Best Films of 2024

Now that the year is way past half over,  I guess it’s about time to get off my tail and write about the best movies from last year. Most of them are- finally- available to stream somewhere, but you may have to pay. Even if you already have paid for a streaming service. No 10s this year, but some lovely 9s and a bunch of worthy 8s. Not even a good year, let’s go with C+.

1- Nickel Boys 9

2- IF 9

3- Conclave 9

4- Wicked 8

5- Fall Guy 8

6- Woman of the Hour 8

7- Hit Man 8

8- How To Rob A Bank 8

9-Wicked Little Letters 8

10- I’m Still Here 7

11- Memoir of a Snail 7

12- Inside Out 2 7

13- Blitz 7

14- Steve 7

And here endeth those with 7 or more points. I want to quickly tell why you didn’t see Anora, which won the Best Movie Oscar. This falls in the “what were they thinking” category, right there with Everything Everywhere All At Once from 2023. Both are-to me- howling dogs. I strain to give Anora a 4.

On to better news. I had read Colson Whitehead’s Nickel Boys and really liked it. But I thought it would be very difficult to make into a movie. Enter director RaMell Ross and fellow script writers Josyln Barnes and Mr. Whitehead. The actors are all unknowns which adds to the punch. It is not shown in a straight line but with perfect bits and pieces of scenes dropped in just the right places. It’s not Mr. Ross’ maiden voyage, but it sure a winner.

OK, IF is a personal pick certainly not for all tastes. When you were a kid, did you ever have an Imaginary Friend? Well this movie is about a kid who has one he can see and who hides from the lights while delighting us with his antics. Yeah, it’s animated and really a kid’s movie, but so what? I liked it.

The last high scoring film is Conclave, about the election of a new pope upon the death of the old one. Talk about ripped from the headlines! The guy who wins in the film isn’t American, like Pope Leo XIV, but is equally surprising. Great acting. 

Finally, we have Wicked, which I really liked but only gave an 8. The reason is length. It is nearly 3 hours long and has some very dead spots. The photography, special effects and music are superb. Make it 2 hours long and it’s a 10.