The best movies of 2024 so far
Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures
The best movies of 2024 so far
Mike Faist, Zendaya, and Josh O’Connor in ‘Challengers’.
Despite predictions that the domestic box office would take a huge hit in 2024 thanks to the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild strikes that dominated much of the second half of 2023, the movie business seems to be chugging along just fine thus far.
Ten films have made more than $100 million each at the domestic box office in 2024, as of July 23. “Inside Out 2” tops the list at nearly $600 million, more than double “Dune: Part Two,” which currently holds the runner-up spot. Some of the year’s most anticipated releases (and the money they’re sure to bring in), like “Joker: Folie à Deux,” “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” and “Gladiator II,” are still to come.
While it’s certainly satisfying to see that Hollywood is still very much capable of churning out some major blockbusters in this new, post-strike world, these big movies aren’t the only offerings worth watching in 2024. There have been a slew of films in these first seven months that have stood out for their themes, storytelling, and cinematography.
Using data from Metacritic, Stacker ranked the top 25 movies of 2024 so far by Metascore, as of July 14. To qualify for the list, the films must have been released in the U.S. in 2024 and have at least seven reviews from critics. Ties were broken by Metacritic’s internal weighting system. IMDb user ratings were provided for popular reception context.
From romantic black comedies like Richard Linklater’s “Hit Man” to sexy sports stories like “Challengers” and moody and unsettling horror movies like “I Saw the TV Glow,” read on to find out what’s stood out to critics the most this year. Be sure to come back every month as the ranking—and this year in memorable cinema—continues to develop.
You may also like: Best spy movies of all time
Rich Polk // Getty Images for SRH
#25. Hundreds of Beavers
Mike Cheslik at ‘Hundreds of Beavers’ premiere.
– Director: Mike Cheslik
– Metascore: 80
– IMDb user rating: 7.8
– Run time: 1 hour 48 minutes
One of the most unique comedies of the last few years, “Hundreds of Beavers” is a black-and-white, slapstick gem about an enterprising woodsman who finds himself facing off against a slew of forest creatures for control of his homestead. With little dialogue, a wild soundtrack, and a cast of human actors in mascot-style animal costumes, it’s safe to assume you’ve never seen anything like this ever before. Critics and audiences alike love the way the film pays homage to the cartoons of yesteryear (think “Looney Tunes”) and how genuinely funny the physical humor actually is.
Lia Toby // Getty Images for BFI
#24. Housekeeping for Beginners
Klaudia Śmieja-Rostworowska, Marcin Luccaj, Goran Stolevski, and Alina Serban attend screening.
– Director: Goran Stolevski
– Metascore: 80
– IMDb user rating: 7.0
– Run time: 1 hour 47 minutes
Set in North Macedonia, “Housekeeping for Beginners” centers on a woman doing her best to raise her deceased girlfriend’s two daughters despite never wanting to be a mother herself. Full of found family and LGBTQ+ themes, the movie is deeply emotional and raw, feelings that are compounded by the fact that director Goran Stolevski allowed the actors (many of whom made their big-screen debut here) to improvise large sections of the finished product.
Juan Naharro Gimenez // Getty Images
#23. 20,000 Species of Bees
Director and cast of ’20,000 Species of Bees’ pose in the press room during Feroz Awards 2024.
– Director: Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren
– Metascore: 80
– IMDb user rating: 7.0
– Run time: 2 hours 8 minutes
A coming-of-age story set against the slow, Spanish summer, “20,000 Species of Bees” follows a child who begins to realize that her gender identity may not be in line with the gender she was assigned at birth. Understated and emotional, the film delves into the journey many transgender young people, and their families, go through as they start to understand their identity.
Jörg Carstensen/picture alliance via Getty Images
#22. Skin Deep
Alex Schaad, Thomas Wodlanka, Maryam Zaree, Mala Emde, and Dimitrij Schaad at premiere of ‘Skin Deep’.
– Director: Alex Schaad
– Metascore: 81
– IMDb user rating: 6.2
– Run time: 1 hour 43 minutes
“Skin Deep” is a philosophical relationship drama about a young couple who find themselves in a body-swapping situation during a visit to a mysterious island. The New York Times lauded the way the film handled deep questions that might arise in romantic relationships and broader society should body-swapping become an established, serious possibility. Written by brothers Alex and Dimitrij Schaad, the film first premiered at the 2022 Venice Film Festival and only made its way to the U.S. this year. It is also Alex’s feature-length directorial debut.
Shane Anthony Sinclair // Getty Images for BFI
#21. Aisha
Letitia Wright and Director Frank Berry attend the ‘Aisha’ UK premiere.
– Director: Frank Berry
– Metascore: 81
– IMDb user rating: 6.6
– Run time: 1 hour 34 minutes
Set in Ireland, “Aisha” examines the complicated friendship that grows between an asylum seeker and a security guard at the accommodation center where she is living. Perhaps best known for her role in the “Black Panther” movies, Letitia Wright has been praised by outlets across the internet for the controlled anger, dignity, and quiet power she infused into the character. While the film is understated in its tone and emotional pull, it’s sure to have viewers reevaluating their thoughts on the immigrant experience around the world.
You may also like: 50 of the best Christmas movies of all time
Richard Blanshard // Getty Images
#20. Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger
Director Michael Powel taking pictures of the Promenade de la Croisette during the Cannes Film Festival.
– Director: David Hinton
– Metascore: 82
– IMDb user rating: 8.0
– Run time: 2 hours 11 minutes
In this essay film, Martin Scorsese guides audiences through the oeuvre of two of the most influential filmmakers of his own career: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Part chronological documentary, part film analysis, part personal narrative, the movie is a great way to get to know Powell and Pressburger as well as Scorsese himself, and was described by The New York Times as “a personal, vibrant gift.”
Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures
#19. Challengers
Mike Faist and Zendaya in ‘Challengers’.
– Director: Luca Guadagnino
– Metascore: 82
– IMDb user rating: 7.3
– Run time: 2 hours 11 minutes
Starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist, “Challengers” follows the tense dynamic that unfolds between a tennis coach, her player/husband who is on a losing streak, and his former best friend and rival/her former lover. Told largely through a series of flashbacks and flash-forwards, the movie is messy, dramatic, and very, very sexy (including a highly charged churro scene). Critics have praised the stars’ performances as well as the complex editing, which makes what could be a fairly basic story far more compelling.
Amanda Edwards // Getty Images for Film Independent
#18. Sing Sing
Josh Welsh, Greg Kwedar, Monique Walton, Clarence Maclin, Colman Domingo attend the Film Independent Special Screening of ‘Sing Sing’.
– Director: Greg Kwedar
– Metascore: 82
– IMDb user rating: 8.1
– Run time: 1 hour 45 minutes
A prison drama unlike any you’ve seen before, “Sing Sing” is about a man who has been imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit but finds purpose in a theater group composed of fellow incarcerated men. Colman Domingo plays the lead role and much of the cast is comprised of formerly incarcerated actors who participated in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program, a decision that gives the project an intensity it may not have had otherwise.
SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images
#17. Hit Man
Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, and Richard Linklater attend a screening of ‘Hit Man’.
– Director: Richard Linklater
– Metascore: 82
– IMDb user rating: 6.9
– Run time: 1 hour 55 minutes
In this Netflix original, Glen Powell (who co-wrote the screenplay) plays an undercover cop posing as a hit man who falls in love with a woman who has hired him to help kill her husband. The black comedy has garnered tons of praise for feeling like an old-school movie—one of those delightfully fun romps that’s also well-acted, sufficiently funded, and not unduly concerned with getting a message across.
PATRICK BAZ/Red Sea Film Festival/AFP via Getty Images
#16. Inshallah a Boy
Mouna Hawa receives the Best Actress Award for her role in ‘Inshallah a Boy’.
– Director: Amjad Al Rasheed
– Metascore: 83
– IMDb user rating: 7.2
– Run time: 1 hour 53 minutes
Wrestling with the devastating effects of Jordan’s patriarchal inheritance laws, “Inshallah a Boy” is a thriller about a woman who pretends to be pregnant with a son in order to save herself and her young daughter. The film was the first Jordanian project to ever compete at the Cannes Film Festival, and what a stunning debut it was. The New York Times praised the performance of Palestinian actor Mouna Hawa, calling it “commanding,” and Variety applauded director Al Rasheed’s prowess in casting a social-realist drama as a riveting escape thriller.
You may also like: Best Picture losers that won the most Oscars at their ceremony
John Nacion // Getty Images
#15. Ghostlight
Kelly O’Sullivan, Keith Kupferer, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, Tara Mallen and Alex Thompson attend SAG-AFTRA Foundation event.
– Directors: Kelly O’Sullivan, Alex Thompson
– Metascore: 83
– IMDb user rating: 8.0
– Run time: 1 hour 55 minutes
A story about the healing power of art, “Ghostlight” follows a grieving construction worker who processes the death of his teenage son through a community theater production of “Romeo and Juliet.” Messy, pure, and earnest, the film features an actual family of actors (partners Keith Kupferer and Tara Mallen and their daughter Katherine Mallen Kupferer), making everything feel incredibly real.
Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
#14. Evil Does Not Exist
Hitoshi Omika and Ryûsuke Hamaguchi pose with the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize Award.
– Director: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
– Metascore: 83
– IMDb user rating: 7.0
– Run time: 1 hour 46 minutes
The winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 80th Venice Film Festival, “Evil Does Not Exist” is a Japanese film about the residents of a small village who are pushing back against the development of the forest they live near. Described as “sparsely written” and “unsettling in tone” by NPR, “Evil Does Not Exist” is far from predictable with an ending that leaves audiences with plenty to think about.
Lionel Hahn // Getty Images
#13. Terrestrial Verses
Directors and Cast of ‘Terrestrial Verses’ pose at Cannes.
– Directors: Ali Asgari, Alireza Khatami
– Metascore: 83
– IMDb user rating: 7.4
– Run time: 1 hour 17 minutes
In this Iranian film, directors Ali Asgari and Alireza Khatami follow nine individuals as they face off against different iterations of power in the Middle Eastern country. At times comedic and difficult, the stories examine the way certain codes of behavior (whether dictated by culture or religion) can often be used as a channel for more deeply held prejudices.
Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
#12. Chicken for Linda!
Sébastien Laudenbach and Chiara Malta accept the ‘Best Animated Feature’ Cesar Award.
– Directors: Sébastien Laudenbach, Chiara Malta
– Metascore: 84
– IMDb user rating: 7.1
– Run time: 1 hour 13 minutes
In this animated film, a mother sets out to make amends with her daughter by cooking her favorite meal, despite her lack of culinary knowledge and a strike that’s essentially shut down their city. The French project is playful and emotional, exploring themes like grief and memory in ways that will appeal to audiences of all ages.
Frazer Harrison // Getty Images
#11. I Saw the TV Glow
Sam Intili, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Jane Schoenbrun attend the 2024 Los Angeles Festival of Movies.
– Director: Jane Schoenbrun
– Metascore: 84
– IMDb user rating: 5.9
– Run time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Dubbed “weird and transfixing” by NPR, “I Saw the TV Glow” centers on two teenagers who bond over a supernatural TV series only to have their lives go off the rails years after the show’s cancellation. Produced by Emma Stone and Dave McCary’s company Fruit Tree, the movie stars Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine and is far more unsettling than the previews may have led viewers to believe.
You may also like: Best summer rom-coms of all time
Steven Ferdman // Getty Images
#10. Janet Planet
Julianne Nicholson and Annie Baker attend the “Janet Planet” New York Screening.
– Director: Annie Baker
– Metascore: 85
– IMDb user rating: 6.7
– Run time: 1 hour 53 minutes
Set in the early ’90s, this drama follows a hippie mother (Julianne Nicholson) and her preteen daughter (Zoe Ziegler) over the course of one slow summer as they spend nearly all of their time together and confront changes in their relationship. The movie is the feature directorial debut of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker, who also wrote the screenplay.
Lionel Hahn // Getty Images
#9. About Dry Grasses
Deniz Celiloglu, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Merve Dizdar, and Musab Ekici at Cannes.
– Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
– Metascore: 87
– IMDb user rating: 7.8
– Run time: 3 hours 17 minutes
This Turkish-language drama centers on a teacher who finds his future threatened after a female student alleges inappropriate contact. As is the case with many of Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s projects, the movie is slow and sparse, with a strong emphasis placed on still photography. The New Yorker called it “nimble, alert, and alive,” stressing that it “brims with a bitingly melancholy Chekhovian spirit,” something that’s sure to appeal to certain moviegoers.
Theo Wargo // Getty Images for FLC
#8. Pictures of Ghosts
Kleber Mendonça Filho and Dennis Lim attend the New York Film Festival ‘Pictures Of Ghosts’ panel.
– Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
– Metascore: 88
– IMDb user rating: 7.7
– Run time: 1 hour 33 minutes
In this documentary, filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho revisits his life in Brazil, recalling its glory days through the prism of the various cinemas he frequented as a child. The New York Times praised the film, which combines both new and archived footage, for the way it inspires a “rumination on life, death, family, movies, and those complicated, invariably haunted places we call home.” Meanwhile, IndieWire hailed the documentary’s celebratory spirit, noting that Filho is able to give the film “a joyful rhythm, full of hope and wonder.”
Gerald Matzka // Getty Images
#7. Green Border
Meret Becker, Jasmin Shakeri, Agnieszka Holland, Maja Ostaszewska and Axel Bosse attend the Berlin premiere of ‘Green Border’.
– Director: Agnieszka Holland
– Metascore: 90
– IMDb user rating: 6.4
– Run time: 2 hours 32 minutes
Described by RogerEbert.com as “the best and most important film to be released in the U.S. so far this year,” “Green Border” examines the ongoing European refugee crisis. Set on the border of Belarus and Poland, the movie is gorgeously shot in black and white and manages to perfectly walk the line between real and melodramatic. It’s a must-watch for any politically minded viewer.
Theo Wargo // Getty Images for FLC
#6. La Chimera
Alice Rohrwacher, Isabella Rossellini, and Josh O’Connor pose for press at the New York Film Festival.
– Director: Alice Rohrwacher
– Metascore: 91
– IMDb user rating: 7.3
– Run time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Set in the ’80s, “La Chimera” centers on a lovelorn archaeologist who unwittingly finds himself the head of a ragtag gang of grave robbers, stealing artifacts and passing them on to a mysterious buyer. The Guardian called it “uproarious and celebratory” noting that its tone—and the way it teems with life—is one of the best things about it. Meanwhile, Slant loved the way it wrestles with time and its effect on all of our lives.
You may also like: 50 best Western films of all time, according to critics
Sebastian Reuter // Getty Images
#5. Tótem
Lila Aviles and Naima Senties at the ‘Totem’ premiere during the Berlinale International Film Festival.
– Director: Lila Avilés
– Metascore: 91
– IMDb user rating: 7.1
– Run time: 1 hour 35 minutes
The National Board of Review named “Tótem” one of the best international films of the year, which is as winning of an endorsement as one could hope to receive. The Mexican project is about a 7-year-old girl celebrating her father’s birthday and struggling to come to terms with the fact that it will likely be his last. Variety called the movie “lifelike and lived-in” and commended filmmaker Lila Avilés’ “generous, open-ended” style.
Arturo Holmes // Getty Images for FLC
#4. Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus
Neo Sora attends the 61st NYFF screening of ‘Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus’.
– Director: Neo Sora
– Metascore: 91
– IMDb user rating: 8.1
– Run time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Called “a parting gift from a master musician” by The New York Times, “Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus” is the pianist’s final performance. There are no interviews or introductions in the film, it’s simply 103 minutes of the Japanese artist sitting at his piano playing some of his greatest hits. While it may not sound like the most exciting film the year has had to offer, the space it offers for contemplation is unlike anything else the big screen has given us.
Sebastian Reuter // Getty Images
#3. Here
Bas Devos speaks on stage at the Berlinale International Film Festival.
– Director: Bas Devos
– Metascore: 92
– IMDb user rating: 6.9
– Run time: 1 hour 24 minutes
Dubbed “a celebration of connection” by The New York Times, Bas Devos’ “Here” follows the lives of a Romanian construction worker and a Belgian-Chinese academic who studies moss. Their lives, which have almost no reason to intersect, inevitably do in the most unusual of places. The quiet film is beautifully photographed and captures a sense of connection where “nothing much and everything happens—or could,” according to the Times.
PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images
#2. Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell
Pham Thien An poses with Anais Demoustier after he won the Camera d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
– Director: Thien An Pham
– Metascore: 94
– IMDb user rating: 6.7
– Run time: 2 hours 59 minutes
Straddling the line between surrealism and realism, “Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell” centers on a young Vietnamese man navigating the unexpected loss of a family member and grappling with larger questions of faith, god, and the afterlife. The movie won director Thien An Pham the Camera d’Or, the award given to the best debut feature, at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Outlets like IndieWire have gushed over the project’s unique cinematic style (there are long, uninterrupted shots that run for up to 20 minutes at a time), which has earned praise from critics internationally.
Alessandro Levati // Getty Images
#1. Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World
Radu Jude poses for press portrait at the Locarno Film Festival.
– Director: Radu Jude
– Metascore: 95
– IMDb user rating: 7.4
– Run time: 2 hours 43 minutes
In this black comedy, a production assistant is tasked with shooting a workplace safety video, only to find their plans upended when an interviewee makes a surprising statement. Completely unique in its form (it’s a mix of new footage; edited excerpts of another 1981 film, “Angela merge mai departe”; and the main character’s TikTok videos), Variety called the movie a “dizzying, dazzling feat of social critique, an all-fronts-at-once attack on the zeitgeist, and a mischievous, often hilarious work of art about the artifice of work.”
Data reporting by Luke Hicks. Story editing by Carren Jao and Jaimie Etkin. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.
You may also like: 100 best ’90s movies
