Virginia’s Top 5 Best of 2023
One thing I like to do in the New Year is look back at my favorite things from the previous year. This includes movies, music, etc. 2023 wasn’t a particularly strong year, but I saw some good movies. This list took me longer than usual because I was waiting to catch a couple more films, and I didn’t love much last year. For example, I usually include at least one TV show, but this year, I didn’t absolutely love any new shows I saw! Anyway, here’s my list; feel free to let me know what made yours this past year!
5) The Holdovers
The Holdovers is funny and heartwarming and features an excellent performance from Paul Giamatti. Da’Vine Joy Randolph shines as Mary, the cook at Barton Academy for Boys. Giamatti plays Paul Hunham, a miserable history professor who goes on an adventure with a rebellious student (Dominic Sessa). The story isn’t anything groundbreaking, but I love the way this film creates atmosphere. Not only is it set in the 1970s, but it looks old. I assume director Alexander Payne went with actual film as opposed to digital. The film crackles and has a sort of texture you just don’t see in many modern movies. The Holdovers is the sort of unconventional Christmas comedy they should make more of.
4) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
It wouldn’t be a reach to call this film the end of an era. Endgame ended a long-running, high-stakes story, but for me, this is more finite. This is the last piece of the MCU I had any hope for after Quantumania was… well, what it was. Unlike every other MCU product I’ve seen since Multiverse of Madness, though, the Guardians came through. Vol. 3 is the fitting, satisfying, touching ending most stories within the MCU didn’t get. This film has one of the most despicable villains I’ve ever seen and ties up some of the series’ storylines in unexpected (but welcome) ways. I don’t have much to say, but you can read Alex’s review here. This was just a really enjoyable movie, even if I had to pretend I wasn’t crying a few times.
3) Austin
Usually, one music album makes my list, and this is the one for 2023. I’ve become something of a Post Malone fan over the past couple of years. Through talking to coworkers, listening to his music, and reading about him, I’ve found that he is not the simplistic rapper he’s usually labeled as but a versatile, original, unique artist. Post has done country and rock covers, and you get a taste of that love of different genres in Austin. This is Post’s fifth studio album, and aside from displaying an array of different styles and tones, Austin is noteworthy in that Post plays guitar on every track. Austin was envisioned as an all-acoustic project but instead emerged as a fusion of pop, rock, folk, and country. beerbongs & bentleys is still my favorite of Post’s albums, and Austin has a couple of songs I occasionally skip when I revisit the album. But I love watching artists evolve, and Austin is evolution on full display.
2) The Iron Claw
One thing I love about going to the movies is being surprised. I’m not talking about plot twists or grand reveals, but rather finding myself consumed in material I’m not even interested in. I don’t like wrestling, or know anything about it, for that matter. But The Iron Claw is one of the most captivating stories I saw last year and came very close to being my favorite movie of 2023. This movie prompted my most unexpected emotional response, even beating out my disgust with Barbie (which I should have loved). The Iron Claw uses the true story of the Von Erich wrestling family to weave a tale of family, love, toxic masculinity, and narcissistic parenthood. I’m aware that toxic masculinity has become a buzzword in recent words, and no, I don’t think manhood or being masculine is toxic in and of itself. When people say “toxic masculinity,” Fritz Von Erich, as portrayed by Holt McCallany (Mindhunter), is precisely what comes to mind. Fritz is domineering, manipulative, and demanding, and sees his sons only as an extension of himself. He claims to do the things he does out of love and concern. But if that’s the case, why does he expect each of his sons to achieve what he couldn’t and win the national heavyweight championship belt? When Kerry (Jeremy Allen White) is denied the opportunity to compete in the 1980 Olympics due to their cancellation, all Fritz sees is another chance to use one of his kids to chase his own dreams. Zac Efron is a revelation as Kevin, the oldest surviving son. I found this character shockingly relatable. Don’t get me wrong; though it may be hard to believe, I am not as buff or athletic as him. But jokes aside, Kevin feels the burden of being the oldest sibling. He wants to take care of his brothers much more than his parents, it seems; he even expresses a dream of them coming to live with him after he’s married and settled. Efron brings Kevin a grounded, understated air that he couldn’t display in High School Musical or The Greatest Showman. One of my favorite moments with Efron as Kevin is when Pam (Lily James) comforts him about his older brother who passed in childhood. The other is the film’s final shot, which I wish I could talk about. But you need to see it for yourself.
1) Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
What could have surpassed my biggest surprise of the year? The film I probably would have seen coming as my favorite, that’s what. I don’t know what’s left to say about the Spider-Verse movies that others haven’t said first and more eloquently. This series shifted the state of American animation, sending giants like Disney and Netflix in a brand new direction, trying to catch up. The success of these endeavors varies. But while the visual brilliance of the movies has received plenty of acclaim, the voice acting, writing, and music are also outstanding. In Across the Spider-Verse, I particularly enjoyed the focus on Gwen and her family, especially her father (Shea Whigham). Miles also gets plenty of good emotional moments, like choosing his own path against the other Spider-Men and discovering the truth of his own mutation. I’ll leave it at that because you’ve either already seen it, or you’re missing out. I won’t spoil it for you.
Honorable Mentions:
Gen V
This series didn’t quite make the cut for my list, but it was my favorite show of the year. Gen V is funny, interesting, and connects to the main series in exciting ways.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
This film also surprised me. It feels very different than the main Hunger Games movies. I love the costumes, music, and world created here. Snow makes a surprisingly compelling protagonist, and I would gladly watch more movies starring Tom Blyth in this role.
Killers of the Flower Moon and Oppenheimer
These films are grouped together because they’re amazing, and I don’t know what to say about them. They feature great performances and unique music, conveying true and tragic real-life stories. As with Spider-Verse, you’ve probably already seen them. They didn’t speak to me on a personal level like some of the other movies, or they would be higher up.
What do you think? What was your favorite movie, TV show, etc., of 2023? Let us know in the comments!
Comments (1)
I was wondering when this was coming. Almost thought it wasn’t. Man, I had a lot of high hopes and most of them faltered. There were a bunch of very nice movies, games were pretty good, some good shows. Only a few rare great stuff here and there. I usually do my favorite animated movies of the year, and the roster I had is not that big because many I was expecting didn’t turn out well.
So, I did a list inspired by your work which includes those three forms of media.
1. The Legend of Zelda – I wasn’t much of a Zelda player and I got Breath of the Wild along with the Switch a couple years ago and didn’t get in playing it much. It seemed inevitable when Tears of the Kingdom was coming that I should give the last game one more try, and pushed myself and had a very good time. Same can be said for the current game.
2. TMNT: Mutant Mayhem – This is pretty much the best animated movie for me because it didn’t frustrate me like Spider-Verse, it was also funny and went in directions I never thought would happen. Many good performances, very relatable story.
3. The Owl House – I’m talking about the two specials as a whole, but the finale was great. Sometimes I think the three specials were better this wat since it’d be painful watching Luz degrade over the course if this was a whole season.
4. Hailey’s On It – My newest favorite Disney cartoon at the moment. I was hesitant about it, but it’s been a blast with great characters, full of laughs and music. It’s like Phineas and Ferb back in the days only Hailey has to do random tasks in order to save the future.
5. Prehistoric Planet 2 – The last season was the best prehistoric documentary in a long time and the latest one holds up showcasing dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals 66 million years ago in ways I’ve never seen before. The six episodes, however, are a bit shorter and sometimes sequences don’t feel as developed and more rushed, but there are still some very satisfying moments.
6. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – I had a lot of fun with this game exploring the new locations and discovering creatures old and new. It’s a huge improvement over the last game because the developers took their time in every detail of how Pandora works, how to bond with an ikran properly. Can’t wait to see what’s next in store.
7. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves – Like Zelda, I was never a big RPG person, but this movie excelled my expectations with the memorable characters, humor, and action.
8. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – Gob, I was waiting for some tragedy throughout, but it didn’t happen and I’m glad, haha. What a conclusion to our favorite ragtag space team. Funny, action-packed, memorable music, lots of visuals and makeup, and emotional and this comes from an animal lover like me. Thank you, James Gunn. I look forward to what you have in store for DC.
9. Once Upon a Studio – What a heart-tugging short. The best Disney short since “Paperman.” I loved every moment of it. Phenomenal interactions, the way they blended vocals of current actors with archived vocals. Some surprising guest actors including James Woods, Jeremy Irons, Tom Hulce, Richard White, even Robin Williams return as their respective character. I wish I cried watching it the first time, but I had a big smile throughout.