Supposedly all the best movies of any given year come out from September to December; the better to campaign for the end-of-year awards that are voted on around that time. In practice, that is simply not true. Tons of great movies come out every year from January to June, even if those films do tend to get overlooked by some critics and awards voters.
Hopefully lists like this one will counteract some of that end-of-year bias; it contains 15 really good 2024 movies from the first half of 2024. A few of these movies will probably get some attention come November and December. (I have a feeling Zendaya’s performances this year will be too memorable to get ignored.) Others might legitimately fall through the cracks, which is all the more reason to celebrate them now, get them on people’s radars, and ensure people remember to check them out on VOD or 4K or streaming in the months ahead. I’ve got a couple of blockbusters, some really exciting independent films, and even an international film or two.
What makes something a 2024 release versus a 2023 release or a 2025 release is getting more nebulous all the time, but all of the titles below either received a major theatrical premiere or made their streaming debut this calendar year. If you don’t see one of your favorites here, it’s possible I have some catching-up to do before the end of the year. (Or maybe your favorite was bad, did you ever consider that possibility?)
Let’s get to my picks for the best films of 2024 to date…
The Best Movies of 2024 (So Far)
Here are the must-see films from the first half of 2024.
READ MORE: The Best Movies of 2023
The 10 Most Underrated Films of 2023
From underseen to unloved, these are the movies from 2023 that deserve another chance.
Gallery Credit: Emma Stefansky