Misael’s Favorite Movies of 2024
What a year! From Paul’s first time riding a sandstorm to a monster tornado attacking a movie theater, from the walkouts in The Substance to the collective laughing and cheering when beavers get murdered, 2024 brought us so many reminders that nothing beats seeing something good in theaters. Making it all the more harder to make this list.
A caveat I feel I should include: While I tried getting in as much as possible, there’s unfortunately a lot I still haven’t seen from this year. There’s way more on my watchlist than movies I’ve seen this year, and I still plan on watching more. Should I see something that ends up making my list in the coming months, I will come back and add to this article. That being said, here are my current favorites of the year, with the top 5 being some of the best of the decade.
Notable movies I still haven’t seen: Nosferatu, Oddity, The Brutalist, A Different Man, Inside Out 2, Wicked, Heretic, Smile 2, My Old Ass, Didi
Honorable Mentions: MadS, In a Violent Nature, Late Night with the Devil (Shudder rocks)
10.) Thelma
One of the funniest revenge movies you’ll ever see. June Squibb and Richard Roundtree absolutely shine in this tale of a scam artist who messed with the wrong elderly lady. Hilarious, yes, but also honest, sweet, and heartwarming, even if it’s a little one-note. An added bonus: Tom Cruise apparently inspired Squibb to do her own stunts in this movie. That alone feels like enough to put it on this list.
9.) Challengers
I haven’t been the biggest fan of Luca Guadagnino’s movies so far, so imagine my surprise when I found myself absorbed in this the whole way. The soap-opera energy, the performances of our center throuple, the incredible shots. It’s all great, anchored by an absolutely killer score that might be my favorite of the year.
8.) Longlegs
While I wasn’t the biggest fan of how this wrapped up, the atmosphere in this is just undeniable. Its eerie, surreal world fills you with dread the entire way. A slow descent into hell led by a performance that none other than Nicholas Cage could pull off. It’s everything I love about horror movies.
7.) The First Omen
Unnecessary reboots, sequels, prequels, and spin-offs are never going away, no matter how many times they suck. The First Omen is one of the rare prequels that’s not only good, it’s a banger. Like Longlegs, the atmosphere is unmatched, mixed in with some of the year’s best cinematography and some truly fucked up imagery that echoes current real world anxieties. When the one-take possession scene started, that’s when I knew this was one of my favorites of the year. Director Arkasha Stevenson, as well as actress Nell Tiger Free, have become names I’ll be keeping an eye on in the future.
6.) I Saw the TV Glow
I Saw the TV Glow is one of those movies that I typically don’t gel with, and it’s probably the one I have the biggest issues with on this list. But it also stayed with me long after the credits rolled. Its allegory is extremely clear and specific, yet accessible to anybody. The idea of letting yourself whittle down and let life pass you by out of fear of embracing who you are is something so unsettling, that it manages to tap into a different kind of horror. Add in how gorgeous this looks, its incredible 90’s accuracy, and a raw, incredible performance from Justice Smith that, in a just world, would have him in Oscar consideration. The most devastating ending of the year.
5.) The Substance
This is definitely personal, but I really, really do not like movies that feel like they’re beating me over the head with their messaging. I prefer a much more subtle approach, letting the audience put the pieces together. The Substance is anything but subtle. Its message is shown again and again. Its themes of self hatred are prevalent throughout, and the anger at outside causes driving that hatred are prevalent in the movie’s insane final act. Also, yeah, this is the most fucked up movie of the year. I couldn’t tell you how many times what I was seeing and hearing (sound design deserves just as much praise as the practical effects) had me sinking into my seat. It’s gorgeous, it’s disgusting, it’s hilarious, it’s got some of the best performances of the year from Qualley and Moore, it’s got a great score, it’s stylish as fuck. Incredible film.
4.) Anora
It’s a cliche, but there really is nobody like Sean Baker. How he continuously makes these incredible movies shining a light on people who rarely get one is such a feat, and that’s once again the case in the masterpiece that is Anora. How this movie goes from fun, hilarious, and outrageous to meditative and sad is so smooth you almost don’t realize it. That deserves praise that words just aren’t enough for. It’s also a visual treat, with camera work that is incredible yet subtle, something that’s rare to see nowadays. Add in a performance for the ages from Mikey Madison that made me fall in love with Anora and ache for her at the movie’s quiet end.
3.) Dune: Part Two
The word “epic” is used way too much when describing movies. Dune: Part Two is the rare case where epic is the only way to describe it. This thing is a Movie with a capital M. Denis Villeneuve and his crew (cinematographer Greg Fraser is one of the best in the business) give us big screen sci fi spectacle in incredible fashion, with a dozen or so scenes that I want to relive in an IMAX theater yearly. Add in more incredible work from legendary Hans Zimmer, a completely committed cast, and you get a movie that makes you feel the grandness every step of the way. When the sandworms dove into battle, I felt like I was levitating. The entire movie feels huge, and is a loud reminder of how these movies deserve the best screens and sounds possible.
2.) Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
I’ve rewatched this a lot, and am still in total awe with how spectacular Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is, especially with the bafflingly and disappointingly quiet reception it got from audiences. It takes the heavy metal intensity of Fury Road and stretches it into an epic, twisted, and personal coming-of-age story about survival, anger, revenge, and hope. Its stretches of quiet, dialogue free scenes are just as gripping as its adrenaline pumping action (including the best action scene of the year). George Miller is just on another level, giving us another example of how prequels don’t have to be half baked. I love Anya Taylor Joy’s performance as Furiosa and how she tells us everything she’s thinking with just her face. I love Chris Hemsworth’s insane Dementus, and his twisted yet weirdly understandable drive to destroy hope. I love how vibrant this movie is. I love how it’s laugh out loud funny at times. I love how in the beginning the score is a faint pulse that slowly adds more as the movie progresses. I love the world building. I love Pissboy. I love how it’s a perfect companion piece to the best action movie ever made while standing on its own. Furiosa is incredible.
1.) Hundreds of Beavers
If you would’ve told me this time last year that a black and white, silent indie slapstick about a guy fighting people in animal costumes would be my favorite of the year, I would be baffled. Yet here we are. Easily the funniest movie of the year, with non stop gags that continuously top themselves in satisfying and ridiculous fashion. Just as gorgeous and technically stunning as Dune: Part Two with not even close to the same budget. This movie didn’t just have me dying with laughter, it had me beaming when the credits rolled. It reminded me of why I love movies so much, it is so inspiring the amount of heart that was put into it, and it is easily one of my favorite moviegoing experiences in my life. Picking my favorite movie of the year involved a new question I never had to ask myself before: Which of these am I most excited to show my son? Hundreds of Beavers won that by a landslide.
Let me know if you have any of these on your favorites too! And don’t forget to check out Braden’s favorites of 2024 as well. Thank you for reading!
