When film historians look back at the pop culture of 2023, what will stick out to them?
A robot who slays literally and figuratively?
Maybe intimate, personal stories about a mother and son, paths untaken, and teenage growing pains?
Teyana Taylor and Aaron Kingsley Adetola in ‘A Thousand and One’.Focus Features
Gary Gunn’s skilled score keeps everything moving, from one time period to the next.
The real highlight of the film, though, is Taylor’s passionate performance.
Christian Holub
Air
2023 is the year for crisp, cool takes on corporate IP.
Ben Affleck as Phil Knight in ‘Air’.Ana Carballosa/Prime
(See:Blackberry,Tetris,Flamin' Hot.)
Maureen Lee Lenker
Are You There God?
But the deeper you go, the deep emotions about loss and changing times can strike with unexpected power.
Rachel McAdams and Abby Ryder Fortson in ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’.Dana Hawley/Lionsgate
fromKeanu Reeves' gunslinging hitman.
You’ll never hear Sia’s “Titanium” the same way again.
Twelve years later, they reunite again, and the longing is almost unbearable.
Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City’.Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features
(Lee and Yoo do justice to comparisons withIn the Mood for Love.)
Song is a playwright, but this movie is far from “stagey.”
(Cough cough,The Flash.
Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’.Murray Close/Lionsgate
In a sea of seemingly identical superhero movies,Across the Spider-Versefeels like the reset button we need.
Don’t we all wish similar civilization-shaking disasters could be prevented by locking the right door?
CH
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‘M3GAN’.Geoffrey Short/Universal Pictures
‘Past Lives’.Jon Pack/A24
Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya in ‘Polite Society’.Everett Collection
Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) and Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.'.Sony Pictures Animation
Characters from the anime film ‘Suzume’.crunchyroll
