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2024 TOP 50
01. DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
score - 71
Great elements - R rating, good action choreography, decent story to pair them, nostalgia, surprises. But a bit repetitive, and long. Best Marvel movie since 'Endgame'. S: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman D: Shawn Levy
02. HERETIC
score - 71
Astounding this is from the same duo that made 2023's awful '65'. Visuals, dialogue, and atmosphere is all class here, after being absent from '65'.
S: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher D: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
03. WOLFS
score - 70
Like a commercial Coen Bros film. Can imagine a studio asking to cut some swearing, add a romantic interest, and a big action scene. But it's cool as is.
S: George Clooney, Brad Pitt D: Jon Watts
04. SMILE 2
score - 70
Impressive stuff really. True to the rules of the original, a connected story, and surpassed it. Like part 1 though, didn't make the final monster work.
S: Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt D: Parker Finn
05. THE SUBSTANCE
score - 69
A few frustrating modern quirks, but mostly very strong, with Demi doing great stuff. Last 15 mins are no good. Not sure a film has jumped the shark more.
S: Demi Moore, Magaret Qualley D: Coralie Fargeat
06. ALIEN: ROMULUS
score - 69
Very strong early. Great callbacks, both dated-tech ('Alien') and new-tech ('Prometheus'), and tense scenes. But 3rd act fizzles when needed to ramp up.
S: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson D: Fede Alvarez
07. LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL
score - 69
Structure doesn't make sense, from backstage footage, to character hallucinations. But the film is strong. Better if pushed things a bit further.
S: David Dastmalchian, Ian Bliss D: William Eubank
08. STRANGE DARLING
score - 69
Simple story elevated by the structure. Non-linear plot is a value-adding plot device, not just to be cool. More antagonist backstory/detail would've helped.
S: Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner D: JT Mollner
09. THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE
score - 68
Guy Ritchie's version of 'Inglourious Basterds' is as you'd expect. Not as violent, more light-hearted, but ultimately more forgettable. Definitely strong though.
S: Henry Cavill, Eiza Gonzalez D: Guy Ritchie
10. THE SHADOW STRAYS
score - 68
Probably the best genuine action movie of the year. Not short on story - probably too many story threads, but short on characters you care about.
S: Aurora Ribero, Hana Malasan D: Timo Tjahjanto
11. THE FALL GUY
score - 68
Hard to get the balance right, with so much time spent on a predictable love story. Action, comedy, visuals, and tone are cool. But pacing and plot affected.
S: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt D: David Leitch
12. DUNE: PART TWO
score - 68
There's so much happening, that a lot seems rushed, even though the movie is 3hrs. More satisfying than part 1, but would work better as a series.
S: Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya D: Denis Villeneuve
13. THE INSTIGATORS
score - 68
Entertaining caper, but some of the parts don't match the excellent 1st act. Needed more on protagonist's plan, rather than shoe-horning in a romantic interest. S: Matt Damon, Casey Affleck D: Doug Liman
14. ABIGAIL
score - 68
Borrows from greats ('Usual Suspects', 'Reservoir Dogs'), but gives too much away in it's marketing. Fun, good FX, and well-paced.
S: Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens D: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
15. KNOX GOES AWAY
score - 68
Quality crime pic, doesn't need an abundance of action to stay intriguing and entertaining. Not all the acting is top-shelf, but Keaton carries it well.
S: Michael Keaton, James Marsden D: Michael Keaton
16. THE ORDER
score - 68
Pretty good. Lacking one big action set piece, but understandable if staying true to the real story (which I'm not across). Surprisingly good performances
S: Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult D: Justin Kurzel
17. BOY KILLS WORLD
score - 67
Great action, fun, and some cool artsy choices. Not every choice made here is a home run, and some slight tweaks would help, but this is great for what it is.
S: Bill Skarsgard, Jessica Rothe D: Moritz Mohr
18. SPEAK NO EVIL
score - 67
Does an excellent job of building tension, and the slow build really works here. The payoff from when it finally "breaks" isn't as satisfying as it could be.
S: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis D: James Watkins
19. THE LAST STOP IN YUMA COUNTY
score - 67
Great set-up, builds to an inevitable climax; but it's early timing is unique. Works well, if 3rd act was the cat-and-mouse chase that the set-up deserved.
S: Jim Cummings, Faizon Love D: Francis Galluppi
20. MAXXXINE
score - 67
Big improvement on 'Pearl', but still a drop from 'X'. Starts strongly, and builds really well, but the ending is underwhelming. Strong cast, and fun for the most part. S: Mia Goth, Kevin Bacon D: Ti West
21. FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA
score - 67
Great start. Makes a standard cat-and-mouse chase, fun and exciting. Other action scenes seem too long, inflating runtime. Better than expected.
S: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth D: George Miller
22. LAND OF BAD
score - 67
Some silly character decisions and some suspension of disbelief required. But once accepted, you have a good action movie. 2024's 'The Covenant'.
S: Liam Hemsworth, Russell Crowe D: William Eubank
23. REBEL MOON - PART ONE: DIRECTOR'S CUT
score - 66
Ignored the original, and waited for the Director's Cut. Needs a restructure - much too long, rushed in parts, and slow in others; but definitely worth watching. S: Sofia Boutella, Ed Skrein D: Zack Snyder
24. LONGLEGS
score - 66
Plot is 'Zodiac' meets 'The Shining', but not in that league. The set-up is clever, but the reveal doesn't match it. Has a unique creepy tone, which helps.
S: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage D: Osgood Perkins
25. BLINK TWICE
score - 66
Entertaining. Bursts of humour balance out some grim subject matter. Bigger impact to show more of the dark stuff, but didn't seem the tone Zoe wanted.
S: Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum D: Zoe Kravitz
26. GREEDY PEOPLE
score - 66
Crime-comedy with lots of quirky characters, and dark turns. Longish runtime worked, and some characters needed more screentime. Almost Fargo.
S: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Himesh Patel D: Potsy Ponciroli
27. CADDO LAKE
score - 66
Nice little surprise packet. Same vibes as 'Predestination', but the setting is the complete opposite. Seems predictable, but then surprises.
S: Dylan O'Brien, Eliza Scanlen D: Logan George, Celine Held
28. THE IRON CLAW
score - 66
There's a lot to work with here. Perfect for a movie to blend insights into a different world, with real-world tragedy. But they botch both elements slightly. S: Zac Effron, Jeremy Allen White D: Sean Durkin
29. ROAD HOUSE
score - 66
Self-aware and surprisingly enjoyable. Even acting was ok...until Conor. He's almost unwatchable. As silly as it sounds, works better if he plays himself.
S: Jake Gyllenhaal, Conor McGregor D: Doug Liman
30. CARRY-ON
score - 66
'Die Hard 2' Lite has some cliched characters that are required to move the story along. If you accept this, and the PG-ness of it all, you'll enjoy it.
S: Taron Edgerton, Jason Bateman D: Jaume Collet-Serra
31. BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
score - 66
Surprisingly good considering the 35 yr gap since part 1. Acting is fine, pacing is good, and FX better with modern tech. Decent, wraps up too fast though.
S: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder D: Tim Burton
32. SATURDAY NIGHT
score - 66
Fast-paced, well-acted, pseudo-true story. about the launch of SNL. More drama than comedy, with the fun coming from portrayals of well-known people
S: Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott D: Jason Reitman
33. BEVERLY HILLS COP: AXEL F
score - 66
After the awful, horribly out of place, 3rd movie; this is a good return. But the "aging" narrative hurts the action and comedy that BHC needs.
S: Eddie Murphy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt D: Mark Molloy
34. SELF RELIANCE
score - 65
Quirky comedy starts very strongly, and is really enjoyable. Falls into rom-com phase in the 2nd act, that only highlights the movie's flaws. Good overall.
S: Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick D: Jake Johnson
35. THE FIRST OMEN
score - 65
Good effort, considering it's a prequel and you pretty much know how it ends. Didn't end up being too amazing, and a bit predictable, but it's strong.
S: Nell Tiger Free, Ralph Ineson D: Arkasha Stevenson
36. IT'S WHAT'S INSIDE
score - 65
All characters are so unlikeable, it's a chore to get through the 1st half. But if you do, you're rewarded with unexpectedly clever plot moves and visuals.
S: Brittany O'Grady, James Morosini D: Greg Jardin
37. GLADIATOR II
score - 65
Links ok to the original, considering the 24 year gap. Seems smaller scale in all aspects though, despite it's big budget. Entertains, but not memorable.
S: Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington D: Ridley Scott
38. THE THICKET
score - 65
Unique Western with it's setting and casting, but a familiar story. The characters and dark tone make it compelling, but didn't have the epic finale it should've.
S: Peter Dinklage, Juliette Lewis D: Elliott Lester
39. RED ONE
score - 65
As far as family-friendly Christmas movies go, this is likely as good as you can hope for. If you've got tweens, it's one you can watch with them and enjoy.
S: Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans D: Jake Kasdan
40. FERRARI
score - 65
Not really the sort of story to get my motor running (pun!), but entertaining. Focus on this one phase worked for me. Reckon pacing suffers otherwise.
S: Adam Driver, Shailene Woodley D: Michael Mann
41. BROTHERS
score - 65
The quirky crime movie train rolls on. This likely sounded better on paper than the end result. Decent, but missed opportunity for a 'Fargo'-style result.
S: Josh Brolin, Peter Dinklage D: Max Barbakow
42. RICKY STANICKY
score - 64
Tamer than Farrelly's earlier work. Too many straight-man characters, wastes actors like Santino and Shelton. Their best stuff has multiple OTT characters.
S: Zac Effron, John Cena D: Peter Farrelly
43. JACKPOT!
score - 64
Strong plot for an action-comedy, with some genuine laughs throughout. Cast choices work for the comedy and character traits; but the action is pretty poor.
S: John Cena, Awkwafina D: Paul Feig
44. TRAP
score - 64
Clever, yet unrealistic, cat-and-mouse plot in the 1st half, has you supporting the villain. But a bad 2nd half, wanting you to support a new hero; fails.
S: Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue D: M Night Shyamalan
45. REBEL RIDGE
score - 64
Strong first half, with interesting character moves, and action. But the goal to keep the protagonist a "good guy" is too transparent and unrealistic
S: Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson D: Jeremy Saulnier
46. CITY HUNTER
score - 64
A good bit of fun. The plot, the characters, and the action are all silly; but intentionally so. Haven't seen the Manga, but could still enjoy this.
S: Ryohei Suzuki, Misato Morita D: Yuichi Sato
47. ARGYLLE
score - 64
Some good ideas and fun action. But too silly, and has a miscast lead. Wanted more based on cast and director. 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' did it better.
S: Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell D: Matthew Vaughn
48. HIT MAN
score - 64
Good true story that kept building to a point where I was excited to see where it went next. Then, it just ended. Needed a little 'Hollywood' on the true ending.
S: Glen Powell, Adria Arjona D: Richard Linklater
49. LOVE LIES BLEEDING
score - 64
Some artsy choices early didn't give me confidence. But got to a strong level, before the last 15mins, where it shits the bed, disguised as a 'brave metaphor'
S: Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian D: Rose Glass
50. NEVER LET GO
score - 64
Better than on-line reviews suggest. Pacing OK for it's plot, and FX good. My issue is the same mystery element of the plot is done better in 2001's 'Frailty'
S: Halle Berry, Percy Daggs D: Alexandre Aja
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