Known for distributing banger after banger ever since the neon-soaked divisive Spring Breakers in 2012, A24 has earned the reputation of being cinema’s version of “she’s not like other girls.” Whether it’s horror, crime or coming of age, A24 films just hit different—each flick spawning a ride-or-die following, endless memes and countless mood boards. Stuffed with style and arthouse sensibility, A24 has gone on to produce television, documentaries, podcasts and merch, including several flavours of milk chocolate. So with the recent Aussie release of two highly anticipated films in Ari Aster’s Eddington and Eva Victor’s Sorry, Baby, we thought it was the perfect time to round up some of our favourite A24 films.
The Iron Claw
Grab a box (or two) of tissues because The Iron Claw is a dropkick to the heart. Based on the true and tragic story of one of wrestling’s most famous families, the film follows the lives of the Von Erich brothers, both in and out of the ring. A cautionary tale about toxic masculinity and the sins of the father (their daddy is the kind who ranks his sons and lets them know about it), The Iron Claw is a love letter to brotherhood and a biopic of saddest hits that will absolutely finish you.
Where To Watch: Netflix and Stan
Uncut Gems
A film that feels like a two hour panic attack, Uncut Gems is an anxiety-fuelled ride starring a brilliant Adam Sandler as Howard, a New York City jeweller with a weakness for high stakes gambling. Known for their high-octane gritty movies, filmmakers Josh and Benny Safdie have managed to deliver a film that is as stressful as it is exhilarating. If you’re a sucker for movies that give you a front row seat to someone’s worst day, Uncut Gems is your next favourite film. Just remember to breathe, it’s intense (but in the best way).
Where To Watch: Netflix
Past Lives
Celine Song’s directorial debut captured many hearts in 2023, arguably one of the best years for film in recent memory. Past Lives is the story of childhood sweethearts Nora and Hae Sung who, after decades apart, are reunited in New York. Nora–played beautifully by Greta Lee–is a character torn between the past and the present, and the film is a stunning meditation on the concept of sliding doors and fatalism. Song’s playwright background is clearly shown through her intimate dialogue and patient storytelling, and Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen’s tender score serves to amplify the feeling of melancholy that is so richly baked into the film. For those of you who’ve had to choose between two loves, this one’s for y’all.
Where To Watch: Netflix
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Mid90s
The directorial debuts continue with mid90s, a coming-of-age story from Jonah Hill. Set in LA during–you guessed it–the mid-90s, this slick 86-minute film follows 13-year-old Stevie as he navigates between a depressing home life and an intoxicating new friendship group. It’s a slice-of-life flick that captures that nostalgic AF feeling of being on your skateboard, of hanging out with kids older than you, of having nothing to do and nowhere to be. A hangout movie with heart, packed with needle drops from every 90s-core act you can imagine, from Wu-Tang to Nirvana, Big L to Pixies.
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime
Moonlight
A24’s golden child Moonlight is a fave for many cinephiles, not only for its infamous best picture win over La La Land (if you’ve been living under a rock, it’s that iconic moment when Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway announced the wrong film) at the 2017 Oscars, but for its tender rendering of the queer Black experience in America. Moonlight is the story of a young man’s struggle to carve out both his identity and his sexuality, structured into three acts and performed by three different actors. Featuring an incredible cast including Andre Holland, Janelle Monae and Mahershala Ali, there’s a reason why Moonlight shows up in so many people’s top films on Letterboxd.
Where To Watch: Stan and SBS On Demand
Midsommar
Ever been to a European festival where human sacrifice is just another Tuesday and you spend the entire time feeling gaslit cause nobody else seems to find it weird? Well, Ari Aster’s Midsommar is very much that—a psychological horror movie that takes place primarily in sunlight. Florence Pugh is unbelievable as Dani, a young woman experiencing incomprehensible grief after a traumatic event involving her family. In an attempt to move on with her life, Dani travels to Sweden with her boyfriend and his mates for Midsommar, a summer festival that is held once every ninety years. But what initially seemed like an idyllic vacation slowly turns into a psychedelic nightmare. If you’re after a slow burn, culty horror flick that also happens to look like a cottagecore pinterest board, this one’s for you.
Where To Watch: Stan and SBS On Demand
Climax
Gaspar Noe’s 2018 Climax fits snugly in the venn diagram of horror movie and dance movie, offering viewers a fever dream experience that will stay with them long after the credits roll. The purest example of a bad trip, the French film works like a classic whodunnit as we watch a troupe of dancers descend into madness after one of them secretly spikes the sangria with LSD. Watching Climax is kind of like witnessing a bad car crash. You’re horrified by what you’re seeing, but you can’t turn away. Performed by a cast of mostly non-actors discovered through Paris’ dance scene, Climax will make you re-think your next rave. It’s also got an incredible opening dance number that you’ll be showing your mates every time they come over.
Where To Watch: SBS On Demand
Sing Sing
Remember the box of tissues that we recommended for The Iron Claw? Well, hold onto them cause you’re going to need them for this. Led by the insanely talented Colman Domingo, Sing Sing is the story of Divine G, an inmate at Sing Sing Correctional Facility who forms a theatre program as a means of rehabilitation. A deeply human film, Sing Sing is a powerful rallying call for the transformative power of art, with a reveal at the end about the cast that will have your jaw on the floor. If you’re after a good ugly cry, chuck this one on.
Where To Watch: Stan
The Brutalist
Featuring an all-time performance from Adrien Brody, The Brutalist is an astonishing achievement with director Brady Corbet somehow serving us caviar with a paper plate budget. Although not based on a book, this film feels like an adaptation of one of those chunky classics studied in high school (but the good kind, the kind you would actually read even if it wasn’t assigned to you). The Brutalist comes in at almost four hours, but it actually feels like two because of how well-paced and engaging it is. We’re following Laszlo Toth, a Hungarian architect who flees post-war Europe in 1947 for a fresh start in America. If you’re after an incisive insight into the migrant experience and a film that flips the bird to the “American dream”, you’re in good company with 2024’s The Brutalist.
Where To Watch: Netflix
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