Another year coming to a close means countless end-of-the-year articles highlighting the best films of the year. There’s no definitive list but many recurring titles appear, emphasizing just how many stories left lasting impressions. From films that push boundaries to big-budget blockbusters, this year has delivered a diverse range of cinematic experiences that have entertained, challenged, and moved us. Whether through stunning visuals, compelling storytelling, or unforgettable performances, the films that make up this list stand out among the many and alongside other fantastic films not featured here.
Here’s a look at Nerdspin’s Top 10 Movies of 2024 — a celebration of the art of filmmaking and the unforgettable stories that have defined the year.
Anora
Sean Baker’s Anora is a vibrant, genre-bending film that continues his exploration of marginalized characters, focusing on Ani, a stripper who dreams of a better life. The film blends screwball comedy with New Hollywood sensibilities, capturing Ani’s journey from the gritty reality of her Brooklyn apartment to a surreal, high-stakes romance with Ivan, the son of a Russian oligarch. As their whirlwind relationship escalates from transactional to emotionally complicated, Ani finds herself caught in a chaotic, dangerous situation involving Ivan’s disapproving parents and their hired goons.
With striking cinematography, sharp dialogue, and a blend of humor and tension, Anora explores themes of class, love, and the elusive American Dream. Mikey Madison delivers a star-making performance, balancing playfulness and vulnerability, while Mark Eydelshteyn brings infectious charm to his role as Ivan. The film’s shift from romantic comedy to caper drama underscores its deeper allegorical message: the fleeting nature of dreams and the harsh reality that often follows.
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Challengers
Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers is a sizzling, high-stakes drama set in the world of professional tennis, exploring the intense, complicated relationships between former best friends Art (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor), and Tashi (Zendaya), the woman who came between them. The film weaves through time, building a story of ambition, jealousy, and betrayal that culminates in a thrilling final match. Tashi finds herself caught in a power struggle as she pushes her husband, Art, to reclaim his career while navigating the simmering tension with Patrick, whom she has a past with.
The film’s immersive tennis scenes, expertly shot and paired with a pulsating Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross score, mirror the high emotional stakes of the characters’ love triangle. Zendaya shines in her first leading role, delivering a transformative performance that anchors the film’s fiery intensity. With a script full of sharp, electric dialogue and delivering one of the year’s best third acts, Challengers is a gripping exploration of desire, power, and competition, both on and off the court.
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Conclave
You wouldn’t think that a film about a sequestered group of cardinals trying to select a new pope would be one of the most memed movies of the year, but the buzz it has generated online has been hilarious to witness. “Conclave is first and foremost a movie for nosy b*tches,” one X user wrote. The poetic pettiness, plots to expose secrets, gossip and backstabbing can only be compared to something like Mean Girls, as many online have linked it to. Referred to also as a film about “a group of c*nty divas fighting for power with more sass than eight seasons of Drag Race […]” and calling it “real housewives of catholic cardinals” is really only scratching the surface of the many links made to other media, like messy reality TV.
We all love drama no matter the setting and the kind of adolescent backstabbing on display among a group of religious old men is endlessly entertaining to watch. But this kind of conflict reveals deep institutional corruption that hits forcefully as a mirror to the political rot we see in our own governments. Edward Berger’s latest is an incredibly gripping pressure cooker with the temperature rising at every minute. It features one of the best ensemble casts of the year and Isabella Rossellini blows the roof off the place.
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The Count of Monte Cristo
Matthieu Delaporte’s and Alexandre de La Patellière’s The Count of Monte Cristo is an epic adaptation of an epic novel. After all these years, the classic Alexandre Dumas novel remains irresistible because it masterfully plays with so many familiar elements – doing it before anyone else. This story of love, betrayal, wealth, power, and revenge is dished on a shining platter of thrilling action, stunning production design and cinematography, compelling performances…Everything about it is perfect.
The word “masterpiece” gets thrown around a lot, but this film is deserving of it. This compelling cloak-and-dagger story follows a young nobleman who is arrested at the altar and sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Long thought dead, he escapes prison, finds buried treasure, and reinvents himself as the wealthy Count of Monte Cristo. It’s a tale that tugs on every emotion as we witness the main character’s plight as a man torn from the love of his life to one who struggles to see the difference between justice and revenge. Eventually, his dedication to vengeance threatens to corrupt his soul. It’s rare to get a spectacle like this, one that makes you lament how Hollywood doesn’t make movies like this anymore. Thank God for the French.
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Dune: Part Two
As Shah Shahid says in his review of Dune: Part Two for Nerdspin, the finale of Denis Villeneuve’s adaption of Frank Herbert’s epic sci-fi novel is a “satisfying and explosive conclusion.” As the sole survivor of House Atreides, the young Paul spends the film grappling with the loss of his father and a destiny that is being thrust upon him. He’s full of anger but also uncertainty. His arc here provides a deeper, more complex exploration of the character as he eventually rises to become the Lisan al Gaib.
The film delivers on everything a sequel to Dune would and ties every plot point together masterfully, with a more expansive story that includes more intricate political machinations and continues its themes of ecological and social struggle and even more action-packed sequences and emotional depth. Given the strength of Villeneuve’s direction, its ambitious storytelling, Greig Fraser’s stunning visuals, a stellar cast, and Hans Zimmer’s evocative score, Dune: Part Two proves to be one of the best sci-fi films of all time.
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His Three Daughters
Azazel Jacobs’ His Three Daughters is a poignant exploration of grief, family dynamics, and the complexities of mortality. The film follows three sisters – played by Elizabeth Olsen, Natasha Lyonne, and Carrie Coon – as they come together to care for their ailing father in his final days. The story delves into the emotional turbulence that arises when unresolved family tensions collide with the weight of impending loss. The film’s dialogue is sharp and insightful, capturing the raw emotions that surface when family members are forced to confront their past and present selves. Jacobs masterfully weaves a narrative that is both claustrophobic and intimate, as the sisters grapple not only with their father’s death but also with the deep-seated rifts that have long existed between them.
The performances are heartbreaking, bringing emotional depth to the story’s quiet moments and explosive confrontations. His Three Daughters ultimately speaks to the fragility of life, the need for connection, and the bittersweet process of healing – reminding us that even in the face of loss, there is hope for reconciliation and understanding.
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Nickel Boys
Nickel Boys, based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, is a haunting and visceral adaptation that brings to life the true horrors of the now-infamous Nickel Academy, a reform school in Florida with a brutal history. Directed by RaMell Ross, the film chronicles the lives of two boys, Elwood and Turner, as they navigate a corrupt and violent institution meant to “reform” them, but instead only subjects them to unimaginable cruelty.
The story unfolds with a sense of impending doom, with the boys’ dreams and hopes continually crushed by the system. Shot in a first-person point of view, Nickel Boys has the ability, unlike any other film, to make these haunting experiences feel deeply personal, as though we have been placed in the shoes of the characters. With a striking emotional resonance that lingers long after the credits roll, the images of the victims of a legacy of violence and systemic injustice echo through the screen. Ross’s direction, combined with a masterful script and standout performances, turns this historical narrative into a poignant meditation on trauma, survival, and the lasting scars of institutionalized racism.
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Nosferatu
Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is a haunting and atmospheric reimagining of the 1922 German silent film classic, blending gothic horror with a sense of dread and meticulous historical detail. Set in 19th-century Europe, the film tells the story of Count Orlok, a monstrous vampire, and his pursuit of a young woman, which leads to devastating consequences. Eggers, known for his atmospheric work in films like The Witch and The Lighthouse, brings a unique vision to this reinvention, focusing on its female character and the psychological and emotional toll of fear, obsession, and isolation.
With stunning cinematography, evocative sound design, and a sense of existential dread, Nosferatu becomes more than just a supernatural tale – it’s a chilling exploration of the dark corners of the human psyche. The film’s unsettling atmosphere and deliberate pacing enhance its sense of terror, making Eggers’ Nosferatu both a love letter to the original and a fresh, terrifying take on a gothic classic.
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Sing Sing
Directed by Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing centers on the transformative power of theater within the walls of a maximum-security prison, where a group of incarcerated individuals work together to stage a production. Colman Domingo delivers a powerhouse performance as a seasoned inmate, offering both wisdom and vulnerability as he helps guide his fellow prisoners through the challenges of their own pasts while navigating the complex emotional landscape of rehabilitation and redemption.
The film explores themes of identity, guilt, and the possibility of change, blending gritty realism with the catharsis of creative expression. Comprised primarily of non-professional actors who were once incarcerated in Sing Sing Correctional Facility, the film becomes a moving meditation on second chances, the arts as a vehicle for healing, and the human capacity for growth even in the most oppressive circumstances. The film’s ensemble, paired with strong direction and a poignant script, makes Sing Sing a striking and emotionally resonant work.
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The Wild Robot
The Wild Robot is one of the most visually stunning animated films of all time, blending breathtaking imagery with a heartwarming story of survival, self-discovery, and motherhood. Directed by Chris Sanders, the film follows Roz, a robot who unexpectedly awakens on a remote island, finding herself stranded in a strange and wild world. As she learns to adapt and survive, Roz forms unexpected bonds with the island’s animal inhabitants, discovering both the beauty and challenges of life. The film excels not only in its eye-catching watercolor aesthetic but also in its narrative, which combines wit, excitement, and soul, creating a deeply emotional and enriching experience.
The Wild Robot offers more than just a tale of adventure; it’s a meditation on the nature of existence, the importance of community, and the transformative power of empathy. Its rich visual design, coupled with a story that tugs at the heartstrings, makes this a standout and a testament to the power of animation to tell stories with deep emotional resonance.
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