BLANK’s Best of 2024
Films & Documentaries
10. Nosferatu
If you are a Robert Eggers (“The Witch,” “The Lighthouse”) fan, then you would expect his take on this classic vampire tale to have a particular look and tone to it. Upon watching “Nosferatu,” you would find yourself 100 percent correct in your assumptions, as it has exactly the look and precisely the tone you expect from the director, but in the best way possible. The subject matter provides ample opportunity for beautiful cinematography, and Eggers takes the occasion each time, presenting the most unpleasant of scenes in gorgeous high-contrast shots. The film is grotesque for sure – it features the plague, necrophilia, obviously vampirism, and they even had 5,000 live trained rats on set – but all of the depravity is presented so beautifully that you almost forget you are disgusted. Almost. – Daneil Britt
9. A Complete Unknown
This could have been a mess, but with the help of two exceptional lead performances from Timothee Chalamet and Edward Norton, “A Complete Unknown” does a great job of capturing a small portion of Bob Dylan’s takeoff. The famed Newport Folk Festival electric set is always looming, but it’s not the focus of the whole film. Instead, we get to see the spring of the performer’s career, and the film holds few punches in terms of presenting Dylan’s defiant and uncompromising ways. Chalamet’s charming take is enhanced because of how he sings all of the songs in real time. Fans of the era, the artist or both should enjoy this one. – Rusty Odom
8. The Beast
Middle-aged Frenchman Bertrand Bornello might seem an unlikely chronicler of zoomer and millennial angst, but remember that Robert Bresson made “The Devil Probably,” one of the great disaffected-youth films, when he was 75. Following the bleakly zeitgeisty trio of “Nocturama,” “Zombi Child” and “Coma,” Bornello gave us the historical drama/psychological thriller/sci-fi/horror mashup “The Beast.” The film drags the always adventurous and resplendent Léa Seydoux through the hell of three distinct periods charting the decline of Western romance, beginning in the repressed polite society of the early 1910s, through the extremely online-incel stalking milieu of the mid-2010s to an AI-dominated near-future in which it’s more advantageous to surgically remove your emotions than actually feel things. It’s a sour but stunning fever dream where the Lynchian vibes run hot, and Seydoux’s scream at the end seems the molten release of what so many women struggle to hold back every day. – Eric Dawson
7. Anora
Sean Baker (“The Florida Project”) delivers his boldest work yet with “Anora,” a wild and unpredictable journey captured beautifully on 35mm Kodak film. The film masterfully blends comedy, drama and romance, creating an experience that feels both thrilling and deeply empathetic. Mikey Madison shines in a magnetic performance in which she showcases her remarkable range and cements her status as a rising star. Baker’s signature ability to find raw humanity in unexpected places is elevated here, bolstered by a sharp screenplay and a standout supporting cast. While “The Florida Project” was rooted in childhood innocence, “Anora” dives headfirst into the complexities of adult relationships, exploring love and identity in profoundly moving ways. It’s a testament to Baker’s evolution as a filmmaker and proof of his unmatched ability to craft deeply human stories. – Matt Miller
6. Sing Sing
Based on a 2005 Esquire article by John H. Richardson, “Sing Sing” brings the transformative power of art to life through the stories of incarcerated men participating in the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at the Sing Sing maximum-security prison. Colman Domingo delivers a deeply moving performance as wrongly accused inmate Divine G., capturing the despair, resilience and fragile hope of someone yearning for justice and redemption.
The inclusion of real-life formerly incarcerated men who once participated in the program gives the film an extraordinary sense of authenticity. Their presence fills “Sing Sing” with a profound realism that grounds its emotional core. While the story plunges into despair and struggle, it also soars with moments of joy and self-expression, reminding viewers of the transformative power of art – even in a place designed to strip away individuality. “Sing Sing” is a poignant testament to the resilience of the human spirit, sure to leave you wiping away a tear or two. – MM
5. The Substance
Body horror is often dismissed as an overindulgent genre, and with good cause. Most body-horror films dip excessively into either gore or eroticism, or both. “The Substance” certainly has its fair share of each, but underneath the closeups of Margaret Qualley in spandex and the gallons upon gallons of fake blood is legitimate social commentary. The film achieves a difficult balance in this regard and maintains it for the entire runtime, a feat that earned writer and director Coralie Fargeat the Best Screenplay award at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Like many horror movies, “The Substance” is essentially a story of people making increasingly poor decisions, but this time the focus is on their reasons for making these decisions. As the characters spiral out of control, you still find yourself asking, “What would I do in this situation?” And that may be the scariest part of all. – DB
4. Bob Trevino Likes It
Film Fest Knox presented its second year successfully in November, and if you ask me, the finest film of the whole bunch was “Bob Trevino Likes It.” Directed by Tracie Laymon, this story is as affecting as it is entertaining. Perfectly cast as Lili Trevino, Barbie Ferreira (of “Euphoria” fame) proves within the film’s first few minutes that she is ready to anchor a feature-length movie. Nothing comes easy for her, though, and – as the audience would learn in the post-film Q&A – this story was based on events that plagued (and blessed) Laymon’s real-life journey, with the film’s twists alternating between severe cruelty and immense kindness. John Leguizamo, too, does some of the finest work of his career in this one, and every character that is worth rooting for traverses deep into viewers’ psyches.
“Bob Trevino Likes It” is a film about unlikely family that extends that special bond to everyone in the audience in a beautiful, realistic and surprising way. Laymon has found a courageous and triumphant way to take the difficult moments she’s had and use them for good. With this film, she’s made sure that all those experiences incurred were not in vain. – RO
3. Conclave
Directed by Edward Berger and based on the novel by Robert Harris, “Conclave” is a tense, suspense-filled drama about the election of a new pope. Ralph Fiennes delivers a standout performance, driven by an early, powerful speech about the importance of doubt and humility that resonates throughout the film and anchors its emotional and philosophical core. The stellar ensemble cast, which includes John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci and Isabella Rossellini, brings depth and complexity to a story filled with unexpected twists. As the battle between tradition and progress unfolds, this film, which won a Golden Globe for Best Screenplay, becomes less about religion itself and more about the Catholic Church’s struggle to define its future in an ever-changing world. – MM
2. Dune: Part Two
Few sequels are undeniably better than the original. You can make an argument for many films – “The Godfather Part II,” “Terminator 2,” “Toy Story 2” – but almost none are above debate. “Dune: Part Two” is, though, and its predecessor was no slouch. Instantly installing itself in a pantheon of great science-fiction films, it is not hyperbolic to say this is one of the most fun movies ever made. Where “Part One” was heavy on exposition and politics, this time around director Dennis Villeneuve dials up a pure action movie.
Whether it is Timothée Chalamet riding a sandworm, Austin Butler fighting in a monochrome arena or an all-out battle between Sardaukar and Fremen, every other scene is beyond exhilarating. Hans Zimmer’s score elevates each dramatic moment, and the incredible cast benefits from the luxury of sharing the screen with some of the best visual effects in film history. Villeneuve hoisted himself into the company of must-see directors about a decade ago, and he is currently hurtling towards the ranks of the all-time greats. “Dune: Part Two” is not just one of the best movies of 2024, it is one of the best movies overall. – DB
1. Do Not Expect Much from the End of the World
Perhaps too messy and chaotic to qualify as the best film of any year, no other film captured the turbulent and dispiriting spirit of these times as well as “Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World.” (It was technically released in 2023 but is just now seeing wider distribution.) The plot as such revolves around a harried media production assistant as she zips around Bucharest completing a series of mundane tasks, her only stress release spewing hateful monologues on TikTok under cover of an Andrew Tate-ish avatar as a sort of satirical performance art. Ilinca Manolache’s protagonist is immediately relatable to anyone who feels like dragging yourself to a soul-sucking job while the world falls apart is absurd but inescapable. A dark comedy for dark times, director Radu Jude’s humanism and contempt for the idiocies and evils of late-stage capitalism shine through to make it an oddly inspiring viewing experience, daring us to interact with the media we consume as more than escapism or a narcissistic confirmation of our own worldview. – ED
Film Honorable Mentions: “Mad Max: Furiosa,” “Monkey Man,” “Challengers,” “I Saw the TV Glow,” “Meet Me at the AJ”
Animated Film
Flow
In a year filled with exceptional animated films like “Inside Out 2” and “The Wild Robot,” “Flow” stands in a league of its own. Latvian director Gints Zilbalodis redefines the boundaries of animation with this daring, dialogue-free cinematic vision. Free of human characters, “Flow” crafts a story of survival, connection and introspection that feels refreshingly original and profoundly moving.
The film follows a group of animals – a cat, capybara, lemur, bird, and dog – on a journey to find dry land after a catastrophic flood. Using real animal “voices,” the movie achieves a rare authenticity and emotional depth. It seamlessly blends action, suspense, comedy and drama into a heartfelt exploration of friendship, understanding and survival. Every frame of its distinctive animation style enhances the film’s emotional power, while the magnificent score amplifies its impact. Winner of a Golden Globe for Best Animated Film, “Flow” expands the possibilities of animation, delivering a genre-defining masterpiece. – Matt Miller
CentralCinema’s Nick Huinker’s Pick
Riddle of Fire
Despite running a movie theater, I don’t actually manage to keep up with many new releases, so putting together a timely year-end list is always a challenge. But this year my failed attempt was actually pretty clarifying: the only 2024 release I saw that I genuinely loved was Weston Razooli’s “Riddle of Fire,” an off-kilter fantasia of free-range adolescence that transcends its “The Goonies” influence via dreamy 16mm cinematography and some light magical realism. This charming indie played to a week’s worth of small but enthusiastic Central Cinema crowds, and I hope very much it ends up finding the bigger audience it deserves. (My other favorite movie I saw last year hasn’t actually officially come out yet; don’t miss Knoxville Horror Film Fest comedy crowdslayer “Rats!” starting March 7.)
Documentaries
5. Martha
If you told me a year ago that I’d be writing a review about a Martha Stewart film, I would’ve asked you to pass that bottle over my way, but here we are in 2025, and I’m going to attempt to review one of the best documentaries of the year. While Stewart has been critical of director R.J. Cutler’s brutally honest portrayal, many people that I’ve spoken to about this film feel the same way I do: Martha Stewart is brilliant.
I’ve always enjoyed a sharp tongue, and Stewart gave me my fill throughout the doc. Brutally honest, unapologetic about everything, really, she waxes poetic only in brief moments before sharply directing Cutler to move along to the next subject. These topics include her personal life, complicated relationships with lovers and her daughter, her businesses, legal trouble and, of course, her gardens.
“Martha” is a story of a woman who rose to the top through hard work, determination and grit – only to lose it all and having to rebuild her empire. She accomplished this on her own terms in an age when the boardroom essentially was the good ol’ boys club.
Documentaries can be powerful and illuminating – especially if you have preconceived notions of the subject, only to have your eyes opened and your opinion swayed. And this absolutely was the case for me after viewing this film. – John Flannagan
4, The Honorable Shyne
For those of us who were raised on hip-hop in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, we have known that Sean Combs was pretty much the worst for decades. If you’d like to know where it started for us, just check out “The Honorable Shyne” on Hulu. The first instance occurred when “Shyne” Barrow was given a 10-year prison sentence due to an incident at a New York City nightclub where a woman was shot in the face. The details were iffy, but it always seemed like Shyne took the rap for Diddy. In this documentary, we find out the truth, along with some HUGE red flags that were ignored, but we also see the courageous comeback of Barrow, who since getting out of prison has become a prominent politician in his home country. This story takes viewers on the journey from the most buzzworthy rapper of the turn of the millennium to the leader of the United Democratic Party in Belize. If nothing else, it will remind you of his classic debut album and foment repeat listens. And if you’ve never heard it before, you’re in for a treat. – Rusty Odom
3. Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg
The subject of this Netflix documentary was an actress, fashion model and an artist who by many accounts is credited as being the muse for The Rolling Stones. She dated Brian Jones and had a brief fling with Mick Jagger before “settling down” with Keith Richards for what one must imagine were a tumultuous 13-plus years that included birthing three children. The film, based on Pallenberg’s unpublished autobiography “Black Magic,” which was discovered by her children after her death in 2017, is the fascinating tale of an incredibly gifted woman who not only spoke four languages but who stood at the forefront of fashion for over three decades, as well.
Perhaps best known for her profound influence on the Stones, though, it is said she criticized some of their music enough to have them remix certain songs. The film is raw, as tales of child neglect and drug abuse are vital to the storytelling but tough to digest, with one scene recounting the death of an infant son particularly difficult to hear. Despite the coarse subject matter, “Catching Fire” is beautifully presented and keeps the story of this amazing woman alive. – JF
2. Dahomey
French filmmaker Mati Diop’s creative documentary about the repatriation of 26 sacred African artworks back to Benin from France is weighted with history and some fundamental mysteries: What is a country, a people, a culture? To whom do such things belong? The film watches the preparation, shipping, arrival, uncrating and eventual display of the treasures, with a dispassionate and contemplative eye. Its philosophical centerpiece is a debate among Beninese university students about the meaning and import of the restitution. Several note that France has returned just a small portion of stolen artifacts. Others see it all as a political stunt by Benin’s current leaders. Others say they cried when they first saw the pieces. The movie doesn’t really pick a side, but It packs (and unpacks) a lot into its 68 minutes. – Jesse Fox Mayshark
1. The Greatest Night in Pop
This time last year we were deep in the throes of preparing for Waynestock, the annual music festival that brings musicians and fans from every corner of the local scene together for a weekend in Happy Holler. These events always have a lot of moving parts, and last year was no different. As I was gathering stage plots and rounding out the rougher corners of the event, I stumbled across a new documentary on Netflix that seemed interesting enough to throw on in the background while I typed away on the computer. Just moments in, I sat the computer aside and became enveloped in the story of how the famed “We Are the World” video came together. Suddenly, the tedious nature of advancing the festival became minimal and nebulous in comparison to this massive undertaking. The documentary highlights the story behind the story with great detail – like which stars presented the most trouble – but, most importantly, it shows the vulnerability of those involved. More than any other documentary I’ve seen, this film humanizes our musical heroes. I left this viewing inspired and ready to rock. – RO
