As we wrap up the year, a certain amount of reflection inevitably takes hold. We’re taking stock of the things we loved best, from films to TV shows, performances and scores and cinematography, oh my, and looking ahead to what we can’t wait to see in 2025. Suddenly, we’re reminded of all the good stuff (and, yes, there’s always good stuff) from months that previously felt very much in the rearview.
In that spirit of celebration, we here at IndieWire have opted to bring back an old faithful: a list of some of our favorite (and, ideally, best) stories of the last 12 months. From deep dive interviews to big ticket profiles, biting investigations to thoughtful analyses, and plenty of critical assessments, here’s your must-read list of IndieWire’s 2024 hits.
In short: it’s a list of the stories that defined our year in work, in passionate movie-going, in obsessive TV-watching, and much more. We hope you’ll love (or already loved) them too.
Check out all of IndieWire’s Best of 2024 coverage right here.
Deep Dive Interviews and Big Ticket Profiles
Anne Thompson profiles Adrien Brody ahead of the release of Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist”
Erin Strecker interviews John Mulaney as he readies to accept his first-ever IndieWire Honor
Kate Erbland checks in with Glen Powell at the tail-end of a very crazy year
Chris O’Falt and a number of wonderful voices contextualize the legacy of Harris Savides
Ryan Lattanzio speaks with Isabella Rossellini about those David Lynch rumors
Erin Strecker talks to Rachel Bloom about comedy and death (hand in hand!)
Anne Thompson interviews Mike Leigh on the cusp of the release of “Hard Truths” and in the midst of a changing world
Sarah Shachat profiles the real breakout star of last, this, and any year: Messi the dog
Marcus Jones talks to the disarmingly open Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor about “the slow burn of recognition”
Kate Erbland crowns Kirsten Dunst our “most reasonable movie star”
Christian Zilko goes long with Kelsey Grammer as he prepares to take on Fraiser Crane again
Proma Khosla talks to Carla Gugino about the scene that “went against every natural instinct”
Christian Zilko finds out why Kevin Smith bought his childhood theater
Anne Thompson sat down with a very honest Kevin Costner at Cannes
Jim Hemphill talks to Michael Pressman about his previously abandoned, now beloved “Boulevard Nights”
Mark Peikert goes to heaven with “Hotel Cocaine” star Mark Feuerstein
Vincent Perella talks all things Mendendez brothers with Javier Bardem
Veronica Flores examines the sexiness of “Challengers” with Zendaya
How (or Why) Did They Do That?
Chris O’Falt walks Michael Mann and his collaborators through how they shaped the look of “Collateral” and “Miami Vice”
Ryan Lattanzio dives into the ending of “Anora,” with help from Sean Baker and Mikey Madison
Brian Welk asks (and answers) the big question: How will theaters handle that live scene in “Megalopolis”?
Tony Maglio gives the oral history treatment to a beloved “Saturday Night Live” sketch
Bill Desowitz on the “bignormous” editing of “Dune: Part Two”
Sarah Shachat takes a bite out of the “Hot Ones” production process
Tony Maglio offers a passionate plea for “Road House” in theaters, as God (and Doug Liman) dreamed
Brian Welk examines the changing face of the documentary “Eno”
Investigations, Analyses, and Other Closer Looks
Alison Foreman goes head-to-head with the strange and troubled history of Fantastic Fest’s fights
Chris O’Falt investigates: Did a Trump-Supporting Financier Try to Catch and Kill “The Apprentice”?
Ben Travers wonders: Is Nicole Kidman Making Too Much TV?
Tom Brueggemann, well, we’ll just let this headline stand on its own: They Don’t Climax in IMAX — or, Why Films with Sexy Sizzle Are Rare Today
Chris O’Falt goes to SXSW and wrestles with the influx of artificial intelligence in a creative space
Brian Welk dives into how “Terrifier 3” maximized a very small marketing budget, to scary-good effect
Proma Khosla offers a deep analysis of the death of the Bollywood heroine
Jim Hemphill examines the continuing appeal of Clint Eastwood as “Juror #2” arrives, alongside another classic
Sarah Shachat examines the real history behind “Gladiator II”
Tom Brueggemann goes looking for American cities without movie theaters, and finds far too many
Christian Blauvelt explores the magic of ABC News’ eclipse coverage
Marcus Jones chronicles Drew Starkey’s “Star Is Born” moment at Venice
Alison Foreman discusses the missteps of “Quiet on Set” with actual survivors
Samantha Bergeson explores what really happened for female creatives after the year of “Barbie”
Feats of Criticism and Curation
David Ehrlich reviews Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” (and the very future of movies)
Ben Travers reviews the thorny series “Disclaimer”
Ryan Lattanzio falls hard for Luca Guadagnino’s heartbreaking “Queer”
David Ehrlich reviews the stunning documentary “No Other Land” out of Venice
Wilson Chapman picked the best musical of all time (and 99 more)
Harrison Richlin compares Sean Baker’s “Anora” with Frederico Fellini’s “Nights of Cabiria”
Christian Blauvelt examines the risk-taking of “The Acolyte,” and why its cancellation is bad for “Star Wars”
Kate Erbland reviews Pamela Anderson in a career-defining role in Gia Coppola’s “The Last Showgirl”
Proma Khosla grapples with the fourth season of “Only Murders in the Building”
