By 2026, the A24 brand has become its own genre. If you’ve spent any time on social media or in a theater lobby lately, you know that the A24 films everyone talks about are more than just movies—they are cultural events that trigger endless theories, memes, and debates. These aren’t your typical blockbusters; they are films that lead with high-impact storytelling and a refusal to follow the Hollywood blueprint.
Finding the A24 films everyone talks about can be overwhelming because the studio releases so much. But the reason these specific titles dominate the discourse is the craft. From visually stunning indie films that use practical effects to psychological thrillers with standard-setting sound design, these are the modern cult classics that have defined the mid-2020s. We’ve skipped every A24 movie mentioned in our previous 25+ lists to give you 10 fresh, high-discourse picks that every cinephile needs to see.
Best for: Cinephiles who want to be part of the A24 discourse, fans of director-driven movies, and anyone looking for visually stunning indie films that spark real conversation.
Common cinephile pain points this list solves: Feeling out of the loop on film Twitter / “Mid-tier” movies that are instantly forgettable / Seeing great trailers for movies that have no substance / Wanting modern cult classics with real directorial bite.
Related Lists: A24 Movies That Define the Studio / The Best A24 Movies / Editor’s Picks: The Best Movies / Handpicked Movies Worth Watching
What to watch for
When you jump into these high-discourse hits, look for the visual subtext. A24 directors are famous for director-driven choices—using color, sound, and best cinematography techniques to tell a story that isn’t always in the dialogue. Watch how these films handle silence and how the surgical blocking shows you who is really in control of a scene. That’s the pro-level filmmaking that keeps people talking.
10 A24 films everyone talks about
1. Civil War (2024) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Alex Garland
Plot: A team of military-embedded journalists races across a fractured, war-torn America to reach the capital before it falls, documenting the collapse of the country in real-time.
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
Where to Watch: Max / Prime Video (Rent/Buy) / VOD (Availability varies)
Why it’s a classic: It’s the A24 film everyone talks about because of its terrifying sound design. The gunfire isn’t stylized; it’s loud, physical, and directional. Garland uses observational blocking to make the audience feel like a passive, horrified witness to the chaos.
2. Past Lives (2023) 🇺🇸🇰🇷
Director/Creator: Celine Song
Plot: Two childhood friends are reunited in New York decades after being separated in Korea, facing a week that forces them to confront the “what-ifs” of their lives.
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Where to Watch: Paramount+ / Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
Why it’s a classic: This is surgical narrative economy. The film relies on intimate framing and the concept of “In-yun” to build massive emotional stakes through conversation alone. It’s a cinephile favorite because of its patient pacing and visually stunning restraint.
3. The Zone of Interest (2023) 🇬🇧🇵🇱
Director/Creator: Jonathan Glazer
Plot: The commandant of Auschwitz and his wife strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden located right next to the camp walls.
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Where to Watch: Max / Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
Why it’s a classic: It set the bar for pro-level sound design. The horror is entirely auditory, living in the background noise of the camp that is never seen. The static blocking and cold, detached cinematography make the banality of evil feel physically oppressive.
4. The Iron Claw (2023) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Sean Durkin
Plot: The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s while dealing with a family “curse.”
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
Where to Watch: Max / Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
Why it’s a classic: It features weighty action geography. The wrestling matches are staged with a surgical clarity that shows the physical toll of the sport. The 80s production design and the ensemble blocking make the family’s descent into tragedy feel visceral and unavoidable.
5. Talk to Me (2023) 🇦🇺
Director/Creator: Danny Philippou / Michael Philippou
Plot: A group of friends discovers they can conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, but the new thrill turns into a nightmare when one of them breaks the rules.
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Where to Watch: Netflix / Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
Why it’s a classic: This is surgical editing as a horror tool. The transitions into the “possession” state are jarring and technically brilliant. It uses practical effects and rhythmic sound design to create a modern cult classic that feels more physical than most CGI horror.
6. Priscilla (2023) 🇺🇸🇮🇹
Director/Creator: Sofia Coppola
Plot: When teenage Priscilla Beaulieu meets Elvis Presley, the figure who is already a meteoric rock-and-roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private.
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
Where to Watch: Max / Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
Why it’s a classic: It features visually authored production design. Coppola uses a soft, pastel color palette and claustrophobic blocking to show Priscilla’s isolation inside Graceland. It’s a high-impact storytelling piece that uses visual subtext to reframe a famous myth.
7. Love Lies Bleeding (2024) 🇺🇸🇬🇧
Director/Creator: Rose Glass
Plot: A reclusive gym manager falls hard for an ambitious bodybuilder, but their romance triggers a violent chain of events involving a local criminal syndicate.
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
Where to Watch: Max / Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
Why it’s a classic: This is muscular, stylized directing. Glass uses hyper-saturated colors, surreal body-horror blocking, and heavy sound design to turn a noir thriller into a sensory experience. It’s an authored, properly made film that takes massive swings with its visual language.
8. Beau Is Afraid (2023) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Ari Aster
Plot: Following the sudden death of his mother, a mild-mannered but anxiety-ridden man embarks on a surreal, odyssey back home, confronting his darkest fears.
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
Where to Watch: Max / Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
Why it’s a classic: It features maximalist production design and complex camera choreography. Aster uses nightmare-logic blocking to make the protagonist’s internal panic feel physical. It’s a visually stunning achievement that rewards viewers who love analyzing every background detail.
9. Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Halina Reijn
Plot: A group of rich 20-somethings plan a hurricane party at a remote family mansion, but a party game goes wrong and turns into a high-stakes murder mystery.
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
Where to Watch: Max / Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
Why it’s a classic: It is tonal control in the dark. The film uses innovative lighting (glow sticks and iPhones) to build a tension masterclass in a single location. The surgical script economy and ensemble blocking make it the ultimate A24 discourse film for the Gen-Z era.
10. Men (2022) 🇬🇧
Director/Creator: Alex Garland
Plot: In the aftermath of a personal tragedy, a woman retreats alone to the beautiful English countryside, only to realize she’s being stalked by something that keeps taking new forms.
IMDb Rating: 6.1/10 (High discourse-factor)
Where to Watch: Max / Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
Why it’s a classic: It is folk-horror with visual authorship. Garland uses symmetrical composition and a lush, green-heavy color palette to create a world that feels both beautiful and threatening. The final act features body-horror blocking that remains one of the most discussed sequences in A24 history.
What to watch next
Next category: Handpicked Movies Worth Watching (because once you’ve cleared the A24 films everyone talks about, you’ll want to see the movies our editors chose for their flawless technical craft).