Tis the season to draw up a list of 2024 movie releases that I want to catch-up with before embarking upon the traditional Kaedrin Movie Awards, Top 10, and other year ending nonsense. Of course, the professionals are releasing their Top 10s and year end summaries right now, but for us normals who don’t go to Sundance and Cannes or get screeners and other such opportunities, it takes a bit longer. So the Awards happen in January and the Top 10 usually in February (hey, at least we’re faster than The Oscars!)
As of this moment, I’ve seen 80 movies that could be considered a 2024 release. This is more than the last few years, which is actually a little surprising. I expected last year’s writer/actor strike to have a big impact on this year’s releases (and indeed, lots of high profile stuff is delayed). I’d have to do a deeper dive into the list to tell for sure, but I suspect the slack was taken up by indie releases and streaming slop.
In any case, it’s traditional around here to take stock of the year so far and take a look at what I missed as well as what’s coming soon. The end of the year usually results in a deluge of prestige pictures looking for Oscar nominations. The pandemic threw a wrench into that pattern, and the aforementioned strikes also keep things weird, but while there are only a couple of high profile releases remaining this year, there’s still a bunch of under-the-radar releases going on right now, not to mention that there’s plenty of stuff from earlier in the year that I want to catch up with. Standard disclaimers apply: I consider some 2023 movies a 2024 release if it didn’t get distributed in the US until 2024. This list is not comprehensive. I probably won’t watch everything on this list. I will probably watch things not on this list. I started compiling this post a couple weeks ago and have already seen some of the movies on it. And so on. Let’s get to it:
Blockbusters
Wicked – A massive success thus far and it’s getting lots of Oscar buzz, so I guess I’ll have to give it a shot. I always try to go into a movie assuming the best, but I suspect this is a movie that isn’t really for me (a three hour musical that’s only half a movie? That’s an uphill battle). I will give it a shot though, because every year there are almost always one or two movies that I don’t think I’ll like that I end up loving anyway.
Gladiator II – Again, I have mixed thoughts here. I don’t normally love sequels, but Ridley Scott’s involvement as well as some interesting casting (Denzel Washington! Pedro Pascal! Moar!) has me interested enough to give it a shot. Update: I have seen this movie! It looks great and the action is cleaner (an approach I prefer to the original’s more chaotic approach), but the story is a mess and while Denzel always brings it, let’s just say that Paul Mescal simply doesn’t have the juice that Russel Crowe brought to the first movie. This will get some love in the Kaedrin Awards, but not the Top 10 (or even Honorable Mentions).
Inside Out 2 – Yet another sequel, but it’s always hard to count Pixar out. I loved the first movie (it made the top 10 that year), and while I don’t expect this to be quite that good, it could still be great. On Disney+.
The Wild Robot – Another animated kids movie, this one is at least an original release and it seems to be getting good reviews. It looks like I’ve missed out on the theatrical run, and it’s still in the overpriced premium streaming window right now, but I expect it to come down to normal rental prices or show up on Peacock soon enough.
Saturday Night – Was genuinely curious about this movie, which seemed to get a better than expected reception, but it came out right in the heart of the 6 Weeks of Halloween (I almost always miss non-horror movies that come out during that timeframe)
Megalopolis – Given the box office for this, it’s a bit of a stretch to put it in the Blockbuster category, but it’s a new Francis Ford Coppola, so I’ll throw it here. Another casualty of the 6 Weeks of Halloween, I really meant to get to it, but it didn’t happen. It’s still in the premium streaming window, but I’ll definitely be giving it a shot when it’s got normal rental/streaming.
Nosferatu – I listed this as my most anticipated movie of the year back in June, and Robert Eggers always interests me. I have high hopes, and early reviews are encouraging. Heck, even the deranged social media takes (this has to be a bit, right?) are encouraging.
Conspicuously Absent: Mufasa: The Lion King (no, just… no.), Joker: Folie à Deux (groan), and Kraven the Hunter (I may actually watch this, if it’s bad enough)
Streaming Exclusive
Emilia Pérez – Legal drama that seems to be getting some Oscar buzz, and I’m not sure, but is it a musical of some kind? I guess I’ll give it a shot, but who knows. On Netflix.
Juror #2 – I guess WB technically gave this a theatrical release (only about a week of weirdly limited release), but what may be Clint Eastwood’s final movie definitely deserves a look, and it’ll be hitting Max in a couple of weeks.
Carry On – Jaume Collet-Serra returning to weird high-concept travel thrillers? Sounds good to me. On Netflix starting December 13.
Blitz – Steve McQueen WWII drama, I should probably take a look. On Apple TV+.
The Killer – Dammit, John Woo is going to make me get Peacock, isn’t he? Just what I needed, another streaming service. On Peacock.
Nutcrackers – David Gordon Green is making a not-quite Hallmark style Christmas movie about putting on a talent show to save a town? Starring Ben Stiller and Linda Cardellini? Maybe! On Hulu.
Independent, Foreign, and Art House
Challengers – One of the critical darlings of the year, I have to admit that I have never really loved anything from Luca Guadagnino (I guess the Suspiria remake has its moments, but still). I will give this a shot though. On Amazon Prime.
I Saw the TV Glow – Well regarded indie horror that I meant to get to during the 6 Weeks of Halloween, but never managed it. Will definitely catch up with it before the top 10. On Max.
The Order – Cat and mouse FBI and bank robbers/terrorist plot, or something like that. In theaters now, will hopefully be catching up with this one this week.
Look Back – Japanese anime/manga adaptation about competitive artists bonding over their craft or something. Will definitely check this out. On Amazon Prime.
My Old Ass – Aubrey Plaza indie (there seems to be a couple of these every year) about a woman meeting an older version of herself or something. I’m down. On Amazon Prime.
The Brutalist – A24 drama getting tons of Oscar buzz. No idea what the release will look like, but it’s on the radar.
My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock – The gimmick here is that the director hired someone to impersonate Hitchcock’s voice, and wrote a script of Hitchcock describing his own work in is own words, which we will hear from his own (well, impersonated) voice. It’s technically in limited theatrical release now, no idea when it will show up on streaming, but I’m looking forward to checking this out.
Red Rooms – French Canadian thriller about a serial killer trial and a woman obsessed with figuring out various related mysteries (or something, I haven’t seen this yet). Getting raves from folks I trust, really looking forward to this one. Available for rent on the usual suspects right now.
American Star – One of those assassin’s last job type movies, sounds interesting.
Miscellaneous, Genre, Mutant Fam, etc…
Oddity – Horror movie about revenge through the use of haunted objects, sounds great. On Shudder.
Caddo Lake – What sounds like a convoluted mystery/thriller with unusual twists, sounds interesting. On Max.
Molli and Max in the Future – Sci-Fi Romantic Comedy about two people running into each other across planets, dimensions, and space cults… or something. I’m sold. On Amazon Prime.
Cuckoo – German horror flick that’s reasonably well regarded, I’m in.
Exhuma – South Korean horror flick about consequences of disturbing graves or somesuch. On Shudder.
Bookworm – Ant Timpson and Elijah Wood reteam on… a family comedy/adventure? Sure, why not.
Get Away – Nick Frost wrote and stars in this horror comedy. Technically getting a very limited release right now, and none of the theaters are nearby (there is one that’s only 30 minutes or so away, but it’s listed as “permanently closed”, so I’m not sure what’s up with that). If I can’t find it in the theater, it will hopefully make it to streaming somewhere convenient.
The Killer’s Game – Dave Bautista-led actioner that didn’t get much play earlier in the year. Will probably give this one a shot.
Monster Summer – Don’t know much about this except that it appears to be a kids-on-bikes horror adventure with Mel Gibson in a supporting role or something. Not great reviews, but I might give it a shot.
Werewolves – This seems an awful lot like a DTV action movie starring Frank Grillo (of which there are many!), and yet it’s apparently playing in theaters. Tonight. I don’t expect it to be great or anything, but I’ll give it a go, because why not?
Well, that’s thirty 32 movies (I updated this post with two new movies at an unspecified time/date, because you can’t stop me) I want to catch up with, which seems like plenty. There’s definitely some gold in here somewhere, and I’m looking forward to many of them. Suggestions welcome!