This has been an interesting year for movies in my eyes. To get to the meat of it, nothing stood out. There were a lot of great stories, gorgeous sweeping cinematic views and terrific acting, but no one movie grabbed my attention like Parasite (2019), Official Competition (2022), Triangle of Sadness (2022), Monster (2023), and Poor Things (2023) have in recent memory. That’s not to say there were award-worthy films but I am saying that none of them stood out to me the moment I watched them.
So, what I’m going to do is mention the films that lingered with me. Narrowing that down to 10 might be tough, but for you dear reader, I’ll make it happen (+ 1 or 3). There is a caveat with my list however, and this is sort of my MO. I don’t catch many documentaries and it really is to my detriment. I try every year, but I get side-tracked and don’t put in the effort that the genre deserves. So excuse my ignorance (save one or two I’ll mention later in honorable mentions) and bathe in the beautiful glow of my favorite films of 2024.
10*. Megalopolis (Francis Ford Coppola)
I can’t believe this is on my list, because I originally only gave it three stars. It’s a chaotic stream of consciousness that took Coppola nearly fifty years to make from concept to screen. I haven’t seen this film on any lists of note, so why is it on mine? To be honest, every time I look back on the films I’ve seen in 2024 this one sticks out. Not because it was the best, but because it was the most. Most confusing, most political, most visually audacious and on and on. After a lot of thought and letting it stew, I like it. I need to watch it again at least once and so I should probably have it on my list.
Megalopolis is available on various VOD platforms.
10*. Heretic (Scott Beck, Bryan Woods)
I’m not one to go for horror movies. I love me a good B horror movie all day long, but generally as a genre it doesn’t appeal. There are enough horrors out in the real world to satiate any desire I may have for that kind of story… but psychological thriller/horror can occasionally hits the spot. I am genuinely surprised I have a Hugh Grant vehicle in a top ten list, but he was fantastic. Along with his two young, but equally effective, co-stars Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East, I was entranced.
Heretic is currently available on various VOD platforms.
10. Conclave (Edward Berger)
All I can say about this one, and why it’s on my list at all, is that it tickled me endlessly to watch a room full of cardinals backbite, lie, and act like children for two hours. That’s the simplest explanation I have that you’re seeing it in this writeup. It’s also worth it if you like Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci as much as I do.
Conclave is available on various VOD platforms.
9. Queer (Luca Guadagnino)
A film in two parts. The first is us getting to know a gay American ex-pat that seems to live a life of leisure, but in a never ending quest to find a lover. Intrigued by a young man newly arrived, his pursuit is met with a confusing combination of acceptance and disregard.
The second half of the film is a fever dream, plain and simple. The two travel to essentially find the meaning of life and whether they found that or not is still up in the air. An indescribably strange journey likened to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I can’t tell you why this film stuck with me or even made it onto this list… but it seemed weird not to include it.
Queer is currently in theaters.
8. Piece by Piece (Morgan Neville)
I think I’ve described a few of the films on this list as a surprise, and Piece by Piece fits in that category more than any other. When you hear that something is an animated documentary about Pharrell using lego characters… well I didn’t know what to think. It could have been really stupid or really uniquely wonderful. I have to say, it got me, I was delighted at every turn by the direction and storytelling. The man himself is fascinating and one of the most prolific artists of our time; by adding this extra level to his biography, it just makes sense.
Piece by Piece is available on various VOD platforms.
7. Flow (Gints Zilbalodis)
Despite the lack of lines, ie none, this lovingly created and emotionally rich animated film spoke volumes. There’s not a lot to say here since it’s more of an experience to sit down with this film playing in front of you, so I’ll just say that there’s a good reason I’ve seen it on many top of 2024 films and nominated for awards this season.
Flow is currently in theaters.
6. Ghostlight (Alex Thompson, Kelly O’Sullivan)
A beautiful view into the pain of loss and having to deal with what comes after. Without pointing directly at the issue (until the final moments) Ghostlight bared the pain, loneliness, shame and sadness that comes with great grief, especially when we have no one to blame for it as much as we want to.
Unfortunately, coming from personal experience, finding ways to cope can be the hardest part of moving on with your life after loss when you really don’t want to think about it at all. Facing it, moving through it and accepting it sometimes seems unsurmountable. Keith Kupferer as Dan was the epitome of grief unconfronted and I felt it deep inside with every line. It was beautiful and heart-wrenching to watch.
Ghostlight is available on various VOD platforms.
5. Anora (Sean Baker)
As far as surprises go, Anora was by far the biggest. I’d heard great things, but I sure didn’t know what to expect. Mikey Madison knocked it out of the park and while this was an ensemble cast, she was the standout amongst them.
That being said, the comedic timing that really made this better than most wouldn’t have been possible without the rest. The hidden gem among them was Yuriy Borisov as Anora’s gatekeeper. Subtle, but immensely effective, he brought the audience in as the person who seemed to care most about our unlucky protagonist.
Anora is currently playing in theaters.
4. Lee (Ellen Kuras)
As a photographer and film critic, I was woefully slow in experiencing this movie. I had known little to nothing about the titular woman, Lee Miller, a fascinating person from early-life as a model to a more prolific and powerful career in photography. She is someone that is hard not to admire and love simply because she could have lazed around, stood back and enjoyed the fruits of the lifestyle she’d always known. But seeing friends, loved ones, and humans alike suffering around her… she had to do something.
I always say that half of being a good photographer is luck, being in the right place at the right time. While that may be true, you also have to put yourself in those moments and recognize them in order to create something truly affecting. Lee Miller did just that, and far beyond. Capturing emotion and history not only through her eyes, but the stark reality that she wished she could look away from, but didn’t dare to.
Lee is available on various VOD platforms and Hulu
3. Saturday Night (Jason Reitman)
Television, despite my parents’ best efforts, has been a huge part of my life from a very early age and SNL was always tucked in there neatly. It wasn’t a family affair to watch every Saturday but as soon as I was allowed to stay up late, it was a part of my weekend. It’s had its ups and downs in popularity (and quality) but if it ever went off-air, it would be significant. Seeing the chaos, the sheer bedlam that surrounded the first night on air was a joy beyond measure.
Since the original actors in the show were so beloved, especially that first cast, I suspected it would be difficult to capture their essence with contemporary actors, but I was enthralled. I obviously wasn’t fooled into thinking they were the real thing, but it didn’t distract me or take me out of the moment. I rarely had a moment to think with everything flying by, but that was the charm of it. I’m sure I missed a lot of little odds and ends that would make it even more wonderful, so a second, third and fourth viewing is definitely in my future.
Saturday Night is available on various VOD platforms
2. The Brutalist (Brady Corbet)
Every single year, there is at least one WWII film that gets widespread attention. And every year, I scrutinize these films more than any other. I honestly hated The Zone of Interest despite it’s unique concept because I felt it just didn’t need to be made (yes, hot take, but I still feel that to this day). However, The Brutalist, mercifully, wasn’t actually about the war itself but the mental and physical effect of the aftermath for a survivor. The realities of starting a new life in a new country after building a successful one in your home and having it torn from you. The toll it takes doesn’t just fall away after a few years, it lasts a lifetime.
The Brutalist opens in Seattle in January 2025.
1. The Beast (Bertrand Bonello)
While it was released in early 2024, it took till nearly the end of the year for The Beast to come across my desk so to speak. A psychological thriller, metaphorical landmine, and inescapable intrigue drive the entirety of the film. While George McKay was a major player in the storyline, Léa Sedoux was the real focus and it would not have worked without her quiet, thoughtful and mysterious looks that kept us wondering where the true beast lies.
The Beast is available on various VOD platforms.
*I honestly couldn’t decide what film should be my #10 and even though my post image shows Conclave as the final film, it basically ties with these other two.
Other Honorable Mentions:
Once again documentaries didn’t make it onto my viewing schedule save for a few exceptions. I wish I knew why they just don’t appeal to be, because over the years some of my favorite files of memory were documentaries like My Octopus Teacher, Still, Won’t You Be My Neighbor and Amy all come to top of mind. So I wanted to shed a little light on some of my favorite documentaries even though they aren’t seen in the list above.
If you have been following my posts on Sunbreak specifically, then you’ll have noticed a bit of a pattern. Three of the seven members of global musical phenomenon BTS released documentaries this year. I managed to get something written up about all three (I Am Still, D-Day, and RM: Right People, Wrong Place) because yes, I’m a fan, but they were also well-done, entertaining films. As of right now, the only one accessible is Jungkook’s I Am Still, but technically it’s only available as a series on Disney+. Worth a view over there since it has extended content from the original film. Continuing with the music theme, Music by John Williams was endearing and sentimental. He has touched so many of my favorite films from childhood up till now and it was breathtaking to see the span of his career laid out in this film. Lastly, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story was surprisingly poignant and told the story of Christopher Reeve in both detail and method that I had not heard. From the stories of his children, friends and the man himself it gave a real look at who he was not only as an actor but as a flawed, but determined man.
🎉📽️🎬 All of the Sunbreak’s 2024 Year-end lists: Josh | Chris | Morgen | Tony