John’s top 10 TV shows of 2024
2024 television: Network shows held on to some viewers thanks to diversity of main characters and premises, but streaming and premium channels continued to dominate.
Comedy
‘The Apartment’ (1960) is worth renting, maybe even owning
Wilder Wednesday (Movie review): The Oscars were right: Lemmon and MacLaine are delightful in this light-touch, heartfelt romantic dramedy.
‘The Holdovers’ (2023) merely a placeholder for Payne
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): The director has delivered many 21st century masterpieces, but this Christmas film falls short of that status.
‘It’s a Wonderful Knife’ (2023) lacks any spirit at all
Frightening Friday (Movie review): Add this Christmas horror movie to your annual list … of films to completely skip.
‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ a fine continuation, with some gator aid
Movie review: Not as funny as it could be, not as big as other action franchises, this fourth “Bad Boys” film still manages to be a brisk diversion.
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is the (F) bomb – but not due to its gratuitous nature
Movie review: The swearing- and violence-based comedy is a bit much, but Emma Corrin and Hugh Jackman provide great acting and character arcs.
Teen TV looks to the past with ‘Cobra Kai,’ ‘Hysteria!,’ ‘Cruel Intentions’
First episode impressions (TV reviews): “Cobra Kai” remains inspired, while the other two series almost begrudgingly go through the motions.
Last three ‘Thin Man’ movies (1941-47) are the thinnest entries, but worth a look
Sleuthing Sunday (Movie reviews): The saga’s core charms – Nick, Nora and Asta – remain in “Shadow of the Thin Man,” “The Thin Man Goes Home” and “Song of the Thin Man.”
Country life is an unfunny slog in ‘The Farmer’s Wife’ (1928)
On a Hitchcock kick (Movie review): This comedy is bad in several ways, but the most basic is that it’s twice as long as what the breezy story calls for.
‘My Old Ass’ is low-key one of the year’s best movies
Movie review: Actress Maisy Stella bursts onto the scene in this delicately beautiful piece of filmic poetry that mulls the passing of time.