January 12, 2024
After three years of major disruption, most industries saw some sense of normalcy return in 2023. That was not the case for Hollywood, which saw another chaotic year, primarily due to the dual labor conflicts between the studios and the unions representing the actors and writers that create the movies and television shows that we love. The two strikes led to a major disruption in production, as well as promotion (as actors couldn’t go on talk shows or attend movie premieres while on strike), leading to a number of release dates getting delayed.
The other disruptive force in Hollywood in 2023 was the reckoning that it takes a little more than turning on a streaming service to create a sustainable business model. Ironically, the only company that has demonstrated success in this arena started the streamer panic on Wall Street when Netflix missed key subscriber goals in early 2022. Since then, the other major studios have been scrambling to grow their streaming service membership, while tightening their belt to meet investor demands for their businesses to actually make money. The cumulative losses across Disney+, (HBO) Max, Paramount+, and Peacock can be measured in the billions. Amazon and Apple don’t disclose much information about their streaming services, which (let’s be honest) are secondary businesses to their primary mission of consumer products and convenience.
With that as a backdrop, 2024 looks to be another transitional year in the industry. Productions are getting back on track following the strikes, but the calendar will have some bare spots until stability returns. There will also likely be fewer movies and television shows available in the new steady state, as the studios will be more selective about what they invest in, and how much to spend on projects they greenlight. Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing as there are just way too many options to choose from these days. The concern is that as the quantity declines, we lose some quality material and are left with more junk than we’d like to see. Granted, everyone has different opinions and tastes, but I think we can all agree that the world would be a better place with more films from the likes of Jordan Peele and fewer trashy reality shows.
Before we lament the concerns of 2024 and beyond, let’s celebrate a wonderful 2023, because from a film standpoint, it was one of the best in recent memory. The headline of the year was the Barbenheimer phenomenon – two very different movies released on the same day that grossed over $2.5 billion combined worldwide. In addition to Greta Gerwig and Christopher Nolan’s blockbusters, we saw the return of some of our more celebrated filmmakers, including Bradley Cooper, Ridley Scott, David Fincher, Sofia Coppola, Todd Haynes, Michael Mann, Wes Anderson, Ben Affleck, and Alexander Payne. We also saw some wonderful directorial debuts from Ray Romano (Somewhere in Queens), Celine Song (Past Lives), Cord Jefferson (American Fiction) and former YouTubers Danny and Michael Philippou (Talk to Me).
Speaking of Talk to Me, horror continued to be a hit at the theater, with Scream VI, Saw X, and the viral sensation M3GAN, which got 2023 off to a strong start one year ago. Naturally, we saw a number of sequels – some of which were big hits (Creed III, John Wick 4, and The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), and some of which were big misses (looking at you Fast X). We saw a concert film somehow earn over $250 million worldwide, but when it comes to Taylor Swift, all comparisons go out the window.
Lastly, 2023 proved to be a turning point in the comic book movie world, as The Marvels, The Flash, and the Aquaman and Ant-Man sequels were disappointments either critically, financially, or both. Superhero movies aren’t going anywhere, but the message audiences sent in 2023 was “We’ll go to the theater for good stories and event movies, but if it’s not good, we’re not going to show up just because it has a Marvel or DC Comics label on it.” Personally, I’m glad this happened, because it will force the studios to create a better product going forward.
Ok, let’s talk about some movies. If you are a regular reader of this blog, then you know that I am a list person. Throughout 2023, I’ve been rating and ranking all of the new releases I’ve seen, constantly tinkering with those in the top tier. Normally, I would go in depth about my top ten, but this year I’m going to do something a little different. The year was so bountiful that I am going to cover my top twenty movies and since I wrote about a number of new releases throughout the year, I won’t go too deep on most of those films. But that’s for next week. This week, we’re going to start with my honorable mentions, beginning with some documentaries.
The Year in Documentaries
This was kind of a down year in the documentary space as there were only a few standouts that will make some noise come Oscar season. That being said, I managed to see a number of pretty good ones this year. Here are some options depending on your taste.
Celebrity Profiles
With the increased need for content to fill up the streaming services, we’ve seen a bounty of documentaries that showcase a celebrity. Now these can be tricky because if the subject of the film is one of the executive producers, you tend to get a hagiographic portrait, with no objective criticism. Profiles of Brooke Shields (Pretty Baby), Pamela Anderson (Pamela: A Love Story) and Barry Sanders (Bye Bye Barry) leaned a little that way, but I found them interesting nonetheless. If you are a classic television fan, Being Mary Tyler Moore was an excellent portrait of the trailblazing actress, and Rob Reiner’s film about his good friend and comedian Albert Brooks: Defending My Life was very good, but I wish it was longer as I could spend all day listening to Brooks talk about his life.
One of the better films in this category that I saw was The Last Rider, which tells the story of Greg LeMond, the first American to win the Tour de France. After Lance Armstrong’s disgraceful fall, cycling (and the Tour) became tainted and people forgot about LeMond, who won before the sport was impacted by rampant steroid use. LeMond’s story is a very interesting one and quite inspiring. It’s worth checking out. Lastly, if you missed Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, the excellent portrait of the actor, I highly recommend watching it before its likely Best Documentary nomination at the Oscars.
For the Music Enthusiast
I’m a huge music fan, so documentaries in this genre are usually of interest to me, even if I know nothing about the subject, which was the case with Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed, an interesting portrait of a musician during a turbulent time in his life. Growing up in the 1980s, it’s no surprise that I would like Let the Canary Sing, which covered Cyndi Lauper’s life and career and Milli Vanilli, which broke down the rise and quick fall of the famous lip syncers.
The very good Netflix story of Wham! would make a nice companion to the excellent 2022 documentary Freedom Uncut, which covered George Michael’s solo career after Wham! broke up. I was excited for the behind the scenes look at Michael Jackson’s legendary album portrayed in Thriller 40, but it left me wanting more. Lastly, for the classic rock fan, Squaring the Circle is the story of Hipgnosis, the art company responsible for some of the more iconic album covers of the 1960s and 1970s by Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Paul McCartney, among many others. That very cool documentary is available on Netflix.
Thought Provoking Stories
These are not your feel-good documentaries, but compelling nonetheless. One of the frontrunners for Best Documentary at the Oscars is 20 Days in Mariupol, which highlights journalists covering the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, their efforts to get the facts about the war out to the public, and escape before they are trapped behind enemy lines. I was riveted by Four Daughters, another Oscar contender which uses a unique filmmaking technique to tell the story of a woman who loses two of her daughters to radicalism in Libya. Lastly, one of the best documentaries I saw last year was The Deepest Breath, a captivating look at the world of deep ocean freediving, focused on a woman’s effort to break the world record, accompanied by her coach.
Moving on to some other recommendations, these are films that just missed out on my top twenty or I didn’t get a chance to cover when they were released, but still worth highlighting. Let’s jump in with a recent release that (unfortunately) didn’t perform well at the box office. But don’t let that discourage you.
Portrait of a Tycoon – Ferrari
Biopics can be tricky. I prefer ones that focus on certain events of a subject’s life, as opposed to the typical cradle-to-grave story that can feel bloated and bordering on an SNL impersonation. Thankfully, director Michael Mann chose my preferred structure for Ferrari, the story of Enzo Ferrari, who created the luxury automobile company that bears his name. The film focuses on a time in his life when he is facing financial difficulties, increased competition, and trouble at home as he balances his troubled marriage and a second family that his wife doesn’t know about.
Audiences didn’t turn out for Ferrari, but I thought it was very good. Adam Driver is excellent in the lead role, but Penelope Cruz steals the show as his wife. There are some questionable accents (especially from Shailene Woodley as his other partner), but overall the story is very good and the racing scenes are outstanding. After almost twenty years of subpar films, thankfully Ferrari is a return to form for Michael Mann, whose next project is an adaptation of his recent novel Heat 2. Here’s hoping he gets the financing, because I have confidence he can live up to the masterpiece of 1995’s Heat when making the sequel. Ferrari is now playing in theaters and will be available to rent on demand on January 23rd.
Portrait of a Tyrant – Napoleon
Moving from one octogenarian director to another…. At a recent family party, I was asked if I saw Napoleon and if it was any good. I didn’t know how to answer, because my feeling right now is, “It depends.” Let me explain. Ridley Scott, still cranking out movies in his 80s and now filming Gladiator 2 (God bless him), directed the portrait of the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, with Joaquin Phoenix in the title role. Before the movie was even released, Scott noted in an interview that he already has a four-hour director’s cut that he will eventually share with the world.
Now, the film released in November was about 2 ½ hours and was pretty good. This is a typical biopic in that we see Napoleon’s early career, rise to power, and eventual fall. We see a mix of the politics / war side of his story, along with his turbulent marriage to Josephine, portrayed by Vanessa Kirby in a terrific performance. Why am I uncertain about my opinion? Well, some of the film is excellent, particularly the battle scenes, but overall the story felt disjointed and didn’t flow very well. Scott has said that his director’s cut will feature more of Kirby and the relationship of the couple. Perhaps that version will be more cohesive, so I am holding out hope for a much better film when I see the director’s cut. And in case you think this is a crazy idea from a director, Scott did this with 2005’s Kingdom of Heaven and that director’s cut was much better than the original. Napoleon is now available to rent on demand and will likely be on Apple TV+ in the coming weeks. I expect we’ll get the director’s cut on the same service later this year.
Incredible Story, Tough Watch – Society of the Snow
If you are in my age bracket, you may remember the 1993 movie Alive, which I never saw. I was ignorant of the full story, only knowing it was about a plane crash in the mountains and the survivors had to turn to cannibalism to stay alive. The incredible true story is told in the Spanish film Society of the Snow, which was acquired by Netflix and released earlier this month. This is the kind of story you wouldn’t believe if it didn’t really happen. In 1972, a plane carrying 45 passengers and crew, including a rugby team, crashed in the Andes mountains. Those who survived endured incredible hardship before sixteen of them were rescued following a brave expedition by two men who found civilization beyond the snow-covered mountains.
Yes, the survivors had to resort to cannibalism to survive, but director J.A. Bayona does a thoughtful job of depicting the act in a subtle fashion that is more focused on the anguish of the survivors (most of whom were devoted Catholics) to make a decision necessary for survival, and keeping the specific act offscreen. So, if you are worried about being grossed out, it’s not heavy-handed – this is a drama, not a horror movie. Instead, you will be amazed by how this group of people found the internal strength to endure everything that came their way besides hunger – freezing temperatures, multiple avalanches, snow blindness, loneliness, and the fear that they would never be found. The filmmaking was very impressive, including the special effects of the plane crash, the cinematography of the mountain setting, and the acting of the major characters who demonstrate the agonizing journey of the survivors. While there is a happy ending, I wouldn’t call this a “happy film.” It can be tough to watch at times, but the inspirational story is one that will stay with you forever. Society of the Snow is now streaming on Netflix.
A Return to Greatness – Asteroid City
About two years ago, I wrote a post covering the films of director Wes Anderson ahead of the release of his 2021 movie The French Dispatch, which didn’t really work for me. While I love some of his films (particularly The Royal Tenenbaums and The Grand Budapest Hotel), others have been a little too quirky for my taste. I’m happy to report that his 2023 film Asteroid City is a return to what I love about Anderson’s work, even though he hasn’t lost his quirky touch in telling this story.
The film is structured as a kind of nesting doll, introducing a documentary about a play that depicts the fictional Asteroid City. We are then taken to the desert town, named for an asteroid having landed there many years before. Several families have gathered so their children can be honored at the Junior Stargazer convention for aspiring scientists and inventors. Oh, yeah – while they are there, an alien disrupts the proceedings.
As with every Anderson movie, there are two dozen big names playing major and minor roles. The cast is led by frequent Anderson collaborator Jason Schwartzman, who is wonderful as a father who hasn’t had the heart to tell his four children that their mother died. He summons his father-in-law (Tom Hanks, in a touching performance) to help them out. Their story is at the heart of the film, but there are many side plots that contribute to the vibe that Anderson created. If you are a fan of his movies, you can expect the usual vibrant colors highlighting an impeccable production design and quirky characters delivering subtle jokes in a deadpan manner. The film is a nice comedy-drama that reinforces the importance of human connection with some silly jokes along the way. If you’ve never seen a Wes Anderson movie, I’d recommend starting with The Royal Tenenbaums to see if you vibe with his frequency as a director. But if you are a member of his fan club, you’ll like this movie. While I wouldn’t consider it Anderson’s best film, I can see it moving up my rankings of his movies over the coming years. Asteroid City is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
The Feel-Good Family Movie – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
If you liked The Holdovers (and if you haven’t watched it yet, you can stream it now on Peacock and you’ll read my thoughts on it next week), I highly recommend this feel-good story. Based on the beloved novel by Judy Blume, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is a coming-of-age story set in 1970 focused on an eleven year-old girl (the titular Margaret, played by Abby Ryder Fortson in a great performance) whose life is upended when her parents move from New York City to New Jersey. With the move, she faces the loss of her friends and frequent visits with her grandmother (played by Kathy Bates). Coupled with that, Margaret is learning about puberty and dealing with the anxiety of becoming a teenager and peer pressure from her new friends at school.
Margaret also faces challenges at home, primarily from the religious conflict of her Catholic mother (Rachel McAdams in a performance that would have earned an Oscar nomination in most years) and her Jewish father (Benny Safdie). Her parents debate how Margaret should be raised, not realizing that they should actually consult with their daughter about what she wants. The meddling of her Catholic grandmother into this dispute certainly doesn’t help matters. You won’t be surprised to learn that I never read this book and while I may not be the obvious demographic for a film like this, I decided to watch it with an open mind. Let me say that I’m glad I did because director Kelly Fremon Craig has created a sweet family story that will make you laugh and warm your heart. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is now streaming on Starz and is available to rent on demand.
Rated R, with a Capital R – Joy Ride
In the movie rating system, R stands for Restricted, but in the case of Joy Ride, it could easily stand for Raunchy. I’m going to get it out of the way now to state that this movie may offend a lot of people. I’m not usually one to cringe at a raunchy joke, but even I was taken aback by some of the scenes in Joy Ride, even more so than the ones in No Hard Feelings. Not convinced? The original name for Joy Ride was The Joy F*ck Club. Get the picture? But here’s an important factor to consider – Joy Ride is funny as hell and it was one of the few movies I can remember actually laughing out loud in the theater, and I wasn’t the only one.
Our story is centered on best friends Audrey and Lolo, who grew up together in Seattle, bonding over being Chinese-American kids. The opening sequence takes us back to 1995 (and includes Ants Marching, a nice surprise to hear DMB at the start of the film) to show us how they met and bonded over a racist comment from a fellow student, with a great reaction that cements the girls’ friendship. Over the years, Audrey became a straight-laced attorney and Lolo became a struggling artist, with questionable motivation to achieve her dreams. When Audrey has to travel to China to secure a big deal, Lolo tags along as her translator, and they meet up with two other friends, leading to a wild adventure in search of Audrey’s birth mother.
Joy Ride is the kind of raunchy adult comedy that we used to see a lot more in theaters, but (as I covered in my review of No Hard Feelings) seems to have drifted away from the priorities of movie studios. Director Adele Lim (who co-wrote Crazy Rich Asians) shines in her feature debut, delivering a film that was very funny (and surprisingly emotional at times), even if some of the jokes were a little corny or too much for me. If you don’t take it too seriously (and are not easily offended), this could be a fun popcorn movie for a Friday night. Joy Ride is now streaming on Starz and is available to rent on demand.
Not Your Parents’ Oscar Favorite – Poor Things
Perhaps you watched the Golden Globes earlier this week, or read about the winners and thought, “Hmmm, Emma Stone just won Best Actress for a period-piece film that also won Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, and I’m hearing about Oscar buzz for Poor Things. Maybe I should see it?” Well, that’s why I’m here and the answer is “It depends on your taste.”
First of all, Stone is brilliant in the movie, showing why she is one of the best actresses working today. She is also killing it on the uncomfortably cringy television series The Curse on Paramount+. Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo are also excellent in supporting roles, particularly Ruffalo who is hysterical. So, why the hesitation? First of all – the story is really freaking weird. Wikipedia describes it as an ”epic period science-fantasy black-comedy adventure” – whew!. Second, the humor is crude and there are some explicit scenes that might make the average viewer blush. So before you rush out to see it, buyer beware.
Stone stars as Bella Baxter, a recently deceased woman who is brought back to life by a mad scientist (Dafoe) using the brain of a child, in a Frankenstein-type plot device. Here we have someone with the brain of a child in the body of a woman, who is being raised by a father figure in his isolated mansion. When she goes out on an adventure with a potential suitor (Ruffalo), she is exposed to the pleasures of the world her “father” kept her away from. Naturally, she indulges in anything and everything, discovering what it’s like to live as a woman with no restrictions.
Poor Things was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, whose 2019 film The Favourite led to a Best Actress Oscar for Olivia Colman. Lanthimos has a unique style in his movies, not afraid to portray the absurdity in a story, however unrealistic it may be – Poor Things is a fantasy, after all – to demonstrate themes without overtly telling them directly to the audience. From that standpoint, you could argue Poor Things is a feminist story, but VERY different from Barbie. While it wasn’t in my top tier of 2023 movies, I certainly appreciated what Lanthimos was going for in the story, written by Tony McNamara, who also did the screenplay for The Favourite. If you aren’t easily offended, go into Poor Things expecting anything can happen, and relish in the ridiculousness of the humor, it can be a really good time. Poor Things is now playing in theaters.
Before we wrap up, some other 2023 movies that I liked a lot, but didn’t make my top twenty include Air, Talk to Me, Somewhere in Queens, Priscilla, The Covenant, and Dream Scenario. You can find my thoughts on those options via my Film Index here.
That’s all for this week. If you are wondering where to see any of these films, I recommend JustWatch.com to find where to watch a movie from home or Fandango or IMDB to find showtimes for your local theaters. I’ll be back next week for part one of my favorite films of 2023. Thanks for reading and if you’d like to be notified of future posts, you can subscribe below.
Thanks Steve for the blog this week.