Key Takeaways:
– Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part 2 and David Ayer's The Beekeeper are among the best releases of 2024.
– Tom Hardy delivered an exceptional performance in The Bikeriders.
– Viggo Mortensen's The Dead Don't Hurt and Richard Linklater's Hit Man are hidden gems of the year.
– Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is hailed as one of the most dazzling action epics of the year.
2024 is officially halfway through and it's already been an action-packed year at the cinema. Nope, it's not the festive season that's on our minds, but our favorite films released so far!
Roll out the red carpet for Dune: Part 2. This epic conclusion of Frank Herbert's adaptation by Denis Villeneuve won over audiences worldwide. The star-studded film, playing out on the giant IMAX canvas as Villeneuve dreamed of, features Hollywood's rising superstar, Timothée Chalamet, who also delivered an impressive performance in Wonka earlier this year.
Fans of cool, bad-boy characters would remember Austin Butler in Dune: Part 2. However, it's his role in Jeff Nichols's The Bikeriders that has us all a-buzz. Alongside Butler, the legendary Tom Hardy and Jodie Comer put on remarkable performances in this fantastic movie, which certainly deserves its spot on the top 10 list.
For those who love a mind-blowing action extravaganza, David Ayer's The Beekeeper set the bar high. Starring Jason Statham, its fast-paced action sequences have shown us that there are still new thrills and spills to be had in the action genre.
A surprise smash hit was Late Night With the Devil, a gripping 70s-themed horror movie. With David Dastmalchian in the leading role, the less you know about the movie beforehand, the better.
2024 was also the year when A24 released its biggest-budget film yet, Civil War. Alex Garland's masterpiece sends a powerful message about unity and features a career-best performance from Kirsten Dunst.
Moving on, we lament the vastly underrated Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. Director George Miller's Mad Max prequel, with amazing portrayals from Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, and Tom Burke, was indeed one of the most breathtaking films of the year.
Among the many great releases, don't overlook The Dead Don't Hurt, a classic western by incomparable Viggo Mortensen, as well as the fourth instalment of the popular-action comedy Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
Richard Linklater's semi-fact-based film, Hit Man, was highly regarded on the festival circuit. The Netflix release might have faded from public memory a bit soon, but trust us when we say you should definitely give it a watch.
Lastly, we lift the curtain on the underrated In the Land of Saints and Sinners. With Liam Neeson delivering one of his best performances to date and Game of Thrones' Jack Gleeson stealing the show, this Ireland-set hitman drama was a real sleeper hit.
As 2024 rolls on, we can't wait to see what cinematic greatness the second half of the year has in store for us. Meanwhile, we'd love to hear your views and personal favorite movie picks from this year so far. Make sure to drop a comment and let us know!
