From inside out 2 To beetlejuice beetlejuiceall except one 10 highest grossing films of 2024 There were sequels (Wicked was the only outsider). Which really shouldn't surprise anyone. For decades, sequels, prequels, reboots, and reimaginings have ruled the top of the box office. But since when has a film's total earnings become an indication of its quality?
The fact is that in 2024, like most years, some of the most compelling movies being released are titles you've never heard of (which is unfortunate). You have plenty of time to correct that mistake, starting with these 10 unseen gems.
Anora
If beautiful woman never received its extreme Hollywood makeover, and was instead shot A dark, drug-filled tale of sex and violence When it first landed on the desks of studio executives, it might have looked something like this AnoraAnnie (Mickey Madison) is a sex worker in New York City whose life is turned upside down by Vanya Zakharov (Mark Edelshtein), the manly son of a Russian oligarch. After paying Ani $15,000 to spend the week with him, the two fly to Las Vegas, where Vanya proposes – mostly so he can get a green card and avoid going back to Russia, but also because Also because he promises that he loves Ani. When Vanya's parents learn of her engagement, they send some trusted henchmen to rescue their son from this new romantic entanglement at any cost. Madison (Once Upon a Time… in Hollywoodof 2022 scream) is an absolute revelation as the frenetic princess at the center of this “fairytale.” Sure, it ends up being heartbreaking, but also one of soul-discovery. Writer-Director Shawn Baker ,red rocket, Florida Project, Orange) again succeeded in changing the conversation around sex workers and other marginalized people to create a new kind of love story. Whereas Anora While receiving a small theatrical release, its five Golden Globe nominations – including nods for Madison, Best Director and Best Screenplay for Baker, and Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy nominations – should certainly bring the project more attention.
bike rider
Austin Butler delivers serious James Dean vibes as Benny Cross, an impossibly handsome member of Chicago's Vandals motorcycle club. When the film begins in 1965, Benny has it all: he is the right-hand man to club founder Johnny Davis (Tom Hardy), and has recently met and quickly married Kathy Bauer (Jodie Comer). Newcomer to the world of motorcycle clubs. This proves to be both a help and a hindrance to Benny over the next decade, as the film tracks the Vandals' growth and how the country's overwhelming disillusionment becomes embedded in its DNA. Written and directed by Jeff Nichols, the film is based on Danny Lyon's 1968 photo book of the same name, which traces the evolution of the real-life Chicago outlaw MC. Come along for the ride.
blink twice
Zoë Kravitz proves that behind this terrifying meditation on the power of extreme money, she really can have it all as co-writer, producer, and (for the first time) director. Cocktail waitress Frieda (Naomi Ackie) and her best friend Jess (Alia Shawkat) are working a cocktail party when they meet Slater King (Channing Tatum), a notorious tech billionaire who has recently, for some reason Has left the post of head of the company he founded. A type of suspicious behavior – the details of which are not completely known. He and Frieda hit it off, and he invited both women to join him and a group of friends on his private island for a weekend of partying and pampering. That's exactly what they get, although Frieda can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. That paranoia turns to fear when Jess suddenly goes missing and King's other guests don't even remember her being there. blink twice It's not a perfect film, but Kravitz's willingness to boldly confront dark issues in a smart and darkly comedic way marks his emergence as a daring filmmaker.
show of forgiveness
Terrell (Andre Holland in a career-best performance) is a successful painter and a loving husband and father who believes he has moved on from the abuse he suffered as a child at the hands of his father, La'Ron (John Earl Jelks). Are. , But when La'Ron returns in an attempt to reconnect with his son after years of separation, old wounds resurface for Terrell, whose own mother (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) reunites father and son. Looking forward to seeing one become one. Renowned artist Tituss Coffer unearths his own haunted history in this heartbreaking and semi-autobiographical, reflection on family, generational trauma, and the power of forgiveness—if you can really find your way to it.
knees
just because knees Being a hit on the festival circuit doesn't mean it's happening All The attention it deserves. Rich Peppiatt makes his feature directorial debut with this charming film about the hip-hop trio of the same name, which was formed in Belfast in 2017 and is still going strong. The band's real-life members – Liam Óg “Mo Chara” Ó Hnaidh, Naoise “Mowgli Bap” Ó Caerleáin, and JJ “DJ Provai” Ó Dochartaigh, who raps in a mix of English and Irish – play themselves in this raunchy comedy. , which is based in 2019. More than just a musical biopic, it is about the continuing impact of the Troubles and the “children of the armistice” that followed. But it's also about how three young artists are using music to share a political message and save their native (and endangered) language.
Juror #2
Since its 1992 release unforgivenClint Eastwood has earned 11 Oscar nominations and won four of them, including two Best Director statues. Which led Warner Bros. to decide to bury Juror #2—which some have suggested would be Eastwood's final film—is even more surprising. Especially considering how good it is. Clint loves a good moral dilemma (see: million dollar baby), And Juror #2 An interesting point arises: what if you were called to sit on the jury of a high-profile murder case… only to realize that you may have caused the victim's death? That's the question Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) must grapple with in this addicting courtroom drama.
monkey Man
Oscar nominee Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) steps behind the camera to make his feature directorial debut with this action-packed revenge thriller. Years after witnessing his mother's brutal death at the hands of a corrupt policeman Rana Singh (Sikandar Kher), Kid (Patel) chooses to adopt a policy of an eye for an eye. Working in an underground fight club where Singh frequently appears, Kid hatches an ambitious and vicious plan to avenge his mother.
my old ass
For as long as films have been marketed, there have been some films that have been poorly marketed. Whereas my old ass received a heavy dose of promotion, in part thanks to lovable eccentric Aubrey Plaza as one of its stars, but it may have lost a large portion of its audience by portraying it as drug-induced. freaky Friday-appointment-Lakehouse A type of picture. In fact, it's an incredibly funny and poignant coming-of-age movie that follows 18-year-old Elliot (Maisie Stella) using her last summer at home before heading off to college as a time to slow down and really appreciate Is encouraged to. Many teens take people (read: parents) and places (read: home) for granted. Yes, Plaza appears as Elliot's older self – and she's the one who fills him with such wisdom – but his screen time is more limited than you might think. So, appreciate every moment while you can.
Order
Jude Law stars as Terry Husk, a veteran FBI agent assigned to investigate a shocking series of broad daylight robberies that escalate into violence . Ultimately, Husk becomes convinced that the crime is the work of a white supremacist group that is using the stolen money to finance a violent insurrection. Husk's investigation pits him against Bob Matthews (Nicholas Hoult, in an equally wonderful and contrasting performance), the impossibly likable leader of a neo-Nazi group known as The Order. Is. this movie Based on a true storyand adapted from the 1989 book by Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhard. The Silent Brotherhood,
rebel ridge
Director Jeremy Saulnier (green room, murder party) returns to the big screen for the first time in six years with this captivating crime thriller that will be remembered as the film that turned Aaron Pierre into a bona fide star. Terry Richmond (Pierre), a former Marine, travels to Shelby Springs, Louisiana, to bail out his cousin Mike (CJ LeBlanc), who has gotten himself into some kind of trouble. Richmond soon finds himself in the crosshairs of the local police department when officers seize the cash he illegally brought with him, his life savings. Getting justice in this small town won't be as easy as filling out a complaint form. The local police, led by Chief Sandy Byrne (Don Johnson), have no plans of letting Richmond ruin the good work they're doing.