In 2023, I wanted to make a list of all the new movies and older ones I had seen, and at the end of the year, give a few shoutouts to my favorites. If one person checks out a movie because of this list or just feels some affirmation in also loving it, I’ll be happy. I’ll list four movies that top my list and highlight three more, but these are not in order other than that.
Oppenheimer: This was a movie many anticipated this year because of the cast and the director Christopher Nolan, and I felt the same. I have been a fan for years and will not miss anything he puts out. Of course, the cultural event that was Barbenheimer was something I did not expect! Since my wife wanted to see Barbie and a friend wanted to see Oppenheimer later, I sat down and bought tickets to the Oppenheimer 70MM special showing for a Sunday. My friend and I went into a packed house and…the projection was awful and except for a small couple feet circle in the middle of the screen, everything was out of focus, and they couldn’t fix it. We still loved the movie and were able to follow most of what was going on. I went a couple of days later to an IMAX screening by myself and fully enjoyed the experience. I personally believe this to be the best of the Nolan movies, up there with The Dark Knight and Inception. I’ve watched this movie six times, and it is a masterclass of directing by Nolan. He has so much skill and confidence, and creates so much complexity at all times, without making it feel overwhelming (except for when he wants you to feel emotionally overwhelmed by the weight of the story) Oppenheimer has the slickness of Dark Knight, the complexity of a screenplay like Memento, and the thrills and energy of a movie like Inception. The acting, the music, the screenplay (which was written in first person), and everything else he added is amazing and well worth giving time and effort to watch.
Godzilla Minus One: I have been a lifelong Godzilla fan since before I could read and write and got into sci fi or comics. It also surprises me that, after seeing Godzilla Minus One, I feel it isn’t just the best Godzilla movie ever made (except for the first original version from 1954), but one of the year’s best movies generally. I’ve seen it four times and this movie is a great movie with great effects and will go down as a classic. Godzilla Minus One differs from the American Godzilla movies released lately. Godzilla Minus One was released by Toho, which is the original creator studio of Godzilla in Japan, and releases their own Godzilla films; the American Godzilla movies come from Legendary in the United States (they have licensed Godzilla from Toho). Godzilla Minus One is the 33rd of the Japanese Toho Godzilla films and has blown away box office expectations, making new Godzilla and kaiju fans all over the world. While my inner kid loved the movie, my adult creative side also wanted to sing the praises of this movie and how special a work of art it is. This might be the first Godzilla movie to win major awards. Even if you have never seen a Godzilla film, I think this is one to see -= the characters, the stakes, the music, the filmmaking is all top notch. The film was made for a small percentage of what is typical for Hollywood large action movie budgets. There is a scene for me that is just as effective emotionally as the scene when Sean Penn screams in the 2003 film Mystic River and I wasn’t expecting that from a Godzilla movie! If you missed this in theaters check this out on streaming or digital or buy a copy ASAP - I promise you will enjoy something in Godzilla Minus One.
The Creator: When I first heard this announced I knew I’d check it out. Director Gareth Edwards, whose previous movies I had always enjoyed (Monsters, Godzilla, Star Wars Rogue One), was the director of this film, so I thought I would enjoy it, but for me the film was such an emotional experience. The few times I’ve watched it since, I always cry at the end! Some people have griped that this film takes from previous movies and franchises and sci fi concepts, but even if it uses previous tropes or concepts, I think the emotional impact of the film deserves a lot of credit. For me, the familiar ideas we had seen before were subverted and made original. I feel like this movie came out around the advent of ChatGPT, and at a weird time for people’s feelings and understanding of AI, so that probably contributed to lower enthusiasm from the public. I think this is probably the most beautiful movie of 2023 in terms of cinematography, and the cast list is great and the acting believable – it makes for a good movie with realistic elements. I added this movie to my collection for sure and hope you also check this movie out and open your mind and heart to its ideas.
A Star Is Born (2018): Originally, I gave myself the structure of trying to only pick three to talk about with some honorable mentions, but I caught up on a film I missed when it was released and loved it so much, I had to include it at the end of the year list. My mother passed away unexpectedly in 2018 when this movie came out, and that year, I didn’t go to the movies much; much of that year is a blur. My wife watched this version on a business trip earlier this year, and told me how much she liked it and also how much she thought I would enjoy it. The struggles of Bradley Cooper’s character hit me to my core and I struggled for a few days to get my head right because the character resonated so much with me personally. Before you ask if I am ok, I have started therapy and have gotten help for my medical issues, but like that character there are days it’s such a drag and a time, and the art can keep you alive. If you are a creative person and watch this movie, I think either of the main characters will resonate with you. The music and direction are great, but the writing and that character made this a hugely emotional film for me.
Honorable Mentions:
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3: This is a perfect end to the trilogy and send off to one of my favorite Marvel characters Rocket Raccoon.
Dungeons and Dragons Honor Among Thieves: I went in not knowing what to expect and was charmed. I think it was one of the most fun movies all year, with clever writing, resulting in a super good time at the movies.
Mishima A Life in Four Chapters: I wanted to watch some Criterion collection movies I hadn’t seen, and this was the one that blew me away this year. The intense life and death of a famous real life Japanese writer is told with fragments of his work interwoven to show how his end was inevitable. It is beautiful, intense, and disturbing, a movie worth watching in my opinion.
And here is the complete list of movies watched in 2023! See you at the movies next year!
Movies Watched in 2023:
Richard 3
Crimson Peak
Banshees of Inisherin
Bullet Train
Resident evil
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing
Puss in Boots Last Wish
Mishima
Shin Ultraman
A Simple Plan
Samurai 1
Resident Evil 2 Apocalypse
Samurai 2
Lyle Lyle Crocodile
Shaun of the dead
Samurai 3
The Menu
Ant man and Wasp Quantumania
Scream 6
RRR
The Slums of Beverly Hills
Dragonslayer
Blow Out
Dungeons and Dragons Honor Among Thieves *
The Ice Storm
The French Connection
Singing in the Rain
Three Colors Blue
Shazam 2 fury of the Gods
City Lights
Three Colors White
Three Colors Red
Do the Right Thing
Cocaine Bear
Sunset Blvd
Life force
Evil Dead Rise
Guardians vol 3 *
Air
Illang the wolf brigade
Robot Jox
John Wick 4
65
Super Mario Bros
A Star Is Born 2018 *
Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse
Bridge of Spies
Transformers Rise of the Beasts
The Flash
Renfield
Fast x
Fast 9
Hobbs and Shaw
Kings Solomons Mines 1985
Indiana Jones Dial of Destiny
Spiral book of saw
Tromeo and Juliet
Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1
Barbie
Oppenheimer *
Five Guns West
Five Deadly Venoms
Day of the Dead
Birdman
Ex Machina
Sunshine
Beowulf 2007
Blue Beetle
Heavenly Creatures
M3gan
Brazil
The Creator *
Gran Turismo
The Exorcist Believer
Talk to Me
No one Will Save You
Hacksaw Ridge
The Marvels
Godzilla Minus One*
