I just put out my top 10 disappointing films of 2024, and to be honest that was a tough list to make. I'm a pretty positive guy so not too many movies really let me down last year. On the other hand, there were some BIG surprises this year that I want to show love to now. Some of these will be showing up on my best of the year list which is coming soon, but this is a mix of some favourites of the year, some films I expected to suck that wound up being a great time, and some that I just hadn't heard of that ended up wowing me. These are listed not by how much I enjoyed them, but by how big of a surprise they were. I would also like to give honourable mentions to Didi, Oddity, Nightbitch, VHS Beyond, Thelma, and How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, all movies that were pleasant surprises for me this year.
#10 - Wicked
I know for many Wicked was far from a surprise, but I was pretty skeptical going into its opening week. Yes the Broadway show is iconic, but I didn't like the look of the trailer and I wasn't sure how to feel about it being just part one while still being nearly three hours long. Those issues were not absent when I saw the film, with some questionable visual moments and a narrative that never entirely felt like it got going until the last act, but the highs with Wicked are very strong. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are electric in the leading roles, and Johnathan Bailey is a scene stealer as Fiyero. The production design is stellar, the music is of course amazing, and the musical numbers are all a ton of fun. Yes my hesitations proved true, but the end result more than makes up for them.
#9 - Your Monster
This had some decent buzz coming out of Sundance, but I wasn't anticipating how much I would wind up loving it. The film is promoted as a woman falling in love with the Beauty and the Beast-esque monster in her closet, but I was surprised by how writer/director Caroline Lindy shifts focus away from the romance. The story is more one of a scorned woman, played brilliantly by Melissa Barrera, taking life back into her own hands after a breakup. I really enjoyed how the film was cut together, and the way it mashes monsters with classical romance movies. This is one that just really worked on me, a very pleasant surprise.
#8 - The Girl With the Needle
This had decent buzz out of Cannes but if we're being honest I thought it looked a bit boring. I saw it at TIFF though and it wound up being one of my favourites of the festival. This is a bleak bleak movie, something that I fear could get in the way of it making the international feature lineup at the Oscars, but as this one went on I got more and more wrapped up in it. There are hints of hope but overall this paints a nightmarish vision of postwar Denmark hidden under the guise of a typical black and white period drama. There are some moments of surprisingly out there filmmaking, and the narrative is full of shocks all held together by some terrific acting. One of my top international films of the year.
#7 - The Idea of You
We go from one of the most depressing movies of 2024 to one of the most enjoyable rom coms I saw. The Idea of You is based on One Direction fan-fiction, and came out off the heels of the Nicole Kidman/Zac Efron led A Family Affair which was eerily similar but really bad. Suffice to say I assumed this would suck, largely because I didn't realize Michael Showalter was behind the camera. I love Showalter's work and he really elevates this from what could be something cringey to a really fun time. I do wish the actual romance had more time to breathe, but Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine deliver two fun but mature performances as two people navigating a relationship each knows will be seen with controversy. It isn't without its flaws but relative to expectation this very much surprised me.
#6 - Caddo Lake
If you asked me about halfway through this one I would have said it had no chance of showing up on here. That's how much of a surprise it was, that just based on the first half I was shocked by how much I wound up liking it. The first half sets up a few different threads of bayou mystery that just doesn't really interest me, only for the film to take a fascinating turn that I absolutely loved. Some cool cinematography choices help bring to life the film's twists and turns as it delivers a viewing experience that manages to somehow feel bleak and hopeful. This may be Dylan O'Brian's best work as an actor, and it's an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a unique thriller.
#5 - Speak No Evil
I wasn't entirely skeptical of this one thanks to the cast headlined by James McAvoy, but as an American remake of a Danish film that came out just two years prior I still had strong reservations. In the end this is way better than it has any business being, offering a frustrating (in a good way) watch as a family is plunged into horror they can't seem to escape. I think the original is better thanks to this falling into some Hollywood traps and not committing to the crushing ending of the Danish version, but it's a strong tense thrill ride with a show stopping performance from McAvoy. I also have to shoutout the production design, this is a gorgeous movie at times despite its subject matter.
#4 - Hundreds of Beavers
Talk about a movie that came out of nowhere. If you perused the Letterboxd 'Year in Review' you would have no doubt seen at least one of the titular beavers from this one, hands down one of the most out of nowhere delights of 2024. Made for a tiny budget from first time filmmaker Mike Cheslik, this black and white slapstick effort feels like a live action Looney Tunes cartoon brought to life with people running around in animal costumes. It's such a creative and inventive film that is near impossible not to love if you care about movies. I'm obsessed with the visuals here and just how unbelievably funny this is, if you haven't checked this one out yet I very much urge you to. The only thing holding it this low on the list is that I had heard good things before I watched it so I wasn't quite as surprised to enjoy it.
#3 - The First Omen
If there was one film on this list I would think was a sure bet to suck, it would be The First Omen. A prequel to a film franchise that already has some rough entries? It seemed like a surefire flop. I couldn't be more wrong though, this is a great horror movie. Narratively similar to Immaculate which was released right before, this is far richer stylistically. Like Speak No Evil, it falls into some mainstream horror tropes, and its attempts to tie in to the original film feel almost like a Marvel movie, but there's so much to appreciate here. The sets and cinematography are stunning, the death scenes are fantastic, and I was shocked by how great the cast is. Nell Tiger Free is marvellous, and the supporting cast of Ralph Ineson, Bill Nighy, and Charles Dance was a real delight. This is just a really good and visually exciting horror movie, way better than the cash grab I thought it was going to be.
#2 - Strange Darling
No movie came more out of nowhere for me this year than Strange Darling. I went in to it with little more than good buzz and was treated to one of the coolest twists on the horror/thriller genre I've seen in recent years. Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner are both magnificent, each playing into the different twists and turns of the film perfectly. Fitzgerald is genuinely giving one of my favourite performances of the year, really selling everything that transpires. Go into this as blind as possible and be treated to something entirely original and tons of fun.
#1 - Kneecap
Hands down the biggest surprise of the year for me is Kneecap. I don't think too many people know about them musically but before seeing the film I had heard and largely disliked their music. Throw in how bland the music biopic genre has become, and the fact that the group is playing themselves, and I just assumed this would be something I wound up hating. As you can clearly assume, I was wrong, and I really enjoyed this one. It's the kind of film that hooks you in with high energy and fun only to use that to hit you with its political message. Early on this is drugs and parties and music, but as it goes on it focuses more and more on the language politics that Kneecap have centered their musical career around. You don't tend to think of Irish as an indigenous language but it is one and has been slowly erased over time, making the film and their music far more profound than I previously gave credit for. Throw in some fun filmmaking and a great supporting turn from Michael Fassbender, and you have a surprise hit that really wowed me.
Yes!! Kneecap!!!!
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