According to my Cineworld 'Unwrapped', I watched 89 films at the cinema in 2023. From the lengthy list, I thought it might be good to whittle down almost a hundred movies to my favourites, in case you're looking for something to watch over the festive period.
In no particular order, here are five of my favourite films that I've watched on the big screen in 2023. I'll have part two for you in the New Year. In the meantime, let me know which ones you enjoyed by dropping me an E-mail. It's alex.cann@questmedianetwork.co.uk.
Empire Of Light - I'm baffled at the low 46% "Tomatometer" rating this one currently enjoys on Rotten Tomatoes. I thought Olivia Coleman was searingly honest, subtle, and brilliant, as she played a downtrodden cinema manager at a shabby art deco venue by the sea. I liked the cinematography, the characters, the story, and it felt like a love letter to cinema, deftly directed by Sam Mendes. Micheal Ward, Toby Jones, and Colin Firth were all great too.
Women Talking - A thought-provoking story, delivered by an exceptional ensemble cast. This didn't really make the multiplexes for any length of time, or much of an impact at the box office, and it's a shame more haven't seen it to date. Women and girls in a religious community in North America experience a political awakening, and their anger is palpable at how they've been treated. It was nominated for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars.
Rye Lane - This little harmer restored my faith in romantic comedies, after a fallow period. Smart, modern, witty, and fits neatly onto my list of really good films that come in at under 90 minutes' running time. A heartwarming love story with some decent laughs.
Oppenheimer - Part of the summer's much hyped Barbenheimer phenomenon, this was on the other extreme of the running time spectrum at around three hours, but is worth seeing for Cillian Murphy's electrifying performance alone. It might have benefited from subtitles, as I found some of the dialogue a smidge on the mumbly side. Director Stephen Nolan says this is an "artistic choice". We watched it on 70mm film, and the clarity of this format was very impressive on the big screen.
Barbie - I saw this twice, and it way surpassed my expectations! A sizzling Mark Ronson soundtrack, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling on outstanding form, a genuinely funny script, and overall director Greta Gerwig deserves all the praise that was heaped on this movie. If you're a Barbie refusenik, this is the one to watch over Christmas. Trust me.
I'll have five more highlights for you in the next column. Over Christmas, as well as eating too much party food, I'm planning to watch Godzilla Minus One (in spite of an E-mail earlier warning me that it has subtitles...if only Oppenheimer had!), Anyone But You, Ferrari, and Next Goal Wins. Spoiler alert...I've already watched Wonka, and it's absolutely terrific. Merry Christmas, and happy film watching!
