2023 Oscar Action Films
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An Overview of the 2023 Oscar Action Films (and a review of last year’s recommended entries.)
Michael Young
Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths: Not for Everyone (3.5*)
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Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths is long, complex, statement of a man in multiple transitions. The film will reward viewers who have the time and patience to watch it more than once. (3.5*)
Empire of Light – Frugal and Pale (2.5*)
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Empire of Light is a visual and sonic delight but leaves you empty. It portrays a May – November romance, set in a 1980s coastal movie theater. Needs much more chemistry between the characters and with the audience.
2023 Oscar Minor Genre Films
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An overview of the 2023 Oscar Minor Genre Films. The minor (2 or fewer films) genres are, mystery, romance, music, musical, sports, westerns, war, and horror.
Tell It Like a Woman – Seven Strong Shorts (3.5*)
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Tell It Like a Woman is a compendium of seven shorts, all written and directed by women and featuring women as the main characters. It is not a typical “movie” but has important messages. (3.5*)
Aftersun – Critics Cheer, Viewers Marked Down (2.5*)
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Aftersun is, for most viewers, a rather boring but sensitive story of a young father and his 11-year-old daughter on vacation at a beach resort in Turkey. surreptitiously woven into this story is another, more tragic tale – but good luck to the casual viewer trying to find it.
2023 Oscar Adventure Films
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An overview of 2023’s Oscar-nominated Adventure Films, including a look back to last year’s.
Causeway – Acting Bonus with Frugal Script and Directing (2.5*)
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Causeway has some terrific acting but the script and direction just don’t cut it. (2.5*)
2023 Oscar Biography Films
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An Overview of the 2023 Oscar-nominated Biography films.
RRR – Fun-Loving Indian Super-Humans (4*)
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RRR is an over-the-top action movie in the Bollywood tradition. With CGI, action, humor, song, dance, and history, it is just three hours of fun. (4*)
2023 Oscar Crime Films
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An overview of the 2023 Oscar-nominated Crime films with recommendations from this year and last!
To Leslie – Woozy / Boozy / Mediocre (3*)
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To Leslie showcases a terrific performance by Andrea Riseborough. Unfortunately, its treatment of addiction and substance abuse does not rise to her performance level. (3*)
2023 Oscar Thriller Films
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An overview of the 2023 Oscar-nominated Thriller films.
Blonde – Long Sexy with Hidden Truths (3.5*)
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Blonde is not a biography of Marilyn Monroe, although she is the central character. This is, instead, an unusually forceful exploration of how difficult it is for women to fuse their public and private personas. It is also an indictment of Hollywood, and of men generally. (3.5*)
2023 Oscar Fantasy Films
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An overview of the 2023 Oscar Fantasy Films with recommendations and a few extra from last year.
Glass Onion – Packed with Great Humor and Murder (4*)
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Glass Onion is a terrific sequel to Knives Out. Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) still solves the mystery, but a fun-loving cast helmed by Janelle Monae keeps you thinking. (4*)
2023 Oscar Animated Films / Family Films
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An overview of the 2023 Oscar-nominated Animated films. Includes a look back to the best from last year.
Turning Red – Spunky but Lost (2.0*)
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Turning Red is about a 13-year old’s experience with adolescence and her family’s reaction. Though with spectacular animation and colors, who is this story really for? (2.5*)
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On – Extra Bold and Odd (4*)
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Marcel the Shell with Shoes On Will hold your interest with an unusual combination of live-action and stop-motion animation, an intriguing main character, and unique perspectives on life, nature, and relationships. (4*)
The Sea Beast – An Epic Moby Dick and Master Political Metaphor (3.5*)
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The Sea Beast has terrific computer animation, a Moby Dick story, a young girl as the leading character, and multiple political and social threads for adults. (3.5*)
Puss in Boots The Last Wish – Bright, Easy, and Frisky (4*)
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Puss in Boots The Last Wish Is a terrific animated feature that will be enjoyed by children of all ages and their elders! It is the story of a legendary cat who faces his ninth life and discovers what is really important. (4*)
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio – Master Animation, Odd Story (2.5*)
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Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is a superb example of stop-motion animation, but it falls short as a musical and doesn’t tell a story most audiences will enjoy. (2.5*)
2023 Oscar Documentary Films
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An Overview and comparison of this year’s Oscar-nominated documentary films.
Navalny – A Timely Attempted Murder (3.5*)
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Navalny is as thrilling a movie as you can get, and even more so because it’s true. But is it a skillful documentary, or just a lucky filmmaker?(3.5*)
2023 Oscar Science Fiction Films
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First of this year’s genre reviews, we look at three science fiction films, two of which are must-views!
All That Breathes – Deep Beauty and Ugly at Once (4*)
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All That Breathes is a different kind of documentary that tells its story of three Indian Muslims ministering to the needs of a bird, while exploring humanity’s relationship to the natural world. (4*)
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed – An Unintended Double Feature (3*)
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All the Beauty and the Bloodshed is an amalgam of two different films, sharing a common person, photographer Nan Goldin. Most viewers will likely find this one a little unsatisfying. (3*)
A House Made of Splinters – Honest and Tragic (4.5*)
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A House Made Of Splinters is the story of 4 pre-teens who can no longer live with their families because of parental alcohol dependency. The kids tell their stories while the camera records their honest and heart wrenching feelings. A remarkable film. (4.5*)
Fire of Love – Full of Energy, but Not Where it Mattered (3*)
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Fire of Love is about two geologists who spend their entire marriage exploring volcanoes. But the film gives more insight into their love of volcanoes than for each other. (3)
EO – A Bold Plunge into Consciousness (4.5*)
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EO is one of those rare movies where, not knowing exactly how, the film transports you into a different world. In the end you never knew you would have so much empathy for a donkey while exploring the meaning of consciousness. (4.5*)
Argentina 1985 – Truth, Humor, and the Wicked (3.5*)
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Argentina 1985 is a docudrama telling the story of the world’s first civilian trial of a military dictatorship. It is a courtroom drama lightened with humor and stories of families. A good film, but maybe a bit difficult to absorb. (3.5*)
Close – Easily Manipulative (2.5*)
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Close evokes emotions, but violates another principle of what makes a good movie. (2.5*)
The Quiet Girl – Simple but with Huge Emotional Impact (5*)
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The Quiet Girl is quite possibly the best movie of the year. (5*)