2024 is coming to an end. So, let’s look back at its lineup of movies and discuss 12 overlooked and underrated films from the year!
2024 is coming to an end soon, with a few more highly anticipated movies still yet to be released to the public. So, in a few weeks, we’ll be able to properly look over everything and decide on our favorites from the past year – oh, people have already made their lists? Of course they have. Which means I might as well go ahead with one of my new annual traditions: a discussion of 12 overlooked and underrated films this year. That is, 6 films I would classify as overlooked and 6 that I consider underrated. We’re up from my usual limit of ten, because I just didn’t want to leave any of these out.
As always with these lists, the “Overlooked” films aren’t just selections that relatively few audiences saw, because that would consist of … well, most films that came out this year. These are quality movies that, even within the film community, barely received any attention, mention, or lasting discussion. My criteria for “Underrated” films is more self-explanatory: they’re movies I believe deserved more praise than they got. Even if they’re not great, they still have more merit than what their bad or mediocre reception would suggest.
I always love making these lists, and this year is no exception. So, let’s go over 12 overlooked and underrated movies from 2024!
6 Overlooked Movies of 2024
1. Stopmotion
Horror fans have eaten well this year … so, why has one of the most succulent dishes at the table gone largely untouched? In Stopmotion, Ella (Aisling Franciosi) is a stop-motion animator trying to finish a horror film after the death of her overbearing mother. But her film’s new, dark story starts bleeding into reality, making her worry for her life and forcing her passion to turn into an obsession to survive. Of course, that’s assuming the supernatural feat of her characters coming to life is real and not a product of her twisted psyche. Stopmotion is a surrealist nightmare on the page and especially in its visuals. Not only is the filmmaking seeped in quiet anxiety, but the supposedly haunted dolls are very creepily designed and freakishly clash with the “real world” through which they’re walking.
That is, again, if we’re seeing them in the real world. Stopmotion constantly has you questioning Ella’s sanity as she’s motivated to keep working on her film by any means necessary, no matter the cost to her own mental health, very similarly to how an artist can let their creation process consume them. The entire movie is helmed to feel like you’re in the metaphysical embodiment of that artistic dedication. It leaves a lot open to your interpretation as to why that embodiment exists, but it’s such a hypnotizing experience that such ambiguity only draws you in more. It’s been almost a full year since I saw the film, and it’s still stayed with me as easily the most criminally overlooked horror movie of the year.
2. Continue
In Continue, writer/director Nadine Crocker stars as Dean, a woman struggling with depression and a history of suicide attempts. She recovers and finds friends in a mental institution, but the real challenge comes when she returns to society and forms a new romantic relationship. Had this gotten anything resembling a decently sized release, I’m confident Continue would be in this year’s awards conversations, especially for Crocker’s unflinchingly vulnerable performance that came from her own real-life struggles with depression. You can tell that this material means a lot to her within minutes of watching the performance.
Crocker brings that same passion to her writing and directing, digging her way to the painful roots of what she and her character have gone through. The romance between her and her new boyfriend (Shiloh Fernandez) is very sweet and believable, but also realistic given the obvious obstacles in her path. Even the cinematography from Sy Turnbull is unafraid to get experimental now and then, whether it takes on the cold, colorless palette of the mental institution or the disorienting blurs of a thriller. If you’ve suffered any mental affliction similar to what’s portrayed here, you owe it to yourself to go through the cold cleansing of Continue. It comes from someone who knows its subject matter firsthand, and it’s made for those who do as well … and even those who don’t.
3. Thelma
No, this is not a prequel to Thelma and Louise, but a really enjoyable comedy/pseudo-thriller. June Squibb (of Palm Springs) stars as the titular Thelma, a 93-year-old woman who gets phone-scammed out of $10,000. She goes out with her friend Ben (the late Richard Roundtree, of Se7en) to get the money back herself, while her grandson Danny (Fred Hechinger, of Gladiator II) searches for her. Squibb’s performance remains one of my favorites of the entire year, so full of humor and cutting wit while also heart-tuggingly open and naïve. The whole film is centered around the difficulties that Thelma – as well as anyone in her age range – faces, such as increased dependence on others, physical limitations, and a waning grasp on the dangers of modern times.
But Thelma is equally empowering to that demographic, encouraging them that while they have their growing limits, they can still find a way through and protect what they have left. That’s not to say only older viewers can enjoy it, as Thelma’s relationship with Danny opens up his own insecurities about his potentially hopeless future, especially when the time comes that she’s no longer able to guide him through it. Their concluding exchange about what’s in store for them is so sweet and encouraging that it managed to get me a little misty-eyed. The whole film is touching in ways I really wasn’t expecting, not to mention just plain funny. Thelma is one of those little movies that could, and those who’ve seen it most likely agree it’s an insanely easy one to enjoy.
4. Kensuke’s Kingdom
2024 boasts one of the strongest lineups of animated films I’ve seen in a long time. But even though most of them aren’t exactly mainstream hits, Kensuke’s Kingdom has barely gotten any attention even within indie circles. Based on the 1999 Michael Morpurgo novel, Kensuke’s Kingdom sees young Michael (Aaron MacGregor) and his dog Stella separated from their family by a storm and washed up on a remote island. They meet Kensuke (Ken Watanabe, of Godzilla), a former World War II veteran, and become acclimated to the world he’s created there. Yes, you’ve likely heard this setup many times before, but Kensuke’s Kingdom thrives by doing something very few animated films attempt: basking in its slow simplicity.
When Michael first lands on the island, for example, it takes a while for you to see any signs of hope as he barely manages to scrape by. Before and especially after he meets Kensuke, you feel like you know this place top to bottom because of how thoroughly we get to explore it. The film is also a great example of visual storytelling, since Michael and Kensuke’s language barrier prevents them from having any spoken dialogue. They bond purely through actions and expressions, which makes the connection much more heartfelt and even inspiring. If you grew up loving stories like The Hatchet or The Cay, then Kensuke’s Kingdom will surely get you feeling that same childlike warmth. It also has a wonderful dog, which means you must like it.
5. The Paragon
Okay, I’m just now realizing how many of these overlooked movies I personally reviewed on this site. I swear that wasn’t intentional … but hey, I’ll take the extra advertising. Especially if it means getting to talk about this oddball of a hidden gem. In The Paragon, Dutch (Benedict Wall, of No Exit) is a hit-and-run victim, with a permanently busted leg and a life in tatters. That is, until he meets a psychic woman (Florence Noble) who teaches him to wield such power himself, while also dragging him into a high-stakes conflict against her brother (Jonny Brugh, of What We Do in the Shadows). Think the story of Doctor Strange meets the tone and style of The Princess Bride … and somehow it actually works.
Let me be clear: The Paragon is a very cheesy, cheap, and goofy take on these fantasy tropes … but it leans so hard into that vibe that it wins you over with the same charm you’d feel watching your best friend’s passionate home movie. Except there’s actual talent supporting the way it’s shot and written. Director Michael Duignan miraculously merges that tone with strange, even somewhat profound concepts of alternate timelines and the impact of one’s choices in the face of tragedy with Dutch learning to see beyond his own anger. With the solid banter between him and his teacher anchoring the whole thing, The Paragon is one of those movies that absolutely should not work, but through brisk storytelling and dry awareness of its own silliness, unbelievably does.
6. Rumours
Now this is one I’m really surprised didn’t at least get more people talking. Rumours is a black comedy about a group of world leaders – including Cate Blanchett (TÁR) as the Chancellor of Germany – gathering to discuss some unspecified global crisis. But they wind up lost in the woods when supernatural forces come their way and cause their own inner turmoil, all varying levels of ridiculous, to come out. I can’t call Rumours an exceptional film, as it’s bogged down by inconsistent pacing and a few underdeveloped threads. But it remains one of the most interesting films I’ve seen this year through how it presents its equally bizarre and mundane story and setting, as well as how much it says without really saying anything.
Like Doctor Strangelove decades before it, Rumours is a constant jab at the sheer incompetence of those at the top of the political chain. Their most heavily discussed topic isn’t about how they’ll stop the unnamed crisis, but instead how they’ll address people regarding the crisis. But when its effects seep into their seemingly secluded location, these supposedly powerful nutcases are forced to reckon with just how small they really are. The almost neon-soaked night that engulfs most of Rumours effectively puts you in a strange limbo between total normalcy and some abstract quasi-hell. Again, this isn’t one of the year’s best movies, but it really is its own unique creation that I would’ve thought would be on more people’s radar.
6 Underrated Movies of 2024
7. Boy Kills World
I’ve been championing Boy Kills World as underrated since I saw it at TIFF 2023, and I’m sad to say I’ll have to keep doing so thanks to its lukewarm-at-best reception. Bill Skarsgård – who’s at least getting some acclaim this year with Nosferatu – plays a deaf-mute young man in a dystopian future. He’s out for revenge against Hilda Van Der Koy (Famke Janssen, of X-Men), the ruler who killed his sister. With intensive training under his belt, he sets out on a mission in this crazy, crazy world. Did I mention it’s crazy? Like, the kind of crazy where colorful cereal mascots can be brutally slaughtered on a Christmassy stage, in a bloody combination of The Raid, Deadpool, and the hypothetical best Mortal Kombat movie that was never made?
… Why didn’t people like this?!
Director Moritz Mohr fuses a love of film, video games, action, and classic vengeance-fueled storytelling together, all helmed by Skarsgård’s insanely good physical performance. You even get his inner voice courtesy of Archer himself, H. Jon Benjamin, whose masculine tone clashes amazingly with the character’s childlike outlook on the world. He’s supported by loveable allies who face off against some of the most entertainingly memorable villains I’ve seen … possibly ever. Boy Kills World nails its colorful characters as much as it does its hyper-consumerist world and even – after a few crucial reveals – its emotionally affecting story. Yes, it’s a lot to take in and aggressively in-your-face, which could turn some people off. But it’s so imaginative, fully realized, and straight-up fun that I seriously don’t understand how it doesn’t have a huge cult following already. Join me as one of the very first in that club, won’t you?
8. Here
Based on Richard McGuire’s identically-named graphic novel, Here is the newest Robert Zemeckis movie and takes place entirely in one location using one static shot. We see it across time, from the dawn of life on Earth to colonial times to modern day, although the main focus is on the life of Richard Young (Tom Hanks, of Elvis), his wife Margaret (Robin Wright, of Blade Runner 2049), and the house they know as their home. I’ve always been fascinated by thoughts of how much history has played out in any one given space. What lives were led in my home before I got here? What did it look like centuries ago? Did that one bland corner of the room once house something truly meaningful to someone else?
Here uses a series of constantly shifting panels to creatively blend elements across thousands of years’ worth of time, which means you’re always reminded of time’s passage, how much can change, and how much can stay the same. Yet I was never drawn away from the main storyline, which itself is an entire bittersweet life on its own. It feels like you’re experiencing someone’s entire world, even though you’re endlessly reminded that it’s a microscopic fraction of space and time … much like how we perceive our everyday lives. Sure, I can see why the gimmicks may have bored people, or why those with different outlooks found it cheesy or distracting. But if the sentiments I just shared resonate with you, I really think you may like Here or at the very least appreciate what it’s aiming for.
9. Slingshot
Let’s go ahead and Slingshot this movie into getting more love … Okay, I’ve got no good lead-in here. Slingshot centers around three astronauts – played by Casey Affleck (Interstellar), Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), and Tomer Capone (The Boys) – and their mission to one of Saturn’s moons. After repeated hibernations, however, their minds begin slipping, with Affleck’s character assaulted by hallucinations. Like Stopmotion, this is a film in which you constantly wonder what’s real and what’s in the minds of our deteriorating characters. Except it’s not just one person whose sanity you question; it’s three. Are all of them crazy? Is it just one or two of them? Which one or two? Should that matter when questioning what the right thing to do is, and does the answer to that change depending on who’s making the call?
It’s very easy for a movie like Slingshot to use this ambiguity so much that audiences stop caring at all. I suspect that’s why a lot of people didn’t enjoy it. But Mikael Håfström’s direction is so good at slowly easing you into the madness, while distorting our perceptions in relatively subtle ways, that it feels like every possible scenario was thought out without shoving any one of them in your face. My only complaint is with the ending, which gets a bit too cute with its fake-outs and gives you a definitive answer where I’d rather it didn’t. But the ride getting there is still such a mind-boggling trip that I believe plenty of people would be able to appreciate had they been encouraged to see it. For now, sadly, Slingshot is left adrift in the void of space that is the Rotten Tomatoes green splat.
10. Joker: Folie à Deux
Now, this is the one I’m sure will lose most of you. From the moment I left Joker: Folie à Deux, I knew people would hate it, I knew exactly why, and I knew I’d be one of very few people in its corner. Two years after the events of 2019’s Joker, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix, Napoleon) is locked up in Arkham Asylum, where he must stand trial for his crimes. While he prepares to plead insanity, a mysterious woman named Lee (Lady Gaga, House of Gucci) pulls him into a love affair that fuels the fire of his repressed Joker persona … somewhat. Yeah, if you went in wanting to see a “proper” Joker movie where the titular villain struts his stuff in full force, not only did you not get it, but the film actively belittles you for wanting it. Most people consider that an insult; I consider it a deserved jab.
Joker: Folie à Deux both continues and undoes the first film’s story by portraying Arthur as someone who simply can’t keep the Joker thriving anymore, no matter how hard he tries or is coerced to bring it out. It’s a reckoning that the Joker was never going to bring him more than the short burst of life he felt previously, and that he never should have been clamored for by moviegoers – I mean the people of Gotham – when Arthur, a real person in need, was right there. I totally get why people dislike the film, as it’s too long for how simple the story is and the musical numbers feel like unnecessary afterthoughts. But I really like how unexpected yet fitting this direction is, and I know I’m not alone with that take. So maybe, if you consider it from a different point of view, the blow may soften for you.
11. I.S.S.
I guess I have a soft spot for space thrillers, because this is the second one I’ve selected as underrated. I.S.S. was directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and features Ariana DeBose – thank God she has one good performance this year – as one of six astronauts and cosmonauts living on the International Space Station: three Americans and three Russians. When a global war breaks out down on Earth, both nations give their crew orders: take control of the station by any means necessary. The mouthwatering promise of that setup provides such a strong foundation that, even when the film fails to soar to greatness, it still stays afloat as a consistently entertaining and somewhat thoughtful thriller.
I.S.S. never takes full advantage of toying with viewers and constantly keeping them guessing, but it makes up for that with its propulsive pacing and likeable cast. The film is slow enough to keep the tension high, but it’s quick enough to never lose its sense of immediate urgency as every astronaut is forced into on-the-spot decisions, caught between national loyalty and basic humanity … assuming there’s no intersection in the first place. Anne Nikitin also does a lot of heavy lifting with one of the most stressful and underappreciated scores of the whole year. I’m not as enthused over I.S.S. as I am for my other underrated picks, and it’s not like it got uniformly bad reviews. But it’s mostly seen as middling while I find it … good. It only gets a portion of the juice it could have squeezed from its tantalizing idea, but that juice is still tasty.
12. Argylle
Eh … This one’s just fun for me. In Argylle, Bryce Dallas Howard plays Elly Conway, the author of a successful spy novel series about the fictional Agent Argylle (Henry Cavill). When her novels mirror events in the real world, she’s targeted by an evil spy organization and must rely on a defector from the group (Sam Rockwell) to help her out. And no, her cat is not the real Agent Argylle. That was genuinely a big disappointment for me. But while Argylle isn’t quite a good movie, I’m surprised it was so brutally panned. Its twists and turns are plentiful, yes, but most of them are legitimately fun surprises that add a little something extra – if not always a lot – to the overall story. Especially with solid acting from Rockwell, Howard, and everyone else staying in the center.
Matthew Vaughn is one of my favorite action directors thanks to his unhinged, out-of-the-box vision, and though Argylle is definitely not his best work on that front, he still gives us memorable set pieces. Where else will you find someone skating on explosive oil while taking out bad guys? Plus, once you have all the answers, it’s fun to think back on how Elly is processing what she sees and how that may even reflect the ridiculousness of the action before her. Argylle is often messy with shoddy effects and some untapped potential, but it’s still an interesting, original movie that swings for the fences. For my money, it’s just enough to get to a base, as opposed to the total strikeout it’s often made out to be.
Read our list of 10 Overlooked and Underrated Films of 2021 and check out the Most Underrated Movie Performances of 2023!
