All things considered, 2024 has been a great year for movies. Multiple exceptional films have been released over the course of the year so far, many of them adaptations. Of video games, of other movies, or -- of course -- of books. Some of the greatest movies of all time were based on books, and keeping with tradition, this year saw the release of numerous page-to-screen adaptations that turned out wonderful.
From films based on true stories, like Disney's Young Woman and the Sea, to ones based on iconic fictional novels, like Wicked, 2024 has been a great year for avid bookworms who love seeing their favorite literature turned into equally high-quality cinema. Indeed, translating the magic of a great book into the medium of moving pictures isn't easy, but a few films from this year have achieved the task with flying colors.
10 'The Bikeriders' Based on the photo book 'The Bikeriders' by Danny Lyon
The main narrative of The Bikeriders is fictional, but it's also inspired by Danny Lyon's very much real experiences with the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, which he documented in his 1968 photo book of the same title. The film is about a member of a Midwestern motorcycle club, the Vandals. As the club transforms into a dangerous underworld of violence, he must choose between his beloved and his loyalty to the club.
Not many people would count The Bikeriders as one of the best movies of 2024, but that's only because there's so much strong competition. In fairness, this is a gritty, fascinating slice of Americana that takes a deep dive into American motorcycle culture. The visuals are excellent, the star-studded cast does a phenomenal job (Jodie Comer in particular), and although the script isn't quite as strong as the movie's style, it's still a great portrayal of Lyon's original story.
The Bikeriders R DramaCrime
Where to Watch stream rent buy *Availability in US Release Date June 21, 2024 Director Jeff Nichols Cast Jodie Comer , Austin Butler , Tom Hardy , Michael Shannon , Mike Faist , Norman Reedus Runtime 116 Minutes 9 'Young Woman and the Sea' Based on the biography 'Young Woman and the Sea' by Glenn Stout
Originally planned as a Disney+ exclusive release, Young Woman and the Sea was then given a theatrical run because of how much people loved it at early screenings. It isn't hard to see why. It's a gripping biopic about competitive swimmer Gertrude Ederle, who became the first woman to ever swim across the English Channel in 1926.
One of the best and most underrated biopics of the 2020s so far, Young Woman and the Sea isn't just your typical "Wikipedia article come to life" kind of biographical movie. It's a rousing family-friendly tale of perseverance and female empowerment, anchored by a powerhouse performance by Daisy Ridley. It's a little by the numbers in certain respects, but all in all, every element works great.
Young Woman and the Sea PG BiographyDramaRomance
Release Date May 31, 2024 Director Joachim Rønning Cast Daisy Ridley , Tilda Cobham-Hervey , Stephen Graham , Christopher Eccleston , Jeanette Hain Runtime 100 Minutes
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8 'Small Things Like These' Based on the novel 'Small Things like These' by Claire Keegan
Right after becoming one of the best Oscar-winning actors of the 21st century for Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy went straight to an Irish-Belgian indie movie, the outstanding Small Things Like These. It's a historical drama based on a historical fiction novel about a devoted father living in 1985 Ireland. He discovers disturbing secrets kept by the local convent and shocking truths of his own.
Murphy and Emily Watson are riveting in their roles, delivering a pair of knockout performances that deserve to be talked about a lot more. In fact, Small Things Like These as a whole seems to have flown under many people's radars, despite being one of the year's best dramas. Its quiet, slow-burning tone will certainly not appeal to all tastes, but patient viewers will be rewarded with a complex, deeply powerful commemoration of all the women and girls who suffered in the Magdalene laundries, a shameful chapter of Irish history.
Small Things Like These PG-13 DramaHistory
Release Date November 8, 2024 Director Tim Mielants Cast Cillian Murphy , Michelle Fairley , Emily Watson , Clare Dunne , Joanne Crawford , Mark McKenna , Amy De Bhrún , Agnes O'Casey , Eileen Walsh , Abby Fitz , Ian O'Reilly , Helen Behan , Tom Leavey , Cillian O'Gairbhi , Aidan O'Hare , Zara Devlin , Aoife Gaffney , Liadan Dunlea , Ella Cannon , Louis Kirwan , Sarah Morris , Faye Brazil , John McCarthy , Ciarán Hinds Runtime 96 Minutes Expand
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7 'The Count of Monte-Cristo' Based on the novel 'The Count of Monte Cristo' by Alexandre Dumas
Alexandre Dumas was nothing short of one of the most important writers who have ever lived, and as such, cinematic adaptations of his work always have big shoes to fill. These shoes aren't always filled all the way up, but every now and then, movies as exceptional as the nearly 3-hour-long French drama The Count of Monte-Cristo come along. It is, of course, based on Dumas's legendary book of the same name, about a man who escapes prison after spending 14 years wrongfully locked up, keen to exact revenge on the men who betrayed him.
Both a masterful condensation of Dumas's 1,000+ page book and an incredible swashbuckler psychological thriller in its own right.
One of the few 2020s period movies that are pretty much perfect, The Count of Monte Cristo serves as both a masterful condensation of Dumas's 1,000+ page book and an incredible swashbuckler psychological thriller in its own right. It is, of course, not a replica of Dumas's classic masterpiece, but it never pretends to be. It's visually stunning, thoroughly exciting, and briskly paced, making those three hours feel like half that much at times.
The Count of Monte-Cristo is currently not available to stream, rent, or purchase in the U.S.
6 'The Room Next Door' Based on the novel 'What Are You Going Through' by Sigrid Nunez
The renowned Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar is perhaps the most popular filmmaker from his home country, and although he had tried his luck in America a couple of times with a pair of incredible short films, The Room Next Door was his first-ever Hollywood feature. It's about two women who were close friends in their youth, but after years of being out of touch, an extreme yet sweet situation brings them back together.
Room Next Door doesn't quite live up to Almodóvar's best Spanish work, but it's not too far behind. Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, two of the best actresses of their generation, deliver two of the best performances of the last few years, and Almodóvar's colorful and provocative direction is as amazing as any fan of his might have expected. Sigrid Nunez's bittersweet What Are You Going Through, which the film is based on, feels like a match made in Heaven for Almodóvar, so it's no surprise that the result was this good.
The Room Next Door
Release Date December 20, 2024 Director Pedro Almodovar Cast Julianne Moore , Tilda Swinton , John Turturro , Alex Høgh Andersen , Alessandro Nivola , Melina Matthews , Victoria Luengo , Esther McGregor , Juan Diego Botto , Sarah Demeestere , Raul Arévalo , Anton Antoniadis , Alvise Rigo , Francesc Tort , Paolo Luka Noé , Tom Johnson Runtime 106 Minutes Main Genre Drama Expand
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5 'Wicked' Based on the novel 'Wicked' by Gregory Maguire
Mostly based on the legendary Broadway musical of the same name, which is likewise based on Gregory Maguire's book of the same name, Wicked had high expectations to fulfill, and it did so greatly. It's a revisionist prequel to The Wizard of Oz, focusing on Elphaba, a young woman misunderstood due to her green skin. She befriends the popular Galinda, and together, they set out to meet the Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the hopes that both of their dreams will come true.
A rousing musical, a hilarious comedy, a beautifully romantic drama, and a surprisingly potent social critique, Wicked is everything that fans were hoping it would be, and then some. It changes a few things from the musical, and it definitely changes more than a few things from the much darker and much less family-friendly Wicked book, delivering a magic all of its own that's sure to help it age as one of the most beloved movies of this decade.
Wicked PG AdventureFantasyMusical
Release Date November 22, 2024 Director Jon M. Chu Cast Cynthia Erivo , Ariana Grande , Michelle Yeoh , Jeff Goldblum , Jonathan Bailey , Ethan Slater , Marissa Bode , Bowen Yang , Bronwyn James , Keala Settle , Peter Dinklage , Aaron Teoh , Grecia De la Paz , Colin Michael Carmichael , Adam James , Andy Nyman , Courtney Mae-Briggs , Sharon D. Clarke , Jenna Boyd Runtime 160 Minutes Expand
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4 'Nickel Boys' Based on the novel 'The Nickel Boys' by Colson Whitehead
Nickel Boys is based on a Pulitzer-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, and it's the tale of the friendship between two young Black men navigating the harrowing trials of a reform school based on the historic Dozier School, a Florida reform school that operated for over a century and was revealed as highly abusive, going so far as having numerous unmarked graves for unrecorded deaths.
One of the most powerful Black-led films of the 2020s so far, Nickel Boys is emotionally searing, but director RaMell Ross's radical style and ability to empathize with his characters make the whole experience a little easier to digest. The idea of a movie seen almost entirely from the point of view of its characters may sound potentially exhausting, but Nickel Boys is such a unique display of filmmaking prowess that its gimmick feels much less like a gimmick and a lot more like the only conceivable way of telling this harrowing story.
Nickel Boys PG-13
Release Date January 3, 2025 Director RaMell Ross Cast Ethan Herisse , Brandon Wilson , Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor , Hamish Linklater , Fred Hechinger , Daveed Diggs , Luke Tennie , Sunny Mabrey , Gralen Bryant Banks , Sara Osi Scott , Rachel Whitman Groves , Escalante Lundy , LeBaron Foster Thornton , Ethan Cole Sharp , Najah Bradley , Mike Harkins , Jimmie Fails Runtime 140 Minutes Main Genre Drama Expand
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3 'The Wild Robot' Based on the novel 'The Wild Robot' by Peter Brown
With the success of movies like Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and this year's The Wild Robot, it truly feels like we're in a new Golden Age of DreamWorks Animation. The studio's latest masterpiece is based on the first installment of Peter Brown's sci-fi book trilogy for children of the same title, about a robot that's stranded on an island inhabited only by animals. To survive the harsh environment, she bonds with the inhabitants and tasks herself with caring for an orphaned baby goose.
There are some, including reviewers on IMDb and Letterboxd, who are already confidently calling The Wild Robot one of the best animated movies of all time. It's a deeply touching love letter to motherhood, nature, and bravery that's unlikely to leave any dry eyes in the house, with some of the most jaw-dropping animation ever seen and a perfect understanding of what makes Brown's books a trio of beloved classics.
The Wild Robot PG AnimationDrama Sci-Fi
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*Availability in US Release Date September 27, 2024 Director Chris Sanders Cast Lupita Nyong'o , Pedro Pascal , Catherine O'Hara , Bill Nighy , Kit Connor , Stephanie Hsu , Mark Hamill , Matt Berry , Ving Rhames Runtime 101 Minutes 2 'Conclave' Based on the novel 'Conclave' by Robert Harris
Faith-based movies don't always turn out great; but when they do, they can only hope that they're as exceptional as Conclave. It's a conspiracy psychological thriller where a Cardinal is tasked with leading the selection of a new Pope after the old one unexpectedly dies. He finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could shake the foundations of the Catholic Church.
With its stunning cast, its many psychologically complex characters, its pulpy yet enthralling tone and pacing, and its surprisingly intelligent twists and themes, Conclave is by far one of the best dramas of 2024. Thought-provoking and full of suspense, it's a loving yet critical exploration of the Catholic Church in modern times, as well as a timely political allegory that captures its source material's charm flawlessly.
Conclave PG ThrillerDramaMystery
Where to Watch stream rent buy *Availability in US Release Date October 25, 2024 Director Edward Berger Cast Ralph Fiennes , Stanley Tucci , John Lithgow , Isabella Rossellini , Lucian Msamati , Carlos Diehz , Sergio Castellitto , Brian F. O'Byrne , Merab Ninidze , Jacek Koman , Rony Kramer , Joseph Mydell Runtime 120 Minutes 1 'Dune: Part Two' Based on the novel 'Dune' by Frank Herbert
Frank Herbert's Dune novels, the first one in particular, are some of the best, most important, and most influential works of science fiction in history. The fact that Canadian auteur Denis Villeneuve was able to translate the masterful book to the big screen as magnificently as he did is the kind of filmmaking achievement that only comes along once in a generation. Dune: Part Two is perhaps the best film of 2024, continuing the story of Paul Atreides as he unites with the native people of Arrakis to go on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.
Enough time has passed to set recency bias aside and still call this one of the best sci-fi movies ever made. It's a rousing space epic with some of the coolest and most thrilling action sequences of any film of the 21st century, but the anchor of its strength lies in Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts's screenplay, a nearly perfect adaptation of Herbert's book. Dune: Part Two is an engrossing character study and an all-too-timely cautionary tale about charismatic leaders and the exploitation of the many by the hands of the powerful. It's fun, it's complex, it's deeply philosophical, and it makes for one of the most unforgettable cinematic experiences of modern times.
Dune: Part Two PG-13 Science FictionAdventure
Where to Watch stream rent buy *Availability in US Release Date February 27, 2024 Director Denis Villeneuve Cast Timothée Chalamet , Zendaya , Rebecca Ferguson , Javier Bardem , Josh Brolin , Austin Butler , Florence Pugh , Dave Bautista , Christopher Walken , Lea Seydoux , Stellan Skarsgård , Charlotte Rampling , Souheila Yacoub , Roger Yuan , Babs Olusanmokun , Giusi Merli , Kait Tenison , Tara Breathnach , Akiko Hitomi , Imola Gáspár , Elbooz Omar Ahmed Fathie , Abdelkarim Hussein Seli Mohamed Hassanin , Joseph Beddelem , Xavier Alba Royo , Rachid Abbad Runtime 167 minutes Expand
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