Yank down those calendars, folks - 2025 is coming at us fast! But before the ball drops, heralding in the new year, along with January's fresh batch of Oscar contenders finally going wide, now's the perfect time to take a step back and reflect. 2024 was a strange year, which was appropriately mirrored in a lot of the movies that came out! From the ultra-violent Terrifier 3 being #1 at the box office, becoming the first unrated film to do so, to Dune Part II's suggestive popcorn bucket design - you truly could not predict where things were headed. We also said RIP to legends like Quincy Jones, Terri Garr, Tony Todd, Maggie Smith, Gena Rowlands, Shelley Duvall, Donald Sutherland, and Roger Corman, to name a few.
When you step back, you realize, there's a lifetime in a year! So my pre-Top Ten annual tradition is to honor those films that stood out from the rest of the pack. The ones that seared themselves into my brain and wouldn't let go, whether it was because of an unbelievable performance, a goosebump-inducing music score, or cinematography that you'd want to frame on your wall. I hope you enjoy my personal batch of superlatives for 2024!