Top 5 2024 Films That Lived Up To The Hype (And 5 That Didn't)

Top 5 2024 Films That Lived Up To The Hype…

5. The Substance

I’m just amazed by how haunting this film is. This film stars Demi Moore as a fading celebrity who uses a black market drug that brings out a more Youthful, better version of herself. The only drawback is the more she uses the drug the more it physically affects her. There is no doubt that men have more of a shelf like in Hollywood in terms of what roles they take. This film displays the horror that woman face of having an “expiration date” in Hollywood. The idea of being phased out and forgotten by someone that's more Youthful than you is absolutely terrifying.

The idea of being phased out and forgotten by someone that's more Youthful than you is absolutely terrifying.

4. The Wild Robot

The Wild Robot brought me all kinds of feelings I haven't felt in a while. This brought me back to my childhood when DreamWorks and Disney/Pixar films were a lot more emotionally driven. The animation, the score, soundtrack and voice cast are all exceptional. With this film it felt like DreamWorks got back to their roots in terms of great storytelling with an emotionally moving story.

3. Smile 2

I’ve said this multiple times and I will keep saying it: this is Naomi Scott's best performance to date. Smile 2 may have the same premise as the previous one, however, the themes are completely different. Smile 2 goes a different route and discusses themes of drug addiction and peer pressures of being a celebrity. Not to mention the score, cinematography, opening sequence, costume design and Naomi Scott's performance are all phenomenal.

The jumpscares are a lot more terrifying to witness and I feel as if Naomi Scott is just a more interesting protagonist.

2. Dune: Part Two

Dune: Part Two will definitely go down as one of the best sequels of all time, one of the best Sci-fi films and one of the best films of the 2020's. The world building is excellent, the score is captivating, the cinematography is beautiful, ensemble cast is spectacular and adding humor to the film was a different change of tone which I liked. I saw this film twice with my brother and if this doesn't win any Oscar's I will flip over a table.

1. Wicked

Just like Dune: Part Two I saw this film twice. I’m not too familiar with the original stageplay and I'm not that big of fan of musicals either. However, since Wicked is a widely popular stageplay that everyone loves I decided to give it a chance and I absolutely loved that I did. This movie is close to 3 hours but it certainly doesn't feel like it because the pacing is done so well.

I also wasn't expecting this film to handle topics such as: colorism, microaggressions, racial stereotypes and racial bias. Soundtrack slaps, production and costume design, VFX, all emerge you into this wonderful world of The Wizard Of Oz.

Top 5 Films That Didn't…

5. Immaculate

My hat is off to Sydney Sweeney for finally getting this project to the big screen. This was a dream project for the Euphoria actor and was shelved for years until Sydney help with the funding of the film. It's a horror movie with the same old pregnant nun trope so you’re not really missing anything. This film doesn't really add anything new to the trope. Overall, it's just an “okay" film.

4. The Strangers: Chapters 1

I'm going to be honest: I forgot this steaming pile of dog shit came out this year until I was making this list. I wasn't a huge fan of the original Strangers so I wasn’t even excited about watching this one. Both of the characters are so stupid and I just wanted this film to end. What makes The Strangers so scary is that we don't know who they are, we just know they are psychopaths that get off on killing people. I don’t need a whole backstory on the psychopaths. Sometimes the scary part is the mystery.

3. Twisters

Pros: cinematography, VFX, soundtrack, opening sequence and Tyler Owens wrangler crew. Cons: Kate is an unlikable main character, Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar Jones lack of chemistry. Hot take: Twisters is a remake not a sequel. Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton have way more romantic chemistry than Daisy Edgar Jones and Glen Powell. The relationship with Kate and Tyler felt so forced and honestly i’m glad they cut the kiss out of the film.

Am I the only one that absolutely hates Kate? Hate, might be a strong word but she is just a pain in the ass. No spoilers but after she experiences a traumatic experience from a Twister in the beginning of the film she abandons her hometown and never responds to her mother's or best friends text messages, calls or emails. Having this story revolve around mental health and conquering your fears takes away from the impact of the monster that the original Twister set.

2. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

For the love of God, where do I start with this film? The first act of this film is great and then there is the rest. The first 30-40 minutes or so is a phenomenal revenge story with our new protagonist Noa setting out to avenge his clan. When Sylva takes a backseat to Proximus Caesar as an antagonist that's where I started to lose interest. Not only that but it starts recycling old plot threads when the human character Nova/Mae is introduced and once again we get the whole, “human bad, Apes are your family” bullshit we’ve seen before.

Was Nova/Mae meant to be unlikable? Because if she was then you succeeded in making me hate her. Anytime it's “nature versus humans” I'm rooting for nature all the time. If you think about it Nova/Mae and Proximus Caesar are the same except Proximus Caesar was honest about his intentions. Honestly, I just wanted Nova/Mae to get mauled after what she pulled.

1. Miller's Girl

There are some films that you wish you could get your time back after watching. And guess what? This monstrosity is one of them. Seriously, who thought that this was a good idea? I’m pissed off having to write about this.

Every actor has to take an ‘L’ eventually and Jenna definitely took her first one. This is a thriller/drama about her college student who gets involved romantically with her professor on some creepy type s**t. And the professor is a white dude? Wow, what a shocker! I’ve seen this pattern done a million times over and it just keeps getting worse and worse.

Every single character in this film are shitty people with absolutely terrible motives. Why is it that everytime they do a creepy ass, “hooking up with teacher" storyline rather it's a film or TV show it's with a white dude who is married? Also, where is everyone's parents at and why is there hardly any students on campus? Could they not afford any other extras for the film. Please, stop this pain.