It’s that time of year again! The end of any calendar year is once again marking the time for another onslaught of various lists where movie fans rank their picks for the best and worst films they’ve seen over the previous year and just live every year, due to the very nature of the internet, they lead to plenty of arguments. But the very nature of these lists only highlights what is great about film, often shining a light on different films from diverse voices that some may be unfamiliar with as a result of the Hollywood machine sucking up all the air. From an impressive directorial debut, to a Godzilla movie, one of the biggest pop culture sensations, this year’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner, and a gruesome horror film, this year has had a bit of everything. On the negative (or positive) side of things, the biggest highlight is that the After franchise is finally over while the expiring copyrights of treasured animated character have opened the floodgates for some truly horrifying horror films. All that being said, it’s time to join the fray and add more to the discourse with yet another list of the top 10 best and worst films of 2023.
Top 10 Best Films of 2023:
10. American Fiction
Every year, there’s a film that comes out of nowhere and becomes a critical success and this year, that was easily American Fiction. Premiering at this past year’s Toronto International Film Festival, the film also marks the directorial debut of Cord Jefferson, known primarily for his work writing for television. Jefferson, adapting the novel “Erasure” by Percival Everett, also earned a much deserved Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar nomination, writing a script that is not only hilarious but subverts expectations at every turn. On the surface, it is a satire revolving around tired racial stereotypes and society’s obsession with the marginalization and exploitation of those marginalized voices. There is more to those voices than the stereotypes and the associated boxes others have put them in. Led by a career-best performance from Oscar nominee Jeffrey Wright as a frustrated novelist whose attempt at lashing out at that society quickly got out of control, it is nice to finally see him have the spotlight with a role worthy of his talents. Adding in some strong family drama to round things out, including Oscar nominee Sterling K. Brown, it is its moments of introspection that were its most powerful.
9. Barbie
One half of the pop culture sensation that was “Barbenheimer,” Barbie, a film based on the timeless doll exceeded expectations but considering the track record of the team of writer/director Greta Gerwig and writer Noah Baumbach, it shouldn’t have been that big of a surprise. Bringing the world of Barbie Land to life, it proved to be more than just plastic. Living in ignorant bliss under contrasting gender dynamics of our world, Barbies and Kens were happy. However, that social order would soon be turned upside down as the story took an existential turn as Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) began to question her own existence and mortality. Behind the wackiness and campiness of it all, this moment was merely a jumping off point for a compelling journey into the real world as she, and Ken (Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling), got to experience their evolving impact on generations of humans. A jarring experience, it would only inform their quest for identity which they would then share with the rest of Barbie Land but of course each would take it in different ways. As hilarious as it was touching, its exploration of such themes as feminism, consumerism, the patriarchy, identity, and finding one’s place in the world made it such a joy to watch. A technical marvel, Robbie, Gosling, and Michael Cera’s scene-stealing turn as Allan make it one of the best films of the year. America Ferrera’s monologue delivery as Gloria was a highlight but whether or not it was worthy of an Oscar nomination still kind of baffles me.
8. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
The Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse pushed the boundaries of animation upon its release back in 2018, as it put a new spin on the Spider-Man origin story through the eyes of another version of the character, that of Miles Morales. Showing audiences the potential of that world, this compelling and hilarious coming-of-age story felt like watching a comic book brought to life. The sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse takes what the original started and pushes the boundaries of animation even further. The sheer imaginativeness on display is quite something to behold as it expands on the Spider-Verse itself, offering countless different worlds and seemingly infinitesimal variations of Spider-People all interacting with each other on screen seamlessly. It is clear to see that every frame serves a purpose in conjunction with the writing, directing, and performances which all worked together beautifully to tell a deeper story that surpasses the original. While the action sequences are phenomenal to watch, it is ultimately the character work that is taken to another level, especially in the field of animation, let alone superhero films in general. Avoiding the common pitfalls of being one part of a larger story, it gives audiences enough of a satisfying arc before setting the stage for what is to come.
7. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Writer/director Kelly Freemon Craig just knows how to make excellent teenage coming-of-age films. It’s just a shame that after her impressive directorial debut in 2016’s The Edge of Seventeen, it would take her until this year to release her next feature, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret., based on the best-selling book of the same name by Judy Blume. The story follows an 11-year-old girl named Margaret (Abby Ryder Fortson) who often turned to God to help her get through a tumultuous time in her life, including moving from New York City to the New Jersey suburbs, going to a new school, and all the other early teen anxieties and angst in between. If there was one main takeaway from Craig’s debut film, it’s that she knows how to capture is the authenticity of the adolescent experience and its highs and lows in a way that resonates with generations of audiences which continues to be the case here. In terms of the adaptation of the source material, the film captures the trials and tribulations of those early teen years without shying away from the difficulties of that time period for children and their parents. In spite of the highs and lows of its source material, the film tackles it with an air of optimism and heart that makes it all seem not as bad. Craig’s script is definitely a highlight but Forston as the titular Margaret, Rachel McAdams as her mother Barbara, and Kathy Bates as Margaret’s grandmother Sylvia all deliver stellar performances in a film that should be a must watch for middle school children who should especially gravitate towards it.
6. Poor Things
Definitely not for everyone, Poor Things marks yet another out there film in the filmography of director Yorgos Lanthimos, a director with a history of making films that aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but are nonetheless effective, almost always finding themselves in the awards conversation, and this one is no different. Based on the book of the same name by Alasdair Gray, a twist on the standard coming-of-age story, the story takes it literally as it follows the saga of a young woman named Bella Baxter (Oscar nominee Emma Stone) who, after being brought back to life, rediscovers her own humanity through a roller coaster of experiences where she confronts all of the good and the bad of what life has to offer, and the film was not afraid to run that gamut. Through the joy and the pain, Bella’s infectious spirit and attitude in the face of it all was so compelling to watch. Stone was very much put to the test as Bella and her impeccable range in delivering her most physically demanding role yet rightfully has her as the Best Actress frontrunner in this year’s Academy Awards. Bleak for sure, the film is also hilarious not only thanks to Stone, but also a pair of delightfully wacky performances from Oscar nominee Mark Ruffalo and an Oscar-worthy Willem Dafoe. On top of all of that, it is absolutely beautiful, from its cinematography, to its production and costume design, while its equally-beautiful score ties it all together. Though perhaps not the most politically-correct pick, it is one that is worthy of being on this list.
5. Society of the Snow
The first of three foreign language films in the top 5, Society of the Snow, a Spanish film based on the true story of the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crash (also covered in 1993’s Alive), succeeds off of its grasp of the epic and the intimate. Delivering on scale, the film has an uncanny ability to harness boatloads of emotion within those moments. A harrowing survival story set in the Uruguayan Andes mountains; the 45 survivors had to not only brave the elements but all also their dwindling resources as the number of survivors dwindled over their 2-month ordeal as they waited to be rescued. In the end, it was those relationships, both new and old, and a real sense of camaraderie that was so powerful to watch. That human element brought to life by the evolution of those relationships over the course of the film made it easy to become invested with the characters and the outcome of the film in spite of its slightly overlong running time of just under 2.5-hours. That connection is possible thanks to the collection of strong performances from its large cast and the chemistry they create with one another during the film. While those familiar with the true story will ultimately know how it ends, that didn’t make the ending any less of an emotional avalanche for audiences. Now if that wasn’t enough, the film is a technical marvel. Featuring one of the best and most intense plane crashes ever put on screen, beautiful cinematography, sound design, and a powerful score helped to accentuate that emotional element.
4. The Holdovers
My favorite film to come out of last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, The Holdovers sees writer/director Alexander Payne reunite with Paul Giamatti for the first time since 2004’s Sideways. Suffice it to say that they haven’t missed a beat. A surefire new Christmas classic, the film is an entertaining throwback dramedy that feels like something one would pop in a VHS tape and watch back in the day, literally. Leaning on that throwback feel, the story’s 1970s setting is immediately reflected by the use of the classic Focus Features logo at the start of the film and the credits overlayed on top of its opening, but that authenticity went far beyond as those flourishes continued throughout the film as the film itself achieves the look through cinematography and special effects and production design and costume design to round out its impressive depiction of the time period. A story about Paul Hunham (Oscar-nominee Giamatti), a prickly teacher at an all boys boarding school stuck with the duty of supervising a group of students unable to journey home over Christmas. As that group quickly narrowed down, the dynamic between Hunham, the 15-year-old Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), and school chef Mary Lamb (Oscar-nominee Da’Vine Joy Randolph) truly emerged. The heart of the film, the three were a delight to watch as that dynamic evolved and the story dove deeper into the three as they slowly started to open up to one another. The film simply exudes such heart and charm that one can’t help but feel good watching it. While Giamatti and Randolph are forces, it was really Sessa who stole the show, standing toe-to-toe with his more experienced co-stars with a performance that will hopefully lead to even more high-profile work in the near future.
3. All Of Us Strangers
There was just something about emotionally-wrecking films this year and the first film of my top 3, All Of Us Strangers, was one the biggest culprits (though Society of the Snow was technically another). Based on the book “Strangers” by Taichi Yamada, this introspective drama, told from the Queer perspective, takes a supernatural turn as a means to explore heavy themes such as grief and loneliness. Still grieving the loss of his parents (Jamie Bell, Claire Foy) as a child after a car accident, a struggling writer named Adam (Andrew Scott) finds a chance to reconnect with them as he knew them last, this time with the newfound perspective as an adult. Getting to spend some of the time he lost following their untimely deaths, this led to some compelling conversations where he reconciled with the events of his childhood and his relationship with them while getting the chance to come out to them. Though the film never reveals the origin of these moments, perhaps a manifestation of Adam’s grief, their ambiguous nature are open to interpretation which ultimately works for or against the film. Beautifully shot, it almost feels like being in a dream which worked to its advantage in putting audiences in Adam’s mind space. However, those who cannot get into that mind space and connect to his story on a deeper emotional level will inevitably believe otherwise. That being said, Andrew Haigh’s script and direction works wonders in grounding a film whose fantasy elements could have easily taken it off the rails. Scott is sensational as Adam, missing out on a worthy Oscar-nomination (likewise the script), bringing a subtle intensity that packs an emotional wallop. Bell, Foy, and Paul Mescal as Adam’s neighbor and love interest Harry, are all right up there with him.
2. Godzilla Minus One
Who would have guessed that a Godzilla film would even be on this list, let alone this high up on it? However, Godzilla Minus One is just THAT good. An epic befitting the stature of the titular Titan, it leaves just as big of an impact emotionally. Godzilla films have, more or less, always been a commentary on war and in this case, it is no different. Letting the titular creature unabashedly be the absolutely terrifying, larger-than-life monster that audiences know it to be, it also made room for complex and well-rounded human characters who play a part in an emotionally compelling adjacent storyline that touches such themes as grief and survivor’s guilt. As much of a force that Godzilla was on a narrative level and a technical level, earning the visual effects team a well-deserved Oscar nomination but the whole team behind the camera deserves kudos for doing so much with so little, the film would not have worked nearly as well if not for that adjacent human story. Adding that strong human element elevates the film above what easily could have been a mindless destruction fest. Godzilla was simply a rallying point for the film’s human characters. A threat to a post-WWII Japan, it is up to a select brave few to work together to save their country, including a failed kamikaze pilot who felt responsible for countless deaths as a result of his inaction. A powerful story about a country coming together against seemingly insurmountable odds, it was also an even more powerful redemption story. While the epic filmmaking, in spite of a considerably lesser budget, should be applauded, its writing and direction are just as worthy of praise. A rollercoaster of a film that will undoubtedly strike every emotion, it will blow audiences away. Ryunosuke Kamiki as Koichi Shikishima, the failed kamikaze pilot, is nothing short of sensational and his arc is, without a doubt, some of the best work in any film this year.
1. Past Lives
There was never a doubt that Past Lives would end up at the top of this list. The feature written and directorial debut of Celine Song, it made a big splash following its world premiere at this past year’s Sundance Film Festival and that wave has continued to this day. Finding a way to stay in the conversation, despite a year that has featured such heavy-hitters as Oppenheimer, Killers of the Flower Moon, The Holdovers, and so many more, it only speaks to its power, remaining in the minds of audiences long past its mid-June theatrical release. A story of love and loss spanning generations, cultures, and languages, it follows the complicated relationship between a pair of childhood friends who found themselves separated and living completely different lives in completely different part of the world before reuniting decades later. The journey of Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) over the years from childhood, to the moment when they were unceremoniously separated, and to them growing up while carving out lives for themselves. With the passing of time, the question of what if continued to loom large over their lives and amongst audiences who can’t help but wonder what would have happened to Nora and Hae Sung had they never separated. Now it wouldn’t be much of a film if they didn’t reunite at some point though once they did, the changing circumstances made for a different playing field for them to navigate. As they litigated the matter of what if, the two confronted each other with their feelings for one another. Leaving audiences on the edge of their seats and hanging on to every word, the story became an emotional rollercoaster as one is bombarded with plenty of emotion. In spite of their current circumstances, it’s easy to want Nora and Hae Sung to end up together but it wasn’t that simple. Ironing out the unfinished business between each other and finally getting some closure, their time may not have ended the way either wanted as the film ends with a heartbreaking gut punch and a shot that remains hard to forget.
Top 10 Worst Films of 2022:
10. Heart of Stone
Creating the next big movie franchise isn’t an exact science and are almost always as a result of studios trying to bank on the biggest and/or popular names in the moment. That being said, crafting something worthy of said names is a challenge but instead of taking that challenge seriously, certain writers or directors take lazy shortcuts by basically taking the same ideas from other successful films and changing them slightly to fit their new films. However, these derivative byproducts never seem to work out and Heart of Stone is no different. Despite mountains of evidence that would suggest otherwise, Gal Gadot remains a big movie star at the moment it only makes sense to take advantage of that. To her credit, she does deliver a decent performance. Unfortunately, she does not have enough of range to carry a film, including this one. The definition of mindless entertainment, this lifeless spy action film is built on a foundation made of every trope and cliché in the book. Just because it is mindless, that doesn’t necessarily make it any less of a challenge to watch as it asks audiences to take a few too many illogical leaps with it. It was as big as it was silly and stupid as its generic story essentially doesn’t matter. Nothing truly matters here as the lack of effort both behind of and in front of the camera is evident and the film’s comically over-manufactured nature is distracting and unintentionally hilarious. A series of CGI-laden sequences and an unsubtly manipulative score help to create a fair share of laughs and eyerolls. As most of the cast simply phone it in, it could be argued that Gadot tried to make an effort, however, her flaws as an actress and the mediocre material did not give her much of a chance to succeed. Meanwhile, Jamie Dornan appeared to be in a completely different film.
9. One True Loves
One True Loves is a film that mostly falls in the unintentionally hilarious category. What makes the film so unintentionally hilarious is how it takes place in some sort of alternate universe where people don’t talk or act like we do. Not grounded in any kind of reality, the film was basically dead on arrival. The next logical question is why continue to watch it. The answer to that is simply let oneself be amazed by the increasingly ridiculous places it goes over the course of its 100-minute running time. A romance film lacking any type of romance whatsoever, it is merely a mess left to drown in a wave of melodrama created by a truly terrible script and even worse direction. Its stars, Phillipa Soo, Simu Liu, and Luke Bracey, are saddled with thin and irritating characters while all looking lost as they acted as if they were being held against their will. Built on tropes, clichés, derivative story beats, and a cheesy emotionally manipulative score, the film gave audiences no chance to become emotionally invested in any of the characters. Not only were the characters poorly-constructed, so was the story as the pacing was all over the place as it shoehorns in ridiculous backstories in attempt to round out its thin characters before abandoning them altogether. In terms of performances, they are all throwaways as they just go through the motions and go scene to scene checking predictable boxes to move the film’s ridiculous story forward. Worse than the bargain bin romance fare, audiences are better off picking something else, including from that same bin. If anyone wants to see the stars of this one, just go with any other of their better films instead.
8. Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire
When it comes to Zack Snyder, his films have always been contentious, for better or worse. Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire is merely the first film in a three part series (Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver releases April 19th on Netflix and a currently untitled Part 3 is confirmed to be in development), it is essentially trying to be in the vein of Star Wars and/or just about any pulpy sci-fi or fantasy film one could think of, bringing all the associated tropes along with it. Living up to his reputation, the film definitely does not lack in the visuals department, they all add up to basically nothing. As it always the case with most Snyder films, a shorter and neutered 14A/PG-13 version is first released theatrically (in this case, a limited theatrical release before dropping on Netflix a week later) as a longer and more fan-friendly R-rated director’s cut release is foreshadowed for somewhere in the distant future. What is baffling about that choice in this case is that the Netflix model makes that an odd choice as they would have more freedom compared to the traditional theatrical model. Attempting to cater to Snyder’s legion of fans without alienating more mainstream audiences, the end result is a massive misfire. In adapting a film that surely started off as the latter version, some changes were clearly made and those changed could not be any more apparent here. Frustratingly keeping audiences at arm’s length from the film it originally intended to be and its characters and vast universe, there is very little to nothing left to engage with on any level. All of this makes for a film that never truly comes together in spite of the commitment by the cast on screen. While many will just recommend waiting for the so-called director’s cut, going through the same time and time again has become tiresome.
7. 65
65 had no chance as soon as it was given the tile “65.” Another film hacked to death following several delays and reshoots as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it literally has no plot whatsoever though it sure goes out of its way to remind audiences its premise. A man from the future crashing on earth 65 million years ago definitely has promise on paper, however, that promise nor its characters were never fully realized on screen. Having no plot or characters and lacking any kind of direction, the film simply meanders over the course of its advertised 92-minute running time, a time that will feel longer than that. A predictable prehistoric survival story, there is no tension or suspense to be had, despite its generic orchestral score’s many attempts to try to convince audiences otherwise. There were signs of a better film somewhere in there. That being said, its near barebones presentation was nothing short of disappointing. Ultimately, in order for any survival story to work, audiences have to at least somewhat care about the characters enough to be invested in their survival. It’s safe to say that it doesn’t happen here as the thinnest of characters are accompanied by a story not worth giving any ounce of thought to. All that matters is a man versus dinosaurs. Its many flaws aside, what could have saved it is the dinosaur part of the equation but the film didn’t even get those right. Joining in with the rest of the film’s blandness, they were an afterthought, assuming they were ever a thought at all. Adam Driver was okay with what little he had to work with and was inevitably the film’s biggest draw to begin with. In the end, those wanting some Adam Driver are best turning to his countless other, not to mention better, films.
6. Hypnotic
Easily the most convoluted film of 2023, Hypnotic is a marvel for better or worse. A bonafide narrative rollercoaster, trying to decipher what is going on in any given scene is futile. Starting one way and ending up in a whole different stratosphere, keeping up with all the leaps it takes will make one’s head spin. After a hectic opening act, the film quickly devolves into an overly-convoluted mess with an overreliance on exposition dumps as a means to ensure audiences don’t get lost in the plot. Featuring so many extraneous moving pieces, its choice of telling instead of showing can become frustrating to watch until the moment that once can’t help but give up. Narratively-lacking, the film is certainly not on a visual level befitting the style of director Robert Rodriguez but that isn’t necessarily a compliment here as the film comes off as a cheaper version of Inception. This winding mystery that is more akin to something from the 1990s or early 2000s, it is full of twists and turns, each sillier than the last. Slowly losing audiences the longer it goes, its ending is a dud that will have most audiences rolling their eyes. The convoluted story only does it a disservice. Had it untied itself more than it did here and had it brought more energy to the table, perhaps it could have fared better. Though Ben Affleck is fine as the lead, the rest of the cast arguably phone it in as their sole focus seemingly was their paychecks. A short film at around the 90-minute mark, it runs at a decent pace. At the end of the day, it does very little to stand out therefore its destiny is to fade into obscurity.
5. Old Dads
Bill Burr is more of an acquired taste as a comedian. His style of humor and delivery are not for everyone therefore it makes sense that his feature written and directorial debut, Old Dads, would follow suit. In what was pretty much an extension of his standup comedy act, his film doesn’t even attempt to aim for anyone outside of his fans or anyone who laments at the way that things aren’t the way they used to be anymore. Let’s face it, Burr is far from alone when it comes to that but that doesn’t necessarily mean that a self-indulgent feature film comedy is a venue to express that. Numerous films and series have offered up commentary about how times have changed, on both sides of the topic, and just about every one of those are better than this film. While there’s technically a plot here, it’s essentially Burr complaining about where the world has gone for about 100 or so minutes. However, he has absolutely nothing new to say. Also, it doesn’t help that the humor here is incredibly unfunny and even more lazy. Meanwhile, a stiff an awkward script that acts as a black hole devouring all charm and charisma in its wake. Boasting a strong cast, at least on paper, featuring the likes of Burr, Bobby Cannavale, and Bokeem Woodbine as the titular dads, the potential of that dynamic saving the film in spite of its apparent issues prior to release was never realized. With the three lacking any sort of chemistry whatsoever, they merely go through the motions as their focus was the paycheck. They felt like they were in three different films at the same time. If there is one positive to be said about this film, a short, scene-stealing cameo from Bruce Dern was easily the most hilarious thing about it.
4. Renfield
How can a film with Nicolas Cage as Dracula fail so badly? Renfield found a way to do so. Fair or not, that casting set the bar so high that the film itself could not reach it. The legendary character of Dracula has seen seemingly thousands of adaptations over the decades across print, film, and television. Giving him a modern day playing field admittedly put an interesting twist on the character but shifting the focus of the story from him to his fateful assistant, Renfield (Nicholas Hoult), proved to not be the best choice. Taking the action comedy direction and putting Renfield front and center was not the best choice while the writing and direction did not give it a chance. Who would have thought that a film that had so much potential, on paper, be so unfunny, bordering on irritating, and so lifeless. Getting to the bottom of the toxic codependent relationship between Renfield and Dracula could have been the film’s saving grace, however, this unfortunately gets muddled by so many other storylines that it just couldn’t handle. Sprinkling bits of horror throughout, they are yet another piece of this ridiculously cheap mess. Had the film fully embraced its campy potential and not handcuffed Cage with a role that he could have done so much more with. To his credit, his sheer presence does go a long way though ultimately, his makeup did most of the work here. Cage aside, it was about Hoult’s Renfield and his effortless charm was easily the best part of the film. It’s a shame that he didn’t have much to work with and his pairing with Awkwafina did not do him any favors as their chemistry was nonexistent at best. Not working as a horror, an action, or comedy film, the result was a big disappointment.
3. Detective Knight: Independence
To be honest, the whole Detective Knight franchise could be included here. In an impressive feat, the franchise released in record time with Detective Knight: Rogue and Detective Knight: Redemption each being released near the end of 2022 and Detective Knight: Independence gracing VOD last January. The star of all three films, and a star of countless other VOD films over the last decade, Bruce Willis’ recently announced health issues have definitely put things into perspective. To no fault of his own, he hasn’t had it for a long time and sometimes that shows in certain films more than others and here, it does. However, the rest of the film, and every other film in the franchise, are also not very good. These VOD offerings arguably all aim to leverage Willis’ star power to promote themselves by attaching at least one recognizable name to their casts of primarily B and/or C-list actors. These other actors do most of the work in these films, delivering exposition and steering scenes from beginning to end. The stories are silly and don’t matter and that continues to be the case here as the smell of stale cheese wafts through the screen. The sheer disposable nature of these films and Independence will, for the most part, leave them in a state of relative obscurity in the eyes of most audiences but in spite of their numerous issues, they still find audiences and they are cheap and quick to produce. There is no incentive to stop making films of this ilk. Some people just wanted to sit down, decompress, and be entertained by a bad film they know is bad, I have been known to do so from time to time. Instead of being fun, this one is sad, especially so with the Bruce Willis news. Those looking for less sad cheese-fests, just keeping scrolling on whatever VOD or streaming platform one happens to be using.
2. Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey
As the copyrights on renowned children’s book characters began to expire, it was only inevitable that they would be used much differently than what the majority of audiences are used to. The most right field turn that one could take with these characters is to put them into a horror and that’s what the filmmakers of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey did to Winnie the Pooh and the other characters of the Hundred Acre Wood. While the film takes some big swings, very few of them hit. A low budget film, obviously, it is a little rough around the edges. The special effects are terrible, the writing is terrible, the acting is terrible, and the story is insanely predictable. But should any of this come as much of a surprise to anyone? The story is tropey, cliché-ridden, and irrelevant as its annoying characters basically go from point A to point B and triggering their inevitable deaths. Frustratingly pushing its stupid story that no one wants instead of giving audiences what they actually want, seeing characters who are the absolute worst be dropped by the murderous Pooh and Piglet, albeit much different versions of those characters. The connection between the two was not there as little effort was made to create any sense of cohesion. A B-movie without ever fully embracing a premise that screamed B-movie, it tried to be both. However, had it embraced the B-movie-ness of it all, it would have fared much better and perhaps would have some redeeming value. Nevertheless, diehard horror fans or those looking to for some bad movie entertainment could find something here. For me, it never rose worthy for either. At least it’s short.
1. After Everything
The franchise that looked like it would never send, the “After” franchise, based on the book series by Anna Todd, continues to survive and thrive and plop out film after film in spite of all the signs suggesting otherwise. Now five films in, After Everything is allegedly the last film in the franchise (editor’s note: there is a prequel and sequel in development), and also the second film in a row to top another of my worst films of the year lists. Over the years, the toxic relationship between Hardin (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) and Tessa (Josephine Langford) has seen its ridiculous ups and overly melodramatic downs. Two of the worst film characters in recent memory, they can’t quite seem to figure things out and at this point, it is safe to say that most of us don’t care anymore (assuming we ever did in the first place). Going from PG/PG-13 to 14A/R following the first film in a franchise proved to be an unintentionally hilarious choice that has only snowballed into more unintentional hilarity with this being a chef’s kiss. Unable to sense the most unsubtle of red flags, Hardin and Tessa continue to pursue each other through beautiful locales all around the world with a revolving door of comically recast characters. While some audiences like to watch trainwrecks, this one is not worth it. The writing is bad, the direction is bad, and Tiffin and Langford lack the range to sell any emotion, especially the former who gets a larger focus this time around. Watching Langford shine in last year’s The Other Zooey, made the flaws here even more apparent. Acting like she was being held hostage, hopefully she gets set free.
And with that, the book is now closed on 2023. Just as the COVID-19 pandemic had reshuffled movie releases, last year’s writer and actor strikes have done much of the same, resulting in a front loaded first half of 2024 with such films as Dune: Part Two, Challengers, Pixar’s Inside Out 2, The Bikeriders, A Quiet Place: Day One among others on the horizon. However, the effects of those strikes are surely far from over as productions continue to adjust under an ever-changing landscape. Seemingly always having to recover from one thing or another the last few years, here’s to hoping that 2024 is nothing but smooth sailing though one can’t help but still a be at least a little on edge.
still courtesy of Elevation Pictures
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The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.
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