One More for ’24! These Movies Are All Worthy of Striking Gold

“Are there are good movies out now?” My friends must ask me this question at least once a week. Or, put it this way: They ask this significantly more often than the prototypical “How are you?” But it’s fine. I get paid to write movie opinions. And I’m in a good mood, I even tailor my answer to my friend’s specific tastes (as opposed to a general “Eh, Wicked is fun.”) But now that we’re knee-deep in the unforgiving and relentless slog that is January, I may as well shout it from the rooftops — or at least my laptop: the time is now to play catch up on the best movies from 2024. At least, my best movies. No, I was not a fan of Emilia Perez. And the much-lauded The Brutalist falls off a cliff in the second half. (Honestly, its 3.5 hour-run time is the least of its problems.) Anyway! Some of my picks are headed straight to Best Picture nominee status, but others are just little gems that you can queue up from your own own cozy confines. Happy watching.

The Substance

Nobody watches this stunner and just likes it. Audacious to the extreme, it’s a OMG classic. A Golden Globe-winning Demi Moore goes for broke as a faded fitness guru — Los Angeles-based, of course — who injects herself with a substance that allows her to regenerate. Enter a younger, plumper version . . . played by Margaret Qualley. Visual shocks aside, the message is painfully clear: Being a woman of a certain age can truly feel like a horror show.

A Real Pain

A stellar Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin play cousins on opposite sides of the personality spectrum touring Poland to honor their Holocaust survivor grandma. Their poignant, meditative and often very funny journey, written and directed by Eisenberg himself, reflects on how connecting with the past can balm the pain of the present. Both actors are leads, but Culkin is a lock for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

Anora

Think of this rollicking tale as the anti-Pretty Woman. Instead of falling for a polished mogul at the Reg Bev Wil, Brooklyn stripper Annie (Mikey Madison) meets and marries the bratty son (Mark Eidelshtyn) of a Russian oligarch. But once his parents hear the news, her Cinderella dream becomes abruptly and violently and legit hilariously upended. That is, until the heartbreaking last few minutes. What a star-making turn for Madison.

Challengers

Love-love-love the sexy, sweaty romance between the no-nonsense tennis phenom-turned-coach (Zendaya) and both her ex (Josh O’Connor) and husband (Mike Faist). The trio’s dynamic over the years shifts as breathlessly as the momentum in the climatic championship match. The guys captivate, and Zendaya fiercely calls all the shots in her first adult role.

Wicked

It’s time to sing the praises of the eye-popping musical extravaganza. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande both cast a spell as Shiz University students destined for sorcery greatness in Oz. An extended run time — Part 2 is coming in 2025! — allows more time for all 11 song-and-dance numbers to shine. I’m willing to look past the fact that Erivo is in her 30s and playing a teenager. Let’s just see “Defying Gravity” performed at the Oscars, pleeeeeease.

Conclave

Three words that shouldn’t fit together yet do: Juicy papal thriller. Inside the Vatican, the top cardinals have gathered to elect the new Catholic man in charge. But the dean (Ralph Fiennes) is troubled by accusations that the previous Pope may not have died from natural causes. All the tension leads up to a literal gasp of a third-act twist.

Sing Sing

At the unforgiving correctional facility, a group of men serving hard time stage plays to enrich themselves. Their new production is a silly comedy, but it gives them a purpose. (A fantastic Colman Domingo stars as one of many men who went through the real-life program.) Without resorting to cliches, this powerful drama shows determination and humanity at its finest.

My Old Ass

Do not judge a genuinely affecting coming-of-age gem by its awful title! On the cusp of leaving for college, Elliott (Maisy Stella) comes face-to-face with the 39-year-old version of herself (played by Aubrey Plaza). The two somehow stay in touch, and the headstrong teen ultimately learns why and how to enjoy the here and now.

Hit Man

Sorry, Twisters: This is the only Glen Powell-starring 2024 film sure to blow you away. His Gary is a fake contract killer having fun setting up stings for the New Orleans Police Department. Then he gets tangled up with a beauty (Adria Arjona) desperate to get rid of her abusive husband. Powell co-wrote the spry and clever screenplay with director Richard Linklater.

The Greatest Night in Pop

Ending on a nostalgic note! Here’s the fascinating and consistently entertaining backstory on how dozens of music icons, from Michael Jackson to Cyndi Lauper, came together in 1985 to record the charity single “We Are the World.” FWIW, audiences will likely glean more insight into Bob Dylan’s psyche from his brief appearance in this doc footage than in his A Complete Unknown biopic. Truth.