The 12 Best A24 Movies, Ranked
A24 has redefined independent cinema since its inception in 2012, emerging as a beacon for bold, auteur-driven stories that challenge conventions and captivate audiences. From intimate character studies to visceral genre explorations, their films often blend unflinching realism with stylistic flair, earning critical adoration and a devoted fanbase. What sets A24 apart is its commitment to visionary directors, allowing uncompromised visions to flourish—think slow-burn dread, euphoric absurdity, and raw emotional truths.
Ranking the 12 best A24 movies demanded careful consideration of multiple factors: critical consensus (drawing from Rotten Tomatoes aggregates and major awards), cultural resonance and meme-worthy impact, innovative storytelling or visual language, box office success relative to indie budgets, and enduring rewatchability. Influence on subsequent cinema weighs heavily too, especially how these films pushed boundaries in horror, drama, and sci-fi hybrids. This list favours films that not only excelled upon release but continue to provoke discussion and inspire imitators. From psychological terrors to triumphant multiverses, here are the elite dozen, countdown-style from strong contenders to the pinnacle.
Prepare for a journey through A24’s most essential works—each a testament to why this distributor has become synonymous with cinematic excellence.
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Saint Maud (2019)
Rose Glass’s directorial debut is a chilling descent into religious fanaticism, starring Morfydd Clark as a devout nurse convinced she holds divine power to save her dying patient. With its pulsating synth score and stark British coastal visuals, the film masterfully builds unease through intimate close-ups and hallucinatory flourishes. Clocking in at 84 minutes, it packs a punch akin to early Polanski, blending body horror with spiritual ecstasy.[1]
Glass, a former film editor, crafts a suffocating atmosphere that lingers, earning her the British Independent Film Award for Best Director. Critically lauded at 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, Saint Maud exemplifies A24’s knack for elevating micro-budget horrors (made for under $2.5 million) into festival darlings. Its exploration of faith’s dark underbelly resonates in a secular age, influencing subsequent faith-based chillers like The Pope’s Exorcist. Ranking here for its precision, though its niche appeal keeps it from higher spots.
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The Green Knight (2021)
David Lowery’s arthouse take on the Arthurian legend reimagines Sir Gawain’s quest as a psychedelic folk-horror odyssey. Dev Patel shines as the reluctant knight facing trials of temptation and mortality, amid breathtaking Irish landscapes shot by Andrew Droz Palermo. The film’s deliberate pace and painterly frames evoke Terrence Malick crossed with fairy-tale dread.
Premiering at Cannes, it holds a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score and garnered two Oscar nods for production design. Lowery’s script weaves Celtic mythology with modern existentialism, questioning heroism in a decaying world. A24’s $15 million investment paid off culturally, spawning endless fan art and analyses of its ambiguous ending. It ranks solidly for visual poetry but cedes ground to more emotionally immediate entries.
“A hypnotic, bewitching slow burn.” –Empire Magazine[2]
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Aftersun (2022)
Charlotte Wells’s semi-autobiographical gem captures a father-daughter holiday in 1990s Turkey, with Paul Mescal delivering a career-best as the quietly unraveling dad. Through fragmented memories and Super 8 aesthetics, it probes unspoken depression and fleeting joys, culminating in poignant ambiguity.
A24’s smallest release (budget under $2 million) exploded at festivals, securing 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and a Best Actor win for Mescal at the British Independent Film Awards. Wells’s innovative structure—blending nostalgia with hindsight—mirrors life’s impermanence, influencing intimate dramas like Past Lives. Its subtle power earns mid-list placement, rewarding patient viewers with profound aftertaste.
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Good Time (2017)
The Safdie brothers’ adrenaline-fueled crime odyssey stars Robert Pattinson as a desperate bank robber navigating a chaotic NYC night. With Oneohtrix Point Never’s frenetic score, it’s a masterclass in sustained tension, blending slapstick mishaps with moral ambiguity.
Shot guerrilla-style for $6 million, it premiered at Cannes, earning Pattinson a Volpi Cup and 91% critical approval. The film revitalised Pattinson’s career, paving for The Batman, and epitomised A24’s thriller prowess alongside Uncut Gems. Ranking for its visceral energy, though less thematically dense than peers.
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Ex Machina (2015)
Alex Garland’s sleek sci-fi thriller confines Domhnall Gleeson and Oscar Isaac to a remote lab with Alicia Vikander’s enigmatic AI, Ava. Minimalist design and philosophical debates on consciousness elevate it beyond standard genre fare.
A24’s US distribution turned this £5 million British production into a sleeper hit, grossing $36 million and snagging an Oscar for visual effects. At 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, it sparked AI ethics discourse pre-ChatGPT boom. Garland’s directorial debut ranks for intellectual rigour and seductive pacing.
“A visually and intellectually mesmerizing slow-burn thriller.” –Roger Ebert[3]
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Lady Bird (2017)
Greta Gerwig’s semi-autobiographical coming-of-age tale follows Saoirse Ronan’s Christine navigating Sacramento high school, class tensions, and mum-daughter friction with Laurie Metcalf. Witty, heartfelt, and sharply observed.
Debuting at Telluride, it swept awards (five Oscar noms, 99% RT), grossing $79 million on $10 million budget. Gerwig’s script captures Catholic girlhood with infectious empathy, launching her directorial streak. A24 staple for accessible excellence, ranking high for universal relatability.
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Moonlight (2016)
Barry Jenkins’s poetic triptych traces Chiron’s life through three actors across Miami’s underbelly, exploring identity, sexuality, and Black masculinity. Nicolas Britton’s cinematography shimmers like seawater.
A24’s champion, it won Best Picture (beating La La Land), three Oscars total, and 98% RT on $1.5 million budget, grossing $65 million. Jenkins adapts Tarell Alvin McCraney’s play into transcendent art. Pinnacle of empathy, securing top-half status.
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Uncut Gems (2019)
Safdie brothers redux: Adam Sandler as frantic jeweller Howard Ratner, juggling debts, bets, and Julia Fox amid NYC frenzy. Darby’s score amplifies the panic attack vibe.
97% RT, Venice premiere buzz, Sandler’s National Board of Review nod. $19 million budget yielded $50 million worldwide. Redefined Sandler as dramatic force; its stress is addictive. Ranks for audacious performance and pace.
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The Lighthouse (2019)
Robert Eggers’s monochrome fever dream pits Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson as feuding keepers on a storm-lashed 1890s island. Mythic monologues and Jarin Blaschke’s 1.19:1 aspect ratio evoke insanity.
89% RT, Cannes standing ovation. Eggers’s follow-up to The Witch cements his folk-horror throne. Influences like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari abound. Third place for sheer bravura craftsmanship.
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Midsommar (2019)
Ari Aster’s daylight nightmare follows Florence Pugh’s Dani grieving amid a Swedish cult’s sun-drenched rituals. Pawel Pogorzelski’s wide lenses amplify folk-horror’s communal dread.
83% RT (divisive), $10 million budget to $48 million. Pugh’s scream queen emergence; Aster expands Hereditary’s trauma themes. Bold anti-breakup horror ranks second for emotional devastation and visuals.
“A work of unforgettable terror.” –The Guardian[4]
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Hereditary (2018)
Aster’s debut unleashes Toni Collette as a mother unraveling after family tragedies, with Alex Wolff and Milly Shapiro in escalating occult mayhem. Pawel Pogorzelski’s Steadicam prowls domestic hell.
90% RT, $10 million to $82 million. Collette’s raw fury rivals De Niro classics; redefined possession subgenre post-The Conjuring. Pinnacle A24 horror, just edged by ultimate champ.
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Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Daniels’ (Kwan/Scheinert) multiverse opus stars Michelle Yeoh as laundromat owner Evelyn battling variants, taxes, and daughter estrangement. Absurd action, hot-dog fingers, and existential heart collide.
Seven Oscars including Best Picture, 93% RT, $25 million to $143 million. Redefined blockbusters with queer family themes and Ke Huy Quan comeback. A24’s zenith: innovative, joyous, profound.
Conclusion
A24’s pantheon thrives on risk-taking, from Eggers’s mythic visions to Daniels’ genre-bending triumph. These 12 films showcase a spectrum—from Hereditary’s unrelenting grief to Everything Everywhere’s kaleidoscopic hope—proving indie can rival studios in scope and soul. As A24 evolves, expect more boundary-pushers; their legacy urges cinema to dream bigger. Which ranks highest for you?
References
- [1] Rotten Tomatoes, Saint Maud reviews.
- [2] Empire Magazine, July 2021.
- [3] RogerEbert.com, 18 April 2015.
- [4] The Guardian, 4 July 2019.
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