With 2024 now at a close, it’s time to reflect back on the year just gone and unveil my top film picks. 2024 was an interesting year in film – on the one hand, it had one of the strongest Awards seasons in many a year (many of which will be featuring in this list) and the films that delivered really hit the spot. But there were also a number of crushing disappointments, from sequels such as Alien: Romulus and Deadpool and Wolverine to career lows for directors like M. Night Shyamalan with Trap and J. C. Chandor with Kraven the Hunter.
In this first of two articles, I’ll rank numbers 20 to 11. Stay tuned for part two, where I’ll unveil my top ten films of the year. But first a few honourable mentions that didn’t quite make the top 20 – Red Rooms, Conclave, The Beekeeper and Salem’s Lot (yes, seriously for those final two).
20) The Iron Claw
Beginning proceedings is The Iron Claw and although it’s Sean Durkin’s weakest effort to date in that it’s far more conventional than Martha Marcy May Marlene and The Nest, this is still a largely gripping and grim recount of the Von Erich family, who were beset by premature tragedies. The film’s bolstered by some terrific performances, with Zac Efron reliably brilliant as Kevin, who has noble and instinctual family values but struggles to carve a life with his own ambitions. Efron has had a fascinating career after his High School Musical breakthrough, and like with his chilling portrayal of Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, proves he is a versatile actor with buckets of range. Holt McCallany, who is often lumped with supporting roles in action films such as Wrath of Man, gives a career-best performance as the patriarch, and Maura Tierney is also quietly brilliant as the quiet and sullen mother, who’s clearly faced her own despair.
The first half of the film is pretty standard wrestling fare, chock-full with the sub-genre’s generic constructs, until the darker elements are introduced at the half-way mark. There’s an excellent near-surreal ending sequence that won me over and the film’s handsomely shot with a smoky, grey quality by Hungarian cinematographer Mátyás Erdély.
19) Immaculate
Although this religious psychological horror starring Sydney Sweeney as a troubled young nun takes a while to get going, once it shifts into gear, Immaculate is a gonzo, gleefully blood-soaked riptide. The last forty-five minutes are particularly memorable, with a series of wild twists and turns, with more than a few influences from Dario Argento and Roman Polanski. Director Michael Mohan knows how to build suspense and pile on the dread and the wince-inducing gore in its final act more than earns it its 18-certificate. The film looks a lot more expensive than it is and it’s beautifully shot by DP Elisha Christian. You’ll be left gasping for breath in its closing moments.
Although it’s not as strong, The First Omen came out a few weeks later and follows eerily similar themes – it’s worth a watch too.
18) Anora
One of my most memorable cinema-going experiences of the year, Anora is the new Palme D’Or winning film by Sean Baker. Other than Mikey Madison’s hypnotic lead performance as the titular Brooklyn stripper, I hated the first 45 minutes of this film. But when two men knock on a mansion door after Anora’s drink and drug-fuelled journey with Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), the 21-year-old-son of a Russian oligarch, the narrative takes a different direction and the rest of the 139 minute film had me grinning with its breathless fireball energy and wit. In retrospect, the first 45 minutes are needed to get you to despise the characters for the rest of it to work, so stay with it if you’re feeling the same way. It’s a film where characters are consistently pulled from pillar to post but there’s also a stark tenderness to its humanity and Baker portrays a vivid contrast between the rich and poor. It’s beautifully shot by Drew Daniels, who lends the film its disorientingly frenetic edge. Apart from Madison, Yura Borisov and Karen Karagulian are the other standouts of the cast, especially Borisov who makes such a strong impression despite not having many lines. Anora is ultimately an excellent film from Sean Baker and quite possibly his best work.
17) Juror No. 2
It’s a real shame that what is probably Clint Eastwood’s last film got bizarrely and unjustifiably buried by Warner Bros. It’s their loss because this legal thriller is an excellent effort from the nonagenarian filmmaker, which follows recovering alcoholic Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) who is summoned for jury service where he realises he may have been responsible for the death he’s adjudicating on. What initially seems like a fairly routine, low-profile case gradually turns into a crime with plenty of holes. A morally ambiguous film that asks its audience what they would do in the main character’s shoes, Jonathan Abrams’ script does a good job of messing with its audience’s minds in creating doubt of what’s being portrayed on-screen. The film also questions the imperfect nature of the justice system, even if it’s rather unsubtle. But Eastwood does a better job of analysing the biases that certain characters bring into the courtroom, from the lawyers defending and prosecuting the accused to the backstories of the jury members. Nicholas Hoult makes for an excellent lead and we’re never sure whether we can fully side with him or not, despite making a compelling case for the decisions he makes.
16) Turtles All The Way Down
I never expected a John Green adaptation to rank among my best films of the year – Paper Towns and The Fault In Our Stars were both ghastly – but I loved this. Sensitively directed by Hannah Marks, the ever-reliable (well, apart from Alien: Romulus…) Isabela Merced is fantastic as Aza, a 16-year-old struggling with OCD who tries to reconnect with her childhood crush. The chemistry she shares with her best friend Daisy (Cree) is terrific and the script is sharp, deftly balancing humour, wit and heart. Marks deftly portrays what it’s like to experience this disorder and the sense of achievement when characters overcome their obstacles in this film is commendable. I was gripped from start to finish and although it’s a film you’ll need to seek out, I highly recommend it.
15) Gladiator II
I had low expectations for this long-awaited sequel, having thought the 2000 Best Picture winning original was merely good, and returning director Ridley Scott has a chequered record with historical epics. Fortunately, Gladiator II is an excellent sequel and although it shares some similar story beats to the original, it shakes things up more than enough to avoid it being a simple rehash. At its height, it almost has a soap opera quality (much in the same vein as House of Gucci and Napoleon) but in a good way. There’s an immense pleasure in anticipating how the different characters are going to eventually clash with their various motivations, and David Scarpa’s script sets them up well. Some of the characters are gleefully horrible and the cast are more than game for it. Scott’s also concocted some thrilling (if wildly historically inaccurate set-pieces with sharks and killer monkeys) that lean into the gore – this is very much a film about revenge and retribution. It’s also vividly shot by returning cinematographer John Mathieson, who lends the film a rich colour palette. That Ridley Scott can still be directing a sword-and-sandals sequel like this with so much energy in his late eighties is nothing short of miraculous.
14) Rebel Ridge
Rebel Ridge is a crime thriller by Jeremy Saulnier, his first film in six years after Hold The Dark. Having proved quite the accomplished director, Rebel Ridge may be his best yet – a gripping thriller that examines police injustice with a deliciously mean streak about it, even if it’s slightly overlong and peaks in its first act. But I still had a grin plastered on my face throughout. Aaron Pierre is brilliant as Terry, an ex-Marine who’s intercepted by two corrupt policemen while cycling to Shelby Springs to post bail for his imprisoned cousin. Don Johnson is deliciously snarky as the crooked Chief of Police and there are some terrific chase sequences, cementing why Saulnier is one of the best in the revenge thriller genre.
13) Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a very pleasant surprise – an excellent legacy sequel that’s not far off the quality of the original, showcasing Tim Burton at his best. The script by Alfred Gough and Mark Millar is razor-sharp and full of charm, with lots of laughs to be had. Although some have criticised this sequel for being overstuffed, I thought the various elements really worked and there’s excitement in knowing that all of the different storylines are inevitably going to collide. The film’s visually arresting too, with lots of physical effects and I particularly admired an early body horror sequence where a character staples body parts together. Danny Elfman turns in a typically romping and swooning score that keeps the film fast-paced. Michael Keaton’s reliably excellent as the grotesque bio-exorcist, in the role that arguably launched his career. It’s also refreshing to see Winona Ryder, who hasn’t taken a leading role in a mainstream film in quite a while. Burton proves he’s still flowing with the creative juices that left such an impression on his early work and I hope the strong reception to this film inspires him to continue developing wholly original pieces.
12) MaXXXine
MaXXXine is the third instalment in Ti West’s X series and a direct sequel to X. It’s surreal to think what was originally a relatively low-key release is now a full-blown film series, with West having originally shot X (which I loved) and Pearl (fine, but overrated) back-to-back. MaXXXine is a thoroughly enjoyable, if uneven third instalment. Like its predecessors, West experiments with exploring a different horror sub-genre – in this case, Giallo horror. It unexpectedly shares many of the story beats of Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood but in a thrilling way that isn’t derivative. The energetic score by Tyler Bates is brilliant and is probably a career-best. The film’s also beautifully shot by Eliot Rocket, who really captures the neon, seedy 80’s Hollywood aesthetic. There’s some very entertaining performances across the board. Mia Goth is reliably strong but Kevin Bacon steals the show as a seedy private investigator, resplendent with gold teeth. Giancarlo Esposito is also a highlight as Maxine’s agent with an outrageous haircut. I really enjoyed MaXXXine and although it’s a little shambolically crafted, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I had a big grin on my face throughout.
11) Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
My expectations were very high after the 19 year wait since the masterpiece that was The Curse of the Were-Rabbit and Vengeance Most Fowl is a more than worthy follow-up. This is an excellent sequel with plenty of laughs and a typically sharp and witty script. The rapport between Wallace and Gromit is as strong as ever and the film has a lot to say on the reliance of AI and automation, the resurgence of old technology and police incompetence. There’s some fabulous action sequences (especially a climactic boat chase) and the film’s typically brimming with small details to pick up on future rewatches. Returning villain Feathers McGraw steals the show with some delicious gags and Ben Whitehead (replacing the late Peter Sallis) fits in seamlessly as Wallace.
I don’t think it’s quite as strong as The Curse of the Were-Rabbit though – Vengeance Most Fowl is decidedly smaller-scale and there’s a surprising lack of cheese jokes (although the film makes up for it with plenty of other gags). Otherwise, this is yet another Wallace and Gromit adventure that’s impossible to resist and it does nothing to tarnish their revered reputation.
What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments or tweet @TheFilmMeister
The Film Meister 
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