As 2024 draws to a close, it’s time to look back on all of the fantastic films we have been treated to this year. Move over Kermode and Mayo, here are our writers’ top picks from this year.
Blitz (dir. Steve McQueen)
Blitz is a beautiful film directed by Steve McQueen. Set in 1940, it follows the story of Rita (Saoirse Ronan), a single mum living in East London, who makes the difficult decision to evacuate her son, George (Elliott Heffernan) to the countryside to protect him from the bombing. George, cannot understand her decision and so jumps off the train, marking the start of the film’s main premise: the story of a boy just trying to find his way home to his mother.
The film shines a light on the complex issue of race during the war: how the Empire relied on people of colour for the war effort but then subjected them to racism. As George is biracial, we see this predominantly through his eyes, but also through Rita’s flashbacks to her love affair with a Grenadian man. With the help of Nigerian blackout warden Ife (Benjamin Clémentine), George comes to be proud of who he is, resulting in a heartwarming moment where he declares “I am black”.
Ronan gives a stunning performance as Rita, making me proud to share my name with her. As for Heffernan, Blitz may be his first film but he is certainly one to watch.
Words by Saoirse Brady
La Chimera (dir. Alice Rohrwacher)
2024 has been a star-making year for Josh O’Connor. His role in one of the year’s most entertaining and pop-culturally relevant films, Challengers, propelled him into the mainstream and deservedly so. But the better O’Connor performance, and I would argue the better film, is Alice Rohrwacher’s brilliant La Chimera.
The film takes place in Tuscany where an Englishman, Arthur (O’Connor), returns to the town he has made his home after a stretch in prison and the death of his girlfriend. The town is beautiful but crumbling, painting a portrait of an Italy that has a deep ancient beauty but is struggling to hold onto it. This is echoed in Arthur’s ‘profession’, an archaeologist/thief who finds old tombs by dowsing, with the help of a band of wonderfully strange Italian locals. All this is clearly Rohrwacher’s central concern: exploration of the past and what we do with it. From every angle she takes on the topic, it’s done gently and beautifully.
Everything about it is masterfully constructed. The setting feels so lived in, you get a real sense for the geography of the town and it’s surroundings and of the forces at play in it. Every character is completely fleshed out, Arthur is clearly the stand out, but all the side characters no matter how small feel like the sort of character’s you’d meet in an insular small town passed over by modernity.
As for how the film unfolds, I would really urge you to watch for yourself. Not for fear of spoilers, it doesn’t have much to spoil, but because the feeling of watching transcends explanation. There is a sort of magical realism to everything happening, nothing too surreal occurs but events play out with a sort of folkloric, spell-like edge. The cinematography is both interesting and stunning, the performances are wonderful – O’Connor is the bedrock of the film but everyone pulls their weight, especially Isabella Rossellini – and the world it creates is a joy to spend time in.
It takes patience, but once you settle into the film’s rhythm it is incredibly rewarding, and for my money, the best film released this year.
Words by Tom Swift
Poor Things (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos)
If Frankenstein’s monster was a woman, she would become a prostitute instead of a murderer.
If we cast our minds back to January, it’s hard to believe that Poor Things came out in 2024. But Yorgos Lanthimos’ beautiful bazaar of steampunk aesthetic and mad scientists should not be forgotten amongst the superb filmmaking to come out of this year.
It follows the physical and social development of Bella Baxter, who is a product of grotesque bodily experimentation following her attempted suicide. It is the father figure 0f Godwin Baxter (whom she calls ‘God’), that initiates this rebirthing. Emma Stone’s encapsulating performance of physicality progresses Bella from a hardly verbal amalgamation of limbs, to a self-responsible and intelligent woman, wholly capable of complex thoughts.
This clear twist on Frankenstein is one of imaginatory genius. Like Mary Shelley’s novel, Poor Things takes us on an odyssey of re-discovery. However, unlike Frankenstein’s monster, Bella Baxter is adored by all she comes across. Hence, she approaches the world with an innocent curiosity: the world is her playground of exploration rather than one of absolute rejection and isolation, as in the case of Shelley’s novel.
Alongside costume design, the camerawork does everything to creatively rewrite this world as fantastical. Progressing from a restrictive, black and white fisheye lens in Baxter’s London home, to a kaleidoscope of vibrant colour and visual production screens when she embarks on her adventure of adolescence.
Despite its dark themes, the audience are left with a hopeful return to childlike innocence, forcing us to reconsider the stifling social expectations that Bella herself is free of. This culminates in her eventual offer of prostitution, which, in her highly amusing ignorance, she deems as ‘fate-like’.
Throughout the film Bella’s pragmatic and compassionate approach is contrasted by the hilariously blubbering Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo) who marks a side of humanity which is indeed, corrupted, echoing the persistent concerns of our old friend, Mary Shelley.
Words by Annabel Craddock
Challengers (dir. Luca Guadagnino)
Challengers was a lot of people’s film of the summer, and it is clear to see why. Summer 2024 has been characterised by letting yourself go and embracing your youth, with artists like Charli XCX releasing fun pop albums this year. With its fast pace and catchy electronic soundtrack, Challengers was the movie we all needed to bring some excitement into our lives.
It’s refreshing to see a movie which doesn’t shy away from exploring queerness and non-monogamy, and we are lucky to live in a culture where these things can now be portrayed for what they are in movies. Tennis was the perfect tool for this, since the high tension innate to the sport allowed it to explore the sexual tension which often arises between friends and sports rivals.
Challengers satisfied our craving for both bizarre love triangles and high tension, making it a sort of Whiplash for Twilight fans. The editing and soundtrack facilitated this fast and engaging pace perfectly, keeping the audience entertained throughout.
It is a film that can be universally enjoyed, due to its witty dialogue, simple themes and its banger of a soundtrack. The plot was easy to follow along as well, whilst still having its twists and turns due to its non-linear structure. Overall, Challengers was a film that everyone could (and did) enjoy, making it one of the best films to come out of 2024.
Words by Stina Nikolayeva
The Substance (dir. Coralie Fargeat)
The Substance delivers a cinematic experience unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It’s rare for a simple shot of side boob to provoke such a dramatic audience reaction, yet French director Coralie Fargeat pulls this off effortlessly.
This satirical body horror, starring Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle and Margaret Qualley as her younger counterpart, Sue, blends genres in a way that defies categorization, combining them all into an explosive aesthetic of decaying bodies and neon green — a colour that seems destined to dominate 2024.
The film follows Elisabeth Sparkle, a fitness instructor and model recently fired from her job, desperate to regain her lost youth. She is approached by a mysterious organization offering her the chance to split into two by giving birth to her former self. The rules are simple: “YOU ARE ONE,” meaning the younger and older versions of her must respect a strict seven-day limit on when they can exist. As the youthful counterpart exploits this system, the older version suffers grotesque consequences in the form of bodily disfigurement.
With every disturbing transformation and mental unravelling, the audience was left contorted and gasping in shock. What makes this grotesque body horror stand out is how unexpectedly funny it is. In the final act, as the substance reaches its peak of bodily corruption, the film invites us to laugh at its absurd and horrifying spectacle. The monstrous feminine, ejaculating blood, drowns the misogynistic audience she once tried to appeal to.
The film has faced criticism for condemning the male gaze, only to inadvertently reinforce it through the overt sexualization of Sue. I stand by its artistic choice. Watching The Substance, I left the theatre with a vow to never worry about aging again. This film made me realize how much time we spend obsessing over our appearance, bending ourselves to fit the narrow ideals of Western beauty standards. Sue’s objectification is a crucial part of illustrating the absurdity of the beauty industry. Hollywood’s impossible standards are unattainable — and for what? To end up malformed and unrecognizable? Fargeat showcases this impossible expectation with an electrifying and horrifying vision that should be experienced by all.
Words by Isabella Gaywood
We Live in Time (dir. John Crowley)
For any lover of a classic 90s rom-com, We Live in Time has to be the best film of 2024, putting to shame the shoddy rom-coms that Netflix seems to churn out every week.
Starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, the film follows the relationship between a recent divorcé (Garfield) and an up-and-coming chef (Pugh) through heartbreaking ups and downs, reminiscent of modern classics such as Past Lives and About Time.
For me, the film was a perfect balance of British comedy and the heartache of reality, coupled with a beautiful score and outstanding performances from Garfield and Pugh. Director John Crowley truly encapsulated the beauty and pain of love and life, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t bawl my eyes out throughout the film. I’ll never look at ice-skating the same way, thanks Crowley.
Words by Eleanor Duke
Bird (dir. Andrea Arnold)
One for the eldest daughters, Bird’s electric blend of grit, surrealism and incredible soundtrack made it one of my most memorable films of the year.
Written and directed by Andrea Arnold, I serendipitously stumbled upon it because of Fontaines D.C.’s ‘Bug’; music video which is compromised of scenes from the film and I’m so glad I did.
Barry Keoghan (who turned down Gladiator 2 for Bird) shines as Bug, a chaotic father obnoxiously zipping around on an electric scooter more preoccupied with serenading his hallucinogen- secreting toad than actually parenting his children. Yet, the real scene stealer is the 12-year-old heroine Bailey, played by Nykiya Adams. Adams delivers an extremely nuanced and heart-wrenching performance as the hardened Bailey as she navigates neglect, gang involvement and drugs against the backdrop of Kent marshlands.
Her journey takes a turn when she meets an eccentric stranger called Bird (Franz Rogowski) and as she helps him track down his family, the film opens up into themes of connection, optimism and survival.
Arnold does a masterful job at avoiding slipping into the territory of trauma porn whilst still showcasing the social realities of life for marginalised communities. The film is genuinely funny and bursting with magical surrealism that pleasantly upended any expectations I had of the plot’s progression.
Arnold’s experimental approach to both the narrative and the filmmaking techniques is captivating and it really feels like this project was driven by innovation and playfulness. This feeling extended to the audience and ultimately watching it was my favourite kind of cinema experience: I had a lot of fun but left feeling emotionally winded.
Words by Evelina Black
Dune: Part Two (dir. Denis Villeneuve)
I loved Dune: Part 1. I bought it on DVD; I forced all my friends to watch it with me, regardless of how much they whined about it being boring; I even showed a picture of Timothee Chalamet’s haircut in the film to my hairdresser when getting my hair cut. There was nobody more excited for Dune: Part 2 than me. And – much to my excitement – the sequel actually followed through.
The experience of witnessing Dune: Part 2 at the cinema is famously excellent. The sumptuous visual effects, intoxicating colour palettes, and force of Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack searing your eardrums with the sounds of guttural screams and some crunchy bass is a temporal experience I’m very glad I got to have. While I often decry the inflated budgets of blockbuster releases, Dune: Part 2 manages to use its $190 million budget to great effect.
There’s also other risks this film is willing to take that really tipped the scale in its favour. Paul Atreides’ (Timothee Chalamet) descent into messiahship is insidious; you don’t really realise how bad it’s gotten until Stilgar (Javier Bardem), a relatively normal character, has been reduced down to begging for Paul to kill him and take his place in the council. This film perverts the classical hero’s journey film structure, and makes itself (perhaps notoriously) distinct from other sci-fi films.
It’s also incredibly rare that something this, well, weird receives such critical and commercial success. Obviously it’s not exactly Swiss Army Man, but I’m sure that Dune: Part 2 will receive a legacy of confusing parents who are ‘watching’ the film while also on their iPads (why do parents do this?) with their families at Christmas. I’m certainly planning to subject all of my extended family to this film during the upcoming winter holidays, and you should consider doing the same.
Words by Anna Pirie
Woman of the Hour (dir. Anna Kendrick)
Anna Kendrick is a long way from Barden University. The Pitch Perfect alum makes her directorial debut with Woman of the Hour, a true-crime narrative that follows the stories of several real women in 1970s America. This is a film you probably haven’t seen – but definitely should.
Based on true events, Anna Kendrick stars as Cheryl Bradshaw, an aspiring actress who finds herself in potential danger when she matches with real life serial-killer Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto) on a TV dating show. Her story intertwines with the experiences of three other women, all either survivors or victims of Alcala, who each contributed in some way to his eventual imprisonment.
At first glance, this may appear to be just another true crime story, but Kendrick’s direction ensures it stands apart. The film is visually striking, with extended, silent tracking shots of the American landscape that create a haunting, unsettling atmosphere. Combined with strong performances from the cast, a tightly written script, and a 70s aesthetic, the result is a compelling experience that holds the viewer’s attention from start to finish.
Released quietly earlier this year, this film is in danger of disappearing into the Netflix ether. Before it does though, I would really encourage you to give it a watch, if at least to learn about and pay homage to the real women that inspired these stories. Or even just to experience the first Anna Kendrick directed film. I, for one, am eagerly awaiting her next project.
Words by Hannah Unsworth
Deadpool & Wolverine (dir. Shawn Levy)
Deadpool & Wolverine stormed into cinemas, proving that Marvel’s best work happens when it breaks its own rules. Combining the irreverent humour of Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool with Hugh Jackman’s grizzled and stoic Wolverine, the film delivered a fresh and wildly entertaining take on the superhero genre. Fans had been clamouring for these two iconic characters to share the screen, and their chemistry exceeded every expectation.
What made Deadpool & Wolverine one of the standout films of 2024 wasn’t just its humour—it was the perfect balance between absurdity and heartfelt storytelling. Deadpool’s wisecracks and fourth-wall-breaking antics contrasted beautifully with Wolverine’s gruff demeanour, creating a dynamic that was as hilarious as it was emotionally compelling.
Director Shawn Levy masterfully blended high-octane action sequences with quieter, character-driven moments, allowing both leads to shine. Whether it was the pair bantering mid-battle or sharing a surprisingly tender moment about their shared struggles, the film delivered depth alongside the chaos.
Deadpool & Wolverine wasn’t just a movie; it was a celebration of these characters’ legacies, delivered in a way that only they could pull off. Funny, raw, and endlessly entertaining, it was a film that reminded us why we love superheroes—and why sometimes, breaking the mould is exactly what the genre needs.
Words by Hayley Cregor
Industry – Season 3 (created by Mickey Down and Konrad Kay)
Now that Succession is over, Industry is started to fill the void of an office drama that makes you think: maybe a career in finance isn’t that boring?
From doing cocaine in your work’s bathroom, to the troublesome lives of finance bros, Industry engrosses you in every minute and every second, making it one of the best shows that has been released in the last couple of years.
Season 1 of Industry presents itself as a very story-driven show, it’s still well-written but constantly had a splash of this and that, never letting drama leave your screen. Season 2 followed with a more meditative approach to the characters of Harper (Myha’la), Yas (Marisa Abela), and Rob (Harry Lawtey), leaving behind a lot of the flashy drama that could entice anyone with a low attention span.
However, Season 3 supersedes the excellence of the first two seasons, bringing the character of Yas to the forefront. The focus on her relationship with her father, which had already been sprinkled throughout the previous seasons, is the catalyst for its brilliance. The writers approach her insidious family dynamic in a delicate manner, it never felt overdone or flashy like so many low-quality shows nowadays that get praised for its cheap drama despite its poor writing. Marisa Abela delivers a fantastic performance, playing into the nuances of a family built on trauma and secrets, whilst maintaining the reality of a woman that must live with her childhood trauma in her day-to-day.
The friendship between Harper and Yas really stood out to me this season as well, as the one thing I really appreciate about this show is that they all exist as multifaceted characters, and are mostly just morally grey. Yes, you could definitely argue that Harper is an actual sociopath, but she’s never placed in the rigid position of villain. All these characters are people who could actually exist, with the friendship between Harper and Yas being a more realistic portrayal of a female friendship. Their dynamic is more credible to real-life than examples of a similar type of relationship in something like Emily in Paris – obviously without the totally normal task of covering up a murder.
I want to recommend this show to everyone and anyone, and yes, I still know nothing about finance.
Words by Natalie Ghebru
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