After the year of Barbenheimer, the film industry had a hard act to follow in 2024. And while nothing could beat that feeling we all had during the cultural renaissance of July 2023, 2024 is a close contender with the movie line up we have seen so far. If you haven’t had a chance to get out to the movie theaters and feel like you’ve fallen behind on all things film, fear not! Here are 5 movies to catch up on, and 5 movies to look forward to in 2024.
5 Movies to Get Caught Up On
Challengers
Sports/romance
Letterboxd rating: 4 stars (out of 5)
Tashi, played by Zendaya, is an up-and-coming tennis star destined for greatness — that is until she injures her leg. Now a coach for her tennis champion husband Art, played by Mike Faist, the two become the tennis dream team. But with Art on a recent losing streak, Tashi claims he needs his confidence back and signs him up for a lower circuit tournament. It turns out that at this tournament is Tashi’s ex-boyfriend and Mike’s ex-best friend Patrick, played by Josh O’Connor. In this non-linear formatted movie, we follow each character’s story of love and loss both before and after Tashi’s life changing injury.
Dune: Part Two
Sci-fi/Adventure
Leterboxd rating: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
Starting where Dune left off, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) must get the Fremen to trust him in order to bring down House Harkonnen and to stop the horrific future only he can see. On his journey he finds love, but is love enough to stop fate?
Inside Out 2
Family/comedy
Letterboxd rating: 3.7 stars (out of 5)
Riley, the main character of Inside Out, is back in this highly anticipated sequel. Two years after moving to San Francisco, Riley, who is now 13, is getting ready to start high school and try out for the hockey team. Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust seem to have Riley’s emotional state under control. But, the night before Riley attends ice hockey camp the “Puberty Alarm” goes off and several new emotions are unlocked: Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui. The old emotions need to figure out how to work with the new emotions so they can help Riley get through high school.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Apocalyptic Action
Letterboxd rating: 3.9 stars (out of 5)
A prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga follows the titular character’s life and the events leading up to the 5 wives of Immortan Joe escaping the Citadel (which is where Fury Road begins). Kidnapped by a biker gang when she was a child, Furiosa is determined to escape and make it back home. Her journey seems like an impossible one with countless obstacles forming in her path, and just as many men holding hunting for her. Anya Taylor-Joy portrays Furiosa in this action-packed story of perseverance, war, and hope.
The Fall Guy
Action Comedy
Letterboxd rating: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
Following a major injury on set, stuntman Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) gets back into the stuntman game when he is asked to be the stuntman for actor Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor Johnson). Colt has doubts but quickly agrees when he finds out the director of the film is his ex-girlfriend Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), who he is determined to win back. Things quickly go south when Tom Ryder disappears and Colt is tasked with finding him.
5 Movies to Get Excited For
Joker: Folie à Deux
Musical romance psychological thriller
Release date: October 2, 2024
Taking place where Joker left off, Joker: Folie à Deux begins with Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) incarcerated in Arkham State Hospital for killing Murray Franklin live on television. Fleck meets Harleen Quinzel (Lady Gaga) while at the hospital and the two quickly fall in love as their delusions and mental decline materialize into musical numbers. Meanwhile, having amassed a large following of supporters, Fleck’s arrest and incarceration fuel a call to action by the public to free him.
Deadpool & Wolverine
Superhero
Release date: July 26, 2024
6 years after the events of Deadpool 2, Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) and James “Logan” Howlett (Hugh Jackman) must come together as Deadpool and Wolverine to fight against an existential threat that could destroy the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Horror/comedy
Release Date: September 6, 2024
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice begins 36 years after the 80’s classic Beetlejuice. Charles Deetz unexpectedly dies, causing the Deetz family to return home to Winter River. While home Lydia (Winona Ryder) is met with her biggest fear when her daughter Astrid Deetz, played by Jenna Ortega, accidentally opens the portal to the Afterlife, releasing Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton).
Wicked
Musical fantasy
Release date: November 22, 2024
Based off the award-winning musical set in the Land of Oz, Wicked follows the story of roommates Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a green-skinned outcast, and Galinda (Ariana Grande), a blonde socialite, as they attend school and discover their place in the world. Taking place both before and during the events of The Wizard of Oz, following Elphaba’s descent into the Wicked Witch of the West will make you reconsider everything you knew about the classic movie.
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Gladiator II
Action/adventure
Release date: November 22, 2024
Taking place years after Gladiator, Gladiator II will follow the story of Lucius (Paul Mescal), grandson of former emperor Marcus Aurelius and son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), as he is captured and forced into slavery by Roman soldiers, and then deciding to become a gladiator.
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