For the record, I only make these selections based of movies I have seen, and I have not seen everything from this year. As of when I am writing this, I have seen 75 movies that have been released in the calendar year 2023. I know, it isn’t a ton. I have logged 310 movies this year, but the majority are from years past in a way to educate myself. I rewatched a crap ton of David Fincher and James Bond to end the year; and those are good homework assignments.
But I digress.
Below are the five best movies I have seen in 2023 in no particular order. At the end will be my honorable mentions.
John Wick: Chapter 4
Don’t care if John Wick: Chapter 4 isn’t going to be considered for any major awards. There is no denying that this movie, this particular action movie, does what it sets out to do better than any other in its genre this year. John Wick: Chapter 4 ends the franchise on an illustrious note giving the audience a fulfilling and finite ending.
That’s right, I said finite. Definitive.. To whomever may matter that may be reading, please don’t make the mistake.
John Wick: Chapter 4 is such a good movie that it sucked up the oxygen and stole the show from Tom Cruise. Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning – Part I has a chase in a European city involving a roundabout and a tense scene in a club that devolves into a chase. Sound familiar?
Keanu Reeves is outstanding as John Wick, but there are a few more who steal the show. Donnie Yen as Caine is hilarious and brings a ton of heart to an otherwise overserious environment. Then there is Bill Skarsgård as the Marquis. He brings his monster smile with a baggage of charismatic evil. The ensemble cast works to amusing perfection.
The best part about John Wick: Chapter 4 is that the action is integral to the story. There is no action for purely action sake. Director Chad Stahelski infuses every action scene with a tangible purpose and an evocative emotion. John Wick: Chapter 4 doesn’t pull any punches, and it makes every bruise feel so good.
STANKO RATING: A-
The Killer
As a David Fincher enthusiast, The Killer has risen in my appreciation as time has passed. Fincher’s two-decade long passion project interpreting Alexis Nolent and Luc Jacamon’s graphic novel results in a cold and comedic espionage thriller that rewards the viewers on rewatches.
The subtle attention to detail is always present in Fincher’s films, and it’s not different in The Killer. If you can, watch the behind the scenes YouTube short Netflix putout talking about the sequence where The Killer takes down The Brute. The tid-bits about the television type, the sound mixing, and the impromptu acting/writing with the cheese grater all make the scene even more enjoyable.
Then there is the ending. People will call it anti-climatic, but they could be calling it brillant. The Killer ending his story with that slight twitch and calling back to his earlier inner monologue is rewarding to those who watched the movie carefully. Fincher plays games and when you can figure out what game he’s dishing up, then it’s totally worth it.
A special shoutout needs to be paid to Tilda Swinton. As The Expert, she has her fateful meeting with The Killer where she dictates a perverse yet applicable story that almost makes our POV character crack. Swinton is in the movie for maybe 15 minutes, tops, and she leaves an indelible mark. She probably won’t be nominated for Best Actress, but would love for her to be on the outside conversation.
STANKO RATING: A-
Maestro
The day I am writing this is the day I saw Maestro for the first time. When I tell you rewinded this movie three different times to rewatch certain scenes, I am not lying. Bradley Cooper has officially stamped himself a must watch director because Maestro is a second example of outstanding and personal storytelling.
Bradley Cooper is going to be nominated for Best Actor and better be nominated for Best Director. Joining him on the red carpet is Carey Mulligan, who will be a front-runner in the Best Actress race. Cooper plays Leonard Bernstein and Mulligan plays Felicia Montealegre, and together they make for an on screen relationship that should be studied in psychology classes across the country.
Mulligan has one scene taking place during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade where she undresses Leonard and forces him to confront his sins and transgressions. It is the Mulligan Oscar scene, and Cooper allows it to play like a stage play with a wide shot and no camera cuts. It is a dialogue heavy scene that can be compared to the honest ferocity of Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?.
Then there is Bernstein’s legendary performance conducting at Ely Cathedral. This jaw-dropping sequence sees Cooper become Leonard Bernstein. Don’t you dare call it only imitation. Cooper’s passion in this one scene is emblematic of the passion he has had for conducting since he was a kid. Maestro is filled to the brim with this passion and it’s impossible not to get sucked in.
STANKO RATING: A
Oppenheimer
Is Christopher Nolan finally going to get the Oscar for Best Director? There is a great shot.
Oppenheimer is Nolan’s best written work, and it’s not debatable. Christopher Nolan wrote a courtroom drama, and fucking nailed it. Nolan wrote a character study, and fucking nailed it. Everything about Oppnenheimer seems the antithesis of what he has made in the past; the climactic moment doesn’t involve a massive set piece or a huge reveal. Oppenheimer’s most explosive moments involve words, and its most rewatchable scenes are often tinged with silent lingering shots.
The master of the thousand-yard stare is Cillian Murphy. Do you remember the scene where he comes to the realization of what his invention is about to become? That nightmarish scene of patriotism in the old school American gym is masterclass, as is the silent atomic bomb test and the professional disembowelment of Lewis Strauss. Oppenheimer is many different types of movie, and Nolan making it work is an outstanding cinematic achievement.
Then there is the ensemble cast. Nolan attracts the best talent, and this Nolan joint had everyone stamping their admissions ticket. Cillian Murphy gives a beautifully emotionally detached and logical performance as Robert Oppenheimer, and he is bolstered by Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon and Robert Downey Jr…just to name a few. Many of the cast will be nominated, but the only for sure guarantee lock is Downey Jr. It is going to be between him and Ryan Gosling when it comes to the Academy Awards.
STANKO RATING: A
Past Lives
I’ve yet to dive deep into my thoughts about Past Lives, but from the handwritten notes I have and the thoughts stewing in my brain, it is safe to say that Celine Song’s debut stamps itself as one of the best movies of 2023.
The most romantic part of Past Lives is that the love story is not between two characters, but rather between one’s present situation and the past one could have had. It is in the title, but the way Song goes about writing her characters makes the audience recollect their own butterfly moments. It is impossible to watch Past Lives and not feel some sort of fondness for one’s own personal history.
Greta Lee is remarkable as Nora, and Teo Yoo is romantic to a fault as Hae Sung. The childhood crush Nora and Hae Sung share shines a truthful magnifying glass on one-another.Have you never wanted to talk to your first crush to see if things have changed? Past Lives is your chance.
The breakout star for me is John Magar as Arthur, the husband to Nora. He came into Nora’s life after she axed Hae Sung and the pair fell in love. The two artists share everything with one another and their conversations are something to strive for. Arthur is patient, allowing Nora to digest her own personal conclusions about her feelings. Arthur knows she needs emotional space to sort everything out, and Magaro is remarkable as the ever-present sponge.
STANKO RATING: B+
HONORABLE MENTIONS
- “Air”
- “Barbie”
- “Fair Play”
- “May December”
- “Reptile”
- “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”
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