Cinema That Moved Me: The Top Ten Film & Streaming Series I Watched in 2024

Each year, I share a list of the books I enjoyed most the previous year. Today, I’m revealing a list of shows and films that I genuinely enjoyed. They were not all deeply meaningful; some were just funny or entertaining. Each one struck a chord, and I felt they were worth sharing.

Wicked (Part 1) This one’s in the cinema. Like millions of others, I benefited from seeing the Broadway musical first and I’ve enjoyed the music and story for years. Wicked is the prequel to The Wizard of Oz, revealing how each witch and character became who they were in the original movie. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo star in this plot that explains how those who are marginalized often emerge to bring justice for others who are marginalized. Watch the Trailer ➔

One Life This movie showed in cinemas and is now streaming. Anthony Hopkins stars in this true drama of a man who discovered children who needed to be rescued in Prague, during World War 2. Hopkins enters this endeavor without all the answers and realizes over time how complicated it is to spare children who are without a home or family. The story is a reminder of our moral obligation to care for the next generation and includes a rewarding ending. You may just need a Kleenex for this one. Watch the Trailer ➔

Paper Tigers This documentary is streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime. It’s especially poignant for educators or anyone who cares about kids. It’s the story of Principal Jim Sporleder and his team at Lincoln High School in Walla Walla, WA. Lincoln is an alternative school filled with at-risk and in-crisis students who are shown tough love that empowers them to graduate and break the unhealthy patterns of life at home. It’s another powerful story requiring Kleenex to watch. Watch the Trailer ➔

Wolfs This movie streamed on Apple TV+. It’s an intriguing plot starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt, whose chemistry is fabulous again. The two play competitive professionals who make bad circumstances go away for those who can afford their services. Hilariously, they are assigned the same case, dispensing of a dead man who turns out to be alive after all. They stumble over each other and eventually realize they must work together to get out of the ordeal alive. Watch the Trailer ➔

Your Honor This Netflix series portrays a dad’s moral dilemma when his son accidentally hits a kid who happens to be the son of a notorious mafia leader. Brian Cranston plays the father of the perpetrator who is a judge and can pull strings to get his son off the hook for manslaughter, but unknown clues make the resolution complex. I was gripped by the ethical challenge of a man who is pulled between saving his son and coming clean on what really happened. Watch the Trailer ➔

Inside Out 2 This Pixar film is about a 13-year-old girl named Riley Anderson who deals with the complex emotions of puberty. Part One portrayed her as a young girl with different emotions. Riley's emotions (Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger) meet new emotions in puberty: Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui. These new emotions clash with the originals providing lessons in social and emotional learning. This is a great story to discuss with family. Watch the Trailer ➔

Chasing Childhood This documentary came out in 2020, but I just watched it this year. In today’s world of structure, stranger danger, and helicopter parenting, free play and independence have all but disappeared from childhood, giving way to anxiety and depression. In the documentary, psychologists and activists of the "free play" movement fight to bring back the untold benefits of a less curated childhood. It makes the case against over-functioning adults. Watch the Trailer ➔

Nobody Wants This You can find this series on Netflix. It’s the unlikely love story between Joanne (Kristen Bell) and Noah (Adam Brody) who plays a single rabbi. It’s a romantic comedy that portrays these two navigating the challenges of their different lifestyles, meddling families and convictions. The script is fresh, and I found myself laughing out loud. In the end, the story reveals how both Joanne and Noah come to grips with their beliefs and values. Watch the Trailer ➔

Conclave This film was released in the cinema in October of 2024. It didn’t get a lot of press, but the moral dilemma it reveals is palpable. Ralph Fiennes, who I enjoyed years ago in Schindler’s List, is brilliant as Cardinal Lawrence. He is a weary yet dedicated man who can’t ignore the things that keep him awake at night. Tension mounts over his decision to listen to his better angels and do what’s right, establishing his legacy as Cardinal and taking the easy road. Watch the Trailer ➔

Juror #2 This Clint Eastwood film will move to streaming before the end of 2024. “Juror #2” follows family man Justin Kemp, played by Nicholas Hoult, who, as a juror in a high-profile murder trial, finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma... one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict, or free the accused killer. I love stories that pose a moral dilemma to someone, forcing them to uncover what they really believe about right and wrong. Watch the Trailer ➔

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