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Of Inside out 2 to beetle juice beetle juiceall but one of the 10 highest-grossing films of 2024 They were sequels (Wicked was the only outlier). Which really shouldn’t surprise anyone. For decades, the top of the box office has been dominated by sequels, prequels, reboots and reinventions. But since when is a film’s total loot indicative of its quality?
The fact is that in 2024, as in most years, some of the most compelling movies coming out are titles you may have never heard of (which is unfortunate). You’ve got plenty of time to fix that mistake, starting with these 10 hidden gems.
longs
Yeah pretty woman He had never received his extreme Hollywood makeover and instead had been filmed as The dark story of sex and drug-fueled violence. that first landed on the desks of studio executives, might have looked a bit like longs. Ani (Mikey Madison) is a sex worker in New York City whose life is turned upside down by Vanya Zakharov (Mark Eydelshteyn), the fun-loving yet floundering son of a Russian oligarch. After paying Ani $15,000 to spend the week with him, the two fly to Las Vegas, where Vanya proposes, mainly so he can get a green card and avoid returning to Russia, but also because he promises that he loves Ani. When Vanya’s parents find out about his engagement, they send a pair of trusted henchmen to get their son out of this new romantic entanglement, no matter what the cost. madison (Once upon a time… in Hollywood2022 Shout) is an absolute revelation as the frenetic princess at the heart of this “fairy tale.” It ends in heartbreak, of course, but also in self-discovery. Screenwriter and director Sean Baker (red rocket, The Florida project, Tangerine) once again manages to change the conversation about sex workers and other marginalized people to create a new type of love story. While longs received a small theatrical release, its five Golden Globe nominations, including nominations for Madison, Baker for Best Director and Best Screenplay, and a nomination for Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy, should certainly give the project more well-deserved attention.
The cyclists
Austin Butler delivers serious James Dean vibes as Benny Cross, the impossibly handsome member of Chicago’s Vandals Motorcycle Club. When the film opens in 1965, Benny seemingly has it all: he is the right-hand man of Johnny Davis (Tom Hardy), the club’s founder, and has just met (and quickly married) Kathy Bauer (Jodie Comer), a newcomer. to the world of motorcycle clubs. This proves to be both a help and a hindrance to Benny over the next decade, as the film follows the growth of the Vandals and how the country’s overwhelming disillusionment seeps into their DNA. Written and directed by Jeff Nichols, the film is based on Danny Lyon’s 1968 photo book of the same name, which traces the evolution of the real Chicago Outlaws MC. Join the journey.
Blinks twice
Zoë Kravitz proves she really can do it all as the co-writer, producer and (for the first time) director behind this macabre meditation on the power of extreme wealth. Waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) and her best friend Jess (Alia Shawkat) are working at a cocktail party when they meet Slater King (Channing Tatum), an infamous tech billionaire who recently resigned as head of the company he founded due to some problems. type of questionable behavior, the details of which are not fully known. He and Frida hit it off and he invites the two women to join him and a group of friends on his private island for a weekend of partying and pampering. That’s exactly what they get, although Frida can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong. That paranoia turns to fear when Jess suddenly disappears and King’s other guests don’t even seem to remember she was there in the first place. Blinks twice It’s not a perfect film, but Kravitz’s willingness to boldly confront dark themes in a smart, darkly humorous way foreshadows her position as a bold filmmaker on the rise.
Exhibiting forgiveness
Tarrell (André Holland in a career-best performance) is a successful painter, a loving husband and father, who believes he has overcome the abuse he suffered as a child at the hands of his father, La’Ron (John Earl Jelks). ). But when La’Ron reappears after years of estrangement seeking to reconnect with his son, old wounds resurface for Tarrell, whose own mother (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) is desperate to see father and son reunite. Renowned artist Titus Kaphar explored his own tormented history for this heartbreaking, semi-autobiographical reflection on family, generational trauma, and the power of forgiveness—if you can really find your way to it.
Patella
Just because Patella just because it’s been a hit on the festival circuit doesn’t mean it’s getting all the attention it deserves. Rich Peppiatt makes his directorial debut with this fascinating film about the hip-hop trio of the same name, founded in Belfast in 2017 and still going strong. The actual band members – Liam Óg “Mo Chara” Ó Hannaidh, Naoise “Móglaí Bap” Ó Cairealláin and JJ “DJ Próvaí” Ó Dochartaigh – who rap in a mix of English and Irish, play themselves on this raucous comedy. which is set in 2019. More than just a musical biopic, it’s about the continuing impact of the Troubles and the “ceasefire babies” that came after. he. But it’s also about how three young artists have been using music to share a political message and save their native (and dying) language.
Jury #2
Since the 1992 release unforgivableClint Eastwood has earned 11 Oscar nominations and won four of them, including two Best Director statuettes. What makes Warner Bros.’ decision to bury Jury #2—which some have suggested will be Eastwood’s last film—even more surprising. Especially considering how fucking good it is. Clint loves a good ethical dilemma (see: million dollar baby), and Jury #2 raises a fascinating question: What if you were called to serve on the jury in a high-profile murder case…only to realize that you might have been the one who caused the victim’s death? That’s the question Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) must grapple with in this addictive, multi-layered courtroom drama.
monkey man
Oscar nominee Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) steps behind the camera to make his directorial debut with this action-packed revenge thriller. Years after witnessing his mother’s brutal death at the hands of Rana Singh (Sikandar Kher), a corrupt cop, Kid (Patel), opts to take the tit-for-tat approach. While working at an underground fight club where Singh often appears, Kid hatches an ambitious and cruel plan to avenge his mother.
my old ass
For as long as movies have been marketed, there are some that have been marketed poorly. While my old ass received a pretty heavy dose of promotion, thanks in part to having the lovable and cynical Aubrey Plaza as one of its stars, it may have lost a large chunk of its audience by making it appear like a drug-induced movie. strange friday-is found-The lake house image type. Really, it’s an incredibly funny and moving coming-of-age movie in which 18-year-old Elliott (Maisy Stella) is encouraged to use her last summer at home before moving to college as a time to slow down. and truly appreciate the people (read: parents) and places (read: home) that many teens take for granted. Yes, Plaza appears as the older version of Elliott, and is the one who imbues him with so much wisdom, but his screen time is much more limited than you might think. So appreciate every moment of that too, while you can.
the order
Jude Law is excellent playing against type as Terry Husk, a veteran FBI agent tasked with investigating a baffling series of daylight robberies that have been escalating in terms of violence. Eventually, Husk becomes convinced that the crimes are the work of a white supremacist group that is using the stolen money to self-finance a violent uprising. Husk’s investigation pits him against Bob Mathews (Nicholas Hoult again, in an equally wonderful and contrary performance), the incredibly likable leader of a neo-Nazi group known as The Order. The film is based on a true story and adapted from the 1989 book by Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt. The silent brotherhood.
Rebel Crest
Director Jérémy Saulnier (Green Room, murder party) returns to the big screen for the first time in six years with this captivating crime thriller that will be remembered as the film that made Aaron Pierre a true star. Terry Richmond (Pierre), a former Marine, travels to Shelby Springs, Louisiana, to post bail for his cousin Mike (CJ LeBlanc), who has gotten into some kind of trouble. Richmond soon finds himself in the crosshairs of the local police department, when authorities illegally confiscate the cash he brought with him, which turns out to be his life savings. Finding justice in this small town won’t be as simple as filling out a complaint form. The local police, led by Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson), have no plans to let Richmond ruin the good they have.
