Nothing else to say
In the past month, I found myself doing something I never imagined I would do in my time on this planet:
I started watching Hallmark movies.
My first was Holiday Road, followed by titles such as Christmas with a Kiss, On the 12th date of Christmas, A Biltmore Christmas, Norwegian Holiday, and Christmas on Cherry Lane. Much of this was “pressure” from my insistent (and wonderfully amazing) cousin Monroe.
Admittedly, I was not planning on doing a report of the first half of 2023, but obligation did kick in, so here we are.
It has always been no secret that the first half of a calendar year is not as strong as the second half, but that is not the fault of the films that are actually good.
With that in mind, here is a brief look back at what we have gotten so far this year…
Streaming on Hulu, Rye Lane is a brisk 82 minute flick full of 21st century heart and laughs. I truly would not mind if this film lasted a little longer.
I never read the book, but I can only imagine this was a breath of fresh air to those who grew up adoring Judy Blume’s classic Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret. Abby Ryder Fortson is a true gem, and this is honestly the best I have seen Rachel McAdams in years.
A tie between Air and Blackberry, both equally enthralling films in their own right.
Despite its run time and refusal to give us time to breath, John Wick: Chapter 4 did bring a fitting end to an action saga in the likes of which we have not seen before.
While not a horrible film, you don’t end this franchise with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. You end it the way it always should have ended: with Indy and company riding off into the sunset after the last crusade.
As memorable as Jack Black was as Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, no villain has made a better lasting impact than that of Jonathan Majors’ Kang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Here is hoping all works out for him in his personal life that he can stay on the MCU roster.
Duh.
I mean, no offense to the other films that fit this description, but come on: ain’t no way it would not be Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
I know what you are thinking: “Mark, The Flash was not animated!”
True, but it may as well have been, because that is how horrendous the CGI was.
Between this and Nefarious, I am struggling over which is the worst of the year so far.
While other films like How to Blow Up a Pipeline were spine tingling in its own way, nothing stole my breath like Past Lives. Believe the hype you have been hearing about the film: It is that good.
“If the American Empire is calling us terrorists then we are doing something right.”
This quote from Michael (Forrest Goodluck) is one of the hidden elements of How to Blow a Pipeline that make it more than just a hard core conservative’s nightmare of a film (the title alone would make one queasy).
(This review is a love letter to The 5th Dimension and their take on a great song from the musical “Hair”)
Nothing else to say