Well, faithful readers, another 12 months has passed, which means it's time for me to talk about 10 movies that I enjoyed watching in 2024. If you would like to hear about five additional films that I didn't enjoy watching, you can listen to my podcast, Baconsale. However, you're getting the full list of good movies here on Blogger, whereas I only shared five of these picks on the podcast, so it all evens out, right?
Anyway, as I have done in years past (e.g, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, and 2009), here are my favorite 10 films that I watched in 2024 (some of which I would recommend watching with Clearplay or VidAngel).
10. The Zone of Interest (2023)
Despite its seemingly mundane foreground, The Zone of Interest kept me thoroughly engaged (and horrified) by what was going on in the background. This film uses sound and visual clues to continuously echo the terrible events that occurred at the Auschwitz concentration camp without overtly saying anything. The cameras keep their distance from the characters, giving a heightened sense of realism to the story, as if you were watching the events unfold in person. I don’t think I’ll be watching The Zone of Interest again any time soon, but it definitely made an impression on me that I won’t soon forget.
9. Godzilla Minus One (2023)
If you’re only going to watch one Godzilla movie in your life, I might recommend that it be Godzilla Minus One. I’ve seen a handful of them and, to be honest, I haven’t been very impressed. However, this version has a compelling plot surrounding the humans. The actors aren’t acting like they’re in a cheesy monster flick, they’re giving highly dramatic performances. It also helped me realize why people are afraid of Godzilla. He’s menacing and terrifying and when he attacks, it all seems so hopeless. They could have subtracted about 20 minutes or so from Godzilla Minus One, but I enjoyed watching it.
8. Smile (2022)
Smile preyed on two of my biggest fears: creepy grins and feeling like you’re going crazy. So, between that and their very effective (and plentiful) jump scares, I found this to be a solid scary movie. Sosie Bacon carries this film on her shoulders, and her dramatic performance makes this paranormal plot more believable. Yes, the story is a little derivative from other horror films I enjoy, but it’s different enough from them that I can appreciate this one separately. Watching Smile is a heavy experience, so I don’t know if I’ll be watching this regularly, but it definitely made an impression on me.
7. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024)
I have fond memories of reading the book, but it was my wife that insisted that we watch this film adaptation of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever as a family. I’m glad she did. This is a really cute movie. It has a heart-warming, faith-promoting message that is boosted by lighthearted humor, emotional moments, and solid performances from the cast—even the child actors. For example, I thought Molly Belle Wright did a fantastic job as little, anxious Beth Bradley. Some may find this movie to be cheesy, but The Best Christmas Pageant Ever may end up becoming a traditional holiday film for me and my family.
6. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
The Curse of Frankenstein brings new life to Mary Shelley’s gothic tale. This colorized film adaptation adds a sense of gruesomeness to the story, and it also is the first adaptation where I’ve felt like Victor Frankenstein is the real monster. Peter Cushing is delightfully devilish in that role, and I was surprised to discover it was his first part in a feature film. It’s also fun to see Christopher Lee as The Creature, who is quite horrifying. I don’t wish to downplay Universal’s classic 1931 Frankenstein, which is undeniably iconic, but The Curse of Frankenstein may be my new favorite adaptation.
5. Faith of Angels (2024)
Faith of Angels is an inspiring film based on a moving real-life story. This movie is able to portray realistic sentiment without getting overly sentimental. I was particularly impressed with the performance of Kirby Heyborne, who nailed the emotions of a father in distress. I felt his pain. And John Michael Finley did a great job of portraying a reluctant hero, too. Even though I knew how the general plot was going to turn out, I still got caught up in the emotion of it all and kept wondering what was going to happen next. Faith of Angels is a captivating drama the whole family can watch together.
4. Hit Man (2023)
Hit Man proves, once again, that Glen Powell is more than just a pretty face. In fact, he has many pretty faces in this movie. And each time he dresses up as a different person, I was entertained. He seems to be having a really good time in this role, as well. Additionally, Adria Arjona does a good job of making her character seem believable. And director Richard Linklater is able to use a real-life story as a springboard to create an intriguing movie plot. I don’t think they knew how to finish this story, so the ending feels oddly abrupt, but the overall ride of watching Hit Man was a lot of fun.
3. Barbarian (2022)
I was told to not look up any information about Barbarian so that I could be surprised by it, and boy was I! I won’t give any spoilers here, but this movie was wildly different from what I was expecting. Even as I was watching it, I thought the plot was going to go one way, and then it would take a sharp left into a completely different tunnel of terror. I was slightly disappointed by the ending, which feels a little underdeveloped, and there were a few overly indulgent horror movie moments, but overall Barbarian is a creepy, captivating film with impressive performances from each member of the cast.
2. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is just as unique as its name. This is a bizarre & entertaining experiment in story, with Nicholas Cage playing an exaggerated version of himself in an initially grounded story that quickly becomes embellished with ridiculousness. Also, Pedro Pascal is simply a delight as Javi Gutierrez, and makes you smile whenever he’s on the screen. I not only found myself entertained as I watched this movie, but I also enjoyed the mystery of having no idea what was going to happen next. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is definitely more than just a meme generator.
And my number one movie that I watched in 2024 was...
1. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)
I made a mistake. I didn’t see Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves in theaters and I should have. But because I and many other people felt lukewarm about this film when it came out, it bombed at the box office and it shouldn’t have. It’s a fun movie that deserves more love and attention. The humor is charming, the action is exciting, and the visual effects are impressive. I thought the cast did a great job, too. This film even made me like Michelle Rodriguez, which is no small feat. I wish I could use a spell to go back in time and buy a ticket for Dungeons & Dragons and tell others to do the same.
And I would also like to give some honorable mentions to Flora and Son (2023), Lord of the Flies (1963), Les Misérables (1935), Past Lives (2023), Rio Bravo (1959), which are all worth watch, as well, even if they didn't make my top ten.
Well, faithful readers, that's all for now. I'll see you in another 12 months, that is, unless, for some reason, podcasting goes the way of blogging.
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