Best Comedy Movies Of 2024 So Far

It's been a rough few years for comedy movies, as even A-list star vehicles have been sent directly to streaming services rather than getting theatrical releases. Comedy simply isn't the financial powerhouse it was earlier this century. Still, there's been some promise of late with 2023's box office successes, including the Oscar-nominated "Barbie," the rom-com revival "Anyone But You," and even franchise adventures like "Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves." 

Halfway into 2024, there's promise for the year's comedy film line-up, from major studio tentpoles to low-budget indie flicks. Not all of them have been lucky enough to screen in theaters, but they're worth checking out if you have the appropriate streaming service. Some will be perfect watches for families or broad fans of cinema, while others might be more for acquired comedy tastes.

Particularly with comedy films, it can be hard to parse through what's worth watching and what can be ignored. For those who frequent sites like Rotten Tomatoes or Metacritic, comedy movies typically get lower scores than prestige dramas or the works of auteur filmmakers, so some cinephiles might miss out on fun theater-going experiences based on unreliable word of mouth. It's a shame, considering comedy movies are often way better for romantic movie nights and group-watch parties. But these movies released so far in 2024 are guaranteed to make even the most hardcore film fanatic bust their gut laughing, whether they like it or not.

Cast: Angourie Rice, Auli'i Cravalho, Jaquel Spivey, Reneé Rapp, Christopher Briney, Tina Fey, Jenna Fischer

Director: Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr.

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 112 minutes

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, MGM+, PVOD

No one needs to be reminded how great the original "Mean Girls" from 2004 is. Now, 20 years later, it's been reinterpreted not as a straight remake but an adaptation of the stage musical. Although there are varying opinions on the remake culture of the modern entertainment industry, the 2024 "Mean Girls" is a worthy re-imagining of the original film through the lens of the Tony-nominated Broadway show. While it does feature returning cast members from the 2004 film, the bulk of the teenage cast is replaced with younger stars like Angourie Rice, Auli'i Cravalho, and Christopher Briney. 

At the center of it all is Reneé Rapp, who reprises her role as Regina George after playing the character in its Broadway run. Since then, Rapp has become a star in her own right, having appeared in HBO's "The Sex Lives of College Girls" as well as developing a pop music career with her debut album "Snow Angel." Rapp's performance steals the show, or as Variety put it, her entrance as Regina George "carries a jolt, and you may wonder for a moment how Rachel McAdams, in the original film, made the impact she did without that song."

It's difficult for the film to live up to the original in many aspects, but with a handful of catchy songs and great performances from new cast members, it's certainly worth a watch for fans of the 2004 version. As The New York Times wrote, "its charms and ingratiating likability remain intact" — though it's mainly a Reneé Rapp star vehicle.

Cast: Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick, Biff Wiff, Andy Samberg

Director: Jake Johnson

Rating: R

Runtime: 85 minutes

Where to watch: Hulu

Comedy fans likely know Jake Johnson from playing Nick Miller on "New Girl," as well as appearances in films like "Tag" and "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." "Self Reliance," the actor's directorial debut, originally premiered over a year ago at SXSW. It didn't properly open until January 2024, appearing in theaters for one night only before moving to a Hulu-exclusive release. Given that many might have missed the film's arrival, it's a surprising diamond in the rough for fans of alternative comedy.

Johnson stars as Tommy, a down-on-his-luck, lonely man offered the chance to participate in a dark web reality competition in which he must survive being hunted for 30 days. Exposing a loophole where he's only in danger when he's alone, Tommy befriends a homeless man, played by Biff Wiff, and a fellow player named Maddy, played by Anna Kendrick, to keep himself around people at all times. The film carefully balances high-stakes action and a heartwarming story about human connection. 

As Slant magazine noted in its review, the movie "gets a firm handle on the things it does want to achieve: tell good jokes, craft likeable characters, and strike a lighthearted tone that's always just a little bit odder than you may be expecting." With actors as likable as Johnson and Kendrick leading the way, it's hard to not get sucked into the fun of watching a guy like Tommy sign himself up for something far beyond his depth. 

Cast: LaKeith Stanfield, Omar Sy, Anna Diop, RJ Cyler, David Oyelowo, Alfre Woodard, Caleb McLaughlin, James McAvoy

Director: Jeymes Samuel

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 129 minutes

Where to watch: Netflix, PVOD

It's been a long time since movies based around the Bible were a popular film genre in Hollywood, whether they're dramas like "Mary Magdalene" and "The Last Temptation of Christ" or comedies like "Year One" and "Bruce Almighty." But 2024 is the rare exception in this case, with writer-director Jeymes Samuel flipping the script on Bible movies with "The Book of Clarence." 

The film stars LaKeith Stanfield as the titular Hebrew man living in 33 A.D., who is inspired by the popularity of Jesus Christ to fake being the Messiah and become free of his mundane, debt-ridden life. The film features a strong supporting cast, including David Oyelowo, Alfre Woodward, and James McAvoy, who all play figures from the New Testament in this reinterpretation of the story of Christ. It's certainly not the most accurate Bible adaptation (nor is it trying to be), but its satirization of modern-day racial issues makes it a unique take on the genre.

It's definitely a solid use of Stanfield following his work on "Atlanta," with Rolling Stone saying of his performance, "even if he wasn't doing double duty as Clarence and his twin, you'd still feel like he was giving you twice as much as most performers." Whether the film is offering up a Monty Python-esque depiction of Biblical Jerusalem or a fully realized dramatic story of a Black dreamer, Samuel's satire is both a thoughtful and hilarious watch. 

Cast: Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Carla Gugino, Liza Soberano

Director: Zelda Williams

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 101 minutes

Where to watch: Peacock, PVOD

While Valentine's Day is usually reserved for romantic comedies led by two unrealistically beautiful actors (see: "Anyone But You"), "Lisa Frankenstein" took the holiday to a much darker place. From the pen of Diablo Cody, the screenwriter behind cult classics like "Juno" and "Jennifer's Body," "Lisa Frankenstein" takes its cues from '80s comedies like "Weird Science," starring Kathryn Newton as a goth teen who resurrects a Victorian-era corpse, played by Cole Sprouse, to be her perfect boyfriend. 

From its aesthetics to its cast, "Lisa Frankenstein" likely won't appeal to the most casual of film fans, but for those who already love the low-budget '80s vibe it brings, it's a worthwhile ride and a fun date night pick. Bloody Disgusting called it "a celebration of teen girls and outcasts who just want to be loved," with a "magnetic" performance by Newton at the center. Sadly, most critics failed to see the campy appeal that Cody and director Zelda Williams were going for with this charming love story. 

Thankfully, the film's commitment to cheesy '80s aesthetics was praised by some, with Deadline writing, "it's an ambitious swing that will find an audience with some, and may not land with others." It's certainly a spiritual successor to Cody's work in "Jennifer's Body," which took a few years after its release to catch on with cult horror fans. Perhaps the same is in store for "Lisa Frankenstein" in the near future.

Cast: Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Colman Domingo

Director: Ethan Coen

Rating: R

Runtime: 85 minutes

Where to watch: Peacock, PVOD

"Drive-Away Dolls" was a long time in the making, originating in the early 2000s as the brainchild of Ethan Coen and his wife, Tricia Cooke. Ethan, known as one half of the Coen brothers with Joel Coen, worked on the film for nearly 20 years before actually making it his solo directorial debut. With a cast that includes Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, and Colman Domingo, "Drive-Away Dolls" draws inspiration from 1970s B-movies and exploitation films. 

The end result, much like "Lisa Frankenstein," might not find love from the average moviegoer, but will certainly find a very specific audience as a future cult classic. What the film lacks at times in narrative cohesiveness it makes up for with the oozing chemistry of its two leads, Qualley and Viswanathan, as lesbian best friends who take a road trip and find themselves intertwined in a political scandal that involves some sex toys, a Miley Cyrus cameo, and a severed head. 

Tomris Laffly wrote at RogerEbert.com, "Qualley is simply a firecracker, an explosive and voracious sprit bursting with the kind of energy that once again cements her as a once-in-a-generation talent," while Viswanathan "beautifully charts as one of the most striking leading actors working today." By the end of this over-the-top adventure, audiences may be shocked to see how elegant and heartwarming the love story between its two leads really is. 

Cast: Julio Torres, Tilda Swinton, RZA, Isabella Rossellini, Catalina Saavedra, Greta Lee

Director: Julio Torres

Rating: R

Runtime: 104 minutes

Where to watch: Max, PVOD

Stand-up comedian Julio Torres first rose to prominence as a writer on "Saturday Night Live," with a hyper-specific comedic voice that shone in pre-taped sketches like "Papyrus," "The Actress," and "The Sink." After co-creating and starring in the absurdist HBO comedy "Los Espookys," Torres has now made his debut as a writer and director with "Problemista," in which he also stars as a struggling designer who takes a job working for an eccentric artist played by Tilda Swinton. 

For those who are fans of Torres' comedy, "Problemista" is essentially a 98-minute version of his best work, which may be alienating to the unfamiliar viewer. As The Washington Post wrote, the film "can seem baggy and digressive at times, but 'Problemista' finally becomes something greater than its parts." Other reviews felt the film was more welcoming, with RogerEbert.com calling it "the latest evolution in Torres' offbeat comedy; it rewards those who know what came before it ... but it is not closed off to those who haven't kept up with all of the in-jokes."

What really shines in the film is Tilda Swinton's performance as the employer from hell, with many regarding the actress as a scene-stealer. That's not to discount the film's stellar supporting cast, including Greta Lee and RZA, but Swinton's freak flag is on full display with this role. It's certainly one of the weirder movies to come from A24, though it easily fits right at home with the production company's more ambitious projects. 

Cast: Zac Efron, John Cena

Director: Peter Farrelly

Rating: R

Runtime: 113 minutes

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

There was a time not too long ago when a film like "Ricky Stanicky," with A-listers like Zac Efron and John Cena leading its cast, would be a go-to studio comedy for a theatrical run. However, it's only seen a low-key release on Prime Video, despite coming from the directorial mind of Peter Farrelly, who with his brother directed some of the most iconic comedies of the 2000s, including "Dumb and Dumber," "There's Something About Mary," and "Me, Myself, and Irene."

"Ricky Stanicky," compared to those other comedies, lives and dies by Cena's performance at the center of it. The film follows a group of childhood best friends who have grown accustomed to blaming their mischief on their titular imaginary friend, but when it comes time to pay the piper, they end up hiring Cena's Rod, an actor and parody songwriter, to play the role, which ends up having disastrous consequences for all involved. Variety went so far as to call Cena "the movie's MVP" in their online review.

For fans of Cena's comedic performances in films like "Trainwreck" or "Blockers," "Ricky Stanicky" might be the actor's best work yet. As AP News wrote, "Cena really and truly commits and brings a kind of unexpected depth and pathos to Rock Hard Rod," though they had little good to say about the rest of the film. Nevertheless, it's a decent watch for a late-night movie marathon, especially for those who miss raunchy 2000s comedies. 

Cast: voices of Jack Black, Awkwafina, Dustin Hoffman, Viola Davis, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, Ke Huy Quan

Director: Mike Mitchell and Stephanie Stine

Rating: PG

Runtime: 94 minutes

Where to watch: Peacock, PVOD

It's been almost 10 years since the last "Kung Fu Panda" film, so franchise fans may be hesitant to check out the fourth installment after all this time. But it doesn't take long for audiences to be reminded of what made "Kung Fu Panda" such a success in the first place, and a lot of it has to do with the endearing lead voice performance from Jack Black as Po, who at the start of "Kung Fu Panda 4" has been loving life as the Dragon Warrior, despite Master Shifu's insistence that it's time for Po to find himself a successor.

Right on time, Po is challenged with an all-new enemy: The Chameleon, voiced by Viola Davis, who takes on the appearance of Po's greatest foes, including Tai Lung from the first "Kung Fu Panda" film. Teaming up with a crafty corsac fox named Zhen, voiced by Awkwafina, Po's latest adventure is his greatest trial yet, featuring some of the franchise's best action sequences and funniest moments of slapstick. 

A review for AP News hit the nail right on the head: "As always, it's the animators who are the real heroes here ... this is a visual delight." Other reviews also gave credit to the chemistry between Black and Awkwafina, as well as the movie's originality compared to the other three "Panda" films. As far as 2024 comedies go, "Kung Fu Panda 4" is the most fun for the whole family.

Cast: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson

Director: Gil Kenan

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 115 minutes

Where to watch: PVOD

It's always a perilous thing to reintroduce audiences to a beloved franchise, especially one as revered as "Ghostbusters." However, "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" might be the first film since the original "Ghostbusters" to give audiences a fun supernatural adventure, rather than having to live up to any sort of standard. Coming off the success of "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," which brought the franchise into the modern era as Egon Spengler's family teamed up with the original crew to form the new Ghostbusters, "Frozen Empire" was made to feel like an isolated episode of the 1986 animated series. 

When Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) comes across an ancient orb containing a mysterious demonic entity, Ghostbusters both old and new must team up to defend New York City from the frozen emperor's return. Newcomers to the franchise include Kumail Nanjiani, James Acaster, and Patton Oswalt, though the stand-outs are still "Afterlife" veterans Mckenna Grace and Paul Rudd. Plus the old guard, especially Aykroyd, gets ample screentime compared to "Afterlife."

Digital Spy called the new film "a step in the right direction for the revived 'Ghostbusters' franchise. Old fans can revel in the nostalgia, while there are promising signs that they're doing something original for new fans." Like "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" last year, there will be viewers who cross their arms at the mere mention of a series reboot. But for those with more of an open mind, "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" is one of the funniest sci-fi comedies in recent memory. 

Cast: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine

Director: Michael Showalter

Rating: R

Runtime: 115 minutes

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

"The Idea of You" has gotten a lot of traction online for apparently being inspired by Harry Styles fan fiction. For those willing to look past its origin, it's a fresh and modern romantic comedy led by one of the greats of the genre: Anne Hathaway. In the film, Hathaway plays a single mother who sparks a romance with a singer (Nicholas Galitzine) from her daughter's (Ella Rubin) favorite boy band. "The Idea of You" was helmed by director Michael Showalter, who has proven his worth with films like "The Big Sick," "The Eyes of Tammy Faye," and "Spoiler Alert."

The film recently debuted at South by Southwest, and early reviews have been more positive than many were expecting. Variety stated that the film's success comes down to the chemistry between its leads, but mostly hinges on the performance of Hathaway in her triumphant rom-com return: "This is Hathaway's movie, and she owns it: independent, desirable and never, ever desperate."

Another SXSW review from The A.V. Club sang its praises even higher, calling the film "one of [Hathaway's] finest performances ... filled with a sincere sense of passion that will have eager audiences humming in their seats, it's one of the best romantic comedies we've seen in quite a while." With the entertainment industry starved for good romantic comedies — as box office results for "Anyone But You" proved — it's the perfect time for audiences to catch this when it drops on Prime Video in May. 

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Stephanie Hsu

Director: David Leitch

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 126 minutes

Where to watch: PVOD

One of the most anticipated comedies of 2024 is "The Fall Guy," starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, hot off their successes in 2023 with "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer," respectively. Based on a television series from the 1980s, "The Fall Guy" stars Gosling as a charismatic Hollywood stunt performer who is tasked with hunting down the missing lead of his ex-girlfriend's directorial debut, throwing him in the path of a crime syndicate and way out of his depth. The film is also helmed by proven action director David Leitch, whose prior credits include "Atomic Blonde" and "Deadpool 2."

"The Fall Guy" is a certified crowd-pleaser that pays homage to the incredible work of stunt people over the years, with Variety commending its "crisp, meticulously lit sequences in which the colors pop, sparks literally fly and even the below-the-line characters look like ... well, movie stars." A review from Rolling Stone following its SXSW premiere also gave credit to the on-screen chemistry between Gosling and Blunt, who "play off each other in a way that perfectly complements their strengths."

Simply put, "The Fall Guy" is primed to be one of the most beloved blockbusters of 2024, with enough high-octane action and laughs to satisfy any audience member. With the movie's May release, it's looking to be an incredible time for comedy films, whether they're available to watch at home on streaming services or luring audiences back to the theaters.

Cast: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Timothy Spall

Director: Thea Sharrock

Rating: R

Runtime: 100 minutes

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

This British comedy of manners had its world premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival before hitting U.S. and U.K. theaters the following spring. It's an unofficial "The Lost Daughter" reunion, in that Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley actually get to share the screen with each other this time (as opposed to playing older and younger versions of the same character, as they did in Maggie Gyllenhaal's Oscar-nominated film). Set in England against the backdrop of the suffragette movement, it centers on a feud between uptight spinster Edith Swan (Colman) and her neighbor, spitfire Irish immigrant Rose Gooding (Buckley). When Edith starts receiving poison pen letters, she lays the blame on Rose, whose love of profanity matches the rowdy tone of the hate mail. Rose is put on trial for a crime she denies committing, and an investigation led by Woman Police Officer Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan) suggests she might be telling the truth.

"Wicked Little Letters" was inspired by a true story that occurred in Littlehampton in the 1920s. The actual mystery itself is of little concern to Sharrock and her screenwriter, Jonny Sweet, who each put more emphasis on the story's lightly comedic elements over its sociopolitical ones. As Robert Abele of the Los Angeles Times puts it, "'Wicked Little Letters' is benignly enjoyable in its take on a true story of hidden feelings, farcical expression and righteous action."

Cast: Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, Olivia Graves, Wes Tank, Doug Mancheski, Luis Rico

Director: Mike Cheslik

Rating: not rated (content equivalent to PG)

Runtime: 108 minutes

Where to watch: PVOD

"Hundreds of Beavers" has become something of a word-of-mouth sensation since premiering at Fantastic Fest all the way back in 2022, and what's happened since then should serve as an inspiration for up-and-coming independent filmmakers. Rather than selling to a studio, director Mike Cheslik and his producing partners decided to distribute the $150,000 indie themselves, working with former Kino Lorber executive Jessica Rosner to get their film in front of audiences. It played at festivals across the globe throughout the last two years before opening in U.S. theaters in 2024, and since making its streaming debut, more people have gotten the opportunity to experience this singularly quirky farce.

Shot in black and white and made to look like a silent comedy starring Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin, it stars Ryland Brickson Cole Tews as Jean Kayak, a 19th-century applejack salesman who accidentally destroys his own brewery. He falls in love with a beautiful merchant's daughter (Olivia Graves), whose father (Doug Mancheski) demands hundreds of beavers from her potential suitor before offering his daughter's hand in marriage. The beavers are all played by actors wearing giant beaver costumes.

The film got one of its best reviews from Dennis Harvey of Variety, who predicted it was "sure to develop a significant cult following with its unique mix of silent-era slapstick, animation elements, theme-park-style critter costumes, and general air of inspired absurdity." The film also made our Best of the Year list, where it unfortunately sits alongside films that do not contain any actors wearing giant beaver costumes.

Cast: Joanna Arnow, Scott Cohen, Babak Tafti, Michael Cyril Creighton

Director: Joanna Arnow

Rating: NR

Runtime: 87 minutes

Where to watch: PVOD

Joanna Arnow's second feature film premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival in the Directors' Fortnight selection, and played at the Toronto, New York, and AFI film festivals before making its way to theaters in 2024 courtesy of Magnolia Pictures. Arnow also wrote the script and stars as Ann, a depressed millennial who finds relief from her mind-numbing job and her squabbling Jewish family by engaging in BDSM with her on-again off-again partner, Allen (Scott Cohen). Desperate to break up the mundane routine that has become her life, Ann decides to branch off into different romantic entanglements, leading to a real relationship with nice guy Chris (Babak Tafti).

If discomfort isn't your thing, then "The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed" will have you rushing for the exits. Arnow puts herself into situations as a performer that are disquieting to watch — not just in the sex scenes, but in the family ones as well, since she cast her real parents to play her movie ones. Yet in the words of critic Katie Rife, writing for RogerEbert.com, the film's "most impressive trick is in the understated way this distress shifts into something more hopeful." She adds, "Ann is a passive person, and a self-absorbed one. If good things can drift into her life, maybe there's hope for the rest of us, too."

Cast: Ilana Glazer, Michelle Buteau, Hasan Minhaj, John Carroll Lynch, Oliver Platt, Stephan James

Director: Pamela Adlon

Rating: R

Runtime: 104 minutes

Where to watch: PVOD

For fans of "Broad City," "Babes" functions almost like a feature-length episode of that Comedy Central series, not least of all because it stars and is co-written by Ilana Glazer. Directed by Pamela Adlon, it centers on lifelong friends Eden (Glazer), a perpetual slacker who's not ready to settle down, and Dawn (Michelle Buteau), who's just had her second child with her husband, Marty (Hasan Minhaj). When Eden becomes pregnant after a one-night stand with a handsome actor she met on the subway (Stephan James), she decides to take the plunge into motherhood, though Dawn has her doubts about her best friend's abilities to raise a kid on her own.

Like "Broad City," "Babes" is built around female friendship, with all of the intricacies and delicacies that go along with that. It's also a shockingly foul-mouthed and cartoonishly gross-out comedy, with just as many jokes about bodily fluids as there would be in a movie directed by the Farrelly brothers. And it's a surprisingly sincere story about a woman who's afraid to grow up and another who wishes she didn't have so much responsibility. In the words of Washington Post critic Amy Nicholson, "It's a movie that hits you with the same surge of mixed emotions as a hug from a grubby toddler." It's cute and cuddly and might leave a stain on your shirt.

Cast: Ilinca Manolache, Nina Hoss, Uwe Boll

Director: Radu Jude

Rating: R

Runtime: 163 minutes

Where to watch: Mubi, PVOD

The latest film from acclaimed Romanian director Radu Jude won the Special Jury Prize at the 2023 Locarno Film Festival before being released by Mubi in the spring of 2024. It's a sprawling two-hour-43-minute epic about a production assistant named Angela (Ilinca Manolache) who's working as a runner on a workplace safety video for a multinational corporation. While driving around the city of Bucharest, Angela makes TikTok videos in the guise of her alter ego, the misogynist dude-bro Bobita.

Jude intercuts his story with footage from the 1981 movie "Angela Moves On," which centers on a female taxi driver roaming the streets of Bucharest in much the same way that the Angela of this film does. In this way, Jude draws comparisons between the treatment of workers during the Soviet Era and today, finding that nothing much has changed. This is also reflected in the video Angela is helping to produce, which puts the onus on employees to keep themselves safe as employers continue to cut corners. It's little wonder that while she's being worked to death, Angela finds escape through social media. Alison Willmore wrote for Vulture, "What stands out is its willingness to acknowledge the general horror of modern existence, and then to suggest the only reasonable response is to laugh." 

Cast: Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, Retta, Evan Holtzman

Director: Richard Linklater

Rating: R

Runtime: 115 minutes

Where to watch: Netflix

After premiering at the 2023 Venice Film Festival to great acclaim, Richard Linklater's newest comedy opened in select theaters before making its streaming debut on Netflix. The film stars Glen Powell (who also co-wrote the script with the director) as Gary Johnson, a meek philosophy professor who finds himself working as a fake hitman for the New Orleans Police Department. Gary embodies a variety of personas in his second job, one of whom — the charismatic Ron — begins an affair with potential client Madison (Adria Arjona), who wants to hire him to bump off her abusive husband (Evan Holtzman).

Like Linklater's "Bernie," "Hit Man" is inspired by a true story (the real Gary Johnson was profiled in a 2001 Texas Monthly article by Skip Hollandsworth, which served as the basis for the script). Rather than make a grim, hard-hitting crime thriller, Linklater takes this stranger-than-fiction tale into the realm of farce, with Powell acting as the stable, sexy center as events spiral out of control. The film earned near-universal praise from critics, with Alissa Wilkinson of The New York Times calling it "romantic, sexy, hilarious, satisfying and a genuine star-clinching turn for Glen Powell, who's been having a moment for about two years now. It's got the cheeky verve of a 1940s screwball rom-com in a thoroughly contemporary (and slightly racier) package."

Cast: Dakota Johnson, Sonoya Mizuno, Jermaine Fowler, Kiersey Clemons, Molly Gordon

Directors: Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne

Rating: R

Runtime: 86 minutes

Where to watch: Max

It's been a long road for mass audiences to see "Am I OK?," which premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival before finally dropping on Max in June 2024. The feature directorial debut of married comedians Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne, it stars Dakota Johnson as Lucy, a 32-year-old spa receptionist coming to terms with the prospect of her best friend, Jane (Sonoya Mizuno), moving to London for a work promotion. During a farewell celebration, Lucy confesses to kissing a girl as a teenager, leading her to explore the possibility that she might be a lesbian. Jane encourages Lucy to pursue her co-worker, Brittany (Kiersey Clemons), who's sending her mixed signals.

Screenwriter Lauren Pomerantz, who cut her teeth on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and "Saturday Night Live," based the script on her own coming-out journey and her friendship with Jessica Elbaum, who also serves as a producer on the movie. The deeply personal nature of the story is evident throughout the film, and many critics praised Pomerantz's ability to mine her own life for laughs and pathos. "[Pomerantz's] exuberant gift of a movie never takes the easy way out when awkward, uncomfortable reality offers far more challenging options," raved Peter Travers for ABC News. "'Am I OK' respects the Pomerantz script by digging into the things that make Lucy squirm."

Cast: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Joe Pantoliano, Eric Dane, Jacob Scipio

Directors: Adil & Bilall

Rating: R

Runtime: 115 minutes

Where to watch: in theaters

Will Smith's post-slap comeback had a major boost this summer with the release of "Bad Boys: Ride or Die," one of the highest-grossing films of the year. The fourth film in the long-running franchise finds lifelong friends and partners Mike Lowrey (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) trying to clear the name of their late captain, Conrad Howard (Joe Pantoliano), who's been framed for corruption by criminal elements within the LAPD led by ex-Army Ranger James McGrath (Eric Dane). Pretty soon the bad boys are framed for murder and have to go on the run with Mike's long-lost son, former cartel hitman Armando Aretas (Jacob Scipio).

The "Bad Boys" films have always straddled the line between action and comedy, with Mike and Marcus shooting their mouths off as quickly as they fire their guns. There's also a great deal of pathos this time, as the two come to terms with their mortality (Marcus after having a heart attack, Mike after finally settling down). A majority of critics agreed that four films in, the series still has plenty of gas left in the tank. "You'll recognize that, like the other 'Bad Boys' movies, this is the cinematic equivalent of exquisitely prepared fast food, empty-calorie entertainment that people love to eat because it tastes good going down," wrote David Fear in Rolling Stone.

Cast: voices of Amy Poehler, Maya Hawke, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Liza Lapira, Tony Hale, Kensington Tallman

Director: Kelsey Mann

Rating: PG

Runtime: 96 minutes

Where to watch: in theaters

Pixar has always been hit or miss with their sequels — for every triumphant new "Toy Story" installment, there's an equally unheralded new "Cars" movie — yet they've had one of their biggest successes in years with "Inside Out 2." The long awaited followup to 2015's Oscar winner is the first film this year to cross the billion-dollar mark worldwide. The story finds burgeoning adolescent Riley Anderson (Kensington Tallman) about to enter middle school, which throws her emotions into turmoil. Joy (Amy Poehler) tries to keep Riley happy with her latest invention, a memory bank titled the "Sense of Self," but that becomes complicated with the arrival of a band of brand new emotions, led by Anxiety (Maya Hawke).

As with every Pixar film, "Inside Out 2" uses a high concept as a means to explore something deeper about the human condition. In this case, it's the mental and emotional growing pains that teenagers experience along with the physical ones, and how it's normal for anxiety and joy to exist alongside each other as we figure out who we want to be. It's fun for adults, too — Nell Minow, writing for her blog Movie Mom, writes, "As they did before, Pixar has personified and made literal an array of internal and abstract concepts with wit, charm, and telling detail. Erik Erickson and Karl Jung would be impressed."

Cast: June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Richard Roundtree, Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, Malcolm McDowell

Director: Josh Margolin

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 98 minutes

Where to watch: in theaters

In a summer filled with sequels and prequels, the wholly original "Thelma" has become one of the surprise hits of the arthouse circuit after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. The directorial debut of improv comic Josh Margolin (who wrote the script as a tribute to his own grandmother), it stars June Squibb as Thelma, a feisty nonagenarian who's scammed out of $10,000 when she's made to believe that her grandson, Danny (Fred Hechinger), has been arrested. Inspired by Tom Cruise doing his own stunts in "Mission: Impossible," she decides to get her money back, enlisting her longtime friend, Ben (Richard Roundtree in his final film), to help her scooter around Los Angeles in search of the scammer while Danny and his parents (Parker Posey and Clark Gregg) desperately search for her.

Reviewing the film at Sundance, Adrian Horton of The Guardian said, "At a film festival full of dark, underbaked or muddled material, 'Thelma' is a gift. The fact that the film gives June Squibb – the type of actor most people know as scene-stealing characters rather than by name – her first leading film role at the age of 94 is reason enough to see it." And audiences agreed. The part of "Thelma" is a gift to Squibb, who refuses to play into stereotypes about old age while still acknowledging its harsh realities.

Cast: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Hong Chau, Margaret Qualley

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Rating: R

Runtime: 164 minutes

Where to watch: in theaters

The extent to which "Kinds of Kindness" is a comedy depends on how twisted your sense of humor is. The latest from Yorgos Lanthimos is an anthology featuring the same seven actors in three different stories about the extremes people will go to for love. In the first, "The Death of R.M.F.," a subservient employee (Jesse Plemons) puts his life at risk to please his domineering boss (Willem Dafoe); in the second, "R.M.F. is Flying," a marine biologist (Emma Stone) is rescued from a deserted island only to find that she must prove her identity to her suspecting husband (Plemons); and in the third, "R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich," a cult member (Stone) searches for a woman who can reanimate the dead to bring back to her leader (Dafoe).

"Kinds of Kindness" has polarized audiences since premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the best actor prize for Plemons. It's easy to see the film as a hostile response to the mainstream Oscar successes of "The Favourite" and "Poor Things," and the film is a return to the Lanthimos of "Dogtooth" and "The Killing of a Sacred Deer," a director who found humor in the most deeply disturbing scenarios possible. "It can be a bit exhausting — anthology films often are, and this one is long — but we can feel the director's excitement," said Bilge Ebiri in Vulture. "He's fully back in his sandbox."

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, Judge Reinhold, Kevin Bacon

Director: Mark Molloy

Rating: R

Runtime: 118 minutes

Where to watch: Netflix

It took three decades for Axel Foley to return to movie screens, although when he did, it was technically on TV, since "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" skipped a theatrical run to premiere exclusively on Netflix. The fourth installment of the fish-out-of-water franchise finds Detroit cop Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) returning to Beverly Hills when his estranged daughter, Los Angeles defense attorney Jane Saunders (Taylour Paige), is threatened by the cartel. Axel takes this personally, of course, and he tries to take down the bad guys with the help of Jane's ex-boyfriend, Detective Bobby Abbott (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), and his old buddies Detective Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Chief John Taggart (John Ashton).

Although it never reaches the heights of Martin Brest's Oscar-nominated original (or even Tony Scott's bombastic "Beverly Hills Cop II"), "Axel F" is still a marked improvement over John Landis' critically maligned "Beverly Hills Cop III," which essentially killed the series. If the goal was to have Axel Foley go off with a bigger bang than he previously did, then that mission was accomplished, as many reviews concur. "Murphy might be one of the most talented performers of any generation and it's thrilling to see him back in the role that turned him into a movie star," wrote Nina Metz in The Chicago Tribune, and that's reason enough to Netflix and Chill with this one.