As the year draws to a close, we're taking stock of the best films and TV shows we've watched this year. It's been a pretty great year on both fronts, despite some less-than-spectacular films (we're looking at you Madame Web and Borderlands) also releasing within the last 12 months.
While we consider narrative, characters, and all the important things when we pick our favourite films and TV shows of the year, we're also mindful of how they excel in AV testing. We're looking for bold colours, dark sequences, deep bass, and epic spatial audio—basically, anything that can make your home theatre or TV setup shine.
Expect to see the movies on this list pop up in our TV, projector, soundbar, and speaker package reviews. We like to keep our reference discs up to date as much as possible, and there are only so many times that Team AV can be subjected to Blade Runner 2049, no matter how much we love it.
Whittling down the list was no easy task; as a result, some notable releases from this year didn't make the cut. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Wicked, Anora and Civil War were all in contention, and much deliberation was had among the team, but alas, rules dictate that only one film and TV show can be selected per person.
So, without further ado, here are the best movies and TV shows of 2024 to test your AV setup.
The best films of 2024
The Substance
Alastair Stevenson, Editor in Chief
The horror genre always likes to push boundaries, both with its choice of topic and use of new technologies like CGI and surround sound. 2024’s The Substance ignores both these tropes, choosing instead to try and utilise forgotten arts, like physical effects, and key themes such as society’s unhealthy obsession with looks, to create a fresh take on the classic 80s body horror genre.
Featuring Hollywood legend Demi Moore in the lead role, while there are undeniably scenes that will test even the most seasoned of horror veteran’s tolerance for gore, it's a traumatic title that makes excellent use of every tool available to crank the intensity level up to 11.
Its message isn’t terribly subtle or delivered with much finesse, but if you’re after a horror movie full of excellent cinematography with entire sections clearly inspired by horror’s brightest stars, including Stanley Kubrick, and stellar physical special effects it’s well worth considering watching.
The stark rapid jumps between minimalist white and red scenes and booming club/showbiz sections also make it a great way to check your system’s holistic picture quality and audio setup’s agility.
Pre-order The Substance on Amazon
Deadpool & Wolverine
Harry McKerrell, Senior Staff Writer
Who could possibly have foreseen that, in the year that gave us Madame Web and Kraven the Hunter, it would be the head-to-head between a different pair of comic book characters that would provide the superhero genre with its much-needed shot in the arm?
Facetious digs at the Sony Cinematic Universe aside, Deadpool & Wolverine just about lived up to its billing as the best superhero flick of the year. Essentially one long fan service movie for long-suffering Marvel acolytes, it’s uneven and slipshod at its worst but delightfully subversive and thrilling at its best, and when the cameos arrive and the set pieces are in full flow, you’d better hope you’ve got a screen worthy of Deadpool’s most eye-popping adventure yet.
Packed with plenty of cheeky digs at the state of the MCU, Ryan Reynolds may just be the Marvel Jesus we’ve been waiting for.
Stream Deadpool & Wolverine on Disney Plus
Deadpool & Wolverine 4K Blu-ray on Amazon
Strange Darling
Becky Roberts, Managing Editor
Tornado thriller Twister wasn't actually the twistiest movie of 2024, Strange Darling was. JT Mollner's quirky and unpredictable horror is a high-octane, cat-and-mouse-chase serial-killer thriller about a mysterious young woman (Willa Fitzgerald) and a rage- and drug-fuelled guy she's severely pissed off (Kyle Gallner).
While Mollner's crafty screenplay keeps you guessing at every turn as the 'chapters' jump around in teasing fashion, keeping you locked in every moment is the gorgeous cinematography from Giovanni Ribisi, who you'll recognise from his many appearances on the other side of the camera in films such as Saving Private Ryan and Gone in 60 Seconds and TV shows Sneaky Pete and Friends, and who is now satisfying his other industry passion.
The movie was shot entirely on 35mm film (as rather oddly announced in a title card), perfectly intensifying its edginess – the grit, the urgency, the vividness. It's a relentless ride. best enjoyed on as big a screen as you can sit yourself in front of.
Strange Darlings 4K Blu-ray on Amazon
I Saw the TV Glow
Kashfia Kabir, Hi-Fi and Audio Editor
Jane Schoenbrun’s 2024 film is a lot of things: it’s a coming-of-age story, it’s a trans allegory, it’s a psychological fantasy horror, it’s a heart-rending, surreal tale of loneliness, of friendship, of finding yourself and of how our perceptions change as we grow older.
Two lonely teens find common ground in a cult TV show (Buffy the Vampire Slayer heavily influences the fictional The Pink Opaque show) and their obsession with the show bleeds into real life until they – and you – no longer know what’s real or not. Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine put in fantastic performances as the hapless Owen and the firebrand Maddy respectively, while the various hyper-specific nods to shows like Buffy and The Adventures of Pete and Pete make it all the more personal for viewers.
Soft neon hues of pinks, purples and greens contrast against the fuzzy VHS quality and 4:3 aspect ratio of a 90s TV show, while a bespoke indie soundtrack enhances the teenage angst and dreamy (and often unnerving) nature of the film. I Saw The TV Glow is an unusual film that will leave you both in wonder and unease, but whose soft, aching heart will stay with you for months after you watch it.
Stream I Saw The TV Glow on Apple TV
Challengers
Robyn Quick, Staff Writer
It’s rare that a film makes me want to take up tennis and pursue it to a professional level, but here we are. Luca Guadagnino’s back catalogue is extremely varied, ranging from the queer drama Call Me By Your Name (2017) to the cannibal love story Bones and All (2022). However, the thread tying them all together is a portrayal of sensuality and this can certainly be felt in Challengers.
It follows Tashi, a tennis player turned coach, who propels her husband Art to great success as a tennis champion. To jolt him out of a losing streak, she signs him up for a tournament only to find out he is head-to-head with Patrick - her ex-boyfriend and Art’s former best friend.
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ soundtrack elevates every thwack of a tennis ball, every lingering gaze. It expertly combines classical and EDM music to highlight the conflict between characters and will have you bopping your head like it’s 2am in a nightclub.
Stream Challengers on Amazon Prime Video
Dune: Part Two
Lewis Empson, Senior Staff Writer
Did you really think we could leave this film off the list? From the moment I set eyes on this masterpiece at the BFI IMAX in Waterloo, I knew that it was a very special film indeed. This is the second time a Dune title has been my pick for film of the year; not bad considering there are only two films in the franchise.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve, who also happened to direct the AV room's most-used testing film, Blade Runner 2049, Dune: Part Two manages to be a spectacle in its own right, while also retroactively making the first one better. There are epic action set pieces, one of the most gorgeous soundtracks I've ever heard, and how could I forget the sensational Harkonnen arena sequence?
It's also a feast for the senses when it comes to picture and sound. Rich, golden sands sparkle with Spice, while the black and white segment (filmed ingeniously with infrared cameras) offers a stark contrast, and it's a treat when it comes to audio too. A scene in which the Fremmen soldiers conduct an ambush is mesmerising, and it's become a go-to reference scene when I test anything to do with home cinema audio.
Dune: Part Two is a triumph no matter how you look at it, and a film I'll continue to rewatch both in the AV testing room and at home.
Dune: Part Two 4K Blu-ray on Amazon
The best TV shows of 2024
The Bear (Season 3)
Lewis Empson, Senior Staff Writer
You know a TV show is good when the weakest season is still the best you've seen all year. Acclaimed restaurant drama The Bear has rocketed into my list of all-time favourite shows after I watched the entire first season in one sitting this year, and the third season remains an absolute treat to watch.
While the season starts slow, it soon picks up to include the frantic, chaotic and tense pace that I've come to appreciate; though this season is interjected with plenty of slower and more introspective moments – including a beautiful flashback episode which explores the backstory of sous chef Tina. While the ending feels like a cliffhanger setup for the next season (which is set to release in June), it's still some of the most tightly written, engaging and beautifully shot TV I've ever seen.
It's also presented to a high standard on Disney Plus (provided you have the right subscription tier), thanks to the inclusion of Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos. This show places a great deal of importance on sound, allowing it to build atmosphere and making you feel as though you're in the middle of a metaphorical (and sometimes literal) boiling pot that's about to spill over. This is juxtaposed by establishing shots of Chicago that offer a more serene view outside of the kitchen, while plates of delectable food are packed with delicious detail in 4K.
A good TV and speaker package (or soundbar) is paramount if you want to watch this show in the best way possible, and I highly recommend you do just that.
Stream The Bear on Disney Plus
3 Body Problem
Alastair Stevenson, Editor in Chief
3 Body Problem is an eight-episode series based on the first part of the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy by Liu Cixin – a series of books that until this year, was commonly viewed as impossible to adapt for film due to its complex narrative and unwieldy plot structure.
Thankfully, upon its much-delayed release on Netflix, like the movie adaptation of Life of Pi before it, the series overcomes these assumptions and is one of the best bits of sci-fi to arrive this year.
With Game of Thrones' David Benioff and D. B. Weiss at the helm, 3 Body Problem is a dark sci-fi time-jumping story detailing the past, present, and future of a fictional Earth and its encounters with an alien civilization from a nearby star system.
Mastered in Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Amos audio, though the first few episodes are a bit clunky, the series grows and quickly becomes a stellar example of how to use both technologies correctly.
Whether it’s its excellent use of booming synths, the stellar subtle details the CGI artists hide in the night sky or generally excellent cinematography, the series is holistically a great way to gauge your home cinema setup’s performance.
Stream 3 Body Problem on Netflix
Shōgun
Harry McKerrell, Senior Staff Writer
Provided they have at least half a brain rattling around in their skull, it’s hard to imagine a person who wouldn’t find something to enjoy from what was unquestionably one of the finest shows of 2024. Based on James Clavell’s epic 1975 novel and detailing the power struggles of the various noble families of late Fuedal Japan, Shōgun’s gripping, mature narrative and captivating chessboard of political manoeuvrings made it just about as irresistible and addictive as television gets.
A bona fide masterpiece, Shōgun manages that near-impossible trick of appealing to everyone without consequently appealing to nobody at all. If you want a show to bring out your TV’s best, you’ll likely find yourself goggling at the stitching on every gown and garment, while less technically preoccupied viewers will simply marvel at the depth of the storytelling, the complexities of the characterisation and the sheer immersiveness of Shōgun’s beautiful-but-deadly world.
Take a weekend to yourself, watch from start to finish and just wallow in something truly special.
Agatha All Along
Kashfia Kabir, Hi-Fi and Audio Editor
There is a scene in episode six when you’re in Teen’s bedroom and see the film and music posters on the wall and the gothic/occult paraphernalia around his room, and it looks like the insides of my teenage brain threw up and painted the town black.
Agatha All Along – a spin-off from the brilliant WandaVision – goes all in on the witchiness, pulling in beats from Charmed, Buffy, Practical Magic, Hocus Pocus, The Craft and many other 90s cultural touch points that had anything to do with the pagan, the dark arts and especially witchcraft. The bringing together of a coven of women with different powers, the various timed tasks, the tragic love story and even more tragic back story – it’s all woven together in a delicious romp as lead Kathryn Hahn chews scenery and spits it out with utter abandon and joy.
Everyone is having a grand time and it’s hard not to have a ball along with them. Patti LuPone’s tarot-reading witch is a particular highlight; the other being the utter earworm that is the “The Ballad of the Witches' Road” song that plays multiple times in different guises throughout the show. It may not be one of Marvel’s best, but it is a whole lot of fun.
Stream Agatha All Along on Disney Plus
Arcane (Season 2)
Robyn Quick, Staff Writer
This entry will come as no surprise to the What Hi-Fi? team who have graciously listened to my ramblings since the release of the final series of Arcane.
The animated show follows two sisters, Jinx and Vi, who were once inseparable but now walk down very different paths. While they fight for rival sides in a war against Zaun and the prosperous city of Piltover, a magical technology threatens the future of both cities.
Apart from the gripping storyline and character arcs, one of the main reasons I love this show is its beautiful animation style.
The oppressed underbelly of Zaun is portrayed with neon greens, and Piltover shines with glittering blues and whites. Every frame is a work of art which is no surprise considering the second series alone took three years to animate. Plus, every character is an absolute badass.
If you want to get stuck into some excellent fantasy, this is the show for you.
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