Top 10 Of 100 Film List #3 (2024)
This is a list of the top 10 from the third 100 “new to me” films that I watched in 2024. You can find other top 10 lists here. There are lots of excellent movies out there, but these were my favorites from this batch.
Movies move around from platform to platform constantly, but if something seems to have stuck around a platform for awhile, I will link it here. Please let me know if it’s not there anymore!
*Note – I never watch horror movies on purpose, so if you watch any of these, you can be sure that they aren’t that genre.
In no particular order:
1. Phantom Thread (2017) – Starring Daniel Day-Lewis as a refined and controlling fashion designer used to being in charge of his world and his empire, this film follows him and his new muse, who is quite the match – in more ways than one. (Currently available to rent on Prime)
2. Rachel Getting Married (2008) – A complicated picture of what addiction, recovery, and casual narcissism can look like through the eyes of different members of a family. With a stellar cast (and possibly Anne Hathaway’s best work), you will laugh, love, and be pained during what is (often) a beautiful wedding weekend. (Currently available to rent on Prime)
3. Hacksaw Ridge (2016) – With the plethora of war movies available, take a minute to watch this one. A stellar film (and true story) about a conscientious objector who willingly went to war as a medic without arms and won the Medal of Honor for going above and beyond his call of duty. It is more than worth your time. Bring tissues. (Currently available on Hulu or to rent on Prime)
4. Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (2020) – A phenomenal documentary about a camp for physically disabled children and teenagers who were able to exist as themselves without being looked at through the lens of their disabilities. From swearing, sex, and other teenage hijinks, these dedicated and motivated individuals went on to change the country and make it more accessible for everyone. (Currently available on Netflix)
5. Oldboy (2003) – A cult classic, this South Korean film is the story of a man who is kidnapped and held in a room for 15 years with the intention of revenge on his captors when he is eventually released. Not for the faint of heart, this movie is a must for any cinephile. Make sure you are watching the 2003 version. (Currently available on Paramount+ or to rent on Prime)
6. The Whale (2022) – A heartbreaking slice of life film about a gentle, reclusive, and morbidly obese man who is eating himself to death while trying to make amends with his estranged teenage daughter. A beautiful performance by Brendan Fraser who deservedly won the Oscar for this role. (Currently available on Max or to rent on Prime)
7. Waves (2019) – An intense movie about two teenage siblings managing expectations, pressures, and their own decisions, told in two halves. Starring Rene Elise Goldsberry and Sterling K. Brown as the parents, this film will have you anxiously locked into your screen and then having repeated “life consequences” conversations with your own teens (Currently available on Tubi or to rent on Prime)
8. Touch (2024) – A quiet film about an Icelandic man searching for his lost Japanese love from long ago. A charming story that weaves through time with gorgeous cinematography and right into your heart. (Currently available for Amazon Prime members or to rent on Prime)
9. The Road (2009) – While other movies may present what they think the apocalypse would look like, this is likely the most accurate. A dark and gray vision of a post-apocalyptic world seen through the eyes of a father and his son. A slow burn of a movie, you may ultimately find yourself in tears like I did. (Currently available free on Tubi and Peacock or to rent on Prime)
10. The Red Violin (1998) – A tale of an infamous red violin and the many chapters of its story. How did it last so long? How did it become red in the first place? And is the violin up for auction really the red violin of their mythology? A super engaging watch with vignettes so different from one another that you look forward to learning more and seeing the next. (Currently available on Tubi or to rent on Prime)
