THE BEST OF 2024...SO FAR
Updated: Jul 15, 2024
We take a look at the top ten movies to release in the first half of 2024, from the epic to the downright terrifying movies that captivated us this year.
by Nate Lemann

To Note: Still catching up on some of the year's first half releases, such as what I hear is a great "Inside Out 2". Will be sure to be fully caught up for our year-end reviews.
10. THE FIRST OMEN - DIR. ARKASHA STEVENSON

A prequel to the landmark 1976 occult horror thriller seemed like a terrible idea, especially in today’s over-franchised, Hollywood IP-driven production strategies, but hell if this ain’t one of the better horror movies I've seen so far this year. Stevenson announces herself as a major voice in horror, building upon the aesthetic of the outstanding original (and not the myriad of remakes and sequels) while imbuing her picture with terrifying dread and restrained but haunted imagery. Nell Tiger Free is marvelous in this, with scene of such raw and visceral performance that will hypnotize and horrify you in equal measure.
Our full review to be posted later.
9. LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL - DIR. CAMERON CAIRNESS & COLIN CAIRNESS

David Dastmalchian has finally been given a starring vehicle and it is one that is very worthy of this famed character actor’s incredible talent. He plays a Dick Cavett-type by the name of Jack Delroy, always chasing Carson in the ratings in the 1970s talk show landscape. Following some personal tragedy, we watch archival (plus found BTS) footage of a fateful show on Halloween Eve 1977, when the creators decided to lean into the supernatural but may have invited a guest they weren’t expecting. The tension builds beautifully, leading into a finale so shocking and horrific, you won’t believe your eyes.
Our full review to be posted later.
8. KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES - DIR. WES BALL

Set several generations after the Caesar trilogy, director Wes Ball ably takes over from Matt Reeves to deliver a new adventure set in what has become one of the preeminent sci-fi franchises of American cinema. We follow Noa, an ape living in a peaceful bird clan who has a run-in with a warring and budding new ape empire, led by an ape calling himself Proximus Caesar. On his journey to save his people from servitude to this new tyrant, Noa meets a human that may change all that apes have come to learn of this new world of theirs. Another though-provoking entry in a surprisingly very sturdy franchise, the motion capture continues to evolve, with Teague and Durand’s work really shining through the VFX; some of the best performances of the year.
Our full review to be posted later.
7. HIT MAN - DIR. RICHARD LINKLATER

Powell and Linklater have partnered once again to deliver the most charming crime caper in years, following the story of Gary Johnson, a mild-mannered college professor moonlighting as an undercover hit man for the New Orleans PD. It'd be a farfetched concept if didn’t happen to be based on a true story. Gary leans into the job and embraces the chance to pretend to be a myriad of different hit man stereotypes, bringing the laughs with some of the funniest comedic bits you’ll see this year. All that changes when Gary meets Madi (Adria Arjona), a new potential “client” who Gary (or rather, his character “Ron”) has instant chemistry with. Their romance is charming and sexy; flat out undeniable to root for. As things get more tangled with this femme fatale, the lines between Gary and Ron begin to blur. This is the best stealth rom-com we’ve had in years and one you should cue up on Netflix for your next date night.
Our full review can be found here.
6. THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE - DIR. GUY RITCHIE

Guy Ritchie has really been on a roll these past few years: following the fiasco of the live-action “Aladdin”, he’s reeled off quality picture after quality picture with the humorous “The Gentlemen”, the exceptional “Wrath of Man”, the convoluted but fun “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre”, the somber “The Covenant”, and the truly phenomenal “The Gentlemen” TV series. He continues that hot streak with the fantastic “Ministry”, a film that many tried to compare to “Inglorious Bastards” but really has more in common with “The Dirty Dozen”, the original tongue-in-cheek, war action epic. It perfectly mixes tone between light and breezy, to tense and propulsive. Cavil leads a standout cast that look to be having a hell of a fun time. Sometimes a movie just needs to know when to have fun with its concept and this one sure does.
Our full review to be posted later.
5. DUNE: PART TWO - DIR. DENIS VILLENEUVE

What more is there to say about Denis Villeneuve’s now landmark sci-fi spectacular: one of the grandest productions ever mounted in cinematic history to capture Frank Herbert’s totemic work on film properly. The scope is grand, owing much to Greig Fraser’s jaw-dropping visuals. Hans Zimmer delivers another awe-inspiring score. The performances are incredible, especially the truly transformative work of Austin Butler (a leading candidate for the best supporting actor Oscar already). Villeneuve has always been wonderful at creating a lyrical visual language and his voice is well-matched to the source material here. The third act does feels a bit rushed but it's a small nit for an otherwise flawless film.
Our full review to be posted later.
4. A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE - DIR. MICHAEL SARNOSKI

The “A Quiet Place” franchise has now cemented itself as one of the most reliable and quality franchises we have in today’s Hollywood landscape. Taking over the reigns from John Krasinski, writer/director Michael Sarnoski (of “Pig” fame) pulls off a wonderful bait-and-switch with the story here, hiding underneath all the sci-fi apocalyptic mayhem a lyrical meditation on mortality and facing certain death with grace. Lupita Nyong’o is just a supernova of raw emotion (surprise, surprise, right?). Joseph Quinn matches her with raw vulnerability and tender compassion. Their wordless chemistry is palpable and a joy to watch. If I haven’t sold you yet on the film, come see it for the best cat actor of all-time with the adorable and precocious Frodo. This is a summer blockbuster bursting with a human heart and a profound soul.
Our full review can be found here.
3. CIVIL WAR - DIR. ALEX GARLAND

Alex Garland's “Civil War” is a pulverizing thriller that will grab you by the throat and hold on until you are about out of breath. Garland wisely grounds this story in the micro vs. the macro, expertly dribbling out to us small hints of how this horrific scenario playing out in front of us came to be, leaving the broader narrative to the audience to fill in. Dunst is stunning in this, so believably hardened but lets her humanity slowly bleed out. Spaeny is a true star coming into her own, and she is able to chart her character's journey in such a believed manner. THE performance of the film (and quite possibly the YEAR) belongs to Jesse Plemons. If one was not convinced yet of his unique and transcendent talent, his role in this film will. He absolutely changes the temperature of the scenery around him, providing an all-too-real and terrifying antagonist in the most unsettling of ways. Garland can also proudly say he has made a truly anti-war film, never stopping to either glamorize or even seduce you in with the hypnotic abyss (à la "Apocalypse Now"). Garland's film is not actively indicting any one particular side. Rather, he shows how easily we can fall to our basest selves and let free the dogs of war into our mindsets and, eventually, our souls. He also tells us that if you stare at these horrors long enough through a lens (or a screen), you may forget what is actually happening right before your very eyes.
Our full review to be posted later.
2. THE BIKERIDERS - DIR. JEFF NICHOLS

Jeff Nichols’ 1960s and 1970s set period crime epic follows the exploits of a Chicago-based motorcycle crew. Tom Hardy plays their charismatic leader Johnny, a gruff working-class stiff who uses the club as a way to make himself feel more important than his station will allow him…giving him an identity to fight tooth-and-nail to defend. They are all chasing the mentality and look of the idealized Benny (a true movie star crowning moment for Austin Butler, à la Brad Pitt in “Fight Club” or Paul Newman in “Cool Hand Luke”). Jodie Comer plays Benny’s mousy midwestern wife, who has to fight with Johnny for Benny’s soul (though Benny doesn’t want to be tied down to either). As the film goes along, the gang must reckon with what it means when something you’ve built with great care and love begins to grow out of your control and whether the creators even get a say once an idea begins to morph in the cold light of day. It’s a sweeping epic that is both a fun hang but also a truly haunting cautionary tale.
Our full review can be found here.
1. FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA - DIR. GEORGE MILLER

Too many people tried to compare George Miller’s latest entrant in the Mad Max saga to “Fury Road” when Miller was not interested in chasing after that film’s narrative construction…the only common thing between each franchise entrant is the tone and aesthetic, each time reinventing the wheel with a new narrative structure. “Furiosa” is an examination of the corrosive quest for vengeance and myth making, and it is one the grander sweeping epics you’ll ever get to witness. Miller has an almost primal storytelling muscle that is so singular and urgent; he is truly in a class of his own and maybe the most natural storyteller outside of Steven Spielberg, having an uncanny feel for camera placement and action filmmaking blocking. Taylor-Joy is a worthy successor in the role of Furiosa and is matched by the franchise’s best villain yet in Dementus, a scene-stealing Chris Hemsworth as the mad-dog titan of the wasteland who is more interested in causing mayhem than actually holding onto any power. He and Furiosa are the already dead and they will take their epic battle to the most glorious extremes. A marvel of a film.
Our full review can be found here.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
ASPHALT CITY - DIR. JEAN-STÉPHANE SAUVAIRE:
An intense and riveting character study of a graveyard shift paramedic, with great duel lead performances by Tye Sheridan and Sean Penn, reminding us why he is one of the most talented actors of his generation.
BAD BOYS RIDE OR DIE - DIR. ADIL EL ARBI & BILALL FALLAH:
The latest entrant in the surprisingly sturdy “Bad Boys” franchise still finds ways to humor and evolve its action visual language, with widely inventive direction from Adil & Bilall (man, Zaslav…what do we need to do to see their “Batgirl” film?).
THE BEEKEEPER - DIR. DAVID AYER:
This is by no means is one of the best films of the year, but hell if it’s not the most ‘WTF’ entertaining pieces of popcorn filmmaking we’ve gotten this year and such a big, low-key hit that we may even get treated to a sequel (how it would up the batshit craziness of the first film is beyond me, though).
THE FALL GUY - DIR. DAVID LEITCH:
An ode to the very underappreacited stunt crew community, Leitch’s action comedy has jaw-dropping action and movie star wattage chemistry leading this very fun and enjoyable Gosling-Blunt two-hander.
HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA - CHAPTER ONE - DIR. KEVIN COSTNER:
While this first entrant in the (maybe doomed?) settler epic seemed to be overlong, it actually left me wanting more: Stunning, grand filmmaking with multiple character driven subplots seems less like a current, big studio production and more harkening back to the Western epics of old.
MONKEY MAN - DIR. DEV PATEL:
Patel’s directorial debut is dynamic, wild, and bruising, never losing a feel for tone and thematic representation in the stylized choreographed violence. It’s a gorgeous, well-earned revenge epic that makes it’s protagonist all-too human.
NOWHERE SPECIAL - DIR.UBERTO PASOLINI:
A beautifully nuanced and tragic character study of a dying window washer looking for the right home for his shy, young toddler. James Norton will destroy you with a performance that will crush your heart but not in a hammy or overwrought way.
Our full review can be found here.
OUT OF DARKNESS - DIR. ANDREW CUMMING:
An amazingly directed taut survival horror thriller follows a group of early humans who have made a long trek to a new land, only to find themselves stalked by some beasts (?) in the darkness. Extremely well-shot and tense, with a wonderful breakout performance by Safia Oakley-Green.
MONOLITH - DIR. MATT VESELY:
A very clever and well-designed one-woman show (a magnetic solo performance by Lilly Sullivan), builds creepy tension and paranoia as we follow a disgraced podcaster stumbling upon a possible (and thoroughly disturbing) existential alien threat but she may also have to reckon with Australia’s long history of cultural appropriation of the aboriginal peoples.
SUNCOAST - DIR. LAURA CHINN:
Nico Parker leads this Sundance award-winner about a teenage girl who tries to navigate her high school experience while also reckoning with the impending death of her comatose older brother. Laura Linney and Woody Harrelson are just amazing in this and make this one of the most bittersweet watches of the year.

What did you think I missed? Let me know in the comments.
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