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With numerous notable TV shows and movies vying for viewers’ attention in 2024 through expensive advertising campaigns, slick marketing efforts, ubiquitous trailers that invite analysis, and countless hours of “content” to explore and differentiate online, it is easy for some media to escape. the fingers. Whether it was a word-of-mouth recommendation from a friend insisting that a show is a hidden gem or a year-end article promoting a movie quietly released as “peak fiction,” 2024 had a lot to offer that never had its moment in the world. stand out. This article aims to correct that oversight.
In that spirit, here’s the io9 staff’s list of deep movie and TV recommendations that flew under the radar this year and are worth taking the time to seek out.
A shop for murderers
Korean dramas are immensely popular and A shop for murderers is not an exception. If one were to wonder what would happen if a John Wick-A similar character had to raise his niece and suddenly disappear when a group of disgruntled assassins laid siege to his home, leaving his seemingly modest little girl to defend herself with the skills her uncle imparted to her and a cache of high-quality weapons, this show provides that specific hyper-response. If you’re not captivated by the premiere episode of A shop for murderers—which shows the niece taunting a sniper on an overpass miles from her home—you have no pulse.
beetle juice (the animated series)
This old cartoon resurfaced along with beetle juice beetle juice mania, with Tubi taking on the responsibility of hosting the previously difficult-to-stream series. It’s so unhinged, deliciously gross, and endearing for a show that’s 30 years old. It still holds up and is very easy to binge on.
Beverly Hills Police: Axel F
Okay, let’s cheat here just for a second because Beverly Hills Police It’s not an io9 movie. but is a legacy sequel to a beloved franchise that brings back the star while passing the baton to a new generation. Which we see, a lot, in science fiction and genre films. We’re putting this on this list because of all those movies you’re thinking about right now (star wars, Shout, Ghostbustersetc) Beverly Hills Police 4—let’s call it what it is—it is among the best. It’s everything you loved about the franchise, updated in smart and exciting ways. It is streaming on Netflix.
The camp host
Remember during the pandemic, when people stayed home so much that nature began to reclaim its territory? A twisted interpretation of that idea drives this Tubi release, which follows a couple on a camping trip (their first outing after Covid fears give way to cabin fever) who discovers that not everyone is excited about the end of social distancing. Also, the fact that it’s set in a camp is a big clue, but… slasher rules apply!
Destroy all the neighbors
We all know what it’s like to have an unpleasant neighbor. But most of us don’t end up becoming best friends with that neighbor’s severed head, or embarking on an odyssey that balances fast-paced horror comedy with… a deep, abiding love of progressive rock. Destroy all the neighbors It starts with a familiar idea, expands it into an outrageous premise, and carries it out with sky-high energy. There would be more joy in the world if more people sought it.
Dimension 20: Junior Year
Dropout is one of the best streaming services to have on your subscription list and its Actual Play series Dimension 20 It’s a big part of why. The third installment of their Fantasy High subseries is just as fun and wild as previous seasons, and after years away from them, it’s nice to see the Bad Kids once again as they literally and metaphorically level up against new enemies. To quote a character at the end of the season: wow!
The first mate
The anime is great. Competitive sports like basketball are great. The first mateDirected by manga creator Takehiko Inoue, it is one of the best sports anime films to ever grace the big screen. Not only does this movie prove once again that CG anime can be cool, but it also crowns one of the best basketball anime in a way that it doesn’t. need Having seen him so many years ago, his story makes you want to pump your fist in the air and shout, “Hell yeah!”
Invincible Hit Girl
In many ways, the spectacle of professional wrestling resembles a Southern anime soap opera. Adopting this notion, Adult Swim’s hit animated series Invincible fighting girl It captures the intestinal fortitude of professional wrestling and presents an inspiring story of a girl named Andy who quits her monotonous desk job to become the best wrestler in the world. For all anime connoisseurs, this show evokes nostalgia reminiscent of Cartoon Network classics like A lot of fight while delivering the stunning animation quality of your favorite anime fight scenes. Watch it to help secure a second season, why not?
It’s what’s inside
It’s a shame that one of the best genre films of the year has been buried on Netflix, but that’s the world we live in. It’s what’s inside is one of those intense, twisted thrillers that you want to rewatch the moment the credits start rolling. We guess that’s a perk of being on Netflix. The movie has a super unique and amazing premise that it’s almost a sin to spoil, so let’s say it’s something like strange friday meets Clue. Yes. That works. It’s amazing.
Kaiju No. 8
Sometimes we all need a TV show about a sweet himbo man who turns into a super-powered man-monster and beats up the ever-loving bejesus of even bigger monsters. Good news then, because Kaiju No. 8The animated adaptation of the equally over-the-top manga is worth every second of binge-watching. The action is as fun and wild as you’d expect, but it’s really the sincere charm of its protagonist, the aforementioned himbo Kafka Hibino, that makes it a joy to watch.
Chaos
Jeff Goldblum as Zeus, king of the gods? We have already said enough. The fun and chaotically dark Netflix show is ideal for mythology nerds, as well as a modern adaptation of the story not to be missed. Unfortunately, it wasn’t renewed for season two, but at least the first season is a solid, standalone story.
Look back
It was a difficult task trying to capture this incredible adaptation of chainsaw man Creator Tatsuki Fujimoto’s one-shot manga is hitting theaters this year, which could mean you missed out on what could be one of the best animated films of all of 2024. A wonderfully bittersweet and humane meditation on art and how it brings people together. Look back uses the magic of comics making to deliver a brief, sharp, and endlessly emotional celebration of the form, even as it excels at transforming the medium in its adaptive leap to big-screen animation.
lady web
lady web It’s not a film that one would consider an all-time classic, but it’s certainly a film in the making. A strange, messy, and hilarious (more in the way it’s put together than perhaps entirely intentional) ode to a different era of superhero moviemaking, it’s a fool’s errand to even attempt to gift a watch once. Who’s to say their website won’t connect with you now if you missed it in theaters?
Music by John Williams
For decades, seeing the name “John Williams” near a movie has instantly made it better. And this documentary, streaming on Disney+, is as if all of them were combined into one. Not only does it give you context on Williams’ origins and career, but it also breaks down many of his iconic scores. movies like Jaws, star wars, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Parkand many others. Think of it as a greatest hits album, but like a movie.
Rarity
Irish writer-director Damien McCarthy’s indie horror film won an Audience Award at South by Southwest, but flew under the radar even when it arrived on Shudder in late September with word of mouth labeling it one of the scariest films of the year. That’s not just empty hype. Rarity centers on a blind psychic who runs a curiosity shop filled with cursed objects and who uses every resource available to uncover her twin sister’s killer. Jump scares? Yes. Fear of simmering? Yes. Images that you can’t stop seeing? Hell yes.
PBS Retro
Launched in 2024, the PBS Retro channel quickly became a hidden gem on various television and streaming devices. It has favorites like Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and reading the rainbow. Like the Bob Ross Channel, on those platforms too, it plays marathons of nostalgic educational content if you want to relax or show your kids programming that’s more thoughtful than the nonsense it is. cocomelon. We stumbled upon this channel on Vizio’s free programming, but if you visit PBS.org or the free PBS app, you can find a way to access original shows on your smartphone, tablet, and TV.
The lost shadow
Director Timo Tjajahnto has been making films at a steady pace since 2012, and his last release was this year. lost shadows. With an incredible physical turn from Aurora Ribero in the lead role and one crunchy action scene after another, it’s worth taking the time to watch on Netflix. In the end, you’ll want more, which is better, since Tjajahnto clearly wants do further.
Ultraman rising
There aren’t many superhero movies explicitly about fatherhood, which gave Netflix Ultraman rising a unique way to stand out from the crowd. It replicates all of the parenting successes extremely well, but it’s all renewed thanks to the inventiveness of its hero Ken Sato using his powers to raise a monster baby, and because of how amazing it looks. It may have been a streaming movie, but you’ll wish you’d seen it on a big screen.
Want more io9 news? See when to expect the latest releases from Marvel, Star Wars and Star Trek, what’s next for the DC Universe in film and television, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
