There is no single, objective list of the 10 best movies of 2024. “Best” depends on who is choosing and how: a critic’s personal favorites, two writers’ separate rankings, and a review-based award each answer a different question. The Substance, Anora, and Challengers all belong to the year’s wider conversation, but the available sources do not establish the exact ten films or ranking order behind this headline. Here is how to read the leading selections—and what their recognition does and does not tell you.
Why there is no definitive top 10
A year-end list is an editorial judgment, not a settled measurement of film quality. The selector and method matter: one critic may rank personal favorites, a publication may publish multiple writers’ lists, while an awards program may use a formula based on reviews. The results should not be treated as interchangeable or as a universal consensus.
- Selector: Is the list chosen by one critic, a publication’s staff, an organization, or an aggregation of reviews?
- Method: Is it a personal ranking, an editorial vote, or a stated weighted formula?
- Scope: What release dates and eligibility rules apply, and is the selection geographically limited?
- Timing: Was the list published before or after major releases and awards? Later recognition cannot be assumed to have informed a list published in 2024.
- Reader fit: Genre, tone, and subject matter may help you pick a film more than its position on a list.
Three films at the center of this headline
The headline names The Substance, Anora, and Challengers, but that alone does not establish their place—or even the full set of titles—in a particular top ten. Other year-end lists and awards provide useful context, not a substitute for the missing list’s own ranking.
Anora
The Atlantic included Anora among its critic’s ten favorites, and Associated Press film writer Lindsey Bahr included it in her selection. The film later won Best Picture at the 97th Academy Awards, held in 2025 for films released in 2024. These are distinct forms of recognition: a critic’s selection, a writer’s ranking, and an Academy Award result.
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Challengers
The Atlantic placed Challengers third on that critic’s list of ten favorites and described it as a messy, entertaining drama about three tennis players. It was also among the nominees for Rotten Tomatoes’ Best Movies of 2024 award. Neither placement makes it the third-best film by any universal measure.
The Substance
The Substance appeared among the nominees for Rotten Tomatoes’ Best Movies of 2024 award. The Academy also nominated it at the 2025 Oscars, including in directing and original screenplay. Those nominations show it was part of the awards conversation; they do not establish that it topped any particular critics’ list.
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How major 2024 selections differ
| Selection | Who or what selects | What the source establishes |
|---|---|---|
| The Atlantic’s “The 10 Best Movies of 2024” | A critic’s personal favorites | The writer presents the choices as personal favorites, ranks Challengers third, and discusses Anora. The source does not establish that this is the exact list or order intended by the headline here. Read The Atlantic’s list. |
| Associated Press’ “The best movies of 2024 as ranked by AP film writers” | Jake Coyle and Lindsey Bahr, with separate ranked lists | AP presents two writers’ selections, not one combined consensus ranking; its coverage includes Anora and Challengers. Read AP’s selections. |
| Rotten Tomatoes’ Best Movies of 2024 award | A weighted review-based ranking | Rotten Tomatoes says its adjusted ranking considers Tomatometer rating and the number of critics’ reviews. Dune: Part Two won; Anora, Challengers, and The Substance were nominees. This is an awards result, not a critic’s personal top ten. See the award results and method. |
What the 2025 Oscars add to the picture
The 97th Academy Awards took place on March 2, 2025, and honored movies released in 2024. Anora won Best Picture, while The Substance was among the nominees. The ceremony provides a later awards perspective on 2024 films; it should not be folded into a list published before the results were known. Check the Academy’s 2025 ceremony record.
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How to use these lists to choose a movie
- Start with the kind of recommendation you want. A critic’s personal favorites may reflect a distinctive point of view; a pair of writers’ lists gives you two perspectives; a weighted review award reflects its stated review-based method.
- Look beyond placement. Consider a film’s genre, tone, and subject matter. The Atlantic characterizes Challengers as a drama about three tennis players; an award nomination alone will not tell you whether a film suits your mood.
- Check the date and eligibility behind the claim. A list published in 2024 and the Academy’s 2025 ceremony are different snapshots of the same release year.
- Verify availability where you watch. These sources do not establish which streaming service currently carries a film or whether a particular physical edition is available.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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