Alex’s Top 10 Favorite Films of 2024 – Corbet & Fingscheidt & Baker

by Alex Billington
January 13, 2025

“I’ve found our conversation persuasive and intellectually stimulating.” Indeed, Mr. Van Buren. It’s always exciting to discover intellectually stimulating films. Another year, another Top 10. After watching more than 400 films throughout 2024 (always logging everything on my Letterboxd for anyone curious) it’s time to share my final selection of My Top 10 Favorite Films of 2024. I try to watch as much as I can and give myself time to catch up with any extra films at the end of the year, but my favorites can come from anytime in 2024. Rohrwacher’s La Chimera already was my #1 of 2023 last year, which is why I’m extra happy it’s appearing on so many other Top 10 lists this year. For 2024 – I went for the ones that really impressed me, including The Brutalist, Anora, Nickel Boys, Sing Sing, A Complete Unknown, and Conclave, among others. I’m not really a fan of I Saw the TV Glow, The Beast, or All We Imagine as Light. So these are my personal picks, the 10 that reminded me that cinema is still capable of being innovative and original and invigorating.

For the previous year’s Top 10 of 2023 list, topped by La Chimera and Oppenheimer, click here (or 2022 + 2021 + 2020). You can check out my selection of Favorite Movie Posters from 2024 for the best cinema art.

A few notes: this is a list of my favorite films, not the best films of the year, these are the ones that I love for my own reasons and I’ll try to explain why with each one. As always, I wish I had so much more to time to watch/rewatch films, and see every last film that played in 2024, but that’s impossible so this is just what I decided to run with. Also – my film selection is based on the date when I originally saw the film at a public event, including film festivals (Sitges, Sundance) or public releases limited or otherwise. This is not based on only films released in 2024, but the ones I experienced in 2024, and is a good representation of the best cinema has given us, in my opinion. I’m always a bit nervous to finalize my list, but these are all films I love.

#1. The Brutalist directed by Brady Corbet

The Brutalist is a masterpiece. I don’t need to wait years to say this – it’s official already. I’ve seen it twice and it’s just as exhilarating to experience a second time. Brady Corbet’s monumental work of art is a shining example of how cinema can continue to be innovative and entrancing. Adrien Brody is perfect as architect László Tóth in this post-WWII story of America. But I do want to reiterate that this film isn’t so much about the American Dream – László wants a simple and safe life, he isn’t chasing money – instead it really is about how America is a rotten, corrupt, xenophobic, racist country full of greedy assholes. This is precisely what Brady Corbet is trying to say with this story (with most of his films). The score by Daniel Blumberg is phenomenal – I’m already listening to the album all the time. And the cinematography by Lol Crawley is also exceptional. I still can’t believe they made this entire film for $10 million. The Carrara sequence in the second half is one of my all-time favorite sequences in cinema history, thanks to the sound design above all.

#2. The Outrun directed by Nora Fingscheidt

For most of 2024, The Outrun was listed as my #1 film. I first watched it at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival in January (my initial review) and it remained my favorite throughout most of the year. I could talk about it for hours and hours. Saoirse Ronan is on a whole other level in this. Her performance has to span years of time, yet also has to capture all the nuances of alcoholism. I almost always love her in any role she plays, though this one will stand out in her filmography as one of her best. I adore the score by John Gürtler & Jan Miserre (listening to it while writing this), the cinematography by Yunus Roy Imer, and all of the directing choices made by German filmmaker Nora Fingscheidt. It’s the epitome of breathtaking – there are a few sequences that whenever they arrive in the film I literally hold my breath while watching. Even though the film is about alcoholism and learning to move on, it’s also a universal story about growing up and finding your footing on stable ground – wherever that may be and whatever it may take to achieve that.

#3. Anora directed by Sean Baker

Anora

“Phenomenal… a one-of-a-kind sensation.” This is a quote from my Cannes review that appeared in the first official trailer for Anora. This film rules. Something fresh and original and energetic and exciting and funny and endearing and unforgettable. Mikey Madison is sensational as Ani, but I’m also glad Yura Borisov is being recognized during the awards season (and will likely end up with a well-deserved Oscar nomination). Director Sean Baker is truly one of a kind, making films unlike anyone else that no one else can replicate. Anora is not just hilarious but incredibly deep, nuanced, layered, intelligent, complex filmmaking that gets every scene just right. I was rooting for this in Cannes to win the Palme d’Or top prize last year, which it ultimately did win, and now I’m rooting for it to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards this year (unless The Brutalist grabs it instead). This kind of ravishing filmmaking deserves awards, recognition, and success.

#4. Nickel Boys directed by RaMell Ross

There’s no question that this is a masterpiece, right? It is. One of a few masterpieces from 2024. I came to Nickel Boys rather late – after it had premiered at a few festivals and already opened in the US. I wasn’t sure it would live up to the hype. As soon as I settled in, it didn’t take long for me to realize – everyone is right, this is brilliant. And yes it’s cliche to say, and some people don’t really agree, but I do believe this film does invent a “new language of cinema” using the POV cinematography to put us into the lives of these two boys. It’s not only about that cinematography choice (shot perfectly by DP Jomo Fray) though, it’s also all about how director RaMell Ross allows us to experience what it is like to be a Black boy in America. And how he contextualizes this experience through cinematic choices like integrating archival footage as well as crafting a richly detailed, vibrant world for them to play around in – focusing on all the little details and everything they interact with that brings them even the slightest bit of joy. The timelapse train car shot is an all-timer.

#5. Dune: Part Two directed by Denis Villeneuve

Desert power! Yep this movie is awesome. The scope and scale is off the charts epic and exhilarating. Dune: Part Two is proper *event* cinema and one of the best sequels ever made. I watched it three times in a row back-to-back when it was in theaters in 2024 (twice in IMAX). I believe we need empowering revolutionary movies like this in the world right now. Denis Villeneuve is a sci-fi cinema mastermind and we’re so lucky that we get to watch him go all-out creating these spectacular movies adapting Frank Herbert’s novels. I think both Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya are incredible in this, so are Javier Bardem and Austin Butler and Rebecca Ferguson. While the first half is very good, the second half launches the movie to unprecedented heights when Paul finally becomes the Mahdi – and lets his anger flow as he takes over the Fremen and begins to fight back. The scenes with the Fremen & the finale where he confronts the Emperor are phenomenal and shock me every time I watched them. This is what great sci-fi storytelling is all about.

#6. Sing Sing directed by Greg Kwedar

Magnificent film. This is what cinema is all about. This is the power it should have. I watched it twice before putting this list together and, my goodness, it moved me and shook me to my core both times. It’s really all about Colman Domingo’s towering, exceptional lead performance as Divine G – I genuinely believe while watching this he is also a prisoner going through these emotions on his path to freedom. He is phenomenal and makes this film the work of art it absolutely is. Sing Sing is a shining example of what cinema can be and how it can change the world. How it can bring us closer to understanding people who are different from us. And it once again shows the power of art and expression – how letting your soul speak can bring about healing and great growth. Let this film affect & inspire you the way this acting program does these inmates.

#7. A Complete Unknown directed by James Mangold

“You know, you’re kind of an asshole.” An exploration of the enigma of Bob Dylan. A brilliant musician, but he’s also kind of an asshole, but also a philosopher, but also endlessly mysterious and strange. This is not really a biopic, and I find it odd that so many people keep referring to it as one. It’s a slice of life look at a particular moment in Bobby D’s life, and it’s so beautifully made. It hit me hard – tear it all down, always be who you are, not what they want. A tribute to rabble-rousers & rule breakers. We may never understand geniuses and their ways, but that does not make them any less of a genius… James Mangold continues to make banger after banger after banger. He knows his cinema, he knows how to tell a story, he knows how to leave us feeling rocked. His visual storytelling is so sleek and compelling – this moves along at a swift pace while keeping the most important moments intact. And yes, of course, Timothée Chalamet is sensational.

#8. The Assessment directed by Fleur Fortune

This one deserves a spot on my Best of the Year list even though it only premiered at a few film festivals in 2024 (and will be officially released in early 2025). Few films about parenting are ever this intelligent, this thought-provoking, this compelling in their depiction of humanity’s choices with parenting. The Assessment is a profound new science fiction film directed by French filmmaker Fleur Fortune, making her feature debut in what is irrefutably one of the most impressive feature debuts of 2024. Set in the near future when parenthood is strictly controlled, it’s about a couple who wants to have a baby so they’re put through a seven day “assessment” of their viability. This film is so earnest and meaningful, so fascinating and entrancing. I cannot stop thinking about it. So many thoughts, so much to discuss. Layers upon layers, much to analyze, with extraordinary filmmaking bringing it all to life… I’m in awe. Can’t wait to revisit it and dig into it more.

#9. Conclave directed by Edward Berger

Let! Them! Gossip! Before watching this film, I honestly did not think I would be wowed by it. By the end I wanted to jump out of my chair and hoot & holler at how amazing it is. Edward Berger is on a roll! This is even better than his last film All Quiet on the Western Front, with more to chew on and more characters to follow. It’s a riveting thriller with extraordinary production value – all of these Vatican sets are amazing and exceptionally believable. I was also not expecting this to be an extremely relevant look at the most recent US election and intense corruption (!!), while also showing what it really takes to elect the “right” person into an important position of power. Surpassed my expectations, rocked me with its radical ending. Swept away by the score, the cinematography, everything, and the performances slay. Ralph Fiennes is a genius and I am always in awe of his performances – this one really deserves awards. And I especially love the turtles. 🐢

#10. Black Dog directed by Guan Hu

“One of the best dog movies ever made.” I watched this at Cannes last year at its world premiere and have been raving about it ever since – because it really is one of the best dog movies ever made. Absolutely. Black Dog is a Chinese film about a lonely man who befriends a stray dog living in his dusty, sleepy hometown – and together they go on journeys of self-discovery and understanding. All the while uniting his town, which is struggling with its own fading identity. I love Eddie Peng as Lang in this – he doesn’t speak the entire film, yet he’s so endearing and tender. His performance and his connection with the main dog, and all of the dogs, is really the heart & soul of Black Dog. In addition, the cinematography and filmmaking choices made by director Guan Hu complement this performance with storytelling that is subtle and sharp. It is a dog movie, but it’s not only about dogs and companionship, it’s also about identity and loneliness and moving on. Best of all – no animals were harmed at all making this, and Eddie Peng adopted a few of the dogs after.

BONUS! Memoir of a Snail directed by Adam Elliot

🐌 “Life’s a beautiful tapestry that needs to be experienced. It’s small pleasures savored… Life can only be understood backwards, but we have to live it forwards… Snails never go back over their trails, always moving forwards.” Yep – always keep blazing trails. I adore this film. It’s sublime. It’s heartfelt. It’s funky and sad and weird and eccentric. But those are part of its charm. Adam Elliot is a truly unique filmmaker and this is another one of his films that has already and will continue to make a mark on cinema history. I remember watching Mary and Max at Sundance 2009 and putting that film on my best of the year list – I’m happy to include this one, too. Even though it ended up beyond #10 on my list, it’s still worth highlighting and worth talking about. It’s remarkably powerful, moving storytelling – where it ends is in a hopeful place, despite taking us through so many hardships. And it’s meaningful in its reminder that to truly live a happy life we need to free ourselves from the prisons of our own making, even if this seems impossible because of what we’ve been through. But we must always live on, seeking happiness and joy in every little thing we can.

More 2024 Faves (all worth watching): Greg Jardin’s It’s What’s Inside, Sean Wang’s Dìdi 弟弟, Josh Greenbaum’s doc Will & Harper, George Miller’s Furiosa, Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night, Matthew Rankin’s Universal Language, Scott McGehee & David Siegel’s The Friend, Charlie McDowell’s The Summer Book, Josh Margolin’s Thelma, Eggers’ Nosferatu, and Gia Coppola’s The Last Showgirl.

I could discuss all of my favorites endlessly, so if you ever want to chat about cinema, just ask me something about any of them. You can always find all of my ratings and additional thoughts on every film I watched in 2024 on my Letterboxd profile. There are always a few other films I did not get the chance to watch last year due to time constraints, but I still try to catch as many films as possible that my colleagues have been talking about. I am always watching new work throughout the year, seeking out the most exhilarating cinema – films that leave me in amazed and moved. Sometimes I have to take a risk and watch something unexpected to find the real winners. If you have questions or thoughts about my Top 10 picks (or anything else), please get in touch: @firstshowing or @alexb.bsky.social. Now let’s continue into 2025 always ready to keep watching.