259 Best Movies & Shows Released in 2024 (Page 6)

Find the best movies and show to watch from the year 2024. These handpicked recommendations are highly-rated by viewers and critics.

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Bodkin, 2024

A lot of different (good) shows come to mind after watching Bodkin's first few minutes. Like Ted Lasso, it follows a relentlessly optimistic American as he prances along in a foreign land. Like Only Murders in the Building, it follows true crime podcasters while also parodying them in a funny and meta way. I can go on and on, especially about small towns and the secrets they hold close to their chest, but ultimately Bodkin is its own thing. It has a smart, confident, wry tone that is always intriguing and never off-putting to watch. Each of the trio expertly balances the other so that the show never gets too snarky or saccharine. It’s just right, and offers some great surprises near the end.Genre: Drama, Mystery
Actor: Chris Walley, David Wilmot, Robyn Cara, Siobhán Cullen, Will Forte
Rating: TV-MA

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American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders, 2024

The so-called “Octopus,” that is the eight powerful but sketchy individuals journalist Danny Casolaro believed to be in control of the entire country, is already a complex topic. Crazy, but impressively complex. Equally interesting is the series of mysterious deaths allegedly committed by the Octopus, which includes what looks to be Casolaro’s framed suicide. This four-part documentary by Netflix efficiently dives into all of that with the added bonus of duo Zachary Treitz and Christian Hansen’s perspectives. The former is the director who expertly weaves all the tangles into a coherent web, while the latter is our guide into it, a researcher who wishes to follow in Casolaro's footsteps despite the multiple signs that he should maybe stop, if not out of fear of what lurks in the shadows then out of fear of insanity. Not only do Treitz and Hansen relay the information in an accessible and intriguing way, they also effectively reproduce that paranoid feeling of falling deep into a conspiracy rabbit hole. If you’re not a fan of true crime, this is worth the watch if only for that feeling.

Genre: Crime, Documentary

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The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic, 2024

Usually, when whisked away to a fantasy world, there’s usually some grand reason, like a prophecy or a destined quest to go on or a villain to defeat, with the hero having some secret powers to discover. The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic instead, starts with an unintentional, average protagonist that gets accidentally transported with his popular, more accomplished classmates, but he does have the healing magic that hasn’t been focused on in most isekai anime. And as Usato acclimatizes himself to the world, the show suggests that even average people can rise up to extraordinary challenges, if only given the expectation to succeed. While his journey would gradually come closer and closer to regular isekai, The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic still makes the journey there fun.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Atsuko Tanaka, Ayaka Nanase, Kengo Takanashi, Saya Aizawa, Shogo Sakata

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The Unwanted Undead Adventurer, 2024

Usually, being swallowed up by a dragon means death. However, for Rentt Faina, The Unwanted Undead Adventurer, becoming a skeleton is just a little setback in achieving his dream of becoming an defender for the kingdom. That’s because in this world, dying doesn’t mean dying– it just means that he has to kill other monsters and absorb their spirit in order to evolve into more human forms, like ghouls and vampires. It’s a strange premise, and the first episode relies on internal monologues, because, well, he doesn’t have the muscles to speak, but it's intriguing to see someone persevere despite having to start all over again. After obtaining the respect of novice adventurer Rina, the show plays out in a fairly entertaining way, with decent visuals, coherent storyline, and a more cautious protagonist we haven’t seen from previous shonen fantasy.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Ikumi Hasegawa, Mikako Komatsu, Ryota Suzuki, Sayumi Suzushiro

Rating: TV-14

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The Parades, 2024

When it comes to ghosts, plenty of films are centered around personal, unresolved business in the living world, but rarely do films examine how the spirit world would be, unless it’s for fantastical fights or horrific terror. The Parades instead focuses on a world of lost, but ordinary, and thankfully kind, souls. And as the film builds its calm world, Minako (and the viewers) get to meet the people who would form her eventual found family, whose various lives uncover the intimate and personal hopes of ordinary people, shaped by the events of their respective times. While the film doesn’t fully resolve all their stories, The Parades celebrates life, in all forms, and the powerful ways storytelling and community helps us go through it.Genre: Drama
Actor: Akari Takaishi, Ayumu Nakajima, Daiken Okudaira, Denden, Go Ayano, Hana Kino, Hiroshi Tachi, Kentaro Sakaguchi, Kotone Hanase, Lily Franky, Mai Fukagawa, Masami Nagasawa, Nana Mori, Ron Mizuma, Ryusei Yokohama, Shinobu Terajima, Shun Sugata, Suon Kan, Takuya Wakabayashi, Tetsushi Tanaka, Yuina Kuroshima, Yukiya Kitamura
Director: Michihito Fujii
Rating: PG-13

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The Last Stop in Yuma County, 2024

Shot for only 20 days with a budget of a million dollars, The Last Stop in Yuma County is a small film, but it achieves significant feats, thanks in large part to first-time feature director Francis Galluppi’s strong vision. The set is stylish, the characters feel lived in, and the central mystery—will these robbers get away with it?—feels so taut and tense that it’s enough to fuel the entire film’s energy. There’s no need to look for backstories, motivations, or subplots; just waiting to see whether the finger will let go of the gun’s trigger, or if anyone will catch the hostage’s silent plea for help, is absorbing enough.Genre: Crime, Thriller
Actor: Alex Essoe, Barbara Crampton, Connor Paolo, Faizon Love, Gene Jones, Jim Cummings, Jocelin Donahue, Jon Proudstar, Matt McVay, Michael Abbott Jr., Nicholas Logan, Richard Brake, Robert Broski, Robin Bartlett, Ryan Masson, Sam Huntington, Sierra McCormick
Director: Francis Galluppi
Rating: NR

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Sugar, 2024

The first thing that hits you about Sugar is its style: this is a show tailor-made for fans of a bygone Hollywood era, an era dominated by film noir and dapper leading men like Humphrey Bogart, whom Sugar emulates throughout the series. The show inserts clips from old films and, even better, echoes their style through tasteful jumpcuts and fisheye lenses. It’s dripping with panache, and Farrell is undeniably cool as he narrates his investigation and inner demons. That said, Sugar is also a show that’s more style than substance. If you strip it off its snazzy clothes, you’re left with the barest bones of a mystery that is simply too cliched to stand on its own. If you’re looking to dive into a heady mystery with surprising twists and thrills, you’re better off watching something else. However, if you’re a true blue fan of vintage noir, the kind who still puts TCM on religiously and swears nothing new can compare to the old, then this is your show.Genre: Drama
Actor: Alex Hernandez, Amy Ryan, Colin Farrell, Dennis Boutsikaris, James Cromwell, Kirby, Nate Corddry
Rating: TV-MA

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Self Reliance, 2024

It’s kind of amazing how Johnson, who writes, directs, and stars in this feature, narrowly escapes narrative holes by being so darn self-effacing and likable. The female lead Maddy (Anna Kendrick) should be denounced as a Manic Pixie Girl, but because of Johnson and Kendrick’s overflowing charm, you don’t question the flimsiness of her character until much later on. The game itself should not make sense, but because Johnson is so committed in his physical performance, and so arresting in his charisma, all is forgiven. Self Reliance is like a tasty souffle that looks great at the moment, but left for longer, poofs and deflates. As long as you don't take it too seriously, the film should be a fun if forgettable ride.

Genre: Comedy, Thriller

Actor: Andy Samberg, Anna Kendrick, Biff Wiff, Bjorn Johnson, Boban Marjanović, Christopher Lloyd, Daryl J. Johnson, Eduardo Franco, Ely Henry, Emily Hampshire, Eric Edelstein, GaTa, Gloria Sandoval, Ilia Volok, Jake Johnson, Jeff Kober, John Hans Tester, John Ponzio, Karen Maruyama, Mary Holland, Miriam Flynn, Nancy Lenehan, Natalie Morales, Sky Elobar, Steven Littles, Theo Wilson, Wayne Brady

Director: Jake Johnson

Rating: R

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Parasyte: The Grey, 2024

With Sweet Home and Stranger Things, we weren’t surprised that Netflix opted to create a live-action Parasyte, but we were surprised it comes from the other side of the sea. Based on the iconic Japanese manga, Parasyte: The Grey is a Korean spin-off with different characters but the same titular aliens, with a more serious approach to the concept. The series alternates between the Grey Team, the leading government agency that aims to eradicate the alien parasites at all cost, and with Jeong Su-in, who, like the original Shinichi Izumi, co-exists with her parasite, as they try to figure out their strange existence. Fans of the original might be disappointed at the lack of humor, but some viewers might appreciate the unflinching, gruesome way The Grey deals with the parasitic nature of human society, as well as the gross and scary transformations these aliens make of their hosts.Genre: Action & Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Actor: Jeon So-nee, Kim In-kwon, Koo Kyo-hwan, Kwon Hae-hyo, Lee Jung-hyun
Director: Yeon Sang-ho
Rating: TV-MA

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Mambar Pierrette, 2024

If given the outline of this film, it might be easy to just call it poverty porn. But there’s a genuineness to Mambar Pierrette that keeps this film from sliding into melodrama, a certain subtlety that captures the everyday life in Douala, Cameroon. Filmmaker Rosine Mbakam, who made her start through documentary films, brings her naturalistic style here, placing the titular seamstress front and center as she responds to each and every difficulty that comes her way. And as the flood comes, and so too her troubles, Pierrette Aboheu Njeuthat shines with a subtle charisma, a performance full of dignity for the titular single mother that carved out a life through her craft. Mambar Pierrette might have a familiar neo-realist story, but it’s done well due to its excellent balance.Genre: Drama
Actor: Cécile Tchana, Fabrice Ndjeuthat, Karelle Kenmogne, Pierrette Aboheu
Director: Rosine Mbakam

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Chicken Nugget, 2024

Chicken Nugget is absolutely absurd. We’ve seen science fiction create fantastic, futuristic worlds and technology only today’s scientists can dream about, but we’ve never seen the genre delve into a silly premise like this, with two men protecting their loved one, who happens to be a chicken nugget. Some viewers might be put off by the absolutely over-the-top performances in the first few episodes, but consider: if your daughter turned into a chicken nugget, the daughter you’ve raised alone for years, and she, in food form, is always at the brink of being eaten, wouldn’t you too be rightfully distraught? Chicken Nugget plays on the hilarious ridiculousness of the premise, but it does have some genuine heart toward its wacky characters, a heart that’s slowly revealed after its first few episodes.Genre: Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Actor: Ahn Jae-hong, Ryu Seung-ryong
Director: Lee Byeong-heon
Rating: TV-MA

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Captain Miller, 2024

Set in the British colonial era, Captain Miller is more unapologetically violent than its counterparts, but it’s not mindlessly so. Sure, the film has plenty of spectacle with numerous battles between townsfolk versus British colonialists, some scenes having gruesome, gory deaths. But in between these battles is Dhanush as the central character, contemplating the oppression from his fellow countrymen, the dignity denied to him from both the colony and more privileged locals, and the choices he chooses to make in spite of this. It’s not a straightforward bad versus good anti-colonial film like RRR, and it may not be as emotionally compelling, but Captain Miller is certainly a unique take on British colonialism with all of director Arun Matheswaran’s signature style.Genre: Action, Adventure, War
Actor: Abdool Lee, Aditi Balan, Alexx O'Nell, Ashwin Kumar, Bose Venkat, Dhanush, Edward Sonnenblick, Elango Kumaravel, Jayaprakash, John Kokken, Kaali Venkat, Mark Bennington, Nivedhithaa Sathish, Priyanka Arul Mohan, Shivaraj Kumar, Sumesh Moor, Sundeep Kishan, Swayam Siddha, Viji Chandrasekhar, Vinoth Kishan
Director: Arun Matheswaran

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19th Floor, 2024

After the critically panned Naraka 19 (2007), The 19th Floor of Hell novel seemed to be an unadaptable story, since the tech and production design needed to portray the 1991 story was years ahead of its time. After more than 30 years, Mango TV and director Cai Cong are able to turn the novel into life with 19th Level. While slightly edited to pass censorship, the show is able to still keep the novel’s thrills with the extended runtime, as the format can go into more detail compared to the first film adaptation, even if the stakes have been limited. It makes for a more thrilling, rather than a terrifying, take on the novel, but it’s certainly one that’s entertaining.

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Bai Shu, Luo Yutong, Miles Wei, Sun Qian, Wang Ruoshan

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Wicked Little Letters, 2024

Is this the most thrilling head-scratcher we’ve seen in a while? No. Is it a rousing take on the feminist cause? Not really. But what Wicked Little Letters lacks in intrigue and relevance, it more than makes up for in entertainment value. Not that anyone needs convincing, but here Colman and Buckley further prove why they’re some of the most in-demand actors right now. They’re raw and fiery and hilarious, energizing every scene with their limitless energy. They make the film a breeze to watch, so if you’re looking to pass the time with enjoyable performances, Wicked Little Letters makes for a solidly entertaining watch.Genre: Comedy, Drama, Mystery
Actor: Anjana Vasan, Gemma Jones, Jessie Buckley, Olivia Colman, Timothy Spall
Director: Thea Sharrock
Rating: R

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Upgraded, 2024

No one watches a romantic comedy expecting anything novel, although it’s nice to be surprised once in a while. In the past years, we’ve seen movies like Rye Lane and Palm Springs subvert expectations and give the genre a pleasant, refreshing twist. Upgraded isn’t like those movies. It’s pretty standard and formulaic, but I would be lying if I said it wasn’t enjoyable—Amazon Prime’s latest romcom is breezy good fun from start to end. The predictable parts of the film are buoyed by vibrant performances. As leading lady Ana, Camila Mendes expertly toes the line between approachable and aspirational, while Marisa Tomei delivers campy goodness as Ana's boss Claire Dupree, who is like a less serious, more humorous Miranda Priestly. In fact, the entire film is like a pleasant blend of The Devil Wears Prada and every single Cinderella story in Hollywood, from Pretty Woman to What a Girl Wants. If you’re looking for something new, you can skip this film, but if you like recalling your favorites and are satisfied by performances before anything else, then Upgraded comes highly recommended.Genre: Comedy, Romance
Actor: Aimee Carrero, Andrew Schulz, Anthony Stewart Head, Archie Renaux, Camila Mendes, Carlson Young, Fola Evans-Akingbola, Grégory Montel, Joe Osborne, Lena Olin, Marisa Tomei, Matteo Lane, Paul Hawkyard, Rachel Matthews, Renny Krupinski, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Thomas Kretschmann
Director: Carlson Young
Rating: R

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