The 10 Best Movies of 2024 (So Far)

Best Movies of 2024 So Far
lllustration: Alisa Gao for Variety; Film Stills: Courtesy of Universal / Disney / Warner Bros.

It would be hard to think of another time when the film industry cooed over every box-office hit like a lost prospector holding up a gold nugget (and for a while this year, finding those hits was starting to feel like panning for gold). It all makes sense, though. Each week, the movies that open in theaters now have to prove the viability of movies as a popular form. That’s why the entire future of cinema can seem like it’s hanging on one blockbuster opening weekend. But, of course, it’s not — it’s hanging on whether people will go out to the movies because they’re drawn by movies entertaining and artful enough to see. On that score, we think 2024 has already been a bonanza. Variety’s chief film critics have found much to love: studio knockouts, independent standouts, international gems, documentary landmarks, underground breakouts. Here are our picks for the 10 best movies of 2024 so far.

More from Variety

\