Well, we’re halfway through the year, so let’s see what my current top 10 looks like. There’s some nice variety making up this list, with action, superhero, coming-of-age, straight up comedy, among others. It’s been a strong start to the year, so let’s see what we’ve got!
10) FAST X – 87/100 (Review)
Ten movies into the main series (and 11 overall) and we’re just now getting the best one? Iconic. It may not have one signature scene that rivals the best of the franchise, like the bank vault heist in Fast Five, or (my personal favorite) the “Cars don’t fly” in Furious 7. But it may have the best collection of set pieces in the series. Does the movie blatantly ignore the laws of physics? I’m no scientist, but I’m inclined to say yes.
But there’s one piece that really pushes it over the top: Jason Momoa. Whatever he is doing in Fast X, we need a lot more of it.
9) PAST LIVES – 88/100
Many have anointed Past Lives as their #1 movie so far. And while it’s very good, I don’t see the near-masterpiece that so many others do. It has a great script, with two terrific leads in Greta Lee and Teo Yoo. The story focuses on Lee’s Nora and Yoo’s Hae Sung, childhood best friends who reconnect sporadically in the two-plus decades since Nora’s family immigrated to Canada from South Korea. It does have some poignant insight into lost loves, and thinking about what could have been. But it just didn’t strike me as this incredibly profound piece of art. We’re nitpicking here, though. Again, it’s a very good movie. I see what everyone is praising about it, but just not at the same level.
8) CHEVALIER – 89/100
Kelvin Harrison Jr is ridiculous. The guy is an absolute stud. He’s only 28, but it already feels like he’s overdue for an Oscar, or at least a nomination. If you haven’t seen Waves, Luce, or Cyrano, fix that right away. And not only is Harrison great here, it’s a compelling story about Joseph Bologne. He’s someone I hadn’t heard of until this movie, and I’m not sure how well-known he is outside of music circles. In any event, it’s a valuable insight into the life of one of music history’s most important figures.
7) ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET. – 90/100
Not me, a 33-year-old, getting choked up multiple times watching a coming-of-age movie about an 11-year-old girl. But that’s what you get from a really well-made movie, regardless of subject matter. It’s a touching story of the titular Margaret, who moves from New York to New Jersey, facing all the problems and adjustments of going to a new school, making new friends, all while dealing the (eventual) onset of puberty. While it’s clearly geared toward the experience of young girls (and how refreshing is that?), there’s plenty here for everyone, regardless of age, to get something out of it. A worthy adaptation of Judy Blume’s acclaimed novel.
6) JOY RIDE – 90/100
Technically I shouldn’t include Joy Ride, as it doesn’t officially release until July 7th. But whatever. I LOVE this movie, and it’s close enough, so here it is. This is the funniest movie of the 2020s (at least). And it’s the best straight comedy in I don’t know how long.
Ashley Park stars as Audrey, who travels to China on a work trip, which eventually turns into a search for her birth mother. Joy Ride is the raunchy R-rated comedy fans wanted No Hard Feelings to be. That is tame compared to Joy Ride. The jokes are fast and furious, and they nearly all hit. The collective “we” has been clamoring for more movies like this, and it delivers, and then some. Now the hope is that it can do well at the box office, to hopefully entice studios to make more movies like this.
And in addition to the comedy, it still manages to tell an affecting story about family, friends, knowing and accepting who you are. Just being funny makes a comedy a good movie. But adding a strong personal touch, some true emotional depth, that’s what makes a comedy a great movie.
5) CREED III – 91/100
An impressive directorial debut for Michael B. Jordan (who also returns to star), Creed III is the best in the Rocky franchise. Great character work, dynamic boxing scenes, a powerfully emotional central story, it hits all its marks. I hope they leave the Creed series as a trilogy, but as long as both Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan remain involved, I won’t be able to stay away.
4) SANCTUARY – 91/100
If you want to be uncomfortably horny for 90 minutes, this is the movie for you. A wild two-hander with Margaret Qualley’s Rebecca (apparently Margaret Qualley as a dominatrix is incredibly my thing, so that’s fun) and Christopher Abbott as Hal. When Hal tries to sever their professional relationship, Rebecca…doesn’t take it well. What follows is an erotic, sexual, psychological cat-and-mouse thriller. It’s incredibly well-acted and keeps you fully engaged the entire time.
3) JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 – 92/100 (Review)
John Wick: Chapter 4 is one of the best action movies ever made. It continues to push the envelope for what’s possible with action filmmaking, and once again shows that more stuntmen, stunt choreographers, those who work with stunts and action, should direct more action movies. Nearly every stunt and action set piece could be the single highlight for many directors’ careers. In particular, the Dragon’s Breath scene just might be the coolest thing I’ve ever seen on the big screen. Stunning barely describes it.
Beyond the action though, JW4 also delivers on the character side of things. Adding Donnie Yen and Hiroyuki Sanada to the cast gives extra insight and depth to Keanu Reeves’ Wick. We’ve gotten a little bit along the way, but this took a jump that felt needed in order for this fourth entry to be as good as it was.
2) AIR – 94/100 (Review)
Ben Affleck is back in his bag as a director, and has a stacked cast to work with. Everyone’s got their fastball, and that plays a huge part in bringing this story to life. Matt Damon brings a relatable performance as Nike talent scout Sonny Vaccaro. The company’s basketball division is floundering, and Vaccaro has a big idea to save it: sign Michael Jordan. At the time, this was seen as the longest of long shots. Nike was not a major player in the basketball world just yet. It was the eventual Jordan deal that shot them into the stratosphere.
While some might dismiss Air as nothing more than watching rich people become richer, that would be a gross oversimplification. There are real human, personal elements littered throughout the story. It’s a triumph of the human spirit. It’s a winning tale of finding meaning in life, standing up for what you believe in, and going all-in on your beliefs and convictions.
Lastly, can we please can get an Oscar nomination for my guy Chris Messina?
1) SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE – 98/100 (Review)
Across the Spider-Verse goes so unbelievably hard. With all the different multiverse movies out there, this manages to stand head and shoulders above the rest. It understands how to actually, effectively integrate the different worlds into the story, rather than just having them feel like any other random set piece.
It’s a terrific continuation of the Miles and Gwen’s storylines set up in Into the Spider-Verse, as both characters receive heavy focus and development this time around. We always cared about them both, but the direction makes this every bit Gwen’s story as much as Miles’.
With everything else firing on all cylinders already, it’s the action and animation that cement Across the Spider-Verse as the best movie through June. Call it recency bias, but it just might be the best-animated movie I’ve ever seen. It’s beyond creative and imaginative. Every world and every character has their own unique animation style. Sometimes the styles and colors change during the scene as the characters’ emotions change. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Bottom line, this movie rules.
Well there you have it, my top 10 (so far) of 2023. I’d imagine a few of these will drop out by the time December 31st rolls around (I’d hope so, to be honest; would be a bit depressing if nothing else came out the rest of the year that matched anything released up to this point). But this is a great collection of movies, and I’m thrilled with where we’re at halfway through the year.
And before leaving you, let’s finish with a special mention for what’s still the funniest line reading I’ve seen this year: Mike Faist in Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game (Review).
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