Welcome to my personal analysis of my favorite movies from 2023, which I like to call My Own Oscar Awards. After watching most of the nominations and beyond, I couldn’t help but compare these films to each other. My personal picks focused not on the names, prestige, or past work of the filmmakers, but rather on the impact these films had on me in each category.
Each category features three nominations that truly sparked something within me.
Who would have thought that a game as simple as Tetris could have such a wild and complicated origin story involving business deals and politics? I do think it could’ve leaned into the gaming elements a bit more—maybe with some visuals or nods to the actual gameplay—but it was still super entertaining. The characters are engaging, and the stakes feel (ridiculously) high, which keeps you invested the whole time. I wish I could have watched it on the big screen!
The film is visually appealing, but it misses the mark by failing to capitalize on the atmosphere of intense hunting, instead relying on generic chase scenes. It’s also puzzling how they cut scenes to avoid gruesome content, despite being an R-rated movie.
There’s an interesting moral dilemma at play, but it gets overshadowed by the bland execution of the plot and poor dialogue. I seriously doubt how they believed they succeeded in portraying Kraven as the villain of the story.
I appreciate how this prequel reveals the depth of its characters, particularly the relationship between Mufasa and Taka. This adds complexity to the overall story and allows for greater empathy towards each character. While Mufasa is portrayed as a great leader, I found myself more drawn to Taka’s narrative, and I hope there will be another installment focusing on this character.
Visually, the film is spectacular, showcasing the advancements in technology within the film industry.
Godzilla vs. Kong: The New Empire is a total blast if you're into giant monster showdowns. The story itself made no sense at all, but it's still entertaining as hell. Although, for a moment, I felt like I was watching Planet of the Apes. They should have made a crossover with Caesar at this point, lol.
“The Iron Claw” was a truly heart-wrenching story. They fought tooth and claw, desperate for even a mere of recognition that should already have been granted to them from the start. The pain they endured would have been unbearable for anyone. The final scene hit so hard, especially with the song of “Live That Way Forever” playing in the end.
Love Lies Bleeding is like an imaginary dream of a queer love story. And I'm all for it!
This movie has everything - from family drama, romance, comedy, crime, violence, thriller, horror, and muscles!
The intense atmosphere filled with manic energy contrasted perfectly with the humor, and I absolutely loved it!
Additionally, everyone looked incredibly sexy and cool in this film. What’s not to love, am I right?
P.S. This movie inspired me to hit the gym and lift more weights from now on lol.
Have you ever wondered if we’re just a cocoon, believing we can already fly?
This question struck me after watching “May December.”
The emotional and sensitive subjects addressed in the film, coupled with the powerful performances of the cast, evoked a discomfort that made it hard not to look away. People don’t like to talk about uncomfortable matters, so they often try to brush them off to feel better about themselves.
I have to say, this satire was on point and felt incredibly “raw” and “important”. LOL
On a more serious note, I found the cinematography to be somewhat lackluster and I felt like it dragged down the emotional impact of some key scenes. Additionally, I feel that the screenplay could have used a bit more punch to really drive home its message.
As a huge fan of the director, the cast, and the Dune Series, it pains me to give this movie a low rating. (I was so ready to give it a 10.)
Unfortunately, this movie did not meet my expectations for excellence in storytelling. It seemed to prioritize plot over explanations and character depth, which left me feeling disconnected from the characters and their struggles.
I believe this movie would benefit from more telling than showing, as what was shown felt overused and clichéd.
It wasn’t that bad, just too predictable and unnecessary long. However, I wouldn’t recommend it either, because they left out interesting stories and chose the boring ones in the movie instead. lol
Certainly, the plot in Argylle was ridiculous, the fight scenes felt rather silly, and the film's runtime was excessively long. Ordinarily, I would have rated it a 7, but the dance fight with Snow Patrol's "Run" playing in the background was so good. I couldn't help but bump up my score.
I just finished watching Maestro and I have to say, it was incredibly theatrical! ...and that's pretty much it. Lenny really hit the nail on the head when he talked about the stark contrast between the Maestro's life as a conductor and a composer. It felt like the whole film was meticulously orchestrated, but lacked genuine emotions. The script seemed to rely heavily on Felicia to bring out his humanity. I wonder if this was intentional or just lazy writing?