Before I get to my top ten movies of 2024, I want to acknowledge some of the other worthwhile films I saw last year. I watched more than a hundred 2024 movies, and over the rest of the week I will mention the ones in the 11-50 slots on my ranked list.

I’ll also single out the titles that had a real shot at the top ten but didn’t quite make the cut.

To cover so many titles, I’m splitting things up by genre, starting today with Comedy.

Writer-director Josh Margolin’s Thelma is the first action thriller I’ve seen that stars a nonagenarian. The 93-year-old titular protagonist is scammed out of $10,000 and sets out (on a motorized scooter) to apprehend those responsible. The film gets big laughs from “action” scenes involving Thelma, say, getting a box from a high shelf.

Thelma also has a huge heart, with the central relationship between Thelma (the fabulous June Squibb) and her grandson (a charming Fred Hechinger) providing the emotional throughline. The film is based on Margolin’s actual grandmother, and a post-credits scene of the real Thelma is one of the year’s sweetest moments.

I’ve already written a bit about writer-director Rich Peppiatt’s Kneecap. The movie depicts the rise to fame of an underground Irish rap trio, embracing the band’s anarchic spirit in the filmmaking. It’s brash, rude, and hilarious, featuring great music and a history lesson on the significance of the Gaelic language.

Those two movies had a real shot at my top ten.

While I’m on the subject of movies that blend comedy, drama, and music, let me quickly shout out Better Man and Wicked. The former offers up a welcome spin on the musical biopic through some filmmaking flourishes and a simian lead, and the latter is a wildly entertaining adaptation of the beloved stage play.

Some other comedies worth shouting out include:

Between the Temples – A cringe comedy starring the irresistible duo of Jason Schwartzman and Carole Kane.

Drive-Away Dolls – Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke’s lesbian road trip romcom is uneven but often hilarious.

Inside Out 2 – An enjoyable sequel to one of Pixar’s best films.

Snack Shack – A throwback romp starring The Fabelmans‘ Gabriel LaBelle as a troublemaking teen.

Your Monster – A spin on Beauty and the Beast that features an excellent performance by Melissa Barrera as a woman dealing with a painful break-up.

Coming tomorrow… the Dramas.