Following on from our reviews of the worst films of the year, we move on to Part 2 of our year end review of 2024. This year I’ve seen c100 new films, and it’s always fun whittling them down to a collection of those I’ve enjoyed the most throughout the year. Here’s my favourites from 20-11, with the top 10 to follow tomorrow! Let us know what you think 🙂

20. The Promised Land

Mads Mikkelsen in a homegrown movie is usually a winning combination and so it proves again in ‘The Promised Land‘ (unfortunately the literal translation ‘The Bastard‘ was not used!), a film about a retired Army captain turned farmer who takes on a wealthy landowner – a western tale with a nordic edge and another example that demonstrates that Denmark continues to produce some of the best in European cinema.

Where to watch: The Promised Land

19. The Substance

Featuring knockout performances from Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, ‘The Substance‘ is one of the year’s most provocative and thrilling movies. A body horror through a female lens, it brilliantly satirises Hollywood’s treatment of woman as they get older, and even as it doesn’t quite nail the landing (for me), the kinetic directing and top performances make this one of the year’s must see movies.

Where to watch: The Substance

18. Love Lies Bleeding

An 80s set lesbian romantic thriller, this is a cracking little movie with the sleaze of small town crime oozing out of the screen. With memorable characters, top performances and a brilliantly era appropriate score, ‘Love Lies Bleeding‘ is well worth watching.

Where to watch: Love Lies Bleeding

17. One Life

Nicholas Winton was a humanitarian who helped hundreds of Jewish children escape occupied Czechoslovakia just before the Second World War broke out, and for many years his story remained untold and unknown. That changed with an episode of the British TV series ‘That’s Life‘ (which can be found on YouTube), and this movie tells his story in more detail with a brilliant Anthony Hopkins as the elderly version of Winton. The movie is conventionally told but this is such a remarkable tale and it had me in tears.

Where to watch: One Life

16. Society of the Snow

Another movie based on real life events, in this case a plane crash in the Andes in the 1970s that left a Uruguayan Rugby team stranded in winter for over 2 months. Previously told in the 90s movie ‘Alive‘, this Spanish language version comes from the brilliant J.A. Bayona who previously helmed the brilliant disaster movie ‘The Impossible‘, and this is another gripping disaster movie that brings this remarkable true story to the screen superbly.

Where to watch: Society of the Snow

15. Hit Man

Richard Linklater’s latest movie, co-written with leading man Glen Powell, is a sheer delight, an effortlessly entertaining movie that straddles genres, sitting somewhere between a rom-com and a dark thriller. The chemistry between Powell and leading lady Adria Arjona is off the charts in this true story based movie about an ordinary man who moonlights as a hit man to catch would be murderers before they could commit their crimes.

Where to watch: Hit Man

14. The Zone of Interest

Based loosely on Martin Amis 2014 novel of the same title, ‘The Zone of Interest’ is a chilling and unsettling movie that epitomises the famous ‘banality of evil’ quotation, in Jonathan Glazer’s masterful movie. Set at, but crucially not in, the Auschwitz concentration camp, it tells the story of the Nazi commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel) and his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller), who are building their dream home next to the death camp, unperturbed by the close proximity to the horrors unfolding beyond their garden wall. An uncomfortable watch by design, aided by outstanding sound design, this is a deeply chilling movie that showcases the power of film as a medium.

Where to watch: The Zone of Interest

13. The Iron Claw

This wrestling drama tells the tragic tale of the Von Erich brothers, who were big names in 1980s wrestling and if you know their story, you’ll know what to expect with this. Directed by Sean Durkin with a cast led by Zac Efron, this is a powerful movie about trying to live up to the unrealistic ideals set by your parents, and the ultimate cost that can have.

Where to watch: The Iron Claw

12. Perfect Days

Japan’s ‘Best International Feature Film‘ nominee at this year’s Oscars is a simple movie about a Tokyo janitor, who we follow as he goes about his daily life and routine. It is in essence a slice of life drama but the beauty and charm of ‘Perfect Days‘ comes in how director Wim Wenders tells the story, and in the wonderfully expressive face of lead actor Kōji Yakusho. Prepare to be swept up.

Where to watch: Perfect Days

11. Speak No Evil

A remake of a 2022 Danish movie, ‘Speak No Evil’ is a psychological horror thriller about an American family who are invited to spend some time at a remote farmhouse in Devon, with a British family who they connected with on a recent holiday in Italy, only to discover the family are a lot more sinister than they had bargained for. The main selling point of this movie is James McAvoy, who is truly magnificent as the simultaneously charismatic and evil Paddy, and his performance works brilliantly with the darkly comic script that explores the limitations of middle class social awkwardness. I really, really liked this, much more than I expected too!

Where to watch: Speak No Evil

Narrowly missing this list: The Apprentice, Queer, Evil Does Not Exist, Didi