Best Films of 2024: Adults Only
Parent Previews is a family-focused website, but every year we find a few films we think adult viewers might enjoy, despite their negative content. 2024 has delivered some excellent movies with powerful stories that might appeal to some of our adult readers.
Our editor was transfixed by Lee (Restricted, Grade: C+), a biopic of Elizabeth “Lee” Miller, a war correspondent in WWII. Emotionally intense, bruising, and compelling, this film benefits from an incandescent performance by Kate Winslet. The story is agonizing, the after-effects of the war’s trauma painful, but out editor is still glad she watched it. Lee is suitable for adults prepared for war-related violence, profanity and some extended breast nudity. (Available for online rental.)
Sing Sing (Restricted, Grade: C+) is another film that deeply touched our editor. Set in the titular prison, this movie stars Colman Domingo as a wrongfully-convicted man who finds friendship, self-respect, and healing with other convicts participating in a drama program. This is a thoughtful, moving drama but the 120+ profanities might deter some viewers. (Available for online rental.)
The Alien franchise is notoriously uneven but with Alien: Romulus (Restricted, Grade: C) it rediscovers its roots. This plot sees a group of young space colonizers confronting a terrifying life form on a claustrophobic ship. Tense and dark, this film is frightening and compelling and will entertain franchise fans. (Straming on Hulu.)
Greek myths are often full of violence and sex, so it comes as no surprise that The Return (Restricted, Grade: D+) contains problematic content. This adaptation of The Odyssey stars Ralph Fiennes as Odysseus and delivers a sophisticated, mythical tale. But viewers will need to wade through bloody violence, on-screen (dimly-lit) sex, and full frontal male nudity if they want to get the whole story. (Playing in theaters. Not yet available online.)
2024 saw a batch of well-made, tightly written horror films, a genre usually derided for jump scares and gore. In Woman of the Hour (Restricted, Grade: C), Anna Kendrick stars as a participant on a TV-dating show who winds up opposite a charming bachelor with a dark side. Well-written and genuinely terrifying, this is a film for adults who want their horror served with a side of smarts. (Streaming on Netflix.)
Keith, our regular horror critic, was intrigued by Heretic (Restricted, Grade: C-), which stars Hugh Grant as a man determined to destroy the faith of two young female missionaries before killing them. This is a film that will certainly offend religious viewers (particularly Latter-day Saints or other proselytizing Christian denominations) but Keith’s attention was engaged by a film that does more talking than stabbing. That said, there is still enough gore to drive this movie well into the territory of genre fans. (Available for online rental.)
If you live outside of the United States, click on www.justwatch.com to find out where you can stream movies in your country.
