There’s a trigger warning note at the beginning of “Blink Twice” that seems a bit excessive.
Once the film unfolds, however, you understand why it’s there.
“Blink Twice” is a highly upsetting film – particularly when you realize it’s something that could happen.
Frida (Naomi Ackie) and her roommate Jess (Alia Shawkat) serve as waiters at a gala hosted by a tech giant, Slater King (Channing Tatum), who is coming back from some unidentified “problem.”
The event is lavish and, sure enough, the two servers figure out how to mingle with the rich and mighty after they’ve passed a tray of appetizers. When Frida falls, the person who’s there to help her is none other than Slater. He expresses considerable interest and invites the two to his private island for a getaway.
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Naomi Ackie, left, and Channing Tatum in a scene from "Blink Twice."Â
Carlos Somonte, Amazon-MGM
There, everything is provided. The guests don’t have to worry about food, clothing or fun and can basically relax. Drink and drugs are plentiful and then one of the guests goes missing.
That’s essential to the story and the start of “Blink Twice’s” problems. While this easily could be a commentary on the culture that led to #MeToo, there’s enough here that others could find unsettling.
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In Jordan Peele’s hands, the concept could work. Zoe Kravitz, however, isn't quite sure where she wants to point the finger. As director, she exhibits great visual style but gets into murkier territory with the story. It wants to head everywhere.
Immediately, “Epstein’s Island” comes to mind when you see the hosts and their guests. Christian Slater, Haley Joel Osment and Simon Rex are among the men entertaining the women. They’re a mixed bag (particularly when stirred with Kyle MacLachlan as a therapist and Geena Davis as Slater’s sister). Dinners have a creepy, “try this” tone and soon guests are passing out.
When Frida decides to cool it on the drugs, she gets a clearer head and realizes all is not what it seems.
She finds an ally in a contestant from a “Survivor”-like show and begins her escape. Unfortunately, Kravitz doesn’t view that as a way to right the wrongs but as one to turn the tables. That’s where “Blink Twice” loses its power.
Ackie and Tatum are fine in their roles; Slater is overdone and Rex has potential. But this is one of those “what if?” dramas that makes you want to exit, not learn more.
When Kravitz gets to her big “a-ha” ending, “Blink Twice” becomes a means to an end, not an end to a problem.
The best movies of 2024 so far
The best movies of 2024 so far
The year may have just gotten started, but 2024 is already looking to be an exciting year in film if the following list is any indication.
As a result of the monthslong Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists strikes last year, industry experts, like those at Deadline, are expecting to see a set to premiere by the end of the year. Although last year saw 124 wide releases, 2024 expects to see just over 100, which will equate to a roughly $1 billion drop in domestic ticket sales.
That said, we'll still be getting a fair number of blockbusters over the course of the year, with titles like "Madame Web," "Dune: Part Two," "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga," "Deadpool & Wolverine," and "Gladiator 2" all poised to hit theaters this year. Those are just a taste of the movies expecting a theatrical release in 2024.
In the first two months of the year, however, we've already seen a number of truly wonderful films hit the big screen—stories that help audiences see the past and their lives just a little differently.
looked at data on the best films of 2024 so far and ranked the top five. Ordered by Metascore, the films had to have been released in the U.S. in 2024 and have at least seven reviews from critics in order to qualify for this list. user ratings were provided for popular reception context.
Read on to find some new titles to add to your queue and then come back throughout the year as the list, and this year in memorable cinema, grows exponentially.
PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images
#5. The Settlers
- Director: Felipe Gálvez Haberle
- Metascore: 80
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Run time: 97 minutes
Felipe Gálvez Haberle's feature directorial debut, "The Settlers," is a revisionist Western that follows three horsemen who find themselves mixed up in the South American land grab and the genocide of the Selk'nam people at the beginning of the 20th century.
Premiering at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, the film didn't get a widespread release until early this year, but critical reviews have been overwhelmingly positive since its debut. Writing for Observer, one critic called it "," while IndieWire wrote that "it's , as provocative for its ideas, dialogue, and characterizations, as for the beauty of its empty landscapes."
Mathew Tsang // Getty Images
#4. Inshallah a Boy
- Director: Amjad Al Rasheed
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Run time: 113 minutes
Wrestling with the devastating effects of Jordan's patriarchal inheritance laws, "Inshallah a Boy" is a thriller about a woman who pretends to be pregnant with a son in order to save herself and her young daughter. The film was the first Jordanian project to ever compete at Cannes, and what a stunning debut it was. The New York Times (a Palestinian actor), calling it "commanding," and Variety applauded Al Rasheed's prowess in .
PATRICK BAZ/Red Sea Film Festival/AFP via Getty Images
#3. Pictures of Ghosts
- Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
- Metascore: 88
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Run time: 93 minutes
In this documentary, filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho revisits his life in Brazil, recalling its glory days through the prism of the various cinemas he frequented as a child. The New York Times praised the film, which combines both new and archived footage, for the way it inspires a ", and those complicated, invariably haunted places we call home." Meanwhile, IndieWire loved the film best for its celebratory spirit, noting that Filho is able to give the film "."
Theo Wargo // Getty Images for FLC
#2. Totem
- Director: Lila Avilés
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Run time: 95 minutes
The National Board of Review named "Totem" one of the best international films of the year, which is as winning of an endorsement as one could hope to receive. The Mexican project follows a 7-year-old girl as she celebrates her father's birthday and struggles to come to terms with the fact that it will likely be his last. Variety called the movie "" and commended filmmaker Lila Avilés' "generous, open-ended" style.
Sebastian Reuter // Getty Images
#1. Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell
- Director: Thien An Pham
- Metascore: 93
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Run time: 179 minutes
Straddling the line between surrealism and realism, "Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell" follows a young Vietnamese man as he navigates the unexpected loss of a family member and grapples with larger questions of faith, god, and the afterlife. Director Thien An Pham's feature debut, the movie won the Camera d'Or (the award given to the best debut feature film) at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Outlets like IndieWire have gushed over the project's (there are long, uninterrupted shots that run for up to 20 minutes at a time), which has already earned praise from critics internationally.
Data reporting by Luke Hicks. Story editing by Carren Jao. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.
Lionel Hahn // Getty Images
#25. How to Have Sex
- Director: Molly Manning Walker
- Metascore: 79
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Run time: 91 minutes
First premiering at the Cannes Film Festival's competition, "How to Have Sex" follows three young women as they embark on their first real adult vacation. called the movie, which is Molly Manning Walker's feature directorial debut, " of female coming of age." The visuals here are arguably among the year's best, which is perhaps not all that surprising considering Walker's background as a cinematographer.
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
#24. Dune: Part Two
- Director: Denis Villeneuve
- Metascore: 79
- IMDb user rating: 8.6
- Run time: 166 minutes
The follow-up to the 2021 smash-hit adaptation of the Frank Herbert sci-fi novel, "Dune: Part Two" continues the story of Paul Atreides and the Fremen people as they wage war against the cruel House Harkonnen. The commercially successful film has a massive, all-star cast that includes actors like Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, and Josh Brolin. Critics, like those at , have sung the movie's praises, celebrating everything from its complex, attention-grabbing plot to its jaw-dropping special effects to its cinematography and score.
Dimitrios Kambouris // Getty Images
#23. Io Capitano
- Director: Matteo Garrone
- Metascore: 79
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Run time: 121 minutes
Inspired by the real stories of migrants' journeys to Europe through Africa, "Io Capitano" tells the story of two young men who leave their native Dakar in search of a better life in Italy. Nominated for Best International Feature Film at this year's Oscars, the movie's cast comprises mostly unknown actors, which lends an even more raw and real tone to the story. Audiences should note that the film is a hard watch—heavy topics like abuse and slavery are tackled—but, as notes, it's important in that it keeps the reality of this international crisis at the forefront of conversations.
Alessandra Benedetti - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
#22. Hundreds of Beavers
- Director: Mike Cheslik
- Metascore: 80
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Run time: 108 minutes
One of the most unique comedies of the last few years, "Hundreds of Beavers" is a black-and-white, slapstick gem about an enterprising woodsman who finds himself facing off against a slew of forest creatures for control of his homestead. With little to no dialogue, a wild soundtrack, and a cast of human actors in mascot-style animal costumes, it's safe to assume you've never seen anything like this ever before. Critics and audiences alike love the way the film pays homage to the cartoons of yesteryear (think "Looney Tunes") and how genuinely funny the physical humor actually is.
Rich Polk // Getty Images for SRH
#21. The Settlers
- Director: Felipe Gálvez Haberle
- Metascore: 80
- IMDb user rating: 7
- Run time: 97 minutes
Felipe Gálvez Haberle's feature directorial debut, "The Settlers," is a revisionist Western that follows three horsemen who find themselves mixed up in the South American land grab and the genocide of the Selk'nam people at the beginning of the 20th century.
Premiering at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, the film didn't get a widespread release until early this year, but critical reviews have been overwhelmingly positive since its debut. Writing for Observer, one critic called it "," while IndieWire wrote that "it's , as provocative for its ideas, dialogue, and characterizations, as for the beauty of its empty landscapes."
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Mathew Tsang // Getty Images
#20. The Beast
- Director: Bertrand Bonello
- Metascore: 80
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Run time: 146 minutes
Loosely based on a Henry James short story titled "The Beast in the Jungle," "The Beast" is essentially about how humanity's pursuit of authenticity is often thwarted by roadblocks of its own making. A bizarre sci-fi and horror mashup, the film is set across three distinct time periods (1910, 2014, and 2044) and follows one woman as she attempts to rid herself of all emotion and the ripple effect that has on all of her past lives. Unsettling and thought-provoking, the movie certainly isn't a mindless watch, but it is an important one.
Vittorio Zunino Celotto // Getty Images
#19. Housekeeping for Beginners
- Director: Goran Stolevski
- Metascore: 80
- IMDb user rating: 7
- Run time: 107 minutes
Set in North Macedonia, "Housekeeping for Beginners" follows one woman as she does her best to raise her deceased girlfriend's two daughters despite never wanting to be a mother herself. Full of found family and LGBTQ+ themes, the movie is deeply emotional and raw, feelings that are compounded by the fact that director Goran Stolevski allowed the actors (many of whom made their big-screen debut here) to improvise large sections of the finished product.
Lia Toby // Getty Images for BFI
#18. Skin Deep
- Director: Alex Schaad
- Metascore: 81
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- Run time: 103 minutes
"Skin Deep" is a philosophical relationship drama that follows a young couple who find themselves in a body-swapping situation during a visit to a mysterious island. lauded the way the film handled deep questions that might arise in romantic relationships and broader society should body-swapping become an established, serious possibility. Written by brothers Alex and Dimitrij Schaad, the film first premiered at the 2022 Venice Film Festival and only made its way to the U.S. this year. It is also Alex's feature-length directorial debut.
Jörg Carstensen/picture alliance via Getty Images
#17. Aisha
- Director: Frank Berry
- Metascore: 81
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Run time: 94 minutes
Set in Ireland, "Aisha" examines the complicated friendship that grows between an asylum seeker and a security guard at the accommodation center where she is living. Perhaps best known for her role in the "Black Panther" movies, Letitia Wright has been praised by for the controlled anger, dignity, and quiet power she infused into the character. While the film is understated in its tone and emotional pull, it's sure to have viewers reevaluating their thoughts on the immigrant experience around the world.
Shane Anthony Sinclair // Getty Images for BFI
#16. Challengers
- Director: Luca Guadagnino
- Metascore: 82
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Run time: 131 minutes
Starring Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, and Mike Faist, "Challengers" follows the tense dynamic that unfolds between a tennis coach, her player/husband who is on a losing streak, and his former best friend and rival/her former lover. Told largely through a series of flashbacks and flash-forwards, the movie is messy, dramatic, and very, very sexy (including a highly charged ). Critics have as well as the complex editing, which makes what could be a fairly basic story far more compelling.
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Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures
#15. Hit Man
- Director: Richard Linklater
- Metascore: 82
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Run time: 115 minutes
In this Netflix original, Glen Powell (who co-wrote the screenplay) plays an undercover cop posing as a hit man who falls in love with a woman who has hired him to help kill her husband. The black comedy has garnered tons of praise for —one of those delightfully fun romps that's also well-acted, sufficiently funded, and not unduly concerned with getting a message across.
SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images
#14. Inshallah a Boy
- Director: Amjad Al Rasheed
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Run time: 113 minutes
Wrestling with the devastating effects of Jordan's patriarchal inheritance laws, "Inshallah a Boy" is a thriller about a woman who pretends to be pregnant with a son in order to save herself and her young daughter. The film was the first Jordanian project to ever compete at Cannes, and what a stunning debut it was. The New York Times of Palestinian actor Mouna Hawa, calling it "commanding," and Variety applauded director Al Rasheed's prowess in .
PATRICK BAZ/Red Sea Film Festival/AFP via Getty Images
#13. Evil Does Not Exist
- Director: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Run time: 106 minutes
The winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 80th Venice Film Festival, "Evil Does Not Exist" is a Japanese film that follows the residents of a small village as they push back against the development of the forest they live near. Described as by NPR, the film is far from predictable with an ending that leaves audiences with plenty to think about.
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
#12. Terrestrial Verses
- Directors: Ali Asgari, Alireza Khatami
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Run time: 77 minutes
In this Iranian film, directors Ali Asgari and Alireza Khatami follow nine individuals as they face off against different iterations of power in the Middle Eastern country. At times comedic and difficult, the stories examine the way certain codes of behavior (whether dictated by culture or religion) can often be used as a channel for more deeply held prejudices.
Lionel Hahn // Getty Images
#11. Janet Planet
- Director: Annie Baker
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Run time: 113 minutes
Set in the early '90s, this drama follows a hippie mother (Julianne Nicholson) and her preteen daughter (Zoe Ziegler) over the course of one slow summer as they spend nearly all of their time together and confront changes in their relationship. The movie is the feature directorial debut of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker, who also wrote the screenplay.
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Steven Ferdman // Getty Images
#10. Chicken for Linda!
- Directors: SĂ©bastien Laudenbach, Chiara Malta
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Run time: 73 minutes
In this animated film, a mother sets out to make amends with her daughter by cooking her favorite meal, despite her lack of culinary knowledge and a strike that's essentially shut down their city. The French project is playful and emotional, exploring themes like grief and memory in ways that will appeal to audiences of all ages.
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
#9. I Saw the TV Glow
- Director: Jane Schoenbrun
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 7
- Run time: 100 minutes
Dubbed by NPR, "I Saw the TV Glow" follows two teenagers who bond over a supernatural TV series only to have their lives go off the rails years after the show's cancellation. Produced by Emma Stone and Dave McCary's company Fruit Tree, the movie stars Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine and is far more unsettling than may have led viewers to believe.
Frazer Harrison // Getty Images
#8. Pictures of Ghosts
- Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
- Metascore: 88
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Run time: 93 minutes
In this documentary, filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho revisits his life in Brazil, recalling its glory days through the prism of the various cinemas he frequented as a child. The New York Times praised the film, which combines both new and archived footage, for the way it inspires a ", and those complicated, invariably haunted places we call home." Meanwhile, IndieWire hailed the documentary's celebratory spirit, noting that Filho is able to give the film "."
Theo Wargo // Getty Images for FLC
#7. About Dry Grasses
- Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
- Metascore: 88
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Run time: 197 minutes
This Turkish-language drama follows a teacher who finds his future threatened after a female student alleges inappropriate contact. As is the case with many of Nuri Bilge Ceylan's projects, the movie is slow and sparse, with a strong . The New Yorker called it "," stressing that it "brims with a bitingly melancholy Chekhovian spirit," something that's sure to appeal to certain moviegoers.
Lionel Hahn // Getty Images
#6. La Chimera
- Director: Alice Rohrwacher
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Run time: 130 minutes
Set in the '80s, "La Chimera" follows a lovelorn archaeologist who unwittingly finds himself the head of a ragtag gang of grave robbers, stealing artifacts and passing them on to a mysterious buyer. The Guardian called it "" noting that its tone—and the way it teems with life—is one of the best things about it. Meanwhile, Slant loved the way it and its effect on all of our lives.
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Theo Wargo // Getty Images for FLC
#5. TĂłtem
- Director: Lila Avilés
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Run time: 95 minutes
The National Board of Review named "Tótem" one of the , which is as winning of an endorsement as one could hope to receive. The Mexican project follows a 7-year-old girl as she celebrates her father's birthday and struggles to come to terms with the fact that it will likely be his last. Variety called the movie "" and commended filmmaker Lila Avilés' "generous, open-ended" style.
Sebastian Reuter // Getty Images
#4. Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus
- Director: Neo Sora
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Run time: 103 minutes
Called "" by The New York Times, "Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus" is the pianist's final performance. There are no interviews or introductions in the film, it's simply 103 minutes of the Japanese artist sitting at his piano playing some of his greatest hits. While it may not sound like the most exciting film the year has had to offer, the space it offers for contemplation is unlike anything else the big screen has ever given us.
Arturo Holmes // Getty Images for FLC
#3. Here
- Director: Bas Devos
- Metascore: 93
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Run time: 84 minutes
Dubbed "" by The New York Times, Bas Devos' "Here" follows the lives of a Romanian construction worker and a Belgian-Chinese academic who studies moss. Their lives, which have almost no reason to intersect, inevitably do in the most unusual of places. The quiet film is beautifully photographed and captures a sense of connection where "nothing much and everything happens—or could," according to the Times.
Sebastian Reuter // Getty Images
#2. Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell
- Director: Thien An Pham
- Metascore: 94
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Run time: 179 minutes
Straddling the line between surrealism and realism, "Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell" follows a young Vietnamese man as he navigates the unexpected loss of a family member and grapples with larger questions of faith, god, and the afterlife. The movie won director Thien An Pham the Camera d'Or, the award given to the best debut feature, at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Outlets like IndieWire have gushed over the project's (there are long, uninterrupted shots that run for up to 20 minutes at a time), which has earned praise from critics internationally.
PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images
#1. Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World
- Director: Radu Jude
- Metascore: 95
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Run time: 163 minutes
In this black comedy, a production assistant is tasked with shooting a workplace safety video, only to find their plans upended when an interviewee makes a surprising statement. Completely unique in its form (it's a mix of new footage; edited excerpts of another 1981 film, "Angela merge mai departe"; and the main character's TikTok videos), Variety called the movie a ", an all-fronts-at-once attack on the zeitgeist, and a mischievous, often hilarious work of art about the artifice of work."
Data reporting by Luke Hicks. Story editing by Carren Jao and Jaimie Etkin. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.
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Alessandro Levati // Getty Images
#25. Hundreds of Beavers
- Director: Mike Cheslik
- Metascore: 80
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Run time: 1 hour 48 minutes
One of the most unique comedies of the last few years, "Hundreds of Beavers" is a black-and-white, slapstick gem about an enterprising woodsman who finds himself facing off against a slew of forest creatures for control of his homestead. With little dialogue, a wild soundtrack, and a cast of human actors in mascot-style animal costumes, it's safe to assume you've never seen anything like this ever before. Critics and audiences alike love the way the film pays homage to the cartoons of yesteryear (think "Looney Tunes") and how genuinely funny the physical humor actually is.
Rich Polk // Getty Images for SRH
#24. Housekeeping for Beginners
- Director: Goran Stolevski
- Metascore: 80
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Run time: 1 hour 47 minutes
Set in North Macedonia, "Housekeeping for Beginners" centers on a woman doing her best to raise her deceased girlfriend's two daughters despite never wanting to be a mother herself. Full of found family and LGBTQ+ themes, the movie is deeply emotional and raw, feelings that are compounded by the fact that director Goran Stolevski allowed the actors (many of whom made their big-screen debut here) to .
Lia Toby // Getty Images for BFI
#23. 20,000 Species of Bees
- Director: Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren
- Metascore: 80
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Run time: 2 hours 8 minutes
A coming-of-age story set against the slow, Spanish summer, "20,000 Species of Bees" follows a child who begins to realize that her gender identity may not be in line with the gender she was assigned at birth. Understated and emotional, the film delves into the journey many transgender young people, and their families, go through as they start to understand their identity.
Juan Naharro Gimenez // Getty Images
#22. Skin Deep
- Director: Alex Schaad
- Metascore: 81
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- Run time: 1 hour 43 minutes
"Skin Deep" is a philosophical relationship drama about a young couple who find themselves in a body-swapping situation during a visit to a mysterious island. lauded the way the film handled deep questions that might arise in romantic relationships and broader society should body-swapping become an established, serious possibility. Written by brothers Alex and Dimitrij Schaad, the film first premiered at the 2022 Venice Film Festival and only made its way to the U.S. this year. It is also Alex's feature-length directorial debut.
Jörg Carstensen/picture alliance via Getty Images
#21. Aisha
- Director: Frank Berry
- Metascore: 81
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Run time: 1 hour 34 minutes
Set in Ireland, "Aisha" examines the complicated friendship that grows between an asylum seeker and a security guard at the accommodation center where she is living. Perhaps best known for her role in the "Black Panther" movies, Letitia Wright has been praised by for the controlled anger, dignity, and quiet power she infused into the character. While the film is understated in its tone and emotional pull, it's sure to have viewers reevaluating their thoughts on the immigrant experience around the world.
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Shane Anthony Sinclair // Getty Images for BFI
#20. Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger
- Director: David Hinton
- Metascore: 82
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Run time: 2 hours 11 minutes
In this essay film, through the oeuvre of two of the most influential filmmakers of his own career: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Part chronological documentary, part film analysis, part personal narrative, the movie is a great way to get to know Powell and Pressburger as well as Scorsese himself, and was described by as "a personal, vibrant gift."
Richard Blanshard // Getty Images
#19. Challengers
- Director: Luca Guadagnino
- Metascore: 82
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Run time: 2 hours 11 minutes
Starring Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, and Mike Faist, "Challengers" follows the tense dynamic that unfolds between a tennis coach, her player/husband who is on a losing streak, and his former best friend and rival/her former lover. Told largely through a series of flashbacks and flash-forwards, the movie is messy, dramatic, and very, very sexy (including a highly charged ). Critics have as well as the complex editing, which makes what could be a fairly basic story far more compelling.
Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures
#18. Sing Sing
- Director: Greg Kwedar
- Metascore: 82
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Run time: 1 hour 45 minutes
A prison drama unlike any you've seen before, "Sing Sing" is about a man who has been imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit but finds purpose in a theater group composed of fellow incarcerated men. Colman Domingo plays the lead role and much of who participated in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program, a decision that gives the project an intensity it may not have had otherwise.
Amanda Edwards // Getty Images for Film Independent
#17. Hit Man
- Director: Richard Linklater
- Metascore: 82
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Run time: 1 hour 55 minutes
In this Netflix original, Glen Powell (who co-wrote the screenplay) plays an undercover cop posing as a hit man who falls in love with a woman who has hired him to help kill her husband. The black comedy has garnered tons of praise for —one of those delightfully fun romps that's also well-acted, sufficiently funded, and not unduly concerned with getting a message across.
SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images
#16. Inshallah a Boy
- Director: Amjad Al Rasheed
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Run time: 1 hour 53 minutes
Wrestling with the devastating effects of Jordan's patriarchal inheritance laws, "Inshallah a Boy" is a thriller about a woman who pretends to be pregnant with a son in order to save herself and her young daughter. The film was the to ever compete at the Cannes Film Festival, and what a stunning debut it was. The New York Times of Palestinian actor Mouna Hawa, calling it "commanding," and Variety applauded director Al Rasheed's prowess in .
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PATRICK BAZ/Red Sea Film Festival/AFP via Getty Images
#15. Ghostlight
- Directors: Kelly O'Sullivan, Alex Thompson
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Run time: 1 hour 55 minutes
A story about the healing power of art, "Ghostlight" follows a grieving construction worker who processes the death of his teenage son through a community theater production of "Romeo and Juliet." Messy, pure, and earnest, the film features an actual family of actors (partners Keith Kupferer and Tara Mallen and their daughter Katherine Mallen Kupferer), making everything feel incredibly real.
John Nacion // Getty Images
#14. Evil Does Not Exist
- Director: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Run time: 1 hour 46 minutes
The winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 80th Venice Film Festival, "Evil Does Not Exist" is a Japanese film about the residents of a small village who are pushing back against the development of the forest they live near. Described as by NPR, "Evil Does Not Exist" is far from predictable with an ending that leaves audiences with plenty to think about.
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
#13. Terrestrial Verses
- Directors: Ali Asgari, Alireza Khatami
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Run time: 1 hour 17 minutes
In this Iranian film, directors Ali Asgari and Alireza Khatami follow nine individuals as they face off against different iterations of power in the Middle Eastern country. At times comedic and difficult, the stories examine the way certain codes of behavior (whether dictated by culture or religion) can often be used as a channel for more deeply held prejudices.
Lionel Hahn // Getty Images
#12. Chicken for Linda!
- Directors: SĂ©bastien Laudenbach, Chiara Malta
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Run time: 1 hour 13 minutes
In this animated film, a mother sets out to make amends with her daughter by cooking her favorite meal, despite her lack of culinary knowledge and a strike that's essentially shut down their city. The French project is playful and emotional, exploring themes like grief and memory in ways that will appeal to audiences of all ages.
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
#11. I Saw the TV Glow
- Director: Jane Schoenbrun
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 5.9
- Run time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Dubbed by NPR, "I Saw the TV Glow" centers on two teenagers who bond over a supernatural TV series only to have their lives go off the rails years after the show's cancellation. Produced by Emma Stone and Dave McCary's company Fruit Tree, the movie stars Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine and is far more unsettling than may have led viewers to believe.
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Frazer Harrison // Getty Images
#10. Janet Planet
- Director: Annie Baker
- Metascore: 85
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Run time: 1 hour 53 minutes
Set in the early '90s, this drama follows a hippie mother (Julianne Nicholson) and her preteen daughter (Zoe Ziegler) over the course of one slow summer as they spend nearly all of their time together and confront changes in their relationship. The movie is the feature directorial debut of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker, who also wrote the screenplay.
Steven Ferdman // Getty Images
#9. About Dry Grasses
- Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
- Metascore: 87
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Run time: 3 hours 17 minutes
This Turkish-language drama centers on a teacher who finds his future threatened after a female student alleges inappropriate contact. As is the case with many of Nuri Bilge Ceylan's projects, the movie is slow and sparse, with a strong . The New Yorker called it "," stressing that it "brims with a bitingly melancholy Chekhovian spirit," something that's sure to appeal to certain moviegoers.
Lionel Hahn // Getty Images
#8. Pictures of Ghosts
- Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
- Metascore: 88
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Run time: 1 hour 33 minutes
In this documentary, filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho revisits his life in Brazil, recalling its glory days through the prism of the various cinemas he frequented as a child. The New York Times praised the film, which combines both new and archived footage, for the way it inspires a ", and those complicated, invariably haunted places we call home." Meanwhile, IndieWire hailed the documentary's celebratory spirit, noting that Filho is able to give the film "."
Theo Wargo // Getty Images for FLC
#7. Green Border
- Director: Agnieszka Holland
- Metascore: 90
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Run time: 2 hours 32 minutes
as "the best and most important film to be released in the U.S. so far this year," "Green Border" examines the ongoing European refugee crisis. Set on the border of Belarus and Poland, the movie is gorgeously shot in black and white and manages to perfectly walk the line between real and melodramatic. It's a must-watch for any politically minded viewer.
Gerald Matzka // Getty Images
#6. La Chimera
- Director: Alice Rohrwacher
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Run time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Set in the '80s, "La Chimera" centers on a lovelorn archaeologist who unwittingly finds himself the head of a ragtag gang of grave robbers, stealing artifacts and passing them on to a mysterious buyer. The Guardian called it "" noting that its tone—and the way it teems with life—is one of the best things about it. Meanwhile, Slant loved the way it and its effect on all of our lives.
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Theo Wargo // Getty Images for FLC
#5. TĂłtem
- Director: Lila Avilés
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Run time: 1 hour 35 minutes
The National Board of Review named "Tótem" one of the , which is as winning of an endorsement as one could hope to receive. The Mexican project is about a 7-year-old girl celebrating her father's birthday and struggling to come to terms with the fact that it will likely be his last. Variety called the movie "" and commended filmmaker Lila Avilés' "generous, open-ended" style.
Sebastian Reuter // Getty Images
#4. Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus
- Director: Neo Sora
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Run time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Called "" by The New York Times, "Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus" is the pianist's final performance. There are no interviews or introductions in the film, it's simply 103 minutes of the Japanese artist sitting at his piano playing some of his greatest hits. While it may not sound like the most exciting film the year has had to offer, the space it offers for contemplation is unlike anything else the big screen has given us.
Arturo Holmes // Getty Images for FLC
#3. Here
- Director: Bas Devos
- Metascore: 92
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Run time: 1 hour 24 minutes
Dubbed "" by The New York Times, Bas Devos' "Here" follows the lives of a Romanian construction worker and a Belgian-Chinese academic who studies moss. Their lives, which have almost no reason to intersect, inevitably do in the most unusual of places. The quiet film is beautifully photographed and captures a sense of connection where "nothing much and everything happens—or could," according to the Times.
Sebastian Reuter // Getty Images
#2. Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell
- Director: Thien An Pham
- Metascore: 94
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Run time: 2 hours 59 minutes
Straddling the line between surrealism and realism, "Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell" centers on a young Vietnamese man navigating the unexpected loss of a family member and grappling with larger questions of faith, god, and the afterlife. The movie won director Thien An Pham the Camera d'Or, the award given to the best debut feature, at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Outlets like IndieWire have gushed over the project's (there are long, uninterrupted shots that run for up to 20 minutes at a time), which has earned praise from critics internationally.
PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images
#1. Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World
- Director: Radu Jude
- Metascore: 95
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Run time: 2 hours 43 minutes
In this black comedy, a production assistant is tasked with shooting a workplace safety video, only to find their plans upended when an interviewee makes a surprising statement. Completely unique in its form (it's a mix of new footage; edited excerpts of another 1981 film, "Angela merge mai departe"; and the main character's TikTok videos), Variety called the movie a ", an all-fronts-at-once attack on the zeitgeist, and a mischievous, often hilarious work of art about the artifice of work."
Data reporting by Luke Hicks. Story editing by Carren Jao and Jaimie Etkin. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.
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Alessandro Levati // Getty Images
#25. Ghostlight
- Directors: Kelly O'Sullivan, Alex Thompson
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Run time: 1 hour 55 minutes
A story about the healing power of art, "Ghostlight" follows a grieving construction worker who processes the death of his teenage son through a community theater production of "Romeo and Juliet." Messy, pure, and earnest, the film features an actual family of actors (partners Keith Kupferer and Tara Mallen and their daughter Katherine Mallen Kupferer), making everything feel incredibly real.
John Nacion // Getty Images
#24. Janet Planet
- Director: Annie Baker
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 6.2
- Run time: 1 hour 53 minutes
Set in the early '90s, this drama follows a hippie mother (Julianne Nicholson) and her preteen daughter (Zoe Ziegler) over the course of one slow summer as they spend nearly all of their time together and confront changes in their relationship. The movie is the feature directorial debut of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker, who also wrote the screenplay.
Steven Ferdman // Getty Images
#23. Crossing
- Director: Levan Akin
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Run time: 1 hour 46 minutes
Following a promise she made to her dying sister, a retired teacher heads to Istanbul in search of her transgender niece. Her path soon crosses with a young man on a quest of his own, and the story of "Crossing" unfolds from there. The setting and cinematography are half the draw here, which, combined with the quiet emotional through line of the film, make "Crossing" one of the year's most worthy watches.
Marleen Moise/WireImage // Getty Images
#22. Evil Does Not Exist
- Director: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Run time: 1 hour 46 minutes
The winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 80th Venice Film Festival, "Evil Does Not Exist" is a Japanese film about the residents of a small village who are pushing back against the development of the forest they live near. Described as by NPR, "Evil Does Not Exist" is far from predictable with an ending that leaves audiences with plenty to think about.
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
#21. Terrestrial Verses
- Directors: Ali Asgari, Alireza Khatami
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Run time: 1 hour 17 minutes
In this Iranian film, directors Ali Asgari and Alireza Khatami follow nine individuals as they face off against different iterations of power in the Middle Eastern country. At times comedic and difficult, the stories examine the way certain codes of behavior (whether dictated by culture or religion) can often be used as a channel for more deeply held prejudices.
You may also like:
Lionel Hahn // Getty Images
#20. Between the Temples
- Director: Nathan Silver
- Metascore: 83
- IMDb user rating: 6.3
- Run time: 1 hour 51 minutes
Jason Schwartzman stars in this comedy-drama about a widowed cantor whose grade school music teacher seeks his wisdom in prepping for her adult bat mitzvah. Aptly described by The New York Times as a "," "Between the Temples" offers a unique look at how our toughest moments are often dotted with comedy. The movie's helps to create a viewing experience "as volatile and hilarious as it is sweet and profound," per The Associated Press.
John Lamparski/Getty Images
#18. His Three Daughters
- Director: Azazel Jacobs
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Run time: 1 hour 41 minutes
Exploring themes of sisterhood, loss, and grief, "His Three Daughters" follows three estranged sisters as they reunite to prepare for their father's death in his tiny New York City apartment. Starring Elizabeth Olsen, Carrie Coon, and Natasha Lyonne, the Netflix original is being touted as and has even garnered Oscar buzz for Lyonne in the Best Supporting Actress category.
Jason Mendez // Getty Images for Netflix
#17. Chicken for Linda!
- Directors: SĂ©bastien Laudenbach, Chiara Malta
- Metascore: 84
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Run time: 1 hour 13 minutes
In this animated film, a mother sets out to make amends with her daughter by cooking her favorite meal, despite her lack of culinary knowledge and a strike that's essentially shut down their city. The French project is playful and emotional, exploring themes like grief and memory in ways that will appeal to audiences of all ages.
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
#15. Daughters
- Directors: Angela Patton, Natalie Rae
- Metascore: 85
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Run time: 1 hour 48 minutes
"Daughters" made its debut at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival in January, where it won awards from audiences and festival insiders alike. This emotional documentary follows four girls preparing for a father-daughter dance with their incarcerated dads. It jumps back and forth between the girls' lives and their fathers' as they go through an intense 10-week parenting course in preparation for the event. The movie provides a fresh look at the way the American prison system affects all of those it touches.
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Netflix
#14. The Wild Robot
- Director: Chris Sanders
- Metascore: 85
- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- Run time: 1 hour 42 minutes
An adaptation of the book series of the same title, "The Wild Robot" is a family-friendly animated movie about a robot named Roz who must figure out how to survive after being shipwrecked on a remote island. Featuring the voices of Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, and Catherine O'Hara, among others, the film has a timely message for audiences about chosen families and what defines a family in the first place. Critics have praised how deftly "The Wild Robot" , noting that, unlike other kids' movies that force some nudge-nudge-wink-wink jokes for adults, the .
Raul Terrel/Europa Press via Getty Images
#13. Close Your Eyes
- Director: VĂctor Erice
- Metascore: 85
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Run time: 2 hours 49 minutes
"Close Your Eyes" is a pessimistic meditation on memory, identity, and cinema from 84-year-old Spanish director Victor Erice. Told across two timelines, it follows the disappearance of an actor in the middle of a film shoot in the '90s and the present-day reinvestigation of the mystery. Clocking in at almost three hours, its leisurely pace won't be for everyone, but those willing to go along for the ride will be rewarded with a touching, thought-provoking ending.
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
#12. I Saw the TV Glow
- Director: Jane Schoenbrun
- Metascore: 86
- IMDb user rating: 5.8
- Run time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Dubbed by NPR, "I Saw the TV Glow" centers on two teenagers who bond over a supernatural TV series only to have their lives go off the rails years after the show's cancellation. Produced by Emma Stone and Dave McCary's company Fruit Tree, the movie stars Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine and is far more unsettling than may have led viewers to believe.
Frazer Harrison // Getty Images
#10. Pictures of Ghosts
- Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
- Metascore: 88
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Run time: 1 hour 33 minutes
In this documentary, filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho revisits his life in Brazil, recalling its glory days through the prism of the various cinemas he frequented as a child. The New York Times praised the film, which combines both new and archival footage, for the way it inspires a ", and those complicated, invariably haunted places we call home." Meanwhile, IndieWire hailed the documentary's celebratory spirit, noting that Filho gives it "."
Theo Wargo // Getty Images for FLC
#9. About Dry Grasses
- Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
- Metascore: 88
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Run time: 3 hours 17 minutes
This Turkish-language drama centers on a teacher who finds his future threatened after a female student alleges inappropriate contact. As is the case with many of Nuri Bilge Ceylan's projects, the movie is slow and sparse, with a strong . The New Yorker called it "," stressing that it "brims with a bitingly melancholy Chekhovian spirit," something that's sure to appeal to certain moviegoers.
Lionel Hahn // Getty Images
#8. Green Border
- Director: Agnieszka Holland
- Metascore: 90
- IMDb user rating: 6.4
- Run time: 2 hours 32 minutes
as "the best and most important film to be released in the U.S. so far this year," "Green Border" examines the ongoing European refugee crisis. Set on the border of Belarus and Poland, the movie is gorgeously shot in black and white and manages to perfectly walk the line between real and melodramatic. It's a must-watch for any politically minded viewer.
Gerald Matzka // Getty Images
#7. La Chimera
- Director: Alice Rohrwacher
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Run time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Set in the '80s, "La Chimera" centers on a lovelorn archaeologist who unwittingly finds himself as the head of a ragtag gang of grave robbers, stealing artifacts and passing them on to a mysterious buyer. The Guardian called it "," noting that its tone—and the way it teems with life—is one of the best things about it. Meanwhile, Slant loved the way it and its effect on all of our lives.
Theo Wargo // Getty Images for FLC
#6. Sugarcane
- Director: Emily Kassie, Julian Brave NoiseCat
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Run time: 1 hour 47 minutes
National Geographic documentary "Sugarcane" looks at the abuse and death that transpired in a Canadian Indian residential school system, following survivors and investigators as they learn what went on behind closed doors in one of the more troubling parts of the country's history. While the movie is a difficult watch, it's also a powerful one, relying not on talking-head or gritty reenactment approaches, but rather inviting audiences to sit alongside those most affected by the program. A must-see, "Sugarcane" won the Directing Award for documentaries at this year's Sundance Film Festival.
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Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
#4. Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus
- Director: Neo Sora
- Metascore: 91
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Run time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Called "" by The New York Times, "Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus" is the pianist's final performance. There are no interviews or introductions in the film, it's simply 103 minutes of the Japanese artist sitting at his piano playing some of his greatest hits. While it may not sound like the most exciting film the year has had to offer, the space it offers for contemplation is unlike anything else the big screen has given us.
Arturo Holmes // Getty Images for FLC
#1. Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World
- Director: Radu Jude
- Metascore: 95
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Run time: 2 hours 43 minutes
In this black comedy, a production assistant is tasked with shooting a workplace safety video, only to find their plans upended when an interviewee makes a surprising statement. Completely unique in its form (it's a mix of new footage; edited excerpts of another 1981 film, "Angela merge mai departe"; and the main character's TikTok videos), Variety called the movie a ", an all-fronts-at-once attack on the zeitgeist, and a mischievous, often hilarious work of art about the artifice of work."
Data reporting by Luke Hicks and Rob Powell. Story editing by Jaimie Etkin and Carren Jao. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.
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Alessandro Levati // Getty Images
 Bruce Miller is editor of the Sioux City Journal.Â
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