As of this writing, blockbuster movies for children Moana 2 and Wicked: Part 1 While topping box office records around the world, he also became decidedly more grown-up. anora and Emilia Perez ‘ has topped critics’ lists and Oscar predictions. But none of these titles will top or even touch my list of the 10 best movies of the year out of the 120+ movies I’ve seen in 2024.
10. Nickel Boys — Shot entirely in first-person with the help of ace cinematographer Jomo Frey, director Ramel Ross depicts the lives of two ordinary black boys growing up in a brutal reformatory in Florida in the 1960s. This is an unusual approach. Experiencing this world purely through the eyes of teenagers Elwood (Ethan Herissey) and Turner (Brandon Wilson) could have felt like a gimmick, but instead, it’s made by Pulitzer Prize-winning Colson The result is a deeply intimate and perceptive drama based on Whitehead’s novel and featuring different characters. Great performance by Aunjanue Ellis Taylor, who plays Elwood’s stubborn grandmother, his bastion of love, strength, and outward defiance.
9. Substance — in the vein of darkly comical horror freakouts like Julia Ducournau raw Or Gaspar Noe’s climax, This horrifying and hysterical camp piece by Coralie Forgeat (revenge) offers an unmistakable cinematic thrill of “What the hell did I just watch?” Dive down the rabbit hole of our collective, media-fueled obsession with youth and beauty; material In addition, Demi Moore, who at first glance does not feel her age, provides a meaty, multi-layered role that cuts through the film with wit and freedom. Moore, co-star Margaret Qualley, and ultimately the film carry an outrageous fantasy plot about a miracle cell-replicating drug to a bold, spectacular conclusion, with special makeup that gives even the monsters a sense of warmth and kindness. With the help of effects.
8. Thelma — this year’s best comedy is also the most thoughtful movie about aging you’ll see in any year. “Growing old is not for wimps,” Bette Davis is credited with saying decades ago, and the truth is that growing old in this society is nerve-wracking. But wrinkles also come with rewards, according to writer-director Josh Margolin’s sublime tribute to his real-life grandmother, Thelma. Thelma is here played by June Squibb as a lively and outspoken 94-year-old action hero. Swindled out of $100,000, nonagenarian Ethan Hunt takes to the streets to track his money and discovers a newfound reserve of determination he didn’t even know he had. She gets by with a little help from her friends, including Ben, a reluctant road dog. shaft The legendary Richard Roundtree left us with the gift of a finely tuned final film performance that shows how the mightiest trees bend over time and still stand firm.
7. The People’s Joker — Bella Drew’s bold and entertaining multimedia mosaic remixes the origin stories of Batman’s villains into thoroughly trans tales inspired by the filmmaker’s life, featuring characters from Gotham, including Poison Ivy and the Penguin. – Follows a queer sketch comedian who finds community with other wannabe comics in the City. while discovering her transgender identity. After a run-in with Batman, she emerges as Gotham’s new crime lord, the Harlequin Joker, played with gusto by Drew and nicely complemented by Nathan Faustin’s surprisingly moving take on the Penguin. This movie is a great example of DIY stitching on a super low budget.
6. Challengers — Sexy, sweaty, fast-paced and whimsical, Luca Guadagnino’s love triangle drama bounces, swings and weaves like a tennis ball around the internet — Sayomb Mukdeeprom’s breathtaking camerawork, Ross conveying the sport through a driving techno score by Trent Reznor and Atticus, a tongue-in-cheek script by Justin Kritkes, and the lead trio. Intensely connected performances Mike Feist, Josh O’Connor, and Zendaya play their roles with an intensity they haven’t experienced before.
5. Dahomey — A fascinating account of the movement’s progress, Mati Diop’s wonderful short documentary follows the repatriation of 26 priceless African artefacts, plundered from the Kingdom of Dahomey long ago, from Paris to their homeland in what is now Benin. is captured. The return of these precious cultural heritage icons sparks a tense national debate about art, history, postcolonial identity, and the true intentions behind France’s reparations. Diop gives voice to these artifacts in his discourse, using item number 26 (a statue voiced by Haitian author Makenzie Orcel) as a wisecracking character who muses on his own strange journey to his homeland in the film. It turns him into a mean narrator.
4. The hard truth — Mike Leigh’s quietly destructive behavior was evident long before it happened. hard truththat Pansy, the excruciatingly troublesome central character, is bound to make a breakthrough. Melancholy, exhausted, and full of anger, played with ferocious perfection by Leigh alumnus Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Pansy has a husband ill-matched for a plumber, a lazy son, a caring sister, and a down-on-her-luck family. I can’t continue to blow hellfire at anyone else who interacts with her. path. Something has to give, even if her rants are often entertaining to watch. And when that happens, the catharsis is felt on both sides of the screen, with the outpouring of emotion shared between the sisters beautifully rendered by Jean-Baptiste and co-star Michelle Austin. Then, as in real life and most Mike Leigh movies, life goes on. Pansy remains true to her lifelong challenge of remaining herself, aware yet unchanging, and moving forward while trying to leave the worst parts of herself behind.
3. Conclave — If the real-life papal synods are as messy, contentious, and rife with corruption as the ones depicted in Edward Berger’s fascinating adaptation of Robert Harris’ novel, then the Catholic Church should sell tickets. As a fantasy about what goes on behind the sealed doors of the Vatican, the film is set amidst great production design, deftly juggling several high-profile issues. It unravels a compelling mystery, is crisp, color-coded, expertly directed and shot, and impeccably acted. On-point ensemble. There are no small roles in this illustrious company, as Isabella Rossellini proves. The all-seeing and often silent Sister Agnes practically steals the show in one key scene.
2. Another man — Writer/director August Simberg’s witty and clever dark comedy manages to pull the same trick on its audience as it does on its disfigured protagonist Edward. Edward believes that an experimental surgery that will change him will dramatically reshape his quietly miserable life. To the handsome guy next door. Of course, Edward’s physical changes do not directly bring happiness, but when he and we meet Oswald, a similarly disfigured but possessed man, we see how cruelly his transformations backfire. It was not possible to predict exactly what would happen. Edward has many great qualities. Best Supporting Actor for Adam Pearson as Oswald, in contrast to Sebastian Stan’s masterful performance as the poor, deluded Edward coming out of his head in cruel, sometimes gory, sometimes hilarious ways. It gives a definition.
1. Brutalist — Adrien Brody pops up from time to time, proving he’s one of the most talented actors ever, as he plays visionary architect Laszlo Toth in writer-director Brady Corbet’s surprising epic drama. It reminds me that. As a Hungarian Jew who narrowly survived the war in Europe in 1947 and is now trying to build something lasting in America, Brody conveys truth within László’s fictional reality and reveals a touching depth of humanity. expose it. It takes the ingenuity and inspiration that Laslow has, and the steel he also has. He also needs a lot of money, which he doesn’t have, but finds himself in the presence of his surly benefactor Harrison Van Buren, played by Guy Pearce, who in a devilishly complex performance explores the fine line between art and commerce. Emphasize giving and receiving. Not only does it favor the artist, but it can sometimes create true wonders, like in this great film.
Plus, here are 10 more that are worth your time. Sing Sing; Everything we imagine as light; A Quiet Place: Day 1; i’m still here; Lie With Me; piano lessons; flow; long legs; 6th; problem child.
In deference to the fact that no one usually tries to make bad movies, we also don’t take the extra step of publishing a “worst” list. But this year, some special achievements in bad filmmaking deserve, well, demand, recognition, so here are the five worst movies of the year.
5. Back to Black — Amy Winehouse completely hates this lazy, reverse-engineered biopic and feels sorry for star Marisa Abella, who gives her worst effort but comes close to the killer vibe of Amy’s voice and music I can’t imagine not.
4. Kraven the Hunter — Apparently, badly dubbed dialogue scenes pasted over shots of actors who clearly aren’t speaking are a feature, not a bug, in Sony’s Spider-Man villain spin-offs like this one, and the characters It just keeps spewing out origin stories. You don’t actually need to do anything.
3. Jackpot! — Harsh and cynical and not funny enough to make it work, this fantasy comedy starring Awkwafina imagines a 24-hour window in which anyone can steal a lottery winner’s winnings by simply killing them, and takes every opportunity to do so. He throws a low blow and wastes the lottery ticket. Let’s take a closer look at the charm of co-star John Cena.
2. Argyle — Directed by Matthew Vaughn, this spy comedy made Henry Cavill, with his hideous flat-top haircut and velvet suit, look like a creepy man with no fluff when he’s supposed to be a suave international agent. Except for crimes, it was not possible to determine the boundaries between camps. And it’s disgusting. Cavill, who is a slightly better judge, said in an interview that he had the common sense not to blame it on the hair. “Matthew said, ‘Look, this guy is going to look special and you need to trust me.’” And I did! That’s what I was looking for. I’m glad I did it. “at least he teeth.
1. Madame Web — Will we ever get another volume of this very despicable book? bad movies we love By Stephen Rebello and the late Edward Margulies, madame web Other than the fact that star Dakota Johnson seems to be clearly aware in every shot of how bad this movie is, as if she’s trapped inside it. There is no. That’s amazing, okay.
Source: Metro Weekly – www.metroweekly.com
