Where To Watch The Best Movies of 2024

Tried to keep up with the latest movies but have fallen drastically behind? A movie you were desperate to see disappeared without trace after less than a week at the cinema? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. 

As we get closer to the end of the year, your list of movies to catch up with has likely gotten out of control, which is why we’ve put together a handy guide to the movies critics have declared the best of 2024 that you can watch right now. For this feature, we’re including any film released in the UK after 1st January which has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 85% or higher – indicating close to universal critical acclaim – which you can either stream or buy at the time of writing. 

We’ll be regularly updating this feature with up-to-date information when more movies announce their home entertainment release plans. For now though, these are the best films of 2024 so far that you are either able to watch right now, or have announced a physical or streaming release date, in ascending order of their RT score. 

The Dead Don’t Hurt (85%) 

Viggo Mortensen proved himself a triple threat with this romantic western, writing, directing and starring in a tale of two immigrants whose relationship is torn apart by the American Civil War. Starring alongside the ever-fantastic Vicky Krieps – whose character is partially inspired by Mortensen’s mother – and featuring a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo from Aragon’s sword Andúril, it’s a unique take on the distinctively ‘Murican genre. 

What have the Critics said? “Beautifully photographed, the Nevada rockscape looks as stark as it must have done to early settlers, but without stealing attention from what is, at heart, an actor’s piece” – Financial Times 

Where can I watch it at home? Buy the Blu-ray now. 

Longlegs (86%)

Are you prepared to meet Mr. Downstairs? Nicolas Cage embraced a glam-rock makeover as the Satanic serial killer at the heart of director Osgood Perkins’ supernatural detective thriller, an unsettling midway point between The Silence Of The Lambs and the bonkers cult horror of Hereditary.

What have the critics said? “Part of what makes the film so effective is that it doesn’t really depend on secrets or surprises. The writer and director Osgood Perkins summons an atmosphere of dread so intense, it’s practically spoiler-proof.” – NPR

Where can I watch it at home? Pre-order the Blu-ray now

A Quiet Place: Day One (86%) 

This prequel to the successful horror franchise invited us to experience the day the Earth went quiet – and proved unexpectedly moving as it threw two strangers (Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn) together in their initial quest for survival. If that wasn’t enough, it provided some of the year’s best cat content in the movies. 

What have the critics said? To watch A Quiet Place: Day One is to recalibrate your senses — not to the alien horror movie you know is in store but rather, to the intimate human drama it hangs onto. – Los Angeles Times 

Where can I watch at home? Released on 4K on 7th October, in plenty of time for Halloween. 

The Beast (87%)

Beginning in dystopian 2044, where emotions have been outlawed and artificial intelligence has replaced “useless” humanity, Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux) opts to begin a process to “purify” her DNA, which means diving headfirst into her past lives to confront her unresolved trauma there. If this sounds confounding, then you’ve barely scratched the surface of director Bertrand Bonello’s genre-defying epic, which becomes everything from a period drama to an incel slasher over the course of its runtime – strap in.

What have the Critics said? “To paraphrase the smartest line from Tenet, don’t try to understand The Beast, you just have to feel it.” – The Times

Where can I watch it at home? Now streaming on MUBI.

The End We Start From (88%)

Jodie Comer has fast built a reputation as one of Britain’s best actresses, and this stripped-down disaster movie is further evidence of why. Here, she stars as a new mother who embarks on a perilous journey to escape the city when floods break out across London.

What have the critics said? “Comer’s riveting performance, physically tense with desperation, makes us believe, at least while watching, that we’d do whatever she’s doing.” – Variety

Where can I watch it at home? Buy the Blu-ray now.

Monkey Man (88%)

Dev Patel has never previously been cast as an action hero, so the biggest surprise of his directorial debut Monkey Man might be just how well he fits the mould. Many have compared it to John Wick, but there’s much in this tale of vengeance that’s bloodier and bolder than what you’d find in the comparatively light-hearted adventures of Keanu Reeves’ put-upon assassin.

What have the critics said? “Monkey Man doesn’t reinvent the revenge movie wheel exactly, but it does cover it with so much blood that you can barely see where the wheel ends and the pile of knife-perforated henchmen begins.” – The Observer

Where can I watch it at home? It’ll be released on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray on Monday, 8^th July. Pre-order here.

Challengers (89%)

The erotically-charged tennis love triangle drama became the year’s most talked-about movie following its cinema release in April – and many are already speculating on whether it could sustain that momentum and nab some Oscar nominations in the New Year. Challengers was supposed to be released last September, but was pushed back due to the actors’ strikes; it isn’t inconceivable that Zendaya would have won Best Actress if it arrived last autumn as planned.

What have the critics said? “Like Call Me By Your Name did for Chalamet, Challengers is one of those rare original big-screen delights that firmly announces the arrival of a new generation of movie stars.” – Associated Press

Where can I watch it at home? Scheduled to stream on MGM+ from late July, before arriving on Prime Video in September.

The Iron Claw (89%)

One of the best – and most harrowing – sports biopics in years, this account of the rise-and-fall of the Von Erich wrestling dynasty is amongst the most haunting films to have played in cinemas this year. Zac Efron’s tortured lead performance is genuinely revelatory; it’s baffling that the Oscars overlooked such a transformative turn, which firmly announces his arrival as a serious dramatic actor.

What have the critics said? “It’s the kind of big, weepy, macho film that just doesn’t get made much anymore, a soaring power ballad that should prompt a lot of loud sniffling in the theater.” – The Atlantic

Where can I watch it at home? It’s now available to own on Blu-ray.

Young Woman And The Sea (89%) 

Not every movie needs to reinvent the wheel, and this good, old-fashioned sports biopic proves that genre cliches are cliches for a reason: when they work this well, they’re irresistible. The Daisy Ridley-starring biopic brings to life the now-forgotten tale of Trudy Ederle, who made history as the first woman to cross the English Channel a hundred years ago. 

What have the critics said? “This rousing sports biopic is a throwback to the kinds of inspiring underdog stories we love” – Los Angeles Times 

Where can I watch it at home? Now streaming on Disney+ 

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (90%)

Nine years after Fury Road, director George Miller has returned to the Wasteland for the first prequel in his post-apocalyptic saga. Anya Taylor-Joy takes over the reins from Charlize Theron in an adrenaline fuelled origin story recounting how Furiosa was kidnapped by a biker gang as a child, and risked it all to escape.

What have the critics said? “Furiosa runs on a high-octane philosophical perspective that finds hope in a hopeless place. Also, a lot of cars go fast and s**t blows up.” – Rolling Stone

Where can I watch it at home? No release date has been confirmed at the time of writing, but you can Out Now on 4K and Blu-ray – shop here.

Inside Out 2 (91%) 

Fresh from becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time upon release, Inside Out 2 lands at home newly crowned as an example to filmmakers everywhere of how to perfect a high-concept sequel. Yes, there are new, destructive emotions in play – but their over-the-top antics never get in the way of a teenage drama that’ll be relatable to kids of all ages. 

What have the critics said? “Sparky, kaleidoscopic and boldly honest about the tougher side of growing up, Inside Out 2 is Pixar’s most profound and moving movie since, well, Inside Out.” – Time Out 

Where Can I watch at home? Released on 4K and Blu-ray on 30th September 

One Life (91%)

There are many powerful stories from the margins of WWII yet to be told on the big screen, and this biopic of Nicholas Winton – the British stockbroker who rescued hundreds of children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia – is the latest to have reduced audiences to tears. You’ll need a heart of stone to not be moved by Anthony Hopkins’ performance as Winton in older age, looking back on his remarkable humanitarian achievements.

What have the critics said? “The film does justice to this overwhelmingly moving event in British public life in a quietly affecting drama.” – The Guardian

Where Can I Watch it At Home? You can buy the Blu-ray now.

Dune: Part Two (92%)

The spice flowed once again in this bigger-and-better sci-fi sequel from director Denis Villeneuve, which lived up to the promise of the first instalment, re-establishing the famously “unadaptable” source material as an intergalactic Game of Thrones. Plus, there’s worm riding this time, and it looked every bit as cool as it sounded.

What have the critics said? “This is sharper, slicker, more resonant than the first instalment.” – London Evening Standard

Where can I watch it at home? Buy it on 4K Ultra HD here.

Poor Things (92%)

Emma Stone won her second Oscar for her audacious turn as Bella Baxter in this wild reimagining of the Frankenstein myth. Pitched somewhere between coming-of-age sex comedy and wild feminist parable, Poor Things is an unlikely crowd pleasing delight you won’t forget in a hurry.

What have the critics said? “Absolutely bats**t, utterly filthy and a true original: Poor Things is as good as Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone have ever been.” – Empire Magazine

Where can I watch it at home? It’s currently available to stream on Disney+, and there’s a physical Blu-ray release too. You can buy it now here.

American Fiction (93%)                   

Half publishing-industry satire, half heartfelt family drama, this adaptation of Percival Everett’s 2001 novel Erasure is as tender as it is scathing. It’s also the ideal leading man showcase for Jeffrey Wright, one of America’s finest character actors, and it earned him a well deserved Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

What have the critics said? “Director Cord Jefferson overlays the story’s most biting wit with layers of warmth, sadness and discovery that make this movie far more than the sum of its parts.” – Washington Post

Where can I watch it at home? It’s currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

The Zone Of Interest (93%)

Are the true horrors of director Jonathan Glazer’s experimental holocaust drama firmly in the background, constantly heard but never seen, or are they staring us right in the face the whole time? It’s not that the Höss family living next door to Auschwitz are naïve about what’s going on over their garden wall – quite the opposite – but how ambivalent they remain that makes The Zone Of Interest such horrifying, punishing viewing, with a contemporary resonance that suggests this indifference to mass murder didn’t end in 1945.

What have the critics said? “More than any movie I’ve seen this year, or perhaps any year, The Zone of Interest leaves you pondering the magnitude of what the banality of evil has wrought — and the terrible, inconsolable void that it leaves behind.” – Los Angeles Times

Where can I watch it at home? It’s currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, although we hope a physical release will follow soon – this is not a movie that should be interrupted with commercial breaks.

La Chimera – 94%

Before taking centre court in Challengers, Josh O’Connor taught himself Italian to play Arthur, a drunken archaeologist who has teamed up with a band of eccentric graverobbers in the hope he’ll find the door to the afterlife buried amongst hidden treasures. Director Alice Rohrwacher’s film is the intersection of the supernatural and the mundane in rural Italy, and at its best, it feels magical in the way few movies do.

What have the critics said? “Enigmatic, absorbing and so much more alive than any pottery behind glass in a museum, this is an exquisitely crafted, grown-up Indiana Jones steeped in its own distinctive magic” – Empire

Where Can I watch it at home? Buy on Blu-ray now or stream on MUBI from August 2.

Sleep (94%) 

This South Korean psychological thriller has been praised by Bong Joon-ho as the best debut film he’s seen in 10 years – and when the director of Parasite says that, you sit up and take note. Featuring one of the final screen performances of that film’s late star Lee Sun-kyun as a husband seemingly possessed in his sleep, this is a mind-bending, blackly comic chiller designed to get under your skin. 

What have the critics said? “It’s an impressive first feature from Jason Yu, who is as adept at wielding the sly observational comedy of the film’s first half as he is at ratcheting up the claustrophobic tension later on.” – The Observer 

Where can I watch it at home? Released on Blu-ray by Curzon on 16th September 

Love Lies Bleeding (95%)

Following up her shocking 2019 debut Saint Maud, director Rose Glass crosses the Atlantic for this 80’s set, unapologetically queer neo-noir. Best described as Thelma and Louise on an unhealthy dose of steroids, it’s a romance with a heart every bit as dark as the crime drama it finds itself entangled within.

What have the critics said? “There are movies that grab you by the throat. There are movies that punch you in the gut. Love Lies Bleeding is both, and I f*cking love it.” – Mashable

Where can I watch it at home? Coming soon to Blu-ray – pre-order here.

Rebel Ridge (95%) 

One of the year’s best thrillers has been dumped onto Netflix with very little advance promotion, and it’s a return to form for director Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin, Green Room). Best experienced with as little advance knowledge as possible, all we’ll say is that this is a tale about a man wrongfully pulled over by the police which escalates very quickly – and violently. 

What have the critics said? “A film like Rebel Ridge reminds us that you can lose yourself in exciting, engaging, stimulating entertainment while still keeping your brain completely on.” – The Wrap 

Where Can I watch it at home? Now streaming on Netflix 

All Of Us Strangers (96%)

Perhaps the most tender ghost story in cinema history, director Andrew Haigh’s otherworldly family drama sees Andrew Scott’s failed screenwriter reopen old wounds as he visits the parents who died in a car crash whilst he was young. It’s a deeply affecting examination of grief that’s made millions reach for the tissues already, all without falling into simple sentimentality.

What have the critics said? “A deeply moving film about loss and loneliness with a quartet of performances that blend together in a breathtaking way.” RogerEbert.com

Where can I watch it at home? Now streaming on Disney+, and available to own on Blu-ray.

Io Capitano (96%)

You can probably guess Io Capitano is one of the year’s most gruelling cinematic experiences based on a quick glance of its subject matter – two Senegalese teenagers risking their lives to make the journey to Europe – but this hard-hitting drama doesn’t need to rely on the harrowing nature of this topic to make an impression. Beneath the horrors, there’s a moving coming-of-age story on display, brought to life by two of the finest child actors to have graced screens in years.

What have the critics said? “Io Capitano is as unflinching as it is robust with empathy.” – Los Angeles Times

Where Can I Watch it At Home? Now Streaming on MUBI

Crossing (96%) 

A hidden gem from this year’s film festival circuit, Crossing follows the unlikely friendship between a retired schoolteacher and her Gen-Z neighbour as they go on a road trip from Georgia to Istanbul to find her missing niece. As with director Levan Akin’s previous film, And Then We Danced, this is an intimate character study that’ll leave a major mark. 

What have the critics said? “A thoroughly intelligent, emotionally engaging and robustly performed movie” – The Guardian 

Where can I watch it at home? Now streaming on MUBI, and available on Blu-ray from 30th September. 

 Fancy Dance (96%) 

Following her Oscar nomination for Killers Of The Flower Moon, Lily Gladstone returned to lead another dark, Oklahoma-set tale. This tense family drama follows a woman’s struggles to maintain custody of her niece as her sister mysteriously disappears – and nobody seems to be doing anything about it. 

What have the critics said? “The film is an exquisite star vehicle for one of Hollywood’s best rising actresses and an engaging thriller.” – Indiewire 

Where can I watch it at home? Now streaming on AppleTV+ 

Perfect Days (96%)

Who could have predicted that the year’s most feel-good movie would follow a few days in the life of a quiet and unassuming toilet cleaner in Tokyo? This gentle drama is a tender ode to embracing the small joys in life – and, as a side effect, will make you really want to invest in some cassette tapes.

What have the critics said? “Though Perfect Days never reveals the specific details of Hirayama beyond what happens in the few days we spend in his company, by the end of the film, a full portrait of a life is beautifully realized.” – A.V. Club

Where can I watch it at home? It’s currently streaming on MUBI, and will be released on Blu-ray and Collector’s Edition 4K on Monday, 15^th July. Pre-order here.

Hit Man (97%)

Very, very loosely based on a true story, Hit Man is a noir-inflected crowd pleaser that cements Glen Powell as a real-deal movie star, after his scene stealing turn in Top Gun: Maverick shot him up to the big leagues. Like all the best noirs, there’s a morally queasy sexiness at the film’s core – but thanks to Powell and director Richard Linklater’s screenplay, it becomes irresistible against all better judgement.

What have the critics said? “Your suspension of disbelief may get tested more than a few times, yet your faith in Powell as a real-deal leading man who can work miracles is never shaken.” – Rolling Stone

Where can I watch it at home? It’s now streaming on Netflix.

Hoard (97%)

Many directors have made semi-autobiographical films about grief, but as far as we can tell, very few have made ones in which rooting through bins is a major plot point. This coming-of-age tale, set between the 1980s and 1990s, is a unique tale of confronting past trauma designed to linger long after you’ve washed the stench off.

What have the critics said? “There is real beauty amid all the rubbish, and the dirt, and the saliva…” Mark Kermode

Where to Watch: Now streaming on MUBI.

The Holdovers (97%)

The best Christmas movies are the ones you can watch at any time of the year, something The Holdovers proved when it arrived in UK cinemas in mid-January, just after the tree had been put back in the loft for another year. It’s far from sentimental, and yet, it’s hard not to have your heart broken and warmed anew by this festive buddy comedy, which often resembles a more biting Dead Poets Society; I suspect for many, this will become an annual viewing tradition.

What have the critics said? “Giamatti gives a wonderful performance here. He roots his character’s frustrations not in cruelty but in misguided desperation — an eagerness to mould these boys into men better than himself.” The Independent

Where can I watch it at home? Buy it now on Blu-ray.

Late Night With The Devil (97%)

Heavily reminiscent of the BBC’s infamous Ghostwatch, this found footage tale of a chat show broadcast gone wrong found a cult following immediately upon release. Perhaps it will be even spookier on the small screen, where you can turn your brain off for a minute and imagine you really are watching the most Satanic broadcast in American history…

What have the critics said? “It’s wonderfully creepy and unnervingly familiar, like Alan Partridge by way of The Exorcist. If that doesn’t automatically enter it into the pantheon of classic midnight movies, I don’t know what does.” – Time Out

Where can I watch it at home? It’s currently streaming on Shudder and the Shudder channel on Amazon Prime Video and will be released on 4K by Second Sight on 28th October. 

Monster (97%)

Much like Akira Kurosawa’s 50s masterpiece Rashomon, to which it has been widely compared, Monster has a beguiling Russian Doll narrative structure, with each new perspective reinforcing that the events we see aren’t quite as simple as they seem. What starts as one parent’s mission to get to the bottom of who is bullying her son becomes grander, and eventually exceptionally moving, with each fresh pair of eyes we witness this story through.

What have the critics said? “Monster is one of the finest films of the year, and its structure — like its circle of characters — carries secrets that can only be unravelled through patience and empathy.”  The New York Times

Where can I watch it at home? A Special Edition Blu-ray release will arrive later this year. There’s no release date at the time of writing, but you can Buy the special edition Blu-ray now.

Robot Dreams (97%)

This hand-drawn, dialogue free Spanish animation recalls vintage Pixar in its ability to marry a plethora of laugh-out-loud sight gags with a story that’ll leave parents in tears, and on the brink of an existential crisis. It’s a tale of friendship, but what starts as a buddy comedy soon turns into an exploration of whether life is worth living without friends beside you; a movie you can happily show your kids, even though you may need to explain to them why it’s left you an emotional wreck.

What have the critics said? “Who needs humans? This is visual storytelling at its finest, a traditional animation of gentle, unshowy genius. Sometimes the very best love stories go deeper than words can say.” Empire Magazine

Where can I watch it at home? Streaming on MUBI and out now on Blu-ray – buy it here.  

Daughters (100%) 

Viewers are advised to have tissues at the ready for the year’s most acclaimed documentary, which captures four families taking part in a “daddy-daughter dance” at a Washington D.C jail. One of the most acclaimed films from this year’s Sundance Film Festival, it’ll likely be a huge contender for the Best Documentary Oscar in the coming months. 

What have the critics said? “Daughters is an alternately shattering and hopeful look at family and the prison system. Patton and Rae spent years following their subjects, and the resulting portraits of lives in limbo are intimate and stirring.” – Vanity Fair 

Where Can I watch it at home? Now streaming on Netflix. 

His Three Daughters (100%) 

When it premiered at last year’s Toronto Film Festival, Elizabeth Olsen, Natasha Lyonne and Carrie Coon were all singled out for giving career-best performances as estranged sisters in this claustrophobic family drama. Now, you can finally see for yourself – based on reviews, it’s conclusive proof that all you need to make a movie is a single location and three great actresses. 

What have the critics said? “Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen and Natasha Lyonne astound as siblings who are stubbornly at odds with each other and whose only common ground is the impending death before them.” – Huffington Post 

Where can I watch it at home? Streaming on Netflix from 20th September. 

This post will be updated monthly with the latest titles available to buy and stream.

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