11. Mid90s (2018)
Okay, not ten, this is number eleven. And it’s not my eleventh favourite A24 film. It’s actually my least favourite altogether. Written and directed by Wolf of Wall Street’s Jonah Hill, the film follows a 13-year-old skater as he navigates growing up in Los Angeles in the 90s. Unfortunately, this film, with a runtime of 86 minutes, felt like it went on for three hours. While the soundtrack and cinematography is outstanding, unfortunately for me the plot and script felt incredibly flat. Although there is nothing I can do to get that hour and a half of my life back, this film is highly rated by both critics and fans and is definitely worth a watch.
10. Lady Bird (2017)
Oh Greta Gerwig, the woman you are. With such an incredible cast (Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Lois Smith and of course, Timothée Chalamet) this film is by far the best of A24’s coming of age genre. Lady Bird is sure to lead to laughter, tears and of course, a reminiscence on every argument you’ve ever had with your mother.
9. Uncut Gems (2019)
Adam Sandler stars in a more serious role in this Safdie Brothers classic, one of A24’s most chaotic and fast-paced productions focused on the gambling scene in New York City. Featuring The Weeknd and of course, my personal favourite, a pre–Kanye Julia Fox, this star-studded film will completely immerse you in its rollercoaster ride.
8. Midsommar (2019)
Even if you haven’t watched the film, you’ve heard of the infamous bear in this A24’s horror cult classic. Set in Sweden, a group of friends join a ‘summer festival’ which soon turns sinister, featuring stunning cinematography, Florence Pugh’s astounding performance, and a crazy plot that will disturb you for days.
from dark comedy to horror to sci-fi and even coming of age, A24 has done it all
7. The X Trilogy (2022, 2022, 2024)
Disclaimer before I continue: I am yet to watch the latest instalment, MaXXXine. Ti West’s series stars Mia Goth as both Pearl and Maxine and is a truly horrifying look into the dangers of Hollywood. Each film uses different tropes from the genre to unsettle the audience, from gore to psychological horror and even slasher; it is undeniably my favourite piece of horror produced in the last decade.
6. Moonlight (2016)
While the film is overshadowed by the infamous Academy Award mistake (declaring La La Land as winner for Best Picture, and then correcting to Moonlight), this story is beautifully heartbreaking. Tackling various difficult topics, Moonlight follows Chiron, a young black man in Miami as he explores his sexuality. This film marks history not once but twice, as it became the first film with an all-black cast and LGBTQ themes to hold this award.
5. Amy (2015)
Although not technically a film but a documentary, Amy is the only biography of Amy Winehouse worth watching. It is difficult for anything released posthumously to not discredit the artist, but this documentary produced in conjunction with Film4, directed by Asif Kapadia, honours the star in the most beautiful way.
4. The Iron Claw (2023)
Released only at the end of last year, this biopic starring Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White and Harris Dickinson looks into the lives (and spoiler; deaths) of professional wrestlers, the Von Erich brothers. Even as someone who knows nothing about wrestling, this film made me cry like no other and was one of my favourite watches of 2023. It still shocks me that they cut out the story of one of the real-life brothers to make it less sad.
known for their innovative tales, cinematography and the creative freedom they give to their directors
3. Everything Everywhere all at Once (2022)
Now this film is almost indescribable. It’s impossible to put into words just how brilliant it is; but I can guarantee you, you’ll see the world differently after watching it. Michelle Yeoh’s performance was by far, the best of the year, and this film easily made its way into my top 3 A24 films.
2. Priscilla (2023)
It’s difficult to be entirely objective when ranking films, but Priscilla is my personal favourite, hence why it is this high up on the list. Though Sofia Coppola’s latest film had mixed reviews, I thought the biopic was beautifully done and I saw it multiple times in cinema upon its release. Sidenote; but I also controversially believe Jacob Elordi’s performance of 'Elvis' was better than Austin Butler's.
1. Aftersun (2022)
What else could be at number one but Aftersun? Everything about this film was beautifully done; the casting, soundtrack, cinematography. The final scene is my favourite in A24 history, and it was a surprise I could even see it based on how much I had cried during the duration of the film.
A24 still have lots of upcoming releases this year; it’ll be interesting to see if any replace my top 10.
