20 movies that helped define cinema in 2024

From the mind (and pen) that brought the world indie darlings like Juno and Jennifer’s Body came Lisa Frankenstein. Diablo Cody spun the Frankenstein tale into an ‘80s teen movie meets romantic comedy meets oddball horror with Kathryn Newton and the titular character and Riverdale’s Cole Sprouse as her leading (undead) man. It gave the newest Hot Topic generation a movie to attach themselves to.

John Cena and Zac Efron were golden together in Ricky Stanicky. An Amazon Original, Ricky Stanicky centered around three lifelong friends who devised a pretend friend to get them out of trouble. That is, until their loved ones start to suspect something is up. Those who always complain that comedies aren’t being made anymore, stop. This movie felt like the second coming of those Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn movies from the ‘00s.

Dev Patel highlighted the importance of getting one’s story out there. He wanted to be in an action/thriller, so he not only wrote Monkey Man but also directed it. Let’s hope Patel’s determination moves other actors to get more involved with the groundwork of the creative process moving forward.

American politics have been a lot lately, and Civil War was the obvious result — a time capsule of sorts.

In today’s world, any movie that sparks a meme reaction is a winner.

Inside Out 2 puts a face to the emotion 99.9% of the world feels at any given moment of the day, and for that, the people are grateful.  

An action-packed movie starring a woman in her nineties, Thelma was the unexpected gem of 2024 and proved that it’s still possible to bring something fresh to a genre.

The Quiet Place universe got a little bigger as the horror meets sci-fi franchise took audiences back to the day it all began with Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong'o, Stranger Things’ Joseph Quinn, and a kitty cat.

Longlegs was a testament to great marketing. It had everyone wondering what in the world could happen, and with less than $10 million to make it happen, the Nicolas Cage movie wound up taking in close to $130 million.

As of 2024, The Wild Robot is the most nominated animated movie in the history of the Golden Globes with four well-deserved nominations. The story follows a stranded robot who learns just what it means to not only think for oneself but also about the beauty of family.

Twisters wasn’t original in any way. It was another weather-nerd story interlaced with romance. However, it was a good time, just like the one before it. So maybe movies based on things from the past aren’t so bad, just so long as they’re done right.

Superhero movies often lead fans to theorize this and that, but Deadpool & Wolverine did what their peers could not: Delivered when it came to fan service. Everything from Wolverine in the signature blue and yellow suit to the abundance of cameos, Ryan Reynolds and Co. did what needed to be done, and hopefully, other movies in that genre took note of how to do things the best way.

Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade was one of the first coming-of-age movies to highlight growing up via the internet, but while that stayed present in 2018, Didi took audiences back to the start in 2008. A great addition to the genre, as well as a beautiful story between a son and mother.

Josh Harnett’s renaissance was just getting started in 2023 with Oppenheimer because, in 2024, he was back in the lead as a dad taking his daughter to see her favorite singer. Oh, and he’s also wanted, and the whole concert is a trap set for him.

My Old Âss made audiences wonder if you could talk to your 18-year-old self. What would you say?

The Terrifier franchise was made for less than most Marvel actors are paid to appear in one film, and that’s across three movies. The horror series showed indie filmmakers that a great idea can take their work further than they’d ever imagine, including a third film that would rake in $89 million after being made for only $2 million.

Think Pretty Woman but in the modern world, and a lot more grittier.

Hot Frosty isn't Netflix’s first attempt at taking control of the cheesy holiday movie market, but it was definitely one of their best. Not best, as in Hot Frosty is the next Citizen Kane. It’s just a ridiculous movie in which a snowman comes to life and winds up wooing a widow and an entire small town.

Wicked  has been a part of the pop culture zeitgeist since 2003, and even more so now that it has made its way to the big screen with Cynthia Erivo and Arina Grande leading the way. It is practically a flawless movie adaptation that will leave everyone who sees it feeling like they could defy gravity.

When a sequel is better than the original, that’s magic.