This year has seen some towering successes on the big and small screen, and as always, there has been no shortage of disappointments and disasters (looking at you, Joker: Folie Le Deux); but the highs have been undeniable. Wicked is a bonafide phenomenon; it’s been a stellar year for music docs (The Greatest Night In Pop, The Honorable Shyne, Yacht Rock); the old school buddy cop movie made a semi-comeback with hits like Bad Boys: Ride Or Die and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F and we got some towering performances from greats like Denzel Washington (Gladiator II) and Demi Moore (The Substance). Here’s a look at some of the film and TV we’ve been buzzing about throughout 2024.
AT THE MOVIES:
'DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE'
There wasn’t a bigger or more fun summer blockbuster than this world-bending team-up between everyone’s favorite mutant Canuck and the Merc with a Mouth. Stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman are having so much fun, it’s easy to forget and forgive the head-scratching multiverseness of it all. Add the appearances from Jennifer Garner’s Elektra, Wesley Snipes as Blade and Channing Tatum’s lovably goofy turn as Gambit, and you’ve got one helluva popcorn flick — and a pretty effective sendoff for the FOX era of Marvel movies.
'NOSFERATU'
Writer/director Robert Eggers reinvigorates the most well-worn text in horror (and possibly the most influential film of the silent age) with terrifyingly effective results in this gothic epic. A thoroughly detailed period piece delivered with panache and drenched in dread, Eggers’ film is anchored by the performance of Bill Skarsgard as the reclusive and horrific Count Orlock. The classic story is retold: a young aristocrat’s beloved becomes the obsession of a vampire — this time delivered with an emphasis on the black plague as cultural backdrop. With supporting turns from Lily Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe and Nicholas Hoult — it’s far from the lone stellar performance; but this version of Orlock is the most disturbing rendition we’ve seen. A masterwork of tone and an artistic high point for its talented director.
CHALLENGERS
Zendaya’s chemistry with her co-stars Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, who play rising tennis pros who become enamored with Zendaya’s upstart “Tashi,” smolders off the screen. For folks of a certain age, it may evoke the Gen X cult classic Threesome, but it’s a much better movie; the film’s chronology shifts and flows via confident direction from Luca Guadagnino. It’s an honest, intriguing and adult look at sex and relationships, carried by the undeniable charisma of the three actors at its center.
'DUNE: PART TWO'
This epic second act from Denis Villaneuve pushes past its predecessor in virtually every way. With a strong cast that features Timothy Chalamet and Zendaya, Part II is more cohesive and emotionally resonant than the first film. It also retains much of the novel’s soul. It’s beautifully rendered, with the deserts of Arrakis realized in brilliant style. It makes up for the emptiness of the first film, and this is the strongest Dune adaptation we’ve ever seen on screen.
'LOVE LIES BLEEDING'
Kristen Stewart’s performance as gym manager “Lou” is career-defining, in this dark melodrama that twists and contorts into something unexpected. Stewart’s Lou meets and falls for Katie O’Brien’s drifter, “Jackie.” It’s one of the year’s most acclaimed dramas, and it’s unconventional storytelling only adds to the atmosphere. Psychological and disturbing, director Rose Glass pushes the performers (and narrative) to the most unpredictable places.
'REBEL RIDGE'
A crime thriller masquerading as a traditional action movie, this tightly-wound drama from director Jeremy Saulnier shines a dark spotlight on a corrupt police force and also offers some commentary on the state of military veterans in contemporary America. Star Aaron Pierre more than holds his own, as he carries the quiet intensity of the script and humanizes the battle of wills with a corrupt police chief played by Don Johnson.
WICKED'
Stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo bring the beloved musical to the big screen in one of years biggest cinematic events. The first in a two-part adaptation of the blockbuster, a story about alienation and finding a sense of togetherness, with Glinda (Grande) and Elphaba (Erivo) at its center. Director Jon M. Chu goes big, as one might expect, with a production that echoes the grandeur of golden age Hollywood musicals and the sheen of Disney. It’s all ridiculously entertaining and well-crafted, but it’s Erivo and Grande’s performances that center the lavish spectacle.
ON TV:
'FIGHT NIGHT: THE MILLION DOLLAR HEIST'
Flawed but imminently entertaining, the limited series boasts a star-studded cast led by Kevin Hart, Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji Henson and Don Cheadle — and tells the story of a robbery gone wrong at an Atlanta fight party the night Muhammad Ali made his boxing comeback against Jerry Quarry in 1970. With strong supporting turns from Terence Howard, Sinqua Walls and Chloe Bailey, it’s a rich showcase for all involved — and shines a light on a little-known moment in ATL history.
'THE PENGUIN'
Dark, grim and intensely compelling, the miniseries focusing on Batman’s waddling adversary turned out to be the best crime drama on TV. Star Colin Farrell disappears into Oswald Cobb, a former mafia errand boy-turned-kingpin. Cobb’s rise to power is told in stark, heartbreaking detail, as Gotham reels from the aftermath of events in 2021’s The Batman. But as mesmerizing as Farrell’s performance consistently is, it’s Cristin Milioti — as Sofia Falcone/Gigante, the estranged heir apparent to the Falcone crime family — who steals the show.
'CROSS'
James Patterson’s titular brilliant detective gets reimagined in this stylish series. The show’s sleek, cerebral approach separates it from most police procedurals and gives more of a psychological thriller tone. But it’s really star Aldis Hodge who pushes the series to its highest heights. Stepping into shoes that had previously been filled by Morgan Freeman (and less successfully, Tyler Perry), Hodge makes Cross his own; smoldering intensity as he works to solve a community crime and the heartbreaking murder of his wife. With Washington, D.C. serving as its own supporting character, the high-stakes tension is continuously watchable.
'TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY'
The fourth season of the crime drama anthology series transplants to Alaska and stars Jodie Foster and the undeniable Kali Reis; and the revamped approach breathes necessary life into the formerly idle franchise. This season shakes things up quite a bit but gets back to the eerie tone of the original series without repeating tired formulas. Milking the existential dread for all it’s worth, this season focuses on the disappearance of researchers against the frozen backdrop of a fictional town named Ennis. It proves head writer Issa Lopez could recenter the show’s former glory (and without ex-showrunner Nic Pizzolatto involved).
'MR. & MRS. SMITH'
In terms of sheer entertainment, it was the television event of the spring, boasting Donald Glover and Maya Erskine’s chemistry, and a whip-smart script that kept things moving. As a pair of spies hired to pose as a married couple and perform hits around the world, Glover’s “John” and Erskine’s “Jane” keep audiences guessing about their true motives, uneasy allegiances and watching the would-be romance struggle under the weight of their circumstances. Despite a bit of drama early on in the production (original co-lead Phoebe Waller-Bridge left the series), the show earned raves. There will be a season two, but even if it doesn’t feature the original stars, the Smiths were a hit.
'THE BEAR'
The show continues to deliver some of the best writing on TV, as the relationships between Carmie, Syd, Richie, Marcus and the rest are brought into sharp relief. Season three offers the strongest character studies in the show’s arc, and this season refuses to neatly tie things up or give any semblance of closure in the traditional sense. As the various characters wrestle with pregnancy, workplace trauma, grief and growing pains, the bonds that connect the stellar cast fray, splinter, strengthen and deepen. This is still one of the best ensembles we’ve seen.
'DIARRA FROM DETROIT'
It is the most unexpectedly enjoyable series of the year; Diarra Kilpatrick has emerged as a creative on the rise after the stellar first season of this sleeper hit, a multilayered look at how one woman (mis)handles emotional hardships after her divorce – and the outlandish misadventures she finds herself in. Arguably the first big critical home run for BET Plus, the show announces Kilpatrick as a force who could follow in the footsteps of Issa Rae and Quinta Brunson as a supremely talented, forward-pushing voice on television.
'X-MEN ‘97'
It’s the rare reboot that can satisfy die-hard fans of the original and also win over newbies. A continuation of the beloved ‘90s staple X-Men: The Animated Series, ‘97 ups the ante without ever forgetting what made the original show so popular. There are more adult tones and a more expansive cast of characters, but the melodrama and action are all up to par, as our band of merry mutants face off against a world that hates and fears them. Proof that nostalgia doesn’t have to be dumbed down or overly referential to work.
'THE MADNESS'
Tightly-wound suspense and a soaring performance from Colman Domingo push this Netflix thriller to the top of the heap for a hard-hitting dramatic series. Media personality Muncie Daniels falls into a murder plot while working on a novel. Soon enough, Daniels is thrust into a conspiracy, and with stellar supporting turns from John Ortiz and Marsha Stefanie Blake, the show ups the storytelling ante while also raising the stakes. It’s a perfect showcase for Domingo, after star-making performances on the big screen (The Color Purple) and the small screen (Euphoria). It’s great to see him sink his teeth into a character this layered.
source https://www.okayplayer.com/the-best-film-and-tv-of-2024
Comments
Post a Comment