The year 2024 has spoiled us with some genuinely remarkable cinematic offerings. Assuming you’re a typical internet user, you’ve undoubtedly squandered countless hours perusing pointless content.
There are many trailers, excitement, and opinions out there, but we can filter them out. Whatever you’re looking for—mind-bending stories, heart-wrenching performances, or jaw-dropping visuals—I can provide it. These five films are more than just “popular” choices; they are the ones that made an impression and will stay with you long after the final credits have rolled.
I think we can all agree that’s unusual. Here are the five best movies of 2024, so get a snack and settle in. It might be worth reconsidering your weekend plans after reviewing this list.
#5. No Other Land
Born in the small Palestinian community of Masafer Yatta, 28-year-old Basel Adra has never known a life that wasn’t under threat of forced removal—or worse. Adra’s memory is fresh because he has always lived a life that was documented for his protection.
The most dehumanizing episodes of his existence have all been captured on camera by his family and their fellow villagers, the footage preserved and shared in the hopes that the world might witness their suffering and prevail upon Israel to let Palestinians live in peace (“I started filming when we started to end,” Adra intones, perhaps repeating the same words his father said the first time he picked up his camera).
Despite all the challenges, hope persists, not only among the survivors of Masafer Yatta, but also in “No Other Land,” the lucidly enraging documentary that Adra co-directed about Israel’s decades-long attempt to erase them from the earth as completely as it erased them from its maps.
#4. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Eliminating the globe is an impossible task. Imperator Furiosa, played by Charlize Theron, learned it the hard way when she abducted a rig carrying the valuable war brides of Immortan Joe and raced across the desert to return to the matriarchal paradise from which she had been kidnapped as a child.
After venturing as far as the Valhalla highways would carry her and her band of hesitant companions, they realized that the Green Place of Many Mothers wasn’t located beyond the inhabitable swampland they had to traverse—it was the swampland itself that was uninhabitable.
So it’s no surprise that George Miller, the unrepentant nutjob, has preceded the most magnificent action film of the 21st century with a prequel, rather than a sequel that picks up where “Mad Max: Fury Road”.
Miller has gone for something even more insane and fruitful than trying to top the orgiastic mayhem that ushered his Ozploitation franchise soaring into the modern era in all its shiny, chrome glory: he has composed a five-part symphonic revenge saga that spans decades and is so massive and self-reliant that it defies categorization as just an expansion of another film.
#3. Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell
Winner of the Caméra d’Or (for best first feature) at last year’s Cannes and a nominee at this year’s Gotham and Independent Spirit Awards, Thien An Pham’s existential and dreamlike three-hour epic finds Thien (Le Phong Vu) dealing with family issues following the sudden death of his sister-in-law, as he returns to his family village while caring for his five-year-old nephew and searching for his missing brother.
#2. Maharaja
Nithilan Swaminathan is the director of this gripping action thriller in the Tamil language, Maharaja, which features Vijay Sethupathi in his 50th film. With a global opening weekend total of over ₹110 crore, the film became the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2024 after its June 14, 2024, release.
Maharaja, a lowly barber in Chennai, is the protagonist of this story. His daughter refers to the stolen trash can as “Lakshmi,” and he sets out on a mission to get it back. A maze of criminals’ and police officers’ lives intersect as Maharaja follows this insignificant thing as it becomes entangled in a web of corruption and criminality.
The film’s complex plot and Sethupathi’s excellent performance have earned high praise from critics. Rotten Tomatoes’ 83% approval rating and 95% audience score, respectively, highlight its critical and audience success.
Currently, you can see Maharaja on Netflix, and it’s a gripping movie with a lot of emotional depth, suspense, and a strong lead performance.
#1. All We Imagine as Light
The Grand Prix (second place) at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival went to writer-director Payal Kapadia’s A Night of Knowing Nothing, a sequel to her highly acclaimed but underappreciated 2021 Cannes Golden Eye winner and first feature film.
In this tender and compassionate tale, three nurses face challenges in modern-day Mumbai. The story follows three women: Prabha (Kani Kusruti), whose husband is living in Germany, is left behind; Anu (Divya Prabha), the youngest, has feelings for a Muslim lad; and Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam), whose husband has died, is forcibly removed from her house.
Prabha and Anu accompany Parvaty to Kerala when she decides to move there, hoping to escape the metropolis and recharge in the quaint beach town.
Conclusion
Here are five films that not only captured our imaginations in 2024 but also redefined what cinema can achieve. From the war-torn realities of No Other Land to the sandstorm madness of Furiosa, from the meditative beauty of Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell to the emotional grit of Maharaja, these aren’t just films; they’re experiences.
Whether you’re chasing adrenaline, reflection, or raw humanity, this list offers a cinematic journey worth your time. So cancel those plans, dim the lights, and dive in. You won’t just be watching stories—you’ll be living them long after the screen fades to black.