Although the world has pretty much opened back up, even with COVID-19 still floating around, the pandemic’s effect on film releases has remained irreversibly altered. In turn, we’ve since adopted a practice where we only go to a theater if it’s a film that we’d actually pay money to see and otherwise waiting until something hits its respective streaming platform (or, in the case of something like Five Nights at Freddy’s, watching it theatrically or waiting for home video if it would go to a service that we don’t have access to). As usual, only films we’ve seen or games we’ve played have a chance to end up on this list.
Top Movies of 2023
Video game films have seen an upswing in quality over the years and The Super Mario Bros. Movie represents a great next step forward. Despite the hit and miss pedigree of animation studio Illumination, Nintendo’s heavy involvement ensured that Mario’s second crack at the big screen featured very faithful writing and animation, as well as a surprisingly fitting and talented voice cast and a trove of Easter eggs. While not completely perfect, as it could have used with another five minutes or so to better let certain scenes breathe, the future looks a lot more hopeful.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Although the Marvel Cinematic Universe has had a long string of duds as of late, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 proved itself the lone exception from this year thanks to its strong, emotional writing and a very well-acted villain. Even if you didn’t care about any of the MCU films after Avengers: Endgame, this is still one worth watching, especially if you already liked the titular Guardians of the Galaxy.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
This isn’t the first tabletop game adaptation, nor is it the first Dungeons & Dragons adaptation, but Honor Among Thieves is sure to steal your heart. Though based more directly on the game’s world and rules, it's written in a very accessible way with engaging and likeable characters, coupled with a plot that even complete newcomers can easily follow. If you didn’t have any knowledge of D&D going in, you may also find yourself curious on the way out.
Although I’m not normally attracted to this kind of film, and one that’s three hours long no less, I still found myself completely engaged with the Oppenheimer half of the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon. The strong acting really carries the story and J. Robert Oppenheimer comes off as a very complex individual, a truly brilliant man with a strong scientific drive, but also very complex with his morality. Even though most of the film features people talking in a room, the incredible recreation of the New Mexico atomic bomb test alone makes it worth watching in the highest possible quality.
As with The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Gran Turismo represents a good step forward for video game adaptations, this time in the realm of live-action. Rather than create a story whole cloth for a series that historically doesn’t have one, this film instead adapts the story of real-life racer Jann Mardenborough, who went from playing the games to actually competing as a professional racer. While the timeline of his career isn’t 100% accurate, the emotionally gripping story works very well regardless and the strong performances help keep it engaging throughout. As an added bonus, you can enjoy it even if you’re like us and have never played a single Gran Turismo game in your life.
Rohan at the Louvre may have its roots in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, but you won’t need any knowledge of its parent series or the spinoff Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe one-shots. Indeed, this film completely divorces itself from the source material and lets the strength of its story speak for itself, with only a brief introduction of who Rohan Kishibe is and what makes him unique as a manga artist. Its strong cast, carried over from the Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan TV drama, does a remarkable job here, especially Issey Takahashi and Marie Iitoyo in the lead roles, and the cinematic camera angles help bring out the beauty of the Louvre in all its glory. A can’t-miss, including for foreign film lovers looking for something new.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Based on the famous 1970 Judy Blume novel of the same name, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. is a fantastic film that does the source material justice. Its frank depictions of the realities of female puberty, including the physical and emotional changes that come with it, remain universal for its target demographic, but even male viewers can still relate to Margaret Simon’s struggles with finding herself, trying to fit in and adapting to changing circumstances beyond her control.
Top Games of 2023
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach – Ruin
Due to varying circumstances, I didn’t play very many video games from this year. However, I did want to highlight the Ruin DLC for Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach as an example of what happens when a developer really plays to their strengths and somehow delivers an experience better and more focused than the base game. It’s not necessarily the same level as something like Minerva’s Den from BioShock 2 (another instance of DLC offering a better experience than the base game), but it does show a level of polish that offers a glimmer of hope for Steel Wool’s further ventures into FNAF, even if not completely bug-free.
Capcom’s trend of remaking the Resident Evil series inevitably led to a remake of the highly regarded Resident Evil 4 (2005) and while Resident Evil 4 (2023) has a much more grounded and serious tone, you can really feel the passion put into the project. Just about any and all blemishes I had noticed while playing the original were handled masterfully here, including deeper characterizations, more natural story beats and, rather importantly, the ability to move and shoot at the same time. Although some fans would understandably prefer the tone and style of the original game, which Capcom has graciously made available on all the same platforms as the new version (including at least one HD remaster), the remake is still a fantastic game in its own right and I would highly recommend it.
Resident Evil 4 – Separate Ways
Four months after Resident Evil 4 (2023), Capcom released the Separate Ways DLC, which remakes the campaign of the same name from the original 2005 version, but in a way that feels developed alongside the new game rather than after it. Although rather linear, its story provides a perfect capstone to the main campaign, with a proper sense of closure that also hints at a remake of Resident Evil 5. Though I didn’t really like that Capcom put this DLC behind a $10 paywall when the original version came with its base game for free (at least from the PS2 version onwards), it’s still a must-play for those who have already beaten the new RE4.
Top Disappointments of 2023
Where the original Shazam! was easily one of the best DCEU films thanks to its fun atmosphere, Fury of the Gods is unfortunately a letdown. An unfocused story, forced jokes (including a plot-critical Skittles product placement) and an overreliance on CGI hold this sequel back from greatness. Though its unknown if a third film will surface, we can only hope that if one does, they learn form the mistakes of this one.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
There’s no getting around the fact that Quantumania is easily the worst of the Ant-Man trilogy. Terrible pacing, a muddied storyline, including the near lack of personal stakes on Scott Lang’s end, and subpar CG plague every aspect of this film. Add to that the cherry on top of expecting the audience to have seen Loki, a TV series locked behind the paywall of Disney+. The only neat thing that came from this film’s time theft is that Scott’s in-universe memoir, Look Out For The Little Guy!, was made into a real book.
Bluey: The Videogame
As a big fan of Bluey, I really wanted to like this game for real life, but I unfortunately found myself let down. Although it perfectly captures the spirit of the show audibly and visually and does a good job at making itself accessible to younger players, the experience is riddled with glitches even a month after launch, the animations are janky (with a very noticeable contrast between the 2D models and 3D objects) and the voice acting isn't quite the same level as the show itself. Worst of all, there are only four short and awkwardly-paced levels, meaning you can beat the entire game in only an hour, maybe three if you go for all of the collectables (I got the Platinum Trophy in under two). The only saving grace was that I didn't pay the steep $40 asking price and got it at a discount very shortly after launch (and so should you).
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