The Best Movies of 2023

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 (Marvel/Disney) -- Just about the only decent Marvel film this year, where writer/director James Gunn gives an extremely satisfying and emotional conclusion to the Guardians crew.

The Creator (Disney) -- Gareth Edwards, who gave us the superb Rogue One, gives us a more serious science fiction film that's not completely perfect, but still visually stunning. Despite its flaws, I still liked it very much.

The Killer (Netflix) -- An outstanding film that's directed by David Fincher about a hitman looking for revenge on a group of people who tried to kill him.

Renfield (Universal Pictures) -- A very silly movie that's saved by the performances of Nic Cage and Nicolas Hoult, as Dracula and Renfield, respectively. And Cage's take on the Count, referencing Bela Lugosi, is just plain cool.

Cocaine Bear (Universal Pictures) -- Kerri Russell takes on a cocaine-fueled bear in the woods. This wound up being much better--and funnier--than I thought it would be. Plus, it's got Kerri Russell.

John Wick: Chapter 4 (Lionsgate) -- The ballet of guns and bullets continues, and film number Four may be the best one yet. The battle in the traffic circle scene is nerve-wrackingly brilliant.

Super Mario Brothers (Universal Pictures) -- I never played the game, nor was I even a fan, but I still really enjoyed this funny, charming little movie. The one character who made me laugh the hardest was the Debbie Downer starfish in the dungeon scene. Hysterical.

Spider-Man: Across The Spiderverse (Sony) -- a mind-blowing, imaginative journey across the multi-verse that does the multi-verse far better than the Marvel films did.

Evil Dead Rise (Warner Brothers) -- a surprisingly good horror reboot that came out of nowhere. Originally made to air only on the MAX app, wiser folks saw what a gem they had and released it to theaters. Includes muliple BF scenes and a BF bondage scene.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Paramount) -- A wonderfully vibrant fantasy film with engaging characters and real suspense that's far more entertaining than I ever expected it to be. Includes tentacle-grabbing scenes.