The Best Movies of 2024 – USA and France

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In 2024 we saw a lot of different movies, comedies, dramas, thrillers etc… I’m a French exchange student so here are my top 5 American and European movies 2024

Civil War: In my opinion the best movie of 2024 is Civil war, a dystopian action thriller written and directed by Alex Garland. The plot follows a team of war journalists traveling from New York City to Washington, D.C. during a civil war fought across the United States between a despotic federal government and secessionist movements to interview the president before rebels take the capital city. Bloody and violent, this film can be hard to watch, but that’s what makes this work so beautiful and intelligent. 1 hour 45 of shock, fear and disgust that make you realize how cruel humans are. Following the protagonist you discover the reality behind all the war pictures you see in the history books. You realize the dangerousness of this job but understand better why these people want to take photos of the worst atrocities. This movie makes you reflect a lot and I recommend seeing it with someone else to talk about it at the end to share different points of view.

The Teacher Lounge: My top 2 would be The Teachers’ Lounge (German: Das Lehrerzimmer) a 2023 German drama film directed by İlker atak. When one of her students is suspected of theft, teacher Carla Nowak decides to get to the bottom of the matter. Caught between her ideals and the school system, the consequences of her actions threaten to break her. This movie will make you tense and torture your brain, throughout the movie you look for a solution for this teacher but you can’t find a way to avoid her problems. This movie also highlights inequality and balance of power in society. You will also realize the consequence of prejudice and stereotypes.

The count of Monte Cristo: I would place “The count of Monte Cristo” (le comte de Monte Cristo) on number 3. This French historic drama will be released in theaters in the United States on December 20, 2024. So if you want to see it, this is a little summary: Edmond Dantes becomes the target of a sinister plot and is arrested on his wedding day for a crime he did not commit. After 14 years in the island prison of Château d’If, he manages a daring escape. Now rich beyond his dreams, he assumes the identity of the Count of Monte-Cristo and exacts his revenge on the men who betrayed him. If you like beautiful movies with impressive images and adventure, this is the movie for you. It’s a very long movie of 3 hours but it’s worth it. You will discover the beauty of Marseille, a city from the south of France, but also Paris and you will witness an intelligent and satisfying revenge. This masterpiece is taken from the book by Alexandre Dumas published in 1844 so if you like the historic atmosphere you would love it.

Dune II: To continue with films with magnificent shots “Dune” is my top 4. I liked this movie a lot for the images but to be honest I had to search a summary online for this article… Dune is a very difficult saga with a lot of characters,analepsis and prolepsis which in my opinion make the movie hard to follow. But anyway there is:Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee. I still think that it deserves the 4th place thanks to the images, the decor, the color, the place.

Vivants: I would finish this ranking with a light French movie that can be interesting for people who like journalism. “On the pulse” is about Gabrielle who has just joined a prestigious news program. With no formal training, she must prove herself and find her place among an experienced team of special correspondents. In the heat of the action, she will learn the language and the code of these reporters, who are always passionate, often funny, and sometimes scarred by life and their profession. I enjoyed watching this movie because it shows the reality of being a journalist, sometimes frustrating, or monotonous but always challenging and captivating. A good movie to watch on a chill night.