Still not over 2024 being over. I did not get a chance to do this December. I figured I’d double down and wait for the actual new year to get this out. You can hear Thalaivan, can’t you :D?
A Mixed Bag
DISCLAIMER: I did not hunt for movies this year. I’d watched only mostly mainstream cinema. The list shall reflect the same.
Slight dip from last year. I believe I caught 37 films on the big screen, and fewer languages too. As always, I’ll run down this list of how likely I am to rewatch a particular film. I’ve been looking through Wiki to see if I’ve missed any film that was released last year. And to my surprise, there are quite a few that feel much older. At this point, I have decided if I do not name the films on this page, I’ve either not watched them, or I wasted my time watching them.
Hollywood was a letdown too. The most fun I had was when I watched Inside Out 2. And the best film from them, in my opinion, was Gladiator 2. But hey, we’ve already seen that film! Joker 2 was a snoozefest, and Dune 2 didn’t quite hit the same. I do want to watch Monkey Man and Argylle, somehow missed those two. DP and Wolvie was fun for the nerd that used to be in me, but the story went nowhere, and we shall treat CBMs as such henceforth.
Before I start listing them down, I need to call out the two biggest and crappiest Tamil films that were released last year. The first one is Indian 2. And second, the absolute worst experience I had in theatres last year, quite contradictory to its name of Greatest of all Time – while I ruined my sleep waking up at 3 to catch this show, it managed to irritate me by incorporating a team that I love as a plot point. Gun to my head, I’d rather watch Indian 2 again than this glorified Instagram promo package.
Vanmatha kakkiten. List kulla eranguvom.
We’re only picking 9.
9. Lucky Baskar (3/5)
When it comes to Telugu Cinema, DQ doesn’t miss! Also, GV the music director seemed to have a made a comeback after his long acting tryst. This had a great narrative. One bad hour could send the sweetest of men down a vicious cycle. The conmen arc and then the privileged arcs, both were well tied together. This kept me hooked throughtout. And had some great bangers in dialogues. Cute family DQ had in film too, lucky bastard! Unfortunately, this is the only telugu film on this list this year.
Oh, I can vibe to Srimathi Gaaru, all day long!
8. Manjummel Boys (3/5)
This right here, was the film that truly kicked off 2024 for me. And up until September or something, I was sure this film will stay in top 5. I had no idea what this film was about when I went in. Neither did I know it was a true story. Suffice it to say, I was blown away. And slightly scarred. I surely look twice and plant my steps firmly on every trek since watching this film! A trend setter too, collecting record figures all over south India.
7. Amaran (3.5/5)
We started with Subaasheey and ended with Mukundheeey!
This, was one of two great love stories I’d watched this year. And dammit, I was impressed. Right from the get go. And what sold this film to me was, Siva totally belonged here. He lived the part and I could only see Mukhund Varadharajan on screen. Not the guy who played Rajini Murugan and Mr Local!
And when it comes to Sai Pallavi. Nothing I can write will do justice to what she brought to life on the screen. I could feel every emotion she went through. I choked at times. And when the dust settled, and I walked out of the screen, I had goosebumps. This is the only film in the list that gave me that experience this year.
6. Aadujeevitham – The Goat Life (3.5/5)
After watching this, I felt Malyalam films were out to get me. This is one film I do not think I’ll rewatch at all. And that is a testament to how bad it made me feel in my gut while watching. Don’t get me wrong, it is a beautiful film. But the journey we’re taken through is a painful one of torture and isolation. Multiple defining frames were in this film that I can still recollect. The one where Prithviraj drinks water with the goats beside him and figuratively becomes one himself was the most striking of the lot. In the grand scheme of things, aren’t we all sheep?
While Manjummel scared me to shit about treks, this film scarred me about life. Exceptional stuff!
5. Maharaja (3.5/5)
I’d given up on tamil cinema for 2024 when all we were doing was re-releasing old films and making cashgrabs. Firmly belived that Mallus were having a banger year and were out of reach at this point. Had 4/4 of my top films for the year to be made by them. Maharaja was the film that came in a threa a spanner in the works.
The plot details were kept close to the maker’s chest until its official release. Post-release, the film had a mixed bag of reviews for the violence it showcased. In my opinion, for the film, it was justified. And I’m open to debate that too. But why did it crack the top 5? Clever storytelling that pulled rabbits out of the hats multiple times. And also, extracting the most out of your cast to pull wool over your audiences eyes? Genius stuff!
4. Aavesham (4/5)
I’ve told said it before. I’ll say it again. FaFa is the best performer in all of Indian cinema at the moment. Such range he’s got. And such range he exhibited in this film. Eda Monee became am emotion. Mallus gave up banger after banger after banger this year. And this was probably the best. Absolute chaos, and a laugh riot this one. And Jithu Madhavan is the only director to have made it back to back on my top film list. I’m probably going to watch this film again as I wrap this post.
And Sushin Shyam, chef’s kiss!
3. Premalu (4/5)
I really, really believed no film could beat this one at top this year. I was wrong. But that takes absolutely nothing away from this film. The weight of the film fell on the sim card return scene for me. Might not hit the same for you though :P.
Read more – https://film.iknownothing.in/premalu/.
Waiting to see what’s cooking for the sequel.
2. Meiyazhagan (4.5/5)
I so wanted to write a detailed post for this film. I just could not make the time. Man. The story felt so personal.
As this post has already gone long enough, let me keep it tight for now. I will definitely revist this with a detailed post down the line.
There’s this scene when Arul runs out of town with his slippers falling off, not having the guts to face his loving host. Just because he can’t remember his name. Now at the surface, it might feel like its only the name he’s forgotten. But when you dig deep, its a reflection on who he was, and the version of himself he’s lost.
It takes a lot to turn back the clock and force yourself to remember who you were. And its particularly daunting when you know somewhere along the line, with minor miss-steps, you’ve forged yourselved anew. And often we feel this new version is inferior to the one’s we lost. And when I saw Arul running away, from smothering affection, I felt suffocated.
“Avan Inga irukan, na inga iruken” – This was the final blow to me. And it made me wish so bad, that I could be like Meiyazhagan. But it feels damn near impossible.
1. Lubber Pandhu (4.5/5)
Why is this at no. 1?
Pudichurku. Adhan karanom.
https://film.iknownothing.in/lubber-pandhu/
