Join Josh and Allison as we revisit the cinema of 2024 through our trademark yearbook-style superlatives, then unveil our favorite movies of the year! One thing is certain: we have definitely been changed for good!
Movie Yearbook Superlatives!
Best horror movie
JOSH: As with the past couple of years, horror has been thriving—especially in the field of original, non-sequel movies. From Stopmotion to Abigail to I Saw the TV Glow, Lisa Frankenstein and Heretic, there could be no shortage of picks. Then again, 2024 was also home to many exceptional sequels and prequels, including Maxxxine, Smile 2, and Apartment 7A. The best for me would have to be The Substance, a wild body-horror extravaganza. But more on that later…
ALLISON: Given my affinity for female-led narratives, Lisa Frankenstein, Apartment 7A, and The Substance, are some of my favorite horrors this year. An excellent exposé on the hypocrisy of religion, Heretic, is also a standout for me.
Best action scene
JOSH: In Boy Kills World, Boy accidentally killing a wrong decoy family gives us one of many epically violent scenes; though the film itself ultimately was a major misfire, the opera massacre of The Crow was masterful. That epic dam explosion leading into two full-on brawls in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes helps to bring a wild excitement to the final act. Any given scene in Furiosa is moving art. Deadpool and Wolverine teaming up against hordes of Deadpool variants was pulse-pounding blockbuster spectacle at its finest. For me though, the best sequence came in Twisters: filmed as a one-shot, we follow our two heroes as they encounter a particularly horrifying tornado at a good ol’ fashioned Texas rodeo. Not my first tornadeo!
ALLISON: Action isn’t my choice genre, so competition is thin here. If Civil War counts towards this category, I was consistently on the edge of my seat in anticipation. Kirsten Dunst is absolutely incredible navigating the fast-paced chaos. Action-comedy Jackpot! is also a good time; I’m a sucker for surprise lottery films.
Funniest movie moment
JOSH: Was there anything more laugh-out-loud hilarious than Glenn Close’s white trash grandma-demon snapping about a “nappy pussy” in Lee Daniels’ Deliverance? The only thing that comes close is Tilda Swinton’s beautifully-written letter to her nemesis in Problemista.
ALLISON: Ariana Grande’s nearly maniacal performance while performing “Popular” in Wicked has consistently drawn audible laughter with every rewatch. The pop diva’s insane commitment to over the topic antics from rolling all over the floor, to swinging from a chandelier, really bring it home.
Scariest scene
JOSH: When the wooden man man comes alive in Shudder’s Oddity, I swear I felt my soul leave my body. While nothing else comes close in terms of being genuinely scary, Smile 2‘s horrific nude stalker in the apartment and the titular Longlegs singing to “Let Me In” both gave me chills. As always, horror is in the eye of the beholder. Allison, was there anything this year that truly got under your skin?
ALLISON: The reveal of Nicolas Cage’s character in Longlegs sent chills down my spine. When the mysterious woman in Heretic comes back to life, I was also super freaked out. A monumentous scene in the final minutes, where the ante of the situation suddenly amplifies exponentially also shook me to the core.
Biggest surprise
JOSH: Juror #2, Snack Shack, and Marmalade all really impressed me. I was expecting next to nothing, and each of these three titles held hidden surprises. For me, the Speak No Evil remake actually ended up being the biggest shocker—not only did writer/director James Watkins (Eden Lake, The Woman in Black) manage to bring a satisfying gravitas to the characters’ respective arcs, he also gave us a movie that surpasses the original at every turn thanks to a stunning ensemble cast. James McAvoy in particular gives good unhinged maniac.
ALLISON: Given Juror #2‘s incredibly limited initial release, it was a huge shock that it ended up with a full awards campaign and in the lineup of my favorite films of the year. Conclave was entirely different than the boring story I had anticipated, focusing more on gossip and antics than conventional religion. Given Nyad‘s overhype last year, I didn’t expect Young Woman and the Sea to be as powerful as it was.
Really weird award
JOSH: Lotta great options for this award—I Saw the TV Glow, Queer, Nickel Boys, The People’s Joker, Longlegs… the list goes on and on for good-weird. Then there’s bad-weird, which includes the baffling A Desert, or the practically-porn The Visitor. The winner for me this year: I Saw the TV Glow, an effectively mesmerizing but undeniably bizarro take on identity through the lens of horror and nostalgia.
ALLISON: Given the lack of remote festival access this year, I think I was exposed to significantly less obscure and “out there” titles. Currently unreleased, festival title Spermageddon, celebrating the struggle for personified sperm to egg fertilization, is perhaps the weirdest, with excellent comedy to attract any average viewer. I felt Queer and Cuckoo were also pretty odd, but I was not a fan of either.
Favorite musical moment
JOSH: A quartet of great ones here, so honestly take your pick: we have the live concert boy band energy of The Idea of You; “Like a Rolling Stone” in A Complete Unknown; any given scene from Wicked, including “Defying Gravity,” “Dancing Through Life,” and “What is This Feeling;” and the George MacKay solo one-shot song “Alone” in the subversive The End.
ALLISON: Mean Girls, the Musical, and Wicked are already two of my favorite stage shows of all time, so it is not a surprise that I also loved the movie versions. “World Burn” from Mean Girls and “What is This Feeling” and “Popular” from Wicked are my standout sequences from each.
Queer Excellence
JOSH: Queer movies continue overtaking the media landscape, showering us with delightful options (and terrible ones too). By my count, just over 50 films dealing with LGBT+ content saw release. Wading through the pack was no easy feat, but there are a wealth of riches to be found. Between hyper-sexual trio Queer, Femme, and Sebastian, the strange horrors of Departed Seniors, Killer Body Count, and I Saw The TV Glow, the animated magic of Memoir of a Snail, or the sugary rom-com sweetness of Bonus Track, I had a trouble picking just one. Suffice to say, as with last year, queer filmmaking must be celebrated. Femme emerges as my favorite of the bunch, just narrowly edging out Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers and Queer. This searing erotic thriller immerses the viewer in two sides of a problematic whole as two gay men (one closeted) fall into each other’s orbits in the most unexpected of ways.
ALLISON: While this isn’t my specialty, I really enjoyed Femme and Bonus Track. Griffin in Summer, with I Don’t Understand You as a close second, are by far my favorites from festivals, but I don’t think either currently has a scheduled release.
Craziest kill
JOSH: With the return of the Terrifier franchise comes an obvious (and frankly, quite deserving) entry for the craziest kill category: the Terrifier 3 shower chainsaw. A giant chainsaw up the butt probably isn’t anyone’s idea of a good time. Death by CD in Y2K, a slow motion penis-severing in Lisa Frankenstein, and the infamous cliff-death of In a Violent Nature were all notably impressive as well. Allison, I know you enjoyed the zany, over-the-top kills in last year’s Thanksgiving. Were there any that caught your interest this time around?
ALLISON: Y2K had no shortage of creative kills, and I totally laughed out loud at that scene from Lisa Frankenstein. While The Girl with the Needle is not horror, the surprising murders at the core of the plot left me stunned.
Animated perfection
JOSH: As with last year, there are a disappointingly slim number of standout animated movies. Still, the few that are great are exceptional. The Wild Robot, Inside Out 2, Orion and the Dark, and Memoir of a Snail prove that the medium of animation can deliver gut-punches of emotion without catering to kids. These always happen to be the types of animation I gravitate towards: those with a meaningful connection. I certainly shed the most tears during Inside Out 2. How about you, Allison?
ALLISON: While I found Inside Out 2 to be slightly underwhelming, all of your other choices are mine as well. The Wild Robot, Orion and the Dark, and Memoir of a Snail are really emotional and layered films with deep messages, entertaining both adults and children alike.
MVP actor
JOSH: Picking an MVP actor was not easy. I flip-flopped between Bill Skarsgård’s three phenomenal (and utterly unrecognizable) turns in Nosferatu, The Crow, and Boy Kills World; Nicholas Hoult’s all-different all-in performances in Nosferatu, The Order, and Juror #2; and Timothée Chalamet, whose A Complete Unknown and Dune: Part Two almost perfectly bookended the year at large. Ultimately, my pick is the underrated and enigmatic George MacKay. MacKay, who has been leading films for years and turning in scene-stealing work, had a banner year. Between his intense performance as closeted thug Preston in Femme, 30-year-old virgin incel Louis in The Beast, and always-curious Son in The End, MacKay has never been better.
ALLISON: Hugh Grant playing the villain is a nice change of pace from his traditional rom-com roles. His sly character in religious satire Heretic was one of my favorites to watch. As an adamant Trump hater, I was simply enamored by Sebastian Stan in The Apprentice. He slowly becomes engulfed by Donald Trump’s trashy persona as he evolves from seemingly “innocent,” nepo-baby to heartless and evil dominator.
MVP actress
JOSH: Mia Goth’s MaXXXine culminates a trilogy of Ti West brilliance, highlighting the red-hot actress in new ways. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo make a perfect dream team in rich musical dream, Wicked. There seems to be a sort of throughline between the hardened comebacks of Kate Winslet in Lee, Pamela Anderson in The Last Showgirl, and Demi Moore in The Substance, proving these strong women have plenty left to show in some of their finest performances to date. I’ll give this one to Lily Rose-Depp, who manages to majorly rehabilitate her image in the wake of last year’s disastrous The Idol. In Nosferatu, Rose-Depp thrives and twists and moans her way to a convincingly shocking portrait of searing femininity.
ALLISON: Lily Rose-Depp acting is great, as she warps her facial expressions and body movements in the wildest manner in Nosferatu, but my MVPs are Florence Pugh in We Live in Time, Kirsten Dunst in Civil War, and Ariana Grande in Wicked.
Most underrated
JOSH: I am not seeing nearly enough love for Queer, Hit Man, Saturday Night, or Lisa Frankenstein. I would happily go to bat for the mesmerizing musical score for Queer, from Nine Inch Nails alumni Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who also worked on Challengers. For anyone with doubts about Glen Powell’s acting abilities, look no further than Netflix original Hit Man for a veritable showcase of his talents.
ALLISON: Critics are being far too harsh on Six Triple Eight, and Treasure, Cold Copy, and Joy definitely did not reach enough audiences to garner the attention deserved. I really enjoyed watching all of these, each with their own valuable content at the core.
Most disappointing
JOSH: The options for this one are endless, but I tend to go with more of what was disappointing to me rather than what I straight-up hated. I expected Joker: Folie à Deux to be among the best movies of the year. With the creatives returning and the addition of Lady Gaga, what could go wrong? It turns out the answer was nearly everything, leading to a scattered, inconsistent end product that barely feels like a fully-formed movie. The Crow disappointed on a different level, mainly frustrating in the wasting of Bill Skarsgard’s version of the iconic character. Moana 2 could not hold a candle to the first one, particularly in the song department. Cuckoo and Kinds of Kindness both hail from major studios, yet neither could fulfill the expectations of strong trailer showings. The latter left a sour taste in my mouth.
ALLISON: I am sick and tired of hearing about the drama behind It Ends With Us. I was really excited to see it, and it was just fine, but surely not good enough for how much publicity it has garnered. I also agree with most of Josh’s picks as well; Joker: Folie à Deux was especially awful.
Best performance of the year
JOSH: This one goes to Demi Moore for me, delivering a career-defining turn as Elisabeth Sparkle. The lengths the script asks her to go are not for the faint of heart—during a makeup-smudging mirror freak out, Moore channels a ferocious anger at unrealistic beauty standards through the actions of her frustrated character. Later, under layers of makeup, Moore and scene partner Margaret Qualley manage an impressive balancing act. Between The Substance and Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, Moore deserves all the accolades coming her way, and more!
ALLISON: I said it before and I’ll say it again, Ariana Grande killed it in Wicked. She was made for the role, and no one else can top her commitment and nuance.
Josh’s Favorite Films of the Year
ODDITY
Where to watch: Shudder
The best kind of horror carefully creeps up on the viewer, commanding their attention as it weaves a freaky tapestry of oddities that will bore into one’s nightmares. Oddity, from the director of the underrated Caveat, was far and away the scariest title I watched all year. That freaky wooden man would make good company with Creepshow 2‘s Old Chief Wood’nhead.
SMILE 2
Where to watch: Paramount+
Talk about a shock to the senses. With low expectations and assuming that Smile 2 would be the latest in a long line of disappointments, I went in hoping for the best but expecting the worst. To my surprise, Smile 2 dials up the scares, gore, and intensity. Spruced up by a committed turn from Naomi Scott (Aladdin, Power Rangers), this manages to emerge as a rare horror sequel that outdoes the original.
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Where to watch: Disney+
Somehow managing to make sense of the nonsensical Marvel multiverse, Deadpool & Wolverine becomes the best movie of the Deadpool trilogy by doubling down on fan service and unexpected teamups. The ripple of nerdgasms once Wolverine pulled down the mask of his comic-accurate superhero suit could be felt around the world, almost on the same level as the multiple Spideys of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Almost.
TERRIFIER 3
Where to watch: VOD
After the heights of Terrifier 2, it would be difficult for this third installment not to feel like a major step down from glory. Fortunately, writer/director Damien Leone shifts the focus to the Christmas holiday, and keeps final girl Sienna around for more final girl hijinks. Seeing this with a crowded theater was an experience unlike any other, as each audience member reveled in glee at whatever twisted bullshit Art the Clown and his dastardly sidekick Vicky would cook up next. I will never get tired of the gory depravity these movies bring. Art fangirling over Santa Clause was a hilarious highlight.
MAXXXINE
Where to watch: Max
The outrageous capper to Ti West’s X trilogy came with a lofty set of expectations. That West and his progeny, Mia Goth, are able to weave all three movies together so seamlessly speaks of the power this tale holds. MaXXXine is more of a whodunnit than previous entries, structured in a way that rewards repeat viewings. Visually, this 80s love letter may be West’s most gorgeous to date. An epically catchy soundtrack only accentuates the vibrant excess of this fucked up horror picture.
TWISTERS
Where to watch: Peacock
Riding a tornado on his career-high, Glen Powell was one of many reasons to check out this update to 1996’s beloved Twister. In Twisters, the technology has evolved for storm tracking, leading to a desire to fully stifle some of the biggest ones imaginable. The film begins with an absolutely horrifying disaster that takes out most of the storm-watching team. By making the story intimate and character-based—and Powell exuding maximum charm each time he appears onscreen—the audience will truly root for Tyler and Kate to get together. How dare they cut out the kiss! It may not be quite as perfect as the original, but it certainly feels just as special. In the words of Brandon Perea’s Boone: “we’ve got twins!”
MEMOIR OF A SNAIL
Where to watch: VOD
An R-rated tragi-comedy set in 70s Australia, Memoir of a Snail presents as a rare species of animated delights. Its lead character essentially goes through hell and back. Through perseverance, we can often discover strength we did not know we had. Rich and deeply satisfying, this unique movie has some of the best stop-motion animation I have ever seen.
GLADIATOR II
Where to watch: Theaters/VOD
Ridley Scott’s Gladiator has never been a favorite of mine. Yet, rewatching, it carries a certain comfortable factor to make it a cult classic. Years later, Scott has gone back to the well once more for the deliciously campy Gladiator II. Led by Paul Mescal, this ensemble stole my heart, driving me to see it multiple times in theaters across different formats, including IMAX. Between Joseph Quinn’s unhinged Emperor Geta, Denzel Washington’s sass as Macrinus, Connie Nielsen’s queenly beauty, Lucilla, and Pedro Pascal’s tired intensity as General Acacius, II has no shortage of strong characters. The gladiator games are, of course, the biggest angle. Ironically, as Maximus opined about audiences being “entertained,” this sequel opts for bigger and bolder to underline its messaging. Hail Dondas!
PROBLEMISTA
Where to watch: Max
Technically, I first caught this one in June of 2023, so its inclusion on here may be a bit puzzling. Nevertheless, I revisited it multiple times this year. Writer/director/lead star Julio Torres crafts a dark comedy about the immigrant experience, the American dream, weird toys, and FileMaker Pro. The addition of Tilda Swinton as manic grieving widow, Elizabeth, adds a flavor to the proceedings that heightens each zippy line of dialogue. Swinton rattles out her dialogue with an edgy flair, serving as the perfect foil to Torres’s cowlicked Alejandro.
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
Where to watch: Theaters
Timothée Chalamet disappears as he fills the shoes of eccentric man of mystery, Bob Dylan. In the hands of Walk the Line‘s James Mangold, A Complete Unknown becomes a vessel for Chalamet’s magnetic performance. All of the musical sequences were filmed live on set, adding a poignant power to their delivery. The addition of an impressive ensemble—including Monica Barbaro, Elle Fanning, Edward Norton, and Boyd Holbrook—cannot change the fact the titular Bob Dylan remains the star of the show.
ALIEN: ROMULUS
Where to watch: Disney+
Wild, pure Alien in the best kind of way, Alien: Romulus pays tribute to nearly every other movie that came before it. Furthermore, Fede Alvarez crafts a passionate love letter to the franchise as a whole, still somehow managing to push the envelope with impressive practical effects and truly unique sequences. I should have expected as much out of Alvarez, given his penchant for crafting nail-biting scenes of suspense. The gore might not be on the same level as 2013’s Evil Dead, but Romulus is a different type of beast entirely. Get away from her, YOU BITCH!
THE WILD ROBOT
Where to watch: VOD
An animal-first fable, as told through the eyes of an outsider robot with much to learn about the ways of the world. In many ways, The Wild Robot is the modern-day equivalent of The Iron Giant; both handle tender-hearted bundles of steel as they must navigate a strange world. Apart from the animation style being a gorgeous tapestry of color and a touching storyline with a baby goose, this also just happens to be a truly meaningful examination on our balanced relationship with nature.
DUNE: PART TWO
Where to watch: Max
Dune: Part Two dials up the epic stakes of the first in every way. Timothée Chalamet as Paul goes to a place only glimpsed before. Between Austin Butler as the deliciously evil villain, the sandworm riding, and the epic scale of the action sequences, Part Two fits together as two halves of a truly epic saga. Dune: Messiah, anyone?
QUEER
Where to watch: Theaters
Call Me By Your Name and Suspiria director Luca Guadagnino’s first movie on this list, and certainly the more cerebral of the two. Essentially, this is a “Come as You Are” meetcute between Drew Starkey and Daniel Craig—for the first half. Once it starts to ask the more complex questions, we quickly realize that all is not as it appears. The ultimate ayahuasca trip, for sure. Things get very weird. There’s a sloth, and giant blood-sacs. Arguably, this is the best Craig has ever been. Drew Starkey, you have great things ahead! Sorry, but if you don’t love Queer, then you must have an “untutored palete,” I don’t make the rules.
INSIDE OUT 2
Where to watch: Disney+
If the first Inside Out was a masterpiece (it was), then this sequel is an equally perfect second course. Pixar always manages to find a way to crack a story without retreading the exact same footsteps as before. Inside Out 2 is no exception. Finding power in the strength of its new emotions, Joy must go on a journey to rid Riley of Anxiety for the greater good. How can we live with so many different emotions exploding inside of us at once? It’s exhausting to always try to be happy, and Inside Out 2 implores us that feelings are more shades of grey than black and white.
FEMME
Where to watch: Hulu
An erotic thriller buoyed by the chemistry between its two leads in Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and George MacKay, Femme imagines a dream fulfillment scenario of converting a “straight guy” before flipping the entire concept on its head. Part revenge tale and part relationship drama, two flawed characters hurt each other over and over again. The whole thing is masterfully executed by dual directors Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping, both of whom also penned the script. MacKay’s intimidating, tattoo-covered Preston will prove to be the film’s most divisive figure.
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Where to watch: Max
Almost forty years after the original, the sequel arrives thanks to the commitment of creator Tim Burton and his entire misfit cast. The same magic reemerges, albeit in an entirely new fashion. A cartoonish delight overflowing with nostalgia, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice perfectly brings the ghost with the most into modern day. Insert Delia’s primal scream here.
CHALLENGERS
Where to watch: Prime Video
Challengers kept me locked in its twisted game of tennis for almost the entire year. Somehow the second entry on this list hailing from Luca Guadagnino and screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes, this visually stimulating and altogether energetic romance/drama has that extra special ingredient that rewards repeat viewings. Every bit of framing feels entirely intentional, and don’t even get me started on the intimacy of the character moments. Through decades of friendship and unparalleled sexual tension, Art and Patrick pine for the fiesty, seemingly unattainable Tashi (and each other, too). Mike Faist, Josh O’Connor, and Zendaya are irresistible. Another astounding score from the Nine Inch Nails crew.
WICKED
Where to watch: Theaters
As a Wizard of Oz obsessive, the Broadway version of Wicked ignited the magic of a fantastical world when I was just a teenager. Nearly twenty years later, the movie iteration (at least of act 1) has metamorphosed into a beauty beyond my wildest dreams. Perfectly cast down to Peter Dinklage as suave goat Dr. Dillamond, Wicked accomplishes the rare feat of transferring an acclaimed show while expanding and encapsulating its charms. Fleshing out what was already there and providing some complementary tweaks, screenwriters Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox don’t even need the ruby slippers to create an instant classic. The bones of it were there all along, they were just waiting for Ariane Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and Jonathan Bailey to follow the yellowbrick road.
THE SUBSTANCE
Where to watch: Mubi
Demi Moore gives the performance of her career in Coralie Fargeat’s bonkers body horror masterpiece. Even five viewings deep, I am still finding more to love and appreciate in The Substance. Rare is the film that plays its metaphors and deeper meanings quite so obviously, and yet, in its assured vision, there can be no denying the potent staying power. Why do our younger selves not respect our bodies enough to think about the impact our actions will have in the near future? Off the back of impossible female body standards and a garishly portrayed TV industry, Fargeat seems to be screaming her message in the goriest, most horrific manner imaginable. Truly: “it changed my life.”
Editor’s Picks: Allison’s Favorites of 2024
Thank you for reading, and here’s to a fabulous 2025!