Best & Worst Movies of 2024 (Top 10 List)
Happy New Year! Last year I talked about getting COVID on my very first away from home for Christmas Holiday, in the Bahamas. Well, this year we went to Nashville TN (click for pictures) Music City is a Great City! But my sister got sick on the 5th of our 7 day holiday and I got sick at the airport coming home. Not COVID this year, thankfully, but still, a nasty head cold that’s still hanging on as I’m writing this Jan 3rd.
I am disappointed in myself that I only saw 143 movies (released in 2024) this past year. I always aim for 150 and at times have made it to 160 or 170. I was sent a number of screeners I never was able to get to before my deadline of midnight New Year’s Eve. Still, I did watch all but 2 of the films nominated for our Philadelphia Film Critics Circle voting (see list of winners below my Top 10 List).
Lastly, I’d like to say HAPPY 15TH ANNIVERSARY TINSEL & TINE! 🥂🎈🎊
#1 – SEPTEMBER 5 | Paramount Pictures | Director Tim Fehlbaum | Writers Moritz Binder,Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David
Admission, I’ve never seen Spielberg’s MUNICH (2005). It was prior to starting Tinsel & Tine and I tended not to watch movies that were about terrorism or war; so I never really paid it much mind, despite all the attention it got that awards season. I was barely born when it happened, so the story of the 1972 Summer Olympics and the militant Palestinian faction calling itself Black September infiltrating the Olympic Village in Munich, taking the Israeli team hostage, is not a clearly known event in my memory. And if you want to know more about those events, then I would imagine it’s best to watch “Munich” because “September 5” is not political. We do not meet the hostages or the terrorist. We meet this ABC Sports, not News, Team reshaping the way TV news covered live events forever. We witness all the practical and impractical minutiae of getting this story out of Munich and across the globe, in a newsroom where no one spoke the language. This created a heightened role for their translator, Marianne (Leonie Benesch, PFF32’s The Teachers’ Lounge) who jumps in with two feet, providing more than just German interpreting.
I do love an early moment of sexism highlighted where one of the techs sends Marianne to go get coffee. No sooner does she leave the room a bulletin comes over the radio, in German, only Marianne is away dealing with Folgers or Sanka. Something that would not have happened if the translator had been a man.
This tension filled, taunt and focused film has Oscar Awards written all over it!
#2 – THE GREATEST NIGHT IN POP| Netflix |Director Bao Nguyen |
Why did it take 40 years for someone to put this behind the scenes “We Are The World” doc together!? I ate the whole thing up with a spoon. So many have left us, but surprisingly, so many still hanging in there of these cream of the crop performers. Lionel Richie‘s stories were funny of Michael Jackson‘s house being a literal zoo, making it hard to concentrate while writing the song. I don’t know where he got the stamina to host the AMA’s, perform two numbers, win 6 Awards, and then continue his “hosting” duties at the We Are The World recording session for another 8 hours! Quincy Jones, nothing would have gotten done without this musical genius at the helm (RIP). His job was like being a lion tamer wrangling big cats for a circus performance; but instead of whips and chairs he used fatherly discipline and flattering encouragement to get the job done.
Stevie Wonder showing up all late to the demo recording thinking he’s still being asked to help write the song and then attempting to hijack it with Swahili on the night of the recording, making Waylon Jennings take a pass at the whole thing 😀 And Sheila E being used as bait to try to get Prince to come. I still don’t understand why it could only be Cyndi Lauper or Madonna, why not both?
It was just so interesting seeing how nervous people were to do their parts and feeling moments of imposter syndrome singing with those they admire. Loved Diana Ross wanting Daryl Hall’s autograph and it starting a whole sign my year book kinda thing with sheet music. Wonder who still has their mega stars signed copy? Just one would fetch a pretty penny at Sotheby’s.
It was a fantastic idea to have the song premiere at the same exact moment on radio stations around the world. I was in high school at the time and don’t remember this happening. I do remember “We Are The World” being a huge success and liking it outside of its aim to combat hunger in Africa. But, it got overplayed at the time, so I guess I never bought it, cause it’s not in my record collection.
uproxx.com/movies/bao-nguyen-the-greatest-night-in-pop-netflix/
#3 – HIS THREE DAUGHTERS | Netflix | Writer/Director Azazel Jacobs|
The film tells the story of three estranged sisters reuniting in a cramped New York City apartment to watch over their ailing father during his final days. I have two sisters (presently, since the passing of my youngest sister in 2020) and I was hooked by the very first scene, where Katie, (Carrie Coon) oldest sister, is berating Rachel (Natasha Lyonne), middle sister about not having handled getting a Do Not Resuscitate order signed by their father’s doctor. Rachel, rather than arguing, shuts down. When the youngest sister, Christina (Elizabeth Olsen) arrives she tries to lighten the tense atmosphere with a firehose of constant, rambling, inane chatter. I thought yup, I totally get this, it’s a composite of me and my sisters just two short years ago, when my Mother was dying at home and we all had to figure out how to cooperate with one another and take on roles. Some roles just assumed by years of familial tradition; other roles subconsciously chosen, and some assigned.
It is not easy to be grownups thrown back into close family dynamics, especially during a stressful time. Azazel manages to capture the claustrophobia and both the individual and combined moments of handling grief, in perfect detail. He has a terrific ear for heightened, yet believable dialogue. It’s a trio character study where I totally understood, sympathized and criticized each sister equally. Well, Katie was pretty triggering for me, but she alone was not why I was crying big, fat, ugly tears by the end, but rather the entirety of it was rather cathartic.
Last weekend I was going through movies A-Z on different streaming platforms and a movie called “The Lovers” caught my eye. It came out in 2017 and stars Debra Winger and Tracy Letts as a long-time married couple each having an affair with two exacting people. I had some notes of where the story should have begun and thoughts on additional relationship phases which should have taken place, but for the most part, I was drawn in quickly and really enjoyed the story. I hadn’t looked at the name of the director until the end of the movie when I discovered it too was written/directed by Azazel Jacobs.
SFFILM chose “His Three Daughters” as the recipient of the 2024 SF Honors Award, which celebrates the audacity of a singular vision in current cinema.
#4 – WICKED| Universal Pictures|Director Jon M. Chu| Co-Writers Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox
I saw the staged musical Wicked at the Academy of Music in Philly over 20 years ago and don’t remember anything other than the obvious about it. I suppose the animal oppression was always a part of the storyline? If so, 20 years ago I must have brushed that aside, but it certainly resonates with me now.
But social politics aside, even from someone who doesn’t know the musical all that well, it’s easy to see Jon M. Chu, known for his ability to blend spectacle and emotional depth (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights), once again proves himself a talented storyteller, crafting a version of Wicked that feels both timeless and modern. He transforms the beloved stage musical into a dazzling cinematic experience that seems to honors its roots. The film’s production design is a feast for the eyes—lush greens, shimmering golds, and intricate details make every corner of this world feel alive. Shiz University, with its towering spires and ornate halls, seems to captures the whimsy of the stage production while adding cinematic grandeur.
A good production can only deliver so much, it’s Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, whose performances are as magical as the Land of Oz itself. Erivo, breaths a youthful energy and vulnerability into Elphaba, whose struggles with identity and belonging are universal and poignant. When she sings “Defying Gravity,” it does not disappoint!
Grande’s Glinda (or Galinda, as she insists at first) provides much of the film’s humor, infusing the role with a charming blend of comedic timing and sincere warmth. She balances Glinda’s vanity and growing self-awareness into an adorable transformation. Whether she’s fluttering about in a puff of pink or delivering a hilariously over-the-top rendition of “Popular,” Grande is a delightful counterbalance to Erivo’s gravitas.
The supporting cast is just as impressive. Michelle Yeoh is regal and commanding as Madame Morrible, Jonathan Bailey brings roguish charm to Fiyero, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard is as quirky and magnetic as you’d expect. Even smaller roles, like Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James as Glinda’s snobbish sidekicks, shine with comedic bite.
Chu captures these witches evolving bond of friendship with a sensitivity that reminds us why Wicked has endured: it’s a story about acceptance, love, and the complexities of choosing your path.
#5 – MARIA |Director Pablo Larraín | English Language| 2024
Synopsis: Oscar-winner Angelina Jolie lends her tremendous star power and otherworldly talent to this moving look at another iconic performer: legendary opera singer Maria Callas. Directed by Chilean auteur Pablo Larraín, Maria follows the American-Greek soprano in the final week of her life, as she holes up in a lavish Paris apartment several years after retiring from the stage. Addled by addiction and consumed by memories of her past glories, she still plays the diva in her domestic sphere, lording over her staff and holding forth for an interviewer (Kodi Smit-McPhee) about her past triumphs and heartaches.
What Did I (LeAnne) Think?: I hear a lot of comparisons to Larraín’s SPENCER and JACKIE (click for T&T MiniMovieReviews) it’s impossible not to, after all, it definitely feels like a trio. Wonder if he’ll do more studies of significant women of the 20th Century? As much as I admired these other two films, I had clear criticisms on both, not so with “Maria”. I settled into it immediately. Loving the elegance, autumn coloring, the decor of her spacious Parisian Apartment (Guy Hendrix Dyas ) and more than anything, the costumes! (Massimo Cantini Parrini). I understand many pieces actually belonged to Callas.
The film CONCLAVE is intriguing and a definite contender for this year’s Awards Season, and yet the presence of such well-known actors – Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow keep it from being a great movie – they took me out of Vatican City. Not so somehow with Angelina Jolie as this quintessential Opera Diva. Her performance feels honest. She plays her as a woman still in control, fully aware of her madness, knowing everything she’s doing or not doing will shorten her life, yet she forges on with icy determination.
I was good with every decision of when to go back in time and the significance of those memories. I never cared enough to Google it, but was always unclear as to how Aristotle Onassis (Haluk Bilginercould) could be linked to both Jackie Kennedy and Maria Callas, as it appeared to be the same time period. Now I know, he was seeing both. I would believe he loved Callas more; but a woman like that, no matter how deeply they love, would never be able to fully give in to the love of something as mortal as man. Not when the magic of music stirs them to celestial heights.
#6 – PROBLEMISTA| A24 | Writer/Director Julio Torres
Since his breakout sketches on “Saturday Night Live,” Julio Torres has established himself as a surrealistic comic. He graduated from the show to co-creating and starring in the quirky horror comedy series “Los Espookys” as the deadpan blue-haired diva Andrés and the solo special “My Favorite Shapes by Julio Torres,” which true to its title, features Torres in a glamorous silver suit on a futuristic set using shapes to tell humorous stories and jokes… READ MORE by Monica Castillo, rogerebert.com
Problemista is about authenticity and learning to be confident enough to take up space. Especially as a person of color who often feel invisible, or feel they must shrink themselves in order to fit in. Sometimes you’ve got to cause a little chaos and let that anxiety push you to succeed, which I’m sure Torres had to deal with a degree of chaos to make this film happen… READ MORE by Valerie Complex, dealine.com
What Did I (LeAnne) Think? 4 outta 5 – I had so much fun watching this movie! It’s totally my sense of absurdist humor. And I’m usually down for a little Scifi, magical realism/ surrealism, when it doesn’t change the structure of the piece. This kid from El Salvador, Alejandro, played by writer/director Julio Torres, doesn’t seem capable of navigating New York City with his dopey walk, blank expressions and cowlick, but he’s intuitive about people and for the most part is surprisingly clever about circumventing obstacles – the Filemaker Pro stuff is pure genius, especially if you’ve ever been an Administrative Assistant in the 90’s and early aughts.
Tilda Swinton has been so many kooky characters over the years, but I think this Art Critic, Elizabeth, moves to the top of my list. She nails this erratic, entitled, demanding, Karen of them all. I remember working for women and men like this, who fixate and become so hyper-focused on something that doesn’t seem worth doing, yet also quickly pivot to assigning you some other disagreeable task that now takes precedence, and then just as you begin asking questions about the new notion, they abruptly drop everything and demand you join them for lunch. They may be paying, but it also means you don’t get time away from them and their manic energy!
Despite Elizabeth’s less then appealing qualities, Alejandro does develop a soft spot for her that has nothing to do with him needing her to sponsor him for his work Visa, a major plot point. Torres does a fantastic job of outlining the absurdity & contradictory nature of the bureaucracy within the Immigration system and the corporate gatekeepers, using humor and surreal imagery, while still pointing out that it shouldn’t be this crazy.
I have a feeling “Problemista” will make my Top 10 list come December. WHICH YOU SEE IT DID!!!
#7 – ANORA |Director Sean Baker | USA | 2024 – Also our Philadelphia Film Critics Circle Best Picture Winner
Synopsis: In films like Tangerine, The Florida Project (PFF26), and Red Rocket (PFF30), director Sean Baker has honed a one-of-a-kind filmmaking style, often depicting those on the margins of American society through a dynamic, deeply humane lens. Baker’s latest is perhaps the greatest distillation of his talents yet, a hilarious yet emotionally resonant screwball romance that rightfully took home the coveted Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Mikey Madison is a revelation as Anora (aka Ani), a Russian-American erotic dancer who spends her nights hustling at a Manhattan gentlemen’s nightclub. There she catches the eye of Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn), an oligarch’s son whose privileged, carefree attitude provides a breath of fresh air, as well as a chance for escape. Ani and Ivan’s whirlwind romance eventually carries them to a Las Vegas wedding chapel, but this Cinderella story is just getting started.
What Did I (LeAnne) Think?: What I liked most about “Anora” is the large number of attendees in their early 20’s both with tickets and waiting in the rush line! Everyone keeps saying the younger generation doesn’t care about going to the movies anymore, that they’d rather just be home on Tik Tok, but this showed there’s still some young movie lovers out there if you present them with something as wonderfully real and audacious as Mickey Madison in ANORA. I also loved the whole nod to “Pretty Woman” as Vanya basically does an Edward (Richard Gere) type ask of “be my beck and call girl” for a week, for a tidy sum, thing. But the movie really finds its rhythm after the week is up and Vanya’s parents send their goons and a fixer to separate their son from his Vegas bride. Baker captures the action with equal parts tension and humor. He shot the film in a real-life strip club, mansion, airport, etc. Some of the venues were even open for business while the movie was being shot. As he’s done in (click for T&T reviews) “The Florida Project” and “Red Rocket“, he cast experienced actors alongside nonprofessionals, leaving plenty of room for improvisation. Also as with these two previous films, Baker has created a highly entertaining, yet unlikely protagonist, who takes you by surprise when you realize how invested you’ve become in them winning.
#8 – MEMOIR OF A SNAIL | Madman Entertainment | Writer/Director Adam Elliot
This was my first experience with Australian stop-motion filmmaker, Adam Elliot. Now I want to see his other films “Mary and Max” & “Harvie Krumpet”. “Memoir of a Snail” is a peculiar film with a dark, haunting look and feel, yet allowing for melancholy humor beneath the surface of the Burtonesque images. The film was created without the use of digital effects. For example, water was created using cellophane, and droplets were animated with glycerine. This creates a tactile experience in which everything you see has been made by human hands.
The plot involves twins whose mother died at birth, Grace Pudel (Sarah Snook ) collects all things snail related as well as live snails. She was born with a cleft lip, making her resemble a plump rabbit. Gilbert Pudel (Kodi Smit-McPhee) leans towards pyromania and puts you in mind of a young Gomez Adams. The twins are totally in sync with one another and seem to be content with their lives until their alcoholic, paraplegic father passes away, and the two are separated and sent to far away foster homes.
Grace’s life becomes a patchwork of solitude, odd jobs, and missed opportunities. Her foster parents are nice, but absent. Her only bright spot arrives in a “Harold and Maude” type relationship she develops with an eccentric old woman named Pinky (Jackie Weaver).
Gilbert the stronger of the twins, is put into survival mode, having landed in a crazy Christian home of moronic children and abusive parents.
Elliot’s script is bittersweet, laced with dry humor and quiet epiphanies. The film’s pacing mirrors its snail theme, with each scene feeling like a vignette which eventually comes together to form a deeply resonant whole. While this approach may test some viewers, those who lean in will find themselves rewarded with an emotional payoff that feels earned rather than forced.
#9 – CONCLAVE|Focus Features | Director Edward Berger | Screenplay Peter Straughan | Based on a book Robert Harris
Conclave invites us into a shadowy world of sacred rituals and unspoken truths. Adapted from Robert Harris’ 2016 novel, full of intrigue with a storm of secrets swirling within the Vatican walls. From the moment Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) enters the Sistine Chapel for the secretive papal election, Edward Berger immerses us in the awe-inspiring yet stifling atmosphere of this world. Both juxtaposed between towering frescoes and the claustrophobic confines of locked chambers, capturing the paradox of the divine and the corrupt.
The film is less about the vote itself and more about the forces manipulating it. Every cardinal seems to carry a burden—whether it’s ambition, fear, or shame—hinting that their robes might not be as pristine as they appear.
The ensemble cast, featuring Stanley Tucci, the aforementioned Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini, all delivers layered performances and yet, they take me out of the story. It’s odd how this only happens with certain movies, where I wish I didn’t know any of the actors. That somehow the whole thing would benefit from more reality with an unknown or barely known cast.
Still, the film’s pacing is good. The Dan Brown type sensational elements of the movie in the second half, completely change the vibe; yet doesn’t take away from the main point – the weight of leadership within the Church, but also, more universally, into the moral dilemmas we all face when power and truth collide.
#10 – JUROR #2 |Warner Bros Pics| Director Clint Eastwood | Writer Jonathan Abrams
The film stars Nicholas Hoult as Justin Kemp, a seemingly ordinary man serving as a juror on a high-profile murder case. Toni Collette plays a sharp, no-nonsense prosecutor determined to get justice for the victim, but also running for District Attorney with a platform of women’s safety. Chris Messina, whose semi-aggressive personality I tend to find sexy, plays the Defense Attorney for the man accused of the murder.
The film is a gripping courtroom drama full of slow-burning tension and ethical quandaries; yet, despite the pedigree of its director and cast, “Juror #2” received a puzzlingly limited release. Unusual for a Clint Eastwood project to be treated this way, especially one with such a compelling premise and high-profile stars. Granted it doesn’t quite achieve the grand cinematic weight of Eastwood’s earlier masterpieces like “Mystic River” or “Million Dollar Baby”; still, it’s a taut, thought-provoking drama that lingers in your mind long after the credits roll. It raises uncomfortable questions about conscience, justice, and the gray areas of human morality and guilt.
Imagine the horror of discovering you might be guilty of a crime you didn’t even know you committed. Eastwood and writer Jonathan Abrams masterfully build tension, peeling back the layers of Justin’s life and psyche as the trial progresses. Justin is a man who had some rough years prior but has finally gotten it together with an adorable wife (Zoey Deutch) and a baby on the way. Hoult’s ability to convey guilt, fear, and self-doubt makes Justin’s journey feel raw and personal, while the film’s minimalist score underscores the dread of his moral predicament.
It’s interesting to see Hoult and Collette, who last shared the screen over 20 years ago in one of my all-time favorite movies “About a Boy”. While the quirky humor of their previous collaboration would not be appropriate for this vehicle, their dynamic remains captivating.
Definitely add “Juror #2” to your list of things to see once they start streaming.
TINSEL & TINE FULL LETTERBOXD LIST
143 MOVIES RANKED BEST TO WORST FOR 2024
TINSEL & TINE PAST YEARS BEST & WORST LISTS:
2023 Best & Worst List | 2022 Best & Worst List | 2021 Best & Worst List
2020 Best & Worst List | 2019 Best & Worst List | 2018 Best and Worst List |
2017 Best & Worst List | 2016 Best & Worst List | 2014 Best & Worst
WINNING FILMS CHOSEN BY
THE PHILADELPHIA FILM CRITICS CIRCLE
The Philadelphia Film Critics Circle on Saturday (Dec 21st) voted on its seventh annual year-end awards, and the choice for Best Film of 2023 was Anora. It was one of six awards for Anora, including two for Mikey Madison, who was the choice for Best Actress and Best Breakthrough Performance.
In addition, Anora won Best Director and Best Script (both Sean Baker) and Best Ensemble. The Brutalist won in two categories: Best Actor (Adrien Brody) and Best Soundtrack/Score (Daniel Blumberg). In addition, the Circle presented its Elaine May Award, for a deserving person or film that brings awareness to a story from a woman’s perspective, to The Substance, directed by Coralie Fargeat. That film also won for Best Supporting Actress (Margaret Qualley.)
Other winners included Kieran Culkin, Best Supporting Actor for A Real Pain; Vera Drew, Best Directorial Debut for The People’s Joker, and Jarin Blaschke, Best Cinematography for Nosferatu. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story was the winner for Best Documentary, and Memoir of a Snail won for Best Animated Film.
The Philips Cheesesteak Award, sponsored by Philips Steaks in Philadelphia, meant to recognize a blockbuster that’s hard to ignore, went to The Fall Guy. It was the third year of the award, for the first time going to a non-Tom Cruise film, with Top Gun: Maverick winning in 2022 and Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning- Part I winning in 2023.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS:
Best Film: Anora (runner-up: The Brutalist)
Philip’s Steaks Cheesesteak Award: The Fall Guy (runner-up: The Beekeeper)
Best Director: Sean Baker, Anora (runner-up: RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys)
Best Actress: Mikey Madison, Anora (runner-up: Demi Moore, The Substance)
Best Actor: Adrien Brody, The Brutalist (runner-up: Hugh Grant, Heretic.)
Best Supporting Actress: Margaret Qualley, The Substance (runner-up: Aubrey Plaza, Megalopolis.)
Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain (runner-up Guy Pearce, The Brutalist)
Best Foreign Film: All We Imagine as Light, India (runner-up The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Germany)
Best Animated Film: Memoir of a Snail (runner-up: Flow.)
Best Documentary: Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (runner-up: Will & Harper)
Best Cinematography: Jarin Blaschke, Nosferatu (runner-up: Lol Crawley, The Brutalist)
Best Breakthrough Performance: Mikey Madison, Anora (runner-up: Yuriy Borisov, Anora.)
Best Directorial Debut: Vera Drew, The People’s Joker (runner-up: India Donaldson, Good One.)
Best Script: Sean Baker, Anora (Runner-up, RaMell Ross, and Joslyn Barnes, Nickel Boys)
Best Score/Soundtrack: Sean Baker, Anora (Runner-up, RaMell Ross, and Joslyn Barnes, Nickel Boys)
Best Ensemble: Anora (runner-up: Conclave.)
This was the eighth year of awards since the Circle’s inception in 2017. Get Out was the 2017 winner for Best Film, while Roma was the choice in 2018, Knives Out won in 2019, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom won in 2020, and The Power of the Dog was the winner in 2021. Everything Everywhere All At Once won in 2022, and Poor Things won in 2023.
This year’s voting, for the third year, utilized the resilient STAR voting system, an instant runoff approach that streamlines the process while adding more value to each member’s ballots. – Founding Member, Stephen Silver
CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW LIVE STREAM AS WINNERS WERE ANNOUNCED ON DECEMBER 21, 2024
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Film Scribes Podcast Episode 123!
Some Members Discussing their favorite films and film-going experiences of 224 and what they were looking forward to in 2025. Thanks for tuning in…
tinseltine
Tinsel & Tine provides year-round free promotion, sparking conversations and awareness, celebration and reviews of the movie industry - from local indie shorts to international films/filmmakers, to studio driven movies/moviemakers. Mixed with a spotlight on Philly Happenings. #MiniMovieReview #PhillyCalendar
You May Also Like
LOOKING FOR A FOOD CONTRIBUTOR
BARRYMORE AWARDS 2023 – My BARRYMORE NOMINATOR ROLE – Theatre Philadelphia
