Welcome back to the Midweek Movie Marathon where this week I will be ranking the best movies I saw in 2024. In total, I saw 134 feature length and short films with most of them being pretty decent.

My fifth favorite film I watched in 2024 was Longlegs. I walked into the theater completely blind to the wild ride that was about to go down. Longlegs was complex and chilling and I found myself cringing in my seat more than once. I’m not sure what I expected but a demon worshiping psychopath, but Nic Cage was not it. The acting and the plot were incredible and I loved the mystery of it. It was enthralling and I feel the need to watch it again because I don’t think I got all the nuance the first time.

Up next is A Ghost Story. We are taking a strong U-turn here from Longlegs. While Longlegs was supernatural in an unsettling way, A Ghost Story was heartfelt and quite somber. A Ghost Story tells the tale of a young man who unexpectedly dies in a car crash and becomes a ghost. He returns back to his home where he is stuck passively watching time go by. He watches as his house is sold and changed and destroyed and yet he can’t do anything to stop it. This movie is so impactful and lachrymose it is a must see. Even with limited dialogue, it doesn’t make the film feel unfinished. It’s a complete story that deserves a watch.

Next is a classic, No Country For Old Men. I didn’t think it would live up to its hype, but I was wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned that this is the most accurate representation of a psychopath in film. The whole film is thrilling and existential and is in no way uplifting. All the characters are corrupt in one way or another, but it makes for a fascinating story. If the tale of a greedy man running away with drug money while being chased by a persistent psychopath doesn’t draw you in, it’s directed by the Coen brothers who are fantastic storytellers. 

Now to the top two. My second favorite film I’ve seen this year is Source Code. I haven’t heard anyone talk about this film, but I really think they should. When I tell you I was shocked at the ending, I mean it. The twist is great, the acting is superb, the story is simple and effective; it has it all. It is a great sci-fi action film that doesn’t lean too heavy on the action portion to carry the film. It is intelligent and really really fun to watch. I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of a good sci-fi film. It is severely overlooked and this needs to change. 

Finally my favorite film of 2024 was… drumroll please… Lisa Frankenstein! Not the highest ranked by critics or audiences, but for a fun time this is the movie to watch. It is hilarious, it is campy, it is ever so slightly unhinged. It’s perfect for a movie night with friends. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, which doesn’t make it a contender to be a critically acclaimed masterpiece, but why should it? It’s a silly chick flick about a girl who revives a dead man in a tanning bed! I loved every second of it and it is infinitely rewatchable to me.

This year I may not reach such a high amount of films but with the releases of movies such as Wicked: For Good, Tron: Ares, Mickey 17 and F1 I’m sure that 2025 will be a great year for movies.