After a rough 2023 that saw actors and writers on strike for much of the year, 2024 was going to give audiences a chance to pay attention to what they really wanted. Celebrity gossip and box office totals! Blake Lively and backlash over fan made posters shared the headlines with news of the latest big budget flop. Between all the wackiness, people somehow managed to found time to watch movies.
It is easier than it has ever been to watch everything you want to see. This is reflected in the voting that saw votes spread across 25 different movies, six (arguably seven) franchises, and roughly 15 studios. They are a mix of bombastic blockbusters, festival darlings, and Madame Web (shout out to the person who unironically voted it best movie of the year.) Without further ado, here are the best movies of 2024 as voted by you, the readers of AIPT.
BEST MOTION PICTURE RELEASED BY A MAJOR STUDIO
In this era of acquisitions and mergers, it is difficult to define what a major film studio even is. After being acquired by Amazon, MGM seemed to lose its major studio status. And is A24 truly an indie studio? For the purposes of this poll, it seemed best to keep things simple. The studios that have been around the longest are considered major. Therefore, this category includes movies released by Disney, Warner Bros., Paramount, Universal, Sony, and yes, MGM. Basically, the Big Five plus one.
Eleven movies received votes and two things clearly stood out. For as much hate as sequels and remakes get, people still seem to enjoy going to see them. Of the votes received, only two were based on original IPs – and one is about a long running television show (Sony’s Saturday Night). The other was Challengers, and that was released by the aforementioned Amazon MGM. So, an argument can be made that the most popular movies among AIPT readers belonged to a franchise.
The second outlier was that audiences still love their blockbusters. There were votes for Furiosa, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Twisters, and Transformers One, but it was the biggest films that got the most votes. In the end it came down to four films.
It is no surprise that Deadpool & Wolverine along with Wicked received strong support. Both were well received by audiences and critics. The latest movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe breathed life back into the MCU. It was raunchy, silly, violent, and a whole lot of fun. Wicked took a more family friendly route and wowed those who watched it with its great soundtrack and one of the most powerful finales of the year.
Though it lagged slightly behind anti-heroes and witches, Alien: Romulus left a strong impression on readers. The Alien franchise is one of the most depressing in film history. After two iconic entries, it seemed to reach a new low with each subsequent entry. The same can be said for director Fede Alvarez who has never lived up to the promise shown in his Evil Dead remake. Romulus is something of a redemption story for both as its back to basics approach to the series was one of the most pleasant surprises of the year.
But in the end, there was one movie that stood head and shoulders above the rest. Receiving almost as many votes as all the others combined, Dune: Part 2 is the reader’s choice for best movie of the year. The first big hit of 2024, Denis Villeneuve’s science-fiction epic gave long-time fans everything they wanted. It was filled with big name stars, and breathtaking cinematography. Meanwhile, its sprawling story is coming together. Plus, there was that sexy popcorn bucket.
My take: After literally decades of trying to figure out what the fuss is about, I have realized that I am just not a Dune person. I have tried to read the books and have watched every adaptation. It just is not my thing. This is the year that I also accepted that I genuinely enjoy musicals. Wicked was a fantastic movie that gave me the feels and was my favorite major release of the year.
BEST MOTION PICTURE RELEASED BY AN INDIE STUDIO
Let’s just get this out of the way. A24 is included in this list. As a matter of fact, almost half of the movies voted for by AIPT readers were released by them. Much like music, there are different degrees of indie film. We are going to go with movies that were released outside of the studios mentioned above.
It was a great year for independent film. There were more indie titles voted for than major studio releases and these titles represent the variety that was out there this year. Dystopian action thriller Civil War, musical comedy Emilia Perez, and two animated features in Japanese coming of age drama Look Back and the dialogue free Flow all received votes.
It was a year that saw Rebel Ridge, Sing Sing, The Brutalist, and Problemista all capture the attention of our readers. But it was indie horror that really stood out this year. Audiences were going out to theaters to watch small horror movies following strong word of mouth, and it was reflected in the voting. Late Night With the Devil and Longlegs were both surprising box office successes. I Saw the TV Glow was a Sundance favorite, while Cuckoo had some of the creepiest moments of the year.
Only a few votes separated every movie, but a few stood out. Along with I Saw the TV Glow and Look Back, Anora was also a favorite. The story of a young sex worker and her relationship with a Russian oligarch seemed to resonate. It is as joyous as it is unpredictable. But when all the votes were counted, there was one movie that people clearly liked more than any other. And wouldn’t you know it? It’s a horror movie.
The Substance has been wowing audiences since making its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. A feminist horror movie with elements of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, the body horror movie is sexy, funny, and disgusting. It will leave an impression on anyone who experiences it.
My take: It is hard to go against The Substance. I personally think it is the best movie of the year. One film that was overlooked in the voting was Strange Darling. A twisty and erotic thriller, it features the always awesome Kyle Gallner and Willa Fitzgerald in what should be a star making role.
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