559 Best Movies & Shows Released in 2024 (Page 7)

You can tell showrunner David E. Kelley, who played a part in legal dramas and mysteries like Boston Legal, Ally McBeal, and Big Little Lies, is a master of the genre. Presumed Innocent is carefully paced, confidently performed, and smartly written, making it a thrilling watch regardless if you’ve seen the 1990 feature and 1987 novel of the same name. It’s not without its misses though, the biggest one being the lack of believable chemistry between Gyllenhaal and Reinsve, who seems miscast in this series. As much as I loved her in The Worst Person in the World, she seems to exude an awkward sensuality that affects the realism of the series. On the other hand, Ruth Negga, who plays Gyllenhaal’s wife, and Peter Sarsgaard, who plays his political rival, command every scene they’re in and perfectly match Gyllenhaal’s crazed intensity. Whenever the show skews formulaic, it’s their solid performances that save the scene.

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery

Actor: Bill Camp, Chase Infiniti, Elizabeth Marvel, Jake Gyllenhaal, Kingston Rumi Southwick, Nana Mensah, O.T. Fagbenle, Peter Sarsgaard, Renate Reinsve, Ruth Negga

Rating: TV-MA

How far would you go to please the one you love? You might indulge your spouse with a white lie every now and then like the men in Swathi Shetty’s life each time she asks about her cooking, but Killer Soup takes it a whole step further when she asks Umesh to impersonate her similar-looking husband. And, as the lies pile up, and the cover-ups escalate, it’s delicious to see the lovers dig themselves into a deeper hole, even if they manage to throw off other people from the scent temporarily. While the story gets slightly convoluted later on due to many subplots, Killer Soup proves to at least be tastier than Swathi’s paya soup with its delightfully twisted lovers.

Genre: Comedy, Crime

Actor: Konkona Sen Sharma, Lal, Manoj Bajpayee, Nassar, Sayaji Shinde

Director: Abhishek Chaubey

It’s easy to forget that Netflix helped boost the popularity of the true crime genre, especially since it’s pumping out a new series almost daily. A lot of them are rushed and sensationalized, but there are a few that are worthwhile. Into the Fire is thankfully the latter. Showrunner Jenna Lamia and Director Susanne Bier tell Terkanian and her daughter’s story in a refreshingly measured way, making sure to hone in on Terkanian’s restless energy. It’s that energy that rallies the community behind her in breaking open the case and uncovering many more missing persons besides her daughter. The same energy makes the show feel more dynamic and alive than other true crime documentaries. It’s also more restrained and respectful. No overdramatized suspense or sensationalized twists here, just an incredibly true story, cleverly and humanely told.

Genre: Documentary, Mystery

Actor: Cathy Terkanian

Rating: TV-MA

High Potential isn’t the smartest thing out there, despite Morgan’s impressive 160 IQ. It’s also not the quirkiest of its kind (hello, Elsbeth!). But it’s undeniably enjoyable, thanks in large part to Olson, who injects her character with so much wit, charm, and tenderness. Played wrong, Morgan could’ve been yet another annoying Sherlock-type, but in Olson’s capable hands, she’s anything but. It’s still too early to tell whether the surrounding characters will match her infectious energy, but I am seated and excited for more to come.

Genre: Crime, Drama

Actor: Amirah J, Amirah Johnson, Daniel Sunjata, Deniz Akdeniz, Javicia Leslie, Judy Reyes, Kaitlin Olson, Matthew Lamb

Director: Alethea Jones

Rating: TV-14

Taking a cue from Blaxploitation films, Fight Night looks every bit like the ‘70s movies that screamed fun and danger. But the eight-part series starring Kevin Hart is more than just a schtick. It’s a thoughtfully constructed heist thriller that doubles as a showcase for its stacked cast and a love letter, of sorts, to Atlanta and how it came to be the Black-powered city that it is today. There’s never a dull moment in the show; if it’s not pulling the rug from under you by showing you a heist-within-a-heist, or one backstabber from another, then it’s entertaining you with a wide range of equally compelling performances. There’s the competent Hart, the reliably commanding Taraji P. Henson, the likable straight man Don Cheadle, the surprisingly subdued Samuel L. Jackson, and the impressive ingenue Chloe Bailey, among many, many others. Then there’s Hart’s character’s vision of Atlanta, at once inspiring and chillingly accurate. It’s not a perfect show—it has its cartoonish moments—but it’s enjoyable and insightful as a whole.

Genre: Crime, Drama

Actor: Artrece Johnson, Chloe Bailey, Clifton Powell, Dexter Darden, Don Cheadle, Jalyn Hall, Kevin Hart, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Melvin Gregg, Myles Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard

Rating: TV-MA

It’s best to go into Diarra from Detroit with zero knowledge and expectations, but even if you do know a bit about its comedian star, writer, and director, Diarra still comes at you with wild but always funny curveballs. Some parts of the story are implausible, but it doesn’t matter: Diarra sells them with gusto. And the series has so many other things going for it, not least of which is Diarra’s internal turmoil, which often bleeds into the mystery she obsesses over. It’s crazy but humane, and Diarra’s one-liners are always home runs.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Actor: Claudia Logan, Diarra Kilpatrick, Dominique Perry, Jon Chaffin, Morris Chestnut, Phylicia Rashād, Shannon Wallace

Rating: TV-MA

Every now and then, you get a romantic comedy that feels just right. The romance isn’t overdone, the comedy isn’t used as a crutch, and there’s no desperate need to lean into cliches. Instead, you have pure chemistry, which in turn fuels an endearing awkwardness and a natural sort of love. That’s what happens in the Australian half-hour sitcom Colin From Accounts—despite the premise and the familiarness of the genre, everything just seems to fall right into place. Dyer and Brammall’s riffs feel so natural and intimate, I could listen to them flirt with each other all day and only get mildly annoyed. Like most romcoms, there’s a bit of raunchiness and sweetness to be found here, but what I find most impressive is its ability to generate endless laugh-out-loud moments. I won’t be surprised if this turns out to be people’s new favorite comfort show.

Genre: Comedy

Chimp Crazy, like Tiger King before it, is a difficult watch. It follows chimpanzee owners and their almost fanatic loyalty to the primates (one famously breastfed a chimp and raised her as her child), but mostly it trails Tonia Haddix, an animal broker who is obsessed with the 32-year-old chimp and sometime Hollywood star Tonka. I won’t spoil the things she does to save their relationship, but I assure you it’s chilling and outrageous. That said, shock isn’t the only thing Chimp Crazy has going for it. The curious way it’s filmed is surely cause for debate. And the way everyone here—whether that's Haddix, the occasional dangerous chimp, or the near-manipulative director Eric Goode—seems at once manipulative and sympathetic is a feat of its own.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Tonia Haddix