It's the final countdown...but before we do that, here's a reminder of the criteria and blah blah blah in determining the list outside of me loving these movies...
If it only made its debut during the year at limited-access festivals then it doesn’t qualify. As long as the film made its debut through wider theatrical releases in either South Africa, UK or USA, as well as streaming outside the confines of the festival bubble, then it qualifies. Some of these titles I was only actually able to watch on circuit in South Africa in 2025, but because they made their large-scale debuts in either the UK or the USA in 2024, they made it in time for my annual list.
I watched 288 films that meet these qualifications over 2024 and into 2025. So enough of that. Off we go...
25. The Last Year of Darkness
Director: Ben Mullinkosson
Genre: Documentary/LGBTQIA+ Length: 1 Hour 32 Minutes Languages: Mandarin/English Countries: China/USA
Synopsis: Chinese city Chengdu is rapidly changing, leaving the future of the underground nightclub Funky Town in question.
My Take: Thanks to a thriving queer and counter-culture scene, Chengdu is one of China’s most vibrant cities. But as the modern world moves fast, so does its landscape, and here, it is in the process of taking Funky Town with it – a reliable and ever-so-cool spot for gays, skaters, artists, drag queens, etc. You name it, Funky Town is a welcoming haven for everyone. Director Ben Mullinkosson’s love for this scene is apparent in the individuals he follows as they struggle to make it in the world outside of this circle they call home. Soundtracked to thumbing electronic music, these subjects are singular in their own right - capturing extraordinary moments of deeply personal confrontations and introspections as they question their purpose. But that’s just why places like Funky Town are important, right? It’s a community where you get to find your people and be whoever the hell you want to be. While the city claims one more unique location in its rapid evolution, its people will keep its spirit alive, carrying their individuality with them as they do their best to see the sun rise once again.
Where you can watch it: MUBI (USA, UK), most VOD platforms (USA, UK).
24. Green Border
Director: Agnieszka Holland
Genre: Drama Length: 2 Hours 32 Minutes Languages: Polish/Arabic/English/French
Countries: Poland/Czech Republic/France/ /Belgium
Cast: Jalal Altawil, Maja Ostaszewska, Tomasz Wlosok, Hanna Turnau, Malwina Buss, Jasmina Polak, Behi Djanati Atai, Dalia Naous, Mohamad Al Rashi
Synopsis: Green Border follows the various people caught up in the refugee crisis along the Polish-Belarus border: A Syrian family desperately tries to stick together as they try to reunite with a relative in Sweden, a border guard witnesses the worst of humanity as his conscience battles with what is right and what his government demands of him, a Polish civilian suddenly dedicates her life to help.
My Take: Condemned by the Polish government, Agnieszka Holland’s urgent refugee drama is relentless, heartbreaking and furious. Shot in black and white, Green Border shows the stark reality of what is currently happening on the Belarus-EU border – a war on refugees who are fleeing death and persecution, only to be in a state of purgatory as Polish guards capture them, throw them back into Belarus, only for Belarus soldiers to do the same. And while the crisis in Ukraine caused a mass exodus of white Ukrainian refugees, Holland points out the hypocrisy in welcoming them with open arms while so many non-white refugees are fleeing war, death and persecution just the same, only to be treated like vermin. Agnieszka Holland is mad as hell, making it a film that is unforgivably brutal and incredibly bleak. But thankfully her faith in humanity isn’t completely lost, injecting small doses of hope here and there as she highlights the intrinsic good that so many of us still possess, urging us to act on it before we lose it forever.
Where you can watch it: Kino Film Collection (USA), BFI Player (UK), Curzon Home Cinema (UK), most VOD platforms (USA, UK), Bluray.
23. Blink Twice
Director: Zoë Kravitz
Genre/s: Thriller/Mystery Length: 1 Hour42 Minutes Languages: English Country: USA
Cast: Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Alia Shawkat, Adria Arjona, Christian Slater, Geena Davis, Kyle MacLachlan, Simon Rex, Haley Joel Osment, Liz Caribel, Levon Hawke, Trew Mullen, Saul Williams
Synopsis: After serving drinks at a fundraising gala, Frida (Naomi Ackie) and her best friend Jess (Alia Shawkat) are invited to eccentric billionaire Slater King’s (Channing Tatum) private island for an extended after-party. Things though, aren't what they appear to be.
My Take: What could be described as the Get Out of the #metoo movement, Zoë Kravitz’ directorial debut is a sharp takedown of power, the abuse of it and the dynamics of it within a toxic relationship. Whisked away to a private island by the bad boy billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum), Frida (Naomi Ackie) embraces the exciting impulse of the moment - making friends with Slater’s close entourage of eccentric personalities amidst a whirlwind of psychedelics, partying and exotic food. It sounds fun, right? But once oddities start to accumulate, Frida searches for answers. Zoë Kravitz’ pacing here is impressive, building a repetitive routine of partying before quickly unraveling it all with a sudden pull of a thread. Thanks to an outstanding screenplay she co-wrote with E.T. Feigenbaum (writer of the High Fidelity series with which Kravitz was the lead), Kravitz carefully scatters important breadcrumbs throughout that lead to satisfying and thrilling conclusions and arcs. Her attention to such small details is so impressive – someone who has a clear understanding for storytelling but a flair for style as well, never letting the latter overtake what she is trying to say and do. It’s funny, dark and witty – a feminist thriller that has its ladies fighting to regain control, ready to destroy any fucker standing in their way.
Where you can watch it: Prime Video (Worldwide), most VOD platforms (Worldwide), Bluray.
22. The Beast
Director: Bertrand Bonello
Genre/s: Drama/Romance/Sci-Fi/Thriller Languages: French/English Countries: France/Canada
Cast: Léa Seydoux, George MacKay, Guslagie Malanda, Dasha Nekrasova
Synopsis: It's 2044 AI has saved the planet from the clutches of mankind. But as a result, are distrustful of man's irrational emotions. So for Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux) to be a useful part of this new society, she undergoes treatment to purify her DNA – a procedure that removes the emotional baggage she has inherited from her past lives.
My Take: What is the beast exactly? It’s in the title, but what is it really in the grand context of this film? In its opening scene, Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux) is acting against a green screen, reacting to a monster that isn’t there before screaming in terror. We are often fed ideas of what this huge fear for Gabrielle could possibly be. At the suggestion of an all-powerful AI that has effectively saved the world from global warming (amongst other things), Gabrielle undergoes a procedure to scrub her DNA of the irrational emotions she inherited from past lives. As she time hops from 2044 to 1910 Paris and then to modern-day LA, we sense that her past lives are incomplete regardless of success and status. From being a famous pianist to a struggling actress. In each lifetime, Louis (George MacKay) is there, from an admirer of her music in 1910, to an incel in LA. He too has something missing, with the latter looking for someone to blame for his loveless existence. She confesses to Louis in 1910 that she has this fear of a great catastrophe, something that could possibly destroy her at any given moment. Could this be the beast? Love makes us do irrational things. And regardless of what we think of it, jaded or completely susceptible to it, at one point or another, it’s something we have wanted more than anything – something to give our grey little lives some sort of purpose. It’s one of our strongest, most irrational emotions and in The Beast, it drives our characters to do what they do – fail, succeed and well, die for it. So that’s got to be The Beast right? The fear, the danger of falling in love in a world dying to shed its humanity entirely.
Where you can watch it: The Criterion Channel (USA), MUBI (UK), most VOD platforms (USA, UK, AU), Bluray.
21. A Real Pain
Director: Jesse Eisenberg
Genre/s: Comedy/Drama Length: 1 Hour 30 Minutes Language: English Countries: Poland/USA
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy, Daniel Oreskes
Synopsis: Jewish Cousins David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Culkin) go on a trip to Poland as they join a holocaust tour as well as visit the childhood home of their recently deceased grandmother.
My Take: Everyone processes pain differently—whether it’s from the present or the past, generational or circumstantial. A Real Pain explores how grief, in particular, can both unite and separate us, regardless of the support systems we have in place. Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin are outstanding as the mismatched personalities, constantly clashing through personal grievances in different scenarios. One is more organized, valuing order, the other likes to go with the chaotic natural flow of things (points on guessing who is playing which personality type). And although these two are playing their usual typecasts here, it doesn’t diminish their character’s experiences and most importantly, how they approach the pain of grief, of connecting with the past and how they can use that to grow or even regress. It’s a massively impressive directorial sophomore from Eisenberg (who also wrote it) that is both combative but completely respectful in confronting the hang-ups that his characters are constantly facing, never resorting to over-the-top blow-ups for conflict's sake. It’s relatable in how we compare ourselves to others, and how we unfairly punish ourselves because of it. But as A Real Pain reaches its conclusion, Eisenberg lets us take a look at our own hang-ups as we ask ourselves what is to become of them: will we absorb them and grow from it, or let them define who we are and will become?
Where you can watch it: Hulu (USA), Disney+ (AU), in theatres (SA, UK), Bluray.
20. About Dry Grasses
Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Genre: Drama Length: 3 Hours 17 Minutes Language: Turkish Countries: Türkiy/Germany/France
Cast: Deniz Celiloğlu, Merve Dizdar, Musab, Ekici, Ece Bağcı, Erdem Şenocak
Synopsis: A frustrated teacher longs to be transferred out of the snowy remote village he has been assigned to for four years. But shortly after he meets a new colleague looking to challenge his jaded perspective, he is accused of misconduct and inappropriate behaviour by a student.
My Take: Turkish auteur Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s dense character study runs in at 3 hours and 17 minutes. But for the entirety of that time, no moment is ever wasted as we dissect and pull apart its protagonist – one whose arrogance and cynicism provide an all- too-real reflection of ourselves as we refuse to confront our own shortfalls and poor decisions that affect everything that follows. Deniz Celiloğlu is excellent as the film’s protagonist Samet, an unlikeable, arrogant individual stuck in an echo chamber of his own negativity. But Sevim, played expertly by Ece Bağcı, is the film’s most important character. And as they get closer, she openly challenges his enlarged sense of entitlement - a very real and relatable antagonist who does nothing but prod for the truth as the protagonist is forced to see just how shitty and self-centered he really is. Whether it’s a romantic partner telling you to be better or a stranger calling you out on your shit, Sevim represents the combative introspection we need in order to own up to our own shittiness, to accept responsibility for the little actions that have led us to this moment. And while the film is deeply set in reality, Ceylan boldly breaks the fourth wall at one point, blurring the line between reality, fiction and plain delusion as its protagonist disassociates much like we do when faced with the cold, hard truth.
Where you can watch it: The Criterion Channel (USA), MUBI (UK), most VOD platforms (USA, UK), Bluray.
19. Look Back
Director: Kiyotaka Oshiyama
Genre/s: Animation/Drama Length: 58 Minutes Language: Japanese Country: Japan
Cast: Yumi Kawai, Mizuki Yoshida
Synopsis: Socially active Fujino and home-schooled shut-in Kyomoto form an unlikely friendship when their love for drawing changes their lives forever.
My Take: Sometimes it takes just a little nudge to push you over the edge, for better or for worse. It can be a little comment or a small observation that can change your worldview – pushing you to be better or giving up entirely. Look Back uses this as its basis, a relevant story about self-esteem, about coming out of your comfort zone to realize and pursue your dreams, passions and desires. It’s very real in how it views self-worth and the destructive capabilities that our negative thoughts play into our obsessive drive of either NEEDING to be the best or to not be anything at all. In its short (maybe even too short) running time of just 58 minutes, Look Back conveys these feelings so well and so succinctly, and by tying in the film’s most important and powerful theme of fate into the mix, Look Back goes from being a sweet tale of unlikely friendships and self-worth into a heavily layered tale of wish fulfillment that is simultaneously sweet and heartbreaking. It’s pretty much perfect really, from its stunning hand-drawn animation to its all-too-relatable characters. But most importantly, it reminds us to be gentle on ourselves, to not compare ourselves to others as we look to be perfect in an imperfect world.
Where you can watch it: Prime Video (Worldwide).
18. Dune: Part Two
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Genre/s: Sci-Fi/Action/Adventure Length: 2 Hours 46 Minutes Language: English Country: USA
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, Dave Bautista, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub, Charlotte Rampling, Stellan Skarsgård
Synopsis: After House Atreides’ destruction at the hands of House Harkonnen and The Emperor, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) unites The Fremen, the indigenous people of Arrakis, to seek vengeance.
My Take: While the first Dune film ended before it really kicked into full gear, Part Two is a full-blown war epic - delivering on the promise that bigger is most certainly better. Any doubts of Chalamet’s casting as Paul Atreides are swiftly cast aside here, going from a boy in the first film, to a man. It’s no secret that Paul Atreides goes through one of the biggest arcs for a protagonist in literature, so it was always going to be a herculean task in being able to do the same here that is convincing. Splitting the book into two films proved to be the wisest of decisions, and when viewing them back to back, that journey is captured with clarity as Villeneuve once again plays with the book’s complex theme of fate as well as dipping into the deep social-political aspects of the novel: Colonialism, religion and the dangers of leader worship. These all feed into the devastating and manipulative effects that power has, and while Herbert had to write the follow-up Messiah as a retaliation to people misinterpreting Paul as nothing but a hero, Villeneuve tracks Paul’s journey to this arc that never feels rushed, but inevitable as he lays down clues as to where he is heading, eventually letting him divert from the path he feared he would lose sight of. Its both grand in scope and intimacy, showing how easily man’s moral compass can be skewed.
Where you can watch it: Showmax (SA), MAX (USA), Netflix (USA, AU), Binge (AU), most VOD platforms (Worldwide), 4K UHD, Bluray.
17. The Girl with the Needle
Director: Magnus von Horn
Genre: Drama Length: 2 Hours 3 Minutes Language: Danish Countries: Denmark/Sweden/Poland
Cast: Vic Carmen Sonne, Trine Dyrholm, Besir Zeciri, Joachim Fjelstrup, Tessa Hoder, Avo Knox Martin, Anders Hove, Ari Alexander
Synopsis: Struggling to survive in 1919, Copenhagen, Karoline (Vic Carmen Sonne) gives up her baby to an illegal adoption agency. Soon after, she begins working as a wet nurse where its dark secrets start to reveal themselves to her.
My Take: The Girl with the Needle unsettles you from its opening frames: a kaleidoscopic nightmare of contorting faces marred in sorrow, pain and some evolving into demonic glee. Inspired by the true story of notorious baby killer Dagmar Overbye, Magnus von Horn doesn’t look to make an origin story of the monster that inspired it. Instead, he uses her as the backdrop to the socio-economic issues and themes that would create and feed the beast, widening the shadow of societal pressures that loom over its people, with its focus on Karoline, a woman failing under the weight of it all. Everything ends up being a product of their environment, and what von Horn does well here, is generate empathy for its protagonist – placing us in a world that suffocates and frightens, eventually pushing her instincts of survival into actions of regret, doing her best to do what is right by her maternal instincts, but to also wash away said-regret of her own actions. Thanks to its unnerving sound design and accompanying score, it’s unbearably tense, eventually snapping when it can no longer resist the bend of its oppressor. When we observe the past, we often do so in hopes of avoiding it in the future, and that’s what The Girl with the Needle often feels like: a warning. One that places its focus on the need for abortion rights, for childcare, for worker’s rights and most importantly, protecting those most vulnerable from exploitation and abandonment. And it’s the performances of Sonne, Dyrholm and Zeciri (as the characters Karoline, Overbye and Karoline’s disfigured WWI veteran husband) that allow for von Horn’s intentions to feel so real, so ugly - a moral tale reflecting the darkest of humanity's psyche back at us as, doing whatever it takes to survive and ultimately, live with those consequences.
Where you can watch it: MUBI (USA, UK), most VOD platforms (USA, UK)
16. Tótem
Director: Lila Avilés
Genre: Drama Length: 1 Hour 35 Minutes Language: Spanish Countries: Mexico/Denmark/France
Cast: Naíma Sentíes, Montserrat Marañón, Marisol Gasé, Saori Gurza, Teresita Sánchez, Mateo García Elizondo, Juan Francisco
Synopsis: Seven-year-old Sol (Naíma Sentíes) spends the day at her grandfather’s house as they prepare for her dying father’s birthday party.
My Take: How does a child even comprehend death? Or at least the imminence of it? When I was nine, my mother passed away from cancer. But for most of my life at that point, I only ever knew her as having cancer. Fetching me from nursery school suddenly to reveal she had no hair, frequent mood swings, getting sick on the road. As a young impressionable child, you don’t fully understand why this is happening. So even though to everyone else this wasn’t who she was, these were just traits to me, ones that unfortunately stole who she really was from us. This was the routine for as long as I could remember at that point, so it never occurred to me that she would be gone for good, never to come back. The idea of death at this point was limited to elderly pets passing on. So when she suddenly passed away one early Sunday evening, my brain couldn’t comprehend it - chaos around me as my siblings and father fully aware of what was happening. It was only in her death that I began to realize that she was sick and what her death actually meant. So watching Tótem was an overwhelming experience. It felt like I was back at that age again, knowing that my mom wasn’t doing the best, but not really understanding that this wasn’t who she was. Sol seems to have a better understanding of this, but seeing how she interacts with the impending loss of her dad, made me wish I understood what was at stake, embracing each moment I had with her. But Tótem doesn’t just follow Sol, it dips in and around the house, dropping in on family members as they very much do know what this party means: a goodbye. It makes Tótem an incredibly intimate and real observation of people dealing with the uncertainty of the future – one filled with sorrow, grief and finally acceptance. It’s a beautiful film that has one of the greatest child actor performances I’ve ever seen, topped off with one of the greatest breaking-of-the-fourth-wall moments as Sol stares straight down the lens as they sit around a birthday cake, beginning to understand what will come to pass.
Where you can watch it: The Criterion Channel (USA), BFI Player (UK), Curzon Home Cinema (UK), most VOD platforms (USA, UK), Bluray.
15. Evil Does Not Exist
Director: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
Genre: Drama Length: 1 Hour 46 Minutes Language: Japanese Country: Japan
Cast: Hitoshi Omika, Ryo Nishikawa, Ryuji Kosaka, Ayaka Shibutani, Hazuki Kikuchi, Hiroyuki Miura
Synopsis: Set in a remote mountain village, Widower and single father Takumi (Hitoshi Omika) is asked to be site caretaker for a company looking to build a glamping site, much to the dismay of the locals who fear its environmental impact.
My Take: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s follow-up to the Oscar-winning Drive My Car (number 4 in my favourite films of 2022), is an elusive beast - a deceitfully simple exercise in suspense that is almost impossible to comprehend fully upon first viewing. It baffled me on my first viewing. But like all good art, it forces you to do a double take, staring deeper at the image as you start to see the nuances in each curve before finally “getting” the full picture. Originally intended to be a visual companion piece to composer Eiko Ishibash's new album, Hamaguchi felt inspired to create the story encased within her moody music. What we get is a fascinating slow-burning eco-thriller of nature vs. nurture, consumerism and its place in a world fighting for its existence. Like the Elk mentioned and seen in brief moments throughout the film, the town’s residents behave similarly: skittish of outsiders looking to encroach upon their environment. They’ll let you observe from a distance, but if you’re too close and they're hurt, they will attack. It’s an important key in unlocking the behaviour of its characters, but also in understanding the themes Hamaguchi has in play here. As this battle of man vs. nature continues, we are seeing more cases of nature lashing out - a wounded beast clawing, thrashing and kicking at its keen invader. It’s a quiet, powerful masterclass in suspense that is somehow both vivid and a dreamlike haze – a surreal confrontation with nature as we look to distance our connection with it even further.
Where you can watch it: The Criterion Channel (USA), BFI Player (UK), most VOD platforms (USA, UK, AU), Bluray.
14. Queer
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Genre/s: Drama/LGBTQIA+ Length: 2 Hours 16 Minutes Languages: English/Spanish
Countries: Italy/USA
Cast: Daniel Craig, Drew Starkey, Jason Schwartzman, Lesley Manville, Omar Apollo, Ronia Ava
Synopsis: Based on William S. Burroughs’ novel of the same name, American ex-pat William Lee (Daniel Craig) falls for and obsesses over a mysterious, young fellow American (Drew Starkey) in 1950s Mexico.
My Take: Queer knows how to be sensual, even playful. But most importantly, Queer knows when to be ugly, and when to remain as such. Few filmmakers conjure a sense of sensual desire quite like Guadagnino - a current that surges through all of his films, bleeding into accompanying themes of otherness and belonging. Here, that desire ties in with addiction, not just to the literal drug addiction of its protagonist, but to that of William Lee’s (Daniel Craig) addiction to Eugene (Drew Starkey), a handsome young ex-pat whose ambiguous mystery makes Queer a unique experience in unpacking character, motive and the arcs that come with it. William Lee’s motives and desires are in full view throughout the film. He’s an open book. But with Eugene, he’s an enigma – a mystery we feel the need to unpack just as much as Lee does. If he really is queer, but most importantly, if he will ever reciprocate the love that Lee desperately seeks to make him whole, or at least he thinks it will. Lee’s addiction to this mystery, is very much felt by us as well as we try to understand this character to almost no avail. It might just be Guadagnino’s most introspective and challenging work to date because of it; a deeply personal confrontation of addiction and desire’s toxic relationship with one another and the earth-shattering heartbreak that comes with the rejection and heartbreak that binds them – all while still keeping Burroughs’ themes and ideas intact. Daniel Craig is astonishing as the needy William Lee, an all too relatable protagonist whom we both hate to love and love to hate as we see our own tendencies and desperations lingering within him. But Drew Starkey’s Eugene is so vital to what makes Queer pulse the way it does: offering a difficult performance of neither showing nor telling, a true mystery that unpacks and conceals itself in equal measure. It makes Lee’s desperation all the more difficult to endure as his addiction to him begins to shape his entire being. Although its protagonist is in his 50’s, Queer is essentially a coming-of-age story – one that reminds us of the vices and addictions we may possess, how overcoming them may paint the triumphant portrait of our lives ahead, or how a loss to them may define a tragic future that refuses to let go of the past.
Where you can watch it: MUBI (UK), most VOD platforms (USA, UK), MAX (USA, 28/03/25), in theatres (AU).
13. Strange Darling
Director: JT Mollner
Genre: Thriller/Horror Length: 1 Hour 37 Minutes Language: English Country: USA
Cast: Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, Steven Michael Quezada, Ed Begley Jr., Barbara Hershey
Synopsis: A wild one-night stand turns into a serial killer’s rampant murder spree.
My Take: Jumping back and forth among its six chapters, Strange Darling feels like a living entity – a game of cat and mouse where the mouse never really stood a chance really, toying with its prey before turning around to tear your face off instead. It’s hard to talk about Strange Darling without giving away too much, unfortunately. So I’ll be brief. But all you need to know is that JT Mollner’s non-linear thriller relishes on you knowing as little as possible as he plays with themes of power and control in each twist - further revealing other important themes at play as the picture starts to come together. Dominated by reds, yellows, greens and blues (particularly reds), the relationship with production design, wardrobe, makeup and cinematography (actor Giovanni Ribisi’s feature-length debut as Director of Photography) allows for Strange Darling’s visual identity to come alive – working in tandem with its themes, but also throwing you off the scent as you look to identify where the danger and safety may lie. But I’m gonna stop there. Long story short: just watch it. The blinder you go in, the better.
Where you can watch it: Paramount+ (USA), Prime Video (AU), most VOD platforms (USA, UK, AU), 4K UHD, Bluray.
12. Terrestrial Verses
Directors: Ali Asgari & Alireza Khatami
Genre/s: Comedy/Drama Length: 1 Hour 17 Minutes Languages: Farsi/English Country: Iran
Cast: Bahram Ark, Sadaf Asgari, Ardeshir Kazemi, Gohar Kheirandish, Farzin Mohades, Faezeh Rad, Majid Salehi, Arghavan Shabani, Hossein Soleimani, Sarvin Zabetian, Sara Bahrami, Alireza Khatami
Synopsis Told through 9 vignettes over the course of a day in Tehran, Terrestrial Verses follows ordinary citizens navigating through the increasingly absurd constraints that comes with living and working in Iran.
My Take: A woman has her car taken away from her for allegedly removing her hijab while driving. A man has to demonstrate how one washes before prayers in order to get a construction job. A man is forced to reveal his tattoos with the hopes of getting his driver’s license. A woman answers inappropriate questions in a job interview. Although we are initially greeted with each vignette as a mundane familiarity from our own lives, each one’s humour springs from the absurdity of living in Iran as they eventually culminate in humiliating defeats to the faceless voices from behind the camera, ones that intend to inflict its petty cruelty as a means to control. And although Terrestrial Verses is more stylised and exaggerated in tone vs. the usually more gritty, neo-realism that Iranian cinema has become known for, it remains just as powerful and as brave as its counterparts - anchoring its absurdity in a reality that is somehow both familiar and unfamiliar, collecting and stacking the frustrating grains of hope lodged in each portrait before mounting into a colossal avalanche that will hopefully bring the whole beast down for good. For my extended thoughts, you can read my review for it here.
Where you can watch it: The Criterion Channel (USA), most VOD platforms (USA), YouTube (Worldwide).
11. Sing Sing
Director: Greg Kwedar
Genre: Drama Length: 1 Hour 47 Minutes Language: English Country: USA
Cast: Colman Domingo, Paul Racci, Clarence Maclin, Sean San José
Synopsis: Prisoners at Sing Sing heal and find meaning through the rehabilitative power of art thanks to an acting troupe they belong to.
My Take: Based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison, Sing Sing features actual prisoners that make up most of its cast. Whether they are still currently serving time at Sing Sing or are free men, the film utilises them entirely with only Colman Domingo, Paul Raci and Sean San José being the professional actors. And because of this, Sing Sing always feels authentic - a fluid piece of art that heals right before our very eyes. You see it in their faces, how playing and pretending to be someone else frees them from the walls of a system hell-bent on reminding them they are not free. That they may never be free. Colman Domingo delivers his best performance yet, playing the real-life John “Divine G” Whitfield, a man serving time after being wrongfully accused of murder. Here, he is one of the founding members of the troupe, balancing his responsibility to his fellow cast mates with that of his own pursuit of literal freedom. It’s a heartbreaking but completely revitalizing performance, one that reminds us how we need to keep going regardless of circumstance, and how art, how creating, gives us the strength to push on. But the most impressive performer has to be Clarence “Divine Eye” Macklin as himself. He's hesitant, aggressive, and struggles to open up. But when he does give in, it’s a beautiful thing – a natural progression of beats that never feels manufactured, but completely real in how he arrives at those vital moments that'll finally help him heal, to be free. It’s these revelations that allow Sing Sing to be such a beautiful, truthful piece of art – a vital confirmation of its ability to heal, grow and free the souls of all those who let it in.
Where you can watch it: Prime Video (UK), MAX (USA, 21/03/2025), most VOD platforms (USA, UK, AU), Bluray.
10. Robot Dreams
Director: Pablo Berger
Genre/s: Animation/Comedy/Drama Length: 1 Hour 43 Minutes Language: None
Countries: Spain/France/Italy
Synopsis: The adventures and misadventures of a dog and a robot who are best friend in 1980s New York City.
My Take: Pablo Berger's fourth film is his first animated feature and is completely wordless about a lonely dog in New York City who orders a Robot friend through the mail. Over the course of a summer in 1980s New York City, they become best friends. But after a hot day at the beach, Robot find themselves rusted shut. Their summer together is under threat, the beach closed as Dog tries everything to reunite and save their best friend. It’s heartbreaking watching these friends trying to reach each other, from happy fantasies of their joyful reunion to ones that have their deepest fears clouding their rational judgment. And over the course of the film and its changing seasons, we see our lives on the screen – how relationships and experiences come and go just like they do for our characters. It’s an incredibly bittersweet film that explores the highs and lows of putting yourself out there, of opening up. As we yearn for their tearful reunion, Robot Dreams reminds us to look fondly at the connections and happy memories we have made along the way. Although circumstance can be a cruel asshole that separates those connections, we should never let it stall our happiness as we look to reunite or form new relationships along the way.
Where you can watch it: Hulu (USA), MUBI (UK), Stan (AU), most VOD platforms (USA, UK, AU), Bluray.
9. The Substance
Director: Coralie Fargeat
Genre/s: Horror/Comedy/Thriller Length: 2 Hours 21 Minutes Language: English
Countries: France/UK
Cast: Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid
Synopsis: Fired from her tenure as the star of an aerobics TV show, Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) comes across The Substance, a black market drug that allows her to create a temporary younger, hotter and more perfect version of herself. But there’s one catch: time must be split between them, alternating between bodies every 7 days. No exceptions.
My Take: Upon her 40th birthday, writer/director Coralie Fargeat declared that her life was over. “I’m not going to be interesting anymore. No one is going to look at me anymore.” Aging can be hard for some. Not just physically, but emotionally as well. Although The Substance lacks subtlety, it’s stronger for it, offering a unique female gaze into how society views women, one that lets viewers relate to and ultimately empathize with the infuriating double standards Fargeat looks to expose and discuss in The Substance. And it’s the body horror genre that allows these insecurities to come alive so effectively in her vision, one that is both beautiful and hideous as it transforms into a lumbering beast by the time the credits roll - a hideous creation of its own doing. Even past all the bloody, chunky viscera, The Substance expertly maintains the profound message at its center: love yourself. Love yourself as you are (at least that’s what I took from it). Art, especially film, has the phenomenal ability to let audiences into a world they’re unaware of, to make them relate to it to generate empathy. And The Substance does this brilliantly with myself being able to feel what Ms. Sparkle is feeling, and better yet, understanding why she is feeling that way. It’s a future feminist classic that is always one-upping itself in every department. It’s gross, weird, loud, camp, funny, unpredictable and the most batshit insane movie of 2024 that is worthy of Demi Moore’s resurgence as a talent who deserves to have her star shine brighter than it ever has. To quote Elisabeth’s Sparkle’s sign-off: “In the meantime, take care of yourself”. I’ll certainly try. For my extended thoughts, you can read my full in-depth review for it over here.
Where you can watch it: MUBI (USA, UK), most VOD platforms (USA, UK, AU), 4K UHD, Bluray.
8. Flow
Director: Gints Zilbalodis
Genre/s: Animation/Adventure Length: 1 Hour 25 Minutes Language: None
Countries: Latvia/Belgium/France
Synopsis: Despite their differences, a cat is forced to work with other animals after a devastating flood destroys their home.
My Take: Made with the free graphics and animation software Blender, Flow is the “little movie that could” of 2024. With its tiny budget, limited resources and seemingly minimalist story, the Latvian film went on to win Best Animated Feature at both The Golden Globes and Oscars, beating out big budget heavy hitters like Pixar and Dreamworks. With no dialogue, writer/director Gints Zilbalodis is able to convey so much without actually saying anything. There’s almost no context provided as well, and when there is, it’s merely suggested that humans appear to no longer exist, leaving behind ruins as nature reclaims the planet. From the more straightforward plot-driven survival story of its characters, to the more surreal sequences of life, death and beyond. Flow’s strength lies in its lack of context, its inability to speak – using loads of symbolism that forces us to dig a little deeper and interpret things as we relate to it in our own unique ways. And while the great flood in the film serves as a warning for the bad times to come, Flow ‘s message of community, friendship and the need to step out of our comfort zones remains the loudest – reminding us of the need to work together to survive. It’s so easy to escape from an increasingly loud and complicated world, to be alone and content like our feline protagonist. But Flow reminds us that this life can only get lonely, that it’s worth stepping out of your comfort zone to seek those vital connections before the flood comes to sweep you away for good.
Where you can watch it: The Criterion Channel (USA), MAX (USA), most VOD platforms (USA, AU).
7. I Saw the TV Glow
Director: Jane Schoenbrun
Genre/s: Drama/Horror/LGBTQIA+ Length: 1 Hour 40 Minutes Language: English
Countries: USA/UK
Cast: Justice Smith, Jack Haven, Ian Foreman, Helena Howard, Lindsey Jordan, Fred Durst, Danielle Deadwyler
Synopsis: Set in 1996, teenagers Owen (Justice Smith) and Maddy (Jack Haven) bond over a mysterious young adult TV show called The Pink Opaque. But as they’re drawn deeper into their obsession, their grasp on reality begins to slip.
My Take: An allegory for Trans and Queer identity, Jane Schoenbrun’s soul-crushing sophomore effort scuffs up the nostalgic sheen of youth - a horror drama that captures loneliness, anxiety, depression and the uncertainty of this time unlike anything I have ever seen. Owen has always felt different. But when he meets Maddy, she unlocks something in him. The key? A TV show called The Pink Opaque. Think Buffy and Are You Afraid of the Dark? A nostalgia bomb for all the lonely and isolated kids who would bury themselves in whatever piece of fiction that would welcome and see them. Instead of using nostalgia glasses for joy, Schoenbrun does the opposite here, using them as a lens for horror instead - a nightmare that Maddy and Owen can’t wake up from. Because for so many of us, this was a distant dream where shadows, imposters of ourselves, wandered around aimlessly, unable to wake up. It’s a film of such empathetic prowess, dragging you down with its characters as you desperately try to save them from a life of crippling fear and uncertainty. Regardless of how you feel about this or Jane Schoenbrun’s debut film We Are All Going to the World’s Fair, no one is making films like them – deeply personal accounts of otherness and loneliness that allow for those having gone through, or are currently going through it, to be truly seen. Thankfully Schoenbrun provides a glimmer of hope amidst the film’s crushing nihilism, reminding viewers that it’s never too late to wake up and break free from the nightmare that has trapped you.
Where you can watch it: MAX (USA), most VOD platforms (USA, UK, AU, SA), Bluray.
6. Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus
Director: Neo Sora
Genre/s: Music/Documentary Length: 1 Hour 43 Minutes Language: Japanese Country: Japan
Synopsis: Battling cancer, highly revered musician Ryuichi Sakamoto delivers one last performance.
My Take: In 2023, we lost one of the greatest musicians in the world: Ryuichi Sakamoto. But before he died, Sakamoto gave us this performance as one last gift. Shot in lush black and white, Opus is as intimate as a performance can get. Alone with just is piano in a room, Sakamoto performs 20 pieces from his illustrious career. From his pop era to his iconic film scores that include The Sheltering Sky, The Last Emperor and of course Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence. Directed by his son, Neo Sora captures his father at the most vulnerable he’s ever been on screen, a delicate performance that could shatter at any moment. And it very nearly does. With false starts and breaks due to his fading strength, Sakamoto soldiers on, immortalised in time as we see a master madly in love with what he does, not only saying goodbye to us, but to the craft itself.
Where you can watch it: The Criterion Channel (USA), most VOD platforms (USA, UK, AU), Bluray.
5. La Chimera
Director: Alice Rohrwacher
Genre/s: Drama/Romance Length: 2 Hours 11 Minutes
Languages: Italian/English/French/German Countries: Italy/France/Switzerland
Cast: Josh O’Connor, Carol Duarte, Isabella Rossellini, Vincenzo Nemolato, Alba Rohrwacher, Lou Roy-Lecollinet
Synopsis: Set in 1980s Italy, English archaeologist Arthur (Josh O’Connor) reunites with his tomb-robbing crew. But while they search for riches, he mourns for his lost love.
My Take: Stuck in the past, both literally and figuratively, Arthur pays the bills as a tomb raider. Possessing a sort of supernatural ability to determine the presence of ancient tombs, he allows his grave-robbing team to plunder and reap the treasures they hold. But while they benefit financially from these riches, Arthur is searching for a way to the afterlife, a thread he keeps looking for that will hopefully lead him back to his lost love. La Chimera feels like a dream, caught in a daze with Arthur as he stumbles and obsesses over the past. We feel these two states in time in every frame, crumbling along with Arthur’s inability to move on as the past and present catch up to one another – a distant memory he refuses to abandon for a brighter future. Josh O’Connor and Carol Duarte (playing Italia, his ex-girlfriend’s mother’s caretaker, who is played by Isabella Rossellini) are electric together - a potential romance offering Arthur a chance to wake up and live again. It’s extraordinary, poetic cinema aching with the same tragic beauty its gravediggers uncover. “You’re not made for human eyes” Arthur says while holding the head of an ancient sculpture, longing for a love caught between the lands of the living and the dead.
Where you can watch it: Hulu (USA), MUBI (UK), Stan (AU), most VOD platforms (USA, UK, AU), Bluray.
4. Red Rooms
Director: Pascal Plante
Genre/s: Drama/Thriller/Horror/Mystery Length: 1 Hour 58 Minutes Languages: French/English Country: Canada
Cast: Juliette Gariépy, Laurie Babin, Elisabeth Locas, Maxwell McCabe-Lokos
Synopsis: Ludovic Chevalier (Maxwell McCabe-Lokos) is on trial for the abduction, torture and murder of three teenage girls, as well as the selling and distributing of these filmed acts on the dark web chat rooms called “The Red Rooms”. However, only two of the three tapes have been found, with the third missing. Model Kelly-Anne’s (Juliette Gariépy) fascination in the case turns into an obsession as it takes over her life.
My Take: Loneliness, isolation and obsession during the internet age can take us to the darkest corners of our psyche. Red Rooms is a menacing, deeply disturbing descent into that darkness. Juliette Gariépy gives one of the best performances of the decade, let alone the year, as the protagonist Kelly-Anne - a model who lives a life of solitude in her high-rise apartment with only her customised AI assistant to keep her company. She attends the high-profile murder trial during the day and returns home at night to do her own sleuthing on the case. What is she looking for exactly? She plays her cards so close to her chest throughout, but once she starts welcoming company into her isolated life in the form of Clémentine (Laurie Babin), an obsessive fangirl convinced of the accused’s innocence, Red Rooms takes another form. What is initially a courtroom investigative thriller turns into a film about friendship and the importance of human connection as these seemingly different people’s obsessions, loneliness and isolation bring them together. But Red Rooms refuses to stay locked in one spot, twisting and morphing once again, its protagonist fumbling as she reveals some of those cards she once held so close to her chest. It completely rattled me and is without a doubt, the most disturbing film I saw in 2024. A critique of our true crime obsession and extreme fan culture. But it’s also about the importance of forming human connections. It’s gruesome, it’s fucked up and it manages to do that all by implying its depravity rather than showing - finding its disturbance more in the acts of its protagonist, slowly unwinding the coil to reveal what’s at the center only to be baffled once more as we fall deeper into the mouth of hell.
Where you can watch it: Shudder (USA), BFI Player (UK), most VOD platforms (SA, USA, UK, AU), Bluray.
3. Challengers
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Genre/s: Drama/Thriller/Romance/Sport Length: 2 Hours 11 Minutes Language: English Countries: Italy/USA
Cast: Josh O’Connor, Zendaya, Mike Faist, Darnell Appling
Synopsis: After turning Art (Mike Faist) into a champion, tennis prodigy turned coach, Tashi (Zendaya), tries to overturn his recent losing streak. But in order to do that, he potentially faces his former best friend and her ex, Patrick (Josh O’Connor), in a Grand Slam challengers tournament.
My Take: Told in a non-linear fashion, Challengers ebbs and flows like a tennis match. Players trade serves and balances shift as the game begins to edge in favour for one or the other, with best friends Art (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor) finding themselves falling over one another (quite literally) to win the heart of Tashi (Zendaya). “Are we still talking about tennis?” “We’re always talking about tennis”. In a film that isn’t really about tennis, it’s actually all about it. A sexy romantic thriller that has no sex at all – opting for its matchups of power and desire to take place on the court where their primal instincts to win are in full effect. But not all of its matchups take place there. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ pulsating, loud as fuck techno score kicks in at the most vital moments in conversation – a skirmish of words as characters spar with one another, a battle off the court that has its stakes as high as a match point. It’s dripping in so much subtext - a remarkably sharp, funny and poignant screenplay that really should’ve earned Justin Kuritzkes an Oscar nomination (fun fact, he is married to Celine Song, writer and director of another love triangle masterwork in Past Lives. #7 in my 50 Favourites of 2023). With both of Luca Guardagnino’s 2024 films featured in this list (Queer at #15, also penned by Kuritzkes), signs point to him not slowing down any time soon. An arthouse darling, Challengers is easily his most accessible film to date. But worry not, his distinct visual style, tone and usual themes remain intact, making it not only his sexiest film to date, but quite possibly the most Guardagnino film he has ever made. It’s funny, provocative, complex and wildly entertaining. As Tashi puts it, “I want to watch some good fucking tennis”. With Challengers, we get that and so much more.
Where you can watch it: Prime Video (Worldwide), most VOD platforms (Worldwide), Bluray.
2. Anora
Director: Sean Baker
Genre/s: Comedy/Drama/Romance Length: 2 Hours 19 Minutes
Languages: English/Russian/Armenian Country: USA
Cast: Mikey Madison, Mark Eidelstein, Yuriy Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Aleksey Serebryakov, Daria Ekamasova
Synopsis: Anora (Mikey Madison), a young sex worker starts a whirlwind romance with Ivan (Mark Eidelstein) the reckless young son of a wealthy Russian oligarch, but once they act further on their impulse and get married, Ivan’s family scramble to get the marriage annulled.
My Take: Sean Baker’s barnstorming rom-com drama took home 5 Academy Awards on top of 2024’s Palme d'Or. While this may be surprising to some given its initial impression as a hyperactive, impulsive sex comedy, the film’s anxious, fluid and touching evolution throughout more than justifies why Baker is one of the finest filmmakers working today. A keen observer of the American outsider, Baker excels at placing us alongside his characters—outsiders who range from kind-hearted to downright awful (see Red Rocket), while some fall somewhere in between. He’s effectively America’s neo-realist, telling stories of real people we rarely see on screen. Some may accuse him of exploiting his subjects, but I find his approach incredibly bold and empathetic. He doesn’t judge. Instead, he observes until a key moment reveals something new about his characters—allowing us to interpret them in a completely different light, for better or worse.
Anora is Baker’s fifth film centered around sex workers. While familiar rom-com tropes are present, Baker continuously flips the genre on its head as the film's frantic energy mirrors its impulsive, love-struck leads, jumping from one moment to the next at dizzying speeds. Once the film flies past the expected meet-cute and whirlwind honeymoon phase, Baker subverts the genre’s typical "big fight to test their relationship" plot beat and turns it into a thriller/screwball comedy hybrid as they desperately try to find Ivan in order to annul the marriage - a tense, sweary and chaotic race against the clock much like he did with Tangerine and Red Rocket that forces his characters to reckon with the consequences of their actions as the layers are pulled back to see what’s ticking inside.
Mikey Madison navigates a wide gamut of emotional and physical extremes as the titular character, before landing her most effective, nuanced blows in those quieter, fleeting moments that have her truly reflecting on what’s at stake. She's completely deserving of her Oscar win. A star-making turn that is a raging hurricane, possessing chaotic fury whilst an eerie quietness lies at the centre. But it’s Yuriy Borisov’s performance as Igor, a kindly Russian thug (see Compartment No. 6 for another standout turn), that helps anchor the intensity of Anora. His understated presence balances the intensity of Anora, an empathetic perspective that tells us what the film is really about. It has everything I could ever want in a movie, really. It’s an always hilarious, frenzied, madcap rom-com that has its tension constantly dialed to 11. But when screeched to a halt, Anora revels in its finest moments – quiet exchanges on class, intimacy and human connection that let Anora finally be real.
Where you can watch it: In theatres (Worldwide), Hulu (17/03/2025), most VOD platforms (USA, UK, AU).
1. Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World
Director: Radu Jude
Genre/s: Comedy/Drama Length: 2 Hours 43 Minutes
Languages: Romanian/English/German/Hungarian
Countries: Romania/Luxembourg/France/Croatia
Cast: Ilinca Monolache, Nina Hoss, Katia Pascariu, Sofia Nicolaescu, Uwe Boll
Synopsis: Overworked, underpaid and exhausted, Angela (Ilinca Monolache) drives all over Bucharest to gather audition interviews for a workplace safety video for a multinational conglomerate.
My Take: It’s impossible to predict the rhythm and anarchic, punk rock nature of a Radu Jude film. They’re often strung together by common themes involving Romania’s violent past, problematic present and potentially doom-laden future; posing as the picturesque backdrop to what is happening in the foreground and middle-ground of his films He isn't a subtle filmmaker by any means, able to express some subtlety in his films enough where it’s not so on the nose. But Jude works best when his anger paints everything as a matter of fact, gunning straight to the point as he creates a collage of ideas in which he is still trying to figure out how it all fits together. Although our protagonist’s world of story takes place within the seemingly specific film industry, Radu Jude uses it as a stepping stone to talk about exploitation as a whole on the little guy, both in life and death. Capitalism playing its hand in preying on the poor and desperate, cleverly comparing the past with the present to illustrate a broader picture of the problem – something with which Jude obsessively does in all his films, creating a contextual landscape that always pays off in eye-opening finales.
It’s worth noting that the protagonists in his last three films are all women as well, with sexism, hypocrisy and rape culture being key themes and obstacles for his characters. Here, it’s no different as Angela deals with background characters worsening her daily ordeal of being an overworked, overtired and underpaid woman in a man’s world, with most of that time taking place in the mundanity of traffic, a setting with which most of the film’s greatest moments and themes are highlighted. We are drawn into the reality of Angela in these moments. Filled with “blink and you’ll miss it” moments that include her breaking the fourth wall, glancing down the lens, feeling like we are right there with her.
Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World is unpredictable, hilarious, vulgar, combative and appropriately teeming with fury. It's another subversive anarchic masterpiece from a master who I regard as one of the great provocateurs in cinema right now. It's overflowing with ideas and observations that are at times overwhelming, but it all just works - never losing control of itself despite its chaotic appearance. But its shining light is that of Ilinca Manolache as Angela. A performance grounded in both sincerity and extreme vulgarity, allowing for the film's countless ideas and messages to scream as clearly as they do - creating an iconic heroine for the ages. Often a country right in the middle of bigger empires over the centuries, The Romanian New Wave has become one of the most important focal points in world cinema – rich in necessarily disruptive talents that aren’t afraid to skewer and provoke. You can read my full, in-depth analysis and review for it over here.
Where you can watch it: MUBI (SA, USA, AU), BFI Player (UK), most VOD platforms (USA, UK).
And there it is. My 50 favourite films of 2024. Remember, if you disagree with anything and everything...
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