A24 is considered one of the best independent entertainment companies in the film industry. Since it was founded in 2012, it has released more than 80 films, ranging from horror movies, such as Ari Aster's Hereditary (2018) and Midsommar (2019) to moving dramas, such as Yorgos Lanthimos' The Lobster (2016) and David Lowery's A Ghost Story (2017). It also distributes documentaries, one of the most notable ones being Amy (2015), and produces TV series, such as Euphoria and At Home with Amy Sedaris.
A24 movies typically receive praise both from fans as well as critics. Many of them have been nominated for several Academy Awards. Their very best movies, according to IMDb, have a score between 7.4 and 8.1.
10 Good Time (2017) - 7.4
Unlike the title suggests, Good Time (2017), starring Robert Pattinson and Bennie Safdie, is a story about the horrible aftermath of a bank robbery gone wrong. One brother gets arrested, while the other one goes through hell, trying to get enough money to bail him out.
This highly suspenseful and dark movie is one of Pattinson's greatest career achievements after Twilight as he has established himself as an outstanding character actor. One of the most praised things about Good Time was the movie's score, produced by Oneohtrix Point Never.
9 Lady Bird (2017) - 7.4
The titular Lady Bird is a senior high school student, played by Saoirse Ronan, who cannot wait to leave the small town where she lives with her mother and move to the big city. It features all typical elements of a coming-of-age story: there's a boy she likes, her best friend, and family troubles.
Lady Bird is Greta Gerwig's directorial debut and it received five nomination at Academy Awards in 2018. She cast both Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet again in her second movie, Little Women (2019).
8 Uncut Gems (2019) - 7.4
In 2019, Adam Sandler proved to the world that he is not to be dismissed as a silly comedy actor. In Uncut Gems (2019), he portrays a Jewish-American jeweler who gets himself in trouble after he loses an expensive gem he bought in order to pay off his debts. The movie was praised both by critics as well as fans. From its stellar cast to outstanding score by the already-mentioned Oneohtrix Point Never, Uncut Gems is pure perfection.
There are several other A24 movies with an IMDb score of 7.4 that deserve an honorable mention: Eighth Grade (2018), Mid90s (2018), Moonlight (2016), and The Disaster Artist (2017).
7 The Lighthouse (2019) - 7.5
The Lighthouse is a psychological thriller, following two men (Pattinson and Dafoe) in late 19th century who are in charge of taking care of a lighthouse. According to the director, Robert Eggers, it's a contemporary adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's last work, 'The Light-House'.
The two men are stranded on a remote island together after a storm hits the sea. As time progresses, they can hardly still stand one another. Disaster looms in the air and by the end of the movie, it strikes with formidable force.
6 Minari (2020) - 7.5
Minari (2020) is one of the most recent A24 projects. The story is partially inspired by Lee Isaac Chung's, the director's, real-life experience. It's a story about a South Korean family who migrated to Arkansas in 1980s, in hopes to find the American dream. What they found instead was struggle and pain, but also hope. It's an incredible family drama, featuring mesmerizing cinematography and well-written characters.
5 The Florida Project (2017) - 7.6
The Florida Project is set around a motel outside of Disney World, a place that couldn't be farther from the so-called happiest place on Earth in terms of quality of life. It follows Moonee, a six year-old girl, her struggling mother Halley, and Bobby, the motel manager. With the help of her friends and imagination, Moonee escapes the depressing environment where she is growing up. Bobby and Halley, meanwhile, do what they can to protect the kids and to make their lives as bearable as possible.
4 Waves (2019) - 7.6
After a high school student's wrestling career comes to an abrupt end and his pregnant girlfriend leaves him, he spirals out of control. Struggling from substance abuse, he physically assaults his girlfriend and accidentally kills her.
This particular emotional drama deals with the aftermath of loss, grief, and hope. It stars Kelvin Harrison Jr., Lucas Hedges, and Alexa Demie. It was praised both by critics as well as fans and received several accolades from African-American Film Critics Association and Hollywood Critics Association.
3 The Farewell (2019) - 7.6
The Farewell (2019) is a comedy-drama about a Chinese family who decides to throw a fake wedding so they could say goodbye to their dying grandmother. The catch is that she doesn't know that she's dying of cancer as it is believed in their culture that the reaction to cancer is more lethal than the disease itself. But that doesn't sit well with Billi (Awkwafina), who feels really close to her grandmother.
2 Ex Machina (2014) - 7.7
Alex Garland's Ex Machina (2014) is one of the most famous A24 movies and it's rated at 7.7. Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) is a programmer who works for a tech company and he gets a chance to meet the company's CEO, the mysterious Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac). But this is no ordinary meet-up: Bateman wants Caleb's help with his newest AI project. He introduced Caleb to Ava (Alicia Vikander), a humanoid robot who is also capable of thought and consciousness.
1 Room (2015) - 8.1
Room (2015) is a critically acclaimed film that made Brie Larson a household name. It's among her best rated roles. She received an Academy Award for portraying a young woman, held captive with her son in a little shed in Toronto.
As they spend all of their time, confined to several square meters, the girl tries her best to make the environment as engaging as possible. Will they ever escape, though?