50 – A Different Man
Kicking off our rundown of the 50 best films of 2024 in the UK is A Different Man. Starring Marvel veteran Sebastian Stan, A Different Man is a black comedy. Sebastian Stan plays Edward Lemuel; an aspiring actor who suffers from neurofibromatosis that manifests itself via facial disfigurement. Edward befriends his new neighbour and playwright Ingrid Vold (Renate Reinsve), before deciding to undergo an experimental medical procedure to cure his condition.
Some time later, Edward (now working as a real estate agent under the false identity of “Guy”) bumps into Ingrid. Their encounter leads to Ingrid deciding to write an off-Broadway play called ‘Edward’. The play itself provides a fictional account of Edward’s life and is littered with deeply offensive tropes about people with disabilities. Nonetheless, Guy successfully auditions for the lead role. The pair engage in a romantic relationship that is soon turned on its head by the arrival of Oswald (played brilliantly by Adam Pearson). Like Edward, Oswald suffers from neurofibromatosis. However, Oswald is much more charismatic and confident than Edward. As the film progresses, we see Oswald slowly seem to take over Edward/Guy’s life.
A Different Man is an interesting, if flawed black comedy. Sebastian Stan’s portrayal of Edward/Guy as a weak and pitiful figure is brilliant. Adam Pearson meanwhile lights up the screen with the sheer exuberance he brings to the role of Oswald. However, my biggest complaint about A Different Man is that I struggled to get invested in any of the characters. None of the film’s core three characters are particularly likable. While this is a deliberate choice by the film’s writer/director Aaron Schimberg, it did affect my enjoyment of the movie.
49 – Priscilla
Released all the way back in January, Priscilla was arguably the first major theatrical release of 2024. Sophia Coppola’s biopic is based on the 1985 memoir Elvis and Me, and presents a Cinderella story of a young Priscilla that slowly turns into what feels like a nightmare. Cailee Spaeny delivers a commendable performance in Priscilla. She captures the wide-eyed naivety of a young teenager drawn to the allure of marrying the world’s biggest pop star. However, the narrative quickly takes a darker turn. Priscilla becomes increasingly isolated and trapped within the confines of Graceland, and her autonomy is gradually eroded. Unfortunately, the film is let down by Jacob Elordi’s portrayal of Elvis Presley. His performance lacks the charisma that defined Austin Butler’s iconic depiction of the King of Rock and Roll.
48 – The Fall Guy
The first disappointment of the annual summer blockbuster season was The Fall Guy. A remake of the 1980s action series of the same name, it stars Ryan Gosling as stuntman Colt Seavers. Colt is working on a film with his girlfriend Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt) where he breaks his back when a stunt goes wrong. Hollywood producer Gail Meyer (played with glee by Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham) brings the pair back together years after their less-than-amicable break-up. Gail convinces Colt to be a stuntman on Jody’s directorial debut movie. From here, viewers witness Colt’s twisting adventure as he’s framed for a murder he didn’t commit
Despite some entertaining moments, I found The Fall Guy to be a fairly generic film. The biggest issue with the movie (and this is a recurring one with a lot of this year’s Hollywood blockbusters) is a lack of chemistry between its two lead stars. The other big issue with The Fall Guy is its somewhat flimsy central mystery. The predictability of the plot, particularly the identity of the person framing Colt, may make the film’s two-hour runtime feel tedious for some viewers.
47 – Nightbitch
Released in the UK earlier this month, Nightbitch premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September. The Marielle Heller-directed comedy is based on a 2021 novel by Rachel Yoder and stars Amy Adams. Amy plays a former art gallery owner, who finds herself increasingly isolated, and at times overwhelmed by the mundanity of the role of a stay-at-home mother. This frustration starts to manifest in bizarre ways, as fur starts growing in random places and Adams’ character starts to behave in more primal and animalistic ways.
With its interesting premise and an Oscar-nominated actress as its lead, Nightbitch had the potential to be a razor-sharp, feminist comedy commenting on first-time motherhood. Unfortunately, it can never quite decide whether it wants to play up the wackiness of transforming into a dog, or if it wants to instead discuss the unrealistic expectations placed on first-time mothers. This means it ends up feeling at times a bit muddled in its messaging, and its ending fails to land.
46 – Timestalker
The next film on our rundown of the top fifty films of this year is Timestalker. Starring, written, and directed by Alice Lowe (best known for Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace), Timestalker is Lowe’s follow-up to 2016’s Prevenge. Alice Lowe portrays Agnes, a young Scottish woman executed in the 1680s for witchcraft. At her execution, Agness sees the man of her dreams. She is reincarnated several times during the movie, as she stalks this same man (who she refers to as her “beloved”) across time. Each incarnation however ends in some form of grizzly death for Agnes.
Unlike Nightbitch, Timestalker feels like a staunchly feminist comedy. While the film initially starts with a pedestrian plot line involving the pursuit of true love, Timestalker shifts gears fairly early on. This pivot means it becomes a much more engaging and interesting comedy as it touches on topics including obsession, female relationships, and what it truly means to be “The One”.
45 – Hit Man
Coming hot on the heels of the success of 2023’s Anyone But You, Netflix’s Hit Man sees actor Glen Powell return to the romcom genre. Loosely based on a true story, Glen Powell plays college professor Gary Johnson. New Orleans Police Department recruits Gary to help them catch individuals hiring hit men via social media. Gary finds he is a natural at this role, leading him to start researching and tailoring his assassin’s personas to the needs and expectations of his potential clients. This research leads to his path crossing with Maddison (Adria Arjona), a young woman in a violent relationship who Gary begins an extramarital affair with.
Unlike several high-profile romantic comedies released this year e.g. The Fall Guy, the biggest strength of Hit Man is the chemistry between its two leads: Glen Powell and Adria Arjona. Powell and Arjona fizzle onscreen together throughout Hit Man. Their chemistry more than makes up for the fact that Hit Man is otherwise a fairly middling, if watchable action romantic comedy.
44 – Fly Me To The Moon
Our third romantic comedy to make this year’s list is Fly Me To The Moon. Released this past summer by Apple Films, Fly Me To The Moon stars Scarlet Johansson as advertising executive Kelly Jones. In 1968, government agent Moe Berkus recruits Kelly to help sell the American public on NASA’s moon landing project. This job leads to her crossing paths with NASA launch agent Colt Davis (Channing Tatum). As the film progresses the two engage in a romantic relationship. Meanwhile, there is a subplot involving the CIA attempting to stage a fake moon landing, to give the United States a propaganda victory in their Cold War with the Soviet Union.
As a piece of entertainment, Fly Me To The Moon is a fun, albeit throwaway affair. Despite their formidable star power, Johansson and Tatum sadly lack any real onscreen chemistry. This means that Fly Me To The Moon feels weakest when it leans into the romantic comedy genre. Fortunately, its conspiratorial sub-plot is engaging enough to elevate the film from being a sub-par romcom.
43 – Only The River Flows
Our first non-English film on the list, Only The River Flows is a Chinese neo-noir. In 1990s China, police chief Ma Zhe investigates a series of murders in a rural village. Initially, a suspect is arrested for the murders. However, the detective finds clues that cause him to question this arrest, and also delve deeper into the various local residents. This pushes Ma Zhe to question everything he believes and even pushes him to the brink of insanity.
Only The River Flows is an incredibly thrilling and stylish crime movie. Much of the film takes place in dimly lit, rainy locales. These locations perfectly complement Jiangxi Nanfeng’s cinematography, giving Only The River Flows its strong film noir aesthetic.
42 – Drive-Away Dolls
Drive-Away Dolls is the latest comedy road movie from Ethan Coen. Co-written with his wife Tricia Cooke, it tells the story of two young lesbians: Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and Marianne (Geraldine Viswanathan). Jamie is an extroverted, out-and-proud member of the LGBTQ community, whereas Marianne is more introverted. The duo embark on a road trip to Tallahassee, Florida, renting a car. A misunderstanding leads Marianne and Jamie to a car containing cargo intended for three criminals. This results in a cross-country chase as our heroines inadvertently become involved in a political scandal.
Drive-Away Dolls was one of my most anticipated films of the first half of 2024. Disappointingly it failed to meet the high expectations one would have going in to see a Coen brothers movie. Despite some genuinely funny moments and good performances from Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan, Drive-Away Dolls is sadly too disjointed to love.
41 – Gladiator II
In November, legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott returns with his second period film in twelve months with Gladiator II. The sequel to his 2001 Best Picture-winning film, Gladiator II picks up some sixteen years after the original with Lucius Verus Aurelius (Paul Mescal), now living in secret exile in Northern Africa. The Romans after attacking the North African kingdom of Numidia, capture Lucious and force him to fight as a gladiator under the false name of Hanno. His enslavement leads Lucious to cross paths with ambitious stable master Macrinus (Denzel Washington), who has political ambitions. This chance encounter leads Lucius and Macrinus to form an uneasy alliance. Macrinus promises the heir to the Roman Empire a chance at revenge on the general who attacked his Numidian home.
If this storyline sounds somewhat familiar, it should. Gladiator II feels very much like Ridley Scott rehashing a lot of the plot beats from the first Gladiator film. Despite its lackluster plot, Gladiator II has some enjoyable moments of spectacle, particularly in its colosseum fight sequences. One such scene contains a naval battle staged in the Colosseum, with great white sharks swimming around. Denzel Washington is also a highlight of Gladiator II. His portrayal of the scheming Macrinus steals every scene he appears in.
Despite these positives, Gladiator II is nonetheless a disappointing addition to the sword and sandals genre. Its incoherent plot is brimming with half-formed ideas, hinting at a troubled production. This assessment comes from the fact that Gladiator II went through several script treatments. These draft scripts include one iteration written by musician Nick Cave. In this version, Maximus is sent back by the Roman Gods to kill Jesus Christ and his followers! It also features a bizarre amount of fan service to the first Gladiator, that would feel more at home in an MCU movie.