Editorial: Halfway There, The Best of 2024 So Far
Written by Grady Fiorio Original Publishing Date: July 12th, 2024
The 10 best films of the first half of 2024
As you may have noticed, we’re in a bit of a tough time for cinema. One year post-strike, a drought of films in theaters, and an even dryer box office, as audiences hold closer to their Netflix price hikes than they do their Barbenheimers. This year was even a slow run for Sundance, never hitting those same highs that Past Lives and Beyond Utopia brought last year. It’s a tough time for all of us making films too, as we face one of the slowest production seasons in nearly 50 years. It’s not a particularly fun time for the movie industry, but that means we need to embrace it more than ever if we’re going to keep this art form alive. However, we still have some exciting films to look forward to as we hit the back half of 2024. I’m particularly excited for Deadpool & Wolverine, Gladiator 2, Nosferatu, and of course, Francis Ford Copollas's next (and final?) outing on the big screen, Megalopolis. After Megalopolis’ wildly divisive reactions at Cannes this year, it’s shot up to the top of my list of most anticipated films of the year. It sounds like a batshit crazy, psychedelic feast for the eyes, and you bet I’ll be there on opening day when it plays on IMAX screens. Will it be a best-of-the-year contender? I have no idea. I guess we’ll find out in six months.
Thankfully even in the slimist of pickings at the theaters, there’s always at least something good on screen, and I did my best to watch as many of them as I could. There are still a few films I need to catch up on this summer season, like Kinds of Kindness and A Quiet Place: Day One, but I was able to catch most of the big ones. If your favorite film wasn't on this list, it probably slipped past my radar or just wasn't that great. However, keep an eye out because you may see them appear on the Best of 2024 list, six months from now. So without further ado, I'll be sharing my top 10 films of the first half of 2024. Just like years prior, I'll be counting films with both a limited and wide release, so some of these may be festival films that might not get a wide release until next year, or only just got their wide release this year but had a limited premiere in 2023. Other than that, don't take the ordering too seriously, only my favorite film I'm saving for last.
Honorable Mentions
Despite the slowness of this season’s cinematic outings, there were still a few honorable mentions that I felt were worth mentioning. The summer season of blockbusters got off to a steady start with David Leitch’s The Fall Guy. It’s a fun stunt action romp, particularly for dummies like me who can’t resist movies about making movies. It’s a shame this one didn’t get much love at the box office. However, I can guarantee that it will make for a great night at home when accompanied by a few Coors Lites and a box of pizza. Another fun but unfortunate box office flop was Furiosa. George Miller’s long-awaited sequel to the fan-favorite Fury Road was certainly a wild ride, if not a bit messy in places. Despite some shortcomings, there’s enough explosive vehicular action, to keep any gearhead foaming at the mouth. Plus, Chris Hemsworth is a pretty kick-ass villain. We also saw the return of our favorite primates with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, in what will hopefully kickstart a new trilogy. And last (but not least?) we have the most shocking twist of this year’s movie season so far… Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 (just typing it out feels wrong). Yes, ladies and gents, I have to admit, I kind of liked Blood and Honey 2. While the first film was an absolute trashterpiece of cinema, and often felt like it “bearley” (I’m sorry) qualified as being a movie, the sequel fixes many of its prior problems by not only crafting an actual narrative around its gimmick but fully committing to the bit. The characters take the plot dead seriously, and in turn, so does director Rhys Frake-Waterfield. It’s an unsuspected turn for the film, but a welcome one. I’m not going to tell you that it’s a masterpiece, or that it’s much better than a baseline “good”, but I did enjoy it much more than I thought.
10. Spaceman
Adam Sandler has blessed us once again with another of his “serious” films. Based on the novel of the same name, Spaceman follows Czech astronaut Jakub Procházka, as he embarks on a one-man mission to a particle cloud just beyond Jupiter. On this excruciatingly long and lonely journey, Procházka begins to crack under the pressure of zero gravity cabin fever, as his pregnant wife 484 million miles away, debates divorcing her emotionally and physically distant husband. To make matters even worse, Procházka’s spaceship is invaded by a spiderlike creature named Hanuš, who may or may not be friend or foe, real or hallucinated. As Procházka and Hanuš travel among the stars, they dive deep into Procházka’s psyche to understand just why he and his wife have become separated beyond space and time. It’s spiritual, psychedelic, and features Paul Dano as a talking space spider. While it may have gotten a bit of a lukewarm reception when it premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, I believe that like its characters, Spaceman hides deeper secrets beyond its surface. While not reaching the same highs as Punch Drunk Love or Uncut Gems, Spaceman earns a spot in Sandler’s catalog of high-quality films.
9. Future Date
Future Date definitely caught me by surprise. This ultra-low-budget feature sends us to a dystopian future, where single individuals are placed on a reality dating show, to meet a potential match for the prize of a home and romantic relationship. If contestants fail to match they are sent back to their apartments to live alone and loveless once again. The film focuses on Ry and Mia, as two completely incompatible contestants, putting up an act for the opportunity to live outside their sheltered worlds. You can probably see where the story is going, but the smart writing, cute characters, and clever low-budget production design allow Future Date to punch above its weight in a cool 82 minutes. While it might not shatter the world of cinema with anything groundbreaking, Future Date is funny, cute, and heartfelt all where it matters most.
This is just one of many films I caught at the 2024 Cinequest Film Festival (Where I had the U.S. Premiere of my short film Stuck, which I will shamelessly plug here).
8. Black Box Diaries
Moving to another festival film, Black Box Diaries was one of the many high-profile documentary premieres at Sundance 2024. Black Box Diaries follows the tragic story of Japanese journalist Shiori Ito, as she attempts to bring her rapist, Noriyuki Yamaguchi, to justice. This becomes a seemingly insurmountable task being that Yamaguchi is a high-profile Japanese journalist, with ties to at the time, prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe. To make the story even more gut-wrenching, Ito is making the documentary herself, as she simultaneously investigates her own case. It’s a brutal examination of Ito’s fight for justice under Japan’s conservative values regarding rape and sexual assault. Ito takes a “by any means” approach to her docu-style, using every camera, tactic, and piece of investigative journalism she has, to bring down the massive Goliath impeding the way of justice. Its tragedies are incredibly disturbing, but Ito’s resistance is a testament to the human spirit. This film says more than I ever could, so I recommend you give it a watch when it gets a wide release sometime later this year.
You can read my full Sundance 2024 breakdown by clicking here.
7. Love Lies Bleeding
Love Lies Bleeding was a tough one for me. I loved this thing, beginning to end, but was brought to a full stop by the last ten minutes. After catching the film at Sundance, I’ve had five months to look back and reflect on the film. I have to say… not much has changed. Yeah, I know. Not a very exciting answer. But, what it made me realize, is just how much I did enjoy the rest of the film. The film follows the bloody tale of a bodybuilder and gym manager, as they go on a rampage of revenge and romance through the blistering heat of a New Mexico summer. Embodying the best of erotic thrillers of the past, Love Lies Bleeding is a tribute to the crime films of yesteryear, while giving a new spin on these classic violent tales. Here you can really see Rose Glass evolving as a director. Saint Maud was a good flick, but Love Lives Bleeding is a great one. The way Glass plays with editing and performances shows how she has left the safety net. I love this film’s visual style, and how it complements the dirt and grit of its narrative. Ed Harris is a scene stealer, and the makeup feels pulled straight out of a David Cronenberg film. Yes, that ending does really pull the wind from the sails, but it’s hard to complain when everything else is done so right. After last year’s Fair Play, it seems like erotic thrillers might be making a comeback, and I’m all here for it.
You can read my full Sundance 2024 breakdown by clicking here.
6. Skywalkers
2,227 feet is a long way down, but if life has taught me anything, it’s that greatness doesn’t stop at the halfway point. Of many life lessons learned, rooftoppers Angela Nikolau and Vanya Beerkus find their love challenged as they illegally free-climb the world’s second-tallest building, while it remains under construction. Skywalkers is an absolutely harrowing documentary, featuring jaw-dropping views that will have you clenching more than just your fists. Even as someone who doesn’t have much of an issue with heights, watching this one on the big screen left me light-headed more than a few times. But the view from the top is worth it, and so are Nikolau and Beerkus. Both their romance and climb are instantly captivating, as director Jeff Zimbalist and co-director Maria Bukhonina, craft their narrative using nearly a decade of footage. The whole thing culminates in one final 30-hour climb to the top of Merdeka 118, the world’s second-tallest building, all while dodging the law and death itself. There’s a lot I’d do for love, but this crazy shit is not one of them. Thankfully all I have to do is watch. You can catch this on Netflix or during its limited IMAX release when it releases on July 19th.
You can read my full Sundance 2024 breakdown by clicking here.
5. Reinas
They say all the stories we’ve ever created have already been told. They just get spun up again with new people and new places. So how do you make a 63-year-old story like The Parent Trap feel new and original? Throw it in the middle of a 90’s Peruvian military coup I guess. While it might seem ridiculous, director Klaudia Reynicke makes it work. The film tells the story of two young sisters, as they come of age and are split apart by their conflicting feelings towards their divorced parents. It’s a story full of sympathetic characters, with perspectives that you can always understand even if they aren’t ones you can always agree with. At the heart of the film are sisters Lucia and Aurora, played by Abril Gjurinovic and Luana Vega respectively. Despite having no prior acting credits, both talents absolutely crush their roles. Child performances in films are very hit-and-miss, but when they are good it adds a layer of depth and appreciation for the film and its craftsmanship. Thankfully Reinas hits the mark, which is all the more impressive given that the two child leads occupy nearly every single scene. The other notable standout is Gonzalo Molina, who plays Reinas’ absentee father, Carlos. He brings a genuine heart to a character that would be easy to dismiss, but his performance alone makes the film worth it. I won’t tell you that Reinas is an unpredictable thrill ride like some of the other films on this list, but it is a well-crafted film in a tight package, that will be sure to please.
You can read my full Sundance 2024 breakdown by clicking here.
4. Midnight Caller
Plenty of fantastic movies go under the radar each year, but please don’t let Midnight Caller be one of them. Originally titled Warhol, Midnight Caller is another festival film I caught at Cinequest this year. The film follows a U.K. shock-jock, as he gets a call from someone claiming that an intruder has broken into their house. Morality is tested as the legitimacy of the call comes into question. From TikTok challenges to political extremism, Midnight Caller is a brutal take on the obsession that our culture has with the spotlight, prophesizing Andy Warhol’s famous quote "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." Shot in just 12 days with a budget slashed from $3 million to $100,000, Midnight Caller matches its production with a high-stakes endurance test, where every second matters. There really is nothing like it, as every twist and turn sends both the characters and the audience into a deeper state of madness. The ending is a total jaw-dropper and I can’t recommend it enough. While this one might be a while before it gets a wide release theatrically or streaming, Midnight Caller is worth the wait and will keep you on the edge of your seat at every turn.
3. War Game
2024 is shaping up to be a hell of a year, ain’t it? I’m probably not the first to tell you this, but January 6th was a real “wake the fuck up” call for the world. Blind American extremism got to such an unreasonable point, that a large swath of people thought it was reasonable to attempt a coup on the capitol when their candidate lost a free and fair election. It was unbearable for most and unthinkable for many. But what if it happened again? 2024’s documentary War Game, asks us this question by creating a bi-partisan presidential cabinet, made of real former D.C. politicians and cabinet members, as they participate in a simulation where the capitol finds itself under attack again on January 6th, 2025. The goal? Prevent a second civil war from breaking out. No pressure. Run by the Vet Voice Foundation, a group fighting extremism in the American military, this simulation presents a Dungeons and Dragons style “game” that puts American democracy and ethics to the test, in a truly hair-raising documentary event. Given how tumultuous this year has been for American politics, War Game feels more relevant than ever, and of course, that’s by design. No matter which way you swing politically, the rising trend of extremism both in the military and civilian life has democracy at more risk than it has ever been since the Civil War. However, if we are to defeat this threat to American peace, we have to know the steps to prevent it, and War Game gives audiences an unparalleled look into the closed doors of Washington. Not only is the film fascinating, but directors Tony Gerber and Jesse Moss craft a unique cinematic experience, shot in just a single day. It’s the kind of edge of your seat thriller that I love, while still having so much to say about the course of our nation.
You can read my full Sundance 2024 breakdown by clicking here.
2. Civil War
If there were ever a time to do a double feature, War Game and Civil War would be the match made in hell. For the sake of argument, let’s assume that the 248-year-old experiment that is America, goes ass up. What then? If War Game is about the politics that lead to a Civil War, then Civil War is the bloody and emotional aftermath. Alex Garland’s (supposed) final film follows a group of journalists as they cross the American South to Washington D.C., attempting to interview the president as a new American civil war has rung out. While the details of why America has broken in two remain a mystery to the audiences, the focus is instead on the group of morally grey protagonists as they witness a blurring line of genocides and atrocities, only standing by to document. Civil War is more Apocolypse Now than it is All the President's Men, as it explores man’s turn from a civilized creature into a ravenous beast. We see these two factions fight so long and hard, forgetting who or why they are fighting in the first place. While many criticized the film for not being partisan, demonizing one side of the political spectrum, or giving specific details on how the war broke out, Civil War isn’t interested in the why. Instead, the film is focused on what happens when we resort to this demonizing and dehumanization. Even the worst of our enemies are human, and if we strip them of their humanity, we also strip the humanity from ourselves. Garland expertly crafts this by showing us how the First World is just as fallible and collapsable as any other country or government. We are no exception, and if we’re not careful, nothing is stopping us from breaking out into the chaos that seems to plague so many other countries across the world. It’s some of Garland’s best work and a masterpiece of antiwar cinema. This is one of the most important films of the decade, and it’s a must-watch for every American citizen this election year.
1. Dune Part Two
Final a movie without war in the title! Let’s see what this movie is about. A holy war. Oh, brother… Well at least this isn’t a festival film, and you can actually watch this one right now.
Psychedelic, prophetic, and poetic, Dune Part Two is without a doubt the movie of the year. I know that’s a bold call, especially this early in the year, but it’s hard to imagine anything else topping what Dennis Villeneuve has achieved. It’s so hard to imagine, that part of me worries how he will be able to follow up this chapter of the Dune Saga with Part Three. It supersedes not only all other attempts at adapting Dune, but even blows Villnueve’s own Dune Part One right out of the water. Villeneuve maintains the impeccable production value of his predecessor, while making the story feel more relatable by grounding it in a politically relevant and emotional tale of a man propped into being a god. Plenty (if not all) of the narrative shift can be attributed to the original author Frank Herbert, but Villeneuve does the seemingly impossible and adapts this sci-fi epic in a way that could only be done today. What Part Three may hold is a mystery for now, but in the meantime, we can worry not, and just enjoy the giant sandworms, and pray that one day the Lisan Al-gaib releases an IMAX Blu-ray of Dune Parts One and Two.
You can read my full Dune review by clicking here.
