From Dune: Part Two to Kung Fu Panda 4, there has been a barrage of blockbuster releases in 2024. As is always the case, these gigantic Hollywood trees have created a canopy and prevented the sun from reaching all the little plants. Still, the little plants are valuable to the ecosystem and this list will project sunlight on them. Whether it’s an indie drama film or a comedy buried under many other popular releases on a streaming platform, several hidden 2024 films offer great entertainment value.
Several factors have contributed to the lack of recognition. Many of the films were produced by tiny studios on shoestring budgets. Because of the limited funds, they were never marketed as widely as the blockbusters. Others didn’t have any major stars in the cast. Hence, the casual viewer lacked the incentive to buy a ticket or click the play button.
A few others are foreign releases, and it has been historically proven that it is difficult for such productions to permeate the American market. Here’s to hoping these amazing films become bigger than they are currently.
20 Murder and Cocktails
In Murder and Cocktails, Nick (Jason Bernardo) is a stressed-out screenwriter who isn’t getting gigs as often as he used to. His spouse, Lana (Jessica Neufeld), has a similar predicament. She was one of the leads in a popular soap opera, but her character was killed off. To make quick bucks, the couple sets up cameras in their apartment and starts streaming their lives. And when someone gets murdered on their floor, they come up with an even better idea: they will host a cocktail hour with every tenant to find out who committed the crime,
A Refreshing Whodunit Saga
There have been plenty of great whodunit movies lately, but Murder and Cocktails feels refreshing and relevant because it addresses the obsession with social media and influencer culture. Everything feels believable because Neufeld and Bernardo have great chemistry. The shady barbs and flirtatious musings make them relatable as a couple.
They never stop talking. One might think they are on commission every time they say a word. The supporting characters are all fun too. There is a detective who hates his job, an overly serious real estate agent, a soap opera fan who can’t understand why Lana isn’t on her favorite show anymore, and a temperamental sergeant. There are clues all over, but as is always the case, the end reveal is a shocker. Stream it on Hoopla.
19 Citizen of a Kind
Most people would curse and cry after getting scammed. They’d beat themselves up for being foolish and wait for the police to do something. That’s not what laundromat employee Deok-hee (Ra Mi-ran) does. After receiving a call that tricks her into sending 32 million won ($23,700) to a well-organized voice-phishing scamming ring from China, she packs her bags and heads to the country to capture the criminals herself. It all sounds like a great plot idea that emerged from the mind of a talented screenwriter, but the events in Citizen of a Kind are based on a true story.
The Beekeeper… Without Action
Early in 2024, audiences were presented with a similar film. David Ayer’s The Beekeeper, starring Jason Statham, had a phishing plot, too, and those who enjoyed it will enjoy Citizen of a Kind because of the protagonist’s courage and relentlessness.
Those who hated the endless beatdowns and the overall over-the-top nature will also enjoy this film because the protagonist is not only an average Jane, but her actions are more logical. Audiences are unlikely to bat their eyelids because there is an endless sense of urgency. Deok-hee might have erased her predicament rather quickly in the real world, but in the film, the events get stretched a little more. Consequently, many fun characters pop up. Rent or purchase on Apple TV+, Google Play or Vudu.
18 Somewhere Quiet
Somewhere Quiet centers around Meg (Jennifer Kim), who is struggling to embrace normalcy after recently fleeing from kidnappers. To help make her readjustment phase better, her husband, Scott (Kentucker Audley, takes her to his family’s coastal ranch on Cape Cod. However, when Scott’s upper-class cousin, Madeline (Marin Ireland), shows up, Meg begins suspecting that she is up to something sinister. The fact that she is also having hallucinations doesn’t help either. Is she being reasonable or delusional?
The Complexities of Trauma
The movie excels by blurring the lines between reality and imagination. For most of the 98-minute running time, Meg keeps beaming with paranoia, and like her, the audience remains uncertain of what’s real and what’s not. Did she just see people watching her from the fence?
Did she hear someone trying to break out of the closet? “I feel so crazy,” Meg confesses, and director Olivia West Lloyd constantly keeps viewers in that same emotional chasm. Ariel Marx’s marvelous score also helps pump up the eerier feeling, especially when it plays over the most basic scenes. It isn’t until the dying minutes that everything becomes clear. Rent or purchase on Apple TV+, Google Play or Vudu.
17 Self Reliance
Self Reliance is one of the movies where actors direct themselves, and it’s a lot of fun. Here, Jake Johnson oversees the proceedings while also playing Tommy, a man who has been kicked out by his lover and is now living with his mother. Life is tough for him, so when the real Andy Samberg pulls up next to him in a limousine and exclaims, “Congrats! You are the next participant,”
Tommy doesn’t bother to ask what he is signing for. He is ready to take anything over his current sorry existence. It turns out the offer is for a dark web reality show where he will be hunted by assassins for 30 days. The loophole? They are only allowed to kill him when he is alone. The reclusive Tommy is thus forced to make some friends.
Part Buddy Comedy, Part Rom-Com
Watching Tommy’s social skills go from ‘non-existent’ to expert level is quite fascinating. He keeps hitting roadblocks in his quest for personal connections because he asks for too much, including being accompanied to the bathroom. Still, he never gives up. He thus gets to have a potential spouse (played by Anna Kendrick) and a charming friend (played by Biff Wiff). For the most part, the movie keeps alternating between buddy comedy mayhem and rom-com melodrama. Stream it on Hulu.
16 Which Brings Me to You
Weddings are ideal places to find soulmates, if movies and those who have allegedly experienced this are to be believed. In Which Brings Me to You, Will (Nat Wolff) — a former bandmate of the groom — and Jane (Lucy Hale) — a friend of the bride — begin flirting as soon as they see each other. They almost have sex inside a closet, but Will stops and starts recounting his past sexual escapades. Jane does the same, and the tales enable them to form a deeper connection.
A Simple Film with Lessons About Love
Which Brings Me to You never complicates itself. Events take place across 24 hours and during this period, various lessons about love are offered. The new lovebirds share their experiences, with each of them serving as the other’s critic, and letting them know what they did wrong. In some of the confessions and flashbacks, audiences will easily find something that rings back to their own lives. The lead actors give great performances too, thanks to their experience in this particular genre. Buy or rent it on Apple TV+.
15 Arthur’s Whisky
Most people would love to live long without looking old. Thankfully, this is all possible in Arthur’s Whisky. The movie begins with retirees Joan (Patricia Hodge) and Arthur engaging in typical elderly routines. She spends her time in the garden while he tries to invent things in the shed. One day, he makes a concoction capable of de-aging a person to the body they had in their 20s.
Unfortunately, as he is out celebrating in the storm, lightning strikes him dead. Rather than mourn, Joan tells her friends about the formula, and they quickly consume the youthifying whisky. With their new bodies, they head out to party and find new love interests.
Gags Galore and a Fun Look Into the Joys of Youth
Arthur’s Whisky handles aging as hilariously as a good comedy movie should. A running gag in the movie involves one of Joan’s friends standing up and sitting down again, glad that the simple act is no longer as painful as it used to be. Another friend seeks her 70-year-old ex-husband and taunts him about how bad he looks.
The climax is even more fun as it takes place in Vegas, where the women head for a final adventure before their bodies revert to their former forms. After all, the effects of the whisky are only meant to last a few hours, and Arthur is no longer around to make more of it. Stream it on Now TV.
14 Parallel
Everything, Everywhere, All At Once set the bar extremely high for multiverse movies, but those worried they might never find something similar can calm down. Parallel is just good. The movie follows Vanessa (Danielle Deadwyler) as she struggles to cope with the death of her son.
Her marriage has suffered because of the incident, but thanks to the presence of a caring friend, they both strive to get through the chaos. One day, Vanessa sees a woman who looks like her while she is in the woods, and upon further investigation, she discovers a parallel universe.
Minimal Sets, and Characters, but a Labyrinthine Plot
Parallel has a thin cast of only three actors, so understanding each character’s motivations is easy. Most of the action takes place in the forest. However, the plot gets denser every passing minute, which isn’t unusual for multiverse movies. Like Vanessa, audiences will have a hard time figuring out what’s going on, but therein lies the beauty of the film.
The complexity, coupled with the confusion of the characters’ faces, makes for an engrossing saga that proves why Hollywood should explore the multiverse concept more. And despite this being a low-budget flick, it’s filmed extremely. There are cameras on top of trees as well as low on the ground, resulting in incredible views. Rent it on Apple TV+.
13 American Star
Ian McShane’s fans are used to seeing him in supporting roles, but in American Star, they get all the McShane they could have wished. Here, the Deadwood and John Wick star plays the hitman, Wilson. The Falklands war veteran heads to the island of Fuerteventura in the Canaries to kill someone, only to find out that his mark isn’t home. Instead, he meets a beautiful French woman who has just arrived to use the swimming pool. The two strike up a friendship, but when she introduces him to her mother, she suspects he is up to no good.
A Movie About Killing Time
Movies about hitmen are expected to have plenty of bloodshed, but American Star is only a movie about killing time. With his target unavailable for murder, he spends his time making connections with the locals.
Great dialogue is born out of these interactions. For example, the French woman’s mother concludes that her daughter has a talent for “finding scrap metal,” given that she always spends her time near an old ship known as the American Star. Her words are also packaged as an insult to Wilson, who she believes is old and untrustworthy. Above all, McShane gives a wonderful performance defined by poise and patience. Rent it on Apple TV+.
12 Sometimes I Think About Dying
Based on Kevin Armento’s play, Killers, Sometimes I Think About Dying is a journey into the mind of white-collar worker, Fran (Daisy Ridley). The redundancy of her job and life in general has sapped Fran’s will to live, so she keeps fantasizing about death, but not in gruesome ways. She imagines dying while lying in a bed of roses or on a beautiful beach somewhere on Earth. Her perspective on life soon changes when a new coworker befriends her.
Lessons About Acedia
Sometimes I Think About Dying feels like a film meant to educate the masses about acedia. It’s a feeling of not caring about anything in the world, and even though it’s widespread, many people never realize that it’s a mental health problem that should be addressed. A memorable scene involves Fran wondering what she should write on a coworker’s leaving card.
Many others post messages of jauntiness, but she just cannot relate. She cannot remember any time that the coworker made her happy, or when they interacted beyond a simple “hello.” Thankfully, in the end, she learns that there are various ways to enjoy life. Rent it on Apple TV+.
11 Junction
True to its title, Junction has three interlacing stories revolving around three characters. Lawrence (Griffin Dunne) is a big pharma CEO who is starting to feel guilty about the effects that opioid is having on people. He is thus considering stepping down. Mary (Ashley Madikwe) is a local clinic doctor who is happy to hand out opioid prescriptions because she is in desperate need of cash. Then there is Michael (Bryan Greenberg), a divorced father whose life is crumbling because of addiction.
Star Power and Some Essential Advice
Many drug crisis movies have been released in recent years, yet Junction distinguishes itself in two particular areas. Through the characters’ conversations, some essential advice is given on how to overcome opioid addiction. Besides that, there is plenty of star power. For example, Josh Peck pops up at some point as a drug representative. Teen drama fans will also be excited to see One Tree Hill’s Greenberg reuniting with his co-star Sophia Bush (who plays his ex-wife). Rent it on Apple TV+.
10 Bosco
A 35-year sentence for marijuana possession seems harsh, but such is the fate that befell Quawntay “Bosco” Adams back in 2004. Bosco tells the true story of his life, including his dramatic escape. Believing that the sentence was unfair, Bosco snuck out of prison with the help of a woman he met through a newspaper lonely-hearts ad. Alienated from her husband because of his abusive nature, the woman grew close to Bosco and vowed to help him so that he could be reunited with his daughter.
All the Necessary Ingredients
There are a few things that a great prison drama ought to have: mean guards, contraband, dealers, conflicts, and discussions about the law. All these are present in Bosco. The theme of parenthood is also explored in detail. Bosco finds himself in his current predicament because of his poor upbringing at the hands of his father (played by Tyrese Gibson).
Thankfully, he turns out to be a much better parent. Vivica Fox briefly appears as Bosco’s mother, and she too is shown to be a more reasonable parent. Overall, social reform champions will enjoy how it addresses and condemns the flaws in the criminal justice system. Stream on Peacock.
9 Little Loves
Little Loves is a film about complex mother-daughter bonds and the importance of the family unit. In it, Teresa (María Vázquez) is forced to abandon her holiday plans and head back home to tend to her mother, who has had a leg injury. What’s meant to be a quiet summer evolves into an unbearable one, with both parties struggling to agree on the littlest of things. Still, their time together allows them to have several revealing experiences.
Simplicity at its Finest
Great stories can be told with minimal budgets and Little Loves is proof of that. With limited locations and a small cast, the film is precise, simple, and deep. Each dialogue stretches across several minutes and is full of thought-provoking rants and reflections. The two discuss everything, whether it’s each other’s flaws or the fact that life hasn’t been fair to either of them. From the conversations, viewers can learn a thing or two about how to relate to their parents or children. Buy or rent it on Amazon.
8 Marmalade
Marmalade is yet another marvelous film centered around a prison break. Baron (Joe Kerry from Stranger Things) has just arrived inside his cell, but he is eager to get out so he can be reunited with his sick mother. She’s the reason he is here in the first place. He robbed a bank after being advised by his girlfriend Marmalade (Camilla Morone) to do so. Now he is about to pay the price. Luckily, his cellmate Otis (Aldis Hodge) happens to be an expert at escaping.
Blending Rom-Com and Noir
The fast-paced film attempts to serve two genres at once, and it succeeds. Marmalade is a fun character who enjoys sticking up business establishments and wearing pink dresses. At the same time, she is a femme fatale who comes into his life when he is at his lowest point and succeeds in manipulating him. Still, the two share scenes that are full of love and laughter. Additionally, the movie isn’t short of twists. Baron even ends up as a doctor, and how he gets there is one of the best parts. Rent it on Apple TV+.
7 Sixty Minutes
In Sixty Minutes, MMA fighter, Octavio Bergmann (Emilio Sakraya), finds himself in quite a dilemma. It’s his daughter’s birthday, but he also has an important match. He contemplates giving an excuse, as he has done many times, but his ex-wife threatens him. She vows to fight for sole custody if he doesn’t show up with a cake in 60 minutes.
Octavio knows she will win if she goes the legal route because he has been a poor father. He thus decides to bail on the match, but the underworld figures who have already placed bets refuse to let him down. They try to stop him. He decides to fight them.
Standard Action Routine
The movie’s plot is a bit implausible, but the over-the-top nature of the proceedings is unlikely to irk anyone because of the neatly choreographed action sequences. It helps that his adversaries choose to not use weapons either. All the parties stick to old-fashioned kicking and punching, resulting in more entertaining duels.
Apart from the brutality, the film is also hoisted by great character development. Plenty of information about the protagonist gets disclosed, notably his relationship with his own parents. Several surprise characters, all of who have played roles in his progress or regress before, also keep popping up. Stream it on Netflix.
6 Lola
In Lola, the main character (played by the film’s director Peltz Beckam) is a caring sister. She hopes to save enough money to send her younger brother to an art camp so that he can be far away from the toxic home atmosphere created by their parents. Unfortunately, she loses her job and is sexually assaulted by her stepdad. Consequently, she gets pregnant and opts for the sex industry as a last resort. Things get even worse when Arlo is hit by a car while trying to escape from home.
Homophobia and Its Consequences
Lola was clearly created for a reason: to condemn homophobia and poor parenthood. Lola’s brother is a member of the LGBTQ community, and the persecution he faces from his parents is heartbreaking. He patiently grows his hair so he can have a feminine appearance, but his mother shaves it all off and promises that she will do everything in her power to make him look like a boy.
In another scene, she berates him after learning that he has been applying makeup and using the ladies bathroom. This is the kind of film where there is no happy ending, and while the proceedings might be too heavy for some sections of viewers, they paint a realistic picture of the real world. Stream it on Peacock.
5 Snack Shack
Snack Shack treads familiar territory, but it doesn’t have a single dull moment. Events revolve around teenage buddies, AJ (Connor Sherry) and Moose (Gabrielle LaBelle), as they fight for the affection of a lifeguard at a local swimming pool. The two fall for the girl after setting up a snack shack next to the pool because their parents won’t allow them to proceed with their ideal business choice: selling home-brewed beer. The girl, Brooke (Mika Abdalla), only likes one of them, but the other refuses to give up.
Gabrielle LaBelle Is Outstanding
After his magnificent performance in Steven Spielberg’s The Fablemans, fans were eager to see what Gabrielle LaBelle would do next. Well, in Snack Shack, he doesn’t give an Oscar-worthy performance, but he outshines everyone else. Though he is 21, he easily passes off as a 13-year-old eager to get the most out of life.
He handles each scene with enthusiasm and displays the kind of maturity that is at par with his character’s age. Away from the performances, the cinematography deserves plenty of praise. The teen comedy-drama is set in the summer of 1991, hence there is an endless splash of color. Stream it on Prime Video.
4 Problemista
Comedian Julio Torres serves as the writer, director, and lead in Problemista. He handles all the tasks well because he has lived the story he is telling. He is from a family of immigrants and so is his character, Alejandro. After moving from El Salvador to America, he gets a job as an archivist at a major cryogenic freezing facility, only to eventually lose it. He is then informed that he has a month to get a new job (hence a new work visa), or else he will be deported. After a few days, Alejandro gets a job as a personal assistant.
Employer from Hell
Horrible bosses are scattered across all industries, and the directors of comedy movies have never hesitated to shame them. Here, Alejandro’s employer is depicted as a total loony. She dumps heavier tasks on him if he completes one too quickly, and keeps reminding everyone to lower their tone, yet she is the one shouting. As an SNL alum, Torres doesn’t hold back.
The jokes keep coming, and the villain gets mocked again and again. As the humor overflows, the movie continues to address key immigration issues while suggesting ways that they can be fixed. Buy or rent it on Apple TV+.
3 Upgraded
Upgraded is a modern retelling of the “Cinderella” fairytale. The central character is Ana (Camila Mendes), an ambitious art gallery intern who faces hostility from her boss’ two assistants after being chosen to be part of a delegation to London. They think of ways to sabotage her and begin by booking her on the wrong flight. However, this ends up being a blessing in disguise. While at the airport, she meets a wealthy man, with whom she strikes up a romance.
Familiar Story… but Well Executed
Even if Upgraded didn’t have Cinderella as the source material, the plot would still feel familiar. Many romantic comedies have love stories that start after someone accidentally knocks or spills something onto another person.
Despite the familiarity, the film is engrossing, thanks to the long list of well-written supporting characters. Even the mean girls come off as funny rather than annoying, and it’s all because of their quotable dialogue. Additionally, Camila Mendes outdoes herself in what is her first starring role in a none-teen project. Stream it on Prime Video.
2 Baredjov
Baredjov is an extremely heartbreaking holocaust story about the Nazi takeover of the Slovakian town of Baredjov during World War II. Aided by the notorious Hlinka guards, Third Reich agents show up and start selecting citizens to go to work in different locations. Within a short time, a few skeptical individuals realize it’s all a lie. They discover that the selected individuals are being transported to concentration camps, so they choose to revolt.
A Dense Plot Highlighting the Horrors of the Holocaust
As far as holocaust films go, Baredjov sits up there with the best. There are so many shocking scenes that one might assume they are entirely fictional, but they are all from the memory of producer Emil A. Fish, who was nine when it all happened.
There is a never-ending feeling of poignancy throughout the film’s entire running time, and the cameras keenly capture all the horrors by focusing on the faces of the characters. Each of the characters remains in top form too, and as a result, audiences get to watch a film that is as touching as it is educative. Rent Bardejov on Vudu, Apple TV, or Prime Video.
1 Immaculate
Immaculate is the kind of film that might offend religious fanatics, but is likely to impress anyone with an open mind. In it, Cecilia (Sydney Sweeney) is overjoyed when she is offered a chance to join a convent in Italy.
She believes this is a calling because she survived a drowning incident, and she’s certain that it’s God who saved her. A few days into her career as a nun, she gets pregnant, a development that baffles her because she has never had sex. Upon further investigation, she uncovers shocking details. A priest took DNA samples from one of the nails used to crucify Jesus and is now attempting to clone a new messiah through artificial insemination.
No Demons… Just Science.
The Michael Mohan film is a refreshing entry into the nunsploitation horror subgenre, because it avoids the age-old trope of pitting nuns and priests against demons. Here, evil brews inside people who would be presumed to be the protagonists. When Cecilia is announced as the next Virgin Mary, her fellow nuns don’t wish for her. They boil with jealousy, believing it should have been them. From there on, things get chaotic.
Threats come from unexpected corners, especially when the protagonist tries to escape. In the end, she is also left with no choice but to commit a murder.
