My friends and I were discussing the cinematic wonders of the coolest production and distribution company around the other day (shoutout to my library folk friends). Our delightful conversation gave me the idea to pay homage to all the beauty, craftsmanship, and excellence that is A24 in written form. I’m not the first to recognize its brilliance on our Hot Off the Shelf blog team, by the way. My colleague Alyssia wrote a post about some of her favourites here. With the Toronto International Film Festival coming to a close, it seems particularly appropriate to tell you about some of my cherished A24 films. The name A24 comes from a motorway that one of the founders of the company was travelling on in Italy when he had a Paul on the road to Damascus (or Rome, as the case may be) epiphany. His a-ha moment, in the parlance of Oprah, was to put aside his fear of starting his own company and begin. Evidently, his was a good decision because it became the first independent studio to take home the top four acting categories, Best Director, and Best Picture for Everything, Everywhere, All at Once in 2023. I would be remiss if I did not mention the distinct style of A24 horror movies that is now synonymous with the moniker. Often exploring similar thematic content, cultivating similar unsettling atmospheres, and uncomfortably expanding the minds of audiences everywhere, these movies have inspired a diehard fandom. Personally, I have not seen any of them. I am, what they call, a sensitive bean. So, I shall stick to the more moderately frightening psychological thrillers and the like. There are a few on this list. If you’re a horror fan, do check out Hereditary, The Witch, Midsommar, and The Killing of a Sacred Deer (linked to our catalogue offerings). So, without further adieu, should we get to it?