Rath Awards 2024

Well...here we are. Always a fun - but busy - time of year: the Rath Awards. Preparation (outside of my tracking that occurs throughout the year) started early this year in October, and given this is the FINAL Rath Awards ever (see below), it's even more shocking to me how real ending Rath's Reviews is becoming.

Welcome Graham Nolan Rath!!

Rest assured, there will be a couple, final "overall" posts after this one, as this is specifically the Awards for 2024 across music, television, gaming, and movies (of course). 

And, if you're anything like me and enjoy taking trips down memory lane, see the links below for all the previous Rath Awards. They're a nostalgia bomb and I'm glad I abandoned my photo shop trophies from the early days (even if they were funny)!

Previous Rath Award links:

2023 // 2022 // 2021 // 2020 // 2019 // 2018 // 2017 // 2016 // 2015 // 2014 // 2013 // 2012 // 2011

As I hope you do every year, find a comfortable seat, pour a lovely beverage of your choice, and scroll through the awards at your leisure. 

Compared to previous years that felt lackluster (or dominated by singles), I thought this was a fantastic year for music. I outright loved many entire albums and discovered a few new artists to enjoy. Years where I get artists I love making more great music and I find new ones (to me) are always the best. To my memory, this year was the hardest when it came to determining the BEST albums and their rank and - let's give the women a shout out - they DOMINATED, making up nearly every single nomination/winner in this category. 

As it goes with music, we all have distinct tastes, which is my usual preface. However, this year I'll change it up a bit. I listen to a lot of new music across nearly all genres. Sure, I have my preferences, but I feel like standout albums are just that: albums that standout regardless of genre. If you see something interesting you've never heard, go to Spotify (or wherever you stream) and give it a try! Finding new music is one of the best small pleasures in life!

BEST HIT SONG

"Espresso" by Sabrina Carpenter

"Taste" by Sabrina Carpenter

"A Bar Song (Tipsy)" by Shaboozy

"Beautiful Things" by Benson Boone

"I Had Some Help" by Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen

"TEXAS HOLD 'EM" by Beyonce

"Good Luck, Babe!" by Chappell Roan

"Not Like Us" by Kendrick Lamar

Winner: "Espresso" by Sabrina Carpenter
Runner-up: "I Had Some Help" by Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen

I'll go out on a limb and say that not only is Espresso one of the best hit songs of 2024, but potentially my entire Rath's Reviews tenure. It got completely overplayed as the best songs do, but this ridiculously catchy ear-worm will live on for years, nay decades, as one of the best pop songs of the 2000s. It's quirky, kinda funny, a bit nonsensical, and insanely memorable.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Sabrina Carpenter

Beyonce

Taylor Swift

Dua Lipa

Charli xcx

Benson Boone

Chappell Roan

Kendrick Lamar

Winner: Sabrina Carpenter
Runner-Up: Charlie XCX

No one catapulted into top-tier stardom this year quite like Sabrina Carpenter. Chappell Roan was potentially close and I appreciate that Charlie XCX is finally getting her flowers, but Sabrina owned the airwaves all year. A smart singles release schedule in anticipation for her album assured that her older songs stayed on the airwaves, then "Espresso" blew her up, and follow-ups with "Please, Please, Please" and "Taste" kept her #1-level relevant the entire year. Not only do I like all those songs, and her album is great too, the business savvy has been impressive in a year where so many other female artists were crushing it too. 

BEST ALBUMS OF 2024

As mentioned, this year has been one of the most impressive for full albums on recent memory. Last year, I could only build a list of 4. This year, I'm presenting a "Top 5" which has been extremely difficult in a good-problem-to-have sort of way. In honor of the albums that didn't make the cut, I present my Honorable Mentions in no particular order:

Honorable Mentions: Nu King by Jason Derulo // Clancy by Twenty One Pilots // Hit Me Hard and Soft by Billie Eilish // Short n' Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter // brat by Charli xcx // The Secret of Us by Gracie Abrams

5 | GNX by Kendrick Lamar - Kendrick Lamar has had...umm...quite a year? Tangled in a beef with Drake that has taken some pretty shocking turns, he's catapulted his own stardom with hit "Not Like Us" and then shadow-dropped GNX. I need to listen to this album several more times, but I've been consistently impressed with it and its aggressive nature. I don't think it's Kendrick's best, but he's an artist I've been a fan of for a while, so it's not surprising that he'd take advantage of his new level of fame. The results are one of the best albums of the year. 

4 | The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift - I'm a self proclaimed Swiftie so this was almost a guaranteed spot, though I'll admit determining where to place it was difficult. I like TTPD, but not as much as Midnights, Taylor's previous album, and I do think some songs in this album are lesser. Frankly, given how much the Eras Tour takes up of her time, I cannot believe she had the time to create new music, but even when Taylor may be busy, she's still giving us music that rises above. 

3 | COWBOY CARTER by Beyonce - I'm 99% sure this is Beyonce's first time in the Rath Awards, and for good reason. As someone who found RENAISSANCE sounded all like the same song (might get some flak for that one), I was enthralled with COWBOY CARTER. Beyonce doesn't go full country, but instead makes it her own in this highly successful and listenable experiment. It has a lot of unique elements and consistently feels like its pushing the genre, and its main artist, forward to something new. 

2 | Radical Optimism by Dua Lipa - I'm a massive Dua Lipa fan and Radical Optimism is some of her best work yet. Many claim it was lesser compared to Future Nostalgia, and perhaps they're right (or rather the songs may not be as big of hits), but that still means you have a damn good album. And it's one where I don't skip a single song. I love each one, and many of them feel different in both their lyrics and purpose, but also their beats and rhythms. It's a great listen from start to finish. 

1 | Deeper Well by Kacey Musgraves - Similar to Dua Lipa and Taylor Swift, I'm a big Kacey Musgraves fan. I find her to be criminally underrated as she never misses. I believe Deeper Well will be the album from this list that stands the test of time the most. It may not be a massive hit, but the 60s/70s hippie vibe she's going for feels authentic and perfected, matched with her exquisite vocals. Each song is meaningful and highly unique to craft the best album of 2024. 

I give the usual spiel here about how there's quite literally TOO MUCH TV right now that's it's so hard to keep up. I've found it can even eat into my viewing habits as keeping up just enough to make lists like this force me to ingest in 10-15 minute chunks while I have lunch or easily get distracted by emails, life, etc. when watching. That said, TV still remains fantastic, even if it's becoming harder and harder to know what shows you should get attached to.

BEST EPISODE

"Part 1" - True Detective: Night Country

"The End" - Fallout

"The Beginning" - Fallout

"I Thought You Were Stronger" - Invincible

"Judgment Day" - 3 Body Problem

"Assassination Run" - The Boys

"Napkins" - The Bear

"Tomorrow" - The Bear

"Crimson Sky" - Shogun

"The Red Dragon and the Gold" - House of the Dragon

"Death's Hand in Mind" - Agatha All Along

"The Dirt Under Your Nails" - Arcane

"Cent'Anni" - The Penguin

Winner: (TIE) "Napkins" - The Bear and
"The Red Dragon and the Gold" - House of the Dragon
Runner-Up: "The Dirt Under Your Nails" - Arcane

I always find it a bit challenging to pick a "best episode" largely because sometimes TV shows can blend together as I watch them in smaller chunks and rarely have the time for an entire episode at any one moment. Constantly I ask myself: "which 30-45 minutes of TV do I remember most from this year?" to narrow in on my answer. This year, it's the subtle, realistic, and sad (but hopeful) "Napkins" from a stellar 3rd season of The Bear TIED with the pulse-pounding, blockbuster dragon fight in House of the Dragon. For very different reasons, they were some of the best TV moments of 2024.

BEST PERFORMANCES

I appreciated my change in direction last year to eliminate "Actress" and "Actor" and the list of nominees (rest assured it was long), and instead just highlight the performances that stuck with me the most this year. 

3 | Anna Sawai as Toda Mariko in Shogun - I'll admit that Shogun didn't blow me away to the degree of everyone else (it's still very good), but several performances left a lasting impression, Anna Sawai's most of all. Her Toda becomes the emotional core of the series and she commands the screen each time she's on it. 

2 | Jodie Foster as Liz Danvers and Kali Reis as Evangeline Navarro in True Detective: Night Country - Deciding between these two characters was impossible for me, and I appreciated what each brought to their very different personalities and requirements. The result was not only great individual performances, but strong chemistry between the leads, resulting in the best season of True Detective since the original. 

1 | Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone in The Penguin - Taking the mantle from Anthony Starr's Homelander as Best TV Villain this year, Cristin Milioti is a firecracker on screen as this somewhat-likeable villain. She brings a ton of gravitas to the role, with fringes of truly crazed ambitions circling the outside. The Penguin was already a great show, but she helped to elevate it to one of the year's bests. 

BEST SHOWS OF 2024

One of my favorite things about 2024 was that I was able to adopt some new shows that have a proven track record as there were less outright-new shows I gave a chance to. Something that TV execs should be careful about regarding cancellations: if you build bad habits of axing TV shows, fans will stop giving you a chance. It worked out well for me (and Apple TV+ shows in particular) so let's take a look at the best shows from this year.

5 | Shogun - I wasn't as high on Shogun as others overall (I thought the plot meandered quite a bit), but there's no denying how impressive the individual components of the show are. It features some of the year's best performances, the set design and costume design are unique and accurate, the story is mostly engaging, and it felt like "event" TV. Saying it's my #5 shouldn't be a knock on it at all as there was a lot of quality content throughout its first season. 

4 | The Penguin - Color me surprised that this was that good, but it was. Sure, it got distracted at times, but whenever the focus was on Oz, Sofia, or Victor, it was at its best. Performances across the board were outstanding (see above award) and the tension between the warring families + Oz maintained its intensity the whole season. The show constantly wanted us to think the Penguin was a good, but misguided guy, and then the finale's final moments happened, reminding us of the villain he truly is. 

3 | The Bear - There was much to be said about The Bear's 3rd season and I found most of it to be completely wrong. Yes, it felt different because of the episode design with more of a focus on a particular event or character rather than the overarching plot, but some of those episodes were its most beautiful (e.g. "Napkins") and the plot still moved forward, ending with a painful cliffhanger (of sorts). Different does not equal bad automatically and I still believe The Bear is one of the best shows on television. 

2 | Fallout - This show had a tremendous and highly memorable first season and a pilot episode that hooks you immediately. It captured the zany spirit of the game that balanced high-stakes drama with very dark humor in the apocalyptic world. The cast is pitch perfect - I think anyone would follow Ella Purnell on any adventure - and the plot of the first season hints at bigger things (and mysteries) to come. Throw in a couple "Holy s**t!" action moments that feel as gory as anything from The Boys, and you've got a recipe for a utterly fantastic pilot season. 

1 | Shrinking - Shrinking is one of those aforementioned shows I "discovered" this year after seeing it near the top of Apple's most watched list for...well...ever. It's now easy to see why. It may be a perfect show. The drama and character work is touching and compelling. You care about these characters. And the humor is spot-on. This is currently the funniest show on television by a good margin. It's also impressive how deep the cast is. Even beyond your main characters, the side characters add so much to the show, often via humor, that each new scene feels interesting and fun. If you haven't already, I implore you to catch up on Shrinking. It's (fairly easily) the best show on TV right now. 

Entering 2024, I was pretty depressed on the videogame outlook. There were still the highs of last year to enjoy, but every once in a while the gaming world has an "off" year. One where there's still new games, but nothing - aside from maybe a single game - truly wows you. In that regard, 2024 was a "stealth" WOW year. Multiple times throughout this year I was impressed, and surprised, with how big certain games got and how outright fantastic others were. Nicely done game developers!

BEST SOUNDTRACK / ORIGINAL SCORE

Helldivers II

Prince of Persia: The Lost Kingdom

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2

Astro Bot

Warhammer 40K: Space Marines II

Star Wars Outlaws

Black Myth: Wukong

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Winner: Helldivers II
Runner-Up: Astro Bot

Honestly, this award should probably go to Astro Bot for a lot of really iconic and delightful music moments, but I feel like Helldivers II just nailed its original music to match the cheesy epicness that came with it. The Helldivers theme as you're shooting down toward a planet in your pods is stuck in my mind permanently and other music holds strong as well. It's definitely iconic. 

MOST FUN

Helldivers II

Astro Bot

Stellar Blade

Warhammer 40K: Space Marines II

Star Wars Outlaws

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Winner: Astro Bot
Runner-Up: Helldivers II

Sensing a theme here? Helldivers II features some of the most outrageous LOL moments in recent gaming memory thanks to friendly fire, but yeah...Astro Bot is pure joy. It's constantly engaging and switching things up, very cute, and addictingly fun. It defeats a stacked field.

BEST GRAPHICS

Stellar Blade

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2

Star Wars Outlaws

Astro Bot

Black Myth: Wukong

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Winner: Black Myth: Wukong
Runner-Up: Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2

This is an easy win for the best looking game of 2024 (and one of its best). I played on PS5 and was consistently floored by the stunning vistas, smooth framerate, and incredible detail. I imagine on PC with max settings, it's downright jaw-dropping. Kudos to the Black Myth team for working some black magic to make their game look this good.

BEST CAMPAIGN

Stellar Blade

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Astro Bot

Warhammer 40K: Space Marines II

Star Wars Outlaws

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Winner: Astro Bot
Runner-Up: Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

As always, a friendly reminder that this equates to the gameplay across a game's main quest/story, not the story itself. In that regard, Astro Bot wins another award easily (despite how impressive BLOPS 6's campaign was) because of varied level design for the ages. No two levels feel the same, no two powers feel the same, and across the many, many levels, I felt like I was always playing a new game. Tremendous work and imagination is present in this one.

BEST STORY

Helldivers II

Stellar Blade

Rise of the Ronin

Star Wars Outlaws

Black Myth: Wukong

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Winner: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Runner-Up: Star Wars Outlaws

I may not be totally complete with Indiana Jones' newest adventure, but I am hooked on it's easy-to-follow adventure about the Great Circle. Hopefully I'm not left disappointed, but thus far, this globe-trotting adventure is spinning a yarn of intrigue and memorable characters - outside the titular protagonist - that I'm digging.

BEST GAMES OF 2024

5 | Indiana Jones and the Great Circle - I'm not finished with this game as of writing this, so if anything, it could rise, but what I've played so far is entertaining in the best of ways. It feels like an Indy game, but also differentiates itself from similar heroes (e.g. Tomb Raider, Nathan Drake) by going the 1st person route. The result is something that feels unique and familiar at the same time, with a very engaging story to encapsulate it all. 

4 | Black Myth: Wukong - I nervously took the plunge on this game later in the year. I'd wanted to play this God of War-esque combat game badly, but heard it was massively difficult, even harder than some of the Souls-based games. I'm so glad I took interest and I'm here to say: tales of its difficulty have been slightly exaggerated. It's definitely hard, but the combat gives you a LOT more options than any of the Souls games, thus making your strategy deeper. This boss-heavy title is often a blast to play and I've found it has a really good balance of challenging you, but also making it feel like you're powerful as you explore its several massive levels. 

3 | Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 - Not every Call of Duty entry is worth your time, but when they are, I love it. The "itch" is back for me, and BLOPS 6 is a very complete title in this storied franchise. The campaign tries new things, stays fresh, and is a blast. Zombies remains a compelling diversion, especially after some recent updates. And the multiplayer is as addicting as ever for those fast-twitch, quick matches. 

2 | Helldivers II - Many will claim the magic has worn off, which naturally it has a bit, but you can't deny the absolute choke-hold Helldivers II had on the gaming community when it launched. Its approach to multiplayer horde modes had never been seen before and so many elements and design decisions (e.g. friendly fire, war table, strategems, etc.) helped it to stand out. It nails its cheeky, machismo tone with ease, and had bros everywhere - including my friends and I - greeting each other in their every day lives with the Helldivers salute and discussion how much "freedom" we wanted to go shower our enemies with. The phenomenon may have faded, but it created lasting memories, and even today, the game is a hell of a lot of fun. 

1 | Astro Bot - When I played the PS5's free Astro's Playroom, I outwardly begged for a full-length feature game to be created. Not only does Astro Bot exist, it's an all-time classic platformer, up there with the likes of Mario. It's so good that it became one of PlayStations best-rated exclusives ever, meshing with the likes of God of War and Uncharted. And it's for good reason. Accessible to be enjoyed by all, Astro Bot is just pure gaming delight. No two levels feel the same, the PlayStation nostalgia hits someone like me right between the eyes, and it's constantly pushing its gameplay (and the DualSense controller) at every turn. It's a perfect game.

It's always interesting to think back on a year of film and try to determine if it was "good" or "bad". Surprising or disappointing. 2024 was a year where I struggled to go to a lot of films, largely due to work and prepping for a baby. It made me skip many I believed would be "meh" either all together or catching them later via VOD. Despite that, I'm happy with 2024. There were some really special movies in my last year of Rath's Reviews, and that's something worth smiling about.

BEST RETRO REVIEW

Gladiator

Incendies

12 Angry Men

Pearl

Winner: Incendies
Runner-Up: 12 Angry Men

Honestly, other films may have scored higher than Incendies, but I'll be damned if Denis Villeneuve's incredible story hasn't stuck with me. It's a powerful, difficult to watch film that's as gorgeous as it is challenging. As some of his early work, there's an extra layer of interest given how important he's become to the movie landscape. 

RATH'S WRATH (aka WORST MOVIE)

Madame Web

In a Violent Nature

Kinds of Kindness

Megalopolis

"Winner": Kinds of Kindness
Runner-Up: Madame Web

There have been some big duds this year; some expected, and others not. Kinds of Kindness is Yorgos Lanthimos' follow-up to last year's much better Poor Things. This new film, told across 3 separate hours that are individual narratives, was incredibly taxing and one of those weird "for the sake of it" films that I loathe. Aside from the performances, this 3.5/10 film is a massive waste of time. Yes, even more so than Madame Web. 

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Argylle

MaXXXine

Megalopolis

Kinds of Kindness

Gladiator II

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

"Winner": Gladiator II
Runner-Up: Megalopolis

Megalopolis almost ran away with this, but as it relates to my butt-in-seat expectations versus how I feel about the film today, Gladiator II was a massive miss for me, and truth be told, is potentially showing a decline in Ridley Scott's acumen as a director. It's all a bit of a mess, almost narratively identical, features action that is bigger, but not better than the original, and lacks any emotional heft. I hardly remember much about it aside from Denzel's fun performance.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

I.S.S. 

Late Night with the Devil

Longlegs

Blink Twice

Alien: Romulus

My Old Ass

Smile 2

Conclave

Carry-On

Winner: My Old Ass
Runner-Up: Alien: Romulus

Surprise in this sense is the definition of where my expectations were upon entering the film against how the film sits with me today. Clearly, it was a great year for horror in 2024 (see nominees), but it was My Old Ass, the quirky, authentic, hilarious, and emotional coming-of-age dramedy that I adored upon first viewing and has only gotten better with time, and a second viewing.

FILM I MOST OVERRATED

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Damsel

Monkey Man

MaXXXine

Venom: The Last Dance

Anora

Joker: Folie a Deux

Madame Web

Megalopolis

"Winner": Megalopolis
Runner-Up: MaXXXine

As we round out the not-so-nice awards, I'd be remiss if I didn't offer Megalopolis a piece of the action. From historic director Francis Ford Coppola, comes this ambitious, but bumbling mess of a film. Mildly admirable upon viewing, but utterly frustrating and forgettable as time distanced myself from it, I'd change my 5.5/10 score to something more like 3 or 4 out of 10. 

FILM I MOST UNDERRATED

American Fiction

Bad Boys: Ride or Die

The Substance

Conclave

Wicked

Inside Out 2

Alien: Romulus

The Zone of Interest

Challengers

Winner: The Substance
Runner-Up: Conclave

I didn't rate The Substance poorly upon my initial review; it received an 8 out of 10. But I do think I was in shock about around what I'd just witnessed. Much the opposite of how Megalopolis had almost no lasting impact with me, The Substance has stuck on my mind. It had design around cinematography, sound, visuals, and music that sears into your memory, not to mention the top-notch performances. Clearly there's a shock value element to it all, but beyond that is a powerful film that's a wild adventure. 

MOST ORIGINAL

Lisa Frankenstein

I.S.S.

Challengers

Late Night with the Devil

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Inside Out 2

Trap

The Substance

Emilia Perez

Winner: The Substance
Runner-Up: Challengers

The Substance takes its 2nd award of this year, narrowly beating out the tennis-love-triangle dramedy, by simply being as bonkers as it is. Usually, this award could almost be renamed to "Most Distinct Vision", and in that vein, Coralie Fargeat's body horror film truly feels like something straight out of someone's head. The colors, design, plot, and visuals are all unique, even if they make you squirm at times.

BEST ENSEMBLE CAST

Dune: Part Two

Challengers

The Fall Guy

Megalopolis

Inside Out 2

The Bikeriders

Conclave

Emilia Perez

Wicked

Gladiator II

Winner: Dune: Part Two
Runner-Up: (TIE) Inside Out 2 and Conclave

I believe this award is important to differentiate that the ensemble cast must be unanimously strong and bring something to the table, be it holistically great performances or visible chemistry. It's why Gladiator II is left out in the cold because it felt like Denzel was the only one who came to play in that film (G2 catching stray bullets over here...). Dune: Part Two is the opposite of that, with small parts, sure, but absolutely no small performances. Packed to the gills with memorable characters, heightened by the people that play them, it's easy to see why this is the best (and biggest) ensemble cast of the year.

BEST ACTION

Dune: Part Two

Argylle

Monkey Man

Civil War

The Fall Guy

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Deadpool & Wolverine

Bad Boys: Ride or Die

Kill

Gladiator II

Winner: Dune: Part Two
Runner-Up: (TIE) Deadpool & Wolverine and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

In a John Wick-less year, it was still a fun action showing on many fronts. Among the nominees, Dune: Part Two sticks out the most to me because of how much it increased its action from the first film, and how "classic" some of its biggest scenes feel. From moments like the opening sequence, Feyd-Rautha's Birthday, taking down the spice harvester, and the final battle...each features highly memorable and well-orchestrated bouts of action. 

BEST SOUND / SOUND EDITING

The Zone of Interest

Dune: Part Two

Challengers

Civil War

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

A Quiet Place: Day One

Longlegs

Twisters

Deadpool & Wolverine

Alien: Romulus

The Substance

Wicked

Gladiator II

Nosferatu

Winner: The Zone of Interest
Runner-Up: Dune: Part Two

As always, there's a lot of strong entries on this long list. The Zone of Interest however is one that has stuck with me since January. Mixing the normal, everyday sounds of German suburbs with the faint, "Did I hear that right?", horrific audio of nearby Holocaust camps, the film forces the viewer to be uncomfortable while simultaneously straining to see what they're hearing. It's brilliant, and the film's impact has only grown on me with time, largely because of this critical component.

BEST SOUNDTRACK

Argylle

The Fall Guy

Monkey Man

Deadpool & Wolverine

Blink Twice

Kill

Anora

Wicked

It Ends With Us

Winner: Deadpool & Wolverine
Runner-Up: Wicked

Yes, Wicked has iconic songs from a pre-established play (hence why I believe it's "soundtrack" vs. original score), but Deadpool & Wolverine came to play with their song selection. Multiple times over (including in the opening scene above ^^) the song selection elevated the film's humor and/or emotional stakes. Fantastic work by whichever creative parties were involved, and the choir rendition of "Like a Prayer" goes harder than it has any right to.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Dune: Part Two

Challengers

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Inside Out 2

Trap

The Substance

Conclave

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

Winner: Conclave
Runner-Up: (TIE) Challengers and The Substance

Unlike last year's far-and-away Oppenheimer victory in this category, 2024's race was a little closer. Both The Substance and Challengers' music deserves praise as being highly unique and elevating the film. However, they both paled in comparison to Volker Bertelmann's fast-paced, pulsing score in Conclave. Much like the best original scores, it becomes a beating heart and character all its own, pushing this thriller to be more exciting than it has any right to be. 

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS

Dune: Part Two

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Twisters

Deadpool & Wolverine

Alien: Romulus

The Substance

Wicked

Gladiator II

Winner: Dune: Part Two
Runner-Up: Alien: Romulus

Dune: Part Two takes this award pretty easily with special effects that don't have a single weak point. There are lots of practical elements when possible, but even for big moments like above, the attention to detail and lack of fake-looking greenscreen or CGI is impressive in a film this big. In IMAX, it was particularly awe-inducing.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Zone of Interest

Dune: Part Two

Civil War

Challengers

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Longlegs

Alien: Romulus

The Substance

Conclave

Blitz

Nosferatu

Winner: (TIE) The Substance and Conclave
Runner-Up: Dune: Part Two

This may have been one of the hardest selections in 2024 as there are so many strong nominees, including several heavy hitters. Ultimately, I asked myself: "Which examples made the film more unique? Which ones elevated the material?". I kept coming back to our two winning examples in this year's first TIE. The Substance, along with eye-popping color selection, is a film that owes a lot to its camera work, often providing rich images that may have multiple layers, metaphors, and more. Conclave's camera work is top-notch, creating striking imagery that lasts and framing the content the best way for each scene.

BEST VILLAIN

Shohreh Aghdashloo as the Dragon in Damsel

Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha in Dune: Part Two

Aaron Taylor Johnson as Tom Ryder in The Fall Guy

Kevin Durand as Proximus Caesar in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Chris Hemsworth as Dementus in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Nicolas Cage as Longlegs in Longlegs

Channing Tatum as Slater in Blink Twice

Xenomorph Alien in Alien: Romulus

Raghav Juyal as Fani in Kill

Josh Hartnett as Cooper in Trap

Denzel Washington as Macrinus in Gladiator II

Winner: Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha in Dune: Part Two
Runner-Up: Chris Hemsworth as Dementus in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

It was a pretty strong showing for villains this year, with many memorable bad guys in some of the year's best films. Austin Butler's Feyd-Rautha, fueled with some of the best villain character design in recent memory, was iconic though. Arguably not given enough screentime, but when he was on screen, the results were haunting and frightening (see image above). Butler's performance adds to the design and the result was a truly memorable villain in the sequel. 

BEST HERO

Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides in Dune: Part Two

Ryan Gosling as Colt Seavers in The Fall Guy

Owen Teague as Noa in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Dev Patel as Kid in Monkey Man

Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool in Deadpool & Wolverine

Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine

Amy Poehler as Joy in Inside Out 2

Lupita Nyong'o as Sammy in A Quiet Place: Day One

Maika Monroe as Lee Harker in Longlegs

Cailee Spaeny as Rain in Alien: Romulus

Lakshya as Amrit in Kill

Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in Wicked

Winner: Cailee Spaeny as Rain in Alien: Romulus
Runner-Up: Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in Wicked

What a strong showing by the ladies this year (and to be fair for the last several years). Another tough decision, I chose to go with Cailee Spaeny's Rain based purely on her stamina and ability to get through an absolute s**t storm. Spaeny's dedicated performance cements her position as one of the best characters in the Alien franchise and there's clear shades of Ripley that she brings to surviving the Xenomorphs (and other grotesque creatures).

FUNNIEST FILM

American Fiction

The Fall Guy

Challengers

Hit Man

Deadpool & Wolverine

My Old Ass

Anora

Winner: Deadpool & Wolverine
Runner-Up: My Old Ass

Comedy had a pretty decent outing this year, but two films stood above the rest with how many laughs they delivered. Deadpool & Wolverine, despite now being under Disney's umbrella, was delightfully R-rated and raunchy, giving plenty of opportunity to Reynolds' signature quipping, Jackman's "grumpy man" persona, and a plethora of physical humor too. It was downright hilarious.

BEST ANIMATED FILM

Winner: Inside Out 2

I skipped listing nominees or a Runner-Up for this award as I didn't see much animation this year, especially compared to 2023, so the award has been Inside Out 2's for a while. I know there are other animated films that have made a splash, but regardless, the "lonely" win shouldn't diminish how great Inside Out 2 is as a sequel. It continues to impress with its originality and imagination, tackles a difficult subject of anxiety, and evolves the story with Riley as she enters puberty. Personally, I hope we get more Inside Outs that follow Riley into various chapters of life as the material would be rich, and the themes likely progressively mature.

BEST INDIE FILM

The Zone of Interest

American Fiction

Late Night with the Devil

Longlegs

My Old Ass

Conclave

Blitz

Nosferatu

Winner: My Old Ass
Runner-Up: Conclave

There were a lot of smaller, quality films this year as the nominee list would indicate. Also...again...what a year for horror! Ultimately, it was My Old Ass that was one of the best surprises, and films, of the year. The touching coming of age dramedy with a twist was funny where it counted, and resonates emotionally with probably everyone. It has a lot on its mind and does a great job expressing it.

BEST BLOCKBUSTER

Dune: Part Two

The Fall Guy

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Deadpool & Wolverine

Inside Out 2

Alien: Romulus

Wicked

Gladiator II

Winner: Dune: Part Two
Runner-Up: Deadpool & Wolverine

It's no secret that Dune: Part Two was one of the most impressive films of the year. One of sci-fi's best sequels in a long time was equal parts entertaining as it was engaging. Thrilling you, while also making you think. It was the intersection of quality filmmaking and storytelling with exciting, edge-of-your-seat stakes.

BEST DIRECTOR

Denis Villeneuve - Dune: Part Two

Jonathan Glazer - The Zone of Interest

Cord Jefferson - American Fiction

Alex Garland - Civil War

George Miller - Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Osgood Perkins - Longlegs

Fede Alvarez - Alien: Romulus

Coralie Fargeat - The Substance

Edward Berger - Conclave

Jon M. Chu - Wicked

Robert Eggers - Nosferatu

Winner: Denis Villeneuve - Dune: Part Two
Runner-Up: Coralie Fargeat - The Substance

Directing major films must be a difficult job, especially once you start to consider all the various interests of the actors, studios, budget, and more. With that in mind, this list and winner are often directors who balanced all of that, ensuring that their vision remained in tact. Denis Villeneuve is one of the industry's best directors right now, second only to Christopher Nolan in my opinion. For as massive of a film as Dune: Part Two was, he not only captured his vision, but he improved the original. It's a monumental sequel and, by the time this trilogy is done, it'll likely be referenced in the same light as other great ones (e.g. Lord of the Rings) for how imaginative, iconic, and entertaining they are.

BEST PERFORMANCES

Keeping in line with my shift in this award from last year, I'm doing away with actor/actress splits and instead speaking to the 5 best performances I saw in film this year. They are ones that were not only memorable, but elevated the material they were in, often taking a life of their own.

5 | David Dastmalchian as Jack Delroy in Late Night with the Devil - It was wonderful to get to see David Dastmalchian in a leading role for once, and he didn't let it go to waste. One of several horror performances from the year to make the nominee and winner list, his Jack Delroy was a complicated individual, but one forced to have an abundance of charisma at all times. As the film progresses and the events unfold, Dastmalchian is challenged in the performance and never falters. It was an anchor point the film needed. 

4 | Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in Wicked - Erivo is the beating heart of a very good film adaptation for Wicked, the play. She commands the screen from her awkward outcast moments, all the way to her triumphant ones, and her chemistry with the cast is spot-on. In a film that got two major casting decisions right (Ariana Grande being the other) and has some questionable others, Erivo is steadfastly the best one. 

3 | Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence in Conclave - A measured and calculated performance, Fiennes' Lawrence has to tow the line between unravelling a critical mystery with minimal time versus conducting the traditional, Holy proceedings of electing a new pope. Fiennes seems to handle this challenge with ease and even manages to heighten the film's tension himself. 

2 | Maika Monroe as Lee Harker in Longlegs - Being criminally overlooked this year, Monroe had one of the year's best "scream queen" performances [brief aside, if there was a #6 spot, it would undoubtedly being going to Naomi Scott's Smile 2 performance]. Much was made about Monroe's heartrate in some clever advertising, but beyond that moment in the film, her awkward character and her committal to their quirks created something as memorable as the Longlegs villain itself. When thinking of the year's best performances, hers came immediately to mind. 

1 | Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle in The Substance - Sometimes a role demands so much of its star, that it's hard not to be in awe at how well they handle it all. The Substance demanded A LOT from Moore in this crazy, body horror tale. Having taken a break from Hollywood, she came back to this as if she'd never left, pushing herself through the uncomfortable and the zany, to provide the best performance of 2024. 

BEST SCENES OF 2024

We're back to one of my favorite, most difficult, and most elaborate awards: the 15 best scenes of the year. I enjoy this one so much, even if it's the hardest to track, as it's a treat to go back and recall which scenes stood the test of time and stuck with me. Let's take a look!

15 | Facing the Audience - Smile 2: Smile 2 was such an impressive sequel in all the ways that it upped the ante of the first. Focusing on a cursed pop star made it unique, driven by Naomi Scott's phenomenally unhinged performance. So when the film dropped back to back twists, I was floored by not only what transpired, but what could come next. Smile 3 may be borderline apocalyptic. 

14 | Zero-G Acid Tunnel - Alien: Romulus: Alien: Romulus was a wonderful surprise this year, largely for how well it built and managed tension. There were several memorable scenes, but none more creative than one featuring alien blood - an extremely powerful acid that can eat through even metal - suspended in air due to zero gravity. Our heroes must navigate it without being touched and I was sincerely clinching my butt cheeks as they did so. 

13 | War Rig Air Chase - Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga: Furiosa continued George Miller's impressive stunt work, albeit with a bit more special effects this time around, but there were still practical moments to be wowed by. None more so than the war rig chase featuring bikes/vehicles outfitted with parachutes and massive fans. It was highly technical, visually impressive, and one of the more impressive moments of the franchise. 

12 | The Final Match - Challengers: All the back and forth within Challengers' exciting runtime, comes to a thrilling, and semi-humorous head, in a final match that devolves into sexual innuendo, vicious tennis hits, dripping sweat, and Zendaya wringing her hands. It's all propelled by the iconic original score for a movie climax that sticks with you. 

11 | Anxiety Coming to Terms - Inside Out 2: Inside Out 2 had a lot of memorable, original moments that you could cite as the reason for it being as big and successful as it was. However, I think many (potentially most) theatergoers over the age of 18 connected with Anxiety, a new emotion. Her spiral out of control and subsequent relinquishing control of Riley (mild spoilers, I guess) near the end of the film feels reminiscent to all of us. Something we couldn't quite put our finger on, but Pixar brought to life. 

10 | The Monster - The Substance: The Substance was already f**king bonkers before this moment, but it really goes for broke at the end. Without giving too much away, let's just say there's a wild transformation and chaos ensues, almost becoming an entirely different movie all together for its final 20 minutes. Darkly funny and impressive, it's not a scene anyone will forget any time soon. 

9 | A Confession - Conclave: Nearly the entirety of Conclave is a worthwhile scene, but it was the mystery of the "secret" Cardinal that I was most intrigued by, particularly by the end as some of Conclave's next steps reveal themselves. What I didn't expect AT ALL was the secret of the new Cardinal, and the impact it was about to have on the church. It's an example of a film keeping the breadcrumbs and mystery flowing, while playing its cards close to its chest (without being cheap about it). 

8 | Learning the Dance - Wicked: Another film with a lot of memorable moments, I found this tragic-turned-tender moment to be its best and most effective. Just as Elphaba is potentially made a permanent outcast by her peers, she leans into herself, and is accepted (driven by guilt, mostly) by Glinda. It's the start of their friendship and a strong display of the chemistry and performances of its two leads. 

7 | Hill Murder - In a Violent Nature: I mean...DEAR GOD. Who came up with this? I didn't even like this scene, but I think this kill is so seared into my mind, I won't ever forget it. It's literally the most brutal kill I've ever seen in a film. Not for the queasy.

6 | Bye Bye Bye - Deadpool & Wolverine: Another film with multiple options, I ultimately went with the tone-setting, iconic intro. The action-heavy, blood-soaked, hilarious opening moments do so much to let you know that i) Disney let this thing be completely R-rated, ii) Ryan Reynolds is cooking, and iii) the soundtrack was going to be perfect. It gets the audience oriented - and laughing - so quickly and effectively, putting them perfectly in the mindset to be entertained by Marvel Jesus. 

5 | Interrogation - Longlegs: Longlegs is a haunting, creepy, and effective horror/thriller film. When our protagonist agent finally meets the titular villain, the ensuing conversation is terrifying, zany, and disturbing. It's one of those scenes that you can't rip your eyes away to even breathe. You don't need your eyes for breathing, but you get my point. 

4 | One Less Lonely Girl - My Old Ass: My Old Ass and it's main character had already won me over by this point, but this drug-induced Justin Bieber concert was the funniest moment of the year. Coming at the perfect time after some heavier discussion and pre-emotional climax, the performance is cute and funny, but the cut away to a drugged teen dancing alone in the forest is priceless. 

3 | Feyd-Rautha's Birthday - Dune: Part Two: Another film with a rich selection of scenes [sounds like broken record], it's the Gladiator-esque games for Austin Butler's Feyd-Rautha that stand apart. Driven by their visual splendor (and creativity), an intense original score, eloquent violence, and an unhinged Austin Butler, his birthday games are the most memorable part of an insanely good film. 

2 | What Kind of American Are You? - Civil War: Despite being heavily featured in the trailers, I was still caught off guard by how utterly gripping and tense this scene was. Partly because the trailers don't show you everything, but more so because of Garland's pinpoint direction and Jesse Plemons' performance that honestly hits too close to home. It's one of those movie scenes that forced my insides to knot up, becoming more and more panicked as it went on. Let's just hope it never actually comes to fruition, shall we?

1 | A Glimpse at Legacy - The Zone of Interest: Despite being one of the films I saw earliest in the year, The Zone of Interest has wormed its way into my psyche more than I expected. Largely, that's thanks to this scene at the very end of the film. It's one that has a startling transition to another kind of mundane nature, and is so powerful in its message that it felt like I'd been hit between the eyes as I left the theater. It still feels that way, to be honest, because this scene is so utterly powerful.

TOP 10 FILMS OF 2024 | VOTED BY READERS

It's always exciting to see what the readers vote into their Top 10 each year (by method of providing me your Top 3 votes and then I tally the leaders). A lot of times there are sneaky surprises that are interesting to witness, but it's also always a good pulse check for me to understand how I may have perceived (or misperceived) a specific film. Let's take a look at your favorite films of 2024.

#10 - Challengers | This seemed to be one of the surprise original films of the year, likely propelled by Zendaya's stardom. Good news that it was actually a fun, engaging film to boot. It's not surprising to see it make a Reader Voted Top 10 list and I'm glad it did!

#9 - Wicked | It's one of the biggest films of the year, and for good reason. General audiences enjoyed it immensely and the theater "geeks" who already adored the play were singing its praises loudly. Grande and Erivo's performances are some of the best casting in 2024. 

#8 - Late Night with the Devil | In an immensely strong year for horror, I LOVE seeing a smaller film such as this one crack the Top 10. It's effective at keeping you involved and the premise, time period, and Dastmalchian's performance set it apart. 

#7 - Deadpool & Wolverine | It's no surprise to see the lone MCU film make this list. Audiences had a blast with this raunchy, action-heavy story that seemed to let Ryan Reynolds have almost total creative control with. The pairing with Jackman makes it the best Deadpool film yet, and it was a semi-refreshing break from the usual MCU fare. 

#6 - Civil War | I remember trailers for this film causing palpable anxiety among theater goers in the early months of the 2024 election year. Nobody wanted to ACTUALLY see a film about the U.S. at Civil War, but really everyone wanted to. Alex Garland is a brilliant director and writer, with Civil War being an incredibly strong entry on his resume. I'm happy to see this film make the list. 

#5 - Nosferatu | Though it wasn't Eggers' strongest film in my opinion, I've been thrilled that so many people are over the moon about Nosferatu. Eggers is a staple in the Weird and Horror space, and the best parts of this movie were his touches. 

#4 - The Fall Guy | This one is a surprise and, TBH, it's a film I need to watch again. I loved it upon my theater watch, but my memory of it has faded throughout the year. Perhaps my ranking of it would be different had I watched it a second time? It's a fun and funny film with delightful chemistry between its leads. 

#3 - Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga | The opposite of The Fall Guy, Furiosa was a film I watched a second time this year, and it confirmed my initial belief when I first saw it: it's great, but it's no Fury Road. It's quite long, the finale feels tame, the special effects are good, but there's more of them...Still, it's a film that makes my Top 20 (spoiler) and all the extra lore it provides was fantastic. I'm glad there are those out there who loved it nearly as much as Fury Road. 

#2 - Conclave | I'm delighted and surprised to see this SO HIGH on my Reader Voted Top 10, but it's easy to see why. It's one of the most compelling films of the year, the entire thing is flawlessly made, and the overall plot strings an effective and important mystery along. 

#1 - Dune: Part Two | No surprise here. It was one of the year's most anticipated films before release, one of its biggest earners, and the worldwide buzz was generally along the lines of "one of the best sci-fi sequels ever". And it's Denis Villeneuve. He's becoming a butts-in-seats director off name alone, and certainly more so after how iconic Dune: Part Two was. 

TOP 10 FILMS OF 2024 | RATH'S REVIEWS

Now it's time for MY list. These are the films that stuck with me throughout the year (and beyond) for various reasons. They're movies that will define this final year of Rath's Reviews in my memory, originating from the 65 new films I saw. Unfortunately, I cap it at 10, so let's take a look at those that just missed the cut.

20 | Will & Harper // 19 | Kill // 18 | A Quiet Place: Day One // 17 | Smile 2 // 16 | Inside Out 2 // 

15 | The Fall Guy // 14 | Wicked // 13 | Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga // 12 | Alien: Romulus // 

11 | Late Night with the Devil

#10 - The Substance | I was shellshocked after watching The Substance. Writing my review, I couldn't decide if it was brilliant, excessive, ridiculous, genius, or some combination of all of those adjectives. Stepping away from the grotesque elements for a brief moment, The Substance is one of the most visionary films of the year. It's cinematography, use of color, music, and scene staging is the stuff of classics, not to mention its main two performances. The body horror stuff will delight some, horrify others, and leave many somewhat in the middle of it all, but - even a shock to me - it's a film I couldn't stop thinking about. For that reason, it sneaks into my Top 10 list for the year, though I'd not outright recommend it unless you know what you're getting into. 

#9 - The Zone of Interest | Similar to The Substance, The Zone of Interest isn't a film I can necessarily recommend, but rather reflect on the impact it had on me. This experimental movie by Jonathan Glazer is about the mundane lives of Nazi leaders who run, and live outside of, the Jewish concentration and extermination camps. It's a boring film that will infuriate you in multiple ways, largely thanks to genius sound design and minor moments of heat-signature camera work. And then the ending comes - the best scene of 2024 - and it floored me. It may have been a film I saw early in the year, but its effect has been lasting. 

#8 - Deadpool & Wolverine | Marvel greatly reduced its offerings this year, only providing us a lone film, and one that doesn't connect much with the larger MCU, all things considered. That part was initially disappointing to me, but it's kind of (strangely) become the norm for Marvel, so what's left is an action-heavy, profanity-laced bromance of a film that delivers on nearly all fronts. Jackman and Reynolds get to have the screentime they (and comic nerds) have dreamed of for decades. Fears of Disney watering down the R-rating were unfulfilled as this is probably the funniest and dirtiest Deadpool movie yet. Along with some fun fan service moments and cameos, a stellar soundtrack, and a surprisingly emotional finale, and you have one of Marvel's strongest post-Endgame films to date. 

#7 - American Fiction | I love just about everything in this movie and it's one that I need to rewatch. It's full of engaging characters, and multiple plots that effortlessly balance drama, social commentary, and humor. It was far funnier than I expected and was my FIRST film of 2024 (some would argue it's 2023 fare), creating a wonderful jump-off point for my movie going this year. Where some of the other films on this list I hesitate to recommend, this is not one of them. It's one of the most enjoyable films of the year. 

#6 - Challengers | This was a movie that had a stellar trailer, yet still surprised a lot of people with how great it was, and is making the rounds on Top 10 lists because of it. In some ways its not unique: there's a love triangle, there's drama and conflict within it, etc. However, Challengers stands out due to great direction, a perfect cast, one of the year's best (and most original) music scores, and quite honestly...tennis. The sport plays a massive role along the way, and even if you're not a tennis buff (I'm not), I found myself engrossed with the nearly everything about this unique film. 

#5 - Longlegs | Maybe the hype has died down somewhat, but Longlegs had a grip on the movie scene for a couple weeks, and for good reason. It's the year's best horror film in an absolutely iconic horror year. It trades jump scares for slow-burn eeriness, with a pair of performances that are some of the year's best (and wackiest). To pack so much dread and fear and discomfort into a 100 minute movie is really impressive and Longlegs has a lasting impact.

#4 - Civil War | I loved Civil War upon my initial viewing, but a recent re-watch really solidified it as one of the best films of the year. Beyond the subject matter, there is fantastic filmmaking on display here by director Alex Garland, and his storytelling is also gripping. Specific decisions he made elevate it beyond what any sort of political-rhetoric-heavy film would have accomplished and instead it's a love letter to journalism, with a stark, bleak, and frightening warning of what our nation would look like in a modern day war. Like so many of his films, Civil War lingers on the mind. 

#3 - Conclave | On paper, Conclave is about a bunch of old men, part of a religious society, locked in a space to elect their next leader. At best it should have been interesting, and most likely it should have been a bore. But this religious/political thriller is anything but. Propelled by the year's best original score and a pitch-perfect Ralph Fiennes performance, this Vatican mystery had its hooks in me from the opening moments to the final ones. Yes, it also helps that it's an incredibly well made film and features some of the year's best cinematography.

#2 - My Old Ass | This is a criminally underrated, under appreciated, and underseen coming-of-age dramedy with a small sci-fi twist. Yes, there are some generic elements, but beyond being quite funny, My Old Ass's secret weapon is its ability to share its thoughts about aging and time. It has several dialogues that are deeper than they may appear, often discussing how time is the one thing we never get back. This may have hit me harder than others at the point in my life where I was about to begin fatherhood, but its applicable to all of us, really. It culminates in a touching finale that's one of the more emotional moments I've had at the theaters this year. Truly, I don't know if there's anything I'd change about this wonderful film. 

#1 - Dune: Part Two | The biggest film event of the year was Dune: Part Two. It solidified Denis Villeneuve's take on this universe to be iconic, providing a sequel that was better than the original in every way. Villeneuve is supremely talented, and his ability to wrangle such a massive cast, and tell a complex story of political thwarting, warring families, and changing motivations in an accessible way is the stuff of legend. The action beats are jaw-dropping, the set, costume, and sci-fi designs are iconic, our entire cast delivers their absolute best, and the pacing, editing, cinematography, and Hans Zimmer's score enshroud the gargantuan sequel in quality. It may have come early in 2024, but Dune: Part Two is still the best movie I watched this year. 

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And with that, the 2024...and Final...Rath Awards are concluded. There is a tinge of emotion I have knowing this will be the last "heavy lift" I complete as each year ends. I've done this 14 times, improved it over the years, made cuts/adds/edits, and eventually got it to a place where the year's best music, television, videogames, and film is recognized and celebrated. I also take pride in balancing the mainstream hits with the smaller films, ensuring that my interactions with movies are my own thoughts, and not being afraid to go against the norm of critics or audiences. Having an authentic opinion has always been my goal, and the Rath Awards has been my favorite showcase to display that. 

So if you've been reading these throughout the years OR this is your first one, THANK YOU. Your support and interaction with the site has been one of the most special things in my life for more than a decade. And don't be afraid to let me know your thoughts on 2024. What were your favorite songs, albums, shows, games, and films? Leave a comment or reply on socials!

Now let's wrap this thing up with some final posts...