Knock on Wood

It’s not easy to judge a year in film by the first six months – we’ve barely even begun to consider what will champion the next Awards Season, and even though the reliable box office draws seem to be returning to pre-pandemic levels, the tentpoles continue to be surprising and exciting. Whether or not 2024 will outlast 2023 in terms of beloved classics (only one of our Top 10 of 2023 was even released by the midyear mark), there’s still plenty of time for the new releases to surprise us. What follows is the combined Knock on Wood Midyear Top 10 of 2024.

10. Inside Out 2

I really appreciate what Inside Out 2 is trying to do, and it works pretty well in isolation. But it also proves this series does not have an extraordinary amount of room for growth. You can add as many new emotions as you want, but narratively, there’s a limit when it comes to the development of the central characters — and it’s not like Riley’s development is a factor at all. In fact, in Inside Out 2, she acts even more like a robot, without any individuality and agency that removes any tension in the scenes that are supposed to be the most tense. This movie is still trademark Pixar, but that’s not necessarily what I want anymore — I was really loving the passion project line that included Soul, Luca, and Turning Red, and to hear that Pixar is distancing themselves from stories like that in favor of sequels and non-originals that slot directly and safely into their emotionally manipulative brand is nothing short of disappointing. I enjoyed my time with Inside Out 2 on its own merit, but I’m worried about what it represents when it comes to the future of this studio. At a certain point, just like this film is telling us, you have to grow. Pixar’s refusal to do that is frustrating. (Rowan Wood)

9. The Bikeriders

One the one hand, this is very disjointed. This refuses to pull us in, keeping us a cold, Faist-length distance from this story. Characters are often caricatures, it feels like this wants to visually glorify the Vandals while it narratively condemns them, and propping Austin Butler up as a James Dean idol, but then never spending any time with him to let us understand him (or his relationship with Jodie Comer), all feels off-kilter. On the other hand, this is still very captivating. Director Jeff Nichols is technically brilliant, and these performances are very good even if they come equipped with funny accents (Comer and Tom Hardy being the easy standouts). I loved Comer being the narrative and emotional focus of the film and seeing most of this from her perspective, and this film’s deconstruction of toxic masculinity is terrific. We see people get caught up in bad scenarios, feeling trapped like they can’t get out, and how growth and evolution over time can exacerbate minor issues into huge problems.

Though I never feel like I experienced ‘the golden age of motorcycle’ vibes that this flick insisted that it was about, it felt much more akin to a gangster-lite film in the vein of Scorsese, and I walked away with positive feelings. (Heath Lynch)

8. The Fall Guy

You have seen the decades old mystery television series starring Lee Majors called The Fall Guy, right? No? Well, at least you have a ridiculously fun modern remake that is here for a good time and not a deep time. Sure, there are some interesting ideas like the manipulation of AI for criminal reasons and other such nefarious things…but that is not why we are here. David Leitch (of John Wick fame along with plenty of other crazy action flicks) wanted to honor his first profession, stunt work. This action-packed romantic comedy is a love letter to stunt people, as it focuses on the story of a recluse former stuntman portrayed by Ryan Gosling (who is obviously not too attractive to be a fill in instead of an actual movie star in The Fall Guy universe). Gosling is whisked away to do stunts on the directorial debut of the woman he loves (Emily Blunt) who he distanced himself from after a horrific accident. This over-the-top thrill ride is ridiculously charming because Gosling and Blunt are, well…ridiculously charming together.

The action is thrilling and the stunts are impressive, with Leitch leaning into his strengths to sell them. There is plenty of mystery, drug trips, unicorns, and disco era kisses for you to enjoy. The music fits this ’80s aesthetic with a great TV theme reference as well as some killer Phil Collins karaoke.

Is it a little overlong? Is it absolutely ridiculous from a story standpoint? I say it’s time to ignore those fair questions and just laugh a lot and get a little smitten with the charming duo of Gosling and Blunt. You even have the likes of Winston Duke, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Hannah Waddingham here for some fun as well. Leitch is building a fun filmography of bonkers action flicks, and this action rom-com is a welcomed addition. (Shane Conto)

7. Monkey Man

There’s been a recent surge in ultra-violent action movies that favor close-quarters melee combat and slick gunfights with incredible accuracy and brutality, headlined by the John Wick movies. In fact, you could go so far as to say there has been a John Wickification of action movies over the last decade. Slick gunfights, long oners, and well-choreographed stunt sequences are the flavor of the day. The bullet spraying, testosterone filled, quippy one-liners of the ’80s and ’90s are long gone.

One of the newest entries in this new style of action bravado is Monkey Man. Written by and starring Dev Patel in his own directorial debut, this is a powerhouse film that delivers action spectacle in a way few films ever achieve. The impact of punches and gunshots feel intense and visceral, you feel them in your core as the bass in the score helps to highlight the violence. The pacing of the film also exponentially ratchets up to deliver more action as the runtime marches forward. By the time we get to the finale, and an army of trans women assault fascists cloaked in religion, this flick is really cooking. Truth be told, that point is what elevates Monkey Man above the likes of great films like John Wick or The Raid, because this film has something to say. Patel is taking a hard look at India, its culture, and more relevant, its current political climate. Patel, and this film, have something to say, and it makes the themes of this picture resonate that much more. It makes the violence have so much more drive and purpose. It’s this distinction that makes Monkey Man one of the greatest films of the year so far, and definitely worth your time. (Heath Lynch)

Available to stream on Peacock.

6. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

George Miller had no intention to one-up his efforts on Mad Max: Fury Road, one of the greatest action movies ever made, but instead brought audiences back to the Wasteland for an epic and sprawling tale in Furiosa, where we learn the harrowing tale of a young girl taken from her oasis and ripped into the dangerous and hazardous world of sand and blood. The runtime is longer, the scale is more extensive, and the time frame of this story is encompassing the growth of the young Furiosa into a strong, determined, and crafty badass of the Wasteland.

Miller brings the same fire he brought in Fury Road and channels it into scale and epic storytelling. We learn more about this horrific fallen world and visit some of the bastions of humanity’s remnants. The visuals are more computer-heavy, but still offer a vibrant and mind-boggling experience that is unique and bold. Tom Holkenborg’s score is less pronounced, but still brings the perfect motifs to create this heavy metal madness. The storytelling is mythical in style and poignant in the emotions of this journey for Furiosa.

Anya Taylor-Joy and Alyla Browne are both impressive as Furiosa at different ages in the fire and drive that they bring to the character who Charlize Theron first brought to life. The dialogue is minimal, but their expressions are all the telling. Chris Hemsworth is having the time of his life in what just might be his best role yet as the warlord Dementus. Taylor-Joy and Hemsworth’s final confrontation might lack in action but is rich in themes and meaningful as they both act their buns off for the audience’s pleasure.

But the biggest star of the film is the action. The set pieces might be drastically more spread out compared to Fury Road, but the substance is all there. The action is perpetual and unrelenting. The brutality is only matched by how visceral it all feels. No one…NO ONE…shoots action like Miller, and this is another crowning achievement of his long standing career. (Shane Conto)

Read our review of Furiosa here!

5. Thelma

June Squibb stars as 93-year-old Thelma Post, the victim of a scamming incident, who hopes to get revenge with the help of her grandson. Thelma easily takes the cake for the most delightful movie of the year. Squibb is impossibly charming in her first ever leading role, and the Mission: Impossible-style “action” sequences are as fun to watch as they are hilarious. If you make it through Thelma without cracking a smile at least every five minutes, I would encourage you to check your pulse! Whether it’s Thelma cruising along in her motorized scooter or searching for the red “x” to close an advertisement on her computer screen with the intensity of The Hurt Locker, Thelma is pure joy from start to finish. (Foster Harlfinger)

Read our review of Thelma here!

4. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

A fairly standard hero’s journey, elevated by the setting, visual effects, and stellar performances, cements itself with a clear angle when it comes to mythologizing and varying systems of belief. Why do we believe the things that we do, and what do they really mean? We’ll never truly know, but we have the Caesar Trilogy to give us a clear perspective on the world presented to us in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, a good few hundred years after Caesar’s heroic death in 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes, which eliminates part of the subjectivity while simultaneously giving us unique, inarguable knowledge that none of this film’s characters possess, thus making the conflict even more engaging. I have a few issues with certain creative choices made towards the end of Kingdom, but generally, creeping closer to the world of the 1968 original is ridiculously exciting. I can’t wait to see what comes next from the Planet of the Apes. (Rowan Wood)

3. Challengers

Luca Guadagnino has always made movies about love, and they’re usually pretty unconventional love stories. That’s always been his thing. But until Challengers, none of his movies were high-energy experiences. So Challengers brings the energy in the form of a love triangle between two tennis players, and it’s one of the most magnetic movies of the last five years. Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor are are addicted to the competition of tennis, and by extension, addicted to each other. “I want to watch some good fucking tennis,” Zendaya says, and in this context, that means she wants intimacy for herself and her “little white boys.” It’s a fascinating and electric movie that is about the intoxicating nature of unconventional (and selfish) love, which, in a twisted way, is still love nonetheless. (Robert Bouffard)

2. Hundreds of Beavers

The future of independent cinema is here! Hundreds of Beavers is a delightfully creative, largely dialogue-free slapstick adventure that combines innovative filmmaking techniques with sharp humor to create one of the most refresingly original movies of the 21st century. Ryland Brickson Cole Tews (the man with the best name in the entire world) stars as Jean Kayak, a drunk applejack salesman who must rise to the occasion and defend his wares against hundreds – possibly thousands – of anthropomorphic beavers and other animals, all played brilliantly by performers in a variety of costumes perfectly suited to this movie’s vibe. Hundreds of Beavers is postmodern farce, Looney Tunes, and the best old Hollywood silent classic rolled into one, and it’s a glory to behold. (Rowan Wood)

Available to stream on Hoopla and Fandor.

1. Dune: Part Two

I hesitate to call any modern blockbuster “brave,” but I genuinely think that’s an accurate way to describe Dune: Part Two. Not only is it a spectacle unlike anything since Mad Max: Fury Road or The Lord of the Rings before it, but it translates Frank Herbert’s confrontational ideas about power, fanaticism, and right and wrong in a way that is simultaneously palatable and exciting. While there were warranted complaints about the first movie which said it was too dry and lacking compelling characters, Part Two remedies that, giving us Zendaya’s Chani as an audience avatar so that we feel the magnitude of the hurt and betrayal from Paul, and watch in horror as he leads the Fremen to their paradise. Perfectly mixing spectacle, excitement, and meaning is a rare accomplishment in filmmaking, yet Denis Villeneuve does it perfectly. (Robert Bouffard)

Available to stream on Max.

(Dis)Honorable Mention: Argylle

When I discovered Argylle did not make the Knock on Wood contributor’s cumulative midyear top 10 list, I was shocked and, frankly, devastated. Not because I thought the other Knock on Wood contributors liked Argylle as much as I did – quite the opposite, in fact – but because I had been secretly trying to convince some of my fellow contributors to put it at number one on their lists for the single purpose of ensuring its placement in this top 10. Unfortunately, my co-conspirators either didn’t watch the movie on time or didn’t feel comfortable putting such a universally hated action spy comedy about a cat lady above Dune 2 in their rankings for the sake of a bit. Luckily, Rowan was kind enough to let me write an Argylle blurb anyways (perks of dating the editor) and perhaps convince my fellow movie lovers that Argylle is a misunderstood cult classic in the making.

Scrolling through Letterboxd, it’s clear that at least some of the hate for this movie is just people jumping on the bandwagon. Criticisms range from “too confusing” to “too predictable” to “too crazy” to “too boring” to “trying too hard” to “phoning it in” to “too long” (I’ll concede that one). If everyone hates a movie, but no one can agree on what about the movie you’re supposed to hate, could it be, perhaps, that there’s not much worth hating? This movie is not trying to be really good, it’s trying to be really fun, and I think it does a really good job at being fun. Contrary to popular belief, the point of a sequence of ice skating with knives on a puddle of oil while blasting a machine gun isn’t to dazzle you with how realistic the CGI looks. The twists aren’t meant to shock you and recontextualize the plot – they’re punchlines! Each twist is crazier and dumber than the last, and that is exactly why this movie is so hilarious! I think in 10 or 15 years, people will start revisiting this film and discover that it’s actually a blast and was misunderstood when it was released. And when that happens, I’ll have the Letterboxd receipts to prove I’m not just jumping on the bandwagon, I was here from the start. (Davis Mathis)

Available to stream on Apple TV+.