The Whale (2022, USA)Starring: Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Ty Simpkins, Hong Chau | Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Most people believe that January is simply a dumping ground for mediocre movies in theaters, but there were some pretty good gems to start the new year such as Missing, Babylon, and my January pick, The Whale. Granted this movie came out in the previous year, this movie gained some momentum from the end of December to its more wide release in January. Pinned as the movie to create the Brenassaince, this movie showcased Brendan Fraser's dramatic talents with a deeply emotional performance that earned him critical and audience praise as well as a few awards. Hong Chau also did an amazing job playing Liz, Charlie's friend and caretaker. The whole story is beautifully executed by both the cast and crew. Some other honorable mentions that I enjoyed in January were the short film Wake, The Untamed, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, and the anime movie Violet Evergarden: The Movie.
The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021, USA)Starring: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Mike Rianda | Directed by: Mike Rianda
February presented a little problem for me as I was making my list of movie notables; should I pick something old over something new? Obviously you can tell that I went the 2021 Netflix animated movie The Mitchells vs. the Machines. At first, I wasn't going to check out this movie at all because it reminded me of Meet the Robinsons, but when I heard so many people praise it, I made the effort to check it out from my job and give it a watch. What a wild and funny ride this was! I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this movie. The animation was great, the humor was on point, and the story kept me engaged to the very end. If you're open to watching family friendly cartoons whether you have little ones or not, this one was very enjoyable from start to finish. Other notable movies from February were the steamy Magic Mike's Last Dance, the M. Night Shyamalan adaptation Knock on the Cabin, another bizarre Mia Goth movie Infinity Pool, and the classic James Stewart movie Harvey.
Singin' in the Rain (1952, USA)Starring: Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen | Directed by: Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly
This was another semi-hard decision as I wanted to highlight the underrated based on a true story, underdog tell of Champions. As I slowly work through Letterboxd challenges, I watched a classic Gene Kelly movie by the name of Singin' in the Rain. When I was in university, I saw the magic of the iconic titular song as Kelly performs in the rain and now I can say that I've seen the whole movie. The interesting thing is comparing this family friendly feature with the more adult Babylon as both movie's cover the evolution of film in their own unique, entertaining way. Watching this movie makes me hope that the younger generation gives these old classics a chance, because it has been a very pleasant journey for me. Maybe that's why I participate in so many Letterboxd challenges. Other notable movies in March were the surprisingly good Scream VI and the Max documentary of a childhood, late night informercial icon Call Me Miss Cleo.
Spirited Away: Live on Stage (2022, Japan)Starring: Kanna Hashimoto, Mone Kamishiraishi, Kotaro Daigo | Directed by: John Caird
I wasn't sure whether I wanted to highlight an anime movie or not; y'know, save it for a dedicated, long overdue anime post. But, the hell with it, I gave it a perfect score on Letterboxd and it deserves to be seen! If you're a fan of Studio Ghibli and/or Spirited Away, your mind will be blown by the creativity of this live stage production they put together. I was fortunate enough to take my anime club to see a theatrical showing of this and we were thoroughly impressed. I haven't seen the original anime in such a long time, but I do remember the important beats throughout the story. They add some unique touches with a song here and there, but it's not a musical. The acting is fantastic as well as the set design and costumes. They were honestly very creative with all the fantastical elements of this well loved anime. I hope Japan continues to make more anime, especially Studio Ghibli, theatrical productions, because I know one exists and was shown in America for Demon Slayer. Some other fantastic films I saw in April are John Wick: Chapter 4, Chevalier, A Thousand and One, Little Richard: I Am Everything, Renfield, Shazam: Fury of the Gods, and Halloween Kills.
Polite Society (2023, UK)Starring: Priya Kansara, Ritu Arya, Shobu Kapoor, Ella Bruccoleri | Directed by: Nida Manzoor
I loved Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Super Mario Bros. Movie like everyone else, but I want to show some love to a limited theatrical feature by the name of Polite Society. The first time I saw the trailer to this movie, I knew I had to make some time for it. It was hilarious, heartwarming, and very entertaining. The characters were quite relatable and the storytelling reminded me of comedy movies from the 2000s and 2010s that we don't see that often. The story requires you to accept the hyperbolic reactions and to suspend your disbelief while also clinging onto these very likable characters. If you haven't seen it and want a good comedy, definitely give it a watch.
SUGA: Road to D-Day (2023, South Korea)Starring: Min Yoon-gi, Halsey, Steve Aoki, Anderson .Paak | Directed by: Park Jun-Soo
ARMYs had many treats throughout 2023, leading up to the remaining members' military enlistenments; this was one of them. Going into this documentary with a sprinkle of live performances, I was not expecting to get so emotional. While J-Hope in the Box gave much introspect into a different side of J-Hope and his journey to Lollapalooza, this documentary offered a dissection of the D-Day tracks and self reflection as he travels various places and collaborates with various musicians he's met throughout his career. It was surprisingly a very emotional documentary that gave me a new appreciation for Suga as an artist and person. If you want to hear my initial thoughts as well as other movies I've seen in the theater, I do exclusive v-logs on Patreon. Other notable movies for the month of June were Bros, Lonely Castle in the Mirror, and Disclosure.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023, USA)Starring: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jason Schwartzman, Oscar Isaac | Directed by: Joaquim Dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson, Kemp Powers
It only made sense that the stunning animated movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse got a sequel and somehow it was just as amazing if not more! Honestly, when they announced doing another Spider-Man movie I groaned a little. Sony already made a couple attempts with the franchise and Marvel Studios with Disney finally nailed it with Tom Hollands's Spider-Man. Once I saw it was an animated feature starring Miles Morales, I became more accepting of the idea. By the time this sequel was announced, it was easily placed on my most anticipated list. Mesmerizing animation, fanastic story and characters, and another banger of a soundtrack; this movie exceed expectations and I am excited to see how this story will continue. Some other great movies I saw in the month of July were Made in Abyss: Dawn of the Deep Soul, Ip Man, Dawn of the Dead (1978), Joy Ride, Psycho-Pass Providence, Some Like It Hot, Klute, Chinatown, Milkwater, Every Body, Past Lives, and Mute Witness.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023, USA)Starring: Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, Brady Noon | Directed by: Jeff Rowe
Is it too bold to declare 2023 the year of great animated movies? This was another fantastic animated feature that hit the big screen and it was so much fun! Maja and I went together and I still remember being in awe of the group of young girls that filled the theater. The animation was stunning, the music was great, and story was highly entertaining. I enjoyed the new-ish direction they went with the turtles and having actual teenagers voice them and give input on their behavior. It pays to listen to your demographic. Speaking of characters, I also like how they changed up how our usual villains have been portrayed throughout the years as more anti-heroes of sorts. I'm definitely looking forward to revisiting this movie and seeing what they have in store for the next installment. Other movies I enjoyed in the month of August were Summer Ghost, Barbie, Jules, My Brother's Husband, Oppenheimer, and Talk to Me.
Bottoms (2023, USA)Starring: Rachel Sennott, Ayo Edebiri, Ruby Cruz, Havana Rose Liu | Directed by: Emma Seligman
The amount of teen stories that have been coming out in the past 5-10 years is very much lacking. What I can say about some of them, especially the female focused ones, have been pure excellance! If you've enjoyed Booksmart, Edge of Seventeen, and Eighth Grade, I can safely say that you can add this one to the list. I really enjoyed this movie and it frustrates me that there isn't a physical release of it (and Barbarian). The comedy is pure gold and the queer representation is very humorous. I love these characters and the story was just genius, although I wish it acknowledged a couple little nuggets that were put in there. Aside from that, Ayo Edbiri, this was your year, honey! Other cool movies I saw in September were Blue Beetle, Center Stage, They Live, and The Outlaw Johnny Black.
When Evil Lurks (2023, Argentina)Starring: Ezequiel Rodríguez, Demián Salomón, Silvina Sabater, Virginia Garófalo | Directed by: Demián Rugna
Last year was a pretty good year for horror movies, in my opinion. It was also a good year to pay attention to the little guys that popped up in the theater a.k.a the limited releases. Yes, a bulk of my theater visits came down to the limited released films to show the industry that yes, I do want more of this and I hope that the glowing reviews this Argentinian film has received would push more international films to be a little more accessible in theaters. I am so glad I got to see this movie in the theater, because it was quite the intense ride. This Spanish film is definitely not for the faint of heart. It's definitely not the most disturbing or graphic film I've seen, but the content is extremely effective in invoking strong emotions from its audience. Some other movies that caught my eye in October are Totally Killer, Saw X, Blue Giant, and Dumb Money.
The Holdovers (2023, USA)Starring: Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Carrie Preston| Directed by: Alexander Paine
I must admit the first couple times I saw the trailer for this, I thought this was some Fathom Event, old movie showing or something. Of course, I eventually realized that it wasn't and hearing the quiet buzz made me intrigued (and actually paying attention to the contents of the film). I am happy that I took the time to see this film with Maja in the theaters. It was such a delightful and heartwarming experience. Paul Giamatti is an absolute treasure and doesn't get enough praise for his acting ability. Da'Vine Joy Randolph was also a fantastic support in this film and truly helped move this story forward with so much emotion and depth. If you want something a little bit different to watch around the holidays, this is definitely a great choice. Some other movies I enjoyed in November were Nana, Five Nights at Freddy's, and The Persian Version.
Poor Things (2023, UK)Starring: Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef| Directed by: Yorgos Lanthimos
The first time I saw this trailer in the theaters, I immediately was excited to see this quirky Emma Stone project. I like weird, artsy things that look like fun. Finding out that it was from the same director as The Favourite and The Killing of a Sacred Deer made me even more intrigued and excited. I will say my only regret is seeing this in theaters with Maja. It was a little awkward, but heck, most of the theater were full of senior citizens and one of them was with their mother too. Some people might call this the adult Barbie movie and I agree that it does share similar themes, but with a more sexually liberated message. All the actors were fantastic and Mark Ruffalo was absolutely hilarious, which helped break up the sexually explicit scenes for Maja and myself. The visuals and costuming were simply stunning and the story was very engaging. It was easily one of my favorite films of the year. Some other fantastic films that I saw to close out 2023 were Vice Versa: Chyna, Saltburn, Seventeen: Follow Japan Live Viewing, and Thanksgiving.
Did I list any of your favorites in this post? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts as well as some of your favorite movies in 2023.
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