2023 in film - The Halfway stage

We're halfway through the year. And it's been an exceptional year for cinema yet again. What are your best films of the year so far?

I'll go:

Close
Safe Place
The Eight Mountains
Godland
Leila's Brothers
Showing Up
R.M.N.
Riceboy Sleeps
The Civil Dead
Pamfir
Tori and Lokita
Klondike
A Thousand and One
BlackBerry
Falcon Lake
The Blue Caftan
Palm Trees and Power Lines
Unclenching the Fists
Enys Men
Of an Age
New Religion
Reality
One Fine Morning
Prison 77
Burning Days
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
EO
The Integrity of Joseph Chambers
Utama
Blue Jean
The Night of the 12th

Stinker of the Year: Finding Michael

I've seen 40 films so far this year. My top 10:

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
The Little Mermaid
Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields
Knock at the Cabin
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
M3GAN
Cocaine Bear
Asteroid City
STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie
Scream VI

I also liked Infinity Pool, No Hard Feelings, Sharper and Reality.

If I go by UK release date, ranking the nine I've seen:

1. Asteroid City
2. Master Gardener
3. Showing Up
4. Saint Omer
5. Pinball: The Man Who Saved The Game
6. The Covenant
7. The Little Mermaid
8. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
9. Evil Dead Rise

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What did you think of this? Have you seen Bait, how did it compare to that? I really need to get around to this. I actually did an interview with Mark Jenkin a few years back before he won his BAFTA for Bait, really nice bloke.

That's awesome. He seems a really great guy. I watched a live Q and A with him after a screening of Bait. Enys Men is similar in terms of tone, almost other-worldly - due to the sound all being done in post as he did with Bait. It gives off this really unique creepy vibe, like you're an uninvited voyeur peeping in on this world.

I'd say it's just as good as Bait, although it's alot different - way more mysterious, more symbolism, a little creepier, got that Nic Roeg vibe again and more pieces of the puzzle to fit together. I saw it in the cinema and it was a really great experience. It also looks beautiful, shot on 16mm in 4:3 aspect ratio.

I'll definitely get to it soon, really no excuse why I haven't yet with it being available on BFI Player. That's good to hear and pretty much how I pictured it would be... have you seen Images by Robert Altman?

Weirdly I saw Images about a month ago and absolutely loved it, and compared it to Don't Look Now and Persona in my review. Similar vibe to a Mark Jenkin film.

You people are real crazies when it comes to new movies. I've only seen John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) which I loved and 青春 [Youth (Spring)] (2023) which I liked but thought it's minor Wang Bing.

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Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.

I think there's a chance you'd like

Safe Place
Klondike
Pamfir

Then again, they're probably too normie for you're refined tastes.

Oh, I've seen EO and Enys Men too. But they're 2022 movies.

Mark F would watch all three in 3 days from now. I'm not as badass, though. Give me at least 3 months and I may check one of these.

Every year we have this debate. Those films were not available where I live until February / March 2023. So literally no possible way of including them in a 2022 list.

Film Comment did a write up of Enys Men and I'm very excited to see it.

Never heard of it, but now it’s in my watchlist.

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I’m here only on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. That’s why I’m here now.

Film preferences can be highly subjective, so exploring different sources may help you discover hidden gems or films that align more closely with your tastes.

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bitlife

I bailed out, it was horrible.

@Takoma11, did you ever get to see this?

The 2023 halfway stage in film has been marked by a number of significant trends, including the continued rise of streaming services, the growing popularity of international cinema, and the increasing diversity of voices on screen.

I did. I liked it more than you, but also thought it was a let-down.

Review

During my walk today I briefly stepped off the sidewalk to accommodate a lady who was walking her 2 big dogs. Didn’t want to get the dogs agitated. This is a street that maybe gets two cars per day it’s that quiet.

So as I walk along a car comes towards me & an old geyser driving leans out of his window and is FURIOUS that I stepped off the kerb at a time when the sun is shining on his eyes. Say what? How am I supposed to know the sun is shining on his eyes I politely inquired. If the sun is in his eyes why didn’t he pull over for a minute? He was so furious he drove off in a blaze of squealing brakes.

What one would call a male Karen I guess. I wished him to have a nice day, but he probably didn’t hear me.

I've now seen 67 films from 2023. My current top 10:

1. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
2. The Little Mermaid
3. Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields
4. Oppenheimer
5. The Killer
6. Knock at the Cabin
7. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
8. May December
9. M3GAN
10. You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah