Reposting Ann's "2024 in film (Ann and Stan)" and Stan's "2024 in film (Ann & Stan)" annual look at films.
Happy New Year. Ann and Stan here offering our annual look at film. We note the ten best of the year and also provide some commentary about a film that wasn't the box office blockbuster liars tried to pretend it would be and we also take on the MAGA dirtbag who wrongly announced the demise of DISNEY.
1) WICKED
Let there be no mistake, WICKED is the best film of 2024. WICKED is everything a film should be and it is a musical that made over $429 million in North America alone. Great performances, great direction, stunning cinematography and sets. It's a stunning film and it's a classic that kids are going to grow up on for decades to come. Available on streaming platforms currently for rental or purchase.
2) BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Years in the making, this sequel to the 80s classic BEETLEJUICE reunited Winonna Ryder, Michael Keaton and Catherine O'Hara and paired them with Jenna Ortega and Justin Theroux to make one of the most satisfying films of the year. This film should result in Tim Burton's second Academy Award nomination for Best Director. Second? That's right, our country's most inspired and original director has only been nominated for Best Director for one feature film (BIG FISH). How does the visionary behind PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE, BEETLEJUICE, EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, ED WOOD, DARK SHADOWS, BATMAN RETURNS, BATMAN, ALICE IN WONDERLAND, BIG EYES, PLANET OF THE APES, MARS ATTACKS! and so many more not have an Academy Award for Best Director already -- let alone multiple nominations? One term for this film? Magical. Streaming on HBO.
3) THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT
Historical films can be boring. And we all have to pretend otherwise because it's some noble story -- or some crap like OPENHEIMER passed off as noble (noble films about dropping nuclear bombs on human beings don't neglect the stories of those killed and those who survived but, hey, White people, keep pretending the film wasn't racist). If you're lucky, a historical film can actually be good and worth watching. But every now then, as THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT demonstrates, a historical film can be riveting. Available on NETFLIX.
4) THE SUBSTANCE
There are way too many horror films. It's like the glut that killed the superhero films. More originality is needed. THE SUBSTANCE finds life in the form via a script that constantly surprises, expert directing by Coralie Fargeat and a cast delivering amazing performances. No one is more amazing than Demi Moore in the lead. Demi and Kerry Washington (for THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT) should both be on the Best Actress list when the Academy Awards announces their nominees. This film would be surprising with another actress in the lead role -- the script and the direction are strong enough. But it wouldn't be the shocker and the gut punch that it is without Demi's performance. She truly delivers. Available on AMAZON for purchase, rental or free via a free trial.
5) DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Ryan Reynolds is back wise cracking. He's the William Haines of this century. And that would have delivered a few ticket buyers. But what made this film a huge hit on opening weekend was Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. -- a character far more beloved than Deadpool. In his last showing, Logan (Wolverine) had been killed off at the end so there was also interest in how Hugh would return to the role. That made it a hit opening weekend. What made it the second biggest film in North America for 2024 was the fact that it delivered. Ryan and Hugh had real buddy cop chemistry. The script had surprises and Easter eggs -- including the past superheroes who show up. It's why the film made $636 million in North America. Available on DISNEY+.
6) MARIA
Maria is Maria Callas, an opera singer in the 20th century. This bio drama stars Angelina Jolie who elevates it to another level. Add her to Kerry Washington and Demi Moore on the list of women who should be on the Academy Awards' Best Actress nominees list. She's ably supported by a strong international cast. But Angelina, all by herself in a chair at a table, is nothing but Maria. She breathes life into every scene and never hits a wrong note. This is a strong, very strong bio drama but it's so much more with Angelina in the lead role. Available on NETFLIX.
7) THELMA
A cute and small film that is hugely satisfying comedy. June Squibb is senior citizen Thelma who gets scammed. While her grandson Daniel (Fred Hechinger) understands but her daughter (Parker Posey) and her son-in-law (Clark Gregg) see it as a sign that Thelma's in decline and needs less control of her life. It may not sound funny but it is very funny. Very funny. And this is Richard Roundtree's final film which is another reason to stream it. See this and 2022's MOVING ON where he plays Jane Fonda's ex-husband and grasp that Richard Roundtree went out while he was still at the top of his game. Available on HULU and DISNEY+.
8) THE LAST SHOWGIRL
Gia Coppola's drama has the spirit that American indies had before big studio's started snapping them up and sapping them up. A first rate cast -- including Pamela Anderson, Dave Butista, Jamie Lee Curtis and Jason Schwartzman -- shine and register as the plot moves in story teller fashion -- as opposed to the Sy Field cookie cutter fashion that destroyed enthusiasm for film. Not yet available on streaming. Sorry but we have pirated copies. We'll buy streaming copies of the film -- purchase not rent -- when it comes out. But we heard good things and when it started showing up at the Black barbershops, we got our pirated copies because, if it was as good as we kept hearing, we wanted it on our list. It wasn't as good as we heard, it was better.
9) INSIDE AND OUT 2
This is a joy of colors and shapes and we mean that in the best way possible. The biggest film of 2024 in North America, this animated cartoon zips by quickly while still being memorable. It's also a DISNEY film. We mention that for a reason.
The disgusting Ron DeSantis certainly carried out a war on DISNEY but even worse was his little bitch Jonathan Turley. Anti-trans and anti-free speech Jonathan Turley morphed into one of the worst hate merchants in the last five years. He's disgusting. And he lies over and over at his website and in his Tweets. One of his biggest lies? The death of DISNEY.
Via THENUMBERS.COM, here are the top four films of 2024 in North America:
1 Inside Out 2 Jun 14, 2024 Walt Disney Adventure $652,980,194 60,573,301
2 Deadpool & Wolverine Jul 26, 2024 Walt Disney Action $636,745,858 59,067,333
3 Wicked Nov 22, 2024 Universal Musical $429,282,210 39,822,097
4 Moana 2 Nov 27, 2024 Walt Disney Adventure $400,008,683 37,106,556
See that? The number one film of the year was a DISNEY FILM. As was the number two film and the number four film. DISNEY is dead? They had three of year's top four moneymakers.
Jonathan Turley is a liar and a MAGA piece of crap. He's a grifter and a menace.
10) VENOM: THE LAST DANCE
The only other superhero film that didn't bomb. $139 million in North America. Not huge but we're all burnt out on the superhero film. KRAVEN THE HUNTER, by comparison, bombed with only $21 million domestically (on a $130 million shooting budget). VENOM had Tom Hardy going for it and also a script that actually moved the story forward (and concluded the franchise) and a fresh and vivid look and feel via director Kelly Marcel.
You know what wasn't fresh?
Will Smith. The White press and the Chocolate Covered Bunnies at THE ROOT, tried to tell the world that Will was back! That BAD BOYS RIDE OR DIE was a huge blockbuster and, they claimed in June, one of the year's biggest films at the box office.
Really? It came in at number 11 for the year in North America. That's not a really big blockbuster. Nor is it enough tickets when the shooting budget was over one-hundred million. The previous film in the franchise, BAD BOYS FOR LIFE, released during the pandemic (when ticket sales were plunging) sold $11 million more in tickets in North America.
The biggest lie the White press and the Chocolate Covered Bunnies at THE ROOT told was that Will Smith was back. Sorry to use some white-out or correction tape on top of your Whiteness, but we in the Black community value Martin Lawrence. So it was really insulting and racist for the press to reduced co-star Martin Lawrence to some sort of day player or background extra. You can be damn sure that many of us turned out for the film just to see Martin back in a role that we've always loved him in.
Without Martin, the film would have flopped completely. Will Smith remains a joke. It was bad enough when he attacked Chris Rock on stage for a joke but now that we all know the faux marriage was over years prior, his hissy fit and assault just underscore what a liar and a fake he is. At least Jada can admit to bi. Will's performances all appear to be delivered from a closet.
Keep trying to build Will back up. We don't see it happening and it certainly didn't in 2024.
Going out with C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:"
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2024 end of the year pieces: Rebecca's "sexiest men of 2024," Ann's "2024 in film (Ann and Stan)" and Stan's "2024 in film (Ann & Stan)," Mike's "Idiot of the Year," Ruth's "Ruth's Media Report 2024." "2024 in books (Martha & Shirley)," Kat's "Kat's Korner: 2024 in music" and our "2024: The Year of Betrayal From Inside The Left."
