The 10 Best Movies of 2024, Hands-Down

This has been a stellar year for film in theaters—there was nothing quite like seeing Wicked on the big screen—and on streaming services—The Piano Lesson on Netflix was gorgeous and heartbreaking. And with the new year and awards season fast approaching (I’m predicting a battle between Cynthia Erivoand Mikey Madison for the Best Actress statuette), it’s time to revisit the best movies of 2024.

There are plenty of thrillers, comedies and action-packed films that came close to joining this list (sorry, Deadpool & Wolverine, maybe next sequel…), but they can’t all make the top 10. Did your favorite film of the year find its way onto our list? Here, 2024’s 10 best films, hands-down, no question, plus where to watch or stream them.

For those who are wondering, this soon-to-be-nominated movie musical is next-level good. And I’m not the only one who thinks so—the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer for Wicked is at 90 percent and its Popcornmeter is at 97 percent. NBD.

The fabulous film is as relevant as ever, with unbelievable performances from Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh and Jonathan Bailey. In my review, I gave the film six out of five stars (a first for me and a first for PureWow), writing, “I did not stop smiling for the entire viewing of Wicked Part One, now playing everywhere in theaters. As a fan of the Broadway musical, I was not only not disappointed, I was floored by how the film defied gravity and elevated the source material to new heights.”

And my colleague, PureWow Beauty and Cultures Editor Chelsea Candelario, agrees, writing, “It's no surprise that the shining stars were Cynthia Eviro and Ariana Grande. They were meant to play Elphaba and Glinda. Whether they were singing together or solo, these two powerhouses didn't outshine each other. If anything, they complement each other so well. It makes sense why they are so in sync during red carpets and interviews. Their real life friendship truly shines through on screen.”

I think we’d all be hard pressed to find a list of 2024’s best movies that doesn’t include Wicked.

Wicked is currently still playing in theaters.

Anora is a brand-new dramedy that's been gaining positive acclaim ever since it hit theaters on October 18. Madison (who I mentioned above) portrays a young sex worker named Ani, whose life is turned upside-down when she meets a Russian oligarch, and they decide to elope.

The film is laugh out loud funny at times and heartbreaking at others. But as I write in my review of the movie, “The reason to check out this film? Madison, Madison, Madison. Mikey Madison delivers a stunning, layered performance as a complicated young woman who isn't afraid to speak her mind or to put herself first. It's impossible not to be impressed by this relative newcomer as she goes on a journey that takes us from Coney Island to Las Vegas and back again (and then back...again).”

PureWow Wellness Director Sarah Stiefvater agrees, saying, “Mikey Madison is a total star that I can’t wait to see in more leading roles, and there’s a great balance of slapstick comedy and heartfelt (sometimes heartbreaking) moments. There’s a similar energy to Tangerine, another dramedy from director Sean Baker, and as with that movie, I was all in on Anora from the moment it started.”

Unsurprisingly to anyone who’s seen the film, Anora has a whopping 96 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

Anora is currently still playing in theaters.

Did you know The Piano Lesson was a family affair behind the scenes? In fact, Denzel Washington worked alongside all four of his children—John David, Katia, Malcolm and Olivia—on the Netflix film.

Produced by Washington and directed by his son, Malcolm, this adaptation of August Wilson's play centers on the growing tension between two siblings who want to honor their family's legacy in vastly different ways. One wants to sell their father’s piano to buy land and the other wants to keep it as a family heirloom. Needless to say, the film adaptation features incredible performances and high-stakes family drama that feels personal and relatable.

In her review of the film, PureWow’s Associate Editor of News and Entertainment, Nakeisha Campbell, wrote, “The Piano Lesson is filled with strong performances and memorable scenes, but it's more than a star-studded drama. It poses valid questions about what it means to honor one's legacy while exploring important themes like grief, the American Dream, complex family dynamics and the effects of slavery.

Oh, and the stellar film spent quite a bit of time lingering on the Netflix top 10 movies list.

The Piano Lesson is now streaming on Netflix.

The only true family flick to make this list, Inside Out 2 is one of the rare cases where the sequel not only matches the original in quality, it doesn’t try to replicate it. Instead, it offers a brand-new story featuring the same (and a few new) characters we love. 

In the Disney Pixar film, Riley is now a teenager, which means facing a whole new slew of emotions. Amy Poehler returns to lead the animated flick’s all-star voice cast as Joy, with new addition Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke, stepping in to stir up trouble.

PureWow’s Executive Managing Editor Catrina Yohay says of the film, “Inside Out 2 was adorable: real feelings, relatable friend fights, real-life tween hormones. My 6-year-old nephew sat through the whole movie completely enthralled, and I love that it teaches kids that A. It’s OK to have big feelings and B. It’s OK to feel them all.”

Inside Out 2 is now streaming on Disney+.

It’s been quite a while since Challengers first hit theaters, but the steamy tennis flick (starring the one and only Zendaya) remains one of the best films of the year.

The movie follows Zendaya’s character Tashi, a former tennis star who has now turned to coaching. Her past collides with her present when her husband has to face off on the court against her former boyfriend. Or for those who haven’t seen but have heard about it, it’s that super sexy tennis movie with Zendaya in it.

As PureWow’s Candelario says, “Zendaya was phenomenal in that movie. I went in thinking it was going to be about tennis (which to some extent it is), but it’s so much more than that. It has drama, love and a killer soundtrack that will surely put you in the workout mood.”

Challengers is now streaming on Prime Video.

Mark my words, Demi Moore will be a contender in the Best Actress category come Oscars season this year. Her performance in The Substance is incredible and jaw-dropping, and that has nothing to do with the fact that she’s at certain points unrecognizable.

The film’s narrative is powered by a universal trope: Who doesn’t want to be reborn as an improved version of oneself? In this case, Elizabeth Sparkle (Moore) is a famous Hollywood star with a televised workout show, who learns she’s being replaced by a younger host. So, she turns to “The Substance,” which is an injectable drug that causes her to literally split in two, with a separate more “physically perfect” woman emerging from her back.

In her rave review of the film, PureWow Senior Editor Dana Dickey writes, “While this wild ride of cockamamie sci-fi events happened, I was entertained by the super-stylized set design (shades of The Shining), the ominous score and I can’t lie, the close-ups of Lycra-clad and naked body parts of Margaret Qualley, who plays Sue, Sparkle’s ‘Substance sister. It’s clever the way that filmmaker Coralie Fargeat pulls the viewer into a world where we, like Sparkle and her new girl Sue, are complicit in the superficial appreciation of humanity, the slick surfaces of appearance. As a viewer, I fell for the grift—look at all the pretty ponies!—and then felt guilty for being part of the problem that Sparkle tries to remedy to disastrous results.”

The Substance is now streaming on Mubi.

It’s hard not to love everything Céline Dion does or says. And that includes her eye-opening and heartbreaking documentary, I Am: Céline Dion, which was released on Prime Video back in June.

The film follows Dion and her battle with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS for short), a rare neurological disorder that causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms. It also chronicles Dion's childhood, her career beginnings in Québec and her rise to fame.

Irene Taylor, who directed the documentary, told Deadline, “This film was born out of extraordinary trust. Céline let me in at a time when most would push away. The world’s response is a testament to authenticity and non-fiction storytelling, and Amazon’s deep commitment to make Céline’s voice heard once again.”

Not only is the movie a must-see, but it also became the streaming service's biggest documentary ever and it caused Dion's music catalog streams to go up by 33 percent worldwide.

I Am: Celine Dion is now streaming on Prime Video.

This stunning film comes from contemporary painter Titus Kaphar, who is making his directorial debut here. Here, he takes inspiration from his real-life personal struggles and tells the story of Tarrell (André Holland), an extremely talented young painter with a beautiful family and a promising future. However, a surprise visit from his estranged father throws him off balance, forcing him to come to terms with a dark past that continues to haunt him.

In her five-star review of the movie, Campbell writes, “Exhibiting Forgiveness is a masterpiece that features stellar performances and brilliantly tackles the complicated process of healing from generational trauma. The moving tale will tug at heartstrings and challenge viewers to examine their own traumatic experiences.”

In reference to the performances, she continues, “Andra Day is my absolute fave, so it was a treat to see her play Tarrell's wife (and hear her sing!). Her chemistry with Holland is spot on.”

Exhibiting Forgiveness is now streaming on Prime Video.

Netflix documentary Will & Harper has to be one of the biggest surprise hits of the year. If you had asked me in 2023 if I thought a documentary starring Will Ferrell would be a contender for Best Movie of 2024? I’d have laughed at you like I was watching, well, a Will Ferrell movie. But here we are and, yes, it is an incredible film, worthy of a place on this list.

The documentary stars Ferrell and comedy writer Harper Steele (one of Ferrell’s closest friends). During the pandemic, Steele emails Ferrell to tell him that she is transitioning. Ferrell is not just supportive of Steele, he invites her on a road trip to get to know her as Harper and to figure out what her transition means for their friendship. This is the basis of the film, and let me tell you, you’re going to need the tissues for this one.

PureWow’s Wellness Director Stiefvater weighs in on the emotional nature of the movie in her in-depth review, writing, “‘I watched the trailer when it came out and it made me cry,’ I told my parents as I found the preview on YouTube. Reader, we watched the trailer, watched the movie and each cried multiple times. By the time the credits rolled, my parents went so far as to thank me for suggesting we watch it.”

She continues, “At a time when repugnant bigots are spewing hateful and dangerous lies about ‘transgender operations on illegal aliens,’ and trans rights are under attack, Will & Harper is timely and essential viewing that I can't recommend enough.”

Will & Harper is now streaming on Netflix.

Thelma is one of those movies that takes you by surprise with its simplicity and charm. The story follows Thelma, a 93-year-old grandma who falls for a phone scam that costs her $10,000, brilliantly and beautifully played by June Squibb. Determined to prove that she still has “it”, she sets out on an adventure to get her money back and take down the con artists who wronged her. 

The film is delightful, smile-inducing and difficult not to love. (And it even includes a faux-Mission Impossible style and soundtrack as Squibb’s Thelma hits the streets to right this wrong.)

PureWow’s Editor-in-Chief Jillian Quint perhaps put it best, saying, “I kind of thought Thelma was a perfect film: funny, touching and a really nuanced look at aging and ‘irrelevance.’”

And clearly those who have seen the film have agreed. Thelma has a whopping 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Thelma is now streaming on Prime Video.