The Best A24 Movies And How To Watch Them

As a seasoned cinephile who has navigated through the labyrinth of films, I must say that A24 Films has consistently proven itself to be a trailblazer in the industry. Each of their productions offers a unique perspective, captivating storytelling, and characters that resonate with audiences far and wide.


Over the past decade and a half, A24 has consistently produced some truly outstanding films that never fail to impress me. I eagerly anticipate each new A24 release, knowing that it will transport me into a world of creativity, emotional depth, visual beauty, and sometimes, profound transformation. While their movies span multiple genres, when choosing favorites from this award-winning studio, I focus solely on quality. Here are some of my top picks from A24’s greatest hits, which you can stream, rent digitally, or purchase physically.

Love Lies Bleeding (2024)

Director: Rose Glass

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Katy O’Brien

Title Synopsis: A Fitness Center Supervisor Develops Feelings for a Rising Sports Star, But Their Happiness Is Shattered by a Fatal Blunder.

Why It’s One Of The Best A24 Movies: Glass’ second A24 production after Saint Maud, Love Lies Bleeding, is part love story, part bodybuilding drama, and could be described as neo-Noir but truly defies genre in its unique execution.

How To Watch Love Lies Bleeding

  • Stream Love Lies Bleeding on Max
  • Rent or buy Love Lies Bleeding on Amazon
  • Buy Love Lies Bleeding on Blu-ray on Amazon

Civil War (2024)

Director: Alex Garland

Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny

Main Topic: A band of reporters embarking on a journey through the nation, encountering peril around each corner.

Explanation of Why Civil War Stands Out Among A24 Movies: One of the strongest demonstrations of Garland’s ability to bring chilling ideas to life in a relatable way is found in the haunting film, Civil War, which presents a vision of an America torn apart and beyond repair.

How To Watch Civil War

  • Stream Civil War on Max
  • Rent or buy Civil War on Amazon
  • Buy Civil War on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Iron Claw (2023)

Director: Sean Durkin

Starring: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White

In a Nutshell: A promising lineage of wrestling hopefuls experiences a heartrending sequence of misfortunes, halting their historical ascension.

Why The Iron Claw Stands Out Among A24 Movies: Primarily viewed from the captivating characterization of Kevin Von Erich by Zac Efron, A24’s initial foray into sports films, The Iron Claw, is a biographical drama that left both critics and viewers spellbound.

How To Watch The Iron Claw

  • Stream The Iron Claw on Max
  • Rent or buy The Iron Claw on Amazon
  • Buy The Iron Claw on Blu-ray on Amazon

Talk To Me (2023)

Director: Danny and Michael Philippou

Starring: Sophia Wilde, Alexandra Jensen

Unraveling the Mysterious Embalmed Hand: A Dangerous Adventure for Young Australians

As a devoted cinephile, I can’t help but sing praises for one of A24’s standout films – the chilling debut of the Philippou Brothers, “Talk to Me”. Few demonic possession movies have managed to carve out their unique niche, but these brothers have done just that, leaving us spellbound with their heart-pounding terror.

How To Watch Talk to Me

  • Stream Talk To Me on Paramount+ with Showtime add-on.
  • Rent or buy Talk To Me on Amazon.
  • Buy Talk To Me on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Past Lives (2023)

Director: Celine Song

Starring: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo

Main Topic: A Korean woman, who’s married, starts to reconsider her life path after reconnecting with an old friend from her childhood.

“One of the standout movies from 2023, ‘Past Lives’, is a heartfelt story that delves into how the resurfacing of old emotions stirs thoughts about the alternate paths our lives might have taken.

How To Watch Past Lives

  • Stream Past Lives on Paramount+ with Showtime add-on.
  • Rent or buy Past Lives on Amazon.
  • Buy Past Lives on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Beau Is Afraid (2023)

Director: Ari Aster

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Parker Posey

Title Summary: A highly suspicious individual encounters one chaotic and terrifying obstacle after another during his journey to visit his mother’s home.

Experience the Gripping Thrill of Beau is Afraid: A Rollercoaster Ride through Terror: From start to finish, Aster’s mind-bending and unsettling journey in Beau is Afraid is akin to strapping on for an unshakeable ride through sheer dread. It’s like being trapped in the haunted house of your wildest nightmares, where even the Yellow Brick Road of The Wizard of Oz seems tame by comparison.

How To Watch Beau is Afraid

  • Stream Beau is Afraid on Paramount+ with Showtime add-on.
  • Rent or buy Beau is Afraid on Amazon.
  • Buy Beau is Afraid on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Uncut Gems (2019)

Director: Josh and Benny Safdie

Starring: Adam Sandler, Idina Menzel

Main Theme: Amidst his self-destructive habits, New York City jeweler Howard Rattner struggles to maximize profits from a valuable opal.

One compelling rephrase of your sentence could be:

How To Watch Uncut Gems

  • Stream Uncut Gems on Max.
  • Rent or buy Uncut Gems on Amazon.
  • Buy Uncut Gems on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Minari (2021)

Director: Lee Isaac Chung

Starring: Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri

Main Topic: In the 1980s, a family of South Korean immigrants leaves their home in California and settles in Arkansas, seeking a more prosperous future.

Chung’s award-winning, partially autobiographical film, titled Minari, poignantly portrays the hurdles faced in pursuit of the American dream.

How To Watch Minari

  • Stream Minari on Max.
  • Rent or buy Minari on Amazon.
  • Buy Minari on Blu-ray on Amazon.

X (2022)

Director: Ti West

Starring: Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega

Title Synopsis: During the 1970s, a clandestine film crew making an adult movie on a rural Texas property finds themselves mysteriously targeted by their elderly landowners.

Why X Is Among A24’s Top Movies: By paying homage to the chilling horror films of the 1970s and offering a grim portrayal of the adult film industry during that time, X is a skillfully subtle yet powerfully unsettling suspense film.

How To Watch X

  • Rent or buy X on Amazon.
  • Buy X on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

Director: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

Starring: Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan

Title Translation: Journey Across the Multiverse: A Laundromat Owner’s Quest to Save Mankind and Mend Family Ties

Explanation of Why Everything Everywhere All At Once Stands Out: This visually innovative, energetic, and unflinchingly absurd movie titled Everything Everywhere All At Once is not like any Best Picture Oscar recipient (or indeed any other film) you might have previously encountered.

How To Watch Everything Everywhere All At Once

  • Stream Everything Everywhere All At Once on Max.
  • Rent or buy Everything Everywhere All At Once on Amazon.
  • Buy Everything Everywhere All At Once on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Marcel The Shell With Shoes On (2022)

Director: Dean Fleischer Camp

Starring: Jenny Camp, Dean Fleischer Camp

Main Topic: A sweetly innocent, chattering mollusk finds itself as the focus of a documentary filmmaker’s newest project.

Why It’s One Of The Best A24 Movies: TopMob’s collective staff pick for the best movie of 2022 was the charming documentary-style comedy Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, which was nominated for a Best Animated Feature Oscar.

How To Watch Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

  • Stream Marcel the Shell with Shoes On on Max.
  • Stream Marcel the Shell with Shoes On on Paramount+ with Showtime add-on.
  • Rent or buy Marcel the Shell with Shoes On on Amazon.
  • Buy Marcel the Shell with Shoes On on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Locke (2013)

Director: Steven Knight

Starring: Tom Hardy

Title Synopsis: Over the course of a stormy drive on the highway, a hardworking family man and construction manager grapples with the life-changing repercussions of a blunder.

Explanation Behind the Excellence of A24’s Locke: By unfolding in real time and utilizing a sequence of phone conversations, Locke demonstrates that even a seemingly straightforward concept like depicting a man driving for approximately 90 minutes can generate profound emotional drama.

How To Watch Locke

  • Rent or buy Locke on Amazon.
  • Buy Locke on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Ex Machina (2015)

Director: Alex Garland

Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander

Main Theme: A budding computer programmer finds himself tasked with evaluating the emotional depth of a robot named Ava, which unwittingly leads him on a journey of self-discovery and understanding about his own human nature.

Why It’s One Of The Best A24 Movies: Garland’s directorial debut, Ex Machina, is a shocking cautionary tale in the vein of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein that questions what advantages (or disadvantages) could come from artificial intelligence if it does prove to be smarter than us.

How To Watch Ex Machina

  • Rent or buy Ex Machina on Amazon.
  • Buy Ex Machina on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Room (2015)

Director: Lenny Abrahamson

Starring: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay

Title Overview: Dedicated Mother, Referred to as “Ma,” strives to create a nurturing space for her son Jack, who’s been raised in isolation due to being abducted and kept hidden by a kidnapper throughout his life.

Explanation of Why Room Stands Out as One of A24’s Finest Productions: Adapted from the acclaimed novel by Emma Donoghue, this gripping drama boasts a powerful, Academy Award-winning portrayal by Brie Larson in the central role. The film tells a poignant story about breaking free from limitations and confronting the unknown.

How To Watch Room

  • Stream Room on Netflix.
  • Rent or buy Room on Amazon.
  • Buy Room on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The End Of The Tour (2015)

Director: James Ponsoldt

Starring: Jason Segel, Jesse Eisenberg

Topic Overview: David Lipsky, a journalist from Rolling Stone, engages in a five-day conversation with the esteemed yet complex author of ‘Infinite Jest’, David Foster Wallace.

Why It’s Among A24’s Top Movies: Adapted from David Lipsky’s memoir, “Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself“, “The End of the Tour” is a remarkable and inspiring cinematic triumph that avoids any trace of pretension. Jason Segel delivers one of his finest dramatic performances in this film.

How To Watch The End of the Tour

  • Rent or buy The End of the Tour on Amazon.
  • Buy The End of the Tour on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Lobster (2016)

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Starring: Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz

Overview: Living in a desolate future where monogamy reigns supreme, I, a recently divorced guy, am racing against time – just 45 days to be exact. If I fail to find a romantic partner during this period, I’m faced with an unusual consequence: undergoing a surgical transformation into the animal of my choice. It’s a bizarre world, but it’s my reality, and I’m about to embark on an adventure that will either make me human again or turn me into something less…human.

Explanation Behind Why The Lobster Stands Out Among A24 Movies: For certain individuals, dating may seem like a frantic contest where the pressure is intense. The quirky, darkly comic film titled The Lobster envisions a scenario where such high stakes are indeed a reality.

How To Watch The Lobster

  • Rent or buy The Lobster on Amazon.
  • Buy The Lobster on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Moonlight (2016)

Director: Barry Jenkins

Starring: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris

Title Overview: A Young Man Navigates Life’s Complexities, Battling a Dysfunctional Crack-Addicted Mother, Questions of Identity, and Sexuality, with Only a Drug Dealer Named Juan Providing Sparse Guidance Throughout His Upbringing.

“One reason why Moonlight stands out among A24’s movies is that it follows the life of a central character at three significant points, portrayed by Alex R. Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, and Trevante Rhodes. This poignant and visually stunning drama made headlines as the first film focusing on LGBTQ+ themes to win the prestigious Best Picture Oscar.

How To Watch Moonlight

  • Rent or buy Moonlight on Amazon.
  • Buy Moonlight on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Lady Bird (2017)

Director: Greta Gerwig

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf

Main Topic: Christine McPherson yearns for a life that’s more refined and thrilling, beyond the limits of her everyday experience in a California high school, guided by Catholic principles.

The movie “Lady Bird,” a standout from A24, beautifully captures the essence of teen angst in the early 2000s by giving it a name and is now recognized as one of the finest high school films. It impresses with its sharp, unique, and brutally honest portrayal of adolescent strife, as well as its exceptional performances.

How To Watch Lady Bird

  • Stream Lady Bird on Max.
  • Rent or buy Lady Bird on Amazon.
  • Buy Lady Bird on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Good Time (2017)

Director: Josh and Benny Safdie

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Benny Safdie

Title Synopsis: A street-smart small-time crook resorts to escalating, reprehensible actions to secure the release of his intellectually disabled sibling from prison.

Explanation Behind Good Time Being One Of The Best A24 Movies: The Safdie Brothers demonstrate their exceptional skill in creating tense, fast-paced excitement by transforming Good Time into a unique cinematic roller coaster ride, infused with the raw, gritty spirit of the ’80s guerrilla filmmaking era.

How To Watch Good Time

  • Stream Good Time on Max.
  • Rent or buy Good Time on Amazon.
  • Buy Good Time on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Hereditary (2018)

Director: Ari Aster

Starring: Toni Collette, Alex Wolff

Overview: The aftermath of a devastating event transforms a family’s grief into an inexplicable, merciless horror.

One Reason Why Hereditary Stands Out Among A24 Movies: If the poster for this chilling A24-produced horror film, featuring a remarkable performance by Collette, had used sensational taglines promising intense scares and unnerving terror, it would have been an accurate representation.

How To Watch Hereditary

  • Rent or buy Hereditary on Amazon.
  • Buy Hereditary on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Eighth Grade (2018)

Director: Bo Burnham

Starring: Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton

Title Option: Navigating Friendship: The Journey of a Shy 13-Year-Old Girl Amidst Peers

Why It’s One Of The Best A24 Movies: The horrors of a student’s final year before high school should not be underestimated, and that is proven in Eighth Grade – a beautifully authentic commentary on early teenhood.

How To Watch Eighth Grade

  • Rent or buy Eighth Grade on Amazon.
  • Buy Eighth Grade on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Farewell (2019)

Director: Lulu Wang

Starring: Awkwafina, Shuzhen Zhao

The Main Theme: A Chinese-American woman conceals a heartfelt reunion with her ailing grandmother, who believes it’s a grand wedding celebration, during a trip back to China.

Explanation Behind The Greatness of A24’s The Farewell: At first glance, the storyline of The Farewell might seem unbelievable. However, it is a heartwarmingly humorous movie inspired by real events in Wang’s life, where a unique Chinese tradition involving keeping the news of a relative’s impending demise secret was portrayed.

How To Watch The Farewell

  • Stream The Farewell on Max.
  • Rent or buy The Farewell on Amazon.
  • Buy The Farewell on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Midsommar (2019)

Director: Ari Aster

Starring: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor

The Main Theme: A heartbroken young lady accompanies her aloof boyfriend and his companions on an excursion to a picturesque Swedish music festival, where they all encounter unexpected events.

The Reason Midsommar Stands Out Among A24 Movies: Despite Aster not typically focusing on lighthearted or cheerful narratives, he opted for a serene visual style in his second film, Midsommar. This distinctive mix of peaceful imagery and shockingly dark scenes creates an indelible, spine-tingling experience.

How To Watch Midsommar

  • Stream Midsommar on Max.
  • Rent or buy Midsommar on Amazon.
  • Buy Midsommar on Blu-ray on Amazon.

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2024-09-20 00:40