I watched one-hundred and seventy-five movies this year. Here are my
top 13 and bottom 5 picks for
the year. This is based simply on the movies I watched this year, not on
what was released this year.
Of all the movies I watched, the
breakdown for my recommendations are 49% watch it, 25% it depends, and
26% skip it. Of all those only 8% made the best list and 3% made the
worst list.
Check out the previous year-end reviews.
I frequently forget to catalog the best scenes, Magnolia is full
of big scenes and if I had to pick one it would have to be the
culmination of Frank's interview, also the final scene of Gone Baby Gone, and Rebel Ridge when Terry first confronts Chief Burnne.
The Top 13 of 2024:
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly [Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo] (1966)
Written by: Luciano Vincenzoni & Sergio Leone (story), Agenore Incrocci & Furio Scarpelli & Luciano Vincenzoni & Sergio Leone (screenplay)
Directed by: Sergio Leone
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef
Rated: NR [PG-13]
Watch the trailer
Plot
Two men in a bounty hunting scam form an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery.
Verdict
This is a great movie in its own right, but it also it revived the western genre with a gritty and deliberate story. Watching this movie is a rite of passage. At its core it's a movie about greed and how much characters will compromise to that end, and it's so different from the standard western. That always intrigues, but this movie adds a visual and audio style that became synonymous with the genre.
Full Review
BlackBerry (2023)
Written by: Jacquie McNish & Sean Silcoff (based on the book "Losing the Signal" by), Matt Johnson & Matthew Miller (screenplay by)
Directed by: Matt Johnson
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Glenn Howerton, Matt Johnson, Michael Ironside, Cary Elwes
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
The story of the meteoric rise and catastrophic demise of the world's first smartphone.
Verdict
Blackberry captures the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship as well as the pitfalls of success and capitalism. What went wrong with the tech boom? This movie wants to answer that. This is an amazing education and movie that shows what happens when you lose focus and cut corners. All too often we've seen companies that had complete control over the market only to lose their grip completely. Howerton starts behind the line and I was concerned I'd only see him as Dennis, but he delivers quite the performance.
Full Review
Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Written by: Ben Affleck & Aaron Stockard (screenplay), Dennis Lehane (novel)
Directed by: Ben Affleck
Starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, Amy Ryan, TItus Welliver, Michael Kenneth Williams, Mark Margolis
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
Two Boston area detectives investigate a little girl's kidnapping, which ultimately turns into a crisis both professionally and personally.
Verdict
This movie has such a great mood, admittedly it's dark and depressing though. The case is a missing child, but this is all about choices. There's what's right and what's just. Everyone has to figure out where they draw the line, and this movie blurs that line the entire time as characters fall on both sides with justifications. This is gripping the entire time, but it ends with such an impact. It's a movie that's so impressive, and the ending unbelievably makes it even better.
Full Review
Apocalypto (2006)
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Written by: Mel Gibson & Farhad Safinia
Directed by: Mel Gibson
Starring: Rudy Youngblood, Raoul Trujillo, Mayra Sérbulo, Dalia Hernández, Jonathan Brewer, Gerardo Taracena
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
As the Mayan kingdom faces its decline, a young man is taken on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression.
Verdict
What an amazing movie, though I get why it flew under the radar. The
setting and time period make it a completely different world, and the
production design is impressive. We follow a captive that's trying to
avoid his fate while also trying to rescue his family. The concept is so
simple, and while it's been done before, it's never been in this time
period which make this fresh. The story is great, the tension is off the
charts, and the ending is even better. While it can be very violent,
this was a primitive time.
Full Review
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
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Written by: George Miller & Nick Lathouris
Directed by: George Miller
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
The origin story of renegade warrior Furiosa before her encounter with Mad Max.
Verdict
Sequels,
or prequels, often disappoint. This doesn't. It's an adrenaline pumping
thrill ride from the very beginning. It possesses a confidence in the
craft and story telling that insist upon your full attention. It doesn't
try to recreate Fury Road, and it's a different type of movie
that happens to be set in the same world. It's a relentless chase for
vengeance that very often becomes an actual chase. This manages to add
depth to Furiosa without feeling like a gimmick or needless addition. Few movies do I want to watch again immediately, but this is one of them.
Full Review
The Fall Guy (2024)
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Written by: Glen A. Larson (based on the television series created by), Drew Pearce (written by)
Directed by: David Leitch
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Teresa Palmer, Winston Duke
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer
Plot
A
stuntman, fresh off an almost career-ending accident, tracks down a
missing movie star, solves a conspiracy, and wins back the love of his
life while still doing his day job. What could possibly go right?
Verdict
This
achieves the main mission of a movie, to entertain. This features so
many stunts, a romance, commentary on actors, and overall it's a homage
to stunt people and their craft. The dialog is clever, the editing
always amplifies what's on screen, and Gosling is a lot of fun to watch.
It's not an accident that this celebrates stunt people while the only
actor we see for any amount of time is a self absorbed psychopath. That
and frequent movie references give this a lot of depth. While you can
enjoy it as just an action movie, it offers a lot more.
Full Review
Rebel Ridge (2024)
Watch Rebel Ridge on Netflix
Written by: Jeremy Saulnier
Directed by: Jeremy Saulnier
Starring: Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, David DEnman
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
An
ex-Marine grapples his way through a web of small-town corruption when
an attempt to post bail for his cousin escalates into a violent standoff
with the local police chief.
Verdict
I
loved this. I'm a fan of Saulnier, and this movie only cements why.
This is exhausting because it's so intense. Every scene is filled with
anticipation and dread of what comes next, and this is relentless in
that regard. From the very first scene there's trouble and this seems
like a modern First Blood
when a veteran runs afoul of a couple of cops that don't want him in
town. From there things escalate and this movie never plays out quite
like you'd think. The writing is sharp, though there is a lot of dialog
for an action movie. That's not bad, it serves to build the suspense.
This could be shorter as it takes a bit of time to explain the
conspiracy. Still, every scene is so loaded, and it's one of the few
movies I wanted to immediately watch again.
Full Review
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
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Written by: Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright
Directed by: Edgar Wright
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Rafe Spall
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
The uneventful, aimless lives of a London electronics salesman and his layabout roommate are disrupted by the zombie apocalypse.
Verdict
This
is absolutely excellent. Very few movies are so joke dense. From
wordplay to what's happening at the edge of each frame, to repeated
dialog, multiple rewatches aren't just mandatory, they're welcome. This
inventively folds upon itself where dialog and situations before the
apocalypse have a very different meaning after. It's a clever script
that works as a comedy and a zombie movie in equal measure which is no
easy feat. It's fun, funny, and worth rewatching a few times.
Full Review
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
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Written by: Charlie Kaufman & Michel Gondry & Pierre Bismuth (story), Charlie Kaufman (screenplay)
Directed by: Michel Gondry
Starring: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Tom Wilkinson, Elijah Wood, Mark Ruffalo, David Cross, Kirsten Dunst
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
When
their relationship turns sour, a couple undergoes a medical procedure
to have each other erased from their memories forever.
Verdict
It's
such a creative and thought provoking concept. What if you could erase a
memory you don't like? What if you change your mind? It's a love story
that defies all standard conventions, and the imagery has since become
classic. It's not just a great idea, but it's been developed into an
engrossing story that's visually unique as it explores perception and
reality and what's in between. We all know love and pain, and this
explores that concept deeper than any other film. What starts out as
depressing, surprisingly ends with a ray of hope.
Full Review
Past Lives (2023)
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Written by: Celine Song
Directed by: Celine Song
Starring: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer
Plot
Nora
and Hae Sung, two childhood friends, are wrested apart after Nora's
family emigrates from South Korea. Twenty years later, they are reunited
for one fateful week as they confront notions of love and destiny.
Verdict
This is such a beautiful movie, exploring unrequited love. That's
something to which everyone can relate. What happened to that childhood
crush? With the internet it's easier to
find them, but that doesn't make it any easier to have a relationship.
Every scene in this movie is packed with emotion and depth as it's clear
there's a connection between the characters but time and distance are a
hurdle. This suggests that a connection in this life is one step closer
to a relationship in the next, and that it may take thousands of chance
interactions across thousands of lifetimes to approach something
meaningful. It's a tragedy that the characters in this movie will never
see it come to fruition, but it's a hopeful thought; nothing is ever
lost as it builds to a resolution. That's a wonderful image.
Full Review
Magnolia (1999)
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Written by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring:
Tom Cruise, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Baker Hall,
William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, Melora Walters, Jason Robards, Alfred
Molina, Patton Oswalt
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
This
sprawling character study of people in search of love, forgiveness, and
meaning whose lives intersect by sheer coincidence in the San Fernando
Valley.
Verdict
The first few scenes provide far fetched but 'true' scenarios that act
as a primer for this movie. We follow various people and their
interconnected struggles. These characters are completely engrossing
from the beginning with an obvious depth. What's behind their pain or
persona? The characters and acting are great, and with a stellar cast
Tom Cruise might be the standout due to playing against type.
All of
these characters are having the worst day of their life. While their
connections seem like a stretch, the movie has already addressed it.
Even the parts of the movie that are criticized for being too much, I
appreciate this movie goes for it and makes an overt connection without
floundering. Despite the run time, this never feels long as I was
invested in these characters and their outcomes. It's a well made film
that creates complex characters that carry this movie, and it's not
content to do just that. It takes it to another level.
Full Review
Unstoppable (2010)
Written by: Mark Bomback
Directed by: Tony Scott
Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, Ethan Suplee, Kevin Dunn, Kevin Corrigan
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer
Plot
With an unmanned, half-mile-long freight train barreling toward a city, a veteran engineer and a young conductor race against the clock to prevent a catastrophe.
Verdict
This is an absolute adrenaline pumping thrill ride. It does everything an action movie should and more. The pacing is perfect as the train company tries in vain to stop this train and people start to understand what's at stake. The bureaucrats are concerned about how this will affect their bottom line. Two guys who don't get along and barely escape the train themselves defy corporate in an attempt to save lives and do the right thing by stopping the train in a dangerous gambit. It's a simple concept phenomenally well done.
Full Review
Conclave (2024)
Written by: Peter Straughan (screenplay by), Robert Harris (based on the book by)
Directed by: Edward Berger
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow
Rated: PG
Watch the trailer
Plot
When Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with leading one of the world's most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, he finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could shake the very foundation of the Catholic Church.
Verdict
It's an intriguing premise; venturing into a conclave. Every facet of the movie is well crafted, from framing and production to performances and story. It's well made, and while it shows us the traditions, we also see that even cardinals are not infallible. Numerous forces push and pull at the conclave, not just the cardinals vying for position but the outside media and human foibles. While we see a new Pope elected, this movie still has more to say, leavings us with something to consider long after the movie has concluded.
Full Review
The Bottom 5 of 2024:
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
Rent Fifty Shades of Grey on Amazon Video (paid link) // Buy the book (paid link)
Written by: Kelly Marcel (screenplay by), E.L. James (based on the novel by)
Directed by: Sam Taylor-Johnson
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle, Luke Grimes, Marcia Gay Harden, Callum Keith Rennie
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
Literature student Anastasia Steele's life changes forever when she meets handsome, yet tormented, billionaire Christian Grey.
Verdict
From
the very beginning this is bad. The dialog is terrible and the movie is
way too long. By the time I reached the half way mark I was all but
checked out. After an hour, it starts going downhill quickly. Despite
the length it doesn't even have a conclusion. The movie just stops. It
doesn't have a point, hoping that being alluring is enough. It's not,
and for this movie it's not even close. This is drivel.
Full Review
Expend4bles (2023)
Written by: Kurt Wimmer & Tad Daggerhart and Max Adams (screenplay), Spenser Cohen and Kurt Wimmer & Tad Daggerhart (story), Dave Callaham (characters created by)
Directed by: Scott Waugh
Starring: Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Megan Fox, Dolph Lundgren, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Randy Couture, Andy GarcÃa
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
Armed with every weapon they can get their hands on, the Expendables are the world's last line of defense and the team that gets called when all other options are off the table.
Verdict
Did this movie hope to coast on name recognition? How do you make a movie this bad? You could have told these actors to just improvise scenes and it would be better than this. It's appalling how a concept like this is so boring. Even Stallone couldn't stomach this. It seems like a lack of effort, from the uninspiring fights to the poor CGI. The story relies on tropes and scenes copied from other movies. I thought the third one was bad, but this movie wanted to prove it could sink even lower. The longer I watched this, the more irritated I became. I knew this wouldn't be good, but I wasn't prepared for just how bad it is.
Full Review
Saw X (2023)
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Written by: Pete Goldfinger & Josh Stolberg
Directed by: Kevin Greutert
Starring: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Synnøve Macody Lund
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
A
sick and desperate John travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental
medical procedure in hopes of a miracle cure for his cancer only to
discover the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable.
Verdict
This
is one gruesome dismemberment or death after another. That's all this
has to offer as there isn't much story. It's goal is to shock and gross
out the audience. While it does that, it's nothing I want to see. I
don't care to see disgusting injuries in graphic detail. Any tension is
overshadowed by how gross this gets. That must be the reason I quit
watching the franchise after the second movie, and I'd guess that's all
these movies are now. Even when this movie gets to the big reveal, it
has to explain it to the audience so it makes sense.
Full Review
Fantasy Island (2020)
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Written by: Jeff Wadlow & Christopher Roach & Jillian Jacobs, Gene Levitt (based upon the television series created by)
Directed by: Jeff Wadlow
Starring:
Michael Peña, Maggie Q, Lucy Hale, Austin Stowell, Jimmy O. Yang,
Portia Doubleday, Ryan Hansen, Michael Rooker, Kim Coates
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer
Plot
When
the owner and operator of a luxurious island invites a collection of
guests to live out their most elaborate fantasies in relative seclusion,
chaos quickly descends.
Verdict
I
don't even know how to best capture how disappointing this is. It's
aggressively bad. You watch, thinking how pointless the movie is. Then
we get to the conclusion and the shocking thing is that this movie can
indeed get worse. It's a waste of time. There's nothing redeeming about
this. I don't think anyone set out to make a bad movie, but if that's
the case what happened to this movie? Sadly the best part of this movie
is the poster.
Full Review
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
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Written
by: Terry Rossio & Adam Wingard & Simon Barrett (story). Terry
Rossio and Simon Barrett and Jeremy Slater (screenplay)
Directed by: Adam Wingard
Starring: Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer
Plot
Two
ancient titans, Godzilla and Kong, clash in an epic battle as humans
unravel their intertwined origins and connection to Skull Island's
mysteries.
Verdict
There
isn't much plot to this, and what's revealed is ill-conceived. This is a
bunch of ideas barely joined. It's isn't much more than a succession of
images on a screen. The plot consists of people and creatures doing
things we don't care about in the hope that we mistake it as plot. You
could stop watching this at any point and never feel the need to return.
This script is the idea phase of writing, and it wasn't developed
further. There is nothing I like about this, and I had to fight to pay
attention as any distraction was more intriguing than this movie.
Full Review
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