Top 10 Good Movies We Watched in 2024 (by James M)

Happy New Year, people. 2024 is just about over, and this year, my parents and I watched some really fun movies, and some of which I didn't think about seeing at one point. Over the many, many movies I watched this year, I will name just ten films that were undoubtedly great IMO. Let's start...

10. Eye In The Sky

Released in 2015, this film stars Alan Rickman prior to his death, and revolves around taking out a terrorist. On the day we watched it, we planned on seeing INSIDE OUT 2, but it turned out the film wasn't free to watch on Disney Plus yet. Time to improvise. So, mom picked out this movie, and I initially got cold feet because it was R-rated until I recalled that I'd seen R-rated movies before and it had been a while since we all saw an R-Rated movie. We watched it and, well, it was really good, teaches you a lot about how things work out behind the scenes when it comes to taking out terrorists.

9. Jojo Rabbit

We got this for Christmas in 2023, and this was the first movie we saw in 2024. Set during the Second World War, the movie follows a boy who looks up to Adolf Hitler, until he finds a Jewish person hiding in the house. As someone who loves World War II movies and movies involving Nazis, this one was quite good, and I am considering rewatching the film in the future. Takkia Wattiti is one funny actor, and his rendition of Adolf Hitler was... wow.

8. Aladdin (1992)

"TEN THOUSAND YEEAAAARRRS can give ya such a crick in the neck!"

I never saw this movie as a kid, even though I saw scenes from it here and there. But, we saw it, and, wow, I see why so many people love it. This is one of Disney's best movies to date, and Robin Williams sold it as Genie. You gotta love animated films, especially when it can go absolutely off the walls in a good way. We will see the live-action remake down the road, and I do want to see the sequels this film produced.

7. Batman: Mask of The Phantasm

One of DC's most valued characters and one of the most beloved comic book superheroes for decades, Batman, next to Spider-Man, has become one of my favorites and, as I am keen to watch superhero films, it was obvious I would watch this at some point. I saw it twice this year, once with my dad, and again with my mom. This is without a doubt a good, and gripping Batman movie, with Kevin Conroy voicing the Dark Knight as the story takes a look at Bruce Wayne's motivations. People are not wrong to say it is the best Batman film ever, and Mark Hamil steals the show as The Joker. I will write up a review of this at some point.

6. Frankenstein (1931)

A classic monster movie and one of the greats. We watched this on Halloween, and it felt right to watch it at the end of October, after watching scary movies for weeks (including the original Beetlejuice movie). The story of Doctor Frankenstein and his monster is well-known, and, for its time, the movie is still incredible to this very day. We all enjoyed it, and I would not mind watching the sequels and the remake and I'd be glad to read the book down the line. Truly, an unforgettable horror movie.

5. Invaders From Mars (1953) 

Another film we watched in October. My dad suggested it, and, well, you can't say no. This one was intense, and dad observed that it left me on the edge of my seat at one point. For a film from the 50s, this is an insane sci-fi classic with a crazy ending. The special effects are not too bad, and the aliens are scary as heck. Jimmy Hunt, the lead actor in this film, will never be forgotten by us modern day movie watchers. Bring on the 80s remake.

4. Oppenheimer (2023)

"We knew the world would not be the same. Some people cried, most people were silent..."

We got this film for Christmas along with Jojo Rabbit, and, past the anniversary of Japan's surrender, we watched it. I'm telling you, this is a long movie, but it is pretty good. Cillian Murphy was an interesting pick to play Dr. Oppenheimer, even though OPPENHEIMER can be hard to follow as it bounces all over the place and gets a little weird at times. And yet, it still tells the story of Robert J. Oppenheimer's affairs and efforts to make the bomb. However, mom prefers 1989's FAT MAN AND LITTLE BOY over this, but OPPENHEIMER is worth the eventual rewatch. OPPENHEIMER does its best to be historically accurate, despite certain issues coming up, and the acting is pretty decent.

3. Forrest Gump

"Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get."

A classic film for the ages. Starring Tom Hanks, FORREST GUMP follows the title character as he talks about his life, which sees him fight in the Vietnam War at one point, and Gump is one of the funniest characters ever. FORREST GUMP is a humorous story, but one full of kindness, and may have valuable life lessons you won't forget. The end of this film, well, it is touching. FORREST GUMP is a must-watch, especially for those who have not seen this one yet.

2. Ultraman Rising

Ultraman. Who can forget it? I remember watching the original Ultraman show as a kid, and, given my love of animation, we could not resist watching this movie. ULTRAMAN RISING tells the tale of a baseball player who becomes a monster-fighting superhero and looks after a baby kaiju. Sure, we've seen someone looking after a baby monster before, but this one is just endearing. ULTRAMAN RISING is a tale of heroism and fatherhood. You gotta feel bad for that baby kaiju, and this is one superhero/monster movie worth a rewatch.

-Honorable Mentions-

Inglorious Basterds (2009)

Damn good movie, that's all I can say. C'mon, you can't resist an alternate history World War II movie, especially when Brad Pitt is in it and Adolf Hitler gets killed off at the end.

Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie

I love the TMNT franchise, having seen the OG movies, the 2007 animated film, most of RoTMNT, Turtles Forever, and the Michael Bay movies while reading some TMNT comics and playing a TMNT game or two. Mom and I loved this, and you can't go wrong with a film like RISE OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES.

Full Metal Jacket

This was crazy as heck, and still enjoyable. It shows boot camp training and, of course, the madness of Vietnam. R. Lee Ermy made for a crazy cool drill sergeant character, and I almost feel bad for him when he got killed by "Private Pyle". I handled this like a champ, and it is a fun war movie. When you see this, you are not in a world of crap.

1. Godzilla Minus One (2023)

We all know the story of Godzilla. In 1954, 9 years after the end of World War II, America tests the H-Bomb in the Pacific, leading to a huge radioactive dinosaur ravaging Tokyo. However, this film changes up the status quo by having Godzilla attack Japan shortly after the conclusion of the war. It starts in 1945, in the closing weeks of WWII, and Godzilla's big attack happens two years later. Focusing on a would-be kamikaze pilot, GODZILLA MINUS ONE is an incredible movie and was the one that ensured the Big G got an Oscar after seven decades. I would love to watch this again, because, next to GODZILLA 1954 and GODZILLA FINAL WARS, this is one of the most important Godzilla films ever.

"Hey, wait a minute! How about you cover one more film?"

I was just thinking, and if I am being honest, GODZILLA MINUS ONE isn't the only movie that is one of my favorite films I got to see in 2024. Sharing the number one spot, we have...

Deadpool (2016)

Okay, the story here is interesting. After mom and I saw the trailer for TERMINATOR DARK FATE in 2019, I got curious about Deadpool, and we saw the trailer for that movie. After seeing what it had to offer, mom objected. And, for a long time, I was against seeing R-rated comic book films like this, but eventually, I decided to watch this movie with my dad. Oh, I am here to tell you now, this R-rated comic book movie was worth watching. Ryan Reynolds is my favorite actor, and he played Wade Wilson so well. Full of action, humor, and good moments, I am happy I saw Deadpool. And this one is more than just an over-the-top bloody action film, it is a comedy at heart, with so many comedic beat. I will be seeing the sequel in 2025 along with the third movie.

Happy New Year!