"Oppenheimer" continued to streamroll through Hollywood's awards season on Saturday, winning the top prize, for outstanding cast, along with awards for Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr., at the 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards.
As the Academy Awards draw closer, Christopher Nolan's blockbuster biopic β already a winner at the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs β increasingly looked like the run-away favorite. The SAG Awards, one of the most-telling Oscar predictors, will only add to the momentum for "Oppenheimer," the lead Academy Awards nominee with 13 nods.
The SAG Actor statue on display at the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
The SAG Awards don't always signify Oscar success. Two of the last five winners from the guild ("The Trial of the Chicago 7" and "Black Panther") lost at the Academy Awards. But in the past two years, all five of the top SAG prizesΒ β best ensemble and the four acting winnersΒ βΒ corresponded with the eventual Oscar winners, including the ensembles for "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "CODA."
That could mean the SAGs offered an Oscar preview in two of the closest contests: best actor and best actress.
The night's most thrilling win went to Lily Gladstone for female actor in a leading role in Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon." No category has been more hotly contested, with analysts evenly split between Gladstone and Emma Stone for "Poor Things."
But Gladstone won Saturday and the crowd erupted. Stone, too, stood and vigorously applauded.
More is riding on Gladstone than perhaps any other Oscar contender this year. Her win would be a first for Native Americans.
Lily Gladstone accepts the award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role for "Killers of the Flower Moon" onΒ Saturday during the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Murphy and Paul Giamatti ("The Holdovers") also are seen as in a neck-and-neck contest. But Murphy has now won at the SAGs, the BAFTAs and Globes, suggesting he has the clear edge heading into the Academy Awards.
Robert Downey Jr. and Da'Vine Joy Randolph each won for their supporting performances, likewise solidifying their status as Oscar favorites.
Downey Jr., accepting his first SAG Award for a movie role for his performance in Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer," grinned as he accepted the trophy.
"Why me? Why now? Why do things seem to be going my way?" Downey Jr.Β said.Β "Unlike my fellow nominees, I will never grow tired from the sound of my own voice."
Both Downey Jr. β who triumphed again over Ryan Gosling ("Barbie") β and Randolph emerged as Academy Awards front-runners. Their wins Saturday should make them shoo-ins.
Robert Downey Jr. accepts the award for outstanding performance by a male actorΒ in a supporting role for "Oppenheimer" onΒ SaturdayΒ during the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Randolph's performance in Alexander Payne's "The Holdovers" has been a breakthrough role for the 37-year-old actor. Now, she appears poised to win the Academy Award.
"To every actor out there still waiting in the wings for their chance, let me tell you: Your life can change in a day," Randolph said. "It's not a question of if but when. Keep going."
The 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards, streaming for the first time live on Netflix, got underway with Oscar momentum up for grabs for lead nominees "Oppenheimer" and "Barbie." The ceremony kicked off at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles.
"Personally, I can't wait to get home and have Netflix recommend this show to me based on all the other stuff that I watch myself in," joked Idris Elba, kicking off the show.
After more than two decades airing on TNT and TBS to dwindling viewership, Netflix acquired telecast rights to the SAG Awards in early 2023. That meant some different rules, including no ads and permitted bad language. Elba, who kicked off the show on stage, suggested a delicate dance.
"Don't say anything you wouldn't say in front of Oprah," said Elba, who promptly added an expletive.
The SAG Actor statue on display at the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
This year's SAG Awards follows a grueling monthslong strike in which the SAG-AFTRA union fought a bitter battle over a number of issues. Much of the work stoppage was prompted over changes in the film and TV industry brought on by streaming and a sea change led by Netflix.
"Your solidarity ignited workers around the world, triggering what forever will be remember as 'the hot labor summer,'" said Fran Drescher, president of SAG-AFTRA. "This was a seminal moment in our union's history."
It didn't take long for the night's hosts to nab an award of their own. Ali Wong, who sported one of the most eye-catching looks on the red carpet, won best female actor in a TV movie or limited series for the Netflix series "Beef." Later, her co-star Steven Yeun also won.
"The Bear" likewise continued its awards run, winning best comedy series, and awards for Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri.
The new streaming platform was sure to put even more of a spotlight on one of the most closely-watched predictors of the Academy Awards. Oscar voting wraps Tuesday. The lack of ad breaks meant some notable tweaks. Many winners were interviewed backstage β sometimes charmingly, sometimes awkwardly β by red-carpet co-host Tan France.
Pedro Pascal, looking very surprised, won best male actor in a drama series for "The Last of Us."
Barbara Streisand accepts the life achievement award Saturday during the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Barbra Streisand accepted a lifetime achievement award, presented by Jennifer Aniston and Bradley Cooper.
"I remember dreaming of being an actress as a teenager sitting in my bed in Brooklyn with a pint of coffee ice cream and a movie magazine," said Streisand, who recalled being transfixed by "my first crush," Marlon Brando. She also took a moment to celebrate the Jewish pioneers of Hollywood.
Two awards for stunt ensemble were announced during the red carpet. Those went to the stunt performers of "Mission: Impossible β Dead Reckoning Part One," in the film category, and for "The Last of Us" in television.
The best movies of 2024 so far
The best movies of 2024 so far
Updated
The year may have just gotten started, but 2024 is already looking to be an exciting year in film if the following list is any indication.
As a result of the monthslong Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists strikes last year, industry experts, like those at Deadline, are expecting to see a huge drop in the number of major films set to premiere by the end of the year. Although last year saw 124 wide releases, 2024 expects to see just over 100, which will equate to a roughly $1 billion drop in domestic ticket sales.
That said, we'll still be getting a fair number of blockbusters over the course of the year, with titles like "Madame Web," "Dune: Part Two," "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga," "Deadpool & Wolverine," and "Gladiator 2" all poised to hit theaters this year. Those are just a taste of the movies expecting a theatrical release in 2024.
In the first two months of the year, however, we've already seen a number of truly wonderful films hit the big screenβstories that help audiences see the past and their lives just a little differently.
Stacker looked at Metacritic data on the best films of 2024 so far and ranked the top five. Ordered by Metascore, the films had to have been released in the U.S. in 2024 and have at least seven reviews from critics in order to qualify for this list. IMDb user ratings were provided for popular reception context.
Read on to find some new titles to add to your queue and then come back throughout the year as the list, and this year in memorable cinema, grows exponentially.
#25. Ghostlight
- Directors: Kelly O'Sullivan, Alex Thompson
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- 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.
#24. Janet Planet
Updated
- Director: Annie Baker
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- 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.
#23. Crossing
Updated
- Director: Levan Akin
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Run time: 1 hour 46 minutes
Following a promise she made to her dying sister, a retired teacher heads to Istanbul in search of her transgender niece. Her path soon crosses with a young man on a quest of his own, and the story of "Crossing" unfolds from there. The setting and cinematography are half the draw here, which, combined with the quiet emotional through line of the film, make "Crossing" one of the year's most worthy watches.
#22. Evil Does Not Exist
- Director: RyΓ»suke 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.
#21. Terrestrial Verses
Updated
- 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.
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#20. Between the Temples
- Director: Nathan Silver
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 6.3
- Run time: 1 hour 51 minutes
Jason Schwartzman stars in this comedy-drama about a widowed cantor whose grade school music teacher seeks his wisdom in prepping for her adult bat mitzvah. Aptly described by The New York Times as a "coming-of-middle-age story," "Between the Temples" offers a unique look at how our toughest moments are often dotted with comedy. The movie's chaotic, improvisational camerawork helps to create a viewing experience "as volatile and hilarious as it is sweet and profound," per The Associated Press.
#19. Sing Sing
- Director: Greg Kwedar
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- 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 authenticity it may not have had otherwise.
#18. His Three Daughters
- Director: Azazel Jacobs
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Run time: 1 hour 41 minutes
Exploring themes of sisterhood, loss, and grief, "His Three Daughters" follows three estranged sisters as they reunite to prepare for their father's death in his tiny New York City apartment. Starring Elizabeth Olsen, Carrie Coon, and Natasha Lyonne, the Netflix original is being touted as one of the best dramas of the year and has even garnered Oscar buzz for Lyonne in the Best Supporting Actress category.
#17. Chicken for Linda!
Updated
- Directors: SΓ©bastien 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.
#16. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Updated
- Directors: Ian BonhΓ΄te, Peter Ettedgui
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 8.6
- Run time: 1 hour 44 minutes
"Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story" sets out to show that "Superman" star Christopher Reeve was just as much a hero in real life as he was on-screen. The intimate documentary covers the whole of the actor's life, from his early days in Hollywood in the 1970s through his meteoric rise as the man of steel. From there, the film explores the 1995 horseback riding accident that left him paralyzed, his second act as a disability rights advocate, and his death at 52 in 2004.
Moving and emotional, the film contains never-before-seen footage from the Reeve family's personal home movie collection as well as lengthy interviews with his three children and Hollywood A-listers like Whoopi Goldberg and Susan Sarandon.
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#15. Daughters
- Directors: Angela Patton, Natalie Rae
- Metascore: 85
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Run time: 1 hour 48 minutes
"Daughters" made its debut at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival in January, where it won awards from audiences and festival insiders alike. This emotional documentary follows four girls preparing for a father-daughter dance with their incarcerated dads. It jumps back and forth between the girls' lives and their fathers' as they go through an intense 10-week parenting course in preparation for the event. The movie provides a fresh look at the way the American prison system affects all of those it touches.
#14. The Wild Robot
- Director: Chris Sanders
- Metascore: 85
- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- Run time: 1 hour 42 minutes
An adaptation of the book series of the same title, "The Wild Robot" is a family-friendly animated movie about a robot named Roz who must figure out how to survive after being shipwrecked on a remote island. Featuring the voices of Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, and Catherine O'Hara, among others, the film has a timely message for audiences about chosen families and what defines a family in the first place. Critics have praised how deftly "The Wild Robot" melds its sincere message with laugh-out-loud humor, noting that, unlike other kids' movies that force some nudge-nudge-wink-wink jokes for adults, the film is truly for everybody.
#13. Close Your Eyes
- Director: VΓctor Erice
- Metascore: 85
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Run time: 2 hours 49 minutes
"Close Your Eyes" is a pessimistic meditation on memory, identity, and cinema from 84-year-old Spanish director Victor Erice. Told across two timelines, it follows the disappearance of an actor in the middle of a film shoot in the '90s and the present-day reinvestigation of the mystery. Clocking in at almost three hours, its leisurely pace won't be for everyone, but those willing to go along for the ride will be rewarded with a touching, thought-provoking ending.
#12. I Saw the TV Glow
Updated
- Director: Jane Schoenbrun
- Metascore: 86
- IMDb user rating: 5.8
- 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.
#11. Good One
- Director: India Donaldson
- Metascore: 87
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Run time: 1 hour 29 minutes
"Good One" follows 17-year-old Sam (Lily Collias), her father, and her father's longtime friend as they embark on a weekend hike in the Catskill Mountains. The journey, which may sound picturesque on the surface, proves to be anything but when the men let past issues bubble to the surface and put Sam in a position that's well beyond her years. Critics rave about almost every aspect of "Good One," from Collias' performance to the cinematography, sound design, and director India Donaldson's absolute refusal to hold audiences' hands through its murky ending.
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#10. Pictures of Ghosts
- 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 archival 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 gives it "a joyful rhythm, full of hope and wonder."
#9. About Dry Grasses
- Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
- Metascore: 88
- 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.
#8. Green Border
Updated
- 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.
#7. La Chimera
Updated
- 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 as 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 toneβand the way it teems with lifeβis one of the best things about it. Meanwhile, Slant loved the way it wrestles with time and its effect on all of our lives.
#6. Sugarcane
- Director: Emily Kassie, Julian Brave NoiseCat
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Run time: 1 hour 47 minutes
National Geographic documentary "Sugarcane" looks at the abuse and death that transpired in a Canadian Indian residential school system, following survivors and investigators as they learn what went on behind closed doors in one of the more troubling parts of the country's history. While the movie is a difficult watch, it's also a powerful one, relying not on talking-head or gritty reenactment approaches, but rather inviting audiences to sit alongside those most affected by the program. A must-see, "Sugarcane" won the Directing Award for documentaries at this year's Sundance Film Festival.
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#5. TΓ³tem
Updated
- Director: Lila AvilΓ©s
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Run time: 1 hour 35 minutes
The National Board of Review named "TΓ³tem" 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 AvilΓ©s' "generous, open-ended" style.
#4. 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.
#3. Here
Updated
- Director: Bas Devos
- Metascore: 92
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- 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 happensβor could," according to the Times.
#2. Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell
Updated
- 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. At the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, the movie won director Thien An Pham the Camera d'Or, the award given to the best debut feature. 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.
#1. Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World
- 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 and Rob Powell. Story editing by Jaimie Etkin and Carren Jao. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.
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#25. Evil Does Not Exist
- Director: RyΓ»suke 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.
#24. Terrestrial Voices
- Directors: Ali Asgari, Alireza Khatami
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- 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.
#23. Between the Temples
- Director: Nathan Silver
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 6.3
- Run time: 1 hour 51 minutes
Jason Schwartzman stars in this comedy-drama about a widowed cantor whose grade school music teacher seeks his wisdom in prepping for her adult bat mitzvah. Aptly described by The New York Times as a "coming-of-middle-age story," "Between the Temples" offers a unique look at how our toughest moments are often dotted with comedy. The movie's chaotic, improvisational camerawork helps to create a viewing experience "as volatile and hilarious as it is sweet and profound," per The Associated Press.
#22. His Three Daughters
- Director: Azazel Jacobs
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Run time: 1 hour 41 minutes
Exploring themes of sisterhood, loss, and grief, "His Three Daughters" follows three estranged sisters as they reunite to prepare for their father's death in his tiny New York City apartment. Starring Elizabeth Olsen, Carrie Coon, and Natasha Lyonne, the Netflix original is being touted as one of the best dramas of the year and has even garnered Oscar buzz for Lyonne in the Best Supporting Actress category.
#21. Sing Sing
- Director: Greg Kwedar
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Run time: 1 hour 45 minutes
"Sing Sing" is a prison drama unlike any you've seen before. It centers on 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 authenticity it may not have had otherwise.
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#20. Youth (Hard Times)
- Director: Wang Bing
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Run time: 3 hours 47 minutes
"Youth (Hard Times)" is the second installment in a documentary trilogy about a group of young textile workers in China. Shot between 2015 and 2019, the film sees tensions increasing between its subjects and the profit-driven managers who run the factories. The project perfectly encapsulates what it's like to struggle to survive on too little despite one's own country experiencing unprecedented economic expansion. Critics, like those at Variety, praise the way "Youth (Hard Times)" explores the downfalls of capitalism, namely the way that the all-consuming grind can force its workers to "[lose] one's sense of the world outside, and the very experiences that make one human."
#19. Chicken for Linda!
- Directors: SΓ©bastien 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.
Β
#18. Dahomey
- Director: Mati Diop
- Metascore: 85
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Run time: 1 hour 8 minutes
"Dahomey" is a documentary feature that follows the return of 26 artifacts that French troops once stole from the Kingdom of Dahomey (in the present-day republic of Benin), following a massive campaign for their reparation. Rather than taking a strong stance on reparations in generalβin terms of whether or not they're enough to right the wrongs of the pastβthe movie elects to, as RogerEbert.com put it, "observe [the process] lovingly, encouraging dialogue on and off screen." That approach is crystallized through the imagined reminiscence of the objects, written and voiced by Haitian author Makenzy Orcel.
#17. Daughters
- Directors: Angela Patton, Natalie Rae
- Metascore: 85
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Run time: 1 hour 48 minutes
"Daughters" made its debut at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival in January, where it won awards from audiences and festival insiders alike. This emotional documentary follows four girls preparing for a father-daughter dance with their incarcerated dads. It jumps back and forth between the girls' lives and their fathers' as they go through an intense 10-week parenting course in preparation for the event. The movie provides a fresh look at the way the American prison system affects all of those it touches.
#16. A Real Pain
- Director: Jesse Eisenberg
- Metascore: 85
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Run time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Written, directed, and produced by Jesse Eisenberg, "A Real Pain" follows two cousins (Eisenberg and "Succession" standout Kieran Culkin) who embark on a journey through Poland following the death of their grandmother, a Holocaust survivor. RogerEbert.com called Culkin's highly emotional performance one of the best of the year, praising its raw and organic feel. Meanwhile, Eisenberg's script won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the Sundance Film Festival, where the project premiered in January 2024.
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#15. The Wild Robot
- Director: Chris Sanders
- Metascore: 85
- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- Run time: 1 hour 42 minutes
An adaptation of the book series of the same title, "The Wild Robot" is a family-friendly animated movie about a robot named Roz who must figure out how to survive after being shipwrecked on a remote island. Featuring the voices of Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, and Catherine O'Hara, among others, the film has a timely message for audiences about chosen families and what defines a family in the first place. Critics have praised how deftly "The Wild Robot" melds its sincere message with laugh-out-loud humor, noting that, unlike other kids' movies that force some nudge-nudge-wink-wink jokes for adults, the film is truly for everybody.
#14. Close Your Eyes
- Director: VΓctor Erice
- Metascore: 85
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Run time: 2 hours 49 minutes
"Close Your Eyes" is a pessimistic meditation on memory, identity, and cinema from 84-year-old Spanish director Victor Erice. Told across two timelines, it follows the disappearance of an actor in the middle of a film shoot in the '90s and the present-day reinvestigation of the mystery. Clocking in at almost three hours, its leisurely pace won't be for everyone, but those willing to go along for the ride will be rewarded with a touching, thought-provoking ending.
Β
#13. I Saw the TV Glow
- Director: Jane Schoenbrun
- Metascore: 86
- IMDb user rating: 5.8
- 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.
#12. Good One
- Director: India Donaldson
- Metascore: 87
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Run time: 1 hour 29 minutes
"Good One" follows 17-year-old Sam (Lily Collias), her father, and her father's longtime friend as they embark on a weekend hike in the Catskill Mountains. The journey, which may sound picturesque on the surface, proves to be anything but when the men let past issues bubble to the surface and put Sam in a position that's well beyond her years. Critics rave about almost every aspect of "Good One," from Collias' performance to the cinematography, sound design, and director India Donaldson's absolute refusal to hold audiences' hands through its murky ending.
#11. Pictures of Ghosts
- 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 archival 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 gives it "a joyful rhythm, full of hope and wonder."
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#10. About Dry Grasses
- Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
- Metascore: 88
- 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.
#9. 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" in 2024, "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.
#8. Sugarcane
- Director: Emily Kassie, Julian Brave NoiseCat
- Metascore: 90
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Run time: 1 hour 47 minutes
National Geographic documentary "Sugarcane" looks at the abuse and death that transpired in a Canadian Indian residential school system, following survivors and investigators as they learn what went on behind closed doors in one of the more troubling parts of the country's history. While the movie is a difficult watch, it's also a powerful one, relying not on talking-head or gritty reenactment approaches, but rather inviting audiences to sit alongside those most affected by the program. A must-see, "Sugarcane" won the Directing Award for documentaries at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
#7. La Chimera
- 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 as 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 toneβand the way it teems with lifeβis one of the best things about it. Meanwhile, Slant loved the way it wrestles with time and its effect on all of our lives.
#6. Anora
- Director: Sean Baker
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Run time: 2 hours 19 minutes
The romantic dramedy "Anora" follows the ill-fated marriage of a Brooklyn-born stripper and the immature son of a Russian oligarch. Described by multiple outlets as a grittier version of "Pretty Woman," the film won the top prize at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, the coveted Palme d'Or. Relative newcomer Mikey Madison's performance in the title role is a particularly bright spot, as is Yura Borisov's supporting turn as Igor. Outlets like Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and others currently list "Anora" as a frontrunner to possibly win Best Picture at the 2025 Oscars.
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#5. TΓ³tem
- Director: Lila AvilΓ©s
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Run time: 1 hour 35 minutes
The National Board of Review named "TΓ³tem" 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 AvilΓ©s' "generous, open-ended" style.
#4. 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.
#3. Here
- Director: Bas Devos
- Metascore: 92
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- 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 happensβor could," according to the Times.
#2. Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell
- 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. At the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, the movie won director Thien An Pham the Camera d'Or, the award given to the best debut feature. 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.
#1. Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World
- 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, Rob Powell, and Wade Zhou. Story editing by Jaimie Etkin and Carren Jao. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.
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