This has been a difficult year. It feels as though the world
has been swaying under the weight of confusion, anger, and a barrage of
misinformation—not to mention the looming shadow of AI that promises both
convenience and unease.
In a time when soullessness often seems to be the order of
the day, movies remain a medium where human emotion, artistry, and connection
thrive. Despite the challenges, the best films of 2024 have offered not only an
escape but also profound reflections on who we are and what we value. Here are
the ten films that stood out to me, each carrying its own conversation, its own
heartbeat.
10. DogMan
Luc Besson’s DogMan is unlike anything he’s
done before.
It’s tender and deeply humane, a meditation on trauma and
the families we choose. Caleb Landry Jones shines as Douglas, a man who’s
endured unspeakable abuse but finds solace in his community of dogs. This film
isn’t just for dog lovers; it’s for anyone who’s ever sought refuge in unlikely
places.
Watching it felt like witnessing the resilience of the human
spirit, even in the most fractured forms.
9. Flow
Latvian director Gints Zilbalodis’ Flow is a
wordless animated marvel. Following a cat navigating a flooded world alongside
a quirky group of companions, this environmental parable whispers its message
rather than shouts.
Its beauty is understated, its storytelling minimalist yet
profound. As I watched, I felt an ache—a longing for the simplicity of
coexistence and a reminder of the fragile wonders of our world.
8. Emilia Pérez
Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez is extravagant,
emotional, and wildly inventive.
Zoe Saldaña plays Rita, a lawyer tasked with helping a drug
lord transition into a new identity—literally and figuratively. Karla Sofía
Gascón’s dual performance as Manitas and Emilia is breathtaking.
This film celebrates transformation not as an ending but a
beginning, urging us to leave the world better than we found it. Watching it
felt like an embrace of possibility.
7. Green Border
Agnieszka Holland’s Green Border tackles the
refugee crisis with a depth of empathy that’s both shattering and uplifting.
It’s hard to watch but impossible to forget, a reminder of the humanity too
often overlooked in global crises.
I left the film feeling heavier but also more galvanized,
more connected to the world’s shared struggles.
6. Hard Truths
Mike Leigh’s Hard Truths is as raw as it gets.
Marianne Jean-Baptiste delivers a gut-wrenching performance as Pansy, a woman
consumed by bitterness. There’s no redemption arc here, no tidy resolution—just
an unflinching look at pain and anger.
It’s uncomfortable yet oddly cathartic, a reminder that even
the most difficult emotions deserve to be seen.
James Mangold’s take on Bob Dylan’s early years isn’t a
biopic; it’s a myth, a ballad of its own. Timothée Chalamet captures Dylan’s
enigmatic spirit, but the real stars are the women in his orbit. Monica Barbaro
and Elle Fanning bring layers to their roles, grounding Dylan’s mythos in the
grit of real lives. This film reminded me that legends are shaped not just by
their deeds but by the people who witness them.
4. Anora
Sean Baker’s Anora is part romantic comedy,
part fractured fairy tale. Mikey Madison’s portrayal of Ani, a sex worker
navigating an unlikely romance, is both luminous and heart-wrenching.
Baker’s humanist touch transforms a story that could have
been cynical into something tender and quietly profound. This film stayed with
me, like a warm memory you’re reluctant to let go of.
3. The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Mohammad Rasoulof’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig
is nothing short of revolutionary. Filmed under immense personal risk, it
explores the tightening grip of authoritarian control over women’s lives. This
is a family drama, a thriller, and a call to arms rolled into one.
Watching it felt like bearing witness to courage—a defiance
of silence and oppression.
2. All We Imagine as Light
Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light
captures the struggles of three women in modern Mumbai with poetic precision.
Their lives are messy, their paths uncertain, yet their resilience shines.
This film felt like a window into lives both distant and
familiar, a reminder of the universal threads of ambition, love, and survival.
1. Babygirl
Halina Reijn’s Babygirl is bold, provocative,
and brimming with life. Nicole Kidman’s performance as Romy, a woman
rediscovering herself, is electric.
The film’s centerpiece, set to George Michael’s “Father
Figure,” is pure cinematic rapture. It’s rare to see a film explore desire and
self-discovery in such an unflinching yet celebratory way. Watching it felt
like a revelation, a reminder that it’s never too late to truly know yourself.
These films are not just stories; they’re conversations,
emotional landscapes, and invitations to reflect. In a year that has felt
disconnected in many ways, these movies reminded me of the power of art to
connect, heal, and inspire.
I hope you find your way to them—and that they find a way
into you.
101 best films of all time that you must see