Top Ten Films & Television Series of 2024

Happy New Year to you!! I could have waited another two weeks to post my Top Ten Films of 2024 as I still have some key international and independent films to watch. However, the last few I’ve seen didn’t overly impress me so I figured my Top Ten wasn’t going to change much. I’ve also seen all I will likely see to complete my Chicago Indie Critics Ballot which is due this week. Since I’ve already written reviews of all of these films (except for one which hasn’t technically been released yet) I’ll refer you to those posts for my full thoughts on each. (You can also go to my website at Palcinema.com to check out all of the reviews I posted this year.) I also separate out documentaries from fictionalized films. If I didn’t my Ten would feature more of the former than the ladder. I am often quite moved by docs! Anyway here are my Top Ten Films of 2024:

1. Anora - Hilariously dark and twisted with a stellar ensemble cast. I loved everything about this surprising Sean Baker film.

2. Universal Language - This is Canada’s submission for the Best International Film Oscar and I hope it gets in. It’s a witty and absurd story which features several storylines interconnected during a cold Winnepeg winter, including a turkey that gets loose and rides a bus…

3. Daaaaaali! - Another absurd and very funny film featuring a series of actors playing artist Salvador Dali. The story defies traditional logic which I found highly creative and hilarious.

4. Sing Sing - Understated prison drama about a program to rehabilitate prisoners through acting and stage productions. Very inspiring.

5. Conclave - Excellent film about the election of a new Pope that is very well acted and features a twist that only those who have seen the film can talk about.

6. A Complete Unknown - Timothee Chalamet deserves the Oscar this year for his uncanny portrayal of Bob Dylan.

7. Flow - The best animated film I saw this year is from Latvia and features animals attempting to survive a tsunami. It’s beautiful and quite moving.

8. A Real Pain - Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin are great as sparring cousins who embark on a trip to Poland to visit their late grandmother’s home as they also dive into the Holocaust and their own cultural heritage.

9. Nickel Boys - Excellent adaptation of the celebrated novel features a unique first person perspective which changes throughout the film. It also includes a twist that is interestingly constructed.

10. The Substance - Demi Moore returns with a great performance as a TV celebrity who attempts to recapture youth through a drug which leads to horrifying results and often unintentional laughs.

Other top favorites: The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Close Your Eyes, Ezra, Nightbitch, Evil Does Not Exist, The Piano Lesson, The Brutalist, The Last Showgirl, Vermiglio, All We Imagine as Light

Top Ten Documentaries of 2024:

1. My Stolen Planet

2. Will & Harper

3. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

4. No Other Land

5. Yacht Rock - A Rockumentary

6. Daughters

7. Faye

8. Music by John Williams

9. The World According to Allee Willis

10. Blink

Top Ten Television Series of 2024:

1. Dark Matter - The best sci fi series I’ve seen in a while featuring Joel Edgerton in parallel versions of his life. (AppleTV+)

2. What We Do in the Shadows - The funnies series on the air which may have had it’s best season yet. Unfortunately, they’ve decided to end it after six seasons. (F/X and Hulu)

3. The Franchise - Clever new series about a crew working on a big budget Hollywood film that is very funny and well-acted. (Max)

4. The Diplomat - Keri Russell continues to excel as the diplomat to the U.K. This season ended with one of the best cliffhangers on record. (Netflix)

5. Ripley - Andrew Scott is menacing and amusing as the “talented Mr. Ripley” in a surprising and beautifully shot adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith story. (Netflix)

6. Saturday Night Live - It’s been a while since SNL has made my Top Ten but with its current stellar cast and a series of great hosts it has been more satisfying and funny than not. (NBC)

7. Pachinko - This second season of the celebrated novel was dark and moody but also nicely developed, intriguing, and very well acted. (AppleTV+)

8. Somebody, Somewhere - The final season of this Midwest set dramedy was definitely its best. Stars Bridgett Everett and Jeff Hiller kill it in every episode. (Max)

9. Slow Horses - I finally watched every season of the AppleTV+ series this year and while some of the plot lines completely perplex me, the characters and actors are superb and fascinating to watch. (AppleTV+)

10. Nobody Wants This - Solid and enjoyable romantic comedy with great work from Kristin Bell and Adam Brody. (Netflix)

Other series I liked: Industry, The Bear, Life and Beth, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Abbott Elementary, Outer Range

Favorite Docuseries:

1. Beckham

2. Six Schizophrenic Brothers

3. Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam

4. The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy

What are some of your favorites from 2024?