It’s hard to believe but another movie year has come and gone. Overall it has been an interesting yet somewhat disappointing year for movies. As always it had its share of surprises and more than a few letdowns. There were a decent number of box office successes, just as many undeserved bombs, and several trendy indies that are being pushed right through awards season. Things started slow but picked up in the final quarter which managed to save the year.

Now it’s late December, that time of the year where we critics complete our silly but fun annual ritual of picking the ten best movies from the past year. Interestingly, there has been a noticeable lack of variety among early top ten lists and awards announcements (at least more than usual). So I’m pretty proud to have one that stands out from the crowd. But enough jabbering. It’s time to get down to business.

As always, let me start by showing some love to my #11-20….

• #20 – “The Wait”
• #19 – “Thelma”
• #18 – “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”
• #17 – “Late Night with the Devil”
• #16 – “On the Wandering Paths”
• #15 – “Alien: Romulus”
• #14 – “Bonhoeffer”
• #13 – “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter One”
• #12 – “Gladiator II”
• #11 – “Juror #2”

Now without further ado, here are my Top 10 Films of 2024.….

“The Bikeriders” – Jeff Nichols is a filmmaker who makes movies that speak to me. I’ve loved everything he’s done from his 2007 debut “Shotgun Stories” to his latest, “The Bikeriders”. Nichols puts together a tremendous ensemble led by the trio of Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Tom Hardy and immerses us in the biker culture of the mid to late 1960s. The style, the music, the attitude – it all coalesces into an authentic experience full of grease, grit, and human spirit. It’s yet another fascinating slice of Americana from Jeff Nichols. [REVIEW]

“September 5” – With “September 5”, director Tim Fehlbaum has crafted one of the most riveting edge-of -your-seat thrillers of the year. This taut journalism procedural chronicles the in-the-trenches work of the ABC Sports team covering the hostage crisis during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. “September 5” had me glued to the screen with its fiercely focused ensemble, its detailed recreation of ABC’s studio adjacent to the Olympic village, the gripping real-life intensity of its story, and the humanity that pulses through it all. Whatever you do, don’t sleep on this one. [REVIEW]

“I’m Still Here” – With “I’m Still Here”, Walter Salles delivers a powerful biographical drama driven by a Fernanda Torres performance that should be (but sadly isn’t) atop every Best Actress list. The searing screenplay from Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega tells the enthralling true story of a wife and mother in search of her missing husband while protecting her children in the middle of Brazil’s 21-year military dictatorship. Salles maintains a clear-eyed focus and firm control, conveying the horrors of the oppressive regime while emphasizing the family’s emotional journey. The results are intense, enlightening, and heart-wrenching. [REVIEW]

“The Order” – Justin Kurzel’s “The Order” sits comfortably as one of the biggest and best surprises of the 2024 movie year. Set to a striking 1980s rural Pacific Northwest backdrop, this riveting crime thriller is based on the true story of the FBI’s pursuit of a white supremacist terrorist group and its charismatic leader. Jude Law gives one of his best performances as does Nicholas Hoult who has had a remarkable year. They are essential to making “The Order” a thoroughly compelling thriller that emits a resonating urgency. [REVIEW]

“Nosferatu” – Despite having only three feature films to his name, Robert Eggers had already established himself as a visionary filmmaker with an unmistakable style. His fourth film, “Nosferatu” didn’t just cement his reputation – it added an exclamation mark. This is a Robert Eggers movie through and through from his stunning visuals to his masterful tone management. Most impressive is how he honors F. W. Murnau’s 1922 horror classic while still adding his own macabre twists. And he’s helped by an extraordinary cast that includes Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgård, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe, Ralph Ineson, and Emma Corrin. [REVIEW]

“The Piano Lesson” – One of the year’s best ensembles come together to deliver another sterling feature film adaptation of an August Wilson stage play. “The Piano Lesson” marks the impressive directorial debut of Malcolm Washington whose older brother, John David leads a talent-rich cast which includes Danielle Deadwyler, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Potts, Ray Fisher, Corey Hawkins, Erykah Badu, and Stephan James. Set in 1936 Pittsburgh, this is an authentic lived-in domestic drama with a tinge of the supernatural that kept me captivated throughout. [REVIEW]

“Megalopolis” – No film earned a more divided response than Francis Ford Coppola’s insanely ambitious “Megalopolis”. Most of the reactions have ranged from fascinated to perplexed to scornful. Without question this is a personal passion project that was never going to land with everyone. But “Megalopolis” is an imaginative tour de force that sees Coppola working free of anyone’s rules and expectations. His creation is as breathtaking as it is bewildering; as compelling as it is confounding. And it is every bit a visionary work meant to be absorbed, considered, and reconsidered. I loved every eccentric and extravagant second of it. [REVIEW]

“A Complete Unknown” – Timothée Chalamet playing Bob Dylan was not the recipe for success I expected. But then I saw “A Complete Unknown” and realized how wrong I was. Chalamet delivers one the year’s very best performances in James Mangold’s transporting biography of the American music legend. Outstanding supporting work from Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, Elle Fanning, and Edward Norton help bring this fascinating slice of music history to life. Together with Chalamet, they sing their own songs and play their own instruments to brilliantly recreate the 1960s New York folk scene. [REVIEW]

“Longlegs” – I’m not sure that any movie sat with me as long as “Longlegs”. This well-written, visually stunning, and utterly harrowing horror thriller found its genesis in the mind of writer-director Osgood Perkins. He takes us on a tense and terrifying journey that mixes the psychological with the supernatural. “Longlegs” features some of the year’s best cinematography from DP Andrés Arochi Tinajero and a superb lead performance from Maika Monroe. And of course there’s Nicholas Cage. In a year full of great horror movies, “Longlegs” remains the best chiller of the bunch. [REVIEW]

“Dune: Part Two” – Denis Villeneuve not only matched the brilliance of his 2021 adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic science-fiction novel “Dune”, but he surpassed it with his sensational continuation in “Dune: Part Two”. This monumental sequel impressively builds upon the first film, staying true to the spirit of the source material but not shy about adding its own distinct flavor. The cast is extraordinary and the visual wizardry is astonishing. But it’s Villeneuve’s grand vision and keen ability to realize it on the screen that makes this such an unforgettable experience. [REVIEW]

And those are my Top 10 Films of 2024. What do you think of my list? What are your thoughts on the movie year as a whole? What was your favorite movie? Let me know in the comments section below. Until next year…