In a year where it feels like the movies are finally coming back (post-pandemic, post-strike), 2024 is only half over and we've already seen some of the best films of the year. Included here is a list of what have been my favorites, as well as a few I've already seen that are films to look forward to later this year.
GHOSTLIGHT
A genuine miracle of a film, Ghostlight is a humble yet moving family drama from filmmaking partners Kelly O'Sullivan and Alex Thompson. It's a slow burn, one that reveals itself beautifully if you allow it to; not for the faint of heart (particularly those still grieving the loss of a loved one), the major win for me is the chance for audiences across the country to discover the hometown talent that is Keith Kupferer, an actor well known on Chicago stages. Now in theaters. Read Nancy Bishop's review.
CHALLENGERS
I will go wherever Luca Guadagnino leads me, particularly if Mike Faist involved. Challengers is a sexy, fast-paced love triangle and its gorgeous three leads make it endlessly watchable. Add in Guadagnino's clever filmmaking (you are the ball) and it becomes a gripping, almost physical viewing experience. Available to rent/purchase. Read Steve Prokopy's review.
TUESDAY
The only think better than Julia Louis-Dreyfus in a comedic leading role is JLD in a dramatic leading role, and Tuesday gives her the space to deliver one of the best performances of her career. A darkly funny and wholly creative imagining of dealing with death, loss and moving on, Tuesday sees JLD struggling with the inevitable passing of her gravely ill daughter and the...ahem...red-velvet colored macaw who comes to help Tuesday with the journey. There will be feelings felt. Available to rent/purchase; read my review.
THELMA
To see a film as warm and delightful as Thelma do as well as it's done at the box office gives one some much-needed hope about the future of independent cinema. Inspired by the filmmaker's own relationship with his grandmother, June Squibb is a treat as a grandma intent on taking down the bad guys. It's Mission Impossible for the nonagenarian set, and I dare you not to smile throughout. Now in theaters; read Alejandro Riera's review.
ENNIO
One of the few documentaries on my mid-year list, the great film composer Ennio Morricone gets the life story treatment in this surprisingly triumphant chronicle of his work and legacy. You may not know his name, but you know his work, and the film becomes a tribute not just to Morricone's great work but to the impact music has on every frame of a movie. Streaming on Prime Video;
WICKED LITTLE LETTERS
Based on a silly but true story, Wicked Little Letters came and went earlier this year and I only recently caught up with it on a flight back from New York. Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley star as Edith and Rose, respectively, feuding neighbors in 1920s England, the latter accused of sending extremely rude letters to the former. What ensues is—forgive me—wickedly funny as the authorities and local busy-bodies get involved in solving the mystery of who is behind the letters. Colman and Buckley, surrounded by a charming ensemble cast, are clearly having a great time, and so do we. Available to rent/purchase (or on airplanes, apparently); read Steve Prokopy's review.
LAST SUMMER
I haven't seen such a quintessentially French film in ages, and that could be because filmmaker Catherine Breillat hasn't made a film in a decade. Even the premise is one only the French can do with more panache than cringe: a middle-aged professional woman engages in an affair with her 17-year-old step son. While this taboo relationship is at the center of the film, what's remarkable is the way Breillat challenges viewers to refrain from judgement and even engage with Anne, Théo and Pierre (her husband and his father) in unexpected ways. Now in theaters; read my review at Third Coast Review
HITMAN
I'm as surprised as you are, but I think I'm a Glen Powell fan. The man is a ready-made movie star, and this collaboration with Richard Linklater is the definition of a crowd-pleaser. Based on a far-fetched but true story, Powell is a tech guy turned undercover cop who has a little too much fun impersonating a hit man until he falls for a woman who approaches him about hiring him for his deadly services. There's one scene in particular (you'll know when you see it) that may end up being the best of the year. Streaming on Netflix; read Steve Prokopy's review.
THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF IBELIN
The first of a few titles I'm including here that haven't actually been released yet, The Remarkable Life of Ibelin will arrive on Netflix later this year. The film recounts the life of Mats Steen, a Norwegian teen who lived much of his life indoors due to a degenerative disease but who built a rich and meaningful life in the online gaming world. Interviews with his family and friends paint a picture of a young man who meant quite a lot to many people, sometimes without knowing it.
KNEECAP
Art meets life as the members of Ireland's only Irish-language rap group star in a movie about themselves and their unlikely rise to fame. Gritty and fast-paced yet with a grounded emotional center throughout, Kneecap (also the name of the band) is a story of rebellion, tradition and finding unexpected connections across cultures. A hit on the festival scene the first part of this year, the film arrives in theaters August 2.
LEE
I lucked into a ticket to the World Premiere of Lee at the Toronto Film Festival in September, 2023. It was the tail-end of the writers' strike which meant star Kate Winslet wasn't able to be there to celebrate the occasion, which to my estimation was something special. Winslet portrays war photographer Lee Miller, a woman who fearlessly ran headfirst into World War II battle zones to capture the realities of the situation. Winslet is at her best, and the film is a powerful accomplishment by a first-time filmmaker. Arrives in theaters September 27.
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