by Gary M. Kramer, Staff Writer

I saw hundreds of films in 2024 but only ten of them make my Best of the Year list. I saw plenty of films I didn’t like (5lbs. of Pressure, Force of Nature: The Dry 2, and City of Dreams, Classified, which I reviewed for MovieJawn, among them). I also loved several films I saw on the festival circuit that may never screen in the U.S. again. (Peacock, The Dog Thief, Don’t You Let Me Go). And there were many films in the vast middle—big swings (Megalopolis), B-movies (Bad Hombres, Deadly Justice), and all the Oscar-bait I could swallow (or stomach).

Here, in alphabetical order, are my personal favorite films of 2024.

The Apprentice (dir. Ali Abbasi)

Given how much Trump dominated 2024, it was gratifying to see this blistering character study/origin story reveal him for who he is. Marvelously acted by Sebastian Stan as The Donald, and Jeremy Strong as his hateful mentor, Roy Cohn, this uncomfortable and prescient portrayal of hubris stings—just as it should.

Daddio (dir. Christy Hall)

Writer/Director Christy Hall’s feature debut has Dakota Johnson getting in a cab driven by Sean Penn, and the two strangers talk for the next 90 minutes. That’s pretty much it, but it is a trip worth taking as both performers have an easygoing rapport as they reveal themselves to each other—and viewers. A gem.

Ernest Cole: Lost and Found (dir. Raoul Peck)

I was so happy to discover the work of this late, great South African photographer I had never heard of, thanks to Raoul Peck’s magnificent documentary. Full review here.

Green Border (dir. Agnieszka Holland)

I wrote this up last year, but it was released this year, remains worthy. A stunning, timely, and laser-sharp examination of the refugee crisis in Europe. Shot in haunting black and white, director Agnieszka Holland’s unforgettable film provided tremendous insight and emotion into the lives of the refugees, the activists who help them, and even the border guards. A masterpiece.

How to Have Sex (dir. Molly Manning Walker)

Mia McKenna-Bruce gave such an indelible performance as a teenager on a holiday trip to lose her virginity that one might have thought How to Have Sex was a documentary. Immersing viewers into a very uncomfortable world, Molly Manning Walker’s film was riveting, disturbing, and unforgettable.

In the Summers (dir. Alessandra Lacorazza)

An exceptional film that unfolds in four parts over ten years as two children visit with their father for a few months each year. The film, marvelously acted, and artfully composed sucker punched me when I saw it at Sundance and on repeat viewing all year long.

La Cocina (dir. Alonso Ruizpalacios)

Alonso Ruizpalacios (Gueros, Museo, and A Cop Movie) is one of my favorite Mexican filmmakers and I loved his first English-language film, La Cocina, a portrait of 24 hours in the lives of various employees of a Times Square restaurant. Impeccably filmed in black and white, and featuring stories of immigrants that often go unheard, this dazzling film has an incredible set piece—a kitchen flood—and a sequence in an alley with a handful of folks swapping stories that are among my favorite scenes this year.

Memoir of a Snail (dir. Adam Elliot)

This adult animated story about young woman who looks back on her life of hardship may be one of the most moving films I saw in 2024. Beautifully realized and full of dark humor, it was even more impactful on second viewing, which is why it makes this list.

Red Island (dir. Robin Campillo)

Robin Campillo’s personal story about growing up in Madagascar was a beautifully realized drama about colonialism, gender role, and sex—all seen through the eyes of a young boy. The fabulous cinematography made the textures as palpable as the emotions.

The Seed of the Sacred Fig (dir. Mohammad Rasoulof)

Exiled Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof’s intimate epic addresses a family being torn apart from within. This powerful drama unfolds in an apartment where a father exerts control over his wife and children before it turns into a thriller with a series of extraordinary and equally intense and relentless scenes occur. Devastating and inflammatory, this outstanding film is banned by Iran but demands to be seen.

Best Revival:

The Small Back Room (aka Hour of Glory) (dirs. Emeric Pressburger, Michael Powell)

I caught this 1946 Powell and Pressburger film at Film Forum in New York City this summer, so I’m counting it, because it absolutely wowed me. A drunk and disabled bomb expert has to diffuse mines in 1943 Britain. I’d never heard of this film before and have been hot and cold with the filmmakers, but this wartime drama was gripping and one of the highlights of my moviegoing experiences this year.