The Golden Globes will air this weekend and Oscar Nominations are just around the corner as the calendar prepares to flip to 2025. Therefore, now is as good a time as any to highlight my favorite screenplays, performances, directors and movies from this past cinematic year. With the lasting effects of the Hollywood strikes, I was surprised by the industry's strong collection of offerings that helped 2024 feel like it didn't miss a beat. As always, there are a few acclaimed films I haven't had a chance to see, ones like Wicked, Emilia Perez, Gladiator II, and The Last Showgirl that have the ability to shake up my rankings below. Nonetheless, here are my picks as they stand for the Best of Film in 2024:
#1. Hit Man
Best Original Screenplay
Honorable Mention: I Saw the TV Glow, A Real Pain, Strange Darling, Blink Twice, Saturday Night and Juror #2
#5. The Substance
#4. Anora
#3. September 5
#2. Challengers
And the winner is ...
#1. It's What's Inside
Best Supporting Actress
Honorable Mention: Rebecca Ferguson (Dune: Part Two), Emily Blunt (The Fall Guy), Elle Fanning (A Complete Unknown), Isabella Rossellini (Conclave), Brigette Lundy-Paine (I Saw the TV Glow), Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (Nickel Boys) and Zendaya (Dune: Part Two)
#5. Adria Arjona (Blink Twice)
#4. Leonie Benesch (September 5)
#3. Jodie Comer (The Bikeriders)
#2. Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown)
And the winner is ...
#1. Margaret Qualley (The Substance)
Best Supporting Actor
Honorable Mention: Edward Norton (A Complete Unknown), Peter Sarsgaard (September 5), Stanley Tucci (Conclave), Kyle Gallner (Strange Darling), Cory Michael Smith (Saturday Night), Nicolas Cage (Longlegs) and Austin Butler (Dune: Part Two)
#5. Mike Faist (Challengers)
#4. Guy Pearce (The Brutalist)
#3. Josh O'Connor (Challengers)
#2. Javier Bardem (Dune: Part Two)
And the winner is ...
#1. Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain)
Best Actress
Honorable Mention: Willa Fitzgerald (Strange Darling), Anna Kendrick (Woman of the Hour), Scarlett Johansson (Fly Me to the Moon), Naomi Ackie (Blink Twice), Nicole Kidman (Babygirl), Brittany O'Grady (It's What's Inside), and Tilda Swinton (The Room Next Door)
#5. Naomi Scott (Smile 2)
#4. Mikey Madison (Anora)
#3. Lily Rose Depp (Nosferatu)
#2. Demi Moore (The Substance)
And the winner is ...
#1. Zendaya (Challengers)
Best Actor
Honorable Mention: Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge), David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Nicholas Hoult (Juror #2), Daniel Craig (Queer), Ryan Gosling (The Fall Guy), Justice Smith (I Saw the TV Glow), and Austin Butler (The Bikeriders)
#5. Glen Powell (Hit Man)
#4. Adrien Brody (The Brutalist)
#3. Colman Domingo (Sing Sing)
#2. Ralph Fiennes (Conclave)
And the winner is ...
#1. Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown)
Best Director
Honorable Mention: Robert Eggers (Nosferatu), Coralie Fargeat (The Substance), Tim Fehlbaum (September 5), Richard Linklater (Hit Man), JT Mollner (Strange Darling), Edward Berger (Conclave) and James Mangold (A Complete Unknown)
#5. Greg Jardin (It's What's Inside)
#4. Sean Baker (Anora)
#3. Luca Guadagnino (Challengers)
#2. Jane Schoenbrun (I Saw the TV Glow)
And the winner is ...
#1. Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two)
Best Picture
Honorable Mention: I Saw the TV Glow, September 5, Conclave, The Substance, Strange Darling, A Real Pain and Blink Twice
#5. Anora
#4. Hit Man
#3. It's What's Inside
#2. Challengers
And the winner is ...
#1. Dune: Part Two
Best Adapted Screenplay
Honorable Mention: Smile 2, The Fall Guy, Nosferatu, Twisters, The Room Next Door and The Bikeriders
#1. Hit Man
Best Original Screenplay
Honorable Mention: I Saw the TV Glow, A Real Pain, Strange Darling, Blink Twice, Saturday Night and Juror #2
#5. The Substance
#4. Anora
#3. September 5
#2. Challengers
And the winner is ...
#1. It's What's Inside
Best Supporting Actress
Honorable Mention: Rebecca Ferguson (Dune: Part Two), Emily Blunt (The Fall Guy), Elle Fanning (A Complete Unknown), Isabella Rossellini (Conclave), Brigette Lundy-Paine (I Saw the TV Glow), Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (Nickel Boys) and Zendaya (Dune: Part Two)
#5. Adria Arjona (Blink Twice)
#4. Leonie Benesch (September 5)
#3. Jodie Comer (The Bikeriders)
#2. Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown)
And the winner is ...
#1. Margaret Qualley (The Substance)
Best Supporting Actor
Honorable Mention: Edward Norton (A Complete Unknown), Peter Sarsgaard (September 5), Stanley Tucci (Conclave), Kyle Gallner (Strange Darling), Cory Michael Smith (Saturday Night), Nicolas Cage (Longlegs) and Austin Butler (Dune: Part Two)
#5. Mike Faist (Challengers)
#4. Guy Pearce (The Brutalist)
#3. Josh O'Connor (Challengers)
#2. Javier Bardem (Dune: Part Two)
And the winner is ...
#1. Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain)
Best Actress
Honorable Mention: Willa Fitzgerald (Strange Darling), Anna Kendrick (Woman of the Hour), Scarlett Johansson (Fly Me to the Moon), Naomi Ackie (Blink Twice), Nicole Kidman (Babygirl), Brittany O'Grady (It's What's Inside), and Tilda Swinton (The Room Next Door)
#5. Naomi Scott (Smile 2)
#4. Mikey Madison (Anora)
#3. Lily Rose Depp (Nosferatu)
#2. Demi Moore (The Substance)
And the winner is ...
#1. Zendaya (Challengers)
Best Actor
Honorable Mention: Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge), David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Nicholas Hoult (Juror #2), Daniel Craig (Queer), Ryan Gosling (The Fall Guy), Justice Smith (I Saw the TV Glow), and Austin Butler (The Bikeriders)
#5. Glen Powell (Hit Man)
#4. Adrien Brody (The Brutalist)
#3. Colman Domingo (Sing Sing)
#2. Ralph Fiennes (Conclave)
And the winner is ...
#1. Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown)
Best Director
Honorable Mention: Robert Eggers (Nosferatu), Coralie Fargeat (The Substance), Tim Fehlbaum (September 5), Richard Linklater (Hit Man), JT Mollner (Strange Darling), Edward Berger (Conclave) and James Mangold (A Complete Unknown)
#5. Greg Jardin (It's What's Inside)
#4. Sean Baker (Anora)
#3. Luca Guadagnino (Challengers)
#2. Jane Schoenbrun (I Saw the TV Glow)
And the winner is ...
#1. Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two)
Best Picture
Honorable Mention: I Saw the TV Glow, September 5, Conclave, The Substance, Strange Darling, A Real Pain and Blink Twice
#5. Anora
#4. Hit Man
#3. It's What's Inside
#2. Challengers
And the winner is ...
#1. Dune: Part Two
Top 5 Films of 2024 (Unofficial)
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Coming Soon
Dave's In-Theater /Streaming Picks
Dave's In-Theater/Streaming Skips
