Year In Review

“Year in Review – 2023”

By Brett_G on

137. I reviewed 137 movies this year, not counting rewatches of “JAWS.” A lot of sneak attack surprises, a couple that stole 2 hours of my life I can never get back, and a plethora of new memories in front of a silver screen, armed with my popcorn bucket and candy. As a result of the writers and actors strike, Hollywood continued one of my favorite trends of late – smaller films galore filling the multiplex! A blessing in disguise and kept alive by the fact that tentpole franchises are collapsing left and right, earning the intellectual property a much needed siesta. As we head into a new year that hopefully yields a new Nicole Kidman AMC Theaters opening, I want to thank you all for visiting my little corner of the world and entertaining my ramblings, hopefully proving helpful as you surf streaming services looking for what to watch. Here’s to a great 2024 at the movies!

Without further adieu, my top 16 films of the year (in no particular order):

“A Good Person”

“Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour”

“Oppenheimer”

“The Holdovers”

“Godzilla Minus One”

“Winnie The Pooh: Blood & Honey”

“Air”

“The Covenant”

“Barbie”

“Pinball: The Man Who Saved The Game”

“The Pod Generation”

“John Wick Chapter 4”

“Love Again”

“No Hard Feelings”

“Anyone But You”

“Bank of Dave”

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Action Documentary Drama

“Ferrari”

By Brett_G on

7.1

It’s no “Ford v. Ferrari.”

That being said, it’s still solid. Much more family drama than racing epic. The racing scenes that are part of the film are gorgeous and as intense as they come. I want to definitely warn those heading into this one that there is carnage galore when the rubber meets the road. The early days of road racing were downright deadly, and this film doesn’t shy away from it.

The cast is full of sneak attacks, and everyone fits exceptionally well, especially the main love triangle of Adam Driver, Penelope Cruz, and Shailene Woodley. The man liked fast cars and even more dangerous women. Respect.

A nice cap on my year at the movies! Look for the yearly recap tomorrow!

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Documentary Drama

“Bank of Dave”

By Brett_G on

8.4

Me as the credits began to roll – “THIS WAS A DOCUMENTARY?!”

Feel good movie perfect for the holiday season!

The way they were able to fit such a wonderfully executed tale of financial David vs. Goliath, leveraged the overarching and impactful theme of community and the strength of small towns… I was quite frankly in awe. AND there’s a quite pleasant accompanying love story. AND a courtroom scene that took me back to “The Judge” and “A Few Good Men.” The film really fires on all cylinders and has something for everyone! Especially Def Leppard fans, or just fans of karaoke. Well done to all involved, earning a strong recommendation from me. Unlike in “A Few Good Men,” I trust you can handle the truth that they knocked it out of the park with this one.

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Documentary Drama Indie

“The Iron Claw”

By Brett_G on

8.1

🚨warning🚨 if you are sensitive to suicide as a subject matter, this film’s plot centers on it. https://988lifeline.org

So… maybe they should have taken that curse thing a little more seriously…

Get ready to get sad. A 2 hour train wreck in slow motion, as the Von Erich family’s meteoric rise is only matched by its tailspin and destruction. A story that has to be real to be believed. You can’t write tragedy like this. Brilliant performances by all, and a well crafted film. It’s a relenting descent into the madness of intensity and what happens when you push yourself to the breaking point and never let off the gas. Watching the motor slowly disintegrate before your eyes is admittedly hard to stomach for the over two hour runtime, but incredibly impactful.

Maybe not the best thing to go to if you want to maintain the holiday cheer, but a definite sign that it’s Oscar season, gang!

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Rom-Com

“Anyone But You”

By Brett_G on

8.6

There’s a thin line between love and hate…

In the running for Best rom-com of the year for me… This was WAY better than I expected it to be. And not just because of Sydney Sweeney. Or because it’s cuffing season and I’m a hopeless romantic.

The chemistry within the perfectly assembled cast is off the charts, and really takes an already great story to the next level. There’s an authenticity in this one that is missing from so many romantic comedies that cause them to fall flat. Even the steamier scenes have a surprising silliness and playfulness that permeates the rest of the film. No matter how cheesy the scene, the cast is bought in 110%, and that comes across on the big screen. Not me getting misty-eyed from laughter and “jeez, movie… I didn’t need to be attacked like that” moments. And the credits montage… Chef’s kiss*

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be doing sit-ups until my next movie review in an attempt to match Glen Powell’s 8 pack. Looking to also get “hot girl fit.”

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