John Waters‘ annual Top 10 movies of the year list never disappoints, and his 2024 edition is no different. Vulture published the list this morning, and it’s flush with films with the tones and themes that Waters adores. The year’s choices are sexy, maximalist, and auteur-driven (no surprise there re: Waters), but with a couple of surprising picks. So let’s get into it, shall we?
First up, Rose Glass‘ “Love Lies Bleeding” takes the top slot. It’s hardly a shocker that Glass’ sophomore feature lands on Water’s list, but at #1? That’s quite the championing on Waters’ part. Here’s his take on the film: “This hilarious, bloody film noir is the best movie of the year, one that Russ Meyer might have made if he had been a lesbian intellectual addicted to steroids. Even the pig-men are cute. Sort of.”
And “Love Lies Bleeding” isn’t the only queer-driven movie on this year’s list. In fact, it’s a common theme of Waters’ choices, including his #2 choice, Luca Guadagnino‘s “Queer,” as well as Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping‘s “Femme” at #7 and Troung Minh Quy‘s “Viet And Nam” at #10. Broaden the thematic scope to messy heteronormative romance and sex, and that covers Alexi Wasser‘s “Messy” (#5), Todd Phillips‘ “Joker: Folie á Deux” (#6), and Renita Heijn‘s “Babygirl” (#9).
The rest of Waters’ choices? Pretty auteur-driven all around, with Brady Corbet‘s “The Brutalist” ranking #3. Corbet’s film and Mike Leigh‘s “Hard Truths” feel like anomalies on an otherwise lurid, sexually explicit list, but Waters consistently loves the work of filmmakers with singular visions. And then Jacques Audriard‘s “Emilia Pérez” rounds out the list at #8: another ballsy choice from Waters. Audriard’s latest, a musical about a trans cartel boss and the lawyer who helps facilitate their transition, has had a thorny relationship with critics. Still, it’s the kind of film Waters won’t hesitate to advocate for, so it’s hardly a surprise to see it squeak into his top 10.
Check out the entire list here, along with Waters’ short commentary on each pick. And in a switch-up from his last several lists, almost all of Waters’ 2024 choices currently have US distribution. In fact, nine of ten do, with “Viet And Nam” mostly likely getting a theatrical release in 2025.
