(This article is part of our Best of 2024 series.)
I saw a lot of great movies in 2024. And while I liked my fair share of genres, most of my top five were horror films to some degree, and I compiled my top 5 list accordingly. Enjoy!
I Saw the TV Glow
Every year there comes at least one movie that grabs you by the throat and sticks with you for the rest of your life. This past year that movie was I Saw the TV Glow. Whether you loved this movie or couldn’t stand it, you can’t deny the story is full of memorable moments. On the surface level, it’s an homage to the late ’90s/early 2000s TV fandom that defined many of our childhoods. But on a deeper level, I Saw the TV Glow is a haunting tale of questioning your identity and reality, with the film asking above all: could you make the leap if you discovered your entire life was a lie? The answers the film offers will haunt you for weeks afterward.
Lisa Frankenstein
I’m still disappointed that more people didn’t go see Lisa Frankenstein. It’s a mix of all things ’80s and horror that at first glance shouldn’t work but it actually does and in brilliant fashion. Anyone who has ever struggled with fitting in will find themselves drawn to Lisa. Watching her “evolve” into herself while also bringing the Creature back to life was a cathartic experience, to say the least. The comedy is pitch black but spot on at the same time. I can appreciate a story that encourages the outcast to make their own way, and who cares what the world thinks.
Wicked
For years I have believed the 2012 screen adaptation of Les Miserables had set a bar for Broadway film adaptations that could never be surpassed. Then came Wicked and I was proven completely wrong. This adaptation of the first half of the iconic Broadway musical is everything I needed it to be and more. It’s nearly three hours long but it doesn’t feel like it. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande absolutely nailed their respective roles of Elphaba and Glinda. I’m still blown away by Jonathan Bailey’s performance of “Dancing Through Life,” I can’t imagine anyone else in the role of Fiyero. The music and cinematography were all just so perfectly “Oz.” Best of all, the film ends with a perfect setup for part two that fans will no doubt be watching over and over until Wicked: For Good hits theaters this November. It’s still playing in some theaters so if for some reason you haven’t seen this film on the biggest screen possible, for goodness’ sakes go!!
Alien: Romulus
At last, an Alien sequel that knows what it’s doing! That was my first thought when I saw the first trailer for Alien: Romulus and the sentiment only grew when I saw the film itself. Fede Alvarez went back to the basics for an Alien film: retro-futuristic technology, animatronics, and real effects whenever possible, and it worked in spades. It was also a stroke of genius to include so many homages and callbacks to the gameplay of Alien: Isolation throughout the story. One of the best things in this film is that it both stands on its own and fits very neatly into the greater Alien universe, it even manages to tie into the events of Prometheus without feeling completely shoehorned. And of course, there are all the Alien scares one could ask for. Very excited to see what comes next for the story of Alien.
The Substance
2024 was a particularly good year for horror, and of all the horror films that came out that year the best by far was The Substance. I still remember the day I stumbled across the film’s teaser trailer online and being instantly enthralled. I never expected to see Demi Moore in a body horror film, but she takes to the subject matter very well. Anyone can appreciate what the director is trying to say about the way women are treated in the entertainment industry. It’s a damning critique that everyone needs to see at least once. There’s something about the way The Substance is shot that you feel sucked into the point that you cannot look away, no matter how gruesome the story becomes. I think the film’s final act will be a point of debate for years to come, but it doesn’t take away from the overall brilliance of the film.
What are your thoughts on the movies that made my top five? Share them down below!
