By George Bate & Josh Bate
We’re about halfway through 2023 and there have been plenty of big budget blockbusters, indie dramas, horror flicks, and more that have captured audiences’ attention. At this halfway point, we’re going to look back at some of the best movies of 2023 so far. This isn’t a formal top 10 list, but, rather, a breakdown of some of the movies released this year to date that have particularly resonated with us.
The Blackening
The Blackening takes the ‘black characters always die first in horror movies’ trope and runs with it, following an all-Black group of friends whose reunion at a secluded cabin in the woods is interrupted by a masked killer. The Blackening is easily one of the year’s funniest movies, while also serving as a great tribute to horror cinema and Black history. This is a must-see.
He Went That Way
A serial killer, an animal handler, and a chimpanzee go on a road trip in this thriller that premiered at this year’s Tribeca Festival. A perfect blend of tension and dark humor, He Went That Way is an unnerving and yet surprisingly emotional film featuring stellar performances from Zachary Quinto and Jacob Elordi.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
The sequel to the Academy Award winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is simply spectacular. A stunning cinematic achievement, Across the Spider-Verse pushes the boundaries of the stories and visuals animation can deliver.
To Catch a Killer
This enthralling mystery follows a serial killer investigation in the vein of Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs. Shailene Woodley plays a police officer who teams up with a seasoned FBI agent (played by Ben Mendelsohn) to track down a mass shooter with extraordinary rifle proficiency and meticulous attention to detail.
Renfield
It’s a testament to the ingenuity of director Chris McKay and company that the filmmakers delivered a fresh take on Dracula 126 years since Bram Stoker’s classic novel was published. Nicolas Cage plays a hilariously terrifying version of the vampire, while the film’s focus on Nicholas Hoult’s Renfield character and the toxicity of unhealthy relationship makes for a clever and witty ride.
John Wick: Chapter 4
Not only one of the year’s best films, John Wick: Chapter 4 is one of the greatest action movies of all time. Clocking in with a whopping three-hour runtime, the fourth installment in the Keanu Reeves-led franchise is a globe-trotting, breathtaking epic of expertly constructed action sequences.
Sick
From the screenwriter of Scream, Sick is a timely slasher that uses the COVID-19 pandemic as a plot device and backdrop.
I Used To Be Funny
Rachel Sennott (Bodies Bodies Bodies, The Idol) stars in this dark dramedy that premiered at this year’s South by Southwest Film Festival. As endearing and heartbreaking as it is hilarious and relatable, I Used To Be Funny asserts Sennott as on of the most captivating young actors working today.
Pure O
This narrative feature that premiered at 2023 SXSW Film Festival from writer/director Dillon Tucker is an emotionally captivating and informatively eye-opening film about OCD, a grossly misunderstood mental health condition.