2024 Movie Watch List
My personal movie log for 2024. Tracking what I watched, when, and brief thoughts. Rating is out of 5.
January
Oppenheimer (2023)
- Date Watched: January 6
- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Rating: 5/5
- Where: Theater (IMAX rerelease)
- Notes: The Trinity test sequence is the most intense thing I have seen in a theater. Cillian Murphy deserved every award. The courtroom scenes in the second half are just as gripping as the bomb-building first half. Three hours flew by.
Poor Things (2023)
- Date Watched: January 14
- Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
- Rating: 4/5
- Where: Theater
- Notes: Visually unlike anything else. Emma Stone fully commits to the role, which is saying something given how strange the character is. The set design and color grading create a world that feels like a Victorian fever dream. Lost me slightly in the middle act but the ending brought it home.
February
The Zone of Interest (2023)
- Date Watched: February 3
- Director: Jonathan Glazer
- Rating: 5/5
- Where: Theater
- Notes: The most disturbing film I have seen in years, and it achieves this without showing any graphic violence. The banality of evil made literal -- a family living their pleasant domestic life next to Auschwitz. The sound design carries the entire horror. A film that stays with you for weeks.
Dune: Part Two (2024)
- Date Watched: February 28
- Director: Denis Villeneuve
- Rating: 5/5
- Where: Theater (IMAX)
- Notes: A rare sequel that surpasses the original. The sandworm riding scene is peak cinema. Zendaya and Austin Butler both elevated their roles beyond what the first film promised. Hans Zimmer's score hits harder here. IMAX is mandatory for this one.
March
Anatomy of a Fall (2023)
- Date Watched: March 10
- Director: Justine Triet
- Rating: 4/5
- Where: Streaming (MUBI)
- Notes: A courtroom drama that is really about a marriage. Sandra Huller is incredible -- you genuinely cannot tell if her character is guilty or innocent, and the film is perfectly comfortable with that ambiguity. The dog steals every scene.
April
Civil War (2024)
- Date Watched: April 20
- Director: Alex Garland
- Rating: 3/5
- Where: Theater
- Notes: The set pieces are extraordinary -- the gas station scene in particular. But the characters feel thin and the political premise is deliberately vague in a way that frustrated me. It works better as a war journalism film than a political statement. Jesse Plemons in a single scene is more memorable than the entire main cast.
The Fall Guy (2024)
- Date Watched: April 27
- Director: David Leitch
- Rating: 3/5
- Where: Theater
- Notes: A fun, lightweight action comedy. Ryan Gosling is effortlessly charming and the stunt work is genuinely impressive. The meta commentary on stunt performers is the best part. Does not ask much of you, delivers exactly what it promises.
May
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
- Date Watched: May 25
- Director: George Miller
- Rating: 4/5
- Where: Theater
- Notes: Not quite Fury Road, but what is? Anya Taylor-Joy grows into the role as the film progresses. Chris Hemsworth is having the time of his life as a villain. The Octoboss chase sequence is vintage Miller. The quieter first half requires patience but pays off.
June
Inside Out 2 (2024)
- Date Watched: June 22
- Director: Kelsey Mann
- Rating: 4/5
- Where: Theater
- Notes: Anxiety as a character is perfectly realized -- the way she spirals and takes over the console is something every adult will recognize. Not as groundbreaking as the first film, but it earns its emotional beats honestly. The "belief system" concept is surprisingly sophisticated for a kids' movie.
August
Alien: Romulus (2024)
- Date Watched: August 18
- Director: Fede Alvarez
- Rating: 3/5
- Where: Theater
- Notes: A solid return to form after some weak sequels. The zero-gravity acid blood scene is inventive. The young cast is fine but none match Sigourney Weaver's screen presence. Too many callbacks to the original films -- the franchise needs to move forward, not backward.
September
The Substance (2024)
- Date Watched: September 22
- Director: Coralie Fargeat
- Rating: 4/5
- Where: Film Festival
- Notes: Body horror meets Hollywood satire. Demi Moore gives the performance of her career. The film starts as a sharp critique of beauty standards and gradually escalates into absolute madness. Not for the squeamish. The final 20 minutes are unlike anything I have seen.
October
Conclave (2024)
- Date Watched: October 12
- Director: Edward Berger
- Rating: 4/5
- Where: Theater
- Notes: A papal election as political thriller. Ralph Fiennes carries the film with quiet authority. The locked-room tension is masterfully built. Beautiful cinematography of Vatican interiors. The ending twist is bold but divisive -- I thought it worked.
Anora (2024)
- Date Watched: October 28
- Director: Sean Baker
- Rating: 5/5
- Where: Theater
- Notes: My favorite film of the year. Mikey Madison is a revelation. It shifts from romantic comedy to something much darker and more human in a way that feels completely natural. The final shot is devastating. Sean Baker understands people on the margins better than any working director.
November
Wicked (2024)
- Date Watched: November 24
- Director: Jon M. Chu
- Rating: 3/5
- Where: Theater
- Notes: Ariana Grande as Glinda is perfect casting. Cynthia Erivo brings gravitas to Elphaba. The production design is lavish. My issue: splitting one musical into two films means this one ends just as the story gains real momentum. "Defying Gravity" is a showstopper though.
December
Nosferatu (2024)
- Date Watched: December 28
- Director: Robert Eggers
- Rating: 4/5
- Where: Theater
- Notes: Eggers brings his meticulous period detail to the vampire genre. Bill Skarsgard's Count Orlok is genuinely frightening -- more monster than man. Lily-Rose Depp surprised me. The shadow work and sound design create an atmosphere of pure dread. Not as revolutionary as The Witch, but a worthy addition to Eggers' filmography.
Year-End Summary
Total Films Watched: 15
Average Rating: 4.0 / 5
Best Film: Anora
Biggest Surprise: The Substance
Most Disappointing: Civil War (expected more from Garland)
Best Theater Experience: Dune: Part Two (IMAX)
Best Performance: Mikey Madison (Anora)
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