It's hard to believe but 2025 is just about here. As our nightmares are realized for the next four years (minimum), take comfort in movies as a hopeful reprieve from the realities of such stupidity. Until then, let's look back at the last year of sanity, in cinema. These are my favorite films of 2024 with some honorable mentions because why not? Let me know what your favorites are. If you want...
“Ride or Die is proof the franchise is alive and well. In fact I’d say it’s downright thriving and is stronger than ever. Lawrence and Smith’s chemistry is on full display all while allowing for everyone to have their moment. The villains are generic but still delightfully devious and detestable. The humor is plentiful and a bit much at times but that’s sort of where the sweet spot is for this whole property. Bigger may not always mean better, but in the case of Bad Boys, bigger at least means potential for something truly thrilling. I love this franchise, however imperfect it may be, it just works. If they announce tomorrow that parts 5, 6 and 7 are officially happening I’m already in. Maybe that blinds me to its shortcomings so I say this, if you enjoy the previous adventures of the Bad Boys and company, you will gladly Ride or Die with them one last time.” - Chase G.
“The music is extraordinary, the lyrics absolute poetry. The performances, particularly Chalamet as Bob Dylan are nothing short of transcendent. The story is filled with famous and unfamous alike all making their influences felt in the life of one of music’s most famous and significant figures that has ever or will ever live. Humanizing our heroes can be a tumultuous and scary thing. To quote the film A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, “Please don’t ruin my childhood.” Referencing her husband’s profiling of Mr. Rogers, a journalist’s wife, is fearful he will dig up unsavory things about the famously lovable and kindhearted television personality. To learn of the intimate moments of a famous and beloved artist’s life is an invitation to potentially discover the ugliness of humanity which can be a gutting thing to absorb. Bob Dylan was and is a flawed human being but his genius is undeniable and this most recent portrayal and recreation is quite something.” - Chase G.
The Substance is a beautifully horrific example of uninhibited art being allowed to become what it should have from the very beginning. This is cinema without interference or second guessing. The story is timely, the acting impeccable, the visuals an absolute nightmarish joy that can only be experienced firsthand to be believed. An homage to the likes of Cronenberg and Kubrick, it acknowledges the past while carving its own space of audacious storytelling that will leave its viewers in awe, and maybe a bit of nausea.
7. September 5
A fantastically tense example of telling a story everyone is familiar with while still holding validity simply by altering the perspective. We’ve heard the story of the Olympic terror of Munich, 1972, but never from the perspective of the people that captured it on live television for the entire world to watch with bated breath as the worst thing imaginable for the Olympic Games transpired in real time. It was, for many decades, the most documented terrorist act in history. Despite knowing so much, the film pieces together detailed recreations of this historical moment with incredible intensity, complete honesty and unflinching tenacity. For something so well documented, it still manages to be as shocking and unyielding as the true life tragedy that inspired it.
6. Civil War
“It is an action thriller certainly but it has things to say and does so with an unflinching clarity that is both ruthless and invigorating. It’s shocking, its influence lasting and its vision of a fictional future is scarily prophetic. Its greatest tool is staying within the confines of a fictional realism where everything these characters encounter feel as if they could actually take place in every city across this country. In our reality the country has never felt more divided. Civil War poses the question - what if? What if civil war broke out? What if our own government decided that anyone they considered disloyal to their regime would be considered an enemy of the state? What if law and order were no longer upheld? Alex Garland takes this premise of civilian rebellion and shows it for all the ugliness and callousness it would likely bring to the surface.” - Chase G.
5. Wicked
“I didn’t expect to like this movie but I still hoped. Like La La Land and The Greatest Showman, I remained open enough for the messages and effort to seep through and like those movies, Wicked burrowed its way into my heart and made me a believer. It is a fully realized world of magic and spectacle, musically and visually, making for a tremendous, tragic and endearing story of two polar opposites finding one another on their respective journeys to discover who they are and who they will become in the land of beautiful Technicolor.” - Chase G.
4. Nosferatu
“Nosferatu never feels like it’s trying to be scary; rather it’s attempting to be epically immersive in its themes of gothic horror and pouring every ounce of dread that can fit into it without making it feel desperate. It’s telling a story, a tale of ancient evils, unrelenting tension, impending terror and dreadful obsession. It incorporates extreme moments of bloody, gory acts fit for no one to witness and yet it’s on full display to make anyone present for it twist in discomfort. It is visually masterful, expertly acted and hopelessly, wonderfully abominable. It is a machine of cogs working together in perfect harmony to create something undeniable and horrifically ravishing.” - Chase G.
“It’s really difficult to talk about this movie in any meaningful way without divulging too many juicy details. It’s a violent, twisted horror thriller that acts unabashed about what its intentions are. The characters are immoral, hopeless and unforgiving. The story is as wild as any you’ve heard before and the structure and pacing utilized to tell such a bizarre, highly disturbing story is nothing short of compelling insanity. If violent vengeance horror in the style of Tarantino sounds in any way enticing to you, Strange Darling is guaranteed to entertain, guaranteed to shock and I promise it will leave you absolutely reeling long after it’s concluded. In the age of “been there, done that”, this is an unexpected breath of pure nitrous oxide.” - Chase G.
2. Sing Sing
“There are so many moments of regret and reflection but there is also an inspiring number of moments that are hopeful and utterly moving. It leaves you crying for numerous reasons. It makes you sad for those lost within the system, for those that don’t see a future beyond those walls, for those that want a true opportunity and for so many reasons squander those moments out of fear of failure or fear of actually achieving something. But it also makes you feel hope. It makes you feel a kind of human triumph and with its message that we are not our worst mistakes is something to carry within yourself forever. It’s inspiring and gleefully persistent, always pushing toward a goal of self-improvement in all forms. I think most of all, Sing Sing is pure, wholly authentic storytelling. It is one of the best movies of 2024 featuring the best acting of the year and if there is any kind of justice in this world it will be among the most heralded of the year. It is absolutely exceptional in every regard.” - Chase G.
“Dune: Part Two is a science fiction masterpiece through and through. From the score to the cinematography it feels epic in every sense. The performances are award worthy and watching these characters interact and clash is a gift to anyone that watches movies. Villeneuve once again demonstrates why he is one of the best directors of all-time. He is a once-in-a-generation type of creator and we should be in awe of his work. I know I am. Dune is the realization of someone’s vision fully come to life in the most amazing, unimaginable ways that will leave anyone witness to its greatness left in stunned silence. This is the kind of experience in cinema that comes along once in a decade if we’re lucky. It demands your attention on the biggest screens available. My expectations could not have been higher and it surpassed them completely. It will leave you in wonder. It will leave you wanting more. It will act as a reminder of what makes cinema so special and enduring.” - Chase G.
Honorable Mentions
“The Last Stop in Yuma County is an exciting story all its own but the promise of what the director is capable of and what his bright future is sure to deliver (He is directing the next Evil Dead installment!) is every bit as compelling. Director Francis Galluppi demonstrates great restraint when the story demands it only to allow it fantastic moments of bursting violence and engaging drama. It’s funny at times, shocking often and always enticing. The characters all have familiar tropes and tendencies but when brought together, as different as they each are from one another, these characteristics are tremendously entertaining to watch as they clash like a violent car crash. It entertains the idea of possibly ending this happily and always thinks twice about it. To allow these characters an escape from their suddenly volatile situation would mean to suggest that not all actions have consequences. Even the innocent caught in the middle (Is anyone really innocent these days?) don’t really stand a chance but I’ll leave that for you to discover yourself. The Last Stop in Yuma County is one of the more exciting pieces of cinema this year which means it will likely go criminally underseen. Let’s try to prevent that outcome, shall we?” - Chase G.
16. Saturday Night
Revered for its pacing and editing, its ensemble cast and invigorating storytelling, Saturday Night is a fascinating look at the beginning of one of television’s most enduring series of all-time, 1975, New York. It created superstars from the most humble origins ensured to cause its downfall before it ever really began. And yet, fifty years later, SNL continues to entertain and retain its finger on the pulse of America. For longtime fans of the variety show, Saturday Night is a must-see showcasing the brilliance of some of the most famous and infamous comedic actors ever to grace the screen. It is a brilliant piece of tension fueled comedy and biopic honesty you hope for, revealing the chaos that all somehow happens before 11:30pm.
15. Gladiator II
"The most obvious shortcoming of Gladiator II is the lack of emotional resonance that fueled the heart and soul of the first. The story is less emotionally driven with a more heightened focus on action and adventure. This is where it excels delivering amazing visual spectacle and visceral, brutal action scenes featuring everything from sharks and rhinos to epically massive battle sequences that Ridley Scott is synonymous with. This is his best film since The Martian and while it doesn’t quite measure up to the first, it never needed to. It just needed to be worthy of the name and it most certainly is. Gladiator II is the epic and noteworthy culmination and conclusion of Maximus’ story of legacy and destiny.” - Chase G.
14. Furiosa
“Continuing the visual splendor of Fury Road, Furiosa is absolutely mesmerizing to experience. It is vibrant and strangely alluring as these unhinged humans lose their minds day by day. The stunt work is astonishing and once again boggles the mind with the fact that no one died performing such perilous acts. The story is complex and spreads across deserts, wastelands and vast amounts of time. The characters are lively and performed with enthusiastic fervor finding the perfect balance between mad and sane, brutal and gentle. Fury Road is a masterpiece and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is every bit worthy of the name. Some movies you see, Furiosa you experience.” - Chase G.
“Love Lies Bleeding is insane at times and it’s all the more enjoyable because of it. The characters are uninhibited car crashes just begging you to watch the mess of it all. It leads you down dark paths of drug fueled horror in hopes of finding the light at the end as a means to achieve a lifelong dream. And if these hellbent women find themselves in each other’s embrace in the end, it begs the question of was it all worth it? That’s for you to decide. In the meantime, enjoy the ride and hold on because this is a relentless, savage, pulpy love story with little concern about your hopes for where it all ultimately ends up. It’s going where it’s going and it’s doing so with maximum ferocity.” - Chase G.
12. We Live in Time
“We Live in Time is a celebration of life, in all its missteps, triumphs, rashes, bruises and boogers. It’s an acknowledgement that the mistakes and flaws are the very things that make life so significant and perfectly imperfect. The chemistry between Pugh and Garfield is a marvel unto itself. They are so wonderfully symbiotic and bursting with talent and put forth genuine love and heart into every moment they have together on screen. It is a doomed relationship that only holds beauty and countless memories for the rest of their lives, however long that may be. Everything about this on-screen couple feels real as if we’ve been granted permission to follow a couple in the everyday moments of their newly forming life as two people in love. For all the pain and anguish that life throws at us, We Live in Time proves that within the darkest of times love is still there, just waiting.” - Chase G.
11. Alien: Romulus
“It isn’t perfect, but I would argue it is absolutely a return to what makes this franchise so much fun. It’s violent, gory and incredibly tense. The visuals are fully realized as is the world in which these characters reside. The kills are wonderfully imaginative and the few deviations are admirably unexpected and ultimately a welcome change. The characters, particularly Cailee Spaeny’s Rain and David Johnson’s Andy, are complex and interesting and definitely worthy adversaries to the Xenomorph. I can find faults with it but ultimately it’s what I wanted it to be. It feels like a triumphant return to form and leaves me excited at the prospect of more deep space adventures. I’m fairly certain this is not the last we’ll see of our favorite alien serial killer.” - Chase G.
That's it! Thoughts? Disagreements? Grievances? Let me know.
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