One of the biggest films to hit from a cultural standpoint and not just a box office standpoint was
Wicked (2024). It's part one of two parts. It's essentially a prequel to
The Wizard of Oz (1939) but twisted to become a story about discrimination and bigotry, an altered version of the outsider story that was at the core of the L. Frank Baum classic. Blockbusters like
Inside Out 2 (20024) and
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) made more money. Both grossed over a billion dollars, but
Wicked is the film that will be getting more awards nominations and will probably be discussed long after this year.
Disney is for sure the big winner of the year. It released Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine, which both grossed over a billion. It also released Moana 2 (2024), which was originally going to be a TV series. However, they switched it to a theatrical release and it will likely cross the billion-dollar mark too. The first Moana (2016) did so well on Disney Plus that it built up a strong following and fan-base that putting it on the big screen led to a huge explosion. There is perhaps a lesson to be learned in that. We'll probably see film versions of popular programs on TV or streaming services. The success of Cobra Kai (2018) on Netflix did in part spur the creation of Karate Kid: Legends (2025) and Disney did announce a Bluey: The Movie (2027).
As usual, all of my favorite films aren't part of decades-old franchises. They are all originals and not from the major studios. They're mostly independent films, titles made outside of the mainstream. None of them lit the world on fire in terms of how much money they brought to the box office. Most, if not all of the listed films aren't well known. Some didn't even get wide releases. This list might be the first time that many might have even hear about some of these films, but I'm happy to shine a light on them. This is particularly so when it comes to the really engaging, queer romances like
Egoist, the Japanese film about a man who gives new meaning to the term "found family," or
Love Lies Bleeding, the Kristen Stewart-led, noir about a lesbian bodybuilder.
One could argue that every year is a good year for films about immigrants or the immigrant experience. This one is particularly so. Most award shows will spotlight Brady Corbet's The Brutalist (2024). My list also includes stories about immigrants in various genres. Problemista is about a quirky New Yorker's attempt to stay in the United States. The Long Game is about the children of immigrants trying to make it in the world of golf. Out of Darkness is about what could be considered the very first immigrants on Earth but in a horror context and Io Capitano is a thriller about a young man's trek across a desert and then the sea.
One last theme I've noticed about my list of films is the idea of Black people and the criminal justice system. There are so many incarcerated men. African Americans represent a disproportionate number. Regardless, the series of films on my list represent how Black people and how Black families deal with these incarcerations and how the Black men inside deal with their circumstances as well. In many of the film on my list, it's also about how Black children and Black fathers in particular deal with these circumstances.
Sing Sing is about the men behind bars and how art and specifically acting can be an effective coping mechanism.
Daughters is about how men behind bars can still connect with their children, even with that distance between them.
Rob Peace is about how that distance can affect a man's son to certain extremes and
Nickel Boys is about a different form of incarceration but still just as destructive.
17. SHIRLEY by John Ridley
16. DÌDI by Sean Wang
15. FANCY DANCE by Erica Tremblay
14. SING SING by Greg Kwedar
13. DAUGHTERS by Angela Patton & Natalie Rae
12. THE FIRE INSIDE by Rachel Morrison
11. EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS by Titus Kaphar
10. PROBLEMISTA by Julio Torres
9. EGOIST by Daishi Matsunaga
8. THE LONG GAME by Julio Quintana
7. OUT OF DARKNESS by Andrew Cumming
6. ROB PEACE by Chiwetel Ejiofor
5. NICKEL BOYS by RaMell Ross
4. THE SUBSTANCE by Coralie Fargeat
3. LOVE LIES BLEEDING by Rose Glass
2. FEMME by Sam H. Freeman & Ng Choon Ping
1. IO CAPITANO by Matteo Garrone
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