Movies through 2024

It's July of 2025, and it's time for my annual review of movies I watched last year. The movies released last year were extremely interesting. No points for guessing which Indian film industry shone through last year ( hint: it's not the Hindi film industry :p)
Honestly, there were so many good movies I watched last year, it took me a lot of effort to pick just a few for this list due to space constraints.

Anyway, if you don't find your favorite movie here, don't fret. I might have watched it, or I will in 10 years :p 
Now that it's here, read on! 

Malayalam

Of course, I will start with the Malayalam film industry (it's my bias, I know). The Malayalam film industry went through an absolute whirlwind last year, with its back-to-back record-breaking successes. Were there bad movies too? Oh, absolutely! But here's my list of movies that made me laugh, cry, and go through all sorts of emotions! 

1. Premalu 

 

I didn't like this film (JK!). It's a movie reference. If you haven't watched the movie, GO and watch it (and then come back)

I watched this movie in the theater with my friend. I liked it then. I watched it again (twice, actually!) on the insistence of my brother, who absolutely made this his favorite movie, and I actually wasn't bored the next two times. So I guess it's a win!
Directed by Girish AD (known for other YA movies like Thaneer Mathan Dinanagalh and Super Sharanya), Premalu was a cute movie that was equally funny and engaging. The actors had wonderful chemistry, the jokes were not too over-the-top, and the movie was quite relatable for young adults like us.

The chaos that leads up to a person's first job after graduation, the sadness of leaving family, and the independence that comes with it are all shown through these characters.
The characters were so well-written and the jokes landed perfectly; it's no wonder I watched it three times without getting bored. Its sequel is in the works, and I genuinely hope it's as good as the first one, if not better :) 

2. Sookshmadarshini  

Nazriya Nazim entered the Malayalam Film Industry after a hiatus of 4 years (not counting Ante Sundaraniki because that's a Telugu film, but obviously) and boy, did she come with a bang! 

Sookshmadarshini, meaning a microscope, is a brilliant title that pays ode to the profession of Nazriya in the film, that of an aspiring microbiologist. Nazriya, who lives with her husband and daughter, is a nosy sort of person who always looks for updates about the events taking place in the neighborhood from the WhatsApp groups. Things seem fine in their neighborhood until new tenants move into the vacant house beside theirs. 

Enter Basil Joseph – the new tenant who comes to the vacant house for his ailing mother. Basil Joseph looks like your average Joe, except Nazriya thinks something is a little fishy, and their ladies' WhatsApp group starts pinging when she finds out Basil might be doing something shady. 

The film balances thriller and comedy so well, and the climax is so unpredictable, mirroring today's society, that you will keep thinking about the movie days later. 

3. Anweshippin Kandethum 

Tovino Thomas in a police uniform was something I didn't know I needed. But I got it and I'm so glad about it. (Yes, he dons a police uniform in Kalki as well, but I choose to not say anything about that movie)

Anweshippin Kandethum (translated: Seek and ye shall find) is Darwin Kuriakose's directorial debut, and it's written by Jinu V Abraham.

The film follows Anand SI (played by Tovino Thomas), who rejoins the police force after a suspension.

A flashback showcases the case that led to his suspension, forming the first part of the story. 

The new case Tovino is assigned after his suspension forms the rest of the film. The movie was engaging throughout and is a very well-made police drama. 

Rarely have I seen police dramas (Kannur Squad is an exception) that are real, not too over-the-top, and without excessive action sequences and mass dialogues. Darwin Kuriakose, in his debut, has managed to defy the unusual mass and action to deliver an exciting police procedural drama. 

Credit, of course, needs to be given to Santosh Narayanan as well for elevating the scenes with his background scores and soundtracks. 

All in all, it's a movie that you should definitely watch!

4. Nunnakuzhi 

If there's a Basil Joseph movie, I will have watched it. And if it's directed by Jeethu Joseph? that's a bonus! 

Nunnakuzhi (translated: Pit of Lies) had me excited when the trailer launched. With a brilliant cast including Basil Joseph, Grace Antony, Nikhila Vimal, Siddique, Manoj K Jayan, Baiju Santosh, Saiju Kurup, Aju Varghese, and others, I knew this was going to keep me hooked. And I was right! 

The story follows a young, spoilt, rich businessman (Basil Joseph) whose life is going well until his company becomes the target of a high-profile IT raid. A series of events and situations take place post-raid, which makes for the perfect recipe for the situational comedy that Nunnakuzhi is.

It was exciting and made me laugh a lot. I absolutely vouch for this one! 

5.  Ullozhukku 

My friend asked me how I would describe this movie, and all I could say was that The Book of Ruth (from the Bible) was situated in Kerala. Of course, it's not that simple; I'm just kidding!

Christo Tomy's debut film, Ullozhukku (translated- Undercurrent),  is a movie with many layers, deep, dark secrets, and uncomfortable truths between two women. Set in Kuttanad, infamous for being flooded most of the time, Parvathy's husband dies. Urvashi, her mother-in-law, and Parvathy try to bury him as per tradition, but floods won't cease anytime soon, thereby elongating the burial time.

In the time leading up to the funeral, Parvathy and Urvashi uncover secrets that compel them to face deep, hidden truths and lies that challenge their sense of unity. 

Parvathy and Urvashi really shone in this movie, and it'll be a treat watching them!

6. Aavesham 

If Eda Mone was the catchphrase of last year, you know who to thank for it. 

Aavesham was equal parts fun and adventure. 

The story follows the lives of three boys who reach Bangalore for their engineering course. During a ragging incident between these three students and their seniors, a fight takes place. To seek revenge for the ragging they endured, they look for any gangster they could find to help them. 

Enter Ranga, or Rangan chettan, played by the fantastic Fahadh Faasil, accompanied by his best friend in the whole wide world –Amban, played by Sajin Gopu. 

It's a funny sort of friendship story that takes place between the gangster and these three boys, accompanied by a lot of fight sequences and songs that make you wanna dance.
A sequel to Aavesham is in the works. And hopefully, it will be even funnier and adventurous :)

7. Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil 

You might hate me for this, but I enjoyed this one. A lot of people I know said they hated this movie, and that it was over the top, but hear me out.

I mean, yes, it was over the top, too dramatic, and nothing made sense by the end. But that's exactly what the movie wanted to be. There was no case of wrong impressions :p The trailer made sure viewers knew it was going to be funny, dramatic, and over the top :) And of course, there was Basil Joseph in it. I WAS going to watch it :)

But what I really, really enjoyed was the Nandanam movie reference. If you've seen Nandanam (2002), you'll be caught by surprise!

Overall, it's a hit/miss. If you like it, great! If not, don't come blaming me (fair warning given)

8. Varshangalkku Shesham

Varshangalkku Shesham is Vineeth Srinivasan's sixth directorial. I have always loved Vineeth's filmography as a director. Vineeth brings a wholesome angle to his films. Whether it's Thattathin Marayathu, Jacobinte Swargarajyam, or even Hridayam, there's a sweet vibe to his films. 

The sweet vibe has eventually followed him to Varshangalkku Shesham as well! 

A movie about movies, Varshangalkku Shesham follows two friends, played by Dhyan Sreenivasan and Pranav Mohanlal, who attempt to make it in cinema in the early 1980s-1990s, starting in Chennai. However, due to some clash, a gap forms between the two friends, and Pranav leaves. Then, many years later (Varshangalkku Shesham, geddit?), they meet and make a film together. 

Literally, that's all the movie is about. 

My highlight from the film was, of course, Nivin Pauly's monologue about the film industry (yes, I see the irony there!) and the songs. The songs were so beautiful, and even though the movie did have some lags here and there, they made up for it with the songs and the love for cinema. 

9. Rifle Club

Rifle Club, directed by Aashiq Abu and written by Syam Pushkaran, Dileesh Karunakaran, and Suhas, is a film about a particular rifle club, set in Sultan Bathery in the Western Ghats. 

The rifle club was founded by the British and is now led by Kuzhiveli Lonappan (Vijay Raghavan) and secretary Avaran (Dileesh Pothan). The club functions as an extended family of skilled hunters. 

The story is set in 1991, when a Mangalore-based gangster, Dayanand Bhare (played by Anurag Kashyap in his Malayalam debut) hosts a birthday party for his son Bichu, along with his other son, Bheera. During the celebrations, an incident leads to the death of one of his sons. Bhare understands the killers took refuge in the rifle club and leads an all-out attack on them. 

While the first half of the story sets the stage, the second half is completely engaging with brilliant action sequences, rifles, bloodshed, and bullets. 

There's humor, action, and strong women characters (no 'meat piece' roles, but actual good ones—I loved it!)

Maybe not one of the best Aashiq Abu films, but it was exciting nevertheless :)

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Special Mention to these movies because you should watch them without any reviews - Manjummel Boys, Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life),Brahmayugam, Kishkindha Kaandam

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Hindi

10. Amar Singh Chamkila 

I only watched very few Hindi movies, and the one that excited me the most last year was Amar Singh Chamkila.

Amar Singh Chamkila is a biographical drama film based on the life of musician Amar Singh Chamkila. It is directed, produced, and co-written by Imtiaz Ali. The music was catchy, composed by A. R. Rahman with lyrics by Irshad Kamil. 

The casting was so well-done, with Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra taking on their roles and easing into their characters so easily!

Diljit Dosanjh was extraordinary as Amar Singh Chamkila, captivating viewers as much as the real Amar Singh Chamkila would have :)

The life of a young Punjabi who rose to fame with his music until his untimely death, which shook his listeners and still does to this day. 

Imtiaz Ali really takes the cake with this film! Please, please watch this film. You will not regret it!

11. Madgaon Express

'Dil Chahta Hai' for the poor people. Those aren't my words, but the words from the film's director, Kunal Khemu, who directed his first film, Madgaon Express.

The story follows three friends – Avinash Tiwary, Divyenndu, and Prateik Gandhi – and their childhood dream (like all of us) to go to Goa. On their third attempt, their dream finally comes true after years of planning. But chaos ensues as soon as they take the train (Madgaon Express) to Goa, when one of their bags gets misplaced with a drug king's bag. This leads to a sequence of terrible decisions, one by one, and whether they make it out of Goa alive forms the rest of the story. 

Avinash Tiwary, Divyenndu, and Pratik Gandhi share a beautiful friendship, and their bromance is fun to watch. Chhaya Kadam and Upendra Limaye are a fun addition as Kanchan Kombdi and Mendoza bhai, respectively. 

Kunal Khemu impresses with his debut and makes this a fun comedy you can watch when you're bored. 

12. Stree 2

After the huge success of Stree, Maddock Films came back with its sequel. I loved Stree. Probably one of the only movies that balanced comedy and horror so well. Stree 2 rode on the success of the original movie, and although it had its highs and lows, it kept me on my toes the whole time (because I was scared). 

Stree 2  has the rise of a new enemy in town- the Sarkata ( the headless) who goes on to abduct women (mostly modern women). This creates panic and fear among the families in town, and it's up to Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, and friends to kill this headless evil creature. 

Bonus points if you've watched Munjya, Bhediya, and Stree to help you connect the dots in this film. 

Special Mention to these movies because you should watch them without any reviews-  Superboys of Malegaon

English 

13. Conclave 

The best film by far to come from Hollywood last year. I was actually so mad it didn't win the Best Picture at the Oscars. 

Conclave is a political thriller directed by Edward Berger (his English-language debut), based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris. (It did win the Oscars for the Best Adapted Screenplay)

With a stellar cast including Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, and Isabella Rossellini, the movie showcases the conclave (the assembly or meeting of the cardinals for the election of a pope, in the most simple terms). 

After the Pope dies of a heart attack, the College of Cardinals, under the leadership of its dean, Thomas Lawrence (played by Ralph Fiennes) of the United Kingdom, convenes to elect the next Pope. 

What actually happens behind closed doors – how the Pope is elected, the secrets, the scandals of the major candidates, the politics, and a view into the highest secret room – are all shown in Conclave. The finale is (probably?) shocking, but it's a movie worth watching!  

16. Find Me Falling

 

Find Me Falling was my summer movie of 2024! 

The story of an American rock star who takes a break from roaming all around and singing at his concerts, takes up a house in Cyprus. Soon, he discovers that his house, which is near a cliff, is actually a suicide hotspot. Slowly, he gets in touch with the locals and finds himself falling in love with a local, like he did many years ago :p

Starring Harry Connick Jr., Agni Scott, Ali Fumiko Whitney, and Clarence Smith, this movie takes you through the streets of Cyprus and will definitely make you fall in love with it! Plus, the music is so fresh and beautiful, you'd be mad not to watch this. 

Special Mention to these movies because you should watch them without any reviews- Inside Out 2, Monkey Man, Young Woman and the Sea

Regional 

17. Maharaja (Tamil)

If you've read my previous blogs, you know I'm not a huge fan of Tamil movies. But once in a while, I watch a Tamil movie that sweeps me off my feet, and I'm back to liking them again. Maharaja was the film that changed my perception last year. 

Maharaja is a sweet film... until it isn't. Vijay Sethupathy plays a doting father to his daughter. There are only two things that Sethupathy loves more than anything in this world: his daughter and his dustbin, which he named Lakshmi. Many years ago, this dustbin (which weirdly was made of steel) was responsible for keeping his daughter safe when a truck rammed into their house, killing his wife. So, yes he loves that dustbin like his life. 

One night, a robbery occurs, and his precious dustbin- Lakshmi gets stolen. Sethupathi goes to the police station to file the crime, but who would take a missing dustbin case seriously? 

The film then follows Sethupathi's insistent attitude towards the policemen to find his dustbin. But soon, it becomes clear that it's not just the story of a dustbin; there's something deeper lurking in the dark. I can't divulge too much, but you've got to trust me on this when I say you MUST watch this movie! 

The casting and acting by Vijay Sethupathi, Anurag Kashyap, along with the supporting actors, were absolute perfection. The direction, editing, and score absolutely nailed it, presenting viewers with a masterclass in nail-biting thrillers! 

Please go watch this if you haven't already. You'll thank me later! :)

Phew, I'm done :) 

Let me know if you liked these movies as much as I did, and if I missed out on any of your favorite movies.

Till next year, happy watching :) 

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Just in case you want to read my list of 2022 movies- 2022 movies

And in case you want to read my list of 2023 movies- 2023 movies

Images: credits to the respective owners