All four of these final films I had at number 1 within the last month. I am saying either one could be my number one, so I picked each movie apart to separate them, and this is what I finished with...
4
OPPENHEIMER
Wait a minute! Einstein was alive at this time? Lets be honest...Who else thought this while watching the film?
The front runner for the Oscar. Following Oppenheimer as he creates the bomb...and then his awakening of...what he just did. The guilt. Then after doing all this for his country, his own country comes after him.
It is an amazing story of a brilliant yet flawed man. In the hands of the great Director Christopher Nolan, and the fantastic performance of Cillian Murphy. It is close to perfection.
Lets not ignore great performances throughout the film:
Emily Blunt
Robert Downey Jr
Josh Hartnett (Welcome Back!)
Florence Pugh
Matt Damon
Olivia Thirby (Also Welcome back)
Rami Malek
Casey Affleck
Benny Safdie
Matthew Modine
even...................Kenneth Branagh
Every performance is spot on. Perfectly cast.
The look and time period, as in all of Nolan's films, is just gorgeous and a lock to win the Oscar.
So why not number 1. I just think the length was kind of obnoxious. I could have edited parts out, at least cutting 30 minutes off of the 3 hour run time. That is my very small complaint. Like noted before, in my final 4, they were all very close.
Also not only did we learn about Oppenheimer: and the bomb, but also...do not sit on the hotel chairs. If you know you know.
My number 4 film of 2023 Oppenheimer.
3
GODZILLA MINUS 1
I had no interest.
I mean Godzilla?
I have no interest in the new Godzilla film made in the US, coming this Spring. Why would I want to see this one coming from Japan?
Then a buzz started. The theaters were filled. Theaters moved it from smaller theaters to larger theaters. Well, I had a pass, so, why not. Oh my goodness. I loved this film.
Why does it work? Hollywood did not touch it. It has actual character development.
This film takes place after the war. Where Japan, after losing the war, has nothing...zero. Then comes Godzilla making Japan minus 1. Thus the title.
It is a fantastic story...
-I just got done writing about the bomb in Oppenheimer, well the after effects in Japan =Godzilla the creation of this monster
-So we have a monster but also our star, Koichi played by Rydnosuke Kamiki. He was a failed Kamikaze
pilot. Yes you read that right. Koichi now feels ashamed he let down his country.
-We have an orphan from the war. A baby.
-We have a strong female jumping in to help from the tent encampment, her name is Noriko played by Minami Hamabe.
All four of these factors come together in a close to perfect film. This film will have you cheering. Even tearing up at the end. I would say, out of all the films I have seen this year, this was my biggest surprise.
If Hollywood made this film the end battle would have went on forever; character development would not matter, it would be all about the action. Here, it is about the people, and redemption, and hope. Credit goes to \the Director Takashi Yamazaki.
I saw this film twice in the theaters. Once in color and once in black and white which was how it was shown in Japan. Either way you need to see it...SEE IT !
My number 3 film of the year, Godzilla Minus One.
2
AMERICAN FICTION
It starts out and grabs you right away, as a black professor gets in trouble from a white student because of him writing a title of a book with the N word in it on the board in the classroom. He said "It is the title". She reports him to the University because she is offended. The look on his face is hilarious.
So it begins...
Directed by Cord Jefferson and written by Mr Jefferson and Percival Everett this film has a wonderful tone.
Often funny; sometimes sad, this film runs your emotions. It would not work without fantastic performances:
The always fantastic Jeffrey Wright as Monk. The best thing about Monk is, he is far from perfect, which makes him even more likable.
Erica Alexander as Coraline
John Ortiz as Arthur
Sterling K Brown as Clifford (Well deserved Oscar nomination)
All these actors are perfect.
I could go on but I do not want to spoil this film, I can say it is ridiculous to the end, when 3 white judges decide to award a popular book by a black author because it is "Real". While the other judges who are black disagree, they are told they don't understand. It is soooo dry.
Why not number one? The ending. I think Jefferson did not know how to close the film and it clearly shows.
Again no spoiler. Just saying I liked the end but..well you have to see it.
My number 2 film of 2023 the wonderful American Fiction.
Well...number 1 sits there waiting...mmmmmmm..what could it be...????
From the shadows as always thanks for your time.
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