THE TEAM – Joachim Rønning (Director) & Jeff Nathanson (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 129 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Ema Sasic
42. I USED TO BE FUNNY
THE STORY – Stand-up comedian Sam struggles with PTSD and considers joining the search for a missing teenage girl she used to nanny.
THE CAST – Rachel Sennott, Olga Petsa, Jason Jones, Sabrina Jalees, Caleb Hearon & Dani Kind
THE TEAM – Ally Pankiw (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 105 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Danilo Castro
41. THE LAST STOP IN YUMA COUNTY
THE STORY – Stranded at an Arizona rest stop, a traveling knife salesman gets thrust into a high-stakes hostage situation by the arrival of two bank robbers who will stop at nothing to protect their ill-begotten fortune.
THE CAST – Jim Cummings, Jocelin Donahue, Sierra McCormick, Nicholas Logan, Michael Abbott Jr., Connor Paolo, Alexandra Essoe, Robin Bartlett, Jon Proudstar, Sam Huntington, Ryan Masson, Barbara Crampton, Gene Jones, Faizon Love & Richard Brake
THE TEAM – Francis Galluppi (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 91 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Cody Dericks
40. HORIZON:AN AMERICAN SAGA – CHAPTER ONE
THE STORY – Set in the American Civil War period depicting the expansion of the American west.
THE CAST – Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Giovanni Ribisi, Jena Malone, Abbey Lee, Michael Rooker, Danny Huston, Luke Wilson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jeff Fahey, Will Patton, Tatanka Means, Owen Crow Shoe, Ella Hunt, Jamie Campbell Bower & Thomas Haden Church
THE TEAM – Kevin Costner (Director/Writer) & Jon Baird (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 181 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Josh Parham
39. SNACK SHACK
THE STORY – Dreaming of striking it rich, inseparable best friends AJ and Moose seize the opportunity to run the local pool’s rundown snack shack. However, things take an unexpected turn when they meet Brooke, an effortlessly cool lifeguard who puts their big summer plans — and friendship — at risk.
THE CAST – Conor Sherry, Gabriel LaBelle, Mika Abdalla, David Costabile & Nick Robinson
THE TEAM – Adam Carter Rehmeier (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 112 Minutes
38. FLIPSIDE
THE STORY – A comical attempt to save a New Jersey record store and confront a mid-life crisis.
THE CAST – N/A
THE TEAM – Christopher Wilcha (Director/Writer), Joe Beshenkovsky & Adam Samuel Goldman (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 92 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Cody Dericks
37. A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE
THE STORY – When New York City comes under attack from an alien invasion, a woman and other survivors try to find a way to safety. They soon learn that they must remain absolutely silent as the mysterious creatures are drawn to the slightest sound.
THE CAST – Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff & Djimon Hounsou
THE TEAM – Michael Sarnoski (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 99 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Giovanni Lago
36. KIM’S VIDEO
THE STORY – For two decades, New York City cinephiles had access to a treasure trove of rare and esoteric films through Kim’s Video. Originally run by the enigmatic Kim Yong-man out of his dry-cleaning business, his franchise eventually amassed 55,000 rental titles. In 2008, facing a changing industry, Mr. Kim offered to give away his collection provided that it stayed intact and remained available to Kim’s Video members. In a bid to revitalize tourism, the small Italian village of Salemi, Sicily, became home to the archive. But after the initial publicity faded, so too did any sign of the collection. Enter filmmaker David Redmon, who credits Kim’s Video for his film education. With the ghosts of cinema past leading his way, Redmon embarks on a seemingly quixotic quest to track down what happened to the legendary collection and to free it from purgatory.
THE CAST – Isabel Gillies, Robert Greene & Eric Hynes
THE TEAM – David Redmon & Ashley Sabin (Directors/Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 99 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Cody Dericks
35. THELMA
THE STORY – When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her.
THE CAST – June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Richard Roundtree, Parker Posey, Clark Gregg & Malcolm McDowell
THE TEAM – Josh Margolin (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 97 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Ema Sasic
34. KINDS OF KINDNESS
THE STORY – Three stories revolve around a man who tries to take control of his own life, a policeman whose wife seems like a different person, and a woman who searches for someone with a special ability.
THE CAST – Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie & Hunter Schafer
THE TEAM – Yorgos Lanthimos (Director/Writer) & Efthimis Filippou (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 165 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Matt Neglia
33. HOW TO HAVE SEX
THE STORY – Three British teenage girls go on a rites-of-passage holiday – drinking, clubbing and hooking up, in what should be the best summer of their lives.
THE CAST – Mia McKenna-Bruce, Lara Peake, Shaun Thomas, Samuel Bottomley, Enva Lewis & Laura Ambler
THE TEAM – Molly Manning Walker (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 98 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Ema Sasic
32. EVIL DOES NOT EXIST
THE STORY – Deep in the forest of the small rural village Harasawa, single parent Takumi lives with his young daughter, Hana, and takes care of odd jobs for locals, chopping wood and hauling pristine well water. The overpowering serenity of this untouched land of mountains and lakes, where deer peacefully roam free, is about to be disrupted by the imminent arrival of the Tokyo company Playmode, which is ready to start construction on a glamping site for city tourists—a plan, which Takumi and his neighbors discover, that will have dire consequences for the ecological health and cleanliness of their community.
THE CAST – Hitoshi Omika, Ryo Nishikawa, Ryuji Kosaka & Ayaka Shibutani
THE TEAM – Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 106 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Josh Parham
31. THE PROMISED LAND
THE STORY – In 1755, the impoverished captain Ludvig Kahlen sets out to conquer the harsh, uninhabitable Danish heath with a seemingly impossible goal: to build a colony in the name of the King. In exchange, he’ll receive a desperately desired Royal name for himself. But the sole ruler of the area, the merciless Frederik de Schinkel, arrogantly believes this land belongs to him. When De Schinkel learns that the maid Ann Barbara and her servant husband have escaped for refuge with Kahlen, the privileged and spiteful ruler swears revenge, doing everything in his power to drive the captain away. Kahlen will not be intimidated and engages in an unequal battle—risking not only his life, but also that of the family of outsiders that has formed around him.
THE CAST – Mads Mikkelsen, Amanda Collin, Simon Bennebjerg, Kristine Kujath Thorp & Gustav Lindh
THE TEAM – Nikolaj Arcel (Director/Writer) & Anders Thomas Jensen (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 127 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Josh Parham
30. AM I OK?
THE STORY – Lucy and Jane are the best of friends. They finish each other’s sentences, predict every detail of each other’s food order, and pretty much know everything about each other. But when Jane is promoted at work and agrees to move to London for her new position, Lucy confesses her deepest, long-held secret: She likes women, she has for a long time, and she’s terrified by this later-in-life realization. Suddenly, their friendship is thrown into chaos as the two choose different routes by which to navigate the unexpected changes in their lives.
THE CAST – Dakota Johnson, Sonoya Mizuno, Jermaine Fowler, Kiersey Clemons, Molly Gordon & Sean Hayes
THE TEAM – Stephanie Allynne & Tig Notaro (Directors) & Lauren Pomerantz (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 86 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Zoe Rose Bryant
29. WE GROWN NOW 
THE STORY – In 1992 best friends Malik and Eric traverse the city of Chicago, looking to escape the mundaneness of school and the hardships of growing up in public housing. They soon find their unbreakable bond challenged when a tragedy shakes their community.
THE CAST – Blake Cameron James, Gian Knight Ramirez, S. Epatha Merkerson, Avery Holliday, Lil Rel Howery & Jurnee Smollett
THE TEAM – Minhal Baig (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 93 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Dan Bayer
28. IN A VIOLENT NATURE
THE STORY – When a group of teens takes a locket from a collapsed fire tower in the woods, they unwittingly resurrect the rotting corpse of Johnny, a vengeful spirit spurred on by a horrific 60-year-old crime. The undead killer soon embarks on a bloody rampage to retrieve the stolen locket, methodically slaughtering anyone who gets in his way.
THE CAST – Ry Barrett, Andrea Pavlovic, Cameron Love, Reece Presley, Liam Leone, Charlotte Creaghan, Lea Rose Sebastianis, Sam Roulston, Alexander Oliver, Timothy Paul McCarthy & Lauren-Marie Taylor
THE TEAM – Chris Nash (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 94 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Cody Dericks
27. DADDIO
THE STORY – A woman gets into a taxi at New York airport and gradually tells the driver about her unfortunate decisions that led to an affair with a married man; the driver also reveals more and more about his life.
THE CAST – Dakota Johnson & Sean Penn
THE TEAM – Christy Hall (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 101 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Dan Bayer
26. PROBLEMISTA
THE STORY – Alejandro is an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador, struggling to bring his unusual ideas to life in New York City. As time on his work visa runs out, a job assisting an erratic art-world outcast becomes his only hope to stay in the country and realize his dream. From writer/director Julio Torres comes a surreal adventure through the equally treacherous worlds of New York City and the U.S. Immigration system.
THE CAST – Julio Torres, Tilda Swinton, RZA, Isabella Rossellini, Larry Owens, Catalina Saavedra & Greta Lee
THE TEAM – Julio Torres (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 98 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Dan Bayer
25. FEMME
THE STORY – Jules is targeted in a horrific homophobic attack, destroying his life and career. Some time after that, he encounters one of his attackers in a gay sauna and wants revenge.
THE CAST – Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, George MacKay, Aaron Heffernan, John McCrea & Asha Reid
THE TEAM – Sam H. Freeman & Ng Choon Ping (Directors/Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 99 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Josh Parham
24. THE BEAST
THE STORY – In the near future where emotions have become a threat, Gabrielle finally decides to purify her DNA in a machine that will plunge her into her past lives and rid her of all strong feelings. She then meets Louis and feels a powerful connection, as if she had always known him. The story unfolds over three distinct periods: 1910, 2014 and 2044.
THE CAST – Léa Seydoux, George MacKay, Guslagie Malanda & Dasha Nekrasova
THE TEAM – Bertrand Bonello (Director/Writer), Guillaume Bréaud & Benjamin Charbit (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 145 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Josh Parham
23. GREEN BORDER
THE STORY – In the treacherous and swampy forests that make up the so-called “green border” between Belarus and Poland, refugees from the Middle East and Africa trying to reach the European Union are caught in a geopolitical crisis triggered by Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko. In an attempt to provoke Europe, refugees are lured to the border by propaganda promising easy passage to the EU. Pawns in this hidden war, the lives of Julia, a newly minted activist who has given up her comfortable life, Jan, a young border guard, and a Syrian refugee family intertwine.
THE CAST – Jalal Altawil, Maja Ostaszewska, Tomasz Włosok, Behi Djanati-Atai, Mohamad Al Rashi, Dalia Naous, Maciej Stuhr & Agata Kulesza
THE TEAM – Agnieszka Holland (Director/Writer), Maciej Pisuk & Gabriela Łazarkiewicz-Sieczko (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 147 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Josh Parham
22. SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT DYING
THE STORY – Lost on the dreary Oregon coast, Fran wastes her daylight hours in the solitude of a cubicle, listening to the constant hum of officemates, occasionally daydreaming to pass the time. She is ghosting through life unable to pop her bubble of isolation. And then Robert starts up at the company. He is new to town and the dynamics of the office. He is a naturally friendly person who keeps trying to chat with Fran. Though it goes against every fiber of her being, she may have to give this guy a chance.
THE CAST – Daisy Ridley, Dave Merheje, Parvesh Cheena, Marcia Debonis, Meg Stalter & Brittany O’Grady
THE TEAM – Rachel Lambert (Director), Kevin Armento, Stefanie Abel Horowitz & Katy Wright-Mead (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 91 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Ema Sasic
21. FANCY DANCE
THE STORY – Following her sister’s disappearance, a Native American hustler kidnaps her niece from the child’s white grandparents and sets out for the state powwow in hopes of keeping what is left of their family intact.
THE CAST – Lily Gladstone, Isabel Deroy-Olson, Hauli Sioux Gray, Shea Whigham, Audrey Wasilewski & Ryan Begay
THE TEAM – Erica Tremblay (Director/Writer) & Miciana Alise (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 90 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Nadia Dalimonte
20. WICKED LITTLE LETTERS
THE STORY – It’s the 1920s, and there’s a scandal brewing in the charming seaside town of Littlehampton. Residents have started receiving anonymous, poison-pen letters brimming with curse words and scandalous prose. Who is writing them, and how can they be stopped? Edith Swan — pious and respected (if not well-liked) — is one of those residents. The letters assassinate her character in the most blue-tinged language imaginable and, when they start to stack up, her autocratic, scripture-quoting father Edward, insists the culprit be found. With law enforcement reluctantly investigating, Edith bandies a pet theory that her neighbour Rose might mean her harm. Rose is the opposite of Edith: loud, brash, a lover of spirits and dancing, and unapologetic about all of it. When the police arrest her in the letters case, assuming her guilt because of her “loose moral character,” it doesn’t sit well with Police Officer Gladys Moss. With her superiors unwilling to listen, she gathers a group of unlikely yet resourceful female volunteers to get to the bottom of the mystery.
THE CAST – Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Timothy Spall & Anjana Vasan
THE TEAM – Thea Sharrock (Director) & Jonny Sweet (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 102 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Dan Bayer
19. MONKEY MAN
THE STORY – A young man ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he’s beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash. After years of suppressed rage, he discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him.
THE CAST – Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, Sobhita Dhulipala, Sikandar Kher, Vipin Sharma, Ashwini Kalsekar, Adithi Kalkunte & Makarand Deshpande
THE TEAM – Dev Patel (Director/Writer), Paul Angunawela & John Collee (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 120 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Dan Bayer
18. LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL
THE STORY – In 1977 a live television broadcast goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation’s living rooms.
THE CAST – David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon, Ian Bliss & Fayssal Bazzi
THE TEAM – Colin Cairnes & Cameron Cairnes (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 93 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Josh Parham
17. GIRLS STATE
THE STORY – Follows 500 adolescent girls from all across Missouri as they come together for a week-long immersion in a sophisticated democratic laboratory, where they organize a Supreme Court to consider the most contentious issues of the day.
THE CAST – Faith Glasgow, Cecilia Bartin, Nisha Murali, Brooke Taylor, Emily Worthmore & Maddie Rowan
THE TEAM – Amanda McBaine & Jesse Moss (Directors/Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 95 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Ema Sasic
16. BABES
THE STORY – Pregnant from a one-night stand, Eden leans on her best friend and mother of two, Dawn, to guide her through gestation and beyond.
THE CAST – Ilana Glazer, Michelle Buteau, John Carroll Lynch & Hasan Minhaj
THE TEAM – Pamela Adlon (Director), Ilana Glazer & Josh Rabinowitz (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 109 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Dan Bayer
15. LA CHIMERA
THE STORY – Everyone has their own Chimera, something they try to achieve but never manage to find. For the band of tombaroli, thieves of ancient grave goods and archaeological wonders, the Chimera means redemption from work and the dream of easy wealth. For Arthur, the Chimera looks like the woman he lost, Beniamina. To find her, Arthur challenges the invisible, searches everywhere, goes inside the earth – in search of the door to the afterlife of which myths speak. In an adventurous journey between the living and the dead, between forests and cities, between celebrations and solitudes, the intertwined destinies of these characters unfold, all in search of the Chimera.
THE CAST – Josh O’Connor, Isabella Rossellini, Carol Duarte & Alba Rohrwacher
THE TEAM – Alice Rohrwacher (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 130 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By John Bleasdale
14. SUNCOAST
THE STORY – A teen living with her strong-willed mother must take her brother to a specialized facility. She strikes up an unlikely friendship with an eccentric activist at protests surrounding a landmark medical case.
THE CAST – Nico Parker, Laura Linney & Woody Harrelson
THE TEAM – Laura Chinn (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 109 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Ema Sasic
13. THE FIRST OMEN
THE STORY – A woman starts to question her own faith when she uncovers a terrifying conspiracy to bring about the birth of evil incarnate in Rome.
THE CAST – Nell Tiger Free, Tawfeek Barhom, Sônia Braga, Ralph Ineson, Bill Nighy, Maria Caballero, Nicole Sorace & Charles Dance
THE TEAM – Arkasha Stevenson (Director/Writer), Tim Smith & Keith Thomas (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 92 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Cody Dericks
12. CIVIL WAR
THE STORY – In a dystopian future America, a team of military-embedded journalists races against time to reach Washington, D.C., before rebel factions descend upon the White House.
THE CAST – Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny, Wagner Moura, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Nick Offerman, Sonoya Mizuno & Jesse Plemons
THE TEAM – Alex Garland (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 109 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Giovanni Lago
11. INSIDE OUT 2
THE STORY – Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust have been running a successful operation by all accounts. However, when Anxiety shows up, they aren’t sure how to feel.
THE CAST – Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Tony Hale, Liza Lapira, Maya Hawke, Ayo Edebiri, Adèle Exarchopolous, Paul Walter Hauser, Kensington Tallman, Diane Lane & Kyle MacLachlan
THE TEAM – Kelsey Mann (Director), Meg LeFauve & Dave Holstein (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 96 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Cody Dericks
10. THE BIKERIDERS
THE STORY – Kathy, a strong-willed member of the Vandals who’s married to a wild, reckless bikerider named Benny, recounts the Vandals’ evolution over the course of a decade, beginning as a local club of outsiders united by good times, rumbling bikes, and respect for their strong, steady leader Johnny. Over the years, Kathy tries her best to navigate her husband’s untamed nature and his allegiance to Johnny, with whom she feels she must compete for Benny’s attention. As life in the Vandals gets more dangerous, and the club threatens to become a more sinister gang, Kathy, Benny, and Johnny are forced to make choices about their loyalty to the club and to each other.
THE CAST – Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook, Damon Herriman, Beau Knapp, Emory Cohen, Karl Glusman, Toby Wallace, Norman Reedus & Happy Anderson
THE TEAM – Jeff Nichols (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 116 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Matt Neglia
9. GHOSTLIGHT
THE STORY – When a construction worker unexpectedly joins a local theater’s production of Romeo and Juliet, the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life.
THE CAST – Keith Kupferer, Dolly de Leon, Katherine May Kupferer, Tara Mallen, Hana Dworkin, Tommy Rivera-Vega, Alma Washington, H.B. Ward, Dexter Zollicoffer, Deanna Dunagan & Francis Guinan
THE TEAM – Kelly O’Sullivan (Director/Writer) & Alex Thompson (Director)
THE RUNNING TIME – 110 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Dan Bayer
8. HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS 
THE STORY – A drunken applejack salesman must go from zero to hero and become North America’s greatest fur trapper by defeating hundreds of beavers.
THE CAST – Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, Olivia Graves, Wes Tank, Doug Mancheski & Luis Rico
THE TEAM – Mike Cheslik (Director/Writer) & Ryland Brickson Cole Tews (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 108 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Dan Bayer
7. KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
THE STORY – Many years after the reign of Caesar, a young ape goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he’s been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.
THE CAST – Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon & William H. Macy
THE TEAM – Wes Ball (Director) & Josh Friedman (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 145 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Matt Neglia
6. I SAW THE TV GLOW
THE STORY – Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.
THE CAST – Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman, Helena Howard, Fred Durst & Danielle Deadwyler
THE TEAM – Jane Schoenbrun (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 100 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Cody Dericks
5. LOVE LIES BLEEDING
THE STORY – Reclusive gym manager Lou falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to Las Vegas in pursuit of her dream. But their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family.
THE CAST – Kristen Stewart, Katy O’Brian, Ed Harris, Dave Franco, Jena Malone & Anna Baryshnikov
THE TEAM – Rose Glass (Director/Writer) & Weronika Tofilska (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 104 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Cody Dericks
4. HIT MAN 
THE STORY – An undercover Houston police officer poses as a reliable hitman to arrest those trying to hire him until he tries to save a woman in need.
THE CAST – Glen Powell & Adria Arjona
THE TEAM – Richard Linklater (Director/Writer) & Glen Powell (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 113 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Josh Parham
3. FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA
THE STORY – Set 15 to 20 years before the events of “Mad Max: Fury Road,” as the world falls apart, young Furiosa is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and into the hands of a Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus. While two Tyrants war for dominance over the Citadel, Furiosa survives many trials as she plots a way back home through the Wasteland.
THE CAST – Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Alyla Browne, Lachy Hulme, Nathan Jones, Charlee Fraser, Josh Helman, John Howard & Angus Sampson
THE TEAM – George Miller (Director/Writer) & Nico Lathouris (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 148 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Matt Neglia
2. CHALLENGERS
THE STORY – Tashi, a tennis player turned coach, has transformed her husband from a mediocre player into a world-famous grand slam champion. To jolt him out of his recent losing streak, she makes him play a challenger event — close to the lowest level of tournament on the pro tour. Tensions soon run high when he finds himself standing across the net from the once-promising, now burnt-out Patrick, his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend.
THE CAST – Zendaya, Josh O’Connor & Mike Faist
THE TEAM – Luca Guadagnino (Director) & Justin Kuritzkes (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 131 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Dan Bayer
1. DUNE: PART TWO
THE STORY – Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the universe, he must prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
THE CAST – Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling & Javier Bardem
THE TEAM – Denis Villeneuve (Director/Writer) & Jon Spaihts (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 165 Minutes
OUR REVIEW – By Matt Neglia
What do you think of the list? What is your favorite film from 2024 so far? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or on our Twitter account.
