Best movies of 2024 so far, including Civil War and The First Omen

It’s April, meaning time to update our list of 2024’s best movies, with a bold war story, and the best horror film of the year so far.

We’re into the fourth month of 2024, making now a good time to add some titles our list of the year’s best movies (you can check out 2023’s best movies here, and the 14 best movies of 2022 here).

We’ve got the summer blockbusters to come, followed by lots of horror at Halloween, and then the award contenders at the end of the year. But 2024 is off to a strong start already thanks to Dune 2 and Late Night With the Devil. And now we’re adding Civil War and The First Omen to the mix.

So scroll down for – in alphabetical order – the best movies of the year; aka our favourite films of 2024, which we’ll continue to update as-and-when new bangers are released.

The Beekeeper

Official Synopsis: In The Beekeeper, one man’s brutal campaign for vengeance takes on national stakes after he is revealed to be a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as ‘Beekeepers.’

What we said in Dexerto’s review of The Beekeeper: “David Ayer’s direction and Statham’s physicality are the stars here, with the film (eventually) kicking into a watchable sequence-to-sequence rhythm of tactile, propulsive action that’s smartly cut and well-choreographed.”

Bob Marley: One Love

Official Synopsis: “Bob Marley: One Love celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity. On the big screen for the first time, discover Bob’s powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music.”

Dexerto Review of the Bob Marley movie: “One Love is an entertaining biopic about a remarkable man; one which comes close to capturing Bob Marley’s essence. But that’s more to do with Kingsley Ben-Adir than the film’s sometimes clunky script. The actor hits all the right notes, capturing Bob’s passion, nobility, and revolutionary spirit, so you believe not only Marley’s musical genius, but also his ability to galvanize through a simple message of love. It’s a remarkable performance.”

Civil War

Official Synopsis: Civil War is an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride through a near-future fractured America balanced on the razor’s edge.

Dexerto review of Civil War: “Those seeking political polemic on one wing or the other will be disappointed and (probably) neurotically irate — but they’re searching for something that intentionally isn’t there. 28 Days Later wasn’t really about zombies, nor was Ex Machina about the dangers of AI; Civil War isn’t interested in affirming or attacking your views, but lamenting it for not doing so is a willful misread of the film.”

Dune: Part Two

Official Synopsis: Dune: Part Two explores the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

What we said in the Dexerto review of Dune 2: “Dune: Part Two is a screen-quaking cinematic landmark that should hold the future of blockbuster filmmaking accountable; imperfect, cold, but mighty.

The First Omen

Official Synopsis: When a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her own faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.

Dexerto review of The First Omen: “Subtlety and realness are arguably the key to horror success, and they’re used to perfection in The First Omen. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill jump-scare experience (although there are a few of those); instead, it’s a tense, slow burn that builds to some truly horrifying moments – and when it hits, it goes straight for the jugular.”

Late Night with the Devil

Official Synopsis: In 1977 a live television broadcast goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation’s living rooms. What unfolds next is shocking…

Late Night with the Devil review: “Late Night with the Devil is high-concept horror that plays out in a single location, delivers multiple scares in pretty much real-time, and serves as an effective star vehicle for longtime supporting actor David Dastmalchian.”

Love Lies Bleeding

Official Synopsis: Reclusive gym manager Lou falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to Vegas in pursuit of her dream. But their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family.

Love Lies Bleeding Dexerto review: “Love Lies Bleeding, the jaw-unhinging sophomore feature from Rose Glass, is a gleefully gonzo midnight movie, but its vibes hold more weight than the story.”

Monkey Man

Official Synopsis: Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Dev Patel as Kid, an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash. After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him.

Dexerto review of Monkey Man: “Monkey Man is exhilarating and exhausting in equal measure. The action is fast and frenzied, which frequently works in the film’s favor — most notably during a magical musical training montage — but sometimes to the movie’s detriment. While the story is much like a million revenge stories you’ve seen before, but given fresh legs through the Hindu philosophy and cultural iconography that’s laced throughout proceedings.”

Road House

Official Synopsis: In this adrenaline-fueled reimagining of the 80s cult classic, ex-UFC fighter Dalton takes a job as a bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse, only to discover that this paradise is not all it seems.

Road House review: “Road House is dumb fun that’s designed to appeal to our baser instincts. It’s also relentlessly entertaining from first punch to last, and a worthy successor to the cult classic on which it’s based.”

For more movie coverage head here, or check out our list of the biggest grossing films of all-time.