The Top Ten Films of 2024 by Corben Carpenter
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10. Civil War
Written and Directed by Alex Garland
An intense and dreary excursion across a war-torn United States from imaginator Alex Garland, presenting a not-so distant future plagued with conflict, division and paranoia. Kirsten Dunst leads a stellar cast of photographers and journalists, obsessively determined to document the loss and destruction by whatever means necessary. Details and questions are nonessential, as the objective to witness the shellshock and absence of humanity is an alluring risk.
9. A Real Pain
Written and Directed by Jesse Eisenberg
In his debut directorial feature, Jesse Eisenberg and screen cousin Kiernan Culkin embark on a healing journey through Poland full of laughs, tears, and emotional awakening. A Real Pain feels like a long overdue hug with a subsequent punch to the arm, naturally from that annoying person you can’t live with or without. The film is really carried by the two leading performances of two divergent cousins facing their repressed grievances and vulnerabilities.
8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Directed by George Miller
Written by George Miller and Nico Lathouris
It's near impossible to follow up the masterful Mad Max: Fury Road, but Furiosa is in the rearview mirror. George Miller delivers another eccentric visual feast or chrome and sand with expanded world-building and radically new and breathtaking action set pieces. Anna Taylor-Joy does a great service to the title character, and Chris Hemsworth chews the scenery and spits it back out with his menacing, villainous turn.
7. Challengers
Directed by Luca Guadagnino
Written by Justin Kuritzkes
The long-winded game of wits and desires is channeled through a wild tennis saga so provocative, so feverish, you eagerly anticipate the next serve. The dynamic trio of Hollywood’s promising young talent ooze chemistry and strengthens the athletic showmanship into a more ambitious and tantalizing melodrama. Slick direction and pulsating score from legends Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross make Challengers a riveting pleasure.
6. Anora
Written and Directed by Sean Baker
Mikey Madison is the year’s defining breakout as Anora, an exotic dancer whisked away on a dream opportunity like a modern-day Cinderella, only to fall abruptly into a chaotic nightmare. Sean Baker extends his filmography with another spotlight on the invisible and hard-luck pockets of society, showcasing their earnestness and the unpredictable nature of everyday life. Frenetic, hilarious, somber and a heartbreaking fairytale.
5. The Wild Robot
Written and Directed by Chris Sanders
What an absolute pleasant surprise. The Wild Robot amazes with its water color-esque splendor and warms the heart with an uplifting tale of discovery and connection. The enchanting Lupita Nyong'o brings the task-seeking machine to life, along with a colorful ecological community of sarcastic critters and dangerous predators. All the elements come together for a truly accessible and every-pleasing wonder to behold.
4. Dune: Part Two
Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Written by Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts
If part one was the prolonged set up, Dune: Part Two is the mighty payoff and Denis Villeneuve’s finest achievement yet. Bigger, bolder, stranger and a sense of humor most welcoming elevates this stunning science fiction epic. The intergalactic ensemble is expanded with exceptional screen talent of rising stars and acclaimed veterans, paired with the now iconic music of Hans Zimmer and astonishing images captured by Greig Fraser. Without question the ultimate big screen experience of the year.
3. Flow
Directed by Gints Zilbalodis
Written by Gints Zilbalodis and Matiss Kaža
An animated feature from Latvia was not on my bingo card, and the European nation presents an emotionally encompassing journey that needs to be seen to be believed. Flow is a sensational adventure across a flooded world on the brink of apocalypse, as a group of animals overcome their conflicting behaviors and work together to survive. There is no spoken dialogue, the narrative hinges on the masterfully executed mannerisms and expressions and divine soundscape to convey their unique personalities. A rare form of storytelling that is so pure and difficult to pull off, a triumph indeed.
2. Conclave
Directed by Edward Berger
Written by Peter Straughan
The election of a new pope has always been one of the most fascinating world events to me, and what a treat to see the process serve as a backdrop in a tightly orchestrated, strikingly suspenseful political thriller. Ralph Fiennes shines in a career best portrayal of the chief cardinal, facing pressure from all sides to choose the right successor and unraveling a mystery set in motion from the predecessor. Engrossing to the last minute, Conclave is the cinematic equivalent of a page-turner, keeping us on the edge of our seats with an insatiable appetite for the truth.
1. The Substance
Written and Directed by Coralie Fargeat
One of the most disturbing and gut wrenching films I’ve ever experienced, and it’s the best one of the year. The Substance terrified me, but after witnessing its intoxicating premise, shrewd commentary, and vibrant brutality, the hooks pierced into my psyche and lingered. Coralie Fargeat unloads her uncompromised vision of a twisted Los Angeles where a faded starlet (played by the fearless Demi Moore) experiments with a drug that splices her body into a, younger, “more perfect” version (the infectious Margaret Qualey). A clearly defined set of rules and logic keep the outrageous narrative from speeding off the rails, as the boundaries are constantly pushed to the brink of hysteria. A nerve-racking, mind-bending display of horror and self revelation, captivating to the last detail. The Substance is euphoric cinema
Previous #1 Selections:
2023 - Oppenheimer
2022 - The Banshees of Inisherin
2021 - The Power of the Dog
2020 - Nomadland
2019 - The Irishman
2018 - Roma
2017 - The Florida Project
2016 - Manchester by the Sea
2015 - Mad Max: Fury Road
2014 - Whiplash
2013 - 12 Years a Slave
2012 - Amour
2011 - The Artist
2010 - Black Swan
2009 - Up in the Air
2008 - WALL-E
2007 - No Country for Old Men
2006 - The Departed
2005 - Capote
2004 - Kill Bill Vol. 2
2003 - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2002 - Adaptation.
2001 - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
