Adam's Favorite Films of 2024
And the winners are... 🏆
Over the past year, cinema has continued to dazzle and surprise, delivering a treasure trove of visionary works from some of the most audacious filmmakers working today. Denis Villeneuve, Coralie Fargeat, Ridley Scott, Luca Guadagnino, Rose Glass, Alex Garland, Tim Burton, Jane Schoenbrun, Robert Eggers, James Mangold, George Miller, and even Francis Ford Coppola have all contributed to a banner year for the silver screen.
These films showcased not only the creative vision of their directors but also a lineup of magnetic performances. From Demi Moore’s resurgence to Ralph Fiennes’ commanding presence, Cynthia Erivo’s emotional depth, and Colman Domingo’s transformative energy, to standout turns by Margaret Qualley, Timothée Chalamet, Angelina Jolie, Nicolas Cage, Kristen Stewart, Denzel Washington, Isabella Rossellini, Hugh Grant, and Zendaya—2024 reminded us of the undeniable power of great acting.
Cinematic achievements like THE SUBSTANCE, Denis Villeneuve’s epic DUNE: PART TWO, Jon M. Chu’s long-awaited adaptation of WICKED, and Brady Corbet’s THE BRUTALIST transported us to realms both familiar and fantastical. Edward Berger’s CONCLAVE unfolded as a gripping moral drama, while James Mangold’s A COMPLETE UNKNOWN gave us a magnetic portrait of a folk legend. These films were elevated by the meticulous artistry of their crews: cinematographers who painted with light, production designers who built worlds, and VFX and costume teams who made the extraordinary tangible.
Horror fans had plenty to feast on, with the genre’s boundaries pushed further by films like Oz Perkins’ haunting LONGLEGS, Robert Eggers’ reimagined NOSFERATU, Zelda Williams’s horror rom-com LISA FRANKENSTEIN, Ti West’s wild MAXXXINE, and Arkasha Stevenson’s chilling prequel THE FIRST OMEN. Visionary directors like Tilman Singer (CUCKOO), Damian McCarthy (ODDITY), and J.T. Mollner (STRANGE DARLING) proved that horror remains a fertile ground for innovation and terror.
The animated medium also thrived, enchanting audiences with TRANSFORMERS ONE, THE WILD ROBOT, and the epic fantasy of LORD OF THE RINGS: WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM. Sequels like INSIDE OUT 2, MOANA 2 and DESPICABLE ME 4 offered both comfort and laughter, capturing the imaginations of children and adults alike.
Of course, the box office delivered its share of spectacle. Blockbusters like DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE, FURISOA: A MAD MAX SAGA, ALIEN: ROMULUS, GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE, TWISTERS, GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE, and KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES proved that big-budget filmmaking still has the power to unite audiences in awe and excitement.
As we reflect on the past 12 months, the sheer diversity of storytelling and the talent behind these films remind us why we continue to gather in the dark to be moved, thrilled, and inspired. Here’s to another year of cinematic wonders.
With that being said, here are My 10 Favorite Films of 2024. Also included are My Top 10 Horror Films and My 10 Favorite Streaming Series.
And remember, ranking any piece of art is absurd and should only be seen as an incredibly personal and subjective endeavor. The purpose of these lists is to expose you to titles you may not have heard of otherwise!
My 10 Favorite Films of 2024
THE SUBSTANCE
ALIEN: ROMULUS
FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA
CONCLAVE
CHALLENGERS
LOVE LIES BLEEDING
DUNE: PART TWO
HERETIC
NOSFERATU
MUSIC BY JOHN WILLIAMS
My Top 10 Horror Films of 2024
THE SUBSTANCE
ALIEN: ROMULUS
THE FIRST OMEN
HERETIC
MAXXXINE
LONGLEGS
NOSFERATU
CUCKOO
STRANGE DARLING
LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL
My 10 Favorite Streaming Series of 2024
THE PENGUIN
X-MEN ‘97
STAR WARS: THE ACOLYTE
THE BEAR
TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY
STAR WARS: SKELETON CREW
CONAN O’BRIEN MUST GO
AGATHA ALL ALONG
WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS
ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING
My 10 Favorite Wrestling Matches of 2024
Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay (AEW Dynasty)
Bryan Danielson vs. Swerve Strickland (AEW All In)
Konosuke Takeshita vs. Will Ospreay (AEW Revolution)
Darby Allin & Sting vs. The Young Bucks (AEW Revolution)
Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay (AEW World's End)
PAC vs. Will Ospreay (AEW All Out)
Swerve Strickland vs. Will Ospreay (AEW Forbidden Door)
Darby Allin vs. Will Ospreay (AEW Dynamite)
Konosuke Takeshita vs. Ricochet vs. Will Ospreay (AEW WrestleDream)
Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland (AEW All Out)
PS: I didn’t write about THE SUBSTANCE because, honestly, who needs another man’s take on this movie? Read Marissa’s thoughts instead!
Don’t you know / pump it up / you’ve got to / pump it up! (Danzel originally made this song used on “The Substance” and it’s just as good as this take.)