How many films did you see this year?
According to my Letterboxd profile, I saw 253 films in 2024.
That represents only a portion of what I’ve seen, since I don’t record in public the films I saw as a Programming Associate for SXSW during the past four months. (Full disclosure: it was a lot.) As detailed at my personal site, I’ve reviewed 78 films and 55 narrative series, and seen and/or sampled many more.
Far more than the lists, though, I count myself fortunate to be in a position to see and enjoy so many cinematic experiences. Right now, I’m eager to see what the new years brings. Even more so, I’m itching to return to local movie houses and watch films on the biggest screens possible.
My personal favorites:
- The Bikeriders – I love every film directed by Jeff Nichols, and his latest feels like a shot of whiskey served neat, rolling around my insides, warming up and leaving a pleasant aftertaste. (Now streaming on Peacock.)
- Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – Astounding action that demands multiple repeat viewings to appreciate fully, married to desperate tales of survival against all odds. Marvelous George Miller direction is continually propulsive. (Now streaming on Max.)
- A Complete Unknown – I first heard Bob Dylan as a child, so my initial impressions were limited to “Blowin’ in the Wind,” which left me wide open to James Mangold’s interpretation of a musician’s path from open-eyed (not really) innocence to brutally grouchy and spitefully spirited genius. Greatness. (Now playing in DFW theaters.)
- Woman of the Hour – Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut bears all the hallmarks of a performer’s first turn behind the camera — stylistic flourishes, distinctive framing, a fresh approach to a narrative — with the tang of a frightening true story that simmers into it curdles. (Now streaming on Netflix.)
- Evil Does Not Exist – The conclusion of the film flummoxed me, yet Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s fluent direction elevated what feels like a simple environmental that becomes increasingly layered and complex. (Now streaming on Criterion Channel.)
- Flow – Speaking of the environment, director Gints Ziibalodis creates a spectacular animated film that creates characters out of ordinary creatures and their daily struggles to survive. After the positive advance buzz, I was sure I would be disappointed, but lo and behold, the film exceeded what I thought it would be.
- Resynator – Alison Tavel’s endearing documentary is an act of discovery about her father and the connections they never made before he died. In researching and diving deep into his invention of a musical instrument, what at first seems to be a foolhardy exercise in familial pandering becomes something quite extraordinary.
- Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl – A bumbling human and his loyal dog are the best of friends, and their adventures continue in an inventive comedy that never ceases to surprise. (Full review coming Friday, with its debut on Netflix.)
- September 5 – Another childhood memory comes vividly to life, this time dating back to 1972 and events that came to life for me only in newspaper accounts. Watching things unfold in real time, enacted by an excellent ensemble cast led by John Magaro, is mesmerizing. (Full review coming when the film opens January 17.)
- Nightbitch – Amy Adams givers a bravura performance as a new mother who is overloaded with her lovely baby. From the perspective of a single male who has never had children, this looks both familiar and terrifying. (Now streaming on Hulu.)
Dallas Film Now. 