This was a surprising and strange year for movies both on screen and in private viewing. My habits changed quite a bit this year in ways I did not expect. I made it all the way to October without a viewing of Spider-Man 2 (my all time fave). I didn’t watch the Star Wars Prequels or Sequels for the first time I can remember. Blade II was tied for my most rewatched movie despite never aggressively rewatching it before. I rewatched Rocky than I did Tony Stark. In a lot of ways this year was about exploring new cinematic obsessions.
While the repeats are fun, each year I keep a list of movies that are new to me. These are films released before 2023, but that I haven’t seen yet. Without any Sean Connery movies left unseen, I really had to branch out with my new to me films this year. Let’s take a look at my ten favorites.
Honorable Mentions
- Under the Skin (2013)
- Magic Mike XXL (2015)
- Love, Rosie (2014)
- Scrooged (1988)
- Chicken Run (2000)
10. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
It astounds me that they were able to encapsulate post-war life so quickly after the war ended. The Best Years of Our Lives is a war film without a single battle or shot fired. It is a melancholic exploration of how changed men find themselves unable to pick up the lives of their pre-war selves. It’s a really somber look at how WWII changed its fighters. The film’s use of actual veterans in some of its roles really helps ground it and bring that heartbreak home.
I discovered this because of a Letterboxd interview where Tom Hanks listed it as one of his favorites so I’d like to praise his taste because this was a fantastic experience.
9. The Wedding Singer (1998)
My parents watched this all the time when I was a kid. Other than a few snippets of it, I had little recollection. I watched it with them on a recent visit home and was taken aback by how much I liked it. More than anything this film encapsulates why Adam Sandler became a star. His charisma is palpable and Robbie Hart is different enough from his usual schtick to really express his range both as a comedian and as a lead.
The Wedding Singer follows all of the typical rom-com beats but it does so with a really heartfelt expression of love and longing within an Adam Sandler world. The music of this film is also a lot of fun, especially the original songs written for Robbie.
8. Orpheus (1950)
This was a really clever way to reinvent the Greek myth. While it can no longer be considered modern, Orpheus brings the myth and its larger than life figures imaginatively into the 20th century. The film cleverly uses stop motion and reverse speed to deliver surprisingly effective special effects. This movie captivated me and has strongly held to a top ten spot since I first viewed it the first week of the year.
7. Godzilla (1954)
Inspired by Godzilla Minus One, I decided to trace the King of the Monsters back to his origin. Godzilla is the apex of monster movies in the same way that Godzilla is the apex of monsters. This film grapples with the existence of Post-War Japan in a nuclear world. It does so through lots of conjecture on what it takes to both raise and raze a monster. Despite its age, the effects still dazzle and captivate, their flaws only giving them further charm.
6. Network (1976)
Due to my Sean Connery binge of the past few years, Sidney Lumet has quickly become one of my favorite directors. While his partner in crime is sorely missed in this one, Network belongs in conversation as one of his best. The film tackles the power and corruptibility of the media through the lens of an anchor who decides he no longer needs to filter his own thoughts. It is surprisingly relevant to the talking heads of today and a dire warning of what happens when facts give way to violent opinion.
5. Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
This is my favorite Die Hard sequel. It sees John McClane ravaged by the terrorist baggage he can’t seem to leave behind. This time it comes at the hands of another Gruber, this one entirely unhinged but just as meticulous. John McTiernan’s return to the director’s chair elevates this movie beyond Die Hard 2 to deliver the expected Die Hard action with plenty of extra twists and turns along the way. It’s a lot of bait and switch that leaves you wanting a little bit more every time Gruber and McClane slip right between each other’s grasp.
4. Creed (2015)
I’d seen Creed II before but somehow Ryan Coogler’s original had slipped my viewing. This is a fantastic reboot of the Rocky story. It delivers all of the hype and thrill of the originals while injecting it with modern storylines and a really compelling lead character. More than anything, Creed grapples with its own legacy and manages to elevate its returning legacy character as well as its newcoming lead.
3. Enemy (2013)
I’m sorry to all of the Swifties reading this but Jake Gyllenhaal is one of my favorite actors. This film places him in a role very similar to Nightcrawler, bringing out the darkest and most deceptive parts of him. This is an often overlooked thriller by Denis Villenueve that finds one man pitted almost literally against himself as each tries to claim what they’d like from the other’s life.
2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)
Robert Zemeckis films are always a spin of the roulette wheel. You’re either in for a trainwreck or the maiden voyage of something dazzling and new. Fortunately, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? is the latter. The film seamlessly blends live action and animation into a zany and unforgettable world of its own. It is a once in a lifetime blending of icons from every studio and era. It is the likes of which couldn’t have been made at any time before and likely won’t ever be made again.
1. In the Mood for Love (2000)
For years I’ve heard friends rave about Wong Kar-wai and In the Mood for Love. I didn’t quite know what to expect with this one but I was mesmerized by it from the moment it began. Visually, this is one of the most striking films I have ever seen. The framing is so alive despite a lack of dynamic movement. The blocking, staging, and especially the attention to color elevate every frame.
This film was also an extremely sobering and even depressing look at love. As we watch these two fall in love and drift apart almost at the same time, our heart breaks. It’s unbelievably romantic not because of its overt affection but precisely because of its lack of it.
Full Rankings
Collin Willis 