Dec 19
What Were the Best Films of 2024?
Frank J. Avella READ TIME: 10 MIN.
"Between the Temples"
In Nathan Silver's wonderfully engaging indie, "Between the Temples," the brilliantly gifted Carol Kane finally has a major role she can sink her comic chops into. She plays a former music teacher who decides she wants to be bat mitzvah'd by the magnificently odd Jason Schwartzman. And the two begin to fall for one another, much to the ire of Schwartzman's two moms, Caroline Aaron and Dolly de Leon. The film is a heartfelt treat. And Kane deserves awards attention.
"Sebastian"
I first saw Finnish-British filmmaker Mikko Mäkelä's complex and nuanced exploration of identity and queer sexuality, "Sebastian," while covering Sundance, and it has stayed with me. Mäkelä embraces complexity and nuance, giving us a nerve-inducing narrative that rarely veers into the expected, instead choosing a more exciting, sex-positive route. Beguiling newcomer Ruaridh Mollica delivers a fearless, star-making turn as the writer who decides to immerse himself in sex work in order to truly understand it.
"Sebastian" is easily the best queer film of 2024.
"Strange Darling"
At the start of JT Mollner's whiplash-inducing thriller, "Strange Darling," I was afraid I was about to sit through yet another misogynistic serial killer movie. Boy was I set straight (okay, not that straight). This is the kind of fantastic filmmaking where you need to simply allow the non-linear narrative to unfold and strap in for the ride. Spoilers would spoil. Suffice to say, both Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner are smashing in their captivating roles.
Runners-up
"Babygirl," "A Real Pain," "Dune Part 2," "The Wild Robot," "Waves," "Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story," "Blitz," "One Life," "A Different Man," "Universal Language," "Vermiglio," "Come Closer," "Juror #2," "The Seed of the Sacred Fig," "High Tide," "Exhibiting Forgiveness," "My Old Ass," "Touch."
Frank J. Avella is a proud EDGE and Awards Daily contributor. He serves as the GALECA Industry Liaison and is a Member of the New York Film Critics Online. His award-winning short film, FIG JAM, has shown in Festivals worldwide (figjamfilm.com). Frank's screenplays have won numerous awards in 17 countries. Recently produced plays include LURED & VATICAL FALLS, both O'Neill semifinalists. He is currently working on a highly personal project, FROCI, about the queer Italian/Italian-American experience. He is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild. https://filmfreeway.com/FrankAvella https://muckrack.com/fjaklute
