Best Films of 2024
This article is a look at the best films of 2024.
I saw 392 films in 2024. So let us begin.
THE FILMALUATION AWARDS
The following are listed alphabetically in each category for my nominations, with a runner-up, and then the very lucky winner!
Have you got your formal attire on? Okay, let’s begin…
Best Actress
Nearly made the list:
A TRAVELLER'S NEEDS – Isabelle Huppert, BIRD – Nykiya Adams, CHALLENGERS – Zendaya, DUNE: PART TWO – Zendaya, EMILIA PÉREZ – Karla Sofía Kascón, FANCY DANCE – Lily Gladstone, GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS - Preeti Panigrahi, KINDS OF KINDNESS - Emma Stone, LISA FRANKENSTEIN - Kathryn Newton, SEIZE THEM! - Lolly Adefope, SEIZE THEM! - Amy Lou Wood, THE BALCONETTES – Sanda Codreanu, THE BALCONETTES - Noémie Merlant, WICKED LITTLE LETTERS - Jessie Buckley, WICKED LITTLE LETTERS - Olivia Colman
AÏCHA – Fatma Sfar
ANORA – Mikey Madison
CIVIL WAR - Kirsten Dunst
CROSSING - Mzia Arabuli
DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD - Ilinca Manolache
EMILIA PÉREZ – Zoe Saldaña
POOR THINGS - Emma Stone
SANTOSH – Shahana Goswami
THE OUTRUN – Saoirse Ronan
THE SUBSTANCE - Demi Moore
Runner-up: POOR THINGS - Emma Stone
Winner: DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD - Ilinca Manolache
Best Actor
Nearly made the list:
BLITZ – Elliott Heffernan, CHALLENGERS - Josh O’Connor, CROSSING - Lucas Kankava, QUEER - Daniel Craig, HERETIC – Hugh Grant, KINDS OF KINDNESS - Jesse Plemons, MONKEY MAN - Dev Patel, NEVER LET GO - Percy Daggs IV, SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE – Cillian Murphy, SPEAK NO EVIL - James McAvoy, THE APPRENTICE – Sebastian Stan, THE CRITIC - Ian McKellen, THE PROMISED LAND - Mads Mikkelsen
ALL OF US STRANGERS - Andrew Scott
AMERICAN FICTION - Jeffrey Wright
BLACK DOG - Eddie Peng
CONCLAVE – Ralph Fiennes
NICKEL BOYS – Ethan Herisse
OPPONENT - Payman Maadi
PERFECT DAYS - Koji Yakusho
REBEL RIDGE - Aaron Pierre
SING SING - Colman Domingo
THE IRON CLAW - Zac Efron
Runner-up: SING SING - Colman Domingo
Winner: PERFECT DAYS - Koji Yakusho
Best Supporting Actress
Nearly made the list:
BLITZ - Saoirse Ronan, CONCLAVE – Isabella Rossellini, CROSSING - Deniz Dumanli, EMILIA PÉREZ – Selena Gomez, EVIL DOES NOT EXIST - Ayaka Shibutani, OPPONENT - Marall Nasiri
ALL OF US STRANGERS - Claire Foy
DIDI - Joan Chen
FANCY DANCE – Isabel DeRoy-Olson
GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS - Kani Kusruti
LISA FRANKENSTEIN - Liza Soberano
REBEL RIDGE - AnnaSophia Robb
SANTOSH – Sunita Rajwar
THE FRONT ROOM – Kathryn Hunter
THE SUBSTANCE - Margaret Qualley
WICKED – Ariana Grande
Runner-up: LISA FRANKENSTEIN - Liza Soberano
Winner: WICKED – Ariana Grande
Best Supporting Actor
Nearly made the list:
ALL OF US STRANGERS - Paul Mescal, ANORA – Yura Borisov, BIRD – Barry Keoghan, BLINK TWICE - Channing Tatum, POOR THINGS - Mark Ruffalo, ROB PEACE - Chiwetel Ejiofor
A REAL PAIN – Kieran Culkin
ALL OF US STRANGERS - Jamie Bell
AMERICAN FICTION - Sterling K. Brown
BIRD – Franz Rogowski
CARRY-ON – Jason Bateman
CIVIL WAR - Stephen McKinley Henderson
KNEECAP - JJ “DJ Próvaí” Ó Dochartaigh
POOR THINGS - Willem Dafoe
SING SING - Clarence Maclin
THE APPRENTICE – Jeremy Strong
Runner-up: THE APPRENTICE – Jeremy Strong
Winner: A REAL PAIN – Kieran Culkin
Best Animated Film
Nearly made the list:
INSIDE OUT 2
KENSUKE’S KINGDOM
LOOK BACK
MEMOIR OF A SNAIL
PIECE BY PIECE
THE WILD ROBOT
Runner-up: THE WILD ROBOT
Winner: INSIDE OUT 2
Best Cinematography
Nearly made the list:
BLINK TWICE, EVIL DOES NOT EXIST, MOANA 2, THE IRON CLAW, THE OUTRUN
ALL OF US STRANGERS
ANORA
BLACK DOG
BIRD
CIVIL WAR
EMILIA PÉREZ
NICKEL BOYS
POOR THINGS
SKYWALKERS: A LOVE STORY
THE SUBSTANCE
Runner-up: SKYWALKERS: A LOVE STORY
Winner: NICKEL BOYS
Best Screenplay
Nearly made the list:
A REAL PAIN, AÏCHA, ALL OF US STRANGERS, ANORA, BIRD, CHALLENGERS, CROSSING, DIDI, FANCY DANCE, GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS, INSIDE OUT 2, LISA FRANKENSTEIN, MALDOROR, MY OLD ASS, OPPONENT, REBEL RIDGE, ROB PEACE, SANTOSH, SING SING, SUGAR ISLAND, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGICAL NEGROES, THE APPRENTICE, THE BALCONETTES, THE OUTRUN, THE PERSIAN VERSION, THE PROMISED LAND, WICKED LITTLE LETTERS, WOMAN OF THE HOUR
AMERICAN FICTION
CIVIL WAR
DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD
EMILIA PÉREZ
EVIL DOES NOT EXIST
KNEECAP
NICKEL BOYS
ORIGIN
PERFECT DAYS
POOR THINGS
Runner-up: KNEECAP
Winner: NICKEL BOYS
Best Horror
Nearly made the list:
BLACK FLIES, BLINK TWICE, CUCKOO, EXHUMA, IMMACULATE, KINDS OF KINDNESS, MAXXXINE, NIGHT SWIM, SLEEP, SPEAK NO EVIL, THE FRONT ROOM, THE PLATFORM 2
ALIEN: ROMULUS
CIVIL WAR
FURIOSA
NICKEL BOYS
SECTOR 36
SMILE 2
STRANGE DARLING
THE MONKEY
THE SUBSTANCE
WOMAN OF THE HOUR
Runner-up: WOMAN OF THE HOUR
Winner: NICKEL BOYS
Best Score
BLITZ
CAPTAIN MILLER
CHALLENGERS
EAT THE NIGHT
EVIL DOES NOT EXIST
FURIOSA
KENSUKE’S KINGDOM
OPPONENT
ROB PEACE
SING SING
SKYWALKERS: A LOVE STORY
SPACEMAN
(No winners for this category, just nominees.)
Best Visual Effects
ALIEN: ROMULUS
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
CIVIL WAR
DUNE: PART TWO
GLADIATOR II
POOR THINGS
SPACEMAN
THE MONKEY
THE SUBSTANCE
WICKED
Runner-up: THE SUBSTANCE
Winner: POOR THINGS
Best Documentary
Nearly made the list:
BUY NOW! THE SHOPPING CONSPIRACY, DAHOMEY, ELIZABETH TAYLOR: THE LOST TAPES, FAYE, FRIDA, KLITSCHKO: MORE THAN A FIGHT, PIECE BY PIECE, SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY, THE ANTISOCIAL NETWORK: FROM MEMES TO MAYHEM, THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF CHRISTOPHER LEE, WILL & HARPER
EIGHT POSTCARDS FROM UTOPIA
HACK YOUR HEALTH: THE SECRETS OF YOUR GUT
JOIN OR DIE
MARTHA
MOUNTAIN QUEEN: THE SUMMITS OF LHAKPA SHERPA
MOVIEPASS, MOVIECRASH
NEVER LOOK AWAY
POWER
STRIKE: AN UNCIVIL WAR
THE TRUTH VS. ALEX JONES
Runner-up: STRIKE: AN UNCIVIL WAR
Winner: POWER
Best Comedy
Nearly made the list:
LISA FRANKENSTEIN, MISSION: CROSS, MY OLD ASS, RUMOURS, SEIZE THEM!, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGICAL NEGROES, THE FALL GUY, THE MONKEY, WICKED LITTLE LETTERS
A REAL PAIN
A TRAVELLER'S NEEDS
AMERICAN FICTION
DIDI
DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD
EIGHT POSTCARDS FROM UTOPIA
IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE
KNEECAP
POOR THINGS
THE INSTIGATORS
Joint Runner-up: AMERICAN FICTION / DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD
Winner: KNEECAP
Best Action Film
CARRY-ON
KILL
MONKEY MAN
OFFICER BLACK BELT
ROAD HOUSE
SIXTY MINUTES
THE INSTIGATORS
THE SHADOW STRAYS
UPRISING
Runner-up: THE INSTIGATORS
Winner: THE SHADOW STRAYS
Best Director
Nearly made the list:
ALL OF US STRANGERS - Andrew Haigh, BIRD – Andrea Arnold, BLACK DOG - Guan Hu, BLITZ – Steve McQueen, CHALLENGERS - Luca Guadagnino, INSIDE OUT 2 - Kelsey Mann, THE BALCONETTES – Noémie Merlant, THE IRON CLAW - Sean Durkin, THE OUTRUN – Nora Fingscheidt
ANORA – Sean Baker
CIVIL WAR - Alex Garland
DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD - Radu Jude
EMILIA PÉREZ – Jacques Audiard
EVIL DOES NOT EXIST - Ryusuke Hamaguchi
KNEECAP - Rich Peppiatt
NICKEL BOYS – RaMell Ross
POOR THINGS - Yorgos Lanthimos
THE SUBSTANCE - Coralie Fargeat
WOMAN OF THE HOUR – Anna Kendrick
Runner-up: NICKEL BOYS – RaMell Ross
Winner: KNEECAP - Rich Peppiatt
Best Film
Nearly made the list:
ALL OF US STRANGERS, ANORA, BIRD, BLACK DOG, CHALLENGERS, CROSSING, INSIDE OUT 2, OPPONENT, SING SING, SUGAR ISLAND, THE APPRENTICE, THE BALCONETTES, THE OUTRUN, THE PROMISED LAND
AMERICAN FICTION
CIVIL WAR
DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD
EMILIA PÉREZ
EVIL DOES NOT EXIST
KNEECAP
NICKEL BOYS
ORIGIN
PERFECT DAYS
POOR THINGS
Runner-up: KNEECAP
Winner: NICKEL BOYS
Congratulations to the award winners, dry your tears of victory.
So that’s it for another year folks! Bring on 2025!
THE FILMALUATION AWARDS
The following are listed alphabetically in each category for my nominations, with a runner-up, and then the very lucky winner!
Have you got your formal attire on? Okay, let’s begin…
Best Actress
Nearly made the list:
A TRAVELLER'S NEEDS – Isabelle Huppert, BIRD – Nykiya Adams, CHALLENGERS – Zendaya, DUNE: PART TWO – Zendaya, EMILIA PÉREZ – Karla Sofía Kascón, FANCY DANCE – Lily Gladstone, GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS - Preeti Panigrahi, KINDS OF KINDNESS - Emma Stone, LISA FRANKENSTEIN - Kathryn Newton, SEIZE THEM! - Lolly Adefope, SEIZE THEM! - Amy Lou Wood, THE BALCONETTES – Sanda Codreanu, THE BALCONETTES - Noémie Merlant, WICKED LITTLE LETTERS - Jessie Buckley, WICKED LITTLE LETTERS - Olivia Colman
AÏCHA – Fatma Sfar
ANORA – Mikey Madison
CIVIL WAR - Kirsten Dunst
CROSSING - Mzia Arabuli
DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD - Ilinca Manolache
EMILIA PÉREZ – Zoe Saldaña
POOR THINGS - Emma Stone
SANTOSH – Shahana Goswami
THE OUTRUN – Saoirse Ronan
THE SUBSTANCE - Demi Moore
Runner-up: POOR THINGS - Emma Stone
Winner: DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD - Ilinca Manolache
Best Actor
Nearly made the list:
BLITZ – Elliott Heffernan, CHALLENGERS - Josh O’Connor, CROSSING - Lucas Kankava, QUEER - Daniel Craig, HERETIC – Hugh Grant, KINDS OF KINDNESS - Jesse Plemons, MONKEY MAN - Dev Patel, NEVER LET GO - Percy Daggs IV, SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE – Cillian Murphy, SPEAK NO EVIL - James McAvoy, THE APPRENTICE – Sebastian Stan, THE CRITIC - Ian McKellen, THE PROMISED LAND - Mads Mikkelsen
ALL OF US STRANGERS - Andrew Scott
AMERICAN FICTION - Jeffrey Wright
BLACK DOG - Eddie Peng
CONCLAVE – Ralph Fiennes
NICKEL BOYS – Ethan Herisse
OPPONENT - Payman Maadi
PERFECT DAYS - Koji Yakusho
REBEL RIDGE - Aaron Pierre
SING SING - Colman Domingo
THE IRON CLAW - Zac Efron
Runner-up: SING SING - Colman Domingo
Winner: PERFECT DAYS - Koji Yakusho
Best Supporting Actress
Nearly made the list:
BLITZ - Saoirse Ronan, CONCLAVE – Isabella Rossellini, CROSSING - Deniz Dumanli, EMILIA PÉREZ – Selena Gomez, EVIL DOES NOT EXIST - Ayaka Shibutani, OPPONENT - Marall Nasiri
ALL OF US STRANGERS - Claire Foy
DIDI - Joan Chen
FANCY DANCE – Isabel DeRoy-Olson
GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS - Kani Kusruti
LISA FRANKENSTEIN - Liza Soberano
REBEL RIDGE - AnnaSophia Robb
SANTOSH – Sunita Rajwar
THE FRONT ROOM – Kathryn Hunter
THE SUBSTANCE - Margaret Qualley
WICKED – Ariana Grande
Runner-up: LISA FRANKENSTEIN - Liza Soberano
Winner: WICKED – Ariana Grande
Best Supporting Actor
Nearly made the list:
ALL OF US STRANGERS - Paul Mescal, ANORA – Yura Borisov, BIRD – Barry Keoghan, BLINK TWICE - Channing Tatum, POOR THINGS - Mark Ruffalo, ROB PEACE - Chiwetel Ejiofor
A REAL PAIN – Kieran Culkin
ALL OF US STRANGERS - Jamie Bell
AMERICAN FICTION - Sterling K. Brown
BIRD – Franz Rogowski
CARRY-ON – Jason Bateman
CIVIL WAR - Stephen McKinley Henderson
KNEECAP - JJ “DJ Próvaí” Ó Dochartaigh
POOR THINGS - Willem Dafoe
SING SING - Clarence Maclin
THE APPRENTICE – Jeremy Strong
Runner-up: THE APPRENTICE – Jeremy Strong
Winner: A REAL PAIN – Kieran Culkin
Best Animated Film
Nearly made the list:
INSIDE OUT 2
KENSUKE’S KINGDOM
LOOK BACK
MEMOIR OF A SNAIL
PIECE BY PIECE
THE WILD ROBOT
Runner-up: THE WILD ROBOT
Winner: INSIDE OUT 2
Best Cinematography
Nearly made the list:
BLINK TWICE, EVIL DOES NOT EXIST, MOANA 2, THE IRON CLAW, THE OUTRUN
ALL OF US STRANGERS
ANORA
BLACK DOG
BIRD
CIVIL WAR
EMILIA PÉREZ
NICKEL BOYS
POOR THINGS
SKYWALKERS: A LOVE STORY
THE SUBSTANCE
Runner-up: SKYWALKERS: A LOVE STORY
Winner: NICKEL BOYS
Best Screenplay
Nearly made the list:
A REAL PAIN, AÏCHA, ALL OF US STRANGERS, ANORA, BIRD, CHALLENGERS, CROSSING, DIDI, FANCY DANCE, GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS, INSIDE OUT 2, LISA FRANKENSTEIN, MALDOROR, MY OLD ASS, OPPONENT, REBEL RIDGE, ROB PEACE, SANTOSH, SING SING, SUGAR ISLAND, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGICAL NEGROES, THE APPRENTICE, THE BALCONETTES, THE OUTRUN, THE PERSIAN VERSION, THE PROMISED LAND, WICKED LITTLE LETTERS, WOMAN OF THE HOUR
AMERICAN FICTION
CIVIL WAR
DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD
EMILIA PÉREZ
EVIL DOES NOT EXIST
KNEECAP
NICKEL BOYS
ORIGIN
PERFECT DAYS
POOR THINGS
Runner-up: KNEECAP
Winner: NICKEL BOYS
Best Horror
Nearly made the list:
BLACK FLIES, BLINK TWICE, CUCKOO, EXHUMA, IMMACULATE, KINDS OF KINDNESS, MAXXXINE, NIGHT SWIM, SLEEP, SPEAK NO EVIL, THE FRONT ROOM, THE PLATFORM 2
ALIEN: ROMULUS
CIVIL WAR
FURIOSA
NICKEL BOYS
SECTOR 36
SMILE 2
STRANGE DARLING
THE MONKEY
THE SUBSTANCE
WOMAN OF THE HOUR
Runner-up: WOMAN OF THE HOUR
Winner: NICKEL BOYS
Best Score
BLITZ
CAPTAIN MILLER
CHALLENGERS
EAT THE NIGHT
EVIL DOES NOT EXIST
FURIOSA
KENSUKE’S KINGDOM
OPPONENT
ROB PEACE
SING SING
SKYWALKERS: A LOVE STORY
SPACEMAN
(No winners for this category, just nominees.)
Best Visual Effects
ALIEN: ROMULUS
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
CIVIL WAR
DUNE: PART TWO
GLADIATOR II
POOR THINGS
SPACEMAN
THE MONKEY
THE SUBSTANCE
WICKED
Runner-up: THE SUBSTANCE
Winner: POOR THINGS
Best Documentary
Nearly made the list:
BUY NOW! THE SHOPPING CONSPIRACY, DAHOMEY, ELIZABETH TAYLOR: THE LOST TAPES, FAYE, FRIDA, KLITSCHKO: MORE THAN A FIGHT, PIECE BY PIECE, SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY, THE ANTISOCIAL NETWORK: FROM MEMES TO MAYHEM, THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF CHRISTOPHER LEE, WILL & HARPER
EIGHT POSTCARDS FROM UTOPIA
HACK YOUR HEALTH: THE SECRETS OF YOUR GUT
JOIN OR DIE
MARTHA
MOUNTAIN QUEEN: THE SUMMITS OF LHAKPA SHERPA
MOVIEPASS, MOVIECRASH
NEVER LOOK AWAY
POWER
STRIKE: AN UNCIVIL WAR
THE TRUTH VS. ALEX JONES
Runner-up: STRIKE: AN UNCIVIL WAR
Winner: POWER
Best Comedy
Nearly made the list:
LISA FRANKENSTEIN, MISSION: CROSS, MY OLD ASS, RUMOURS, SEIZE THEM!, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGICAL NEGROES, THE FALL GUY, THE MONKEY, WICKED LITTLE LETTERS
A REAL PAIN
A TRAVELLER'S NEEDS
AMERICAN FICTION
DIDI
DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD
EIGHT POSTCARDS FROM UTOPIA
IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE
KNEECAP
POOR THINGS
THE INSTIGATORS
Joint Runner-up: AMERICAN FICTION / DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD
Winner: KNEECAP
Best Action Film
CARRY-ON
KILL
MONKEY MAN
OFFICER BLACK BELT
ROAD HOUSE
SIXTY MINUTES
THE INSTIGATORS
THE SHADOW STRAYS
UPRISING
Runner-up: THE INSTIGATORS
Winner: THE SHADOW STRAYS
Best Director
Nearly made the list:
ALL OF US STRANGERS - Andrew Haigh, BIRD – Andrea Arnold, BLACK DOG - Guan Hu, BLITZ – Steve McQueen, CHALLENGERS - Luca Guadagnino, INSIDE OUT 2 - Kelsey Mann, THE BALCONETTES – Noémie Merlant, THE IRON CLAW - Sean Durkin, THE OUTRUN – Nora Fingscheidt
ANORA – Sean Baker
CIVIL WAR - Alex Garland
DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD - Radu Jude
EMILIA PÉREZ – Jacques Audiard
EVIL DOES NOT EXIST - Ryusuke Hamaguchi
KNEECAP - Rich Peppiatt
NICKEL BOYS – RaMell Ross
POOR THINGS - Yorgos Lanthimos
THE SUBSTANCE - Coralie Fargeat
WOMAN OF THE HOUR – Anna Kendrick
Runner-up: NICKEL BOYS – RaMell Ross
Winner: KNEECAP - Rich Peppiatt
Best Film
Nearly made the list:
ALL OF US STRANGERS, ANORA, BIRD, BLACK DOG, CHALLENGERS, CROSSING, INSIDE OUT 2, OPPONENT, SING SING, SUGAR ISLAND, THE APPRENTICE, THE BALCONETTES, THE OUTRUN, THE PROMISED LAND
AMERICAN FICTION
CIVIL WAR
DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD
EMILIA PÉREZ
EVIL DOES NOT EXIST
KNEECAP
NICKEL BOYS
ORIGIN
PERFECT DAYS
POOR THINGS
Runner-up: KNEECAP
Winner: NICKEL BOYS
Congratulations to the award winners, dry your tears of victory.
So that’s it for another year folks! Bring on 2025!