The Movies I Watched in 2024

I watched a lot of movies last year and, for the most part, I watched some damn good ones. So I wanted to take a look back at everything I watched and rank them from worst to best. This is only going to cover movies I saw for the first time this year, all rewatches excluded.

#25. Joker: Folie à Deux (1/10)

This is one of my least favorite movies ever. Which is a shame because it feels like it could’ve been so much more. The acting is fine to good, there are glimpses of something here at times, but ultimately it fails to make any point while almost actively derailing any point the first movie had.

#24. Wish (2/10)

This movie was shockingly boring and bad. It’s a shame that this is the movie to celebrate 100 years of Disney. Instead of feeling like a triumph of rich history, it feels like a perfect depiction of what Disney has become in a lot of ways, which is soulless and boring. The animation was fine, the story was beyond predictable, and there is only one song that is remotely good. The rest feels like low effort pop music. This movie was bad.

#23. Pokemon: Jirachi, Wish Maker (2/10)

I watched this with my girlfriend as we were going through a Pokemon phase earlier this year. It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever seen, but it was ultimately forgettable. I found myself on my phone more than watching the movie. I guess in the sea of Pokemon movies there were bound to be some stinkers.

#22. Elemental (5/10)

Elemental was forgettable. Its not the worst thing I;ve ever watched and I wouldn’t exactly mind watching it again. The story is very predicatble, the themes and whole allegory this movie has been going for ahs been done before over and over again but it wasnt bad by any means.

#21. A Haunting in Venice (7/10)

I watched this movie randomly while I was doing my hair earlier this year and I didn’t even know it was a sequel until I made this list. It was a pretty enjoyable little mystery with a great cast. There are some hints of paranormal things going on that I enjoyed. The overall story is solid, and this genre of movie hinges so much on the actual mystery itself being intriguing and followable, and this movie succeeds in both of those areas.

#20. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (7/10)

I finally got around to fully watching this movie in preparation for the third one and I think it was awesome. I enjoy all of these Sonic movies and while this is probably my least favorite of the three, I still loved it. Idris Elba kills it as Knuckles, same with Jim Carrey as Eggman. As with all of these movies, the family vibes are strong and it was just a fun watch.

#19. Ponyo (8/10)

Ponyo was so cozy. I think this was only my third Ghibli movie. I went to see the Boy and the Heron back when it released and I watched Spirited Away a few years ago. It’s definitely my least favorite of the three, but I still really enjoyed it. Like I said, cozy vibes, great animation, a very sweet story. I could randomly put this on any day and just enjoy it.

#18. The Lego Batman Movie (8/10)

This movie was hilarious. Way funnier than I thought it would ever be, but taking one of the best parts of the Lego Movie and giving him his own movie was perfect. I love this ridiculous version of Batman that we get to have as opposed to all the serious and gruffness that happens in all other media versions of him. It has a neat message too about being yourself. While not quite as good as the actual Lego Movie, I really liked nonetheless.

#17. Beau is Afraid (8/10)

I think this movie is only this low because I haven’t rewatched it yet. I think even more so than any other movie on this list, this one has taken up a massive amount of real estate in my mind. Which I’m not shocked about because Ari Aster is my goat and Hereditary is my favorite movie ever so I had high hopes for this and it didn’t disappoint. It’s just weird, in a great way, but still very weird. Everything in this movie is completely warped by Beau’s anxious mind from start to finish so much that it’s hard to tell what’s real or not. Joaquin gives such an amazing performance, portraying this deeply scared, anxious man who lives a life constantly emotionally oppressed by his mother. This movie is amazing, I need to rewatch it so I can review it. It’s a bit on the long side and on first watch there were chunks that I think could’ve been shortened by a lot. But that’s really my only gripe with it.

#16. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (8/10)

This movie was just a good time. It’s not perfect by any means, but it still holds that same spirit of the original and that’s a thing that a lot of sequels, especially ones that come out decades after the original, lose. It was a fun watch, had a lot of heartfelt moments, and the characters were great. It could’ve been enhanced massively, with better focus. There were a lot of plot points, all interesting, but not enough time given to each individual one. Still, I really had a great time watching this in theatres.

#15. Incredibles 2 (8/10)

Speaking of sequels that came out long after the original, this was really good too. Incredibles is one of my favorite movies ever, I’ve loved it since I was a child. Personally, I’ve been waiting for a sequel for years and I somehow never got around to this one when it first came out, maybe out of fear that it might be bad, but I ended up really liking it. The story was pretty predictable, but it was a good time. I love the focus on Elastigirl getting some shine while Mr. Incridible is stuck having to parent on his own. It had some great moments, and fun story and of course the animation was great.

#14. Late Night with the Devil (8/10)

This one came out of nowhere for me. The synopsis instantly caught my attention. I think parts of the ending leave a lot to be desired but man, was this a great, atmospheric take on the found footage/vhs horror genre. There’s so many little details and clever fake outs and subtle scares that are amazing. The vibes of this movie are unmatched and it is an experience to watch.

#13. Longlegs (9/10)

My favorite horror movie I watched this year. I was so excited for this movie and it did not disappoint. The performances are amazing, haunting, and ridiculous (in a good way that combines the other two things). I’ve seen a good amount of paranormal crime movies, and this is by far the best one. The subtle hints at what is actually going on that build to this absolutely haunting reveal that recontextualizes every single scene beforehand is just brilliant. This movie had me looking around the darkness in the bedroom before I went to bed every night for a good month or so. I can’t praise it enough.

#12. The Lego Movie (9/10)

Believe it or not, I just watched this movie for the first time last year and I loved it. It is wonderful, charming, and hilarious for most of its runtime. These types of zero to hero stories never truly get old, but this movie puts a nice spin on things. The focus on allowing yourself to be creative and embracing that part of yourself is really nice. It has a really sweet message and great amination. This is an all timer when it comes to animated movies. The music is amazing too.

#11. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (9/10)

On a scale of 1-10 of being a Sonic fan, before this trilogy came out I think I would say I was a 4 or 5. I like Sonic, I think he is very cool, but my only real love from the franchise came from the Sonic X show. These movies have made me a fan none more than this one. This is the tied for the coolest movie I saw last year only matched by John Wick Chapter 4. I can only imagine what lifelong die hard sonic fans feel like seeing their favorite franchise get treated so well on the big screen. I think I’ll be talking about many parts of this movie for a long time. Especially the final act, which is one of the coolest acts of a movie that I have ever seen. Not to even mention how genuinely emotionally impactful this story is and how well it wraps up so many character arcs. Sonic 3 was amazing.

#10. The Substance (10/10)

This is the second of three movies on this list that are just weird. I don’t watch body horror like at all and I don’t think that will really change after seeing this, but this was great. Amazingly done body gore aside, there are a lot of very prevalent messages in this movie that mainly revolve around how woman and older woman are treated not only in show business but also day-to-day life as they age. This movie tackles that and more while ultimately telling the viewer to love yourself before you destroy yourself. Off that alone I would recommend it as a must watch to anybody, but the gore can be a lot. At the same time, while I had to look away at some parts, I can’t deny how well done it was.

#9. Poor Things (10/10)

And this is the third ridiculous movie on this list. Poor Things is this weird Frankenstein’s monster of a movie in a lot of ways, but at the heart of it, it’s a tale about a girl quickly turning into a woman and the natural curiosity to understand and explore the world. It’s as funny, beautifully shot, and well acted as it is ridiculous and I loved every second of it and it was stuck in my mind for a while after I finished watching it.

#8. Coco (10/10)

Coco is adorable. This movie is so heartfelt and sweet. The music and animation were both beautiful. I love the insight into Mexican culture and how they view their loved ones who have passed on. I can’t really think of anything else to describe this movie, but the word beautiful.

#7. Lilo & Stitch (10/10)

I have a confession to make. I have loved Lilo and Stitch since I was a kid, but I had never seen the movie. Up until last year I had only ever watched the tv show which was great. I’m glad I got around to watching the movie though because it is one of the best family oriented movies there is. There’s so many familial dynamics going on throughout this movie and it all ultimately goes to show that no matter what the connection is, anyone can grow to be family and familial connection is important. It’s very heartwarming and sweet. I love this movie and Lilo and Stitch both are just amazing characters.

#6. Gaga Chromatica Ball (10/10)

I wish more artist released one of their performances like this. Late 2023, I watched the Eras tour movie, and that was amazing and this was even more so. It helps that I am a fan of Lady Gaga and Chromatica is one of her best albums to me, especially thematically. The sets and choreography bring these songs so much life and Lady Gaga herself is one of the best performers of our lifetime, so it was beyond amazing to get a look at one of her shows.

#5. Deadpool & Wolverine (10/10)

This movie rocks. I had an absolutely great time from the very beginning to the end of it. This is Deadpool at is best and funniest, this is a version of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine at his lowest. The combination of the two works so well. The nerd inside of me loved every single cameo, especially a select few. This movie irrationally gives me hope for this current era of the MCU that’s just how great I think it is.

#4. Wicked (10/10)

I need part 2 now, asap. Wicked was phenomenal. Music and performances? Amazing. Story? Nothing revolutionary, but what it does, it does well. The set design and costumes? Phenomenal. This is Oz, as we have never been able to see it before and I want to see more of it. It was surprisingly way more powerful and heartfelt than I imagined it would be and that is almost exclusively due to Cynthia Eviro’s award deserving (and winning) performance as Elphaba. There are many universes out there where this is my favorite movie from last year, I love it.

#3. John Wick Chapter 4 (10/10)

From a story standpoint, this is only comes second to the first movie. From an everything else standpoint, this is the best John Wick movie and from what I’ve seen, the best action movie period. I feel like some action movies and action in other movies for various reasons can become just turn your brain off and enjoy kind of things. I was actively engaged in every single scene in this movie because it is shot and choreographed so well. Easily my favorite movie in one of my favorite franchise ever. John Wick is 4/4 and I’m excited to see potentially more of John Wick but also more of this world of assassins as a whole.

#2. Dune Part Two (10/10)

I really live in a time where I got to witness an amazing Dune adaptation. I need to go back and watch both movies back to back to get a full experience of the fall of a powerful house that led to the rise of a messiah. Dune part two is fantastic in all aspects. The highest praise I can give this movie is that I feel lucky that I live in a time to watch this story be beautifully adapted to the big screen. It only got slightly beaten out by my number one.

#1. Godzilla Minus One (10/10)

After watching this movie I struggled with which one I loved more between this and Shin Godzilla. The current Legendary Godzilla movies/universe is fun and a spectacle in their own right, but these two movies are on another level. While Shin Godzilla focuses on how Japan needs to find its own footing without getting into a stranglehold of foreign help, this movie is so personal in a way that I don’t think I’ve seen from many other kaiju/monster movies. You could take Godzilla completely out of this movie and this would still be a brilliant story about overcoming fear and trauma and coming to terms with the actions you’ve made. You add the best looking Godzilla ever put to the big screen onto that and you have a recipe for an all-time great film and my favorite from 2024. This is the only movie on this list and in general from last year that actually brought me to tears, It has been my favorite since.

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