Top 10 Favorite Movies of 2023

Sandra Hüller in "Anatomy of a Fall"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

10. Anatomy of a Fall - If there’s one film in 2023 that could spark fervent debates after it ends, it’s director Justine Triet’s challenging courtroom thriller.  The story follows Sandra Voyter (Sandra Hüller), who tries to prove her innocence after her husband’s death at their isolated mountain house.  Hüller delivers a powerhouse performance that shows how strongly her character adheres to her innocence, and she makes her role compelling enough to always have us study her to see if she has any tells that could prove otherwise.  The screenplay by Triet and Arthur Harari offers plenty of drama both in and out of the courtroom, providing a view into the life of the defendant.  With the many details that come out of the trial, the story keeps the viewer going back and forth as to whether or not we believe Sandra, and we’re driven into a whirlwind of speculation as many people are brought in to give their opinions on whether they think Sandra had anything to do with her husband’s death.  It’s an intriguing character study as we find out newer and newer aspects as to the background of Sandra’s marriage, but we still always feel in the dark because we’re always assuming that there are things being kept from us, and that’s what keeps you invested.  “Anatomy of a Fall” doesn’t offer easy answers, and it’ll be poking at your brain for days after watching it.

Teo Yoo and Greta Lee in "Past Lives"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

9. Past Lives - Writer-director Celine Song’s feature filmmaking debut is one of the most genuine romances that I’ve seen in a while.  Her movie follows Nora Moon (Greta Lee) and Hae Song (Teo Yoo), who were childhood sweethearts in South Korea before Nora and her family emigrated to Toronto.  Twenty-four years later, they must figure out their futures when Hae Sung travels to reconnect with Nora, who’s now living in New York City.  Lee offers a complicated performance of someone who shows the heartrending dilemma of not knowing whether to keep living her life in NYC with her husband (John Magaro), or restart what she had with Hae Sung.  Meanwhile, Yoo provides beautiful work as someone who thrusts himself into a new world to see his friend, hoping for them to fall in love again, despite knowing that Nora has built a new life with another man.  Song’s screenplay deftly goes between the different time periods of the main characters’ lives, giving us plenty of context for how much they connected when they were children, which provides the groundwork for the emotional heft that comes later on.  Through Song’s tracking shots that have the warmth and uncertainty of this couple unfold, she and cinematographer Shabier Kirchner construct an atmosphere that floats between melancholic and joyful, making this an emotional journey that you must take.  This movie may be called “Past Lives,” but as you watch it, you’ll feel very much in the moment.

Miles Morales/Spider-Man (Shameik Moore)
in "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

8. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - This animated adventure joins the ranks of sequels that are even better than their original.  Directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson continue the story of Miles Morales/Spider-Man (Shameik Moore), who does his best to balance his life as a superhero and high-school student.  When he’s faced with a new villain called The Spot (Jason Schwartzman), he teams up with Spider-People from other universes to bring him down.  Moore provides a vocal performance that builds on what he gave in the previous film, “Into the Spider-Verse,” showing a character who’s maturing and faced with choices that are more difficult than what he’s encountered before.  Alongside Moore are Hailee Steinfeld and Oscar Isaac, who give poignant voice work as Gwen Stacey/Spider-Gwen and Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099.  The screenplay by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and David Callaham does a stellar job at expanding what came before by bringing us several new characters, vibrant settings, and rich emotion in Miles’ ongoing journey.  This is an ambitious script that doesn’t feel bloated in the least, but is instead in full control of its grand-scale elements.  Meanwhile, directors Dos Santos, Powers, and Thompson heighten the groundbreaking animation of the first film to display something that’s truly spectacular.   Boasting an abundance of thrilling action and hard-hitting drama, this is a superhero movie that holds a massive vision, and you’ll be engrossed with every frame.

Christian Friedel in "The Zone of Interest"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

7. The Zone of Interest - A moviegoing experience that you won’t be able to shake for a while is this unsettling historical drama from writer-director Jonathan Glazer, which is based on the 2014 novel by Martin Amis.  The movie follows Nazi commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), a husband and father who tries to provide an idyllic life for his family in their home, which is next to the Auschwitz concentration camp.  Friedel is very disquieting as a Nazi officer who nonchalantly goes about his day-to-day murderous duties, while Sandra Hüller, as his wife, Hedwig, is just as unnerving as a woman whose only concern is maintaining their peaceful existence.  The screenplay by Glazer narrows the larger scope of Amis’ novel and focuses on just Höss’ family and their home life for most of the runtime, and it works to tremendous effect.   This approach allows us to see the small details of the family’s daily life, details that speak to the bigger picture of what’s happening beyond the walls of the ill-gotten Eden at the center of the story.  Through Łukasz Żal’s restrained camerawork, Mica Levi’s chilling score, and Johnnie Burn’s sound design that mixes what you hear both inside and outside the walls bordering the Höss’ property, Glazer brings us a chilling view of the evil that carried out these crimes against humanity and the haunting casualness of those who benefited from their wartime gains.  When this film ends, you’ll feel it lingering like a ghost.

Emma Stone in "Poor Things"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

6. Poor Things - When you’re given a new Yorgos Lanthimos movie, you always know you’re going to get something that’s distinct, both in terms of visuals and performances.  Lanthimos’ bold vision is greatly utilized in this adaptation of Alasdair Gray’s 1992 novel.  It tells the story of Bella (Emma Stone), a dead woman who, after being resurrected by an eccentric surgeon, Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe), sets out on worldly adventures of self-discovery with a smitten lawyer, Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo).  Stone gives a performance where she fully commits to the strangeness of the scenario, making us laugh at her physical comedy and line deliveries, but also diving into the character’s existential side as she learns more about life.  Ruffalo is hilarious as the controlling, yet inept Wedderburn, and Dafoe is powerfully solemn as Godwin.  The screenplay by Tony McNamara is a superb adaptation of the source material, maintaining the scope and heart of Gray’s strange and beautiful adventure, all while capturing Bella’s fascinating character development.  Meanwhile, Lanthimos and his team craft a steampunk aesthetic that results in some of cinema’s most uniquely designed environments of the last few years, resulting in art direction and camerawork that are more than deserving of a theatrical setting.   This movie’s a stunning achievement by everyone involved, absorbing you in the complex details of the world that unfolds in front of Bella.  And, just like her, you’ll be left in awe.

Dominic Sessa, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and 
Paul Giamatti in "The Holdovers"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

5. The Holdovers - You couldn’t find a more loving, tender comedy-drama from 2023 that could top director Alexander Payne’s Christmas-set story.  In 1970, New England boarding school teacher Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) is charged with taking care of a handful of students who don’t have anywhere to go during Christmas break.  As time goes on, he and troubled student Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa) begin to understand each other and build an unexpected friendship.  Giamatti delivers a funny, compassionate performance as a by-the-books instructor who learns to loosen up.  Sessa provides terrific breakout work as one of the left-behind students.  Then, there’s Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who gives an emotional performance peppered with some wit, portraying the head of the cafeteria staff who’s grieving the recent loss of her son during the Vietnam War.  The screenplay by David Hemingson offers engaging characters with whom it's a pleasure to spend time, allowing us into their personal lives as they build humorous and emotional bonds.  Meanwhile, Payne is careful to not let the poignancy become overly sentimental, but rather makes it all feel very real as the three main characters go through the highs and lows of where they are in their lives at the moment.  This movie has all of the makings of a Christmas classic, and it’ll surely reach that status in the future.

Ryunosuke Kamiki in "Godzilla: Minus One"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

4. Godzilla: Minus One - Given the countless movies that’ve been made about the iconic atomic creature, I never would’ve believed you if you said that his latest outing would be one of the best films of the year.  And yet, writer-director Takashi Yamazaki delivers a big, special-effects spectacle that, just like the 1954 original, shows these types of movies can also excel with compelling characters and a hard-hitting story, which takes place in post-WWII Japan as Godzilla rises to wreak destruction.  Ryunosuke Kamiki gives a superb performance as a kamikaze pilot suffering from survivor’s guilt and trying to do what he can to prove himself when he and his new minesweeper crew are challenged by Godzilla.  The screenplay by Yamazaki gives the movie a story that’s not all about the titular monster and special-effects sequences, but one that is also committed to focusing on engaging characters in a heartbreaking story that exhibits the sense of loss that everyone feels.  Yamazaki films the human drama just as well as he writes it, all while providing big-scale creature scenes that display how far visual effects have come in terms of showcasing Godzilla on screen.  This makes the film everything that a science-fiction movie should be and shows why the titular beast has endured over the decades.  Even though this is the 33rd movie in the Toho Studios “Godzilla” franchise, Yamazaki doesn’t make this an auto-pilot effort.  Instead, what he has made is a monstrous achievement.

Mahito Maki (Luca Padovan) and The Grey
Heron (Robert Pattinson) in
"The Boy and the Heron"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com 

3. The Boy and the Heron - After Hayao Miyazaki’s 10-year hiatus, it was a warm, cinematic welcome-back as he gave us another poignant and magical adventure that further cements why he’s the best director working today in animation.  He brings us into WWII Japan on a journey with young Mahito Maki (Luca Padovan), who’s led into a strange world by a mysterious Grey Heron (Robert Pattinson).  The entire voice cast, which also includes Karen Fukuhara, Gemma Chan, Christian Bale, Florence Pugh, and more, give their characters the power that such a mystical story deserves, but Pattinson is the standout.  He renders himself unrecognizable with what he does with his voice, bringing us an intriguing character who eases us into its extraordinary world.  Miyazaki’s screenplay delivers his usual inventiveness when it comes to the characters and scenarios that he constructs.  It’s a grand, intricate fairy-tale that comes loaded with the imagination for which Miyazaki is known, letting his story unfurl in such a way that allows us to absorb the details of his meticulously built mythology, while also maintaining a thrilling unpredictability of what might happen on Mahito’s quest.  As always, Miyazaki supports his larger-than-life stories with epic-scale animation that demands to be seen on a big screen, gifting viewers with astonishing visuals that show why Miyazaki’s work in animation is unmatched.  As is the trend that’s been set with his other movies, this one won’t leave you anything less than enchanted.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone in
"Killers of the Flower Moon"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

2. Killers of the Flower Moon - In the most recent film from director Martin Scorsese, he tackles the Western genre for the first time, where he chronicles the events behind a series of deaths involving affluent Native Americans in Oklahoma’s Osage Nation in the early 20th century, after their tribe gains vast wealth from oil that’s found under their land.  Leonardo DiCaprio delivers one of his most challenging roles to date as Ernest Burkhart, a man who falls to the corruption of evil at the hands of his uncle, William Hale (Robert De Niro).  Lily Gladstone gives an outstanding performance as Mollie Kyle, an Osage woman whose family is one of the main targets of the killings.  Meanwhile, De Niro offers a quietly venomous performance as William Hale, the orchestrator of the murders.  The screenplay by Scorsese and Eric Roth captures the scope of David Grann’s 2017 book, displaying an ability to share its focus on the many characters and events that unfolded in the source material and making every part of the three-and-a-half-hour runtime seem necessary.  Working with his usual collaborators, both in front of and behind the camera, Scorsese brings tension and poignancy in a movie that never lags, but keeps a pace that allows us to get a full view of all the factors within this tragic story.  As someone who thrives on bringing us complex epics, Scorsese has outdone himself, yet again.

Cillian Murphy in "Oppenheimer"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

1. Oppenheimer - Christopher Nolan is one of the most ambitious movie directors in modern cinema, and his latest film is a colossal achievement.  Here, Nolan tells the story of American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) and the creation of the atomic bomb.  Murphy, who has been in supporting roles in several of Nolan’s other films, delivers an understated, yet mammoth performance as a scientist on the brink of a world-changing breakthrough.  He’s backed up by a stacked and thunderous supporting cast where everyone makes the absolute most out of their screen time, whether it be several scenes or just a few minutes.  The screenplay by Nolan, which is based on the book “American Prometheus” by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, juggles three timelines with expert ease, showing us the preparation of the bomb, Oppenheimer’s security hearing afterward, and the senate confirmation hearing of Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.), who tried to bring about Oppenheimer’s downfall.  While this movie is one that lives on its dialogue-heavy approach, your attention will never falter because of how engrossingly each scene transpires amongst the film’s army of memorable characters.  Meanwhile, Nolan uses his behind-the-scenes team to have an epic, three-hour biographical film move along like a fast-paced thriller.  This was a towering moviegoing experience, and when we look back on Nolan’s filmography years from now, this is the one that could very well be seen as his magnum opus.

2023 Movie Catchup

Before I finalize the list for my top 10 favorite movies of 2023, I decided to do a bit of catching up over the last month.  Given how many movies I had to see, I didn’t have much time to write full reviews.  So, here are some mini reviews for those films.

Carey Mulligan and Bradley Cooper in
"Maestro"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Maestro - After actor Bradley Cooper made his stunning directorial debut in 2018 with his remake of “A Star is Born,” I couldn’t wait to see what his filmmaking followup would be.  For his second go-around behind the camera, Cooper remains with music-centered narratives for a biopic about American conductor and composer, Leonard Bernstein, taking on the role.  Cooper displays a strong passion for portraying this icon, particularly in the music scenes, such as the standout sequence where he conducts an orchestra at the Ely Cathedral in England.  Carey Mulligan plays his wife, actress Felicia Montealegre, and has an effortless magnetic charm to her that absorbs you right into her character.  Together, Cooper and Mulligan have wonderful chemistry as they build upon their love, only to then traverse shaky ground.  The screenplay by Cooper and Josh Singer is, unfortunately, the weak link in the film.  At just two hours, the film feels like it should’ve been longer, so as to really do justice to Bernstein’s history.  Also, as captivating as the love story is between Leonard and Felicia, it tends to overshadow whatever focus the film has on Bernstein’s lasting legacy on music.  If the movie was longer, the script could’ve struck more of a balance between these two aspects.  However, just as with “A Star is Born,” Cooper’s direction boasts wonderful production values, between “Star is Born” cinematographer Matthew Libatique’s gorgeous black-and-white camerawork for the segments of the film that take place earlier in Bernstein’s life, and Kevin Thompson and Rena DeAngelo’s impeccable production design that captures the different time periods of the film.  While this movie may be a bit of a step down from Cooper’s directorial debut as a whole, the highlights nevertheless keep you excited for what he might helm next. 

Grade: B

Sandra Hüller in "Anatomy of a Fall"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Anatomy of a Fall - If there’s one film from 2023 that could spark fervent debates after it ends, it’s director Justine Triet’s challenging courtroom thriller.  The story follows Sandra Voyter (Sandra Hüller) who tries to prove her innocence after her husband’s death at their isolated mountain house.  Hüller delivers a powerhouse performance that shows how strongly her character adheres to her guiltlessness, and she makes her role compelling enough to always have us study her to see if she has any tells that could prove otherwise.  Milo Machado Graner, who plays Sandra’s blind son, Daniel, offers a heartbreaking portrayal as a young boy who’s thrown into the frenzy of the murder trial and is confronted with whether or not to help his mom win her case.  The screenplay by Triet and Arthur Harari offers plenty of drama both in and out of the courtroom, providing a view into the lives of the defendant and her son.  After an enticing setup, we’re driven into a whirlwind of speculation as many people are brought in to give their opinions on if they think Sandra had anything to do with her husband’s death, having us go back and forth in terms of whether or not we believe in Sandra’s innocence.  This is a thrilling character study as we keep finding out details concerning the background of Sandra’s marriage.  No matter if it’s the tense moments in the courthouse or at Sandra’s home (the film mainly takes place at these two locations), Triet holds you in the power of the movie as everything that we learn keeps coming undone as new revelations come forward.  This is a film that doesn’t offer easy answers, and it’ll be poking at your brain for days after watching it.

Grade: A

Teo Yoo and Greta Lee in "Past Lives"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Past Lives - Writer-director Celine Song’s feature filmmaking debut is one of the most genuine romances that I’ve seen in a while.  Her movie follows Nora Moon (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), who were childhood sweethearts in South Korea before Nora and her family emigrated to New York City.  Twenty-four years later, they must figure out their futures when Hae Sung travels to America to reconnect with Nora.  Lee offers a complicated performance of someone who shows the poignancy of not knowing whether to keep living her life in NYC with her husband (John Magaro), or restart what she had with Hae Sung.  Meanwhile, Yoo provides beautiful work as someone who thrusts himself into a new world to see his friend, hoping for them to fall in love again, despite knowing that Nora has built a new life with another man.  Song’s semi-autobiographical screenplay deftly goes between the different time periods of the main characters’ lives, giving us enough context for how much they connected when they were children and providing the groundwork for the emotional heft that comes later on.  Through long takes that have the warmth and uncertainty of this couple unfold, Song and cinematographer Shabier Kirchner construct an atmosphere that’s both melancholic and life-affirming, making this an emotional journey that you must take.  Don’t write this off as a simple sweethearts-reconnect narrative because there’s a lot more to it than that.  Even if the love might or might not be reciprocated between the two main characters, there’s still so much love put into this film that will have your eyes glued to the screen as Nora and Hae Sung become reacquainted and open up to each other.  This movie may be called “Past Lives,” but as you watch it, you’ll feel very much in the moment. 

Grade: A

Michael Fassbender in "The Killer"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

The Killer - While David Fincher has given us films like the fantasy drama “The Curious Case of Benjamin” and the biographical films “The Social Network” and “Mank,” most of his filmography consists of unsettling, and oftentimes brutal, thrillers.  His latest is an adaptation of the French graphic novel series by Alexis “Matz” Nolent and Luc Jacamon.  The story follows a nameless assassin (Michael Fassbender) who goes on a globetrotting quest for vengeance after a hit goes wrong.  Fassbender delivers a performance of an individual who has a calculating persona and a ruthlessness to him that helps his character maintain his captivating aura.  The screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker, who wrote the script for Fincher’s “Seven,” teams up with the director once again after 25 years.  The narrative includes quite a bit of narration, which can sometimes bog the movie down with the main character's pretentious philosophical musings and repetition of his mantra.  Aside from that, there’s nevertheless a surprising, low-key sense of humor throughout the film that makes for a darkly witty pairing with the stoic nature of Fassbender’s character.  Fincher offers plenty of tension whenever the assassin prepares for a hit, especially in the film’s heart-pounding opening sequence.  With previous collaborators, such as cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt, editor Kirk Baxter, and composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Fincher uses their talents to absorb us right into the settings of the film to construct a thriller whose atmosphere makes you feel the unrelenting coldness that gets a hold of every scene.  Fincher’s “The Killer” might not always be on target, but with the technical craftsmanship and fine acting, there’s enough to encourage you to follow this mission to the end.

Grade: B

Christian Friedel in "The Zone of Interest"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

The Zone of Interest - A moviegoing experience that you won’t be able to shake for a while is this unsettling historical drama from writer-director Jonathan Glazer, which is based on the 2014 novel by Martin Amis.  The story follows Nazi commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), a husband and father who tries to provide an idyllic life for his family in their home, which is next to the Auschwitz concentration camp.  Friedel is very disquieting as a Nazi officer who nonchalantly goes about his day-to-day murderous duties.  Sandra Hüller, who plays his wife, Hedwig, is just as unnerving as a woman whose only concern is maintaining their peaceful existence.  The screenplay by Glazer narrows the larger scope of Amis’ novel and focuses on just Höss’ family and their home life for most of the runtime, and it works to tremendous effect.  This approach allows for us to see the small details of the family’s daily life, details that speak to the bigger picture of what’s happening beyond the walls of the ill-gotten Eden at the center of the story.  By crafting the movie in such a way, everything that’s implied is just as terrifying as what we see on the surface.  Through Łukasz Żal’s restrained camerawork, Mica Levi’s chilling score, and Johnnie Burn’s immersive sound design that mixes what you hear both inside and outside the walls that border the Höss’ property, Glazer brings us a chilling view of the evil that carried out these crimes against humanity and the haunting casualness of those who benefited from their wartime gains.  When this film ends, you’ll feel it lingering like a ghost.

Grade: A

A Resurrected Woman Goes on a Fantastical Quest for Freedom

Emma Stone in "Poor Things"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

When I heard director Yorgos Lanthimos was coming out with a film adaptation of Alasdair Gray’s 1992 novel, “Poor Things,” I knew I had to read it.  With all of Lanthimos’ previous films emerging from original screenplays, I was interested to see how he’d fare with bringing pre-existing ideas to life.  Having read several dozen books last year (trust me, I make time for it), Gray’s was one of the most unique that I read, painting a colorful picture of distinct and wacky characters in a Victorian-era sci-fi setting.

Lanthimos brings his signature, off-kilter style to the events of this movie, mixing his celebrated filmmaking sensibilities with the author’s creative vision to construct a film that opens a beautiful and vibrant world.

In London, enigmatic surgeon Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe) recruits the help of medical student Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef) to study the physical and cognitive development of the resurrected Bella (Emma Stone), a pregnant woman who committed suicide and whose brain was replaced with that of her still-living fetus.  When Bella wishes to venture out into the world, she’ll behold things she never thought possible.

It’s really something to have witnessed the career transition of Stone.  While she had some terrific comedic performances in the late ‘00s and early ‘10s with “Superbad,” “Easy A,” and “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” she has shown a tremendous range over the last 10 years in movies like “Birdman,” “La La Land,” “Battle of the Sexes,” and “The Favourite,” the latter of which was Lanthimos’ previous film.  She does a superb job in showing the gradual transition of someone who has to learn speech and proper body movements from infant-stages to that of an adult after being resurrected, presenting someone who’s awkward in her body, but soon becomes more and more confident in who she is and stands up to those who try to hold her back.  As her character grows, Stone commits herself to the peculiarities of her character and shows a whole new side to her comedic abilities.  In between the humorous aspects of her performance, Stone delivers some of her most powerful work in the film as Bella absorbs her new surroundings and is overcome with what she’s been missing.  This is a movie where Stone shows a whole new range in both her body movements and vocal intonations, inhabiting one of the most memorable characters of 2023 cinema.

Mark Ruffalo delivers a comical, buffoonish performance as the stern and controlling Duncan Wedderburn, a lawyer who whisks Bella away for international travels.  He has some terrific physical comedy with Stone, particularly a dance scene, as well as a lot of verbal back-and-forth that offers some of the best laughs in the film.  The way in which Ruffalo shows his character trying to traverse the increasingly difficult situation with Bella is endlessly funny to watch, and as his comical misfortunes pile on, Ruffalo’s entertaining performance will have you cracking up at Duncan’s follies.

Dafoe is engaging as the soft-spoken surgeon who cares for Bella as she readjusts to her new life.  He strikes a fine balance between the lunacy of his mad-scientist mind and the fatherly tendencies that he has towards Bella, giving us a character who understatedly displays his loneliness to the audience. There’s a melancholy to him from time to time as he describes the cruelties that he faced as a child, and we see his need to connect with someone like Bella, who, like him, is different.

The rest of the supporting cast has its share of fine performances that add a lot to the strangeness of the world that Lanthimos brings us.  There’s Youssef as the kind and ambitious assistant to Godwell; Christopher Abbott as Alfie Blessington, Bella’s cruel husband from her previously life; Kathryn Hunter as Madame Swiney, an eccentric brothel owner; Suzy Bemba as Toinette, a prostitute whom Bella befriends at the brothel; and Jerrod Carmichael and Hanna Schygulla as Harry Astley and Martha Von Kurtzroc, two people whom impart their philosophical knowledge to Bella on her travels.

The screenplay by Tony McNamara, who co-wrote Lanthimos’ “The Favourite” with Deborah Davis, captures the spirit of Gray’s novel with its distinguished characters and innovative re-invention of the “Frankenstein” story.  He brings us on a journey of Bella’s enlightenment as she ventures throughout the world, seeking big ideas to learn and new people with whom to converse.  McNamara’s script takes the eccentric source material and maintains its weirdness, all while maintaining the emotions at the core of Bella’s arc.  With the portion of the film before Bella’s expedition, the events of her travels, and what happens after, McNamara shows many details in Bella’s development as she goes from being sheltered to worldly.  As Bella ventures to each new place, McNamara shows what the world presents to her, unfolding the globetrotting scope of Gray’s novel with immense detail.

Lanthimos goes full-force in bringing us into an alternate 19th-century European setting that we’ve never seen.  Within the different locations, he mixes in an eye-catching steampunk aesthetic as we go from London to Lisbon to Alexandria to Paris.  Bella’s seeing these places for the first time, so what’s significant about this sumptuous production design by James Price and Shona Heath is how, by utilizing a steampunk vibe in these settings, we as viewers feel as though we’re seeing these places for the first time because of how we’re experiencing them in this whole new way; and we feel this in particular during the scene where Bella explores Lisbon, which is the first stop on her odyssey.  As we venture through the elaborately detailed locales, we see the world in both its wonders and woes, and Lanthimos captures the remarkable constructs of these worlds with cinematography by Robbie Ryan, who provided the camerawork for “The Favourite.”  Just as he did with that film, he employs a fish-eye lens in several scenes to heighten the strangeness of the environments and scenarios that are depicted.  Other than that, Ryan’s lensing captures every complex detail of the production design and visual effects that situate you in the film’s uniquely designed world.  And, when you throw in Jerskin Fendrix’s bizarre and beautiful score that highlights the grand weirdness of what’s on screen, Lanthimos will keep you enthralled in this exciting and eccentric adventure.

It’s special to come out of a movie and think to yourself that you’ve never seen anything like that, and with “Poor Things,” that’s a feeling you’re sure to have.

Grade: A

A Sibling Survival Story Through Many Years

From left: Taraji P. Henson, Fantasia Barrino,
and Danielle Brooks in "The Color Purple"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Alice Walker’s 1982 novel, “The Color Purple,” has had a huge impact since its publication.  It won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and was then made into a 1985 film by Steven Spielberg, earning 11 Oscar nominations.  Later on, it ran as a Broadway musical from 2005-2008, earning 11 Tony Award nominations and winning one.  Then, it had a revival from 2015-2017, which earned it four Tony nominations and won two.  In the 41 years since the novel debuted, this is a story that has moved millions of people through different mediums and cemented a superb legacy for Walker’s creation that started it all.

This story now goes back to the big screen, but in a very different way.  Director Blitz Bazawule brings audiences “The Color Purple” as a movie musical.  With powerful performances and gorgeous song-and-dance numbers, this is a film that adds a beautiful new chapter to the ongoing footprint of the book.

The story follows Celie Harris-Johnson (Fantasia Barrino) as she works through many hardships to be reunited with her sister, Nettie, from whom she was separated as a child.

Barrino gives an outstanding breakout film performance, reprising the role that she had from 2007-2008 for the musical’s original run, which was her breakout on Broadway.  This is melancholic work from Barrino as her character tries to find whatever happiness that she can in the world.  Barrino shows her character trying to stand up for herself little by little, only to then be knocked down again.  However, as the film goes on and Celie comes more into herself as a person, Barrino exudes a strength that her character never knew she had.  By the time we get to the final third of the movie, we see a fully evolved Celie from what we’ve known before, and from the energetic musical number “Miss Celie’s Pants” to the triumphant and emotional “I’m Here,” Barrino transcends the screen with a character who goes from timid and withdrawn to larger than life.

Taraji P. Henson gives a vivacious performance as Shug Avery, a jazz singer.  It’s a role that Henson has bursting with personality as she brings a character to life who commands the attention of whichever room she enters.  We see this in full force during her show-stopping number, “Push Da Button,” where a swampland juke joint becomes even more the place to be than it already is, and it’s here where Henson’s party energy threatens to blow the doors down as she struts and dances her way through the sequence.

Danielle Brooks portrays Sofia, a friend of Celia who isn’t afraid to speaks her mind.  Brooks, who was nominated for a Tony during the show’s revival for playing this character, gives a comical performance that adds brevity when it’s needed.  It’s a performance that exhibits why Sofia’s the caring light who tries to show Celie why she must stand up for herself.  In her character’s signature song, “Hell No!,” Brooks displays her character’s unapologetic command of herself in true assertive fashion and emphasizes that she’s not going to let anyone tell her what to do.

Colman Domingo offers a chilling performance as Celie’s abusive husband, Albert Johnson.  He goes between a calculating sense of calm and angry outbursts to disquieting effect, making you feel the suffocation through which Celie goes every day.  You recoil at his presence, knowing that Albert’s going to bring misery in his wake, and Domingo does unsettling work whenever Albert brings his oppressive wrath onscreen.

Phylicia Pearl-Mpassi and Halle Bailey show a heartwarming sisterly bond as a young Celie and Nettie, respectively.  The connection that they share during the first third of the movie before they’re torn apart invests you right away in what will turn into an emotional, decades-long separation.  With their upbeat duet of “Keep It Movin’” (a song that was written for the film), we see how Celie and Nettie do what they can to keep each other’s spirits up, and the sense of attachment that they have makes their estrangement that much more heartrending because you remember the good times that they shared, only to then be ripped away from each other.  Their performances have you you feel the unbreakableness of their bond throughout the rest of the movie, even in Nettie’s absence.

The rest of the supporting cast is loaded with talent, and each performance has its moments to stand out.  There’s Corey Hawkins as Sofia’s wife and Albert’s son, Harpo, who gets a memorable number with “Workin’;” Gabriella Wilson “H.E.R.” as Mary Agnes, a waitress who works at Harpo’s juke joint; Louis Gossett Jr. as Albert’s stern father; David Allen Grier as Samuel Avery, the town reverend and Shug’s strict father; Deon Cole as Alphonso Johnson, Celie and Nettie’s mean-spirited father; and Ciara Wilson as an older Nettie.  With all of the cast members involved, this ensemble certainly doesn’t leave you wanting for a great display of performances.

The screenplay by Marcus Gardley takes this musical (written for the stage by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, Stephen Bray, and Marsha Norman) and has the expansive nature of the story unfold in compelling fashion.  We move with Celie through many years and witness the significant events and people that shape her life, and we travel through Georgia as we watch her become a much more confident person than what we see from the beginning.  This is a sprawling odyssey that offers plenty of insight in regards to the main character as we follow her from childhood to adulthood, allowing us to see Celie’s evolution both through song and dialogue in equal measure.  This is a superb breakthrough screenplay for Gardley, with him exhibiting an ability to juggle the show’s many characters and being able to keep the flow of the narrative as we go between dialogue-driven scenes and song-and-dance numbers.

As a director, Bazawule stages some remarkable musical sequences that both show the heartbreak of what the characters face and the exuberance of life when the sun decides to shine their way.  These segments are shot with remarkable cinematography by Dan Laustsen.  Over the last few years, Laustsen has provided stunning camerawork throughout three Guillermo del Toro films and three “John Wick” movies.  With these films, he has shown that he knows how to work with detailed and complex production designs, and it’s a talent that translates well to a movie musical.  He captures the immersive period detail and movements of the dancers to the utmost effect, giving us a grand spectacle that has rapturous visuals, and each musical number will stay in your mind because of their breathtaking composition.  With Laustsen’s camerawork and Bazawule’s unbreakable confidence in helming a decades-old, decades-spanning story in a production of this size, we’re given a movie that’s loaded with genuine feeling and has the grandeur of a Broadway show.  

There are so many emotions to be felt with this musical, and as you watch all of the passion that goes into it, you’ll see that “The Color Purple” is gold.

Grade: A

For a Wrestling Family, There’s More Pain Outside the Ring than Within

Zac Efron in "The Iron Claw"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Writer-director Sean Durkin is someone who, with the films he’s given audiences thus far, deals with stories involving families, be they families that you pick, or families into which you’re born.  Through this lens, he explores the destructive natures that can be found in either.  Whether it’s a girl escaping from a cult in “Martha Marcy May Marlene,” or a family moving to a new country in “The Nest,” he shows us the psychological effects that these scenarios have on his characters.

His latest film to do this is his biographical sports drama, “The Iron Claw,” a film that tells a story of the effects that familial pressures can have on an individual.  Packed with blazing performances and emotional grit, this film provided one of the most arresting moviegoing experiences of 2023.

In 1979 Texas, the Von Erichs are a prominent wrestling family consisting of brothers Kevin (Zac Efron), Kerry (Jeremy Allen White), David (Harris Dickinson), and Mike (Stanley Simons), their father Fritz (Holt McCallany), and their mother Doris (Maura Tierney).  As the years go by and the brothers do what they can to make a name for themselves in the world of wrestling, they’ll face even harder challenges within their family.  

Efron shows absolute confidence in taking on a role that’s both physically and emotionally demanding, tackling both of these aspects with screen-shattering power.  He exhibits Kevin’s unshakeable drive to be the best that he can be, while also showing the stress that he carries in being the oldest brother and wanting to take care of and set an example for his siblings.  It’s a performance that displays the discipline that’s been hammered into Kevin by his father, as well as a low-key intensity of someone who thrives on their unwavering focus.  You feel that drive coming from Efron throughout the film, and when you mix in his powerful emotional range during the film’s most heartbreaking moments, it all culminates in a performance where Efron displays the devastating hardships through which Kevin has gone.

Efron also has tremendous chemistry with the actors who portray Kevin’s brothers.  Between him, White, Dickenson, and Simons, we see the brotherly connections that have built up over the years.  The love and support that they have for each other are bonds that seem unbreakable, which makes each tragedy that they face all the more painful.  The actors portraying Kevin’s brothers leave an impact as we see how their roles in the family influence their life decisions.  Aside from this quartet of performances, we also have memorable work from McCallany and Tierney, as well as Lily James, who plays Kevin’s wife, Pam, all three of whom are given their own moments to showcase how they react to the turmoil within the family.

The screenplay by Durkin offers an in-depth view of this family that allows us to see the dynamics amongst the Von Erichs, whether it be between the parents and their children, or amongst the brothers themselves.  Although this is mostly Kevin’s story, the narrative still provides us with glimpses into the psyches of the other three Von Erich brothers as they tackle their personal and professional challenges.  The story presents in absorbing detail how the brothers want to do what they can to make their parents proud, but also how their strive for greatness and approval comes at a cost.  I didn’t know anything about the Von Erich family before seeing this film, but Durkin unfurls this heartbreaking family saga of American sports history with a thoroughness that invests us in a layered narrative of deep characters and poignant family drama.

The cinematography by Mátyás Erdély, who provided the camerawork for “The Nest,” does well in capturing not just the intensity of the wrestling ring, but the sequences that are more dialogue-heavy.  In these scenes, he makes an effective use of long takes through slow zoom-in shots, tracking shots, or stoic shots that allow us to feel the gravity of what’s taking place on screen.  Whether these scenes depict tension within the family, or if it’s any of the family members having a heart-to-heart, Erdély’s framing allows us to study the body movements of the characters without being interrupted by edits.  We see how they carry themselves outside the ring, compared to inside, in regards to how they move through life when not engaged in physical combat, balancing their in-the-ring showmanship with everyday body language.

As a director, Durkin does well in his most technically and narratively ambitious film yet.  For this movie, he displays a terrific control of the well-choreographed wrestling scenes every bit as much as the handling of drama that he mastered for his previous two movies.  During all of this, Durkin maintains the heaviness of emotional pain as the family grapples with what they believe to be a family curse, having to face one tragedy after another, and we experience that heaviness pressing down on us little by little with each harrowing loss.  On another level, Durkin establishes a similar pressure in terms of what it’s like to undergo the crushing weight of expectation from others, feeling the need stay on top of your game for fear of not being good enough.

Through Durkin’s earnest portrayal of a family trying to keep itself together, “The Iron Claw” will have you captivated in its grip.

Grade: A