THE BEST OF 2024 - The Best MOVIES Of The Year

THE YEAR IN MOVIES - 2024

- 2024 was another amazing year for movies. And it was another year that, as I continued to struggle with Long COVID and the limitations it placed on me, the more I felt grateful for all those great movies. I know that we are always having these conversations about going to the theater vs. watching things at home. And sure, I very much enjoy curling up on the couch at home and watching something there. But going to the movies ... to me, there's still nothing like it. Especially when you have a good crowd that, like you, is there not to look at their phones or take photos for social media clout, but to be in the place where the magic happens (to paraphrase Nicole Kidman). A few weeks ago, I went to see a theatrical showing of Christopher Nolan's Interstellar - re-released in IMAX for a limited time. The experience was a memorable one. Even though I saw it in IMAX upon initial release, years ago - getting to now show the movie to others who hadn't previously seen it, in this format - it was something special. But it's not just big, huge epic movies that play better on the big screen. When I think back to all of my theater-going experiences in 2024, I think about the sort of immersion I experienced during the hypnotic Anora or the travelogue comedy of A Real Pain. These films were just as big-screen worthy, in my view, as anything else. And of course, the experience is always about more than just the movie itself. I think back to our "gathering of the fellowship" to see a new Lord of the Rings movie, or celebrating my birthday by experiencing the ridiculously over-the-top spectacle of Megalopolis ... these are some of my favorite memories of 2024.

2024 was one of the best years for horror movies that I can remember. I think the genre is expanding and continually finding new audiences - because when you have a great year for horror like 2024, people start to realize that horror movies can say so much about the world we live in. They're also the most fun movies to see with an audience. And as I type that, I can't help but smile as I think back to seeing Alien: Romulus and exchanging amused glances with friends, as a girl sitting behind us screamed bloody murder during a particularly crazy sequence. But man, it's hard to quantify these things ... but in a year that had The Substance, Nosferatu, Longlegs, MaXXXine, Late Night With the Devil, Alien: Romulus, Heretic, Oddity, Exhuma, A Quiet Place: Day One, I Saw the TV Glow, and more ... I mean, maybe it really WAS the best year for horror ever? 

Tangent: I feel bad for people who have sort of stopped looking forward to things. I know ... everyone's brain works differently. But one thing I love about being a pop-culture nerd is how much there always is to be excited about. Even when things get rough, there's always a big new movie just around the corner. I know for me, during this crazy Long COVID period, it's something I've come to appreciate more than ever. Someone asked me recently if I ever get tired of movies. And I thought that, yeah, there is always that moment at the end of the year where I've seen a ton of stuff, in an effort to cram in all the potential awards nominees before the end of the year, and am feeling just a bit burnt out on movies. There's always that moment where I actually do get a little bit sick of watching and thinking about movies, even the good ones, and just want to "touch grass" as the kids say. But then I inevitably start thinking about the next few months. This year, I'm thinking about how in a few short weeks we've got a new Captain America movie coming out, and a two new Steven Soderbergh movies, and then a new Jurassic Park and ... well, you get the picture. So sure, I'm taking this moment to look back. But I'm also already thinking about what's to come. And I'm already pretty excited about all of it.

Back to 2024 though ... it was a great year for horror, but wow, it was a great year for movies in general. Literally all 51 movies talked about below are GREAT movies, in my estimation. Flawed, sure, in some cases. But there's some spark of greatness. Something I won't forget. And even in the honorable mentions below that, there are a bunch that I regretted to leave off the main list. So I hope you will find at least a few things to like and discover here.

DANNY'S BEST MOVIES OF 2024:


1.) Anora

- Sean Baker has been one of my favorite filmmakers for a long time now. His movies tell smaller-scale stories, yet always feel huge in terms of theme. His films are funny, poignant, and incredibly human. All the same, they have a heightened, mesmerizing quality to them that always transports you. From The Florida Project to Red Rocket and now ... what might be his best movie yet. Because Anora is a masterpiece and my favorite film of the year. I've loved all of Sean Baker's work, but the combination of humor, pathos, non-stop momentum, and thought-provoking commentary / character study here is simply genius. Mikey Madison kills it in the lead role - what a transformative, breakout turn (and I was lucky to see a fantastic Q&A with her following the film - she's got a bright future ahead of her!). So too does Yura Borisov, in what has got to be one of the most quietly devastating performances I've ever seen. Inspiring stuff. In its own way, Anora is one of the best explorations of the American Dream I've ever seen. And I can't wait to see what Sean Baker does next.


2.) Perfect Days

- Yes, this one is going on my 2024 list, even though it was in consideration for last year's Oscars. But to be fair, it didn't get a real US release until February of *this* year. And I had to put it on this list, because the movie is phenomenal and gave me so much to unpack. It’s a poignant, profound film brilliantly directed by Wim Wenders and featuring the performance of a lifetime by Koji Yakusho. It's a simple but many-layered story about the life of a humble Tokyo toilet cleaner and the people he encounters in his daily cleaning routine around the city. But there is so much happening here beneath the surface, and Wenders does a masterful job of showing us just enough to get a sense of our protagonist's inner life and backstory. It also serves as an engrossing tour of Tokyo (including the fact that the city, apparently, has extremely nice public bathrooms!).

 

3.) Dune: Part Two

- As much as I loved the first film, this one tops it - and truly feels like The Empire Strikes Back of this series. Bigger, darker, more complex - with a world that opens up and reveals a much larger scope and scale to the story. I was on the edge of my seat throughout - mesmerized by director Denis Villeneuve's striking and awe-inspiring imagery. There were SO many scenes that were seared into my brain, bursting with imagination and painterly composition. The film was filled with fantastic performances top to bottom. Timothée Chalamet really impresses, undergoing an unsettling transformation as the movie progresses. Zendaya brings raw emotion and heart. Rebecca Ferguson is a show-stealer, as usual, with her steely-eyed gravitas. This is the kind of visionary sci-fi/fantasy cinema that we only get every so often from a big Hollywood studio. 

 

4.) Sing Sing

- What a movie. That one got to me. It's an incredibly powerful, overwhelmingly emotional film. The great Colman Domingo delivers yet another Oscar-worthy performance, in what's got to be my favorite overall performance of 2024. And the rest of the cast - most of them non-professional actors and actual formerly incarcerated people - is also remarkable. A striking, searing, uplifting prison film about the power of redemption, and an inspirational testament to the power of creative expression. This one has been far too under the radar - make a point to watch it if you can!


5.) The Substance

-  The Substance left me both wowed and slightly traumatized - and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since. This is flat-out one of the wildest, gnarliest, and most extreme movies you will ever see. It's Black Mirror-esque sci-fi social satire mixed with David Lynch-style weirdness and David Cronenberg-like, boundary-pushing body horror. Demi Moore & Margaret Qualley go for broke (one of Demi's best acting turns ever), and writer/director Coralie Fargeat (who previously gave us the adrenaline-fueled Revenge) leaves quite a mark. This is an unforgettable parable about aging, the questfor eternal youth, and the perils of trying to stay young forever in Hollywood. What a ride.

 

6.) Love Lies Bleeding

- Speaking of wild rides, Love Lies Bleeding is a nitro-fueled roller-coaster ride that kicks ass in every conceivable way. Kristen Stewart, Katy M O'Brian (in a truly breakout performance), and Ed Harris absolutely kill. And director Rose Glass - I'm floored by what she did here, because this film is a statement movie if ever there was one. Hard-hitting, tense, scary, funny, violent, crazy. A roid-rage crime-noir 80's-set romance-thriller that feels like a total burst of originality. I'm glad I saw this one with a packed audience - because there were some *reactions*!


7.) Challengers

- Challengers was an instantly iconic, singularly unique, swing-for-the-fences movie from Luca Guadagnino. It's crazy, campy, and heightened to the extreme - and incredibly fun to see in the theater, as it very much is a film that playfully manipulates its audience. Some real *Movie Star* performances in this one too from Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor. A memorable techno score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross as well. A strange, hypnotic, kinetically-charged piece of cinema that has stuck with me all year long.

 

8.) Problemista

- Problemista is a small miracle of a movie. This is SNL writer Julio Torres' first film as a writer, director, and star - and he absolutely kills it, bringing serious Charlie Kaufman-esque vibes to a movie that's weird and hilarious yet also poignant and real-feeling. A surreal and whimsical journey that's also a pretty spot-on commentary on how to survive in our late-stage capitalist culture. Tilda Swinton is amazing here too - an absolute force of nature. Another under the radar movie from 2024 that deserves much more attention.


9.) Strange Darling

- I went in basically blind to this movie, deciding to see it at the last minute based on the online buzz I was hearing ... and holy lord, did it ever live up to the hype. An incredible indie thriller that’s filled with devilishly entertaining twists and turns. And it's got a wickedly awesome breakthrough central performance from Willa Fitzgerald. Kyle Gallner is great too. Writer/director JT Mollner infuses the movie with shades of David Lynch and Jeremy Saulnier and a bit of Ti West - and absolutely knocks it out of the park. Avoid spoilers and go watch it asap!

 

10.) Thelma

- Thelma made me howl with laughter, made me teary eyed, and made me miss my grandma. It’s a great LA movie, a great Jewish movie, and one of the funniest comedies in a long time - with an amazing, one-of-a-kind performance from the legendary June Squibb. The whole cast is excellent - Richard Roundtree (RIP), Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, Fred Hechinger - but Squibb is next level.  This story of a 93 year old grandmother determined to take down the scammers who stole her money is an instant classic. Watch it!


JUST MISSED THE CUT:


11.) A Real Pain

- A funny, moving, authentic travelogue film that speaks to themes of Jewishness, Millennial angst/anxiety, mental health, family, and more. Kieran Culkin is so good in this, as is Jesse Eisenberg - who also wrote/directed/edited. I was lucky enough to see this one accompanied by an in-person Q&A with Eisenberg, which only reinforced to me how brilliant and funny he is and how much thoughtfulness went into this film.

 
 
12.) Sasquatch Sunset

- Speaking of Jesse Eisenberg - don't criticize the man for only playing himself. Because this year, he also played a sasquatch! And was great! Sasquatch Sunset is a strange, hilarious, moving, thought-provoking and kind of amazing. Truly a one of a kind film. Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keough and the rest of the cast give fearless, all-in performances. One of the year's most original indies.

 

 
13.) Late Night With the Devil
 
- A fantastic premise with a killer script - executed to perfection - that manages to surprise and shock with each new twist and turn. David Dastmalchian kills it as our erstwhile, 70's-era late night talk show host, and the rest of the cast is great as well. What a fun, funny, spooky journey this movie takes you on. I was totally gripped throughout. One of the best horror movies of the last few years
 

 

14.) Hundreds of Beavers

- The cult indie movie sensation that’s been sweeping the nation. Wow. Rarely has a movie made me want to immediately find and watch a documentary explaining how they made it. A magic trick of a movie that’s one part old silent film, one part Looney Tunes, and one part videogame adventure. What a wild ride. It took me a good half hour to lock in to the film’s unique rhythm, but once I did I spent the rest of the runtime marveling at this movie’s mad genius.


15.) A Quiet Place: Day One

- Unexpectedly, this horror prequel turned out to be kind of amazing. What a script, what a central performance from Lupita Nyong’o, and what a great job directing from Michael Sarnoski. An emotional and surprisingly poignant thrill ride that is blockbuster filmmaking at its finest. Absolutely loved this one!


THE NEXT BEST:

 

16.) Saturday Night

- If you're a fellow TV/Comedy nerd, this one's for you. The movie captures a very specific moment - literally - in showing us, at breakneck pacing, the two hours before the first ever episode of Saturday Night Live. But it also shows us the broader moment in time. The moment in TV history when a new generation of 20-somethings was let into the hallowed halls of NBC and other places - on a mission to disrupt the business as it had been since the invention of the medium a few decades earlier. Every performance here is golden. The cast is filled with talented up-and-comers, and a few veterans like Willem Dafoe, JK Simmons, and Matthew Rhys as George Carlin really stand out too.

17.) Hit Man

- This Netflix original has an absolutely fantastic script and one hell of a performance from Glen Powell … who is masterfully doing a sort of Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent / Superman thing. A breakout role for Adria Arjona too. Fun, funny, and with some of the best individual sequences of any movie in 2024. Director Richard Linklater adds to his legend once again.

18.) It's What's Inside

- Oh man, It's What's Inside is another really great 2024 original film from Netflix. And they barely promoted it. Luckily, a few of my favorite film critics raved about it, and so I finally gave it a watch this December. And I was sort of floored. What an incredibly smart and fun and inventive sci-fi movie. Writer/director Greg Jardin is very much a talent to watch, as is just about every member of this young cast. Mind-blowing stuff. One of the years’s best films!


19.) A Complete Unknown

- Really loved this one. And I was probably prone to, because I'm a Bob Dylan fan and have always been fascinated with the era of 60's counterculture and the early days of rock & roll music. But even so, the performances in this film were phenomenal, especially when you factor in that the cast did all their own singing. Timothee Chalomet as Bob Dylan, Edward Norton as Pete Seger, and Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez in particular were outstanding and awards-worthy. Lots of chill-inducing moments throughout. A great rock biopic that gave a lot to chew on, despite being about one of the most unknowable figures of our lifetime.

 

 

20.) Emilia Perez

 

-  Emilia Perez is not quite like any movie I’ve seen before. It’s a cartel crime saga, a trans parable, AND an experimental musical. Zoe Saldana and Karla Sofía Gascón are both phenomenal in this. Selina Gomez too. The movie is just an explosion of originality, of music, of emotion, of drama. It's a heightened, wild tale of a film but it had me fully absorbed throughout. A Netflix original that I'm glad I got to see in a theater, because the film is so "big," in its own way, that it demands to be seen on a huge screen.

 

21.) The Brutalist

- Several years ago, I watched a fascinating but completely insane movie called Vox Lux, from a then new writer/director named Brady Corbet. I thought to myself "wow, this is crazy, but I'm glad this guy is out there making these movies." Well, after sitting through 3.5 hours of The Brutalist, I am here to tell you that this is a Brady Corbet joint through and through. It's a big, massive swing of a movie. It deals with big, weighty subject matter - aiming to tell a great American story of tragedy and triumph in a fashion similar to something like There Will Be Blood. But The Brutalist is anything but your standard American epic. And I won't soon forget it.


22.) Didi

- Another criminally overlooked film of 2024 that I can't recommend enough - it's legitimately one of the best and most affecting coming of age movies I've ever seen ... the best, perhaps, since the seminal Eighth Grade. Funny, heartbreaking, and nostalgic (no movie has ever evoked more nostalgia in me for chatting on AIM). So many great performances in this one too (Joan Chen!). Make it a point to watch this one.

 

23.) The Wild Robot

- The Wild Robot is quite simply a stunning work of art. Incredible animation, intense action, some truly sensational voice work (Lupita Nyong'o absolutely crushes it - and there are some incredible supporting turns as well), and a giant beating heart that left not a dry eye in my theater. There's a very strong case to be made that this is the best film from Dreamworks Animation to date. Certainly, it was the best animated movie of 2024.


24.) The Apprentice

- A hell of a film, though it’s one of the most disturbing supervillain origin stories you’ll ever see. Because this villain is real and he’s about to be President again. But hats off to Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong for two incredible lead performances. And to director Ali Abbasi, who completely immerses you in 70's and then 80's New York City and makes every moment of this movie feel appropriately scuzzy and skeezy. If you have the stomach for it, I highly recommend everyone give this one a watch.

25.) Rebel Ridge

- Jeremy Saulnier (Green Room) is one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. And his latest movie absolutely rules. Rebel Ridge is Saulnier at his gritty best - with palpable tension and timely themes that bring to mind his best film, Green Room. Anchored by an insanely badass lead performance from Aaron Pierre, the film’s also got several strong supporting roles - from Don Johnson as a corrupt police chief to AnnaSophia Robb as a rebellious ally. 

 

MORE GREAT FILMS OF 2024:

26.) I Saw The TV Glow

- I Saw The TV Glow is a movie I’ll be thinking about for a long time, and as more time has passed, this one has really risen in my estimation. Because what I've realized is how vital this movie feels, and how strongly it's spoken to many who needed a movie like this. It’s a visually stunning treatise on Millennial nostalgia and angst - and a deeply felt film about the trans experience - filtered through a surrealist, Lynchian horror lens. Writer/director Jane Schoenbrun is 100% one to watch.


27.) Alien: Romulus

-  An incredibly fun roller coaster ride of a movie. It lulls you into thinking you might be getting a more YA-ish, Disney-fied version of Alien - but, nope! This one gets absolutely crazy at times. It also blends homage and innovation very well to make for a worthy entry in the storied Alien franchise, with fun references to nearly every Alien movie so far. Cailee Spaeny follows up her amazing work in Priscilla and Civil War with a great final girl turn here, and David Jonsson is also a huge standout as the robot Andy. Director Fede Alvarez creates a truly immersive survival horror experience.


28.) September 5

- September 5 features intense, riveting, pulse pounding direction from Tim Fehlbaum. And it's got an amazing ensemble cast. Ultimately, it's one of the best movies I’ve ever seen about real time journalism in action. And it's a stark, timely reminder of the horrific events of the Munich Olympics. 

29.) Longlegs
 

- Combines a dash of Silence of the Lambs, a bit of 70's/80's era horror vibes, and some slick modern indie-horror twists. Absolutely killer and against-type performances from lead Maika Monroe (aka our reigning and defending scream queen) as well as an almost unrecognizable Alicia Witt in a fantastic supporting turn. Blair Underwood is great too, bringing some steely gravitas to the proceedings. And Nic Cage as the demented killer, well ... nightmare city. A retro-styled slow burn horror-thriller that delivers the goods. 

 

30.) Civil War

- Alex Garland is one of my favorite filmmakers, and he delivers yet again with CIVIL WAR - another thematically ambitious piece of social commentary in which Garland examines our endless lust for violence, conflict, and division. So much to unpack/discuss here - because Garland gives us a parable about the ways in which so many are happy to profit from or leverage the gears of war and are all too quick to ignore the actual, human cost. Another great 2024 film about journalism. A brilliant movie.


31.) The Piano Lesson

- An incredibly absorbing August Wilson adaptation filled with amazing performances and searing dialogue. What a cast! John David Washington, Samuel L Jackson, Danielle Deadwyler, Michael Potts, Corey Hawkins, and Ray Fisher are all excellent here. I could watch this group of actors go back and forth with each other all day. And if, like me, you're a fan of August Wilson - then you will find a lot to like and a lot to think about and unpack. I hope this one gets some love this coming awards season.


32.) The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

- One of the great, underrated action movies of 2024. Director Guy Ritchie gives us a crackling story filled with great characters, grimly satisfyingly violence, and a witty and self-effacing sense of humor. This one falls somewhere between the pop blockbuster filmmaking of Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes and his grittier crime films like Snatch and Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels - but it is, I think, a huge crowd-pleaser. The cast is also just stacked with great, super fun performances. Henry Cavill (only fitting that Superman sticks it to the Nazis) crushes as the charismatic and rogue-ish team leader. This is one of those classic, uber-satisfying, men-on-a-mission movies and I highly recommend it! And a fascinating chapter of WWII history to boot. 

33.) My Old Ass

- One of the best teen movies I've seen in a long time (between this and Didi it's been an amazing year for coming of age films!). Funny, FULL of heart, authentic, and unique. It's about an 18-year-old girl who takes shrooms ... and magically encounters her 39-year-old self. So with that said, I went in expecting something a bit ridiculous - but got a surprisingly grounded and emotionally-impactful film. A breakout leading turn from Maisy Stella, and she pairs very well with Aubrey Plaza as her older self.

34.) MaXXXine

-  A fantastic capper to the X trilogy. Pure rock n’ roll filmmaking, with yet another memorable Mia Goth performance. The cast, the needle drops, the 80’s slasher vibes - spot freakin’ on. Shout outs too to Elizabeth Debicki, Giancarlo Esposito, Kevin Bacon and more for notable turns here as well. I'd maybe place this one a notch below X and Pearl - but still, so many memorable moments and scenes. So all I can say is: thank you to the great Ti West for an all time kick-ass horror franchise.

 

35.) Molli and Max in the Future

-  Loved this movie! A hilarious indie science fiction rom-com that mixes current-day Millennial angst with wildly inventive sci-fi satire. Sort of blown away by what writer/director Michael Lukk Litwak was able to do here with a presumably limited budget. So good! An under the radar movie that I think would have been huge had it gotten a bigger release.


36.) The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

- While Kingdom isn't quite in the same god-tier of blockbuster filmmaking as Rise, Dawn, or War - it is still very, very good. And it nicely carves out its own identity while building on some of the themes established in the earlier films, as well as in the 1968 original. Director Wes Ball, who did a great job with the underrated Maze Runner trilogy, steps up to the plate here and delivers a film that feels self consciously less flashy than the previous trilogy - going for a more grounded, slow-burn vibe. In many ways, it reminded me of classic 80's-era fantasy films like Conan The Barbarian, as it is essentially a "party of adventurers on a revenge quest" movie. A really cool movie that helps bridges the gap between what's come before and what is yet to come in fun and interesting ways.


37.) The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim

- I don't know, fellow nerds ... I thought this one ... sort of ruled? A suitably rousing, epic story that was an interesting/absorbing mash-up of the Peter Jackson movies with an anime aesthetic and sensibility. Had its share of nicely nostalgic moments (and that classic Howard Shore music!) but was also its own thing. No, not in the same league as the original trilogy - but still a really cool, really enjoyable addition to the canon.


38.) Nosferatu

- While the main plot beats here will be familiar to anyone who knows the story of Dracula, director Robert Eggers puts his own unique spin on this one and tweaks the characters in some interesting ways. Visually, the movie is incredible. Eggers uses a heavily black, white, and grey color palate - often evoking classic gothic horror and giving us some extremely vivid and painterly moments. Eggers, as he did in The Witch, also has an uncanny knack for creating an atmosphere of creeping demonic dread that really gets under your skin. He remains one of the most interesting and talented filmmakers working today.


39.) Gladiator 2

- Sorry haters, but I was very entertained by Gladiator 2! A rousing, action-packed movie that IMO flew by. Paul Mescal was awesome and brought the gravitas, and Denzel Washington was of course a scene stealer. Plenty of pump-your-fist-in-the-air moments and man, Ridley Scott can still do epic visuals like nobody’s business. Is it the stone cold masterpiece of the original? No. But it did just about everything I could have hoped a sequel would do. A big thumbs up from me!

 

40.) Wicked Pt. 1

- As someone who’d never seen the Wicked stage show and didn’t know the music, I thought that Wicked Pt. 1 was an incredibly fun, soaring, impeccably cast musical movie filled with dazzling visuals thanks to the eye-popping direction of Jon M. Chu. The great Cynthia Erivo completely knocked it out of the park - both acting and singing-wise - and Ariana Grande was fantastic as well. The ultimate crowd-pleaser of 2024.

 

41.) Conclave

- Conclave seems like it might be a Very Serious Movie, but it's actually a really fun, twisty thriller - with some Capital A Acting from greats like Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci (The 'Tuc is truly loose here!), and John Lithgow (going full Lithgow!). Visually stunning, too, thanks to the immense talents of director Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front). Saw this one quite a while back through work, and have been waiting to talk about it. Suffice it to say, highly recommend


42.) Better Man

- Going in, I didn’t know much about British pop star Robbie Williams. However, this is a pretty fantastic movie from Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey. Raw, poignant, funny, and filled with kinetic and show-stopping musical numbers. And somehow, the central conceit of Robbie Williams being portrayed as a CGI-created monkey (yep!), well, it works like gangbusters (trust me). Also, unexpectedly one of the best movies about fathers and sons I’ve seen (and Steve Pemberton is awards-worthy as Robbie’s father).


43.) Abigail

- Funny, twisty, smart, and shocking. Abigail is a big, crazy, plays-to-the-audience kind of movie. Dan Stevens has been one of my favorite actors for a while now, but he's SO great in this - one of his best and most fun roles yet. And the movie has a veritable Horror Movie All-Star Team cast of Stevens, Melissa Barrera, Kathryn Newton, Kevin Durand, Giancarlo Esposito, and more - all doing great stuff. And a shout-out to Alisha Weir, who gives one of the most memorable child-actor performances in a long time. The Radio Silence team (Ready or Not, the last two Scream movies) have a nearly flawless track record at this point of delivering super fun horror-comedy, and I can't wait to see what they do next.


44.) Touch

- What a wonderful film. A sweet, moving, epic love story that spans decades and spans continents. A movie filled with memorable performances that make the most out of small moments. Amazingly directed too. It's a movie about an aging man seeking out a lost love from his youth - and the movie shows us both the present-day version of his character and the younger version in a really moving, interesting manner. Highly recommend this one - a must-watch international film that is another somewhat under-the-radar release of 2024.


45.) The Taste of Things

- This was France's submission for last year's Oscars, but it's another one, like Perfect Days, that didn't actually release in the US until 2024. In any case, this was an artfully directed, wonderfully acted film - a period-piece romantic drama that also highlights the love and craftsmanship and dedication that goes into the the culinary arts. Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel are fantastic here as well. I am not a foodie whatsoever, but really dug this this one. Highly recommended.


46.) Lisa Frankenstein

- Lisa Frankenstein is just what the doctor ordered if you grew up a fan of unapologetically weird, goth-tinged fare like Edward Scissorhands. It's got a funny, subversive script from Diablo Cody, eye-popping direction from Zelda Williams, and a great turn in the lead role from Kathryn Newton.

47.) The 4:30 Movie

-  Unexpectedly sort of loved Kevin Smith's latest. It gave me the same feeling of inspiration as Clerks did when I saw it way back in the day. Hilarious, lots of heart, a great young cast (and lots of great cameos), and many a geeky movie reference that made me chuckle. Kevin Smith’s best movie since the days of Clerks and Mallrats. Awesome to see one of my original movie heroes back in top form.

 
48.) Drive-Away Dolls

- It's been fascinating to see Joel Coen's Macbeth and now this film - from Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke - and get a better sense of each Coen Brother's individual sensibility. Ethan is clearly the goofier of the brothers. He brings Lebowski-esque humor to this one (trippy, random, very dirty). It's highly quotable and hilarious. Loved the lead performances from Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan (in a total breakout performance). Maybe not an all-timer in the Coen catalog, but a thoroughly enjoyable low-key entry in the canon. And as with many of the Coen's films, I can't wait to re-watch.

 

49.) Will & Harper

- This documentary is hilarious but also extremely moving. It's a testament to the good and bad of America in 2024. But ultimately it's about getting to know the recently-transitioned Harper and understanding her story. Her best friend Will Ferrell's presence leads to a lot of laughs and a lot of tears. But this is an important film, a movie that has the superpower to generate empathy and understanding. Highly recommend giving it a watch!

 

 

50.) Deadpool & Wolverine

- I didn't quite know what to expect going in, but I surprisingly really loved Deadpool & Wolverine. Such a fun, funny movie that worked for me on just about every level. The jokes largely landed and I was laughing throughout. The action was cool and the character dynamics were on point. And there was a real beating heart to boot. Hugh Jackman did NOT just cash a check here - he goes all-in and may even get you emotional. But ... there were SO many fun shout-outs for Marvel geeks as well - and there was stuff here that I've waited my entire life to see in live action. But all of it felt done with love, not cynicism. There was a clear passion here for the good, the bad, and the weird of Marvel.

BONUS: 

 

51.) The Beekeeper

- Almost every January there is that one movie that’s just what you need after a bunch of awards-bait films in December. A movie that exists merely to kick ass and make you smile at the absurdity of its premise and the loudness of its explosions. That gives you a few quotable one-liners and at least one solid twist. Well, that movie in 2024 was The Beekeeper. Jason Statham and a solid supporting cast (Jeremy Irons!) understand the assignment here. David Ayer brings the action movie goods as director. There are bee puns.This one 100% delivers the goods.


HONORABLE MENTIONS - OTHER RECOMMENDED MOVIES FROM THIS YEAR:

- Housekeeping For Beginners

- Furiosa

- Queer

- Maria

- Woman of the Hour

- Blitz

- Joker: Folie a Deux
- Inside Out 2

- Heretic
- Y2K

- The Gutter

- The Fall Guy

- Babygirl

- Destroy All Neighbors

- Exhuma

- Immaculate

- Oddity

- Nightbitch

- One Life

- Music By John Williams

- Kinds of Kindness

- Kung Fu Panda 4

- Mean Girls

- Wicked Little Letters

- Juror #2

- Carry On

- The First Omen

- The Beast

- Megalopolis

- Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

 

 

 INDIVIDUAL 2024 AWARDS:


BEST LEAD ACTOR:

1.) Colman Domingo - Sing Sing
2.) Koji Yakusho - Perfect Days
3.) Adrian Brody - The Brutalist
4.) Glen Powell - Hit Man
5.) Tie: Timothee Chalomet - A Complete Unknown / Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice


BEST LEADING ACTRESS:

1.) Mikey Madison - Anora
2.) Demi Moore - The Substance
3.) Willa Fitzgerald - Strange Darling
3.) Carla Sofia Gascone - Emilia Perez
4.) Tie: June Squibb - Thelma / Cynthia Erivo - Wicked Pt. 1 / Lupita Nyong’o - A Quiet Place: Day One

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

1.) Yura Borisov - Anora

2.) Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain
3.) Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice
4.) Edward Norton - A Complete Unknown
5.) Guy Pierce - The Brutalist

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

1.) Danielle Deadwyler - The Piano Lesson

2.) Felicity Jones - The Brutalist
3.) Tilda Swinton - Problemista

4.) Zoe Saldana - Emilia Perez
5.) Margaret Qualley - The Substance


BEST DIRECTOR:

1.) Sean Baker - Anora
2.) Denis Villeneuve - Dune Pt. 2
3.) Coralie Fargeat - The Substance
4.) Luca Guadagnino - Challengers
5.) Tie: Brady Corbett - The Brutalist / Wim Wenders - Perfect Days


BEST SCREENPLAY:

1.) Anora
2.) Sing Sing
3.) Strange Darling
4.) September 5
5.) Saturday Night
6.) A Complete Unknown
7.) Problemista
8.) It's What's Inside
9.) Thelma
10.) Challengers

THE BEST OF 2024 - The Best GAMES Of The Year

      

- If you think it's tough keeping up with all the latest TV shows and movies ... try keeping up with what's new and buzzworthy in the world of videogames. It's pretty much an impossible task, and yet ... thanks to listening to podcasts like Triple Click, I constantly feel like I'm missing out. There's so much cool new stuff, all the time - especially in the world we now live in where there's an almost constant stream of interesting new indie games to check out. 

So let me talk about ASTRO BOT. I'll spoil my list below and reveal that Astro Bot is 100% my Game of the Year for 2024. It won GOTY at the Game Awards earlier this month. And it premiered to nearly unanimous rave reviews. And yet ... I still hear people talk about it with a bit of condescension. Why? Because the game isn't a 100+ hour behemoth that requires a black belt in gaming to master and defeat? Because the game emphasizes awe and wonder and delight and fun over grimdark storytelling and endless lore? Because it's a 3D platformer in an era when the genre is less popular and considered somehow less-than? 

Honestly, I think the games industry needs way more games like Astro Bot. Games that provide escape without taking over your entire life. Games that are simple yet challenging. Games designed to make you feel something. Games that are in the spirit of the kind of stuff that made my generation fall in love with games in the first place, in the days of the NES, Super NES, and Playstation. I've always loved the 1-1 controls of a great platformer. There's something so satisfying about pressing a button and causing an instantaneous reaction, rather than what you get in so many games today where a button press activates a pre-programmed set of animations to play out. The feeling of pressing the "jump" button and your character just, you know, jumps. It can't be overstated how good that feels and how immersive it makes gameplay. There's also something to be said for games that can be played in relatively short bursts, that don't require a a multi-hour commitment and don't require the memorization of or mastery over multiple complex systems in order to really get in the groove. Not that there's anything wrong with that ... but sometimes, less is more.

And that, I think, was evident when it came to some of 2024's high profile bombs. The recent Suicide Squad game will forever be the quintessential example of this. The game tried to be SO much. It was a single player action adventure game, but also a loot shooter, but also an online co-op game, but also ... Why do game publishers think this is what people want? Hopefully, game successes like Astro Bot help to swing things in the other direction. I mean, when Nintendo made Super Mario Bros., were they thinking "gee, I bet we could create better longterm monetization opportunities if only we put ___ in this game"-?! No, of course not. Great games always win out at the end of the day. As we inch towards new console generations and even more advanced tech powering these games ... it's a lesson the industry could stand to remember.

I played a lot of great games in 2024, and of course, a lot of those games were not from 2024. I played through Astro's Playroom in preparation for Astro Bot's release and realized it has the most amazing videogame soundtrack ever ("S-S-D ..."). I finally got to the end of Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which I really enjoyed. I also finally played Life Is Strange: True Colors, which I loved. What an incredible and affecting narrative experience. 

But as for my favorites of 2024, let's get to it.

DANNY'S FAVORITE (NEW) GAMES OF 2024:

1.) Astro Bot

- Astro Bot is just pure coolness and joy wrapped up in a shiny futuristic package. It's a platformer on par with the greats in terms of gamplay, level design, and tightness of its controls. It has numerous moments that are there simply to wow and delight. And its techno-synth musical score absolutely rips. But bigger picture, it also feels like a throwback to the optimistic Y2K Futurism of the late 90's and early 00's - the era of Space Channel 5 and SSX Snowboarding and Daft Punk. There's something inherently happy and cool and inviting about this game that feels needed in this day and age. At a time when joy and escapism was much needed, Astro Bot answered the call.

 

2.) Animal Well

- Animal Well is a mind-blowingly magical and inventive indie game - a brilliantly clever and imaginative Metroidvania. It looks simple and charmingly retro on one hand (with its 8-bit style graphics) - but it's a game full of complex puzzle design that demands creativity and thoughtfulness and discovery on the part of the player. Inspiring, absorbing, and endlessly surprising. If you haven't given this one a whirl yet, you've really got to check it out.

 

3.) Life Is Strange: Double Exposure

- I love the Life is Strange games. I spent a solid chunk of gaming time in 2024 playing through True Colors, which I can now say is incredible and hugely underrated. And I'm just now dipping my toes into Double Exposure - which brings back original series protagonist Max Caulfield, continuing her story from the first Life Is Strange game. It's great to check in with Max again, and already I can tell that the same eye-popping visuals and absorbing narrative design from True Colors have carried over into this one, via developer Deck Nine. Those classic Life Is Strange emo-punk vibes are back again, and that to me is a wonderful thing.

 

4.) Tekken 8

- I'm a longtime fan of the Tekken series. I love the insane characters, the even more insane storylines, and of course, I love the bone-crunching fighting game action. Tekken 8 brings back pretty much all the best characters and gameplay innovations from the previous game - while also upping the ante in terms of graphics and fighting play styles. But at the end of the day, this is just the complete Tekken package. It's one of those series where each new installment helps to make a Playstation generation feel complete. Finally, there's Tekken on PS5 (now I just need Soul Caliber).

5.) Dragon Age: The Veilguard

- I'm not a hardcore Dragon Age fan, so I don't have strong opinions on the overall direction of the series or anything like that. But I decided to give this new installment a go, as I was especially intrigued by its shift to action-heavy gameplay. And so I recently fired up the game and got totally lost in its fantasy universe. The game feels a lot like Mass Effect but high fantasy, except in this case, the combat is nicely crunchy with a Horizon: Zero Dawn esque flow. I'm into it.

6.) Star Wars Outlaws

- It was always going to be a bit of an uphill battle for a brand new take on a Star Wars adventure game to win me over, so close to the release of a new game in the super-fun Jedi Fallen Order series. But this one quickly drew me in because it allows you to just sort of hang out in Star Wars in a way that few other games ever have. Sure, the various missions are cool, as is the narrative - but even more cool is just stumbling into a Star Wars dance club and checking out the scene. 

7.) Loco Motive

- I'm a sucker for a great, old-school point-and-click adventure game, and Loco Motive hearkens back to subversively funny LucasArts classics like Day of the Tentacle or Sam & Max Hit The Road. The game features some really amazing pixel art, some really nice jazz music, and that classic LucasArts-esque charm and wit that makes all the puzzle solving that much more enjoyable.

8.) Stellar Blade 

- If you enjoy quirky Japanese sci-fi action games a la Nier Automata, then Stellar Blade will likely float your boat. The game has an out-there story about an android protagonist navigating a post-apocalyptic world, and it's got fast-paced, stylish action that calls to mind the likes of Bayonetta or Devil May Cry. In fact, the game feels like a bit of a throwback to the PS2 days. Which to me, made it instantly appealing.

 

9.) Epic Mickey: Rebrushed

- I missed out on the original Epic Mickey game, so I was super curious to finally try it out via its new remaster ("Rebrushed"). From what I've read, this new version not only gives the game an amazing-looking visual refresh, but it also polishes up the gameplay substantially. Suffice it to say, the game now looks and plays fantastically, and so far I've really been enjoying it a lot. The Disney magic is strong in this one.

10.) The Plucky Squire

- The Plucky Squire is one of the most graphically innovative games I've ever seen. The central conceit is that you play as a cartoon-ish character from a children's storybook, who can leap out of the 2D plane of the book and into a more realistically rendered 3D space. Not everything works here, and there can be some clunkiness. But there is a sense of real visual magic on display in this game that you don't often see. It's worth checking out for the wow factor, but overall I found a lot of fun and charm from this one.

THE BEST OF 2024 - The Best COMICS Of The Year

 

THE BEST COMICS OF 2024:

- In March of 2024, I took a big step. I attended my first comic book convention since before the start of COVID in 2020 - heading down to Anaheim for WonderCon. I've always enjoyed that convention for its relatively smaller, more manageable size and for the scenic downtown Anaheim location. And given my struggles with Long COVID, it made for a good setting to see if I could make a convention work. WonderCon was less than two hours away, I had free professional passes, and there wasn't going to be the same sort of overwhelming, shoulder-to-shoulder crowds like you'd get in San Diego for Comic-Con. I had really been missing attending conventions, so I was excited to give this one the old college try. And lo and behold, it went pretty well. I realized that as long as I was on my feet and moving around, the crowds didn't bother me too much. And for panels, I was able to enjoy them in short bursts and strategically find corner seating that prevented me from getting too lightheaded. As always, I love it when a plan comes together! I arrived in Anaheim with a backpack full of HALLOWEEN TEAM trade paperbacks, and handed them out opportunistically. The whole experience was a great reminder of how huge in-person interactions are when you're trying to make an impact as a creative in comics (or film, or TV ...). At WonderCon, I ran into so many random people and had so many good conversations. I left Anaheim feeling like a part of me that had been missing was put back into place. Because every year for so many years, going to conventions recharged my creative batteries and motivated me to keep pushing and knocking on the door until someone lets me in. 

All that said, I did skip San Diego Comic-Con again this year. Even though WonderCon went relatively smoothly, SDCC just felt like it was still more than I could handle. The expense of it all also made it a lot harder to commit. As did the overall sense of it being a major risk for getting re-infected with COVID - the last thing I want to do as someone with debilitating Long COVID. Still, I felt like WonderCon gave me that boost of momentum I needed to continue to push to make big things happen in 2024. 

At some point this past year, I connected with a great artist about doing a short horror story for an anthology comic book. The collaboration went really well, and the artist ended up pointing me in the direction of Comicker - an upstart indie comic book publisher that was looking for new talent. Early discussions with Comicker went well, and soon enough I made the decision to work with Comicker to re-publish HALLOWEEN TEAM as a graphic novel, in digital and print. This was really exciting, as I felt like I had taken the book about as far as it could go via self-publishing. The deal with Comicker would get it a wider release, and also open up the door to do more comics work - and more Halloween Team stories - in the future. So as far as my own comics work goes, I'm very excited for big things to come in 2025 ... first and foremost, the re-release of Halloween Team. Maybe it will make it onto a few "Best Of" lists next year.

I also read a lot of amazing comic books in 2024. I've been continuing to slowly but surely make my way through Terry Moore's seminal series Strangers in Paradise. I didn't quite reach the end by year's end, but I'm almost there. It's been a lot of fun reading this one, and the characters will stick with me for a long time. It's also been interesting to look at what I've been reading and really enjoying over the past year, in terms of newly-releasing books. I feel like it's been a weird year. The more indie side of the biz seems to be struggling to put out hit, non-IP-driven books. There have been a few new gems from the likes of Image and Dark Horse, for example - and ongoing favorites like Saga - but there really hasn't been a new breakout indie smash a la The Walking Dead (or Saga!) in quite some time. Unfortunately, a lot of these publishers seem to be cutting back on books and just sort of struggling in general. At the same time, as a lifelong DC fan, it's been awesome to see DC Comics really killing it of late. They've had strong runs on just about all of their top books of late, and have seemingly been taking a lot more chances. Just in the last few weeks, DC's "All-In" initiative has resulted in a number of strong new series launches featuring slightly more obscure characters like The Question, Metamorpho, and Challengers of the Unknown. And DC's new Absolute line has certainly seemed to be a commercial success, in addition to producing some really strong books - like Kelly Thompson's Absolute Wonder Woman. Marvel, meanwhile, has been putting out a book, in its latest iteration of Fantastic Four, that is one of the best superhero comics runs in years. 

But more on that below. So without further ado ...

 

DANNY'S BEST COMICS OF 2024:


1.) Fantastic Four

-Writer Ryan North's run on Fantastic Four further cemented itself as one of the greats in 2024. Month after month, North delivers wildly fun and inventive and brilliantly-plotted storylines that tell ingenious sci-fi stories with the gripping efficiency of classic episodes of The Twilight Zone. The stories tend to be one-and-done, and yet North slowly builds and evolves these characters over time. The book's got Ben Grimm-sized heart even as it delivers science fiction puzzle-box premises worthy of Reed Richards. What a brilliant comic book. As Marvel prepares to launch the FF into the MCU, the powers that be would be foolish if they fail to take inspiration from this flipping fantastic take on the characters. As a great man once said: 'nuff said!

2.) Wonder Woman

- Sorry ... this year's list is once again going to be Tom King heavy. As, once again, King has been crushing it on several different books for DC and elsewhere. Most notably, at this point I think it's safe to say that King is delivering arguably the greatest run ever on Wonder Woman - a character who for me can be very hit-and-miss. King has used the book to directly confront the America of 2024 and the social and political forces that seek to divide us. He is telling a story that's biting, pulls-no-punches, and feels cathartic and vital - especially in the wake of November's election. But this is also, politics aside, just a flat-out epic superhero story that's produced numerous great moments. Amazing, poster-worthy art from Daniel Sampere as well. An instant-classic for DC.

3.) Jenny Sparks

- And here's King again. Credit to Tom King for making Jenny Sparks - a character I previously only had a passing familiarity with - into a new favorite, thanks to this fantastic series. This book sees Sparks - a hard-drinking, hard-living, chain-smoking immortal - taking charge of a deadly hostage situation when her DC Comics contemporaries like Batman and Superman can't and won't. She's doing the dirty work that more clean-cut heroes can't, and King makes us love and loathe her for it. Suddenly, Jenny Sparks is a crown jewel of DC Comics - thanks to King's brilliant character work in this series.

4.) The Penguin

- One more Tom King book - as his The Penguin series led up to the launch of this year's great new TV series by telling its own epic crime saga. As good as the HBO series was, King's comics run with the character was just as strong - showing multiple sides of the classic Batman villain and painting a vivid picture of the Gotham underworld that he only-very-precariously rules over. If you dug the show, read this book!

5.) The Department of Truth

- James Tynion's magnum opus returned in 2024 following a lengthy hiatus, and it was worth the wait. The supernatural conspiracy thriller - which imagines a world in which beliefs mystically shape reality - felt all the more timely in 2024. At the same time, the book vividly transported us back to the 50's and 60's, showing its twisted, horror-tinged version of the JFK assassination, the life and times of Marilyn Monroe, and more key moments and figures from American history warped via the book's not-far-off-from-reality version of the American nightmare.

6.) Absolute Power: Origins

- Credit the great writer John Ridley (screenwriter of 12 Years a Slave) for a series that completely re-contextualized and elevated DC Comics' big "Absolute Power" summer event. That event cast the typically-morally-complex character of Amanda Waller as an out-and-out supervillain, which raised a few eyebrows and left many readers scratching their heads. But Ridley's companion miniseries was here to save the day, filling in the story gaps and showing, via a tweaked origin story, how Waller snapped and decided to wage an all-out war against the heroes of the DC Universe. DC should be thanking Ridley for his massive contributions in 2024.

 
7.) Batman: Dark Age

- Following their incredible miniseries Superman: Space Age, the team of writer Mark Russell and artist Mike Allred re-teamed in 2024 for Batman: Dark Age - a sequel of sorts. As with their Superman series, Batman: Dark Age shows us Batman's life through the decades, melding real-world events of each era with fictional DC Comics events that correlate to those same eras. The result is a sprawling yet poignant journey through American history and comic book history - and through the life and times of Batman. And of course, all of that is accompanied by the one-of-a-kind artwork of the legendary Mike Allred.

 

8.) Plastic Man No More!

- I really enjoyed this darkly funny story about the impending death of DC's wackiest hero: Plastic Man. Written by one of my favorites, Chris Cantwell, the book took place in a warped, satirical version of the DCU in which the A-list heroes are all snobby, oblivious jerks who look down condescendingly at their plastic-y comrade-in-arms. So when Plastic Man finds out he's dying, it's up to him and him alone to investigate a possible cure. The result is one of the best books DC - or anyone! - put out this year.

 

 

9.) Poison Ivy

- Another holdover from 2023, Poison Ivy continues to be one of the best ongoing comic books out there. Writer G. Willow Wilson has taken us on an involving, atmospheric, at times funny journey with the legendary Batman antagonist. She's made Pamela Isley into an incredibly multifaceted character. She's built out a lovable supporting cast of misfits to accompany her on her adventures. And she's given us stories both personal and full of thought-provoking social commentary. If you enjoyed Wilson's legendary run on Ms. Marvel (and who didn't?) - you've got to check out Poison Ivy.

10.) Get Fury

- I'm always interested in reading whatever the great Garth Ennis has cooking, and I highly enjoyed his latest series for Marvel, Get Fury. This Vietnam War-set tale sees Nick Fury kidnapped and held hostage by the Viet Cong, and a rogue soldier named Frank Castle (aka The Punisher) tasked with a dangerous mission to save him. This is really cool, super badass stuff - with that very distinct Ennis bite. I didn't read a ton of Marvel books in 2024, but this one really stood out to me as a gem in their lineup. Check it out.

 

THE NEXT BEST

 

 

11.) Saga

 

- Saga returned from another long hiatus in 2024, and it's really been on a roll of late. Writer Brian K. Vaughan continues to show why he's one of the best in the biz, and he's really giving his long-running space saga a solid sense of momentum. And that Fiona Staples art is the best.

 

 

12.) Alan Scott: The Green Lantern

 

- This one - part of a renewed effort from DC in 2024 to tell stories about their Golden Age heroes - was a really nice surprise from DC. Writer Tim Sheridan really knocked it out of the park, giving new dimension to the original Green Lantern and modernizing the character to great effect.

 

 

13.) Houses of the Unholy

 

- Writer Ed Brubaker. Artist Sean Phillips. A hard-boiled crime story involving 80's satanic panic. What more do you need? These guys are the best in the biz, and Houses of the Unholy was another winning graphic novel from this storied team. If you're a fan of their work on books like Criminal or Reckless, then read this one asap.

 

 

14.) Nightwing

 

- After a few years of being one of the best superhero books going, Tom Taylor's instant-classic run writing Nightwing finally came to a close in 2024. Taylor went out on a high note, finishing his saga of Dick Grayson's evolution as a character with big action, plenty of twists, and lots of heart. And Bruno Redondo was top-tier on the art as well. This run will go down as one of the greats.

15.) Outsiders

- It was tough to decide what to put in this spot - there were a lot of great books that just missed the cut, and a few that still felt too new to fully assess. But Outsiders, which recently wrapped up a relatively short run, was one I wanted to mention. Because back when I was in college, I got super into a comic called Planetary - a book bursting with big ideas and meta-deconstructions of the comic book art form. And now, years later, Planetary got a continuation of sorts in Outsiders. This was a mind-bending book from DC that saw great characters like Kate Kane (aka Batwoman) explore the strange corners of the DCU - with callbacks to Planetary and that book's history. It was all really cool, and I'd love to see this one return.

OTHER FAVORITES FROM 2024

Love Everlasting
Black Canary: Best of the Best

Absolute Wonder Woman
Birds of Prey
The Question
Minor Arcana

Batman: First Knight
Wesley Dodds: The Sandman
Jay Garrick: The Flash
Detective Comics
The Deviant

Batman: Off World
Avengers: Twilight

Aliens vs. Avengers
Geiger

Redcoat
Green Arrow
Batgirl

Batman: The Long Halloween - The Last Halloween

Batman & Robin: Year One 

DC All-In Special

Night Club 2

Titans
Justice Society of America

Snotgirl

 

WRITERS OF THE YEAR:

1.) Tom King (Wonder Woman, The Penguin, Jenny Sparks, Love Everlasting)
2.) Ryan North (Fantastic Four)

3.) James Tynion IV (The Department of Truth, The Deviant)
4.) Tom Taylor (Nightwing, Detective Comics, Titans)
5.) John Ridley (Absolute Power: Origins)

6.) Christopher Cantwell (Plastic Man No More!)

7.) Mark Russell (Batman: Dark Age)
8.) G. Willow Wilson (Poison Ivy)

9.) Ed Brubaker (Houses of the Unholy)

10.) Kelly Thompson (Birds of Prey, Absolute Wonder Woman)

 

ARTISTS OF THE YEAR:

1.) Daniel Sampere (Wonder Woman)
2.) Jeff Spokes (Jenny Sparks)
3.) Hayden Sherman (Absolute Wonder Woman)

4.) Bruno Redondo (Nightwing)

5.) Sean Phillips (Houses of the Unholy)

6.) Fiona Staples (Saga)

7.) Mike Allred (Batman: Dark Age)

8.) Elsa Charretier (Love Everlasting)

9.) Doug Mahnke (Batman: Off World)

10.) Mikel Janín (Detective Comics)

THE BEST OF 2024 - The Best ROCK Of The Year

 

- I feel like I'm at an age of nostalgia. So many conversations I have with my peers devolve into games of "remember that?" And while music can be a powerful reminder of old memories and past adventures, there's also something to be said for discovering something that's new-to-you. Going down a band rabbit hole, exploring their discography, finding new favorite songs. I know, I know - ironic coming from someone whose annual Best Of The Years lists tend to be filled with a lot of new stuff from old favorites. But I also love taking some time at the end of each year to comb through others' lists and find something new and different. And sometimes, those discoveries happen in other, more random ways.

A favorite annual tradition of mine is driving down to the OC Fair each summer. I didn't go for a few years due to COVID / Long COVID, but the tradition has since resumed. Historically, I would check out what concerts would be playing at the adjacent Pacific Amphitheater, and see if there was anything that struck my fancy. This year, I was really hoping that something would jump out at me. It's been a lot harder for me to attend concerts since coming down with Long COVID in 2022, and by this past summer I hadn't been to any live shows so far in 2024. The Pacific Amphitheater is an outdoor venue, which is easier for me to make work. And tickets tend not to be too pricey, and include OC Fair admission as well - bonus. But looking at this list of concerts, I didn't see anything that felt like a must-go. I kept looking at the schedule though, and I kept coming back to a band that I knew almost nothing about ... The Aquabats. I'd heard the name, but wasn't familiar at all with their music. But wait - they had a superhero gimmick? And they did comedy songs? Interesting ...

And so I went down an Aquabats rabbit hole. Over the course of one night, I listened to dozens of their songs. I quickly had some new favorites. They had a song about pizza! Amazing. Their music was like Weird Al meets Reel Big Fish meets the old Superfriends cartoon. I was hooked! Still, I worried that it would be weird seeing them live being so new to the band. But as it turned out, the show freaking rocked! It was one of the coolest rock concerts I've ever been to, with an amazing energy and an unpredictable quality as the band veered between styles and genres and tones. There were people in the crowd in full Aquabats regalia. And there was an eclectic, diverse group of fans - older, younger, kids, families, and everything in between. It made me wonder how I was only just now getting into this band. Suffice it to say, I had a blast - and an unexpected new band that I loved. You'll see some 2024 Aquabats songs on my list below.

I saw one other really cool concert in 2024, as just after Halloween, in early November, I got to see the legendary Danny Elfman in concert at the Hollywood Bowl. It was a super fun show that was not quite like any concert I'd seen before - as we got Elfman singing songs from his 80's cult-fave band Oingo Boingo, songs from his newer band that had a harder goth-metal bent, tunes from The Nightmare Before Christmas (in which Elfman, of course, voices Jack Skellington), and then also orchestral renditions of his many iconic movie and TV scores (everything from Batman to Beetlejuice to The Simpsons). What a show.

I had some great new, unique music experiences in 2024. And I also got some kickass new music from those old comfort-food favorites. Green Day roared back with their best album in a decade. Linkin Park reformed with new singer Emily Armstrong. Jack White put out his best solo album yet. Billy Joel gave us an unexpected new classic. And Pearl Jam got back to their hard-driving grunge rock roots. 

Speaking of which, let's get to the list.

DANNY'S TOP ROCK SONGS OF 2024:

 

1.) Green Day - "One Eyed Bastard"

- Consider this pick at least, in part, a mega endorsement of Green Day's latest album - Saviors. In late 2023 we got a sneak peak at some of the tracks off the new album, and they were on last year's Top 10 list. But once the full album released in 2024, it was clear that this was Green Day's best release since the days of American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown. Top to bottom, great rock song after great rock song. And one of the best was "One Eyed Bastard" - a rollicking, anthemic ode to sweet, sweet revenge. During a year that produced many villains, this one felt like a rallying cry to stand up, fight, and remind the world's jerks and bullies that, hey, "vendetta is a friend of mine."

 

2.) Linkin Park - "The Emptiness Machine"

- Like many, I was shocked to learn this year that Dead Sara singer Emily Armstrong was set to become part of storied nu-metal band Linkin Park (following the 2017 death of Chester Bennington). I'm a huge Dead Sara fan (you've seen them at or near the top of this very list many a time), so I was incredibly intrigued by what she'd bring to the band. And wow, did she bring it. "The Emptiness Machine" served as Armstrong's grand entrance - and when her trademark gritty, emotion-packed vocals finally kick in, it's a chill-inducing moment. Linkin Park is back, in an exciting and kickass new form.

3.) Jack White - "Archbishop Harold Holmes" / "What's the Rumpus?"

- Jack White's latest album, No Name, is arguably his best solo effort yet. I liked just about all the songs on it, but when I heard the absolutely awesome rocker "Archbishop Harold Holmes" I was blown away. It's a theatrically-sung, ultra-funky, lyrically-inventive groove that tells a fun story to boot. Meanwhile, "What's the Rumpus?" is a similarly awesome rock song that is Jack White at his best. So, so good.

 

4.) Billy Joel - "Turn the Lights Back On"
 

- I'm a pretty casual Billy Joel fan, someone who generally digs his more well-known ballads and rock songs. So I wasn't super excited, per se, for his first new song in - what, decades? - but I was certainly curious. But the new song, "Turn the Lights Back On," was unexpectedly kind of amazing. A moving, self-reflective, soaring ballad that feels like Billy Joel at his best. Don't call it a comeback.

 

5.) Pearl Jam - "Dark Matter"

 

- I grew up a huge fan of Pearl Jam and their archetypal grunge rock sound. But there hasn't been much new from the band in recent years that's really hit for me ... until now. Their latest album is a welcome return to a harder, more angry sort of classic Pearl Jam sound. And "Dark Matter" fiercely announced this back to basics approach. It's a rip-roaring song that announces to the world that yes, Pearl Jam rocks once more.

 

 

6.) The Aquabats - "Whatever Forever" / "Little Lady Amazing"

- As mentioned above, The Aquabats were my big musical "discovery" of 2024. I had the good fortune to see them put on an amazing live show over the summer, and I had a lot of fun going through their  back-catalog and discovering fun and hilarious and uber-catchy songs like "Pool Party" and "Pizza Day." But the band also had a really fun new album in 2024 that featured a few surprisingly heartfelt songs. My favorites were Whatever Forever, a funny-yet-sweet song about the little things that make a relationship work, and "Little Lady Amazing," an uncharacteristically earnest tribute to daughters everywhere.

7.) Chappell Roan - "Good Luck, Babe!"

- Chappel Roan was the undeniable pop-star breakout of 2024. And while I often sort of roll my eyes at whoever the next big thing in pop is supposed to be, Roan quickly won me over with her 80's new wave inspired sound and her unbridled showmanship and individuality. You could quickly tell that there was nothing cookie-cutter about her, and you could also quickly tell that her music was/is the real deal. "Good Luck, Babe!" is an infectiously bop-y 80's-style banger that brings to mind The Eurythmics. I dig it.

 

 

8.) Stevie Nicks - "The Lighthouse"

- Like many, I saw Stevie Nicks perform "The Lighthouse" on SNL this year. And, I assume, like many, I was sort of blown away by the song - a powerful and timely power-ballad that also happens to really rock. Stevie Nicks doesn't usually go this heavy, so you know she's got some stuff she's pretty upset about going on in the world. And so the legend's righteous anger was channeled into this song, as was the anger we all feel about the way things are headed in these crazy times.

 

9.) The Offspring - "Make It All Right"

- The Offspring can always be counted on to produce consistently fun and catchy punk rock (which, yes, has become increasingly pop-infused in later years). And "Make It All Right," the highlight IMO of their latest album, is an hook-y, concentrated burst of pop-punk fun ... just what the doctor ordered in these trying times. 

10.) Lady Gaga - "Disease"

- I've long been a fan of Lady Gaga's unapologetically weird brand of dance-pop bangers, so I was pleased to see that her latest, "Disease," goes all in on the weird part (seriously, check out its horror-movie esque music video, which rules). This one is a pulsating industrial dance song ... that marks another entry on this list that captures the seeming bleakness of the past year. In a country and a world that felt literally and figuratively diseased, this song speaks to this moment. Well done, Gaga.

 

Honorable Mentions:

 

- Fontaines D.C. - "Starburster"

- Green Day - "Bobby Sox"

- Mk.gee - "ROCKMAN"

- Ricky Fitness - "Go"

- Hozier - "Too Sweet"

THE BEST OF 2024 - The Best TV Of The Year

 

THE BEST OF 2024 - The Best TV Shows of The Year

- And so it begins. I say that in reference to me sitting down, here at my desk, to write my annual Best Of lists ... but also in reference to an unpredictable new era of TV that we find ourselves about to head into (because, by the way, this is my Best TV of 2024 list ... so we're here to talk TV!). 

We are now in a world where the TV landscape is changing dramatically - and poised to change even more so in the year ahead. NBCUniversal is planning to spin out most of its cable networks into a new offshoot company. WB may end up doing the same. And most of the big players in sports (including wrestling) are entering 2025 with dramatically re-structured TV deals, in which leagues like the NFL, NBA, WWE, and AEW are all going to be abandoning traditional cable - at least in part - in favor of shiny new streaming deals with platforms like Netflix, Amazon, Peacock, and Max. It's a brave (and somewhat scary) new world indeed.

 

Post-strikes, 2024 saw a lot less content overall than what we've come to expect. And it appears that the studios and streamers are taking a more selective approach, especially with regards to original scripted content, going forward. This contraction is not great for the TV industry overall, and has already lead to less work for writers and other creatives, as well as corporate consolidation and layoffs. It remains to be seen if this will continue in 2025. My gut says that the movie business will rebound to a large extent, but that the TV business will remain somewhat diminished. Because as great as the initial streaming / content boom was for many, it was clearly unsustainable in the long-term. With that being said ... what happens next?

 

In a lot of ways, TV is becoming more and more like the movies. Less content, much of it IP-driven. We see that now with Disney and its cascade of Star Wars and Marvel series, WB with its movie spin-offs like Dune: Prophecy and The Penguin, etc. At the same time, I think that as a lot of these streamers "go back to basics," we'll see a return to a lot of the tried and true TV genres. Stuff that doesn't require knowledge of decades of lore to enjoy. We are starting to see that shift occur now when you look at the kinds of shows that have gained popularity on Netflix and elsewhere - both in terms of new content and classic series, i.e. Suits, that continue to enjoy second lives on streaming. Hopefully this means a return for great sitcoms. With the end of What We Do In The Shadows this year, there's a huge void in terms of great TV comedies. It will be interesting to see if it's a "if you build it, they will come" sort of scenario, or if comedy just continue to gets largely ignored in what is a more fractured marketplace.

But the biggest shift may be us now, truly, entering a post mono-culture era. With major sports leagues going to streaming, you have to wonder if those leagues will put up huge numbers initially, but eventually become lost in the streaming scroll bar purgatory. I mean, anyone over 30 will tell you how differently we watch things now vs. way back when, in the days when we channel-surfed and found ourselves suddenly immersed in a good NBA game or other random bit of programming that wasn't necessarily "appointment viewing." But now ... what even is appointment viewing? The vestiges of that era - HBO Sunday Night TV, for example - have slowly been chipped away at and absorbed into the streaming sludge. People are watching what they want, when they want - and hibernating within their self-created pop-culture bubbles. This makes it harder for real news to penetrate the mainstream consciousness with the same effectiveness it once did. It makes it harder for sports and other TV events to reel in casual viewers. 

 

And yet ... you never know. The power of social media means that things can go viral and become mass-viewing events. If it's the right event, and a big enough platform ... then yeah, you can perhaps achieve the kind of crazy viewership that Netflix did with its Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight. Netflix hopes that live events like that, doing huge numbers, will be its new normal in 2025. But that remains to be seen, as does the future of the entire industry in general. And of course, I say all of this not even really getting into the Trump of it all and the way that our next President's vindictiveness could change the way TV is made under a more authoritarian-esque government. Ugh. It's going to be a monumental year for TV - for good or bad - in 2025.

 

But putting all that aside, there were, as always, some amazing TV series in 2024. So let's celebrate that. On with the lists - and a one-two punch of vampires, no less!

DANNY'S TOP TV SHOWS OF 2024:


1. WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS

- One of the best TV comedies concluded its amazing run this year in What We Do In The Shadows. I wasn't planning on this being my #1 show of the year ... but this week, as I watched the brilliantly hilarious series finale, I realized that I needed to give this all-timer comedy its due. I mean, six seasons of laugh-out-loud greatness, capped off by one hell of a final season that included several instant-classic episodes and numerous incredible moments. What a cast. What top-tier writing. What a great sitcom. If you've not yet indulged in What We Do In The Shadows - it's high time to binge-watch through the best vampire comedy ever made. It will be missed.

2. INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE

- Somehow, the best comedy and drama of the year were both about vampires. Indeed, the blood-sucking monsters of myth really had a moment in 2024. Because the more I thought about it, the more I realized that Interview With The Vampire, in its second season, was my pick for TV's best drama in 2024. Killer acting, stunning twists and turns, and an unforgettable S2 setting of 1940's France's Théâtre des Vampires. I can't say enough about the quality of this series, and S2 only upped the ante from S1 and set things up for a potentially insane S3 (with the vampire Lestate poised to enter his rockstar era). If you're not all-in yet, time to catch up.

3. SHOGUN

- Shogun was THE TV event of 2024 - a stunningly shot and impeccably acted miniseries (except now with a Season 2 on its way!) that re-imagined the novel as Game of Thrones esque epic (except without the dragons).I couldn't wait for each new episode, and I couldn't wait to see the unfolding dynamic between Cosmo Jarvis' John Blackthorne and Anna Sawai's Mariko evolve. The way the show handled the "translation" scenes involving Mariko was truly brilliant, and Sawai's acting made it all work impeccably. 

4. THE PENGUIN

- I was a big fan of Matt Reeves' THE BATMAN, and really dug Colin Farrell's transformative version of The Penguin in that film. But holy lord, in the spin-off The Penguin series, Farrell takes things to a whole other level. For episode after episode, Farrell BECAME this character in a way that can only be described as remarkable ... one of the craziest feats of all-in acting I've ever seen. And yet, his performance was matched in terms of broken brilliance by Cristin Milioti's turn as Sofia Falcone, Gotham's crime heiress. The show was a true crime epic in the vein of The Sopranos, often darkly funny and with, of course, the heightened vibes of being set in the Batman universe. This one really surprised, and was among the absolute best TV series of the year.

5. TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY

- I've been a fan of True Detective from the beginning (well, excepting the very mixed bag that was S2) - but man, Night Country was something special. Under the guiding hand of showrunner Issa López, this was a tour de force crime/detective series featuring an absolute stunner of a central performance from the great Jodie Foster. Night Country captured what made the first season of True Detective such a breakout - that sense of existential, supernatural-tinged horror that lives alongside the gritty, lived-in storytelling and characters. But it also did its own thing, telling a story about oppression and abuse of power that had a real social impact.

6. ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING

- With each new season, I grow to appreciate Only Murders in the Building more and more. It really is a new classic - a show that delivers time and again with its unique mix of comedy, heart, and intriguing mysteries. Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez were once again brilliant this season, and they were joined by a cavalcade of great guest stars - from Meryl Streep to Paul Rudd to Kumail Nanjiani to Eugene Levy to Richard Kind. But what got me about this season were the moments where you realized just how much you cared about its central trio. At this point, they're the kind of extended TV family that you just don't get anymore.

7. 3 BODY PROBLEM

- This show was very much my jam - a hard science-fiction alien invasion story, that had me constantly rushing to Google to research the far-out concepts it presented in every episode. Each episode of this series had me dying to know what would happen next - and the show rewarded that curiosity by being extremely unpredictable (well, at least for someone like me who hasn't yet read the books) and very frequently mind-blowing. Filled with great actors, the show truly delivered some epic sci-fi moments. I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

8. RIPLEY

- I wasn't sure what to expect from this new adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley books (that spawned a Matt Damon movie in the 90's), but what I got was one of the great TV shows of this past year. Filmed in incredible-looking black and white, the show takes us on a picturesque journey to 1960's Italy - as we follow the manipulative machinations of con-man and killer Ripley - played here to awkward perfection by Andrew Scott (in one of the truly standout performances of 2024). A slow burn that nonetheless kept me on the edge of my seat, I can't recommend this Netflix series enough.

9. HOUSE OF THE DRAGON

- House of the Dragon soared in its epic second season, as we pushed towards all out war between the green and black factions of House Targaryen. The show was consistently really, really strong in S2 - with numerous standout moments and consistently excellent performances from Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, and the rest of the cast. All I can really say is that this show is now generating equal levels of excitement and anticipation from me as the original Game of Thrones series. When that theme song hits, you know you're about to see something special.

10. THE DAY OF THE JACKAL

- If you haven't yet seen this recently-launched Peacock series, it's well worth checking out. It's one part prestige British spy thriller, one part 24-style over-the-top actioner. But what holds it together is the A+ central performance from Eddie Redmayne as mysterious assassin The Jackal. Redmayne feels perfectly cast here, and he's got a good foil in Lashana Lynch as an MI:6 agent pursuing him around the globe. With great action, fun twists, and killer cliffhangers ... this was one of the best TV series of 2024.

 

The Next Best:


11. SILO

- One of my favorite series of 2023 is currently in the midst of Season 2 ... so it's a little tough to rank it. The good news is that the last few episodes have really crushed it, and I have a feeling we're headed towards a barn-burner of a season finale. But man, this show is a throwback in that it's a weekly sci-fi mystery series that, in Lost-esque fashion, has me eagerly guessing where this is all going. Thank the folks at Apple TV for delivering a top-quality show like this. And thanks to the show's brilliant cast - including lead Rebecca Ferguson and top-notch supporting players like Tim Robbins - for really bringing it each and every episode.

 

 

12. THE GREAT NORTH

- Fox's perpetually underrated animated comedy The Great North deserves your attention! Because this show is awesomely weird, consistently hilarious, and often has surprising amounts of heart to boot. The voice-cast on this show - including Nick Offermann and Will Forte - is SO good. And the look at life in Alaska has an eccentricity but also a King of the Hill style authenticity. 

 

 

13. CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM

- This year was the end of an era, as one of the great TV comedies ever - Curb Your Enthusiasm - came to an end. Sure, the show was, like Larry, a bit past its prime - but it still delivered plenty of great moments and memorable episodes in its final run (including some hilarious but bittersweet final scenes for the late, great Richard Lewis). Pret-tay, pret-tay good.

 

14. CONAN O'BRIEN MUST GO

- Finally, Conan O'Brien returned to TV in 2024! Taking the fan-favorite travelogue format from previous specials and doing a series out of it was a great idea, and Conan remains absolutely hilarious when riffing with ordinary people in situations where he's decidedly out of his element. There are so many comedy-gold moments in the new series. And each episode has an intro narrated by Werner Herzog. Comedy perfection.

15. EVERYBODY'S IN L.A. WITH JOHN MULANEY

- One of the weirdest, coolest comedy things of 2024 was John Mulaney's experimental live Netflix talk show ... which played like some strange Twilight Zone deconstruction of what a talk show even is and can be. The show captured the off the wall energy of classic Conan or Letterman, with bizarre guest groupings, Richard Kind as a sidekick, random but awesome musical performances, and humor and discussion topics that were very, very specifically LA-centric. Which may not be for everyone, but as someone who's now lived in LA for 20 years ... this all hit big. More, please.

16. BABY REINDEER

 

- Baby Reindeer could be very hard to watch at times. Dark, disturbing, and undeniably cringe. But ultimately, in a good way? The show dealt in brutally honest fashion with some very difficult topics. It could be darkly funny and it could be deeply unpleasant. But it felt so raw, so unflinching, that I couldn't stop watching.

 

 

17. THE BEAR

- I still really like The Bear. And Season 3 had moments - whole episodes even - that reminded why this show is one of the best TV series of the last few years. At its best, the show has brilliant writing, brilliant acting, and a teeth-grinding intensity that's not quite like anything else on TV. Yes, S3 got a bit indulgent and a bit draggy and a bit too emo. But I'm excited to see what S4 brings.

18. STAR WARS: SKELETON CREW

 

- Star Wars meets Stranger Things? Sign me up, baby. I was feeling a bit burnt out on Star Wars this year (and didn't love the uneven-feeling Acolyte), but Skeleton Crew reignited that old sense of awe and wonder and fun that I was looking for from this franchise. Yes, this show is not subtle about what it is - it wears its 80's influences and aesthetic loudly and proudly - but for me, that is 100% something I can get behind. I love the retro vibes, love the show's cast of lovably mismatched kid characters, and am really enjoying this one overall.

 

 

19. ENGLISH TEACHER

- English Teacher kind of came out of nowhere for me, but ended up being a really pleasant comedy surprise. It worked better once it clicked for me that this was a show about pretty awful teachers who are also not great people. Once you come to terms with that, you can laugh at the awfulness and just appreciate the sharp writing, on-point humor, and satirical look at the failings of Millennial teachers vs. the failings of the generation of high school students they try to teach. 

 

20. INVINCIBLE

- Again, maybe I'm a bit biased here because Robert Kirkman's INVINCIBLE is one of my favorite comic book series ever. But I still got a huge kick out of this show's second season and how it so perfectly captures the quirky, unique tone of the books. It's a superhero story that isn't bound by convention and can therefore go to the craziest and most mind-bending places imaginable. And the characters can grow and change and evolve. And Kirkman and co can be as weird, as violent, as bizarre as they wanna be. 

 

21. MR. & MRS. SMITH

 

- This show, anchored by two fantastic lead performances from Donald Glover and Maya Erskine, was a clever update on the movie version's premise. Here, two rookie spies are paired together and asked to pose as a couple ... and so each spy mission essentially functions as a first, second, third date (and so on). A lot of awkward humor ensues. And a lot of timely commentary on love and romance in 2024.

22. CREATURE COMMANDOS

 

- The first official entry in the new, James Gunn led DC cinematic universe, the animated Max show Creature Commandos - like Peacemaker before it - is distinctly a James Gunn joint. And if you, like me, dig Gunn's offbeat humor and go-for-broke sensibilities, then you will probably dig this show. And hey, it also doesn't hurt if, like me, you're a diehard DC fan who loves the way the show uses a motley crew of DC's C and D-listers. 

 

23. FALLOUT

- I was a little up and down on Fallout - but overall, I appreciated the show's ability to capture the vibes and aesthetic of the game series while also fleshing out the lore to create a pretty compelling post-apocalyptic storytelling universe. And then of course you had the great Walton Goggins tearing it up as an evil mutant gunslinger. Sure, he's basically playing an irradiated version of Boyd Crowder, but hard to complain about that.

24. X-MEN '97

- A blast of 90's nostalgia, X-Men '97 was a super cool update to the beloved X-Men animated series of many of our childhoods. The show cleverly infused the 90's-era superheroics of the old kid-friendly series with a dose of more adult sophistication - creating a show that could shock and surprise with some of the places it went with its storytelling. 

25. COBRA KAI

 

- While Cobra Kai has felt a bit scattershot in its latest batch of episodes, the first half of S6 was a rollicking way to kick off the beloved series' final run. You just have to go with the flow when it comes to the show's pro-wrestling esque barrage of face and heel turns, and its incorporation of key storytelling beats into its crazy melee fight scenes. There's nothing else quite like it, and I'll be sad when the show ends later in 2025.

 

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:


The Best TV Heroes of 2024:

1.) Toda Mariko - Shogun
2.) John Blackthorne - Shogun
3.) The Star Wars: Skeleton Crew kids (Fern, Wim, KB, and Neel) - Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
4.) Juliette Nichols - Silo
5.) Jin Cheng- 3 Body Problem

 

The Best TV Villains of 2024:

1.) Santiago - Interview With the Vampire

2.) Tom Ripley - Ripley

3.) Bernard Holland - Silo
4.) Terry Silver - Cobra Kai
5.) The Ghoul - Fallout

 

 

The Best TV Anti-Heroes of 2024:

 

1.) Toranaga - Shogun

2.) Louis de Pointe du Lac - Interview With the Vampire
3.) Rhaenyra Targaryen - House of the Dragon
4.) Liz Danvers - True Detective: Night Country
5.) The Bride - Creature Commandos