My Top Ten New-to-Me Films of 2023

Happy New Year, friends!  

2023 was really the year of Studio Ghibli, for me.  Not one, not two, but three Ghibli films made it onto my top ten list!  Exciting times.

Most of the new-to-me movies I watched this year were pretty average; only a few blew me out of the water.  That said, this list was harder to narrow down than I thought it would be.  As usual, I'm not 100% satisfied with the finished product.  But such is life, and as it's already two weeks later than I'd have liked to publish this post, here we are.

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#10.  Bill (2015) ● NR

A young and ambitious Will Shakespeare leaves Stratford-upon-Avon for the bustling city of London, hoping for a haven of artistic possibility in which to pursue his newest dream of being an author.  Much to his surprise, he soon finds himself embroiled in a plot to kill Elizabeth I.

Intentionally anachronistic dialogue and mannerisms set in historical contexts will never not tickle my fancy, so this is right up my alley.  It's silly and witty in almost equal measure.  The pacing drags a bit because there's really nothing to the film besides the screwball comedy, but there are some treasures in the script.  Behold:

"I have to be careful of the bivalves."

"It's a disguise — or, one might say, a dispiese."

"People will remember the name 'Shakespeare' . . . twenty years from now!"

"I don't 👏 know what 👏 that means! 👏"

"And nibbles, fetch some nibbles."

"All right!  Don't stab the messenger . . . please."

"Poor people are easily startled, but they'll soon be back, and in greater numbers."

"Ooh, a cameo!"

"Seriously, Lope, what is wrong with you?  Is this about your dad?"

"That poor, sexy woman."

"Saying something in a short, snappy way instead of a long, drawn-out way is the soul of wit."  "Do you mean brevity?"  "Yeah."

"Let's call that Plan J."

"And stop leaving me multiple chamber pots.  It's very confusing."

"SoMeONe KnOWs a LoT aBoUT CaThOLiCs!"

#9.  Willow (1988) ● PG

A farmer assumes the guardianship of an orphaned baby found floating down the river near his home.  When it is revealed that the child is prophesied to overthrow an evil queen who is now hunting her, the farmer undertakes to get her to safety.  

The vibes are vibing, you guys.  A rollicking, slightly offbeat fantasy flick that somehow remains pretty sweet despite its Very '80s™ nature.  I like it quite a lot.  Val Kilmer's performance is fun and over-the-top, as usual, but Warwick Davis is a standout, as well.

#8.  The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947) ● NR

When moony high school senior Susan Turner becomes infatuated with much older artist Richard Nugent after he gives a guest lecture at her school, the innocent Richard soon finds himself in a compromising position.  Luckily, Susan's wry older sister and guardian, Margaret, who also happens to be the local judge, has a plan to disabuse Susan of her inappropriate crush, and she enlists Richard's help to do it.

You know what's really Important™?  The fact that despite its comedic premise, this 1940s film never pretends that statutory rape is funny.  Cary Grant's character is never anything but horrified by the idea that anyone could ever think he would even consider seducing a teenager.  There's no wink wink, nudge nudge here.  There's no, "Man, if I could without being caught . . . "  There's no, "Well, back in the good old days . . . "  There's just pure rage at the bare suggestion, and appropriately so, and I love the makers for that.

The rom-com angle (not between the teenager and the adult, to reiterate) is cute and satisfying as well, and Myrna Loy rocking the room as a whole boss-babe judge?!  I can't begin to describe how much I am Here For That™.

The script is also hilarious and so clever.

"This is a conspiracy!"

"You're not married, are you?"  "No."  "Oh, I knew it.  You just couldn't be."  "Well, I've had some offers."

"You're being too cold about this; you have to look at things emotionally."

"A woman scorned is a fury!"

"I'm old enough to be your father."  "You're so right, dear."

"This is a fine way to treat a veteran!"

"I'm sorry, I've never been subjected to so much charm before."

"Garkon, champagne!"

#6.  The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) ● G

A family of miniature people live behind the walls and beneath the floorboards of a quiet house in the country.  They make their living scavenging bits and pieces of materials that the human occupants don't notice — until, one night, the daughter is spotted by a newcomer to the house.

The vibes are IMMACULATE in this one.  The story is a bit boring to me, but the setting and music are fantastic, as usual.  I really, really love the way that Studio Ghibli recognizes and prioritizes the value of silence and contemplation and stillness.  In this film, quiet is practically imbued with restorative, healing properties, and I appreciate that.

#6.  Ponyo (2008) ● G

The strong-willed daughter of an aquatic wizard is determined to befriend a human boy, and their connection eventually unleashes a tidal wave of magic onto their seaside community.

I wrestled and wrestled and wrestled with whether to rank this above or below Arrietty.  The setting and color palette and overall vibe of Arrietty are much more my style, but story-wise, I do find Ponyo more interesting.  It's also more briskly paced, so it has more re-watch potential for me.

It's obviously very similar to The Little Mermaid, but there are sufficient deviations from the fairytale to keep it from feeling too derivative.  I especially like the subplots with Ponyo's and Sosuke's parents.  Both couples are very secondary to the plot, but they're given some narrative weight, as well, which is satisfying.

#5.  Free Guy (2021) ● PG-13

Two video game creators struggle to regain the property rights to their work while one of their characters begins to take on a life of his own.

I had exactly zero (0) intentions of ever watching this, but it was selected for a friend's movie night, and I'm very glad it was.  I was so unexpectedly impressed by this.  The embedded narrative/video game structure was more successful than that of a lot of other films because the distinction between reality and virtual reality is maintained, despite their interaction.  Guy, for example, is an artificial concept who exists on an artificial plane, not a real human person who can enter the real world, and the script neither forgets that nor denies Guy the fullness of a character arc.  This helps the film to achieve a much better execution of the "artificial entity attains consciousness" premise than, for example, Barbie (2023).

Free Guy is also remarkable in that it manages to celebrate the creative potential of video game creation and play, while still exploring and interrogating the implications of hyperviolent video games wherein players are conditioned to see humanoid extras as expendable.  

The film does falter when it tries to be deeper than it is (i.e. the climactic confrontation between Millie and Antwan), but overall, I thought it was great.  Fun and funny and fresh.  I ended up loving the romance, including the fact that it was so understated and tertiary to the plot.  ("I'm a love letter to you" — SHUT THE FRONT DOOR why is that so cute?!)

Also, Channing Tatum's comedic acting is the gift that keeps on giving lately.  First The Lost City and now this.

#4.  Les Miserables (2018) ● TV-14

Hardened ex-convict Jean Valjean breaks his parole, but spends the next several years reforming his character, building a successful business, and enriching the lives of those in his community while evading a relentless police officer obsessed with bringing him to "justice".  When Valjean realizes that he has inadvertently brought a former employee to ruin, he dedicates himself to helping her impoverished daughter.  Their lives intersect with many others against the backdrop of the impending June Revolution of 1832.  A miniseries adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic.

Overall, a stunning adaptation of Hugo's story.  This is the first screen version of Les Mis I've seen that really follows the full trajectory of the book.  Naturally (and mercifully), it's not as myopic as the book is — can you imagine what a yawn fest that would be? — but it spotlights and fleshes out several subplots and side characters that don't often get as much attention.

The best aspect of this miniseries is, hands down, Dominic West's phenomenal turn as Valjean.  He translates this character from page to screen almost flawlessly.  Terrific stuff.  The rest of the (absolutely stacked) cast is excellent, as well.  The script doesn't quite seem to grasp what makes Javert tick, but David Oyelowo does wonderfully with the material he's been given, even if it's not 100% on-target.

My primary complaint is that the pacing falters in the last couple of episodes, as the show rushes a couple of the story's climaxes and wraps up some loose ends a bit sloppily.  Turns out that six episodes is one or two too few for this story.  Still, though, it's wonderful overall.

I highly recommend this version for fans of either the original novel or the musical.

#3.  Castle in the Sky (1986) ● PG

A young girl and her newfound friend realize that she possesses the key to locating a mystical ancient city.  They set out to find the city, encountering dangerous enemies and unexpected allies along the way.

My favorite Studio Ghibli film so far.  The friendship between the two MCs is so wholesome, and I love the soundtrack.  The visuals, as always, are stunning and soothing, and the plot holds your attention.

#2.  The Little Mermaid (2023) ● PG

A bright young mermaid princess named Ariel becomes enamored of life above the surface, much to her father's chagrin.  Against her own better judgment, Ariel makes a dangerous deal with a scheming sea witch for a chance to experience life as a human.  A remake of the 1989 classic.

LISTEN, I don't wanna hear any criticism about this movie.

The way that the writers and Halle Bailey took that insufferable brat from the original and turned her into a mature, resourceful, intelligent, sweet, graceful, reasonable, assertive heroine for whom you can't not root is crazy to me.  Major props to everyone involved.  And don't get me started on the Ariel/Eric romance in this version, because what the heck?!  Who gave them permission to be so stinking wholesome?!  Who gave them permission to make me actually care about that relationship?!  The audacity.

Granted, there are several aspects of this film that are . . . not great.  The CGI in the underwater scenes is meh, the script is cheesy in parts, and Javier Bardem turns in an unsettlingly mid performance as Triton.  (Seriously, sir — I appreciate that you understand that absolutely no one is coming to this movie for you, but also, you are an Academy Award-winning actor, my good man.  Maybe put in an ounce of effort?)

But the balance of the movie comes out overwhelmingly to the positive, in my opinion.  It's delightful.  Not flawless by any means, but delightful.  The remake expounds upon and improves the story beautifully, fleshing out the two MCs and addressing several issues from the original.  And, not to be redundant, but I have to circle back to Halle Bailey's performance.  She's stunning.  Has the voice of a literal angel combined with this magnetic screen presence.  I knew she would be incredible, and boy, was she.  I could not take my eyes off her whenever she was onscreen.  

See also (if you don't mind semi-spoilers):  this screenshot of a Tumblr post that lists a few of the little details that made the remake so fantastic.

#1.  The Lion in Winter (1968) ● PG

Wrestling with indecision regarding the question of succession, King Henry II of England decides to bring what remains of his estranged family together for the Yuletide:  the pugnacious eldest son, Richard; the cynical second-born, Geoffrey; the bumbling baby of the family, John; and Henry's exiled wife, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine.  The five royals come against each other in a complex battle of wills as each makes their bid for power.  Complicating matters still further are a young King Philip II of Spain and his half-sister, Alais, who has long lived in the English castle, in theory as Richard's intended fiancee but in reality as Henry's mistress.

Why did I love this bizarre, infinitely dysfunctional chess game of a film so much?  It boils down to the richness of the script and the gleeful abandon of the two lead actors.  Hepburn and O'Toole throw themselves wholesale into the chaos and moral swampland of the story, embodying the main characters in all their scheming, manipulative, revolting, insecure, petulant, tender glory, and for some reason, I find it all unutterably satisfying.

I'm biased, of course, but some of Hepburn's acting choices in particular floor me.  The subtlety of the venom she injects into her voice when delivering certain lines, like a poisoned dart wrapped in cheery floral paper, scratches a very specific itch in my brain that I didn't know was there.  She's just stunning.  And O'Toole is phenomenal as well.  That entire "My life, when it's written, will read better than it lived" sequence is fantastic.  My gosh.  The interplay between the whole cast is extraordinary; they exchange those missiles of dialogue like shuttlecocks, and it's magnificent.  I don't understand how the acting manages to be so bombastic, so larger-than-life, yet so subtle and nuanced and intentional at the exact same time.

The script is theatrical and acerbic, positively blistering in places, and I adore it.

"Henry's bed is Henry's province; he can people it with sheep, for all I care — which, on occasion, he has done."

"I'd hang you from the nipples, but you'd shock the children."

"Don't everybody sob at once."

"I've snapped and plotted all my life.  There's no other way to be a king, alive, and fifty all at once."

"It's my tombstone!  Eleanor, you spoil me!"

"I've borne six girls, five boys, and thirty-one connubial years of you.  How am I possible?"

"The hot wine steams, the yule log roars, and we're the fat that's in the fire."

"What a tragedy you are."

"I'm like the earth, old man:  there isn't any way around me."

"You dare to damn me?  Well, I'll damn you back."

"We could tangle spiders in the webs you weave."

"It's not the power I feel deprived of; it's the mention I miss.  There's no affection for me here.  You wouldn't think I'd want that, would you?"

"Hush, dear; mother's fighting."

"I won't trade off Alais or the Aquitaine to that walking postule!"

"Well, what shall we hang — the holly or each other?"

"I could peel you like a pear and God himself would call it justice."  (I mean?!?!)

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Honorable Mentions:

How to Steal a Million (1966)

No Reservations (2007)

The Apartment (1960)

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

Over the Garden Wall (2014)

The Color Purple (1985)

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

Best in Show (2000)

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What's the best film you watched for the first time last year?