From poignant dramas to laugh-out-loud comedies, these films left their mark.
By Bob Tremblay/Boston Movie News

Another year has come to a close, and with it, the time-honored tradition of reflecting on the best movies it brought us. Rather than debate the top contenders, I’m opting for a simpler approach: sharing my 12 favorite films of the year—though I may have bent the rules a bit regarding animated features.

My choices are listed in alphabetical order. However, some of these selections should be considered among the best movies of the year.

Mikey Madison as Ani and Mark Eydelshteyn as Ivan in "Anora." (Photo from Neon)
Mikey Madison as Ani and Mark Eydelshteyn as Ivan in writer-director Sean Baker’s “Anora.” (Photo from Neon)

ANORA: A little sex, a little comedy, a little heartbreak. Something for everybody. Of course, it helps if you fancy films with a high quirkiness quotient. The film’s star, Mikey Madison, would be my choice for the Best Actress Oscar. The movie could get the top prize, too.

THE BRUTALIST: Adrien Brody is visionary architect László Toth in Brady Corbet's 215-minute epic feature.
Adrien Brody is visionary architect László Toth in Brady Corbet’s epic feature.

THE BRUTALIST: Go ahead, say it; the running time is brutal (215 minutes), the subject matter is brutal (a Holocaust survivor struggling to make a living in a foreign country), and the architecture is brutal. OK, the architecture is brutalist. I’m sensing some symbolism here. Anyway, the film’s star, Adrien Brody, could easily take home his second best actor Oscar. The film could nab a statuette as well. “The Brutalist” opens on January 10 in Boston.

Edward Norton and Timothée Chalamet in "A Complete Unknown." (Macall Polay).
Edward Norton and Timothée Chalamet in “A Complete Unknown.” (Macall Polay)

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN:– I’ll admit I’m a sucker for music biopics, and this is one of the better ones about one of music’s towering (as in skyscraper) geniuses—Bob Dylan. I’m sure he’d hate being called that. Timothée Chalamet deserves an Oscar for his spot-on portrayal of Dylan. Note that Rami Malek won an Oscar for his performance of Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody” and he lip-synched the songs. Chalamet sings the songs in this film. I’d also give the Best Supporting Actor Oscar to Edward Norton for his portrayal of Pete Seeger. 

Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence and Stanley Tucci as Cardinal Bellini in director Edward Berger's "Conclave. (Photo from Focus Features)
Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence and Stanley Tucci as Cardinal Bellini in director Edward Berger’s “Conclave. (Focus Features)

CONCLAVE: As a former altar boy educated by nuns for eight years, I feel it is my duty to weigh in on a film that weighs in on the Catholic Church as its cardinals choose a new pope. Do I consider the film blasphemous? Sorry, no spoilers. All I know is that one of the cardinals is named Tremblay, and he doesn’t behave like a saint. Now, that’s blasphemous. This film and its star, Ralph Fiennes, will likely be Oscar contenders.

EMILIA PEREZ: This Spanish-language film, described as a musical crime comedy about a transgender drug cartel kingpin, received the most Golden Globe nominations with 10. I’m a sucker for musicals, too, especially one as offbeat as this one. Considering how transgender people have become a political, athletic, and social target these days, one wonders if awards organizations might want to make a statement by honoring it.  

A scene from the animated film, "Flow." (Sideshow and Janus Films)
A scene from the animated film “Flow.” (Sideshow and Janus Films)

FLOW/THE WILD ROBOT/MEMOIR OF A SNAIL/WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL: – All four are worth watching, though “Memoir” is decidedly not for children and not for people turned off by, shall we say, unpleasantries.  My vote for Oscar would go to “The Wild Robot,” a film about a robot who gets shipwrecked in the, yes, wild, where he builds relationships with, yes, wildlife. Heartwarming and clever. “Flow,” a film without dialogue about a plucky cat trying to survive in rising flood waters, gets points for imagination. Other animals join the feline in the aquatic adventure. Meanwhile, the “Wallace & Gromit” gang delivers yet another mother lode of delightful eccentricity with our titular heroes battling the nefarious Feathers McGraw. And how could any film exist without robotic garden gnomes? 

Jalal Altawil, left and Talia Ajjan in “Green Border.” (Agata Kubis/Kino Lorber)
Jalal Altawil, left and Talia Ajjan in “Green Border.” (Agata Kubis/Kino Lorber)

GREEN BORDER: The harrowing experience of refugees is depicted so realistically here that you feel like you’re watching a documentary. People from various countries are treated like human ping-pong balls as they try to get from Belarus to Poland. The border guards from both countries take turns moving the refugees back and forth. 

HIS THREE DAUGHTERS: Want to see a master class in ensemble acting? Here’s your chance. Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen, and Natasha Lyonne play the sisters who reunite to take care of their ailing father. That the sisters have issues is an understatement.

HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS: If there’s a more bizarre film in 2024 than this one, I want to see it. Or maybe I don’t. I’m not sure how much bizarreness I could handle, and certainly, if you have a low tolerance for lunacy, you may want to skip this film. I’m not even going to try to describe the plot or what passes for a plot. Let’s just say it involves hundreds of beavers. At least there’s truth in advertising. 

19. I’M STILL HERE: Set in Brazil during the tightening grip of a military dictatorship in 1971, this adaptation of Marcelo Rubens Paiva's memoir follows Eunice Paiva (Fernanda Torres, terrific) as she reinvents herself after her family endures a violent act by the government, uncovering a hidden chapter of Brazil’s history—and Brazil’s entry for the 97th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. (Alile Onawale/Sony Pictures Classics)
Fernanda Torres in “I’m Still Here.” (Alile Onawale/Sony Pictures Classics)

I’M STILL HERE: This Brazilian film features an Oscar-worthy performance from Fernanda Torres as a woman trying to discover what happened to her husband during Brazil’s lengthy military dictatorship. Her search and relentless pursuit for justice put herself and her family in danger. Based on a true story, the film gives viewers a front-row seat to witness the trauma inflicted by a dictatorship. “I’m Still Here” opens on January 31 in Boston.

NO OTHER LAND:  Heartbreaking and maddening. That’s the best way to describe this documentary, which focuses on the plight of Palestinian families who are being forced from their homes by the Israeli army. Homes get demolished, and people get brutally mistreated. I got angry watching this movie. If I were making Oscar predictions, this would be my choice for best documentary.    

Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba and Ariana Grande is Glinda in "Wicked." (Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures)
Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba and Ariana Grande is Glinda in “Wicked.” (Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures)

WICKED: “The Wizard of Oz” is my favorite film, and the Broadway rendition of “Wicked” is one of my favorite shows, so the chances of my liking the movie version were pretty good. Of course, I wish the film had been made earlier so it could have cast the Broadway stars Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, and I would have preferred the film be made in one part instead of two. Those annoyances aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, largely thanks to the leads, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Looking at most films likely to vie for a Best Picture Oscar, you won’t find many feel-good, entertaining vehicles. This is one of them. It will be interesting to see if the Oscar honchos give the big prize to a film without seeing how the second one turns out. Note that the final installment of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy won the Oscar. 

Bob Tremblay is the former film critic for The MetroWest Daily News in Framingham, Massachusetts.