By Mark Pukalo
Star power, big musical numbers, stunning documentaries, oddball characters and plenty of laughs highlight my deep High Honorable Mention list for a wonderful year of Cinema in 2024.
Many critics have put some of these films in their top 10s and most are worthy. Some are serious. Some are quirky. Some are just entertaining. But all of them received a solid 3 or 3.5 out of 5 rating from me on Letterbox.
There are the high profile films that I felt were good, but not at the caliber of the top 31 above them such as Best Picture nominees "Emilia Perez" and "Wicked Part 1."
There are outstanding documentaries led by "Super Man: A Christopher Reeve Story," "Black Box Diaries" and "The Greatest Night in Pop."
There are the under-the-radar films such as Andre Holland in "Exhibiting Forgiveness" and Lily Gladstone in "Fancy Dance."
Included are the second and third best animated films of the year in my opinion - "Inside Out 2" and "The Wild Robot."
There is the clean - or sometimes crude - fun from "Deadpool & Wolverine," "Snack Shack," "The Fall Guy." and Kevin Smith's comeback "The 4:30 Movie."
There are some intense, powerful films like "Nosferatu," "Strange Darling," "Monkey Man," and "The Order."
And lastly, there are some oddball films n this list including "A Different Man," "Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person," and "Late Bloomers."
And, yeah, Sebastian Stan plays Felon Trump in "The Apprentice.".
They all come together on a strong list of films I have rated from 32 to 84 for the year. Listen, many of these films could be ranked higher, but tough choices have to be made. They are all quality, depending on your tastes.
Some things I wonder about from these 53 films?
*What does Yorgos have against eating fish?
*What was the budget for costumes in "Furiosa?"
*Why would you mess with Jason Statham in a movie?
*What was the over/under on Ariana Grande hair flips in "Wicked Part 1?"
*Do I really remind people of the character Anger from "Inside Out 2," as one of my bosses said a few months back?"
Who knows? I can't guarantee you will like all of these films, but I think they are all entertaining in some way. I recommend them if you want something serious and thought-provoking, action filled or just some harmless fun.
Here we go:
High Honorable Mention
A Different Man - A low-rent actor (Sebastian Stan) with a deformed face gets a special treatment that cures him and he decides to be a different person. It is a thought-provoking, dark film that is more interesting and symbolic than entertaining.
.Am I OK? - Dakota Johnson stars as a middle-aged woman dealing with the truth that she is a lesbian while going through tough times with her best friend. I enjoyed the unique story.
The Apprentice - The story of early Donald Trump and his relationship with shady lawyer Roy Cohn. Learned a lot from this accurate portrayal, which Trump tried to stop from getting to the screen. Jeremy Strong is outstanding as Cohn.
As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial - A fascinating and horrifying documentary about rappers being accused and convicted with no evidence other than their song lyrics.
Babygirl - Sexual thriller with Nicole Kidman as an executive of a major company drawn into her hidden desires by a young intern. Kidman is great. Wanted more from the ending.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die - Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are back to try and figure out the mystery of their boss' murder. It's funny and thrill packed.
The Beekeeper - Jason Statham protects the hive after an older woman, who has allowed him to work with his bees on her land, kills herself because hackers steal all her money. It is filled with mindless violence, but also righteousness.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F - Eddie Murphy is back after many years and faces off against some evil people back in L.A. It is a fun watch on Netflix.
The Bikeriders - The motorcycle club saga is well worth a watch, but some of the characters don't have enough depth for me. It is still impeccably acted - especially Tom Hardy - and makes you want to find out what happens until the end.
Black Box Diaries - Interesting, emotional and maddening documentary about a young woman's journey after accusing a powerful man in Japan of rape. Shiori Ito is a very brave woman.
Blitz - The epic story of a young mixed-race boy who battles several obstacles to get home to his mother in London after escaping a train filled with children shipped away during Hitler's WW2 blitz. Saoirse Ronan stars.
Carry-On - Taron Egerton plays a blackmailed TSA agent fighting to keep a dangerous package from making its destination. The acting is excellent in this intense and entertaining Netflix film.
Daughters - Tear-jerking documentary about incarcerated men meeting with their daughters through a special program. It is sad, but enlightening. I wanted a little more depth about the inmates' stories.
Deadpool & Wolverine - Deadpool tries to save the world from extinction with the help of an edgy version of Wolverine from the multiverse. It is a laugh a minute.
Emilia Perez - A grand musical drama about a drug kingpin who hires a disgruntled prosecutor (Zoe Saldana) to help him transition to a woman and fake his death. They reunite many years later as she/he tries to help people. The music s over-rated, but it did not distract from a unique story. Should not be an award winner, though.
Exhibiting Forgiveness - A talented young artist (Andre Holland) must deal with old wounds when his healing father shows up. His mother tries to bring them together, but much more is going on in this intense, thoughtful film.
The Fall Guy - A stunt man (Ryan Gosling), injured in a bad fall, reunites with his former flame (Emily Blunt) on a movie set. It is predictable, but a very fun ride with action, love and humor in abundance.
Fancy Dance - Lily Gladstone stars as an Indian hustler, who tries to find her missing sister and take care of her maturing young niece. I was expecting just a little more depth, but it gets thumbs up.
The Fire Inside - The story of Claressa Shields, who fights her way out of Flint, Michigan to win Olympic Gold. The human story is much better than the boxing story, but it all comes together well.
Fly Me to the Moon - A marketing specialist (Scarlett Johannsen) joins NASA to try an sell the first moon landing to the public. It's a movie. Just let it entertain you.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga - Great costumes, action and acting, but I just think the overall series is a bit over-rated. However, there is enough fun stuff in the epic tale.
Goodrich - Michael Keaton plays a gallery owner forced into sudden fatherhood after his young wife goes into rehab. In the meantime, he is reconnecting with his pregnant 27-year-old daughter (Mila Kunis). It's just a likable, simple story. Vivien Lyra Blair (young Princess Leia in Obi-Wan Kenobi) is delightful as one of Keaton's 9-year-old twins.
The Greatest Night in Pop - An amazing documentary about the makings of "We are the World," when many artists stayed up all night after the American Music Awards to finish the historical project.
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person - A young vampire does not have the killer instinct, much to her family's chagrin. She forms a relationship with a suicidal young man that goes a unique direction. A very interesting concept for a vampire film.
Janet Planet - A young girl goes through life dependent on her single mother, who struggles through many different relationships in rural Massachusetts. It is simple, a little quirky and very thought-provoking.
Juror #2 - Clint Eastwood directs a film about a recovering alcoholic who is picked for a jury and realizes he could be the one guilty of the crime. It's a well crafted film that is intriguing from start to finish.
Inside Out 2 - The follow up to the delightful original as Riley reaches high school and tries out for the hockey team. It's just as fun and smart as the first one. Riley has great hockey sense. What a pass she made in one of the first scenes.
The Killer - Gorgeous Nathalie Emmanuel (Game of Thrones) is an expert contract killer who changes stripes when her boss double crosses her. It's a solid, action-filled, crime drama.
Kinds of Kindness - Three separate oddball stories strung together in a Yorgos Lanthimos special. It is very high on the weirdness meter and hilarious at times with Jesse Plemons and Emma Stone playing big roles.
Kneecap - Two Irish hoodlums team with a local teacher to create rap music that helps a movement to save the country's native language. Better than expectations.
The Last Showgirl - Pamela Anderson is very good as an over-age showgirl, having a rough time with the end of her career. It's a decent film, but it needed way more depth from the ending.
The Last Stop in Yuma County - A simple day at a small diner next to an empty gas station ends in a massacre after bank robbers arrive. The series of events all kind of fall into place neatly by the end, all because the gas delivery was late.
Late Bloomers - Karen Gillan is great as a lost young woman who finds some purpose helping a cranky old Polish lady she meets at the hospital. It's offbeat and compelling.
Late Night With the Devil - A television host, whose ratings have taken a dive, watches his late-night show go off the rails when his evil past erupts on stage. It is devilishly fun.
Monkey Man - Dev Patel plays a young man bent on revenge against the criminal leaders who burned down his town and killed his mother. It is mystical and the fight scenes have great choreography.
Nosferatu - A creepy tale about the possession of a young woman by an evil vampire, Nicholas Hoult caps a great year as the husband of the haunted woman (Lilly-Rose Depp). Willem Dafoe shines in a supporting role. Much better than I hoped for.
The Order - Jude Law is a damaged FBI agent who investigates a splinter Nazi group in Idaho. The film, based on a true story in the early 1980s, has several strong performances led by cult leader Nicholas Hoult.
The Promised Land - A retired Danish soldier (Mads Mikkelsen) takes over some heath land that is difficult to cultivate and fights with the snobby local magistrate. It starts slow, but is a good story overall
A Quiet Place: Day One - The prequel to the series of movies about blind aliens attacking the world. Lupita Nyong'o is outstanding as the terminal woman surviving the creatures until the end.
Rebel Ridge - A former Marine (Aaron Pierre), biking to a small town with cash to bail out his brother, is accosted by crooked local police. He does not take it lightly, with help from a troubled young lawyer (AnaSophia Robb) in the town.
Snack Shack - Started out like it might be a wacky, nothing, high school comedy. But it turned out to be a decent coming of age story in the category of "The Way, Way Back," but not quite as good. Mika Abdalla is the pretty love interest in this one.
Sometimes I Think About Dying - Daisy Ridley is a quiet, depressed, young woman working in a small office who comes out of her shell a bit when a new co-worker arrives. It's dry and plodding, but Fran is likable.
Strange Darling - A one-night stand triggers a serial killer in this non-linear story where nothing is as it seems. Willa Fitzgerald is tremendous in the lead role.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story - A thoughtful, entertaining and emotional documentary on the man who played the Man of Steel, and how he changed the world.
Thelma - Senior-citizen June Squibb scoots away to try and recap the $10,000 that scammers took from her. It's a fun little jaunt.
Things Will Be Different - Two estranged siblings use a time portal in an old farmhouse to escape after a robbery and struggle to get back. It is a bit too vague at times, but it makes you think.
Twisters - A semi-retired storm chaser (Daisy Edgar-Jones) returns to Oklahoma to try and tame a busy tornado season. She teams with a wild tornado wrangler (Glen Powell) for an entertaining story.
Unstoppable - The amazing story of wrestler Anthony Robles, who won an NCAA championship despite having one leg. Jharrel Jerome does a nice job along with coaches Don Cheadle and Michael Pena, but J-Lo does did not quite work in this role. Overall, a good watch.
Wicked Part 1 - The first musical prequel to the Wizard of Oz is entertaining and filled with excellent performances, led by Ariana Grande. It is a grand show, but it fails to move along at times.
The Wild Robot - Wonderful animated film about a robot that gets discarded and lost, but finds its way by building relationships with the local wild animals. It is sweet and fun.
Woman of the Hour - Anna Kendrick stars in her directorial debut as an aspiring actress who takes a job as a contestant on a dating game. The film is based on a true story about a serial killer who gets a spot on the show and wins. It is creepy, smart and compelling.
Young Werther - Werther falls in love with the woman (Alison Pill) of his dreams, but finds out she is engaged to a really nice guy. It is a sweet rom-com - with the always adorable Pill - that is right on the border line of high and medium. A good watch.
The 4:30 Movie - Kevin Smith's film about a group of teens whose world revolves around the movie theater. Melody Barnegat (Siena Augodong) is absolutely delightful as the main character's sweet love interest. It's just a lot of fun.
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