Top Ten 2024 Theater Releases
2024 was the year that I rediscovered my love for cinema. Not saying it had ever left, but I felt as if I was seriously behind on my movie-watching since going to college. Upon graduating, I knew it was time to dive back into the world of movie magic. I missed digging for personal artistic inspiration through throwback watches and going to the theater to see what new techniques are being rolled out.
As much as I enjoy personal viewings in the comfort of my own home, nothing beats seeing films in the environment of a well-done theater. To me, there is something magical about the gathering of a community in a specific place where the sole objective is to appreciate a piece of visual art. Late this summer, I finally invested in Alamo Drafthouse’s Season Pass; a $20.00 a month membership that allows users to watch one movie a day for the entire month. I am absolutely infatuated with my local Alamo Drafthouse because it truly has everything I could ask for in a theater; fantastic ambience, retro cinema related decor, great customer service, an expansive menu (that boasts limited-edition, movie-related snacks) and throwback showings. Thanks to this investment, I was able to get myself to the theater quite frequently and see new films that I may have missed out on.
I saw a total of twelve 2024 releases this year as well as seven throwback/remastered showings at my Alamo Drafthouse. Due to purchasing my pass late in the summer, I missed a few winter and spring releases. Life gets busy, so there are a few that I missed simply due to circumstances, not lack of wanting to watch them. Here is the list of 2024 releases I was able to see in theaters (in order of release/watch date):
Maxxxine, Longlegs, Trap, Alien: Romulus, Blink Twice, Deadpool & Wolverine, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, The Substance, Never Let Go, Joker: Folie A Deux, Heretic, and Anora.
I ranked each movie a score from one to ten in the following categories: Plot, Pacing, Cast/Characters, Cinematography, Soundscapes, Set Design/Locations, Message/Originality, Entertainment Value and General Vibe. The highest ranking a movie can get with my grading scale is 90.
(Minor drumroll, please.)
Here is a list of my top ten 2024 released theater watches without spoilers.
10. Deadpool & Wolverine directed by Shawn Levy starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.
Let me preface this review by saying that I am not a fan of Marvel movies. I have always leaned more towards villains due to dark backstories and unique character designs. I fell in love with Uma Thurman’ Poison Ivy from Joel Schumacher’s 1997 Batman and Robin and haven’t been the same since. I saw the first Deadpool in theaters and enjoyed it. Saw Deadpool 2 and thought it was fine. Look, I get it, once we have a great main character, we don’t want their film reign to end, especially someone like Deadpool. But…oh my god. This movie was the epitome of a cash grab. The only reason this movie made my list is because the cinematography was just so good that I couldn’t deny it. Yay, we get to see jacked Hugh Jackman shirtless, but at what cost?
How do I even explain this movie? Basically, Deadpool goes into different universes to find a different, suitable Wolverine because the Wolverine in his universe is dead. And then a bunch of other shit happens. I honestly started to lose track because I am way too behind on Marvel lore I guess.
The stunt coordinators and camera crew on this film did an amazing job. If you like Marvel movies, you’ll probably like this one. As previously stated, I am not a Marvel fan and therefore watching this movie was a bit like pulling teeth. Also, the Cajun accent Channing Tatum was trying to pull off was painful to watch. Please don’t argue with me about how amazing this film was, let’s agree to disagree. You have fun with your superheroes and I’ll have fun with my gorefests.
Deadpool & Wolverine received a 62/90 on my movie ranking scale, a high score of nine in the cinematography category is what ultimately landed it a spot on my top ten.
9. Trap directed by M. Night Shyamalan starring Josh Harnett and Saleka Night.
I feel like this movie wasn’t particularly bad, but it also wasn’t particularly good. The premise was unique enough to keep me entertained and Harnett’s character was amusing to watch stumble around trying to figure out a plan.
Father and firefighter Cooper Abbott (Harnett) takes his teenage daughter, Riley, (Ariel Donoghue) to a Lady Raven (Saleka Night) concert. Upon arriving at the venue, Cooper notices the high number of cops standing guard. Cooper finds out from a concession stand attendant that the FBI is stationed there due to rumors that a serial killer is planning to attend the event. Cooper spends the night attempting to gain control of the situation, making sure his daughter is enjoying the show and avoiding confrontation.
Hard to review this one without spoiling it. The plot was a unique one and Saleka Night has proven her talent through her triple-threat role as Lady Raven. Am I glad I watched this movie? Sure. Could I have skipped it? Probably.
Trap and Deadpool & Wolverine both scored a 62/90. Trap beats out Deadpool & Wolverine for spot number nine due to personal preference between the two.
8. Heretic directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods starring Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East.
A fun little trip of a movie that really preys on those who stand on uneven religious ground.
Heretic follows two young Mormon missionaries, Sister Barnes (Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (East), attempting to convert citizens of the area. The two girls end up at Mr. Reed’s (Grant) house and are invited inside, Reed claiming that his wife is making blueberry pie and will be done soon. After an uncomfortable conversation about religion, Reed excuses himself to summon his wife from the kitchen. It is discovered by Sister Barnes that they have been smelling a blueberry pie candle, not Reed’s wife baking one. Uneasy with the situation at hand, the two girls attempt to leave the house, only to find the front door is locked and they have no cellphone service. What comes after for the girls is an eccentric test of fate orchestrated by Reed that leaves audiences questioning what will come next.
The film was well-done and speculative about various beliefs. There was one particular element of the film that drove my boyfriend crazy and another one that I couldn’t stop focusing on even though it was a really minor detail. Overall, not a bad film, but there wasn’t anything in particular that really wowed me upon further speculation.
Heretic gets a 67/90 due to the categories receiving scores of sevens and eights.
7. Long Legs directed by Osgood “Oz” Perkins starring Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage.
The eerie ambience of Long Legs’ first half heavily reminded me of Jonathan Demme’s 1991 The Silence of The Lambs. This movie had such great potential to be another great mystery-horror flick, but unfortunately fell a bit short at the end for me. Nonetheless, I am so glad I caught this one in theaters. Seeing the carnage and certain jumpscares on a big screen definitely made an impact that may have been lost during home-viewing.
Monroe plays rookie FBI agent Lee Harker who is assigned to a cryptic serial killer case in the 90’s. After cracking one of the killer’s codes, it is revealed that they are a few steps ahead and even speculating Lee’s moves. Lee finds herself racing against the clock to find the murderer before any other atrocities occur while also grappling arising issues from her past.
This film does make me excited for future Perkin films, including The Monkey, an adaption of a Stephen King short story due to come out early 2025. Long Legs really succeeded in the first half for creating dread and anxiety within the audience, but once we got closer towards the climax, I found myself a bit disinterested. It was great to see Monroe in another role like this since I really enjoyed her performance in David Robert Mitchell’s 2015 film It Follows. Nicolas Cage did a great job as the unhinged killer, but I did find myself losing a bit of fear upon remembering it was him. I have a soft spot for Nic, so this is really on me.
Long Legs final score ends up at 67/90 as well as Heretic. Long Legs beats out Heretic due to personal taste, both of the films scored exactly the same in all categories.
6. Maxxxine directed by Ti West starring Mia Goth.
I am a big fan of Ti West’s X / Pearl universe he has created; both of the films were extremely well done and one of the reasons I believe we have been in a “horror renaissance” the past few years. Due to this, Maxxxine was one of my highly anticipated films this year, especially after the casting got spoiled for me. Although it was another well-done film in the series, it was not my favorite in comparison to the other two.
Maxine Minx (Goth) is a pornstar looking to move up in the world of film. Upon catching what may be her big break, a mysterious, murderous stalker aware of her dark past gets in the way. Maxine is forced to juggle her new acting position with self-preservation as her story unravels into sinister waters.
The film wraps up the series pretty well and captures the 80’s Hollywood aesthetic beautifully between the costumes, lighting, soundtrack and more. The cast is star-studded but ultimately it is Mia Goth’s film. She has proven her place as a new-wave scream queen throughout this series and this film isn’t any different in terms of character reign.
Maxxxine receives a 70/90 due to its high score of nine within the character and casting category. Nothing scored lower than a seven for this film.
5. Blink Twice directed by Zoë Kravitz starring Naomi Ackie and Channing Tatum.
Let me start by saying I left this movie a bit traumatized. I have never had such an adverse reaction to a film before. This movie reminded me that everyone views the horror genre differently because we are all scared of such different things. What’s scary to you may not be scary to me and vice versa. This movie scared the shit out of me because it is one of my worst fears. I had no idea what this film was about when I went into it and I’m honestly glad I didn’t because I would have avoided it at all costs.
Ackie plays Frida, a cocktail waitress who meets one of her celebrity crushes, Slater King (Tatum), at his company’s fundraising gala. Slater takes notice of Frida at the gathering and spends the night getting to know her. At the end of the event, Slater asks Frida and her friend to come with him and a group of peers to his island. The two accept and are soon whisked away to a beautiful, tropical paradise away from civilization. It is a perfect, dream vacation.
Or so we wanted it to be. This was a hard watch to say the least. The color-grading of this film and the location was spectacular. The plot was so good but so twisted. Tatum played his character almost a little too convincingly. This being Zoe Kravitz’s debut film is absolutely nuts because it truly is so well-done. Excited and nervous to see what else Ms. Kravitz has up her sleeve.
Honestly a bit surprised on how high this made its way onto my list simply due to the immediate negative reaction I had towards the film. I really think I was in shock for an hour or two after. Blink Twice earns a 71/90, the highest score being a 9 within the Message & Originality category.
4. Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice directed by Tim Burton starring Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Jenna Ortega.
A lot of people may disagree with this film being so high on this list in comparison to the other great films that came before it. But look…I am a sucker for those damn sandworms. In my eyes, this was a fun sequel. Was it necessary? No. Was I entertained? Yes. Were there times where it was predictable? Yes. Does it make it any less fun? I didn’t think so.
The casting on this was great. I love how obnoxious Catherine O'Hara is as she reprises her role as the insufferable artist, Delia Deetz. Monica Bellucci joining the ensemble as a “soul-sucking” ex-wife named Delores was a fun little layer to add into this universe. Jenna Ortega was meant to play Winona Ryder’s daughter, great casting on the scout’s part.
There’s something about the overall Beetlejuice aesthetic that is fascinating to me. The set designs for The Afterlife scenes were well-done and true to the original look. The costumes and make-up were fantastic. I really love looking at all of the different deceased character designs and how they are “executed” by artists. I enjoyed the cheesy soundtrack and have been playing Tragedy by The BeeGees on repeat since seeing this film. I can’t help it.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice boogies its way to a final score of 73/90, scoring a nine in both the Cast/Characters and Set Design/Location categories.
3. Alien: Romulus directed by Fede Álvarez, starring Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson.
I was so excited for this film and I did not leave the theater disappointed in the slightest. As someone who identifies as part xenomorph, how could I possibly not have fun with this film? Fede Alvarez did a fantastic job giving the Alien franchise a jolt of energy without disrupting the flow of previous laid lore. He brought back the xenomorph puppets and it made my heart so full; I am a huge fan of practical, tangible special effects over CGI (hence my love for 70’s and 80’s horror). Great set design, fitting soundtrack and a fun/eerie plot twist!
Spaeny and Jonsson had great on-screen chemistry, but Jonsson’s performance as Andy really stood out to me. Jonsson nailed this character and all the mannerism that came with him. Spaeny played a strong lead character, Rain, that was similar to Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley but still able to stand alone and be an admirable character. I am a sucker for kickass “final girls” and Spaeny did a great job portraying one.
This was such a fun prequel/sequel/addition to the Alien franchise and I am so glad I was able to catch it on Alamo Drafthouse’s Dolby Atmos system in their “Big Show” theater.
Cue the Xenomorph drool; Alien: Romulus receives an 83/90 as scores of ten begin to take over in the Set Design, Cinematography and Entertainment Value categories. Alien: Romulus well-deserves its number three ranking for this year’s theater watches.
2. Anora directed by Sean Baker starring Mikey Madison.
Sean Baker did an amazing job with this film and what better company to pick it up than A24. Mikey Madison gives an absolutely stellar performance as Anora, a Brooklyn sex-worker who is introduced to a spoiled club-goer named Ivan/”Vanya”, the son of a Russian oligarch. Madness ensues and the plot starts to reminisce the chaos of the Safdie Brother’s 2019 film, Uncut Gems (also released under A24). There is great dialogue, fantastic pacing, a soundtrack that matches the overall tone of the film and a mixed bag of emotions.
Mikey Madison is making a name for herself and I am truly excited to see her next projects. She did a fantastic job in Tarantino’s 2019 film Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood as one of the Manson cult members and it does not surprise me that she landed this role. The ending to Anora was absolutely brilliant and leaves audience members in awe, questioning exactly what was going through her brain in that car.
Anora sits pretty in her number two spot with a final ranking of 84/90. The lowest scores for this film are eights for the Cinematography & Set Design/Location categories. Not bad, at all. If you’re looking for a spicy whirlwind of a movie, here you go.
The Substance directed by Coralie Fargeat, starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley.
Listen... If this hasn’t become apparent yet, I have a bit of a fascination with special effects, specifically when it comes to make-up and gore. I cannot tell you how many times I have wanted to recommend this movie to people and subsequently had to bite my tongue. Demi Moore is beautifully casted as Elisabeth Sparkle, a jazzercise star who, unbeknownst to her, is reaching the end of her successful career. Abruptly fired on her 50th birthday, Sparkle is stunned. Soon after, she is given a tip about a mysterious serum that will create ‘a better version’ of herself. The movie dives into dark themes of the Hollywood machine, womanhood, jealousy and lack of self-regulation. It is a brutal reminder of how quickly one’s ‘sparkle’ can be dulled and being careful what you wish for.
I avoided all spoilers of this movie and have absolutely zero regrets. I knew that this film was going to be different from the moment I heard the soundtrack of the trailer. Everytime the trailer would come on in the theater, I would shield my eyes and try to tune out what I was hearing.
The Substance excelled on so many fronts. Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley brought their absolute A-Games to such a wild, well-written script. The color-grading, set designs/locations and plotline kept me utterly engaged, even when I wanted to look away from the screen. It is a bloody good time and perfect for “gore-whores” like me. Can’t stand body horror films? Not great with the sight of blood? This movie is absolutely not for you. Think you may be able to sit through it? Absolutely give it a shot, all you have to lose is a bit of sanity.
The Substance absolutely annihilates with a whooping final score of 85/90. Nothing scored lower than a nine for this film. It had everything I could have ever wanted in a body-horror movie. The main, if not the only, pain-point in this movie for me was the pacing in the third act. Shit hits the fan so quickly that you’re practically begging for a breath of fresh air, wondering when it will all finally cease. It somehow works out in the end if you manage to get there, unlike the three people that walked out of my theater on opening night.
Overall, 2024 was a great year of films for me. There are multiple movies I missed in theaters that I would have loved to see (Cuckoo, Smile 2, Terrifier 3, Oddity, Challengers, We Live in Time and so much more) but nonetheless I am happy with what I did manage to catch. There are a few movies I am highly anticipating this year that I cannot wait to see and am excited to review!
Thank you so much for reading and let me know what your top picks and least favorite were this year! And if you ever need someone to go to the theater with you to see something, chances are I’ll tag along. Just don’t get upset when I complain about not knowing enough Marvel lore…I’ll find at least one good thing about the film, I promise!!!
(and now, enjoy some grimy iPhone theater group pics from a few showings this year! I will be bugging my movie-going squad for more photos this year.)
