Movies
Year in Review - 2023
The List
(new to me in 2023)
And my 2023 Movie of the Year is…
Blackberry was a ride, from start to finish.
As an avid fan of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (IASIP) and devoted listener of the related podcast, this movie first came on my radar from the guys talking about their new creative projects. Putting any hopes in new creative endeavors from people you love intensely from another project can be a dangerous affair. Charlie Day released his much anticipated film Fool’s Paradise to massive disappointment.
I can very fortunately say that that was not the case for Glenn Howerton. Glenn somehow was able to channel the intensity of his character, Jim Balsillie, without drawing any obvious comparisons to the intensity of his character Dennis on IASIP. His character in Blackberry is crazed and intense, just as Dennis Reynolds is in IASIP, but they couldn’t be more different where it really matters.
The movie shines not just from performances, of which Jay Baruchel’s also stands out, but from pacing. The movie is a crisp 2 hours in length, but in telling the story of Blackberry’s rise and fall over a number of years, feels far faster. That’s not a bad thing. The moments the movie focuses on, the urgency its characters imbue, and the delicate balance of tension, hilarity, and passion help slingshot this movie over the finish line.
ONE
MORE
TIME
I love re-watching movies. The warm embrace of a well-worn plot line, the satisfaction of reliving an epic moment, or just the familiarity of a great character. I was re-assured to find that almost all of the movies I re-watched this year held up to my original conception of them - not just in how a movie aged, but in how I felt about it. I try not to waste my re-watches on movies I know I didn’t like, but there are certainly movies I wanted to give another chance to hit deeper (Everything Everywhere All at Once).
The craving for a re-watch can also strike out of nowhere, to great effect. I suppose I should blame my renewed fascination with astrophysics via Bill Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything, but this past November I suddenly found myself with an intense hankering to re-watch the movie adaptation of Carl Sagan’s Contact. It did not disappoint, and reconnecting to the emotions that movie evokes, and the sense of wonder it creates will be an eternal joy.
Of course there is an excellent reason for re-watching beyond myself, being able to share my favorites with my girlfriend Mara. Seeing how a movie lands with your significant other can be a vulnerable experience, but it does make it all the sweeter when they find joy in the same jokes or wonder in the same ideas as you do. (And if they don’t, well we can’t all be perfect…)
My Biggest Disappointment
The Big Lebowski was not for me.
And that’s totally fine. I suppose it’s a cult movie for a reason. Would I feel different had I watched this in high school late one night in my friend’s basement? Probably. I suspect among the many of my friends who do love this movie, there is a nostalgia effect at play, and that’s meant with no disrespect. I think it’s just true that there are some movies we are more fond of because we grew up with them.
I’m a simple guy - I need a movie I can follow. The Big Lebowski was strange, and convoluted, and very meandering. I didn’t understand the characters, and I don’t think I was supposed to. In a very different way, it reminded me of the strangeness of Pulp Fiction, which I also did not resonate with.
I watch movies like this and I end up reflecting, “Yes, there really is a movie out there for everyone". This time around it just wasn’t me.
What I’m Most Excited For in 2024…
A Quiet Place: Day One
I’m a big fan of both the Quiet Place movies, and Quiet Place Part II was one of my favorite theater experiences of recent memory. Perhaps it was simply the satisfaction of being back in theaters after a long pandemic, but no doubt these movies deliver an extremely unique theater experience.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
The trilogy of movies preceding this upcoming film were quite the achievement. Creating and executing on a cohesive vision for a 3-movie arc feels harder and harder these days with the amount of flops and overblown budgets. I thought the Apes trilogy was solid throughout, and great sci-fi. I’m skeptical that this will continue the legacy in good standing, but I’m at least intrigued.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Ghostbusters: Afterlife was an unexpected and extremely pleasant surprise when I saw it in 2021. I came for Paul Rudd but I was taken with Mckenna Grace’s performance and comedic timing. I hesitate to get my hopes too high for any sort of sequel, but the first trailer certainly has me excited…
Dune: Part Two
I’m on record as being a Dune hater. The book did little for me and the first movie I thought was more style over substance. Still, I’m not going to say no to a blockbuster sci-fi moment. And I do love me some Chalamet. I want to rewatch the first with fresh eyes. Dune is treasured for a reason, and I want to better understand it.
Spider-Man: Beyond the Spiderverse
The Spider-verse movies continue to amaze, and I doubt this final entry will be any different. Across the Spider-Verse was such a delight, and I love how the writers are able to make the story feel fresh through countless retellings. It helps too that the visuals are as clever as they are.