StudioA24 has earned credibility with a string of highly successful films, made recognizable by what fans call ‘A24 vibes’ – their special brand of visual style, quirky tone, and creative expression. Just a decade ago, this small, indie studio took some big risks on unknown writer-directors that made a big impression. Today their films can rival tent-pole productions, with cinephiles keeping a keen eye on the A24 calendar.
Viewers looking for slick, thought-provoking, unusual films do well to check for the A24 logo. Though known for breathing new life into the horror genre, A24 is the studio behind a wide spectrum of films. It is the cool kid among film studios, and its fans are particularly cult-like in their admiration.HBO Max has shrewdly picked up on this trend and hosts a large swath of their film catalog. A recent update has added yet more A24 movies on HBO Max that are particularly worth checking out.
13’Priscilla' (2023)
Directed by Sofia Coppola
Especially after the monumental, award-winning success ofBaz Luhrmann’sElvis, it would be easy to assume thatSofia Coppola’sPriscillawould floor a similar, glamorous execution. While the film does follow the story and seemingly luxurious life ofPriscilla Presleyleading up to and throughout her love life withElvis Presley, the film is far from glamorous in its interpretation of the proceedings. Based on Priscilla’s memoirs, the film doesn’t shy away from the darker and painful aspects of the relationship and how Elvis manipulated Priscilla from a young age.
Coppola is the perfect directorfor Priscilla’s life story, as her films have always donea terrific job tackling the themes of womanhood, emotional maturity, and innocence through a female lens. All of these trademark thematics and messages shine through perfectly in the story, brought home effectively by two brilliant lead performances fromCailee SpaenyandJacob Elordi. Especially when compared to the high-flying in-your-face style of theElvisbiopic,Priscillaacts like a harsh slap back to reality and the painful truths behind the mythos that was the Presley family.
12’We Live in Time' (2024)
Directed by John Crowley
We Live in Timetakes all the inherent passion and comfort of a classic love story and, through a non-chronological mixture of events and some powerful tearjerker moments, leaves a massive impact with its story of true love. The film follows lovebirds Tobias Durand (Andrew Garfield) and Almut Bruhl (Florence Pugh), whose lives are forever changed when their chance encounter brings together a decade-spanning journey of love, pain, and romance.
The nonlinear approach to the storytelling ofWe Live in Timeis truly what makes the film special, asit keeps information both hidden and out in the open to allow for maximum dramatic and emotional impact. It also certainly helps that Garfield and Pugh have a palpable chemistry with one another, with feelings of romance and the wild emotions of love exuding off of the screen during both their best and worst moments. While A24 is rarely known for their romance films,We Live in Timeis easily among their best and perfectly aligns with their notions of experimental and groundbreaking cinema.
We Live in Time
11’Civil War' (2024)
Directed by Alex Garland
A brilliantly shot and breathtaking look at a theoretically truly modern war,Civil Warfollows a group of war journalists traveling across the U.S. during a dangerous ongoing civil war. As they get closer and closer to the capitol during the final days of the war, they capture numerous ongoing battles and even find themselves in the line of fire, constantly toeing the line to find the perfect shot. At the same time, expert photographer Lee (Kirsten Dunst) brings the young, energetic Jessie (Cailee Spaeny) under her wing so that she doesn’t end up getting hurt in the fervor of excitement.
Civil Waris much less interested in the political dynamics and intricacies of what started and perpetuates its titular war, instead emphasizing the pain of war itself and the inner turmoil of war photographers. Garland has always had a knack for visually enthralling and beautiful filmmaking, withCivil Wareven furthering the director’s signature flairfor finding grace in beauty from places of pain and bloodshed.
10’A Different Man' (2024)
Directed by Aaron Schimberg
A dynamic and hilarious black comedy satire about one’s personal perception of their looks versus the truth of how they are perceived and viewed by others,A Different Manisa one-of-a-kind psychological thriller comedy experience. The film seesSebastian Stanas Edward, an aspiring actor with neurofibromatosis who believes that his facial condition is holding back his prospects in life. After getting an experimental surgery to cure his condition, he abandons his old name and life to begin anew, only to get a sense of regret when Oswald (Adam Pearson), another man with neurofibromatosis, seems to be living his perfect life.
A Different Manisexceptional in being able to balance comedy and self-reflective themes of perception together to make for a compelling, unpredictable experience. Each subsequent twist and element to the branching story and chaos of Edward’s life manages to make the overall experience both more hilarious and more intricate in its scope and scale. Everyone also gives a standout performance in the film, with Pearson especially stealing the show with his endlessly likable and charming portrayal of Oswald.
A Different Man
9’The Lighthouse' (2019)
Directed by Robert Eggers
Easily one of the most beautiful and visually distinct films to come out in recent memory,Robert Eggersproves thatblack-and-white filmmakingis far from dead withThe Lighthouse. The film follows a simple yet effective premise, seeing two 1890s lighthouse keepers stuck on a lone island with only themselves to keep each other company and sane. It doesn’t take long before the duo begins to lose their sanity, questioning everything that happens around them.
Eggers makes the most out of the black-and-white aesthetic and 1.19:1 aspect ratio to create an otherworldly experience that could only be described as psychedelic. This goes hand in hand with the film’s intentionally confusing story, as the characters have a multitude of disturbing visions, false memories, and massive leaps of faith as to the true nature of the lighthouse. The film wouldn’t work nearly as it does without the duo ofRobert PattinsonandWillem Dafoe, whose performances are multi-faceted andallow audiences to come to a near-infinite number of conclusions as to the film’s true meaning.
The Lighthouse
8’Love Lies Bleeding' (2024)
Directed by Rose Glass
A psychological queer romantic thriller that doesn’t hold back in terms of high tension and chaotic visuals,Love Lies Bleedingquickly became a critical smash hit. The film follows the blossoming lesbian relationship between gym manager Lou (Kristen Stewart) and ambitious bodybuilder Jackie (Katy O’Brian), with their passionate love having them leave town for Las Vegas to follow Jackie’s dreams. However, Lou’s family still has deadly ties to a local mafia, forcing the lovebirds into a complicated web of lies, deceit, and murder.
Love Lies Bleedingbalances a lot of different tones and inspirations to tell its refreshing thriller story, feeling equal parts taken straight from the 80s while also being a piece of art that could only be made in the modern era. It plays into the conventions of romantic thrillers to subvert clichés and always keep the audience on edge, whether it be through simple changes like character dynamics to massive shifts likeLove Lies Bleeding’s chaotic ending. Its distinct erotic yet mesmerizing tone makes itone of the most unique in A24’s filmography, making it certainly worth checking out.
Love Lies Bleeding
7’Sing Sing' (2024)
Directed by Greg Kwedar
While the film was largely overlooked during the awards season due to its mismanaged release in the middle of the year,Sing Singstill thrives asone of the most critically acclaimed A24 releases of all time. The film is an emotional true story about the revitalizing passion and love within a Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison, with many real-life formerly incarcerated men portraying themselves in the film. The film largely centers around the emotional struggle of Divine G (Colman Domingo), as he attempts to find purpose through the art of acting.
For a film all about the beauty and grace found within acting, it would only make sense that one of the film’s defining strengths is its performances, with Domingo giving a generationalperformance that is among the best of recent memory. Equally great is his co-lead inClarence Maclin, who portrays himself in a deeply personal and emotional showing of growth and evolution from his early days as a hardened shell before blossoming into one in touch with his own humanity.
6’I Saw the TV Glow' (2024)
Directed by Jane Schoenbrun
One of the greatest strengths of the independent filmmaking of A24 is their ability to provide a cinematic voice that few other major publishers would take on, withI Saw the TV Glow’s distinct trans allegorybeing a perfect example. The film follows young teenager Owen (Justice Smith), who in his day-to-day struggle finds refuge in a mysterious late-night TV show known as The Pink Opaque, fostering a friendship with Maddy in the process. However, as Owen grows up, his relationship with the show begins to change as his perspective on reality itself crumbles around him.
The inherent horror elements ofI Saw the TV Glowdon’t necessarily come from a direct force terrorizing its characters, but instead an uneasy dread and uncomfortability in one’s own skin that persists through its runtime.Jane Schoenbrun’s masterful and distinct vision is something unlike anything else in A24’s filmography,a compelling evolution of artistic horror that has a heartbreaking emotional core.
I Saw the TV Glow
5’The Iron Claw' (2023)
Directed by Sean Durkin
One of the few times when a biopic opted to remove aspects of the true story because it was already heartbreaking enough,The Iron Clawhas become infamous for being one ofthe bleakest dramas in recent memory. The film follows the unbelievable true story of the Von Erich brothers, a family of professional wrestlers who were each icons in their own right during the high-stakes times of the 80s wrestling world. However, their time at the top doesn’t last forever, as the family is hit by tragedy after tragedy as they loom in the shadow of their tough and despotic father/coach.
It’s hard not to come out the other side ofThe Iron Clawwithout shedding tears, as the film does an excellent job of hammering in the weight and gravitas ofone of the most painful stories in wrestling history.Zac Efrondelivers a performance that is riddled with grief and pain as the character goes through tragedy after tragedy, to the point where even the audience begins to believe that the family is in fact cursed. It’s an overall story that isn’t afraid to delve into the painful, often brushed aside toxic environment that 80s sports had, hoping to learn from the pain to move forward stronger and more conscious.
The Iron Claw
4’Aftersun' (2022)
Directed by Charlotte Wells
Easily standing out as not only one of the biggest fan-favorite dramas of the entire decade, but also one of the most potent and emotional tearjerkers of recent memory,Aftersunis a truly transformative experience of filmmaking craft and emotion. The film follows the remembered experiences that a girl named Sophie (Frankie Corio) has of spending time on holiday with her father (Paul Mescal) at a Turkish resort on the eve of his 31st birthday, when she was only 11 years old. Her own memory and recollection of the events proves to conflict with the truth of the matter, with the prospect of time forcing her to reexamine her own memories.
Aftersunis a deeply intelligent film whose true strengths and prowess lie within the underlying subtext and context clues, yetit builds on some of the most powerful and heartwrenching emotional moments imaginable. It is even further compounded by the brilliant performance by Mescal, with various layers and subtle quirks of his performance that grow more powerful with each subsequent rewatch with the full context of its story.
