Top 10 Of 100 Film List #4 (2024)
This is a list of the top 10 from the fourth 100 “new to me” films that I watched in 2024. (I watched 391 total, so really, this if from the final 91.) 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. Didi (2024) – A fantastic slice-of-life film about an awkward 13 year old trying to figure out who he is and where he fits before heading into high-school. A movie that you will relate to (you knew this kid or you were this kid), it’s like watching a movie of someone’s actual life. It’s hard to believe this was acting. (Currently free on Prime)
2. Shoplifters (2018) – A layered and emotional film about a poor family of quirky shoplifters who rescue a little girl in the area. It is subtle, it builds, it is beautiful, it’s in Japanese with English subtitles, and you should absolutely watch it. Enough said. (Currently available to rent on Amazon Prime)
3. Boy A (2007) – A movie about a young man who, after being convicted and serving time for a serious crime as a juvenile, is attempting to develop a normal life with the guidance of a guardian. Deep and conflicting, Andrew Garfield shines in this stellar film. (Currently free on Prime and Tubi)
4. The Hunt (2012) – A film about how one small lie out of the mouth of a child can ruin an innocent man’s life. An incredibly intense film that you won’t soon forget, Mads Mikkelsen does some of the best work of his career. (Currently free on Prime and Tubi – make sure it’s the 2012 The Hunt in Danish with English subtitles, NOT the 2020 film)
5. 12 Angry Men (1957) – A classic that we’ve all heard of, but have you watched it? I hadn’t (I don’t always connect with older movies), but I gave it a go. It’s an absolute masterpiece about 12 men on a jury deciding the guilt or innocence of a man on trial. Peter Fonda and the passion in his eyes are timeless. Seriously. (Currently free on Prime and Tubi)
6. Minari – A subtle A24 studio film about a Korean family trying to build a farm and make it in America on their own. When quirky grandma arrives to help with the kids, things become less and more complicated. I laughed, I cried, and it deservedly won many awards. Watch it. (2020) (Currently available to rent on Prime)
7. Breakfast on Pluto (2005) – A fun and visually entrancing film about a gentle and slightly-sassy trans woman named Kitten (played by Cillian Murphy) who is way too much for her little town and goes on an adventure to find her birth mother. A lovely movie with tons of appeal, you’ll find yourself smiling whether you mean to or not. (Currently free on Tubi or to rent on Amazon Prime)
8. Sunset Boulevard (1950) – The movie before the Broadway hit about Norma Desmond, a former silent film star and current recluse who becomes infatuated with a down-on-his-luck writer many years her junior. There are no Broadway tunes here, but it is beautiful, engaging, and Gloria Swanson (who in real life was an aging silent film star when she was cast in this role) is absolutely superb. (Currently available on MGM+ or to rent on Amazon Prime)
9. The Machinist (2004) – You think you deal with anxiety and paranoia? You’ve never seen it quite like this (I hope!). This movie is as much a mystery as it is a psychological thriller that has Christian Bale’s emaciated character questioning reality. He doesn’t eat, doesn’t sleep, and is trying to hold it all together. You likely heard about the actor’s weight loss when he starred in this movie, but it is so very much more than it appears to be. (Currently free on PlutoTV or to rent on Amazon Prime)
10. Scrapper (2023) – An outstanding film about a cheeky preteen girl who, after the death of her mother, has to deal with the reappearance of her long-missing dad. Full of heart and humor, you’re going to love it. (Currently free on Paramount+ or to rent on Amazon Prime)
