The 2024 Ben Hecht 500, Part IV

Counting down the 2024 movies, from #200-101, including 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,' 'Gladiator II,' 'Queer,' 'Trap' and more.

Welcome to Part 4 of this year’s movie countdown. Part 1 is here, part 2 is here, and part 3 is here, with my “worst of the year” list from Monday here.

A couple of notes: I’m listing each film’s streaming availability, mostly going by what JustWatch says as of this writing; those are all subject to change. Also, the ranking comes from my personal running Letterboxd list of the movies I saw in 2024.

Once again, if a film has a plausible claim as a 2024 release, it’s included. It includes movies that got 2024 releases and were part of 2024 awards campaigns, as well as movies I saw at film festivals and through other early-access channels, which may not have releases set in 2024. There are also some movies I saw at festivals in 2023 and earlier that finally came out this year.

Here we go with Part IV…

200. Hollywoodgate

Dir. Ibrahim Nash’at, streaming on Jolt.

Documentary about Afghanistan, or specifically about the life of a Taliban commander after the U.S. withdrawal. Most people in America stopped thinking about Afghanistan when the U.S. pulled out, but this film shows the terrible place where things ended up.

199. Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara

Dir. Erin Lee Carr, streaming on Hulu

Documentary about the indie rock duo, and specifically the episode when an obsessed fan catfished other fans by pretending to be Tegan. Fascinating, even if it doesn’t really provide satisfying closure.

198. Am I OK?

Dir. Tig Notaro, Stephanie Allynne, streaming on Max

Drama about a woman (Dakota Johnson) struggling to come out as gay. Everything about it is well done, even if this feels like a film from a different decade.

197. LaRoy, Texas

Dir. Shane Atkinson, streaming on MGM+, review here.

Sure, this crime drama feels a lot like early Coens, but Atkinson knows to steal from the best. None of the four main actors—John Magaro, Steve Zahn, Dylan Baker and Brad Leland—has ever been in a Coen movie, but they all look like they could.

196. Queer

Dir. Luca Guadagnino, now in theaters, review here.

Daniel Craig stars in the sumptuous William S. Burroughs adaptation about a Mexico City exile. Excellent for its first two-thirds before going off the rails at the end.

195. Let the Canary Sing

Dir. Alison Ellwood, streaming on Paramount+, review here.

Documentary about Cyndi Lauper, which finally arrived after a long-ago festival debut. She’s a great subject, even if the “We Are the World” doc featured a more compelling moment.

194. Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice

Dir. Tim Burton, streaming on Max, review here.

This decades-later sequel was considerably better than expected. Bonus points for finding an extremely creative way to dispose of the character played by canceled actor Jeffrey Jones.

193. Crossing

Dir. Levan Akin, streaming on Tubi

This very international production — filmed in Turkey, Georgia, Sweden, Denmark, and France — touches on immigration and trans rights. It’s all buoyed by a revelatory performance from Mzia Arabuli.

192. Porcelain War

Dir. Brendan Bellomo, Slava Leontyev, now in theaters.

Another Ukraine documentary that touches on artists against the backdrop of the war. This one is about a group of Ukrainians who create porcelain figurines while fighting the Russians.

191. The Performance

Dir. Shira Piven, coming to theaters in January.

Historical drama based on an Arthur Miller short story, about an American Jewish tap dancer (Jeremy Piven) invited to dance for Hitler. A timely story about prejudice.

190. One Life

Dir. James Hawes, streaming on Paramount+

Another Holocaust movie that’s pretty much Schindler’s List in miniature. This one has Anthony Hopkins as an older man who gets to meet the descendants of the people he saved from the Nazis.

189. Union

Dir. Stephen Maing, Brett Story, not streaming.

Documentary about the brave but quixotic efforts to unionize Amazon workers; while I was writing this very item, I got a news alert about a new Amazon strike. Don’t expect to ever see this one on Prime Video.

188. Sometimes I Think About Dying

Dir. Rachel Lambert, streaming on Mubi and Kanopy

Drama about a woman (Daisy Ridley) who’s obsessed with death, and who starts to come out of her shell when she establishes contact with a co-worker.

187. Greedy People

Dir. Potsy Ponciroli, streaming on VOD, review here.

Yet another Coens-inspired drama about crime and misdeeds in a small town, this time starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt against type as an amoral cop. Credit to the director for being the first person with the name “Potsy” who is not a Happy Days character.

186. The Young Wife

Dir. Tayarisha Poe, streaming on VOD, review here.

Well-acted drama starring Kiersey Clemons as a woman nervous around a family gathering. It’s a bit like Von Trier’s Melancholia, except it ends a bit more happily.

185. Orion and the Dark

Dir. Sean Charmatz, streaming on Netflix.

Enjoyable animated film — written by Charlie Kaufman, for his only screen credit of the year. Arrived right at the beginning of the year, so it got undeservedly lost in the shuffle.

184. Gladiator II

Dir. Ridley Scott, in theaters now, review here.

This nearly quarter-century-later sequel features exciting action sequences and a dynamite performance by Denzel Washington as a schemer in the Roman emperor’s court. I just barely thought of the film once I finished watching it.

183. Alam

Dir. Firas Khoury, streaming on Hoopla and Film Movement Plus

Slice-of-life drama, set in a Palestinian village, about a boy who gets drawn into activism by a new girl in school. Like a lot of films this year, it should be watched by people on the opposite side of the conflict, to inspire understanding.

182. Minnesota Mean

Dir. Dawn Mikkelson, streaming on Hoopla, director interview here.

Winning documentary about an all-female/nonbinary roller derby film in Minnesota. The subjects really emerge throughout as compelling characters.

181. Stolen Gold

Dir. Suemay Oram, streaming on ESPN+.

This riveting 30 for 30 documentary explored a story I knew nothing about: A scandal at the Paralympics in 2000. It involved a medal-winning intellectually disabled basketball team that wasn’t what it appeared to be.

180. A Photographic Memory

Dir. Rachel Elizabeth Seed, not streaming.

Powerful documentary about the filmmaker coming to terms with the long-ago death of her photographer mother.

179. Asphalt City

Dir. Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, streaming on Hulu

Similar premise to Scorsese’s Bringing Out the Dead, as a pair of New York City paramedics (Sean Penn, Tye Sheridan) go through a dark night of the soul. Unheralded but very good.

178. Seagrass

Dir. Meredith Hama-Brown, streaming on VOD.

Canadian film that played at TIFF last year about a woman (Ally Maki) on a marriage retreat while she grieves her mother. Intense and beautifully photographed, and I was afraid this wouldn’t make it stateside at all.

177. Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg

Dir. Svetlana Zill, Alexis Bloom, streaming on Hulu, review here.

Documentary about the woman who was the Rolling Stones’ muse, making fine use of old photographs and her unpublished autobiography. For some reason, “rock ‘n’ roll muse it girl” isn’t really a cultural role that exists anymore.

176. Chasing Chasing Amy

Dir. Sav Rodgers, streaming on Hoopla and VOD, review here.

Fine examination of the 1997 film Chasing Amy and a queer filmmaker’s complex relationship with it. Managed to secure most of the film’s non-Affleck cast.

175. Hell Hole

Dir. John Adams, Toby Poser, streaming on AMC+

Very amusing horror movie about horrors that are uncovered by a fracking crew in Serbia. There was so much horror this year that I didn’t engage with, but this was lots of fun.

174. Faye

Dir. Laurent Bouzereau, streaming on Max, review here.

Documentary that goes through the life and filmography of Faye Dunaway, mostly seeking to exonerate Dunaway of the long-running charge that she is “difficult.” But there’s also plenty of footage from Bonnie and Clyde, Chinatown, and her other classic films.

173. Guy Friends

Dir. Jonathan Smith, streaming on Tubi

Amusing indie comedy starring Kavita Jariwala as a young woman who discovers that her male friends are all in love with her. It’s more than a mere rehash of When Harry Met Sally, even if it sounds like one.

172. Diane Von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge

Dir. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, streaming on Hulu, review here.

Life-spanning documentary about the famed fashion design and longtime New York City scenester. The highlight, for sure, is the way the film delicately dances around the exact circumstances of her marriage to Barry Diller.

171. Small Things Like These

Dir. Tim Mielants, in theaters now.

Understated drama that stars Cillian Murphy as an Irish man who stumbles into the Magdalene laundries scandal. if you’re a fan of Cillian Murphy Acting Sad, there’s plenty of that here.

170. Beatles '64

Dir. David Tedeschi, streaming on Disney+, review here.

A documentary about the period surrounding the arrival of the Beatles in the United States in 1964. Not the best Beatles movie, nor does it offer much new, but Beatlemaniacs will love seeing the footage.

169. Blake Edwards: A Love Story in 24 Frames

Dir. Danny Gold, streaming on PBS, review here.

Hugely entertaining American Masters documentary about the director of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, 10, and numerous other beloved films. The doc covers all that, plus his long marriage to Julie Andrews.

168. Separated

Dir. Errol Morris, not streaming, review here.

While it’s not quite as strong as the best of Morris’ work, this film takes a look back at the worst horror of Trump’s first term, the child separation policy. Morris has complained about the lack of a pre-election MSNBC broadcast of the film, but I’m not sure it would have mattered.

167. We Live in Time

Dir. John Crowley, streaming on Hulu, review here.

Sweet, time-jumping romance depicting many years in the lives of a couple (Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh), dealing with career ambitions, cancer, parenthood and more. I still love the merry-go-round horse.

166. Ghostlight

Dir. Kelly O'Sullivan, Alex Thompson, streaming on AMC+

Sweet drama about a construction worker (Keith Kupferer) who heals family drama through his participation in a theater group. Between this and Sing Sing, it’s quite a year for movies about the unlikely redemptive power of theater.

165. Art Dealers

Dir. Roy Power, Adam Weiner, streaming on VOD, feature here.

Cool, very stylized documentary about Adam Weiner, the Philly-based frontman of the band Low Cut Connie. I saw this the way it was meant to be seen- in a theater, with LCC fans, with Weiner singing afterward.

164. Hendrie

Dir. Patrick Reynolds, streaming on Hoopla, review here.

Enjoyable documentary examination of Phil Hendrie, who for years hosted a one-of-a-kind radio program: He interviewed guests who said wild things, except all the guests were fake, and Hendrie did all the voices himself. The doc, like Hendrie himself, was somewhat unheralded.

163. The Bikeriders

Dir. Jeff Nichols, streaming on Prime Video, review here.

It’s not groundbreaking or anything, but this is a watchable period drama about a motorcycle club in the 1970s Midwest. Depicts a battle, similar to the backstory on Sons of Anarchy, between the bikers who want brotherhood, and those out to be outlaws.

162. Didi

Dir. Sean Wang, streaming on Peacock, review here.

Wang’s coming-of-age comedy/drama is, refreshingly, a movie about a nerd who’s believable as a nerd, and remains a nerd through the end. Also makes good use of early-2000s technology.

161. The 4:30 Movie

Dir. Kevin Smith, streaming on VOD, review here.

It’s Kevin Smith’s best movie in years, as he finally delves not into his own established lore, but rather his teenage years. Also features the best fake movie trailers since Grindhouse.

160. Christmas Eve at Miller’s Point

Dir. Tyler Taormina, streaming on AMC+, review here.

A very entertaining big-family-at-Christmas movie, that thankfully doesn’t quite go the direction I was afraid it was going- namely, everyone yelling at each other. It’s more about character and atmosphere rather than plot.

159. Close to You

Dir. Dominic Savage, streaming on Netflix.

Intense drama about a newly-out trans man (Eliot Page), who returns to his hometown and deals with family members of varying levels of acceptance. It’s a successful first post-transition lead role for Page.

158. The Bibi Files

Dir. Alexis Bloom, streaming on Jolt, review here.

A comprehensive brief against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, making a convincing case that he’s both guilty of corruption and a bad leader. In other words, it follows the beats of most anti-Trump documentaries and appears about as likely to inspire change.

157. His Three Daughters

Dir. Azazel Jacobs, streaming on Netflix, review here.

Sure, it takes an unfortunate turn at the end. But this drama about three very different sisters (Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne and Elizabeth Olsen) gathered around their dying father, is a true acting showcase, even if it feels like a filmed play at times.

156. In a Violent Nature

Dir. Chris Nash, streaming on AMC+, review here.

Very entertaining horror film, following a serial killer from his own point of view. Some truly creative kills, way beyond the Terrifier movies.

155. Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery

Dir. Cullen Hoback, streaming on Max, review here.

A couple of years after Hoback made Q: Into the Storm, and appeared to solve the mystery of who was behind QAnon, he’s done it again, diving into another bizarre subculture and claiming to solve the riddle of who exactly Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto is. Does he have it right? I’m not sure, but I enjoyed the ride.

154. Civil War

Dir. Alex Garland, streaming on Max, review here.

Drama about journalists covering a fictitious second American civil war. Well-mounted in every way, I’m just wondering whether it worked to make a movie with this premise and completely subtract politics from it.

153. Kraven the Hunter

Dir. J.C. Chandor, in theaters now, review here.

This film, almost certainly the final one in Sony’s Marvel series, was a flop and immediate punchline. I believe it’s secretly good and will be reclaimed years from now.

152. Sorry/Not Sorry

Dir. Caroline Suh, Cara Moines, streaming on VOD, review here.

In-depth examination of Louis CK’s sexual misconduct, “cancellation,” and return to comedy. A worthwhile look at what the #MeToo movement did and did not accomplish.

151. Maestra

Dir. Maggie Contreras, not streaming

Entertaining documentary about a competition among female conductors. The film delves into their personal stories, all of which are compelling.