We're halfway through 2024. Here are the 10 best movies of the year (so far). (2025)

Brian TruittUSA TODAY

The sauciest tennis movie maybe ever. A queer bodybuilding revenge thriller. A very different Bible tale.

When it comes to the films of 2024, these are a few of our favorite things.

Last year was an amazing year for movies. This year, though, has been a little rough. People are freaking out over box-office receipts, and high-profile flicks – most recently, "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" and "The Garfield Movie" – aren't exactly raking in the cash; in fact, only five films in 2024 have cleared the $100 million bar domestically. And the movies themselves have been just OK on the whole. Usually, Hollywood backloads the really good stuff, and after "Madame Web," "Argylle" and other rather middling fare, more quality is desperately needed.

Thankfully, there have also been some standouts. Here are 2024’s best movies so far, definitively ranked:

Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox

10. 'The First Omen'

"The Omen" franchise receives a nice refresh with this prequel to the original 1976 movie. Nell Tiger Free stars as a young American novitiate at an Italian orphanage who becomes embroiled in a rogue Catholic Church conspiracy to birth the antichrist. There's plenty of nun horror and a jaw-droppingly gonzo finale, but feminist undertones and a timely take on religion bring depth and relevance to a demonically effective chiller.

Where to watch: Hulu, Disney+.

9. 'The Book of Clarence'

Jeymes Samuel's thoughtful and subversive take on the biblical resurrection story stars LaKeith Stanfield as Clarence, a streetwise Jerusalem man in Jesus' time. Seeing the power and swagger Jesus has, Clarence proclaims himself "the new messiah," tries his hand at miracles and runs afoul of the Romans in a spiritually touching Everyman story anyone can relate to, whether you’re a believer or not.

Where to watch: Netflix.

8. 'Late Night With the Devil'

David Dastmalchian makes everything he's in better, from the "Ant-Man" movies and "The Suicide Squad" to "Oppenheimer" and "The Boogeyman." He gets a hell of a lead role in this discomforting and mind-bending retro horror movie, starring as a 1970s late-night TV host who is tired of losing in the ratings to Johnny Carson and brings on a supposedly possessed girl in a Halloween gambit that spirals supernaturally out of control.

Where to watch: Shudder.

7. 'Drive-Away Dolls'

Director Ethan Coen's goofball crime comedy is a playfully madcap turn on the “Thelma & Louise” model, with Geraldine Viswanathan and Margaret Qualley playing lesbian friends needing to get away from their everyday lives. Driving a rental car to Florida, they find something weird in the trunk and wind up on a campy, noir-spattered road trip. (Extra cool points for including a fun bit from cameo king Matt Damon.)

Where to watch: Peacock.

6. 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga'

In the prequel to "Mad Max: Fury Road," Anya Taylor-Joy takes over Charlize Theron's title role as young Furiosa embarks upon an epic revenge quest that involves vehicular mayhem, explosive action sequences, rampant road rage and the weirdest villain Chris Hemsworth will probably ever play. It's no "Fury Road" but "Mad Max" mastermind George Miller again delivers a wild and worthy dystopian thrill ride through the Wasteland.

Where to watch: In theaters.

5. 'Hit Man'

Glen Powell may be a rising star after "Top Gun: Maverick" and "Anyone But You," but the real talent scouts have been on board since his wise ballplayer in Richard Linklater's "Everybody Wants Some!!" They team again for an irresistible noir comedy and Powell's most wide-ranging role to date, a nerdy philosophy professor who moonlights as a fake assassin on cop crime stings and falls for a "client" (Adria Arjona) wanting to off her hubby.

Where to watch: In theaters and on Netflix.

4. 'Challengers'

Just when you think sports movies are all the same, director Luca Guadagnino ("Call Me By Your Name") serves up an art-house topspin with his engaging, hot-blooded tennis melodrama. Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor star as young doubles partners and Zendaya is the teen singles sensation who creates an emotionally complicated love triangle that unfolds in fierce fashion on and off the court over several tumultuous years.

Where to watch: Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Amazon.

3. 'Love Lies Bleeding'

Eyes lock between pumped-up Midwestern bodybuilder Jackie (Katy O'Brian) and introverted gym manager Lou (Kristen Stewart) and a love connection sparks. Then everything falls apart, and bodies start hitting the ground, in director Rose Glass' sultry, sweaty and sufficiently bizarre neo-noir thriller. Come for the bullets and barbells, stay for O'Brian's fantastic star-making turn, deftly capturing the troubled soul underneath Jackie’s muscles.

Where to watch: Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Amazon.

2. 'Civil War'

With his riveting cautionary tale, director Alex Garland takes our current political and cultural divide to a disturbing place and makes audiences confront what an actual modern civil war would look like. The thriller doubles as a journalism movie, too, with Kirsten Dunst turning in an outstanding performance as a world-weary photographer who takes a rookie (Cailee Spaeny) under her wing on the dangerous road to a scoop for the ages.

Where to watch: Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Amazon.

1. 'Dune: Part Two'

For a much-anticipated epic sci-fi movie, director Denis Villeneuve's 2021 "Dune: Part One" was aggressively average. (Heck, that David Lynch "Dune" was more enjoyable.) But all is forgiven now, Denis: "Part Two" is a sprawling, sandworm-filled triumph. Timothée Chalamet finally finds his way as the messianic Paul Atreides – plus digs into the thorny issues that come with being a savior figure – in a gripping, action-packed sequel exploring power, colonialism and religion.

Where to watch: Max.

We're halfway through 2024. Here are the 10 best movies of the year (so far). (2025)

FAQs

We're halfway through 2024. Here are the 10 best movies of the year (so far).? ›

Citizen Kane (1941) stood at number 1 for five consecutive polls, with 22 votes in 1962, 32 votes in 1972, 45 votes in 1982, 43 votes in 1992, and 46 votes in 2002. It also topped the first two directors' polls, with 30 votes in 1992 and 42 votes in 2002.

What are the top 10 movies of 2024? ›

Box Office 2024: Top 10 Movies of the Year
  • Inside Out 2: $571.8m.
  • Dune: Part Two: $282.1 million.
  • Despicable Me 4: $210m.
  • Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire: $195.8m.
  • Kung Fu Panda 4: $193.5m.
  • Bad Boys: Ride or Die: $184.7m.
  • Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: $170.3m.
  • Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire: $113.1m.

What movie is considered the best of all time? ›

Citizen Kane (1941) stood at number 1 for five consecutive polls, with 22 votes in 1962, 32 votes in 1972, 45 votes in 1982, 43 votes in 1992, and 46 votes in 2002. It also topped the first two directors' polls, with 30 votes in 1992 and 42 votes in 2002.

Which year has the best movies? ›

The year 1939 in film is widely considered the greatest year in film history. The ten films nominated for Best Picture at the 12th Academy Awards (which honored the best in film for 1939)—Dark Victory, Gone with the Wind, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, Love Affair, Mr.

What is considered the greatest year in cinematic history? ›

1939 is considered by many to be the best year in movie history, and when you look at all the classics that were released, it's hard to argue against it. Many classics came out in 1939.

What is the #1 movie in the world in 2024? ›

Inside Out 2

What is the #1 movie in the world? ›

All Time Worldwide Box Office
RankYearMovie
12009Avatar
22019Avengers: Endgame
32022Avatar: The Way of Water
41997Titanic
76 more rows

What is arguably the best movie of all time? ›

The 11 arguably best movies of all time
  1. 2001: A Space Odyssey. 19682h 29mG. 8.3 (725K) Rate. ...
  2. The Fountain. 20061h 37mPG-13. 7.2 (250K) Rate. ...
  3. Fight Club. 19992h 19mR. ...
  4. Baraka. 19921h 36mNot Rated. ...
  5. Apocalypse Now. 19792h 27mR. ...
  6. Terminator 2: Judgment Day. 19912h 17mR. ...
  7. Casablanca. 19421h 42mPG. ...
  8. Requiem for a Dream. 20001h 42mNC-17.

What is the #1 movie in US history? ›

All Time Domestic Box Office
RankYearMovie
12015Star Wars Ep. VII: The Force Awakens
22019Avengers: Endgame
32021Spider-Man: No Way Home
42009Avatar
64 more rows

What is the most badly rated movie? ›

The Terror of Tiny Town (1938)

In 1978, it was included in Michael Medved's book, The Fifty Worst Films of All Time, and has since been listed as one of the worst films ever made, by Flavorwire, Rotten Tomatoes, and The Golden Turkey Awards.

What is the 1st best movie ever? ›

1. Citizen Kane (1941)

What movie has the best ratings ever? ›

Here are Rotten Tomatoes' highest-rated movies that have managed to maintain a 100% score and have the highest number of reviews.
  • The Philadelphia Story (1940) ...
  • Meet Me in St. ...
  • Singin' in the Rain (1952) ...
  • Seven Samurai (1954) ...
  • The Terminator (1984) ...
  • Toy Story (1995) ...
  • Toy Story 2 (1999) ...
  • Deliver Us From Evil (2006)
Apr 19, 2024

What is the number 1 movie of the year? ›

Movie Index
YearAnnual StatsNo. 1 Movie
2024Annual StatsInside Out 2
2023Annual StatsBarbie
2022Annual StatsAvatar: The Way of Water
2021Annual StatsSpider-Man: No Way Home
86 more rows

What is the longest movie in cinematic history? ›

Cinématon

A 151-hour long experimental film by French director Gérard Courant. It is considered to be the longest film ever released. 9,000 minutes (150 hr / 6 days, 6 hours).

What is the longest movie title in history? ›

1. Night of the Day of the Dawn of the Son of the Bride of the Return of the Revenge of the Terror of the Attack of the Evil, Mutant, Hellbound, Flesh-Eating Subhumanoid Zombified Living Dead, Part 3.

What was the greatest movie era? ›

Most film scholars will tell you that the 1970s were the greatest decade of film.

What is coming out in the cinema in 2024? ›

July
  • Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024) Directed by: Mark Molloy. ...
  • Despicable Me 4 (2024) Directed by: Chris Renaud, Patrick Delage. ...
  • MaXXXine (2024) Directed by: Ti West. ...
  • Fly Me to the Moon (2024) Directed by: Greg Berlanti. ...
  • Longlegs (2024) Directed by: Osgood Perkins. ...
  • Twisters (2024) Directed by: Lee Isaac Chung.
Jul 9, 2024

What is the movie 2025 about? ›

Movie Info

Synopsis Young Christians start an underground revolution to reunite Christians and regain freedom in a world transformed by the coronavirus.

Will the movie 2024? ›

Will tells the story of the titular character's struggles with grappling with the Nazi's violence and how the Jewish community endured hardships during the war. The film is directed by Tim Mileants and based on the novel of the same name by Jeroen Olyslaegers. Will premiered on Netflix on January 31.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Chrissy Homenick

Last Updated:

Views: 6205

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (54 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Chrissy Homenick

Birthday: 2001-10-22

Address: 611 Kuhn Oval, Feltonbury, NY 02783-3818

Phone: +96619177651654

Job: Mining Representative

Hobby: amateur radio, Sculling, Knife making, Gardening, Watching movies, Gunsmithing, Video gaming

Introduction: My name is Chrissy Homenick, I am a tender, funny, determined, tender, glorious, fancy, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.