**This list is solely based on the films watched by our writers before the time of writing. Any reviews hyperlinked into this ranking are meant as a supplement to the article and are not a direct reflection of what was written for this list.**
It was another great year for the film industry, with a large variety of movies released for every kind of audience member. As 2024 comes to a close, The Daily Illini has highlighted our top 10 films of this year.
- “Trap”
Kicking off our countdown is M. Night Shyamalan’s “Trap,” a slick and darkly comedic thriller. It features “Oppenheimer” alum Josh Hartnett as a doting father who uncovers a strange plot at a concert for a pop star idol of his daughter’s.
Shyamalan mines more than enough tension from the film’s deceptively simple premise, and a robust supporting cast keeps the pacing tight and the narrative memorable.
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“Trap” reinvents itself a handful of times before the credits roll, but each development lets Shyamalan reach even further into his bag of tricks. Several killer sequences and hilarious line readings from Hartnett make for an absolute blast of a film and one undoubtedly worth a watch.
- “Twisters”
With the “legacy sequel” at the peak of its popularity, a remake of the 1996 cult classic “Twister” was the perfect use of the format.
Bona fide movie star Glen Powell and “Normal People” breakout Daisy Edgar-Jones are the leading duo here; however, the cast at large is a smorgasbord of young film and television hotshots, playing every role from comic relief to tornado fodder.
“Twisters” maintains the scrappy Americana charm of its predecessor while swapping the latter’s Van Halen sensibilities for a bumping country soundtrack. With the leaps and bounds made in the visual effects industry since the original’s release, director Lee Isaac Chung’s sweeping dirt road set pieces are as vivid as ever. As delightfully cheesy as one could hope for, “Twisters” is a breathlessly fun cinematic ride.
- “Conclave”
“Conclave” seemingly came out of nowhere but easily left its mark with a thrilling mystery set during a conclave, the process of selecting a new pope. Secrets are uncovered, revealing the true sides of the Vatican leaders.
Lead actor Ralph Fiennes does an excellent job portraying a character split between doing what is right and doing what is best for the church. His performance alone is worth the watch, but what stood out the most was the incredible cinematography.
“Conclave” was a beautiful film due to its inventive shots of the marvel of the Vatican, contrasting the darkness hidden between its walls.
- “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”
The long-awaited prequel to George Miller’s legendary “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is a study of the titular imperator, handed down from Charlize Theron to newcomer Anya Taylor-Joy.
“Furiosa” earns its saga subtitle, chronicling our heroine’s journey across the post-apocalyptic Aussie wasteland brutally and beautifully. All of Miller’s directorial flourishes are home to roost, with distinctly “Fury Road” character designs and high-octane action sequences. Even former “Thor” star Chris Hemsworth is captivating in his own right, playing the aptly named Dementus with a devilish glee that only Miller could elicit.
The oil-and-bullets epic is about as kinetic and hectic as a movie can be, but Miller and Taylor-Joy never lose sight of their story. They keep a breakneck pace and take no prisoners, making “Furiosa” harsh, brazen and unforgettable.
- “Nosferatu”
If there’s anything that director Robert Eggers’ movies excel at, it’s giving life to the period they take place in. “Nosferatu” is no different, reigniting the plot of the original 1922 classic film while looking into Germany in 1838 in this grim tale of love.
The film boasts a macabre atmosphere that effortlessly captures the gothic undertones of this narrative, making almost every shot a visual masterpiece.
At the top of everything are the incredible performances on everyone’s behalf, especially Bill Skarsgård as Count Orlok. He truly becomes one with the role and completely unrecognizable as the titular vampire.
- “I Saw the TV Glow”
Director Jane Schoenbrun’s sophomore effort “I Saw the TV Glow” is a deceptively powerful piece — a meditation on identity and memory disguised as an indie horror flick.
The film’s lo-fi suburban melancholy is the canvas for a quietly beautiful study of tragedy and comfort. It follows two teenagers in the late ’90s as they bond over a Buffy-esque TV show, finding themselves drawn into its world and into each other.
“I Saw the TV Glow” wears its transgender themes on its sleeve, and Schoenbrun’s lived experience decidedly feeds into the film’s examination of dysphoria and identity. The comfort of a staticky TV screen is more thematically rich than ever before, and “I Saw the TV Glow” is a gorgeous and liberating thesis on media and the self.
After watching “Anora,” it’s clear why it won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in May — it’s a human story that isn’t afraid to show the darker side of the sex work industry.
It also knows how to balance and shift between different genres, making the movie unpredictable for its viewers while being carried by an incredible cast of leading and supporting actors.
By the time the credits roll, chances are that the only sound you’ll hear is the silence from the room after how the shocking ending plays out.
Fans of horror films had an incredible year leading up to the release of “The Substance,” which was truly a provocative experience unlike almost anything else released this year.
Every aspect of the movie pushes the boundaries of gore and imagery, almost as a reflection of the main character’s conundrum, where she pushes the boundaries of her body to benefit herself.
However, what is truly terrifying about “The Substance” is the real-life implications of the obsession and addiction to one’s self-image and perseverance of that image, making the film relatable despite the outlandish premise at hand.
- “Challengers”
One of the most electrifying and invigorating sports flicks released this decade and arguably this century, “Challengers” is a sweaty, red-hot story of impulse where tennis is the canvas and desire is the medium.
From refreshingly sex-positive director Luca Guadagnino, “Challengers”’ leading trifecta of Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor is a force of nature, giving a propulsive force to the thorny love triangle’s decade-spanning history that keeps audiences hooked. It’s hard to imagine a more thrilling cast, and screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes offers distinct and real dynamics for each pairing of players.
Veteran cinematographer and Guadagnino collaborator Sayombhu Mukdeeprom brings Guadagnino’s vision to life and the hyperactive techno score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross back every minute with a pulse-pounding intimacy. A transcendent sports powerhouse with few real peers, “Challengers” is a sexy, entrancing and competitive delirium.
To say that “Dune: Part Two” established itself this year as a modern sci-fi epic is a severe understatement.
Director Denis Villeneuve went above and beyond to bring the second half of the novel to life, and it shows in the final cut of the film, with a movie that keeps its viewers on the edge of their seats watching the spectacle in front of them.
Pair Villeneuve’s masterful direction with everything else in the film — the music, editing and especially the spectacular acting by everyone involved in the movie — and “Dune: Part Two” not only stands out as one of the best sci-fi films in recent memory but also as the best film of 2024.
