The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Spotlight: Top 10 Films of 2024…So Far

If you’re looking for new outlets for checking out films, this article series is a perfect way to seek out new channels to dive into. For this edition, I highlight my Top 10 Films of 2024…So Far.

1.                  Challengers

Is this the most tantalizing and erotic sports movie you have ever seen? To be fair…those descriptors are quite odd to place on sports movies. Then again…not every sports movie is like Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers. This three-way dance of tennis, lies, manipulation, and lust is one of the most interesting character dynamics in any film this week. Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor all deliver intense, layered, and complex performances that will play with the audience and keep you on your toes when it comes to any of their true motivations. The score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is thumping, dynamic, and overall engaging while pulling the audience in for this non-linear story of the intertwined attachment of love and competition. The final set between our two male leads just might be one of the greatest sporting competitions ever expressed on film and you can just tell that director Guadagnino has a specific eye for performers and material.

2.                  Dune: Part Two

Could Denis Villeneuve possibly one up the impossible feat he accomplished with Dune? This classic science fiction series gets its second outing on the big solver screen with Dune: Part Two. Timothee Chalamet leads the way as a maturing young man who finds himself in a struggle between the forces of a corrupt galactic empire and the brave Fremen of the planet of Arrakis. This tale of a fallen hero and a galaxy on the brink of destruction soars. The music is atmospheric and mind-bending which perfectly goes with the incredible special effects. The dune worms are some of the most impressive beings ever brought to life on screen and Paul’s first ride is one of the best moments of the year on film. The incredible storytelling with its epic scale, big emotions, foreboding doom, and rich commentary on religion and politics makes Dune: Part Two one of the most complex and dynamic sci-fi films in recent memory. This is genre filmmaking at its grandest and Villeneuve commands an enormous cast of incredible performers like Zendaya, Austin Butler, Javier Bardem, Rebecca Ferguson, and Christopher Walken (amongst others).

3.                  Robot Dreams

How could a dialogue-less animated film about a dog and his robot be this impactful? Robot Dreams is a revelation when it comes to filmmaking. The setting is rich with so much personality as it captures the vibes and culture of 80s New York City. There is a deep and rich love that develops between this dog and robot which opens the door for some of the most emotionally cathartic and devastating moments in the film so far this year. The use of a single song captures the joy of life while representing the challenges of moving on from a love that lingers in you. The way this film navigates former flames and the lingering elements of relationships past is profound. The dream sequences for our titular robot are dynamic, colorful, and full of cinematic pride as they explore some classic moments in film. This film is at times heartbreaking, moving, joyful, and cathartic in a way few films can deliver upon. This is one of the most unique concepts on this list, but the execution turns out to be even better.

4.                  Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

What did Dr. George Miller have up his sleeve for his return to The Wasteland? Where Fury Road was a nonstop action thriller for two hours, Furiosa is an epic mythos that spans years in telling the story of the titular hero. The Wasteland stills comes to life in big vibrance and complete insanity. The action is still propulsive and bonkers with all the black leather, explosions, and high-octane fuel you can find. This is a tale of paradise lost and revenge as we witness a young woman grow to be an unrelenting warrior of The Wasteland. Anya Taylor-Joy and Alyla Browne bring Furiosa to life with great power and intensity without much dialogue to work with. Chris Hemsworth delivers the performance of his career, and he is having a blast while doing it as the warlord Dementus. The world of Mad Max is expanded, and a poignant new tale is etched in legend. There is unexpected depth in the final confrontation between Furiosa and Dementus which assists in broadening the impact of the whole film.

5.                  Daddio

How impactful can a conversation between a young woman and an aging male cabbie be? Christy Hall’s Daddio shows just how compelling it can be with the right script and the right pair of actors who can bring it to life. Dakota Johnson gives the strongest performance of her career as a confident programmer whose life is no longer on her terms with the relationship she finds herself in. Sean Penn gives the most impactful performance he has delivered in years as the street and people wise driver who has his own baggage from his past. His inquisitive nature starts a chain of events that weaves itself into the deep exploration of both their characters and the relationships that impact them. The dynamic use of the camera in close-up and intimate ways paired with impressive small choices made by the actors creates such an affecting experience. The lighting is just as dynamic, creating an engrossing visual experience that builds a sense of mystery. Daddio is a raw and poignant experience that overcomes its potential constraints to offer a rich exploration across generations, sexes, and backgrounds.

6.                  Ennio

Who is the greatest composer of all time? Many will say John Williams. Fair. Others might say Hans Zimmer. Fair. Herrmann. Barry. Shore. Goldsmith. So many incredible talents but there is one who had the diverse sound, the critical mass of projects, and the iconography that stands above so many…Ennio Morricone. Ennio is an all-encompassing dive into the career, legacy, work, and influence of this Italian composer who changed the game for film. This documentary can capture the impressive scope and dynamic nature of his music. Whenever the film leans into the music itself, there is an unmatched energy that just envelopes you. This is a music lesson on how many of his iconic scores came to be. It is a love letter to a man who influenced endless musical creators. You feel just home influential he is and was along with conceptualizing just how entrenched his impact on certain genres of film has become. This has all the hallmarks of a music documentary but offers the scale and the subject that sets it apart from the rest.

7.                  I Saw the TV Glow

Will you completely understand everything that happens in I Saw the TV Glow by the end? Most likely not (but if you do…share your truths). But that is not really the point of this film. In such a Lynchian way, this film is all about the constructs of filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun and how the audience will navigate them. The story is there with Justice Smith’s Owen meeting Brigette Lundy-Paine’s Maddy as they embark on a surreal and unknowable love affair with a strange television series, The Pink Opaque. Their reality is warped and is no longer their own. This neon drenched, musically enriched, and abstractly constructed trans allegory is a site to behold. Lundy-Paine (in particular) and Smith deliver layered and complex performances that burrow underneath your skin and stick with you long after. The ideas of nostalgia and finding oneself are explored in such a creative way making these familiar and relatable themes so much more impactful. This is by far the most abstract film on this list and certainly the most divisive, but it is an experience that needs to be seen to believe.

8.                  A Storm Foretold

How much influence can one man have on a movement that can fracture a nation? A Storm Foretold is a haunting documentary experience that does not craft a narrative for its audience but instead puts you in a front row seat with a man who has accomplished horrific things in the realm of politics in the United States. Filmmaker Christoffer Guldbrandsen (somehow) received permission to have an all-access experience with political strategist and Trump’s political godfather, Roger Stone. This film has the uncomfortable perspective of being there while ever decision, action, and consequence occurs on the journey from creating a contingency plan like the “Stop the Steal” campaign all the way up to the insurrection on January 6^th that saw the Capitol building stormed by citizens. No matter what perspective you come from, this film needs to be witnessed. Guldbrandsen can document the cold calculating and dangerous approach of a political fixer who birthed a falsehood preemptively to set ablaze a whole group of people to shun truth and buy into what is projected in front of them. But the most haunting and unnerving thing about A Storm Foretold is…what else is going on behind the scenes in the United States.

9.                  STEVE! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces

How does a film capture one of the biggest personalities in the history of comedy? Apple TV+ and acclaimed documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville take a bold and interesting approach to storytelling to do justice to a one-of-a-kind entertainer, Steve Martin. STEVE! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces crafts a unique and effective way in capturing the attention seeking and lonely youth and the wiser and subdued older man now. The first half of this film focuses on a more traditional biopic-style approach that goes through the traumatic and cold childhood that Martin experienced and how it shaped his drive to become the biggest and most successful comedian of all time (at the time). This is the “fun” part of the documentary with big energy and all the greatest hits of Martin’s career. But it is the more subdued and intimate second half that pulls back the layers and finds great depth in this man. Martin has lived a lot and suffered a lot as well, which Neville provides the space for him to explore and reflect upon it. This is a sprawling and introspective documentary that adds layers upon layers to the legacy of Martin which will leave all satisfied who love his work and the man behind the talent.

10.  The Last Stop in Yuma County

Isn’t it refreshing when you find filmmakers who love the genres you love and the filmmakers that have influenced you too? Francis Galluppi is obviously a big fan of filmmakers like the Coens and the neo-western genre. The setup is simple. A group of people are living their lives in a desert diner when robbers show up. Things will, of course, go sideways. The desert setting is perfectly leveraged for the isolation and desolation around. There are some great needle drops including one so great that it wraps up this shockingly violent flick in a way that is simply perfect. Jim Cummings is pitch perfect as a salesman on the road in the wrong place…at the wrong time. Cummings’ ability to sell so much allows him to be the perfect conduit for the audience. There are shocks around every turn. The tension is boiling to the surface throughout this film, and you are never quite sure how each of these characters are going to handle this dangerous situation. The characters are engaging, the thrills are sharp, and the cast is perfect as well.