Jmunney's Blog

Happy 2025, movie lovers! But let’s not forget 2024 just yet. I know I haven’t. As per usual, I saw more than 100 new filmed adventures during the last trip around the Sun, and I enjoyed quite a few of them. I decided to include my top 14 flicks for my Best Of coverage this year, because that just happened to be the number that I was passionate enough about to announce to the world. So please read on, as I count down my Top 14 Movies of 2024 and reveal the story of how I fell in love with them.

14. The Substance: The trailer for this body horror treat felt like it emerged out of nowhere, and I immediately wanted in. Now I’m hoping that some TV channel airs 24 Hours of The Substance every New Year’s.
13. The Seed of the Sacred Fig: A nearly three-hour family drama directed by an Iranian exile isn’t exactly what I would call “right up my alley,” but it is something that I’m happy to give a fair shake to. And I’m glad I did, because The S. of the Sacred F. burrowed deep into my subconscious and hasn’t left since.
12. MaXXXine: As the capper to the X trilogy, MaXXXine was probably my most anticipated of the year. And it did not disappoint! Thanks in no small part to one of the most satisfying third acts of 2024.
11. Problemista: I’m always happy to venture into the mind of Julio Torres, and Problemista was the most all-consuming trip yet. It left me kind of hopeful for the future?
10. A Different Man: Talk about movies I can’t get out of my head. I really didn’t know what to make of A Different Man before stepping into the theater, but I was certainly happy to receive an intoxicating mix of tones and genres.
9. The First Omen: The trailer for The First O. was pretty cool, but could a prequel to a not-exactly-super-duper horror franchise possibly be satisfying in 2024? Apparently it very much could! I’ve been preaching ever since.
8. Will & Harper: Y’all know I love Will Ferrell. And it turns out that Harper Steele has also been working behind the scenes on some of the best comedy of the past couple of decades. It soothes my soul to know that they have such a wonderful friendship.
7. Frankie Freako: It’s hard to pull off low-rent silliness so transcendently, but sometimes miracles happen. Thank heavens I found Frankie Freako in its super-limited theatrical release, because we were meant to be together.
6. Late Night with the Devil: I believe in late night TV, and also the devil is in me (in a rock ‘n’ roll sense). The team behind Late N. with the D. knew exactly how to deliver what folks such as myself have been seeking.
5. Conclave: Me Before Seeing Conclave: Sure, I’ll go see a movie about picking a new pope. Me While Watching Conclave: Hell yeah, this is pretty good. Me at the End of Conclave: Get ready for the revolution.
4. Dune: Part Two: I appreciated, but didn’t love, Denis Villeneuve’s first Dune venture. But then Part Two made me want to gobble up all of Arrakis.
3. I Saw the TV Glow: Before I saw I Saw the TV Glow, I don’t think I ever said the words “I saw the TV Glow” in that order. But now it’s the perfect phrase to describe so many of my most formative experiences.
2. Furiosa: I didn’t love Fury Road as much as its biggest fans, but the Furiosa trailers were really drawing me in. Now, I’m pretty sure I’ve always loved this revelatory prequel since the beginning of time.
1. The People’s Joker: When I heard about the legal controversy preceding The People’s Joker, I thought, “hmm, I’ll have to check that out.” Then when Vera Drew stopped by Comedy Bang! Bang! and revealed that she worked on the CB!B! TV show and the Tim & Eric universe, I realized, “Oh, this is going to be one of my favorite movies of all time, isn’t it?”