Top 10 Bestest Films of 2023
a review by Evan Landon
Welp. Everyone else is doing a Top 10 Films of 2023 and we all know I'm not strong enough to stand up against the trends, so here we are. I would say “again”, but I don't think I've ever done one officially. Strange to start one this year, but maybe that means the inaugural annual Top 10 films of said year will be the Bestest! Maybe I will just call it that.
Before I jump in head first without a paddle, I'll just my own personal guidelines and rules for myself from this point on: I will NOT be grading any movies that I have not seen, nor will I be ranking any big budget movies (which shouldn't be hard because all of them sucked) because a) I probably didn't see them, & b) they don't need any more help.
Here are my Top 10 Bestest Films of 2023:
10) BOY KILLS WORLD – You and I are both are not surprised that this would make my list, however, we probably both thought that it would be much higher. German director Moritz Mohr does a very good job with the batshit insane story that he helped write that lands somewhere between a dystopian opera and a video game, to which the latter is mentioned multiple times. Hell, the character of the “Boy” (yes, that is the main character’s name) has his whole internal monologue in the voice of his favorite arcade game, that also just happens to be the voice of H. Jon Benjamin of Archer fame. The action scenes are really where this movie outdoes itself, so if you are in need of a smash-em-up action flick that you do not have to think about, you could do a LOT worse. Believe me.
3.5 Out Of 5
9) THE KILLER – It has been a while since we have seen anything from David Fincher. I, personally, never saw the only other film he has done in a decade, Mank, but it is rare that I catch any bio pic by anybody. All of his gritty hallmarks are very much on display in this outing, as it closely follows the thoughts and processes that compel Michael Fassbender’s titular character. As an audience, we are witness to how a meticulous hitman hunts down his former employers after a he commits a brutal mistake that in turn impacts those he loves and keeps secret from his cruel world. It is a great movie, but there are some things that are incredibly distracting, like how obsessed The Killer (yes, that is his name) is with listening to absolutely nothing but Morrissey, but that can be overlooked with some excellent action sequences. Not a perfect movie, by any means, but worthy of a watch.
3.5 Out Of 5
8) THANKSGIVING – Let's just say that I've had a very laborious relationship with Eli Roth movies; i.e., “Hostel”, “The Green Inferno”, and “Knock Knock”, but I think he has really turned a page into what he is as a filmmaker with just having fun with the entirety of the concepts he creates. I mean, the idea came from a make believe trailer he made for the Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez hybrid they affectionately called “Grindhouse” to float between “Death Proof” and “Planet Terror” (to which the former, I absolutely adore). Some say this is just another dumb, teeny-bop horror wromp, but this one has its tongue placed firmly in cheek enough to garner at least a few unexpected guffaws. Finally finding his stride between nostalgia, contemporary gore, and dark comedy, this outting has truly benefited the book of Eli.
3.5 Out Of 5
7) AMERICAN FICTION – I am just as surprised as you are that this one made it this high on my list. There is a lot of reasons that this film stuck out for me: a) I have always been a huge fan of Jeffrey Wright. He has a way of making better everything I see him in and that is an awfully difficult thing to do, b) any film that is able to convey the true and arduous task of writing will always capture my attention, and c) the way the film covers the controversial, yet provocative sentiments bestowed, it never comes off preachy or undervalued. First time director Cord Jefferson is able to seamlessly navigate such complex topics of loss, perspective, and societal abnormalities in a way that the audience is a able to identify with. That truly is a gift and this film was a very pleasant surprise. Definitely worthy of a re-watch, if you have already seen it before.
4 Out Of 5
6) THE IRON CLAW – BioPics are never a big thing for me. They are usually Oscar-bait of some kind, so it overplays certain aspects of people’s lives that are usually highly embellished. I know a lot about their history and this was pretty on point. Thinking about the entire trails and tribulations that surrounded the Von Erichs, you have no idea the frenzy that they endured. I am an admitted professional 'rasslin fan and dear god, this story is hard to take in. I won't go too far into it, but this true life tale is difficult to even read much less depicted in a tasteful manner, but for whatevs reason writer/director Sean Durkin is able to translate it to the screen. Also, big time props to Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, and Holt McCallany disappearing into these roles so far that they are invisible. That is what I consider “great acting.” The physical aspects of the phenomenal work all four playing the brothers do is truly an accomplishment in itself, so maybe drug test those guys.
4 Out Of 5
5) EVIL DEAD RISE – This one I struggled with, but only because I thought it would be a lot higher in the list. In most cases, any prequel, sequel, reboot, or spinoff of any kind would render me uneasy. That is also why it will not get past numero 4, but that is for a different reason. After watching “The Hole In The Ground” by Irish writer/director Lee Cronin when that came out, I was definitely looking forward to what he would do next. Obviously, the writing comes off nothing more than fan-fiction, but what really salvages this for me is how original of a script and special effects they were able to turn out with their hands already tied. It does give up a lot of story for cheap thrills, but I think the characters are layered enough to withstand that barrage. Going up against a budget of $19 million and recouping $146 million world wide, I doubt this will be that last we see of this wonderful franchise. Might be too gory for some, but when it is THAT good, this cannot be overlooked. Still, it could use some Bruce Campbell, but I feel that way about every movie.
4 Out Of 5
4) JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 – I would be remiss if I did not explain how batshit insane every John Wick movie has been since its inception in 2014 by writer Derek Kolstad, and although Kolstad would relinquish writing credits in this high-octane sequel, director Chad Stahelski would return for this fourth installment. What a lot of people don’t know is that Stahleski would build his report with a young Keanu Reeves as his stunt double in The Matrix series some 25 years ago. Donnie Yen portrays another blind martial artist like he did in Rogue One, but this time he uses a pistol instead of the force. Bill Skarsgård turns in another great performance as the french antagonist, Marquis de Gramont, but the fatigue of seeing him in every movie is beginning to set in. Somehow, the John Wick series keeps getting better and better. For as many fight scenes there are in this film, there is something about each one that stands out from the next. The 3 hour run time is a little excessive, but if you think about it as though it is two movies in one, it’s not that bad. They said that this is the final John Wick, but if you believe that, I have a wonderful pyramid scheme to sell you on.
4 Out Of 5
3) TALK TO ME – Where do these YouTubers get off making movies this damn good?! It was probably filmed on an iPhone through on Instagram filter, but you would never notice because the cinematography is almost flawless. Aussie brothers Danny and Michael Philippou scored big in their directorial debut, so you know they are here to stay with their take on the nuevo-horror genre. I know it says that it came out in 2022, but that was at a film festival and I don’t really give a shit about those, so I am taking the worldwide release some 8 months later in 2023. While the gore was less than admirable, that was not the drive of this film. What I was really impressed with was the acting, the story, and the overall execution of such a simple premise, that usually misses the mark, but this was fantastic and deserves all the recognition it has received. What an unexpected hit!
4 Out Of 5
2) INFINITY POOL – Coming into 2023, I really thought this would be the bestest movie of the entire year. I was just a little off because I was not aware of the next two, but this horny little body horror gem from Brandon Cronenberg (son of David) delivered on all fronts for me. Pun definitely intended there. When the gore, effects, acting, and story are hitting on all cylandars at the same time, it takes a certain kind of magic that cannot be taught. Mia Goth continues to spellbind me with every performance and Alexander Skarsgard has absolutely no ceiling as an actor, but I am delighted that it is not his brother Bill this time. Sometimes, I will admit, this movie gets really raunchy (or sexy), so I could see that being an issue for some peeps. However, it is not just done for the sake of it because it accentuates the intricacies of the plot itself. I don’t mind when it is just weird either, but that’s on me. With overblown budgets for dumbass superhero movies that no one gives a fuck about, it is movies like this that truly are not celebrated as much as they should be.
4.5 Out Of 5
1) WHEN EVIL LURKS – What else could it possibly be? When our Monster Fam (yes, it is called that) wound up playing this Argentinian supernatural/psychological body horror over Discord in complete reverence, I had no idea what to expect. What followed was being immediately transported to a world of demons that are so frequent, it seems like an entire country is aware of them and even have laws on how to dispose of them. The Winchesters would have a had a field day, but the problem for everyone in this universe is that The Winchesters aren't around to take care of it the right way. What ensues is a scramble to not only contain an enemy that you cannot see, but can become anyone at any point. Every single scene in this movie is damn good, I could probably rewatch it in my head every single day of the week. There are so many scenes that stick with you that it almost isn’t fair to the viewer. Demián Rugna does a fantastic job of bringing all of this together almost seamlessly without skimping on the character development that truly sells the most macabre parts. I didn't see it in English, so if you hate subtitles, I don't think it even matters because of how visceral it is. That might be its only drawback. It is so damn good, I knew up until the very end that this was my absolute favorite of the year.
4.5 Out Of 5