The Blu-ray Community Top 25 Films of 2024 (Please Read 1st Post)

[DR Herbert West]

Originally Posted by al_the_strange

also, why the f**k isn't metalstorm a real movie?

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by DR Herbert West

[Show spoiler]

lol, that does look pretty rad and I'll probably hunt down a copy.

[Jennifer Lawrence Fan]

1. Wicked


2. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga


3. The Fall Guy


4. The Substance


5. Anora


6. The Wild Robot


7. My Old Ass


8. Deadpool and Wolverine


9. I Saw The TV Glow


10. Abigail


11. Smile 2


12. Nosferatu


13. Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire


14. Terrifier 3


15. Late Night With The Devil


16. Bad Boys: Ride or Die


17. Longlegs


18. Transformers One


19. Kingdom of The Planet Of The Apes


20. Inside Out 2


21. Twisters


22. Dune Part Two


23. Alien Romulus


24. Ghostbusters Frozen Empire


25. A Quiet Place: Day One

[DanTheMan]

My Top 25 Films of 2024:

01) Dune: Part Two
02) Challengers
03) Memoir of a Snail
04) Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
05) The Substance
06) Sing Sing
07) Anora
08) The Seed of the Sacred Fig
09) Alien: Romulus
10) Snack Shack
11) Wicked: Part One
12) Longlegs
13) The First Omen
14) Rebel Ridge
15) Red Rooms
16) Civil War
17) Love Lies Bleeding
18) Late Night with the Devil
19) Your Monster
20) Strange Darling
21) Perfect Days
22) Conclave
23) The Room Next Door
24) Kinds of Kindness
25) Flow

[DanTheMan]

Did a bit of a March Madness marathon after creating another version of myself to get this completed, but it’s finally done and we can rest.

Originally Posted by DanTheMan

My Top 25 Films of 2024:

01) Dune: Part Two
02) Challengers
03) Memoir of a Snail
04) Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
05) The Substance
06) Sing Sing
07) Anora
08) The Seed of the Sacred Fig
09) Alien: Romulus
10) Snack Shack
11) Wicked: Part One
12) Longlegs
13) The First Omen
14) Rebel Ridge
15) Red Rooms
16) Civil War
17) Love Lies Bleeding
18) Late Night with the Devil
19) Your Monster
20) Strange Darling
21) Perfect Days
22) Conclave
23) The Room Next Door
24) Kinds of Kindness
25) Flow

[slyhopski]

AGGRO DR1FT
She Is Conann
Close Your Eyes
Nosferatu
Civil War
It's Not Me
Furiosa : A Mad Max Saga
Joker : Folie a Deux
Humane
Christmas Eve in Miller's Point
Drive-Away Dolls
Hell Hole
Cuckoo
The Old Ones
Deadpool & Wolverine
Dune : Part Two
DogMan



Babes
Trap
Io Capitano
Megalopolis
The 4:30 Movie
Omar and Cedric : If This Ever Gets Weird
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

[Hucksta G]

Ahh, thewerepuppy, you never disappoint!

1. No Other Land
2. The Seed of the Sacred Fig
3. Black Dog
4. Anora
5. The Brutalist
6. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
7. Dune: Part Two
8. Civil War
9. Red Rooms
10. The Substance
11. Kneecap
12. Challengers
13. Strange Darling
14. Better Man
15. Gladiator II
16. Love Lies Bleeding
17. A Real Pain
18. The Wild Robot
19. Memoir of a Snail
20. Kinds of Kindness
21. We Live in Time
22. The Truth vs. Alex Jones
23. Nosferatu
24. The Order
25. Nickel Boys

Five Still to See:
Sing Sing
Emilia Perez
The Girl with the Needle
Maria
September 5

[Damon1281]

1. Dune part 2
2. The Count of Monte Cristo
3. Late Night with the Devil
4. Am I Racist
5. The Bee Keeper
6. Juror #2
7. Megalopolis
8. Reagan
9. Alien Romulus
10. Abigail
11. Deadpool and Wolverine
12. Longlegs
13. Nosferatu
14. Twisters
15. Maxxxine
16. Nightßiŧčĥ
17. The Fall Guy
18. Trigger Warning
19. The Substance
20. Werewolves
21. Road House
22. Civil War
23. Hellboy Crooked Man

[Beckford]

1. PROBLEMISTA
Seems like every year at least one truly wonderful film falls through the cracks, pretty much escaping any substantial notice from the moviegoing public. Last year it was the sublime “Wildflower”. This year’s top exemplar, I’d say, is “Problemista”, Whimsy is hard to pull off – even in spurts; this movie nails it from start to finish. Hats off to young writer/director (and star) Julio Torres for making it all work to wondrous effect. Observant, original, funny, moving; the picture’s all these things and more.
Alejandro, an endearingly determined young immigrant (memorably played by Torres), dreams of working for a New York toy company; he has 30 days to get an extension on his work visa, otherwise it’s immediate deportation. The guy faces a veritable Mount Everest of bureaucratic obstacles, each one leading to another maze of Catch-22’s. Torres bathes the whole film in cleverly crafted surrealism. Larry Owens, for instance, is insanely scary/funny as a kind of slithering, leering embodiment of Craigslist. And Isabella Rossellini does a beguiling job of narrating the whole luminously unhinged enterprise with a kind of matter of fact warmth.
But Torres deserves special bravos for convincing the ever adventurous Tilda Swinton to join the cast. She gives new meaning to the word committed, going for broke here as a woman on a mission that involves cryogenics and art shows. Anyone that gets in her way is going to learn firsthand what the term scorched earth policy means. She and Alejandro seem like they’re from different planets – yet she emerges memorably as both menace and mentor. Hilariously unreasonable. Obsessed with outwitting FileMaker Pro. And looking quite marvelous in her bright red rocket of a wig.
I found Oscar’s lack of interest in this movie – not even a hint of a nomination - absolutely confounding. The few people I know who’ve seen “Problemista” love it. And I’m pretty sure a great many of those who haven’t seen it – probably haven’t even heard of it – would be just as smitten. It’s currently available for free viewing on Hoopla. Do yourself a big favor and watch it.

2. A REAL PAIN
3. GODZILLA MINUS ONE MINUS COLOR
(this b&w version not released till 2024)
4. THE PEASANTS
(not released theatrically in North America till 2024)
5. THE APPRENTICE

6. FEMME
The initial premise is familiar from many a revenge-fueled neo-noir. In the wake of a brutal attack, the victim conceives a complicated plan for exacting retribution. In this case that victim is a London drag queen, the initial assailant an out of control street punk homophobe. The revenge plan calls for both intense preparation and wild spontaneous action. The sense of immediacy is sustained, the stakes are always high and situations change on a dime. The complex psychological portraits of both leads are drawn with compelling originality. An impressive Nathan Stewart-Jarrett is never less than fully committed as the drag queen. But it’s George MacKay, playing the young thug, who’s the real revelation here. It’s always been clear the guy’s a gifted actor. But this bare-knuckles performance brings his still young career to one hell of a climax. It’s nuanced, creative work, positively vibrating with electricity. In a season full of sensational turns from male actors (Brody, Stan, Fiennes, Eisenberg, David Dastmalchian and Glen Powell) I’d rank this as the acting feat of the year. Unfortunate that Oscar didn’t take note of it. “Femme”’s highwire act – graphic and gripping - may be difficult for its makers (co-directors Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping) to top. But – with this blazing bonfire of a movie – they’ve already proved they can put together something amazing.

7. MEGALOPOLIS

8. THE BIKERIDERS
This one took me by surprise, being that it’s peopled by characters I’d probably scurry across the street to avoid. But director Jeff Nichols and a fine cast bring the project to wonderful life. Found myself absorbed right from the get-go. Nichols’ script (adapted by him from a photography and interview book about real-life bikers) is a corker, at once tough and poetic. Jodie Comer’s carefully developed regional accent work sometimes threatens to overwhelm rather than enrich her performance. But she’s unquestionably a gifted actress, and her face and gestures are unfailingly eloquent. The men in the cast are all splendid. Charismatic Tom Hardy is excellent (when isn’t he?) and Mike Faist (as the photographer/interviewer who travels with the riders) does quiet wonders with a part that might have disappeared in lesser hands. My favorite, though, is Michael Shannon, surely one of the best actors now working. His character’s ongoing rants against “pinkos” – and his priceless description of what constitutes one (college boys who wear tennis shoes and short pants)are among the many vivid memories I’ll take from the film. The soundtrack features a lot of well chosen period needle drops too. I’m always happy for another chance to hear the Fleetwoods’”Come Softly to Me”.

9. THE BRUTALIST

10. CHALLENGERS
More than halfway through “Challengers” I found myself disoriented and frustrated by the way its narrative was being presented. Like a stone skipping across several stories at a time (albeit with the same characters in each). I was never quite sure of chronology or time frame. Then, in the film’s later stages, everything suddenly clicked. The road to this point hadn’t been haphazard after all. But – in fact - beautifully calculated to ensure maximum intensity and audience investment from there on in. Audacious editing doesn’t always work. This time, though, it triumphs.
Previously I’d always doubted Zendaya’s standing as an actress of any substance. But director Luca Guadagnino has found a way to draw out her inner flame. She holds center stage with real distinction here. Here’s hoping that once she’s extricated herself from all the tedious “Dune” stuff, she continues to give us more work as impressive and expressive as her Tashi in “Challengers”. I already knew her two male co-stars were quality performers and they both deliver big time here (Mike Faist is also terrific – in a whole different way – in this year’s “The Bikeriders”). And – boy – the tremendous work all three actors have put in to convince as tennis pros really pays off onscreen. But – in the end – it’s the way “Challengers” chooses to display and disperse the pieces of its story that makes the project genuinely thrilling. It may not be the very best movie of the year (though it’s up there) but it’s for sure the most excitingly edited. Smashingly so.

11. IO CAPITANO
12. SING SING

13. JEANNE DU BARRY
I believe this film – a sustained look at the relationship between Louis XV and his mistress, Madame Du Barry – did well in its native France. But – on arrival in America via Netflix – it barely seems to have made a ripple. Too bad. Because director (and leading lady) Maiwenn has done a highly commendable job on all fronts. The story’s absorbing. And Johnny Depp (quite at home performing in French) pulls off his royal role, a supporting one really, with understated effectiveness. Though the top male acting honors in the picture go to Benjamin Lavernhe as a fascinatingly complex courtier charged with teaching Jeanne the bewildering ways of the court. He's frankly terrific. I assume the picture had a handsome budget to work with – because it boasts a lush and expansive look, sometimes reaching Barry Lyndon levels of beauty.

14. HERETIC
Who knew that a horror film about two young Mormon missionaries (female) pitching their wares to an unsettlingly accommodating Hugh Grant would contain more cogent theological discussion than anything in “Conclave”? The script is unusually literate for the genre. But perhaps best of all is the fact that – at the end - it sticks its tricky landing quite beautifully, finding elegant, lingering satisfaction in ambiguity.

15. UNDER PARIS
16. TWISTERS
17. CARRY-ON
18. IN THE LAND OF SAINTS AND SINNERS
19. THE RETURN
20. THE SUBSTANCE
21. CONCLAVE

22. THE CRITIC
Sly period drama set against the backdrop of the British theatrical scene in the 1930's. Ian McKellan is Jimmy Erskine, an aged theater critic about to be forcibly retired by his newspaper's new management. Definitely not one to take this lying down, Erskine launches a series of labyrinthine, eventually deadly schemes to stop this from happening. McKellan, playing a villain decidedly in need of a comeuppance, is -of course - terrific. His character's charismatic, clever, monumentally unscrupulous, poisonously witty and never less than fascinating. The film's supporting cast is a deluxe one - full of welcome names like Ben Barnes, Romola Garai and Lesley Manville. Mark Strong is heartbreaking as a good man engulfed in a hopelessly bad situation. But best of all, I'd say, is Gemma Arterton. For a decade and a half she's been one of the most consistently excellent of film actresses - elegantly beautiful and highly accomplished. Yet she's never managed to hook up with that one film that would bring her the kind of mainstream success she deserves. Here, playing a veteran actress who hasn't quite made it, she's at her most brilliant. It's wonderful, frequently moving work. And had "The Critic" been seen by a larger audience I suspect she might have been (deservedly) in the Oscar conversation this year. As it is, the picture is floating around on some streaming platforms. Audiences who like richly appointed British period dramas should be strongly encouraged to seek it out. "The Critic" is top drawer on every level.

23. KINDS OF KINDNESS
24. THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO
25. THE LAST SHOWGIRL

The following title eventually got nudged out of my top 25 but since I'd already written a few words about it, I thought I'd retain them as an addendum, a signifier that - for me - the movie remains an honored runner-up:

MOTHER, COUCH
Ultra-irascible senior Ellen Burstyn plants herself down on a furniture store showroom sofa and begins ferociously waiting for Godot. Absurdist black comedy swings for the fences – and doesn’t always hit its targets. But Ewan McGregor(as Burstyn’s middle-aged son) anchors it all with a wonderful performance, playing a character who’s frantically determined to find order and sense in chaos. It’s the kind of role Jack Lemmon would have aced in days of yore. But McGregor – with his own distinctive energy - tackles the part beautifully, playing panic whack-a-mole with every alarming turn of events. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes moving – but always fully, deeply human.

[zen007]

Appears as if not many have watched The Count of Monte Cristo (French) yet.

[Hucksta G]

Originally Posted by zen007

Appears as if not many have watched The Count of Monte Cristo (French) yet.

Not out in NZ till April, unfortunately.

[thelittleprince]

1. Wicked
2. The Substance
3. Challengers
4. A Real Pain
5. Dune Part 2
6. Furiosa
7. Nosferatu
8. Anora
9. The Brutalist
10. Conclave
11. Deadpool and Wolverine
12. Joker: Folie à Deux
13. Longlegs
14. Heretic
15. A Quiet Place: Day One
16. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
17. Gladiator II
18. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
19. Trap
20. Blink Twice
21. A Different Man
22. Maria
23. Here
24. Argylle
25. Fly Me To The Moon

[dunnbluray]

Big thank you to thewerepuppygrr. I look forward to this every year!

1.) Dune: Part Two
2.) The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare
3.) Juror #2
4.) Deadpool & Wolverine
5.) The Watchers
6.) The Beekeeper
7.) Trap
8.) Alien: Romulus
9.) Nosferatu
10.) Longlegs
11.) Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
12.) Kill
13.) IF
14.) The Bikeriders
15.) Gladiator II
16.) Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
17.) Monkey Man
18.) Inside Out 2
19.) The Fall Guy
20.) Twisters

[ophone]

Originally Posted by zen007

Appears as if not many have watched The Count of Monte Cristo (French) yet.

Totally worth it, it's the 2nd on my list here so far.

There are still a few 2024 releases I'd like to see:
- Nosferatu, but first I want to see the original silent one.
- A Real Pain
- Maria, because my girlfriend wants to.
...

[The Debts]

Originally Posted by ophone

Totally worth it, it's the 2nd on my list here so far.

There are still a few 2024 releases I'd like to see:
- Nosferatu, but first I want to see the original silent one.
- A Real Pain
- Maria, because my girlfriend wants to.
...

Maria is on Netflix if you wanna give it a chance; One of our users, Cremildo, viewed it and put it in his top five.

[ophone]

Originally Posted by The Debts

Maria is on Netflix if you wanna give it a chance; One of our users, Cremildo, viewed it and put it in his top five.

Soon it'll be at the cinema here, we'll watch it there.

[Hucksta G]

Both Maria and Emilia Perez haven’t been released on Netflix for NZ because they’re getting a theatrical release (presumably from a different distributor).

[benbess]

Here are my ranked 25 favorites of 2024. A few movies of 2024 that I want to see but haven’t yet been able to see in my city include the new epic adaptation from France of The Count of Monte Cristo, and September 5.

Since I’ve only seen all of these movies below once, I don’t know how well they’ll hold up on a second viewing, which is usually a key way for me to tell if something is really a favorite. But at the moment I’m interested in seeing all of these again at some point.


Smile 2
Yes, a horror sequel was my top movie of the year, but it was the most visceral movie-going experience for me in 2024. One of my grown children has long been a fan of horror movies, and we survived this one together. When I was a kid I watched reruns of the original Twilight Zone, and enjoyed having the rug pulled out from under me, which is something that this movie does. As I first started to become a movie fan way back in the late 1970s I saw three now-classic horror movies with friends and family on opening day: the 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the original Halloween, and then Alien in 1979. I was scared out of my wits all three times, and Smile 2 movie brought me back to that kind of movie-going. Naomi Scott left it all of on the field as a pop star, and writer/director Parker Finn wasn’t afraid to go beyond his first movie. But warning: it’s very disturbing at times, and I even closed my eyes in a few places.

Inside Out 2
My other favorite movie-going experience this year was another sequel, the delightful and yet Anxiety-producing imaginary look inside a young person’s mind. Loved it. And yeah, sometimes I have pretty commercial tastes, as this movie had a box office of a stunning 1.7 billion dollars.

Dune II
What the heck? Three II sequels in a row? But yes, I loved this movie too, even though I liked the first Dune movie slightly better. Denis Villeneuve is a fantastic director, and so I’m both thrilled and horrified by this news: It’s been reported that DV is working on a film adaptation of the non-fiction book by Annie Jacobson titled “Nuclear War.” If anyone can scare us out of doing this for real by making a movie out of it, I’d say give DV a shot.

Gladiator II
The number II is now officially haunting my best of 2024 list…But anyway, Ridley Scott, Rome, and Denzel Washington! I enjoy an ancient world spectacle.

Wicked
I didn’t see the Broadway show or read the novel it was based on, so this was my first introduction to this world, and it won me over with a surprisingly emotional performance by Cynthia Erivo, who is nominated for an Oscar. Everyone else in the cast is good in this epic too, with wonderfully over-the-top costumes, sets, and cinematography.

A Complete Unknown
When I was a kid my Mom took me to see Pete Seeger in concert, and it was a great experience. Never saw Bob Dylan live, but I’ve listened to his songs for decades, and this movie gave me an experience of an alternate world Dylan-twin of some kind. Chalamet has been nominated for an Oscar, along with Monica Barbero as Baez. Oscar nomination for Sound for this one as well.

Juror No. 2
Nicholas Hoult gives another standout performance in what might be Clint Eastwood’s final film as a director. Thought-provoking movie that has steadily moved up in my ranking as I think about it.

The Dead Don’t Hurt
A new Western directed by, written by, and starring Viggo Mortenson? Sign me up! It reminds me in some ways of some classic Westerns from decades gone by, like Unforgiven, and even Westerns back in the 1940s and 1950s.

Love Lies Bleeding
I’m also a noir fan, and this surreal noir knocked my socks off in a few places. Directed by Brit Rose Glass, and starring Kristen Stewart, Katy O’Brian, and Ed Harris.

In the Land of Saints and Sinners
More noir with Liam Neeson. This also feels almost like a Western set in Ireland in a few places.

The Six Triple Eight
A real-life heroic feel-good story of the black women who helped deliver the mail in Europe during World War II. Well directed by Tyler Perry with a wonderful cast including Kerry Washington. Stick around for the credits to see some of the real-life inspirations for the film, a few of whom were still alive and had made it to around 100 years of age.

Lee
Lee Miller was a model, a Surrealist photographer, and also a correspondent during World War II. I’ve been a big fan of Lee Miller as well as of Kate Winslet since the 1990s, and the two of them paired together for this create a meaningful and moving film.

Anora
Mikey Madison gives a stand-out performance in this movie. Oscar nomination for this new star, and guessing she'll have long-lasting career.

Nosferatu
Horror in the old school. Visuals and cinematography are really good + Willem Dafoe.

A Real Pain
But a good drama.

Conclave
Enjoyed learning about some fictional politics inside the Vatican.

The Wild Robot
Animation and emotion.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Omg that song at the end.
It’s “MacArthur Park,” a folk-pop ballad the singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb wrote in 1967.

Twisters
Good old-fashioned disaster flick.

Horizon: Part I
Good old-fashioned Western.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Good old-fashioned apes!

The Fall Guy
Good old-fashioned stunts.

Immaculate
The horror…the horror.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
I’m a sucker for a sci fi dystopia.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Assassin
A real-life tragic hero in a real dystopia.

[ophone]

1) Dune: Part Two (Denis Villeneuve)
Outstanding popcorn flick making me impatient for its sequel.

2) Le comte de Monte-Cristo [The Count of Monte-Cristo] (Alexandre de la Patellière & Matthieu Delaporte)
A great way to convert a literature classic into a movie with excellent imagery and acting, all with just a fraction of budget what comparable Hollywood movies need.

3) Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat (Johan Grimonprez)
An eye opener when it comes to the UN. Jazz music is the red thread of this documentary, a music genre I like.

4) Straume [Flow] (Gints Zilbalodis)
An unconventional and marvellously done animation film, without spoken language.

5) Ainda Estou [I'm Still Here] (Walter Salles)
Great shots, excellent acting and outstanding Brazilian and Cape Verdean music.

6) Emilia Pérez (Jacques Audiard)
I'm a fan of mobster movies, this one gives a whole new twist to that genre.

7) The Substance (Coralie Fargeat)
Excellent cinematography paired with great acting.

8) Führer und Verführer [Goebbels and the Führer] (Joachim Lang)
A well done film about the man who was responsible for Hitler's image inside Germany during his tyrannical reign. You can feel the work the main actor had done to emulate Goebbels' speech and mannerisms.

9) Joker: Folie à Deux (Todd Phillips)
Probably the best film depicting the process of the protagonist's accepting he's mentally ill and how he became it.

10) Alien: Romulus (Fede Alvarez)
This one sits so high, because it was the first film I saw at an IMAX cinema. Quite a visual and aural spectacle.

11) One Life (James Hawe)
This one played heavily on my heartstrings.

12) Hit Man (Richard Linklater)
My kind of comedy, funny with a macabre twist.

13) Sing Sing (Greg Kwedar)
Insightful, all presented with great acting, also from the amateur actors.

14) The Wild Robot (Chris Sanders)
A rather conventional film, but very beautiful.

15) Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (George Miller)
A visual spectacle and probably my favourite Mad Max film.

16) Crossing (Levan Akin)
The movie of an emotional journey.

17) Small Things Like These (Tim Mielants)
I dig movies criticising the madness of Catholicism.

18) Back to Black (Sam-Taylor Johnson)
I particularly liked the scenes at Ronnie Scott's. Myself I had a few excellent evenings in that Londoner Jazz club in Soho.

19) Anora (Sean Baker)
This film took a while to get going, but at the end it's a nice tragic comedy.

20) Conclave (Edward Berger)
Another one of those criticising Catholicism, here it's about the power struggle in Church.

21) The Brutalist (Brady Corbet)
I don't mind the usage of AI to enhance the actors' voices. The main couple sounded really like Hungarians.

22) Fly Me to the Moon (Greg Berlanti)
Quite fun this movie.

23) The Apprentice (Ali Abbasi)
Insightful and telling.

24) The Garfield Movie (Mark Dindal)
A great feel good movie.

25) The Fall Guy (David Leitch)
Not deep, but good fun.



I looked up the release dates on Letterboxd.

List of films I gave at least a 9/10 which have been released in Luxembourg in 2024 ineligible for the topic:

[Show spoiler]Amerikatsi (Michael A. Goorjian): Best film I saw at the cinema last year, originally a 2022 release.
La plus précieuse des marchandises [The Most Precious of Cargoes] (Michel Hazanavicius): Favourite 2024 release.
Tatami (Zar Amir & Guy Nattiv) originally a 2023 release.
En fanfare [The Marching Band] (Emmanuel Courcol)
Un p'tit truc en plus [A Little Something Extra] (Artus)
Monsieur Aznavour (Mehdi Adir & Grand Corps Malade)
Vogter [Sons] (Gustav Möller)

Worst 2024 release:

[Show spoiler]Deadpool & Wolverine (Shawn Levy)

[The Debts]

Let's bump this up.