From big-budget blockbusters to indie must-sees and more.
The 10 Best Movies Of 2024 (So Far)
From big-budget blockbusters to indie must-sees and more.
Although the year is far from over, 2024 has already delivered a stellar slew of films for our viewing consideration.
And if you’ve finished binging the year’s best TV shows and found yourself in the mood for something that can be devoured in a single two-hour sitting – we’ve got you covered.
From big-budget blockbusters to indie must-sees and more, keep reading to discover some of 2024’s best movies (so far).
1. Poor Things
Where can I watch it? Prime
Kicking off this list with a four-time Oscar-winner, Poor Things is a swirling, surrealist film that will leave you dazed and delighted in equal measure. Set in an alternate universe submerged in technicolour, it stars Emma Stone as Bella Baxter, a dead young woman who is brought back to life by a scientist as the subject of a Frankenstein-style experiment that puts the viewer in for a wild ride – one best not spoiled here and discovered by watching the film.
2. Dune: Part Two
Where can I watch it? Apple TV+
It’s not often that a sequel surpasses the hype that surrounds it, but that’s exactly what Dune: Part Two manages to do. Back with the epic planet-hopping cinematography and the star-studded cast of the first sci-fi film – as well as new additions in Austin Butler and Florence Pugh – this book-turned-film sees Paul (played by Timothée Chalamet) and Chani (played by Zendaya) unite, with Paul rising to lead a rebellion against their enemies.
3. Challengers
Where can I watch it? In cinemas now
Another one featuring the inimitable Zendaya, this tennis flick sent the internet into a tailspin (or should we say, ‘topspin’?) when its saucy trailer dropped in 2023. Directed by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria), the non-linear film follows a love triangle between three pro tennis players. Zendaya stars as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis star whose career ended after a freak accident; while Mike Faist plays Art, her husband and international tennis champion who Tashi’s helping make a career comeback. As for the triangle part? It all gets deliciously complicated when Art has to compete against his former best friend – and Tashi’s old boyfriend – Patrick (Josh O’Connor).
4. The Idea of You
Where can I watch it? Prime
Based on Robinne Lee’s bestselling book of the same name, The Idea of You is a cosy romance perfect for an afternoon curled up on the couch with a cuppa. It follows Anne Hathaway’s character Solène, a 40-year-old single mother and gallerist, as she begins an unexpected romance with Hayes, the 24-year-old lead singer of a globally loved boy band (played by Nicholas Galitizine). Together, they traverse the intersection of fame, age-gap relationships and following your heart when the world is against you.
5. The Taste of Things
Where can I watch it? In cinemas now
There’s no denying the French do food and film exceptionally well — both of which are on full, indulgent display in The Taste of Things. Directed by Cannes prize-winner Trần Anh Hùng, the period piece revolves around Eugenie (played by the captivating Juliette Binoche), a cook, and Dodin (Benoît Magimel), the gourmand she has been employed by for two decades. As their mutual fondness grows, a romance is born, giving rise to delicious dishes that bewitch even the world’s most respected chefs. But when Dodin finds Eugenie is reluctant to commit to him, he decides it’s his turn to don the apron and cook for her.
6. Frida
Where can I watch it? Prime
Premiering at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, the award-winning documentary movie Frida delves into the tumultuous life of the iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Raw and revealing, it’s told entirely through Kahlo’s own writings and interviews, bringing her perspective to life through lyrical animation inspired by her art. Covering many of the most pivotal moments of her life, including her life-altering bus accident and complicated relationship with fellow Mexican painter Diego Rivera, it’s a visual treat for art, history and culture lovers alike.
7. The Fall Guy
Where can I watch it? In cinemas now
Loaded with laughs and lots of action, The Fall Guy is the kind of switch-your-brain-off stuff you just need sometimes. Set in Hollywood, Ryan Gosling plays as a lovelorn stuntman returning to show business after a year to work on a film by his ex-girlfriend (played by Emily Blunt) when the big star of the movie suddenly goes missing – and he ends up entangled in a full-on conspiracy plot.
8. Love Lies Bleeding
Where can I watch it? Prime
A romantic thriller by acclaimed indie director Rose Glass, Love Lies Bleeding sees Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian respectively play a gym manager from a criminal family and a bodybuilder in 1980s New Mexico who fall in love and plan to compete in Las Vegas. Naturally, the existence of said ‘criminal family’ isn’t without dangerous consequences and a detour via the underworld, but it all makes for an electrifying watch that ricochets between the eerie and erotic.
9. Monkey Man
Where can I watch it? Apple TV+
Directed and starring Dev Patel – with Get Out’s Jordan Peele on production – Monkey Man is a slow-burn action thriller with unexpected depth. In it, Patel plays “Kid”, an anonymous young man out to avenge his mother’s death at the hands of a powerful official. What begins as a personal quest for retribution becomes a bigger mission to dismantle India’s corrupt elite and tear down those who build their fortunes on the broken backs of the poor people they purport to protect.
10. Música
Where can I watch it? Prime
A semi-autobiographical rom-com, Música centres around Rudy (played by Rudy Mancuso), an aspiring musician with synesthesia – a perceptual phenomenon where the brain experiences the world through multiple senses, like seeing shapes to music or picturing colours with certain words. In Rudy’s case, he hears music in everything and everyday sounds are full-scale symphonies that make it hard to focus on class – and his girlfriend Haley.
Meanwhile, his mother Maria (played by his real-life mother Maria Mancuso) is keen for him to date someone from their Brazilian community. After initially rebelling against the idea, he crosses paths with Isabella, a fellow Brazilian American (played by Riverdale star and his off-screen girlfriend, Camila Mendes) – and let’s just say, she’s music to his ears.
