best of 2024: movies

A few notes before I begin:

- This list is in random order, but I did make note of my favorite.

- Not all of these were first released in 2024, but that's when I watched them.

- Obviously the year isn't over yet, but if I watch something between now and the end of the month that belongs here, I'll update accordingly.

- And, as always, your mileage may vary.

1. Hit Man:  A mild-mannered college professor (Glen Powell) has an unusual side gig: he poses as a hit man in police stings.  Things get complicated when he falls in love with a beautiful woman who wants her abusive husband killed.

2. Woman of the Hour:  In 1970s Los Angeles, an aspiring actress (Anna Kendrick, who also directed) goes on The Dating Game only to be matched with a serial killer.  Based on the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala, albeit with some changes, it's really well done.  It has a few pacing problems, but it's respectful of the victims and has one of the best endings I've seen in a while.

3. A Quiet Place: Day One:  A terminally ill woman (Lupita Nyong'o) and her cat try to reach safety when sound-sensitive aliens invade New York City.  Tense and surprisingly moving.

4. I Care A Lot:  Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike) has made a fortune by becoming the legal guardian for numerous elderly people and then helping herself to their money and possessions.  Unfortunately for her, she eventually picks the wrong person to fleece. Riveting from the start, this pitch black comedy has a terrific cast which also includes Peter Dinklage and Dianne Wiest.  My favorite movie of the year!

5. Deadpool & Wolverine:  Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) recruits an extremely reluctant Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) to save his universe.  Funny as hell, gleefully gory, stocked with great cameos, and a damn good time.

6. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On:  A documentarian befriends a tiny talking shell (voiced by Jenny Slate) who's searching for his family.  This had been on our watchlist for ages, mainly because we didn't think it would be any good, but hoo boy were we wrong!  It's funny and poignant.

7. All of Us Strangers:  Adam lost both his parents in a car accident when he was young.  He finds himself drawn back to his childhood home, where he has visions of and conversations with his parents. An absolute gut punch of a movie with excellent performances by Andrew Scott as Adam and Paul Mescal as a man he falls in love with.

8. Civil War:  In a future version of America torn apart by secession, a group of war photographers tries to get to Washington D.C. before rebel forces take over.  Some weird musical choices, but overall really good and intense.

9. American Fiction:  A frustrated Black author (Jeffrey Wright) writes an offensively stereotypical novel that becomes an unexpected hit.  A deliciously sharp satire that stings.

10. Monkey Man:  A man (Dev Patel) takes very bloody revenge against the people who murdered his mother and burned down his village.  Fantastic action sequences.

MADE ME CRY (OR AT LEAST TEAR UP):  The Creator; The Holdovers; The Iron Claw; Suzume; Marcel the Shell with Shoes On; All of Us Strangers; Godzilla Minus One; American Fiction; Inside Out 2; Woman of the Hour; A Quiet Place: Day One; Babes

SEEN IN A THEATER: Nothing.  Honestly, I haven't been to the theater since February 2020 and I missed it at first, but I don't anymore.  Between our excellent home entertainment setup, rude patrons, and me having to pee every twenty minutes, I think it would take something truly exceptional to get me into a theater again.

SEEN ON A PLANE: I Saw the TV Glow

GROSSEST MOVIE OF THE YEAR: The Substance

WORST MOVIE OF THE YEAR: Madame Web.  I had a 20mg edible and even that didn't make this turd remotely enjoyable.