In the annual roundup of the movie-reviewing app Letterboxd, Dune: Part Two by Denis Villeneuve was definitely the star of the show. The sequel to the 2021 Dune: Part One surpassed its predecessor with users, earning an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 compared to 3.9 for the first installment. Thanks to this acclaimed sequel, Villeneuve was also the most-watched director of 2024.
The actress most viewed by site users for two consecutive years is Zendaya, due in part to her roles in Dune: Part Two and Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers. However, her co-star in Dune: Part Two, Timothée Chalamet, was beaten as the most-viewed actor by Willem Dafoe.
Letterboxd users also rallied around several smaller, niche films. The second and third highest-ranked movies were I’m Still Here, an Oscar-contending Brazilian drama starring Fernanda Torres, and the Thai dramedy How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, respectively. The latter also topped the charts for highest-rated directorial debut.
Meanwhile, the highest-rated comedy of 2024 was Hundreds of Beavers, directed by Mike Cheslik, beating out mainstream competitor Sean Baker’s Anora, which, however, was the highest-rated romance. The European film that garnered the highest rating was The Count of Monte Cristo, a fresh adaptation of the classic French revenge tale by directors Alexandre de La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte.
The highest-ranked films of 2024 varied greatly, from big-budget continuations like Dune: Part Two to adaptations of classics by French cinema and low-budget independent creations by fresh talents in the industry. This wide spectrum reflects the diverse tastes of Letterboxd's user base.
In the documentary category, the highest-ranked film was the Palestinian documentary No Other Land, whereas, the most popular documentary was Netflix’s Will & Harper.
Marvel's less-successful film, Madame Web, was considered both the lowest-rated film and the most-loved film of the year, being criticized harshly while receiving most hearts. Meanwhile, Harmony Korine’s Aggro Dr1ft was the most contentious film of the year, receiving a range of ratings from five stars to half a star.
Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17 is the most anticipated film for 2025, according to Letterboxd users.
