Kôji Yakusho as Hirayama in a scene from "Perfect Days." (Photo courtesy of NEON)
In the Year of Our Lord 2024, three little words kept popping up in my head, an inevitable refrain as your reasonably intrepid film reviewer navigated auditoriums, festival shindigs and other cinema-related spaces.
Those three words are “guys, come on.”
The ubiquitous phrase raced through my mind last February as I fought a pounding headache following the press screening for “Dune: Part Two,” Denis Villeneuve's aesthetically oppressive second chapter in his adaptation of Frank Herbert's sci-fi novel. I nursed my throbbing temples and wallowed in my disappointment, considering I liked “Part One,” only to discover several of my colleagues singing the arid sequel's praises.
The same phrase jabbed its finger on my forehead in April as a large Magic City crowd applauded “Thelma,” the condescending, insufferably twee action comedy that opened this year's Miami Film Festival, followed by an encore “guys, come on” when I spotted Chick-fil-A menu selections being served at the festival's opening night reception. It wasn't until the next morning that I saw the pictures of a guy in a cow suit promoting the fast food giant. (For context, Chick-fil-A has contributed millions of dollars to anti-LGBTQ organizations, though the company said in 2019 that they would stop these donations, and Dan Cathy, the company's chairman and former CEO, has gone on the record about his opposition to marriage equality. He's entitled to his opinion, but it's not a good look for an arts organization to pick a food vendor with this much baggage.)
Flash forward to September, and my inside voice screamed “guys, come on” as elated advance screening audience members cheered “The Substance,” Coralie Fargeat's toxic, Cannes-winning takedown of showbiz sexism and internalized misogyny. And my inside voice screamed those words a month and a half later, as attendees at a press screening of “Emilia Pérez” in Cambridge, Mass., marveled at the “audacity” of Jacques Audiard's tone-deaf, culturally insensitive Mexican telenovela with musical numbers and a terrible Selena Gomez performance.
How can the middling “Dune” sequel and a trio of godawful festival hits continue to be showered with praise? Even now, as a relentless succession of critics groups pile on the year-end hosannas to the same handful of anointed awards-season heavyweights with deflating, monolithic uniformity. (We'll save my conflicted, decidedly mixed response to the long-awaited screen adaptation of the first half of “Wicked” for another day.)
Rarely have I been more out of step with so many of my fellow film journalists' consensus picks for a given movie year. Disregard all those “best year since COVID” gushing you may have read elsewhere. From my vantage point, the past twelve months didn't quite match the heights of even the several past years, though I'm sensing the 2023 writers and actors strikes may have had something to do with it, not to mention some studio execs' asinine meddling with the commercial releases of several movies that deserved better. (I'm mostly looking in your direction, Warner Bros.)
But rather than continue my old-man-yelling-at-cloud rant, let's turn our attention toward the movie offerings released in 2024 that I did like, some of which received much-deserved attention from yours truly and my fellow members of the Florida Film Critics Circle in December (which includes miamiartzine.com editor Michelle Solomon). So, here they are: ten movies that gave me a fleeting glimmer of hope that the future for the moving image isn't all gloom and doom. They include some high-profile contenders you've probably heard of, as well as a handful of less heralded gems that are rife for discovery. You will also find new work from a renowned filmmaker who's double dipping with two films on the list. The countdown begins now.
Tony Aburto, Micah Bunch, Nathaly Garcia, Nichole Dukes and Makai Garza as themselves in a scene from "Gasoline Alley." (Photo courtesy of MUBI)
10. “Gasoline Rainbow”: The open road beckons to five high school graduates who ditch their small town and its scant prospects, but what they believe to be their last gasp of freedom before jumping into adulthood becomes a magical journey into the heart of the Pacific Northwest, for them and for us. The close-knit clan travel by van, freight train and boat to the Oregon coastline, finding themselves and the kindness of strangers in the process. Directors Bill Ross IV and Turner Ross (“Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets”), better known as rossbros, deliver a big-hearted ode to restless youth and wanderlust with their documentary roots on ample display. Find someone who cares for you like these filmmakers love these young voyagers. (Now streaming on MUBI and available for digital rental.)
Cat is in a sinking situation in the animated feature "Flow." (Photo courtesy of Janus Films/Sideshow)
9. “Flow”: A curious, saucer-eyed black cat suddenly finds itself in a fight for survival after realizing its habitat is going underwater. Reluctant alliances with other members of the animal kingdom, including a friendly golden retriever and a neurotic lemur, ensue in this immersive, wordless eco-fable from Latvian animator Gints Zilbalodis. It may take you some time to acclimate to the somewhat rudimentary character designs, but by enveloping viewers in the action, this soul sibling to Carroll Ballard's animal adventures, with distinct “Life of Pi” echoes, tells its tale of community building and resilience without coming across as preachy, all while retaining an air of mystery and wonder. Simply marvelous. (Now showing at AMC Sunset Place 24. A digital rental release date has not been announced as of this writing, and it's unclear whether it will return to more local theaters closer to the Academy Awards.)
Drew Starkey as Eugene Allerton and Daniel Craig as William Lee in a scene from "Queer." (Photo by Yannis Drakoulidis. Courtesy of A24)
8. “Queer”: William S. Burroughs' novella, written in the 1950s but not published until 1985, was deemed unfilmable by some, and purists have carped about what director Luca Guadagnino and screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes have done to the lurid text on its journey from page to screen. But this hallucinatory, sexually frank portrait of unrequited longing and self-loathing, about a middle-aged American expatriate pining away for the younger, noncommittal object of his affection in Mexico City during the 1950s, hit this middle-aged gay guy like a ton of bricks. As the expat writer caught in a web of desire and substance abuse, Daniel Craig seizes the moment and delivers the best performance of his career. A perfectly cast Drew Starkey conveys his character's mix of aloofness, genuine interest and just plain ambivalence with pinpoint precision. An eclectic, anachronistic soundtrack with judiciously placed needle drops is the cherry on top. (Now showing at AMC Sunset Place 24 and Regal South Beach. A digital rental release date has not been announced as of this writing.)
Lautaro Bettoni as Maxi and Javier Orán as Pedro in a scene from "The Astronaut Lovers." (Photo courtesy of Sombracine/Mr. Miyagi)
7. “The Astronaut Lovers”: Of course, there are less dysfunctional depictions of queer romance out there, and this breezy, chatty delight from Argentina is the most accessible film to date from prolific writer-director Marco Berger (“The Blonde One,” “Horseplay”). Simplicity is golden in this tale of two childhood acquaintances who reconnect in their twenties. Openly gay Pedro (Javier Orán), who is visiting from Spain, embarks on an extended summertime flirtation with ostensibly hetero Maxi (Lautaro Bettoni). The clever turns of phrase fly fast and furious, held aloft by Berger's buoyant mise en scene and the sparkling chemistry between his handsome, charismatic leads, in this rom-com that reminds you just how satisfying the genre can be. This 2024 OUTshine Film Festival selection is the OUTshiniest one to OUTshine its competition. (No U.S. distributor has been announced as of this writing, but previous Berger films have found their way stateside following festival showings.)
Akari Takaishi and Kylie McNeill voice Kimi Sakunaga, Taisei Kido and Eddy Lee voice Rui Kagehira, and Sayu Suzukawa and Libby Rue voice Totsuko Higurashi in a scene from "The Colors Within." (Photo courtesy of GKIDS)
6. “The Colors Within”: Sure, “Flow” has the momentum in the race for animated feature awards season gold (sorry, “The Wild Robot,” you're just okay), but this absolute gem from Japanese director Naoko Yamada (“A Silent Voice”) is the even better contender: touching, nuanced, resplendent. A student at an all-girls Catholic school is able to see people's emotions as colors, an ability that leads her to cross paths with a more withdrawn classmate and a young man with big plans. So, of course, the trio form a band and start collaborating on original tracks. Familiar coming-of-age subject matter feels freshly minted, thanks to a killer soundtrack and richly layered characters, both the central trio and supporting players like a nun who nurtures her students' talents. Perhaps this anime winner's most rebellious move is depicting the Catholic Church in a benevolent light. (Opening in theaters Jan. 24.)
Aubrey (right) and other girls attending A Date with Dad at a Washington, D.C. jail in the documentary "Daughters." (Photo courtesy of Netflix)
5. “Daughters”: This nonfiction profile of the Date with Dad program, which offers counseling to prison inmates before organizing a father-daughter dance for them, dives into reform behind bars without feeling like you're taking your medicine, a feat that the similarly themed “Sing Sing” wasn't able to pull off. But the heart of Natalie Rae and Angela Patton's deeply affecting documentary is its indelible portraits of the titular children and teens, how they view their place in the world and how they navigate conflicting emotions about their absent fathers. Its depiction of the actual dance, vividly lensed in 16mm, is a knockout. (Now streaming on Netflix.)
Kani Kusruti as Prabha in a scene from "All We Imagine as Light." (Photo courtesy of Janus Films/Sideshow)
4. “All We Imagine as Light”: Soul sisters shine bright, even when the odds are stacked against them, in this luminous city symphony predominantly set in rain-soaked Mumbai. Writer-director Payal Kapadia could have just limited her narrative to the obstacles faced by three medical workers. Head nurse Prabha (an understated, stirring Kani Kusruti) comes to the realization that the husband who left her behind to take a job in Germany is a distant stranger. Her roommate, younger nurse Anu (Divya Prabha), is dating a Muslim man behind her strict family's back. And widowed hospital cook Parvaty Chhaya Kadam) discovers she's about to lose her home. But Kapadia delves deeper into these women's lives, and her character-driven film blossoms like a flower before our eyes. I have a feeling Satyajit Ray would have approved. (Showing this weekend at Savor Cinema in Fort Lauderdale following a limited local release last month. It's unclear whether it will return to theaters closer to the Academy Awards this spring.)
Mike Faist as Art and Josh O'Connor as Patrick in a scene from "Challengers." (Photo courtesy of Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures)
3. “Challengers”: You may have heard the complaints lobbed against Luca Guadagnino's electrifying sports drama. The detractors claim the ambitious tennis pros at the center of this complicated romantic triangle are too unlikable. Selfish. A bunch of jerks. Some bemoan Guadagnino's frothy, heteroflexible imagery, which eroticizes male stars Josh O'Connor and Mike Faist while keeping a discreet distance from queen bee Zendaya, who commands the screen with the burning intensity of a pre-Code goddess. Others argue the film promises sexytime fun but skimps on the actual sex, opting instead to be a tease. Ignore the naysayers and surrender to the impish playfulness that Guadagnino, once again working with Justin Kuritzkes, has whipped up. Their nonlinear narrative, propelled by composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' pulsating synth beats (what a rush!), channels Ernst Lubitsch's 1930s romps as it keeps edging viewers, until the tennis court being depicted is more than just a tennis court. The results are knotty yet exhilarating, and for this filmmaking team to have this and “Queer” coming out on the same year, it's crystal clear these two are at the top of their game. (Now streaming on Amazon Prime Video and available for digital rental.)
Léa Seydoux as Gabrielle and George MacKay as Louis in a scene from "The Beast." (Photo courtesy of Janus Films/Sideshow)
2. “The Beast”: Bertrand Bonello's visionary triumph, aka Love in the Time of Corsets/Incels/AI Sexbots, is a masterful meditation on human (dis)connection that plays out over three periods. In 1910 France, an acclaimed, married pianist resists starting an affair with a handsome, brooding man from her past. In 2014 Los Angeles, a model and actress house-sitting an architect's plush home is drawn to a shady looking voyeur who may be capable of great violence. And in 2044, when artificial intelligence has taken over most jobs, a Parisian woman undergoes a procedure that will potentially get rid of all those pesky strong emotions. The man and woman who appear in all three narrative strands happen to be the same people, and Bonello, loosely adapting Henry James' 1903 novella “The Beast in the Jungle,” has crafted an intoxicating sci-fi/costume drama cocktail of reincarnation and regret, as cerebral as it is romantic, with shades of “Cloud Atlas” and “Mulholland Drive.” It's anchored by career-best turns from Léa Seydoux and George MacKay. Truly one of a kind. (Now available for digital rental on Amazon Prime Video, Fandango at Home, YouTube and other services.)
Kôji Yakusho as Hirayama in a scene from "Perfect Days." (Photo courtesy of NEON)
1. “Perfect Days”: What is a life, but a collection of moments that you strive to hone into the most fulfilling combination thereof? To get there, do you improvise and play it by ear? Or do you create a rigidly structured roadmap? Wim Wenders' sublime Tokyo story follows Hirayama (Kji Yakusho), an aging bachelor who's alone but never lonely, as he lives his best life cleaning the city's toilets. Ah, but the in-between moments matter, and “Perfect Days” thrives in those nooks and crannies, the comforting rhythms of a daily routine, and how said routine is suddenly disrupted when Hirayama's niece drops in unannounced. A trio of road movies, not that different from “Gasoline Rainbow,” put Wenders on the map back in the mid-1970s. With this far more sedentary effort, the “Paris, Texas” director has made his best film in decades, and one of the very best from this decade. (NEON, its U.S. distributor, positioned the film as a 2023 release, though its commercial release was in February, which is when I saw it, and it explains why you may not have seen it mentioned as much.) One memorable scene lingers on the contours of Yakusho's face, and as Lou Reed sings “Perfect Day,” it looks as if he's lit from within. Moments like this are why I go to the movies. (Now streaming on Hulu and available for digital rental on Amazon Prime Video, Fandango at Home, Google Play YouTube and other services.)
Ryland Brickson Cole Tews as Jean Kayak, standing trial in fron of "Hundreds of Beavers." (Photo courtesy of SRH)
Let's hear it for the next ten best, listed in alphabetical order: Ofir Raul Graizer's “America,” Halina Reijn's “Babygirl,” Rysuke Hamaguchi's “Evil Does Not Exist,” Goran Stolevski's “Housekeeping for Beginners,” Mike Cheslik's “Hundreds of Beavers,” Kiyotaka Oshiyama's “Look Back,” Carl Joseph E. Papa's “The Missing,” Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham and Basel Adra's “No Other Land,” Johan Grimonprez's “Soundtrack to a Coup d'État” and JT Mollner's “Strange Darling.”
Hitoshi Omika as Takumi and Ryo Nishikawa as Hana in a scene from "Evil Does Not Exist." (Photo courtesy of Janus Films/Sideshow)
Happy New Year, dear reader, and thank you for following me in this obsession called cinema. May our paths continue to meet.
