While there are plenty of 2024 new movies that are out there to watch, we can't honestly say that they are all cinematic masterpieces. However, there are great movies from this year out there to watch, and we're here to help you find them with our round-up of What to Watch’s best-reviewed movies of 2024.
What to Watch uses a five-star rating system in our reviews, meaning a movie can earn anywhere from zero (a bad, bad movie) to five stars (a masterpiece), including half-star ratings (ie, 2.5 stars). This list only features movies that we truly recommend, meaning they had to have earned a 3.5-star rating or higher from one of our reviewers. We'll be updating this post throughout the year with movies that hit that benchmark.
So, without further ado, here are the best-reviewed movies of 2024 from the What to Watch team.
4.5 stars
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
- Director: Guy Ritchie
- Cast: Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, Eiza González, Alex Pettyfer, Henry Golding, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Babs Olusanmokun, Til Schweiger
- How to watch: playing in US movie theaters and available for at-home viewing via digital on-demand platforms; premiering in the UK on Prime Video this summer
Guy Ritchie brings his style to World War Two with The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, which is based on an incredible true story. But perhaps what is most notable about that is while Ritchie has forgone his overt stylings of his earlier movies that were his trademark for a measured and yet still thrilling action movie that is unquestionably his. Throw in a strong ensemble and you have one of the best movies of the year.
Read an excerpt from our The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare review here:
"Hard to say if Guy Ritchie is ever going to get to direct a James Bond movie. So what's the next best thing? Directing a movie about the man who is supposedly the inspiration for James Bond in one of the more daring World War Two missions that you've ever seen. The result is The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, a fantastically fun, violent and explosive time at the movies can aptly be described as The Dirty Dozen for a new generation."
4 stars
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
- Director: Mark Molloy
- Cast: Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, Kevin Bacon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, John Ashton, Taylour Paige, Paul Reiser
- How to watch: streaming exclusively on Netflix
Eddie Murphy returns to one of his most iconic characters, and it will have fans of 80s action comedy franchise smiling from ear to ear according to our Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F review. Here's an excerpt:
"Admittedly, Axel F coasts on the audience's affection for its characters, but its relaxed spirit means it is also unafraid to poke fun at the variable quality of the series’ previous installments"
The Book of Clarence
- Director: Jeymes Samuel
- Cast: LaKeith Stanfield, Omar Sy, Anna Diop, RJ Cyler, David Oyelowo, Michael Ward, Alfre Woodard, Teyana Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, James McAvoy, Benedict Cumberbatch
- How to watch: streaming on Netflix and available via digital on-demand in the US
Director Jeymes Samuel gave the western a fresh spin with his brilliant 2021 movie The Harder They Fall, and he does the same with the biblical epic in The Book of Clarence. LaKeith Stanfield stars as Clarence, a man struggling to find his way in Jerusalem, until he decides to take a page from Jesus of Nazareth and proclaim himself a prophet, attempting to con people into giving him money.
Read an excerpt from our The Book of Clarence review here:
"Samuel walks an incredible tightrope in the movie, creating plenty of humor pointed at elements of the Christian iconography and faith, but never to a point where it is disrespectful. In fact, The Book of Clarence often provides thoughtful messages on faith and key religious and social principles that are as relevant today as they were more than 2,000 years ago."
Dune: Part Two
- Director: Denis Villeneuve
- Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling, Stephen McKinnley, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub, Christopher Walken
- How to watch: playing in movie theaters worldwide; streaming on Max in the US and available through digital on-demand in US and UK.
One of the most anticipated movies of 2024 is also one of the best, as Dune: Part Two builds on the world that was introduced in 2021's Dune, picking up where that movie left off as Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) joins the Fremen people to fight back against the forces that destroyed his family and threaten Arrakis.
Read an excerpt from our Dune: Part Two review right here:
"Denis Villeneuve turns author Frank Herbert's 'unfilmable' sci-fi classic into a thrillingly resonant big-screen adventure."
The Fall Guy
- Director: David Leitch
- Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Hannah Waddingham, Winston Duke, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Stephanie Hsu
- How tow watch: playing in movie theaters; available via digital on-demand in the US
Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt were on opposite sides of the Barbenheimer phenomenon last year, but now they team up for one of the most fun movies of 2024, The Fall Guy. This ode to the stunt community is so funny and action-packed that it's nearly impossible not to have a good time watching it.
Read an excerpt from our The Fall Guy review:
"The movie gets off to a bumpy start with some less than stellar narration, but any trepidation around that is quickly replaced by the chemistry that Gosling and Blunt have together."
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
- Director: George Miller
- Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke
- How to watch: playing exclusively in movie theaters
A prequel to the award-winning action movie Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga tells the tale of how the breakout character from Fury Road came to be the bad-ass she is. Despite taking nearly a decade to make and swapping out Charlize Theron for Anya Taylor-Joy in the role of Furiosa, we found the movie to be and "exhilarating" addition to Furiosa's legacy and the Mad Max franchise overall.
Here's an excerpt from our Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga review:
"With a story that spans 15 years rather than Fury Road's three days and two nights, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga doesn't have its predecessor's propulsive momentum, but the change of gear gives Miller and co-writer Nico Lathouris more opportunity to explore the vividly dystopian, post-apocalyptic world of the Mad Max films."
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
- Director: Adam Wingard
- Cast: Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle
- How to watch: playing in movie theaters and available via digital on-demand
Godzilla and Kong teamed up not just for one of the cinematic fights ever, but for one of our early favorites of the 2024 movie slate in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. It's the kind of big (literally as it is being shown in IMAX) silly fun that is hard not to enjoy.
Here's an excerpt from WTWs' Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire review:
"[A] wildly good time at the movies, precisely because it revels in its main attraction: the Titans. Here, they have more personality, especially when it comes to comedic timing; I was not expecting to laugh out loud as many times as I did."
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
- Director: Wes Ball
- Cast: Owen Teague, Freya Allen, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, William H. Macy
- How to watch: playing exclusively in movie theaters
It was always going to be a tall task for the Planet of the Apes franchise moving on without Andy Serkis and his character Caesar, but Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes manages to pull it off pretty well. While some of the themes may not be as rich as the previous entries, the movie is still a thrilling and gorgeous-to-look-at adventure.
Read an excerpt from our Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes review:
"Where Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes does score is in its being a wildly exciting adventure... Ball, best known for the post-apocalyptic Maze Runner trilogy of teen fantasy adventures, handles all this with impressive verve."
Immaculate
- Director: Michael Mohan
- Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Simona Tabasco, Alvaro Morte, Benedetta Porcaroli
- How to watch: available via digital on-demand
Coming off the low that was Madame Web, Sydney Sweeney bounces right back in our books with the horror movie Immaculate. Playin a nun who goes to an exclusive convent in Italy when a miracle happens. Or is it a curse?
Read an excerpt from our Immaculate review:
"...Immaculate can take its rightful place among other religious horror hits such as Saint Maud, The Omen and Rosemary's Baby, offering a fresh take on the genre while still leaning on elements that make it so great."
Inside Out 2
- Director: Kelsey Mann
- Cast: Amy Poehler, Maya Hawke, Liza Lapira, Tony Hale, Lewis Black, Phyllis Smith, Ayo Edebiri, Adele Exarchopolous, Paul Walter Hauser
- How to watch: playing exclusively in movie theaters
Pixar is back on their game according to our Inside Out 2 review, even if the sequel doesn't quite live up to the original animated movie. Even so, it still delivers fun and touching psychological insights as the five central emotions from the first movie (Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust) must try and cope when a new group of emotions (Anxiety, Envy, Ennui and Embarrassment) start to influence Riley.
Here's an excerpt from our review:
"Inside Out 2... does make freshly inventive use of the earlier film's clever conceits, coming up with a string of humorous visual metaphors and jokey puns for the workings of the brain and the raging emotions of adolescence."
Miller's Girl
- Director: Jade Halley Bartlett
- Cast: Martin Freeman, Jenna Ortega, Bashir Salahuddin, Gideon Adlon, Dagmara Domińczyk
- How to watch: streaming on Netflix in the US; available to rent via digital on-demand platforms in the US and UK
We appear to be in the minority on Miller's Girl, the admittedly controversial movie about an inappropriate teacher-student relationship starring Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega, as the movie is dubbed "Rotten" on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. Clearly, Miller's Girl is not for everyone, but we loved the movie's Southern gothic feel and the riveting performance from Ortega and who knows, you may too.
Read an excerpt from our Miller's Girl review right here:
"Bartlett crafts a strong debut feature as a director that takes a risk with its style. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but she commits to it and in our view the movie is all the better for it."
The Trouble with Jessica
- Director: Matt Winn
- Cast: Indira Varma, Rufus Sewell, Olivia Williams, Alan Tudyk, Shirley Henderson
- How to watch: playing exclusively in UK movie theaters
For those who like a little bite with their comedy, may we offer you The Trouble with Jessica, a black comedy and social satire about four privileged Londoners that find themselves in a tricky spot when the have to deal with a dead body, testing how far each will go to avoid ruin.
Read an excerpt from our The Trouble with Jessica review right here:
"With nods to vintage Hitchcock and a fabulous cast, The Trouble with Jessica delivers delicious black comedy and up-to-date social satire."
Wicked Little Letters
- Director:Thea Sharrock
- Cast: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Anjana Vasan, Gemma Jones, Malachi Kirby, Eileen Atkins, Timothy Spall
- How to watch: playing in movie theaters in the US and UK; available via digital on-demand
The bizarre real-life scandal dubbed the "Seaside Mystery" and "Littlehampton Letters" gets its own movie adaptation with Wicked Little Letters, which features Oscar-winner Olivia Colman and Oscar-nominee Jessie Buckley in its main roles. The story revolves around a series of letters that caused a stir in the small community of Littlehampton, including the divulging of a potential murder suspect.
Read an excerpt from our Wicked Little Letters review right here:
"[L]argely, the movie plays out like an out-and-out farce, but one with fifty more f-bombs than you'd find elsewhere. Think Carry On, but if it was penned by Malcolm Tucker."
3.5 stars
Challengers
- Director: Luca Guadagnino
- Cast: Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, Mike Faist
- How to watch: playing in movie theaters; available via digital on-demand
Featuring a leading trio of young stars in Zendaya (making her second appearance on this list as she also starred in Dune: Part Two), Josh O'Connor and Mike Faist, Challengers is an entertaining story of a love triangle in the world of professional tennis. However, don't expect a straight-forward story of jealously and jilted lovers, as Challengers is more interested in the mind games at play and ends up in a different place than many might expect.
Read an excerpt WTW's Challengers review right here:
"[W]here the movie really sizzles is when the characters are just talking. This is most evident in exchanges between O'Connor's Patrick and Zendaya's Tashi, with one scene in particular being shot like a tennis match as the camera pans back and forth as each gets off volley after volley."
Drive-Away Dolls
- Director: Ethan Coen
- Cast: Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Pedro Pascal, Colman Domingo, Bill Camp, Matt Damon
- How to watch: streaming on Peacock and available via digital on-demand in the US; playing exclusively in theaters in the UK
Ethan Coen, who is one half of the legendary Coen Brothers, made Drive-Away Dolls his first solo-directed movie, but many will find it harkens back to some of the delightful, oddball comedies the Coens have made part of their staple. In this movie, two friends head on a road trip to Tallahassee, Fla., using a "drive-away" car, meaning they take a car that needs to be delivered somewhere. Unfortunately, what they're delivering gets them involved in a big conspiracy featuring some dangerous criminals, all of which results in a hilarious scenario.
Read an excerpt from our Drive-Away Dolls review right here:
"Leads Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan are great together, while long-time veteran actor Joey Slotnick gives a breakout performance as half of the pair of goons chasing them. And if you're not belting out big belly laughs in the hilarious final third of the movie, you should have your funny bone checked out."
Shirley
- Director: John Ridley
- Cast: Regina King, Lance Reddick, Terrence Howard, Lucas Hedges, Michael Cherrie, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Christina Jackson, Andre Holland
- How to watch: streaming exclusively on Netflix
Shirley Chisholm made history as the first Black woman elected to Congress in 1968, but she wasn't done there, making history again when she mounted a campaign to be president. Her story is told in the Netflix original movie Shirley, with Oscar-winner Regina King portraying the legendary political figure.
Here is an excerpt from WTW's Shirley review:
"[King] shines equally as bright as she transforms into Chisholm. While it may be too early for Oscar nomination conversations for King's latest role, she deserves a place in the conversation when the time comes for her work in Shirley."
