We are just under a month away from ushering a new year, where we will have to put a close to what has been a pretty incredible year for movies. Strikes and delays of course took away some big titles we were expecting, but this year has still given us new work from some of the greats and one of the biggest cinematic moments in recent memory thanks to the "Barbenheimer" weekend. But sprinkled in the big movies of the year have been tons of fantastic under the radar work, and with a month left to go in the year I wanted to highlight some of the movies from 2023 I want to get more attention. Two of these are awards contenders that I just wish were being talked about more, while the rest are films I really enjoyed that haven't had nearly enough buzz. Rather than ranking these I'll just have them in alphabetical order, so let's get started!
Are You There God? It's Me Margaret - I like a lot of different genres, but few hit with me as well as a great coming-of-age movie. In 2016 Kelly Fremon Craig gave us The Edge of Seventeen, one of the best of the 2010s in the coming-of-age genre. This year she gave us her sophomore effort with Are You There God? It's Me Margaret and it might just be even better. I was one of very few men in the theatre I saw this in, and after the movie an older woman jokingly asked what I thought (not realized I'm the one that dragged my girlfriend there) and I couldn't contain my enthusiasm. The film follows 11-year old Margaret who moves from the city to the suburbs and is forced to navigate her new home, new friends, and looming puberty. While this is naturally more relatable to female viewers, there is a lot of universality in the film's themes of growing up, and the way the film tackles the complexity of religion as her parents come from different religious backgrounds was something I found really interesting to explore. The cast is great and features supporting performances from greats like Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates, but it's Abby Ryder Forston as Margaret that steals the show and gives this film all it's heart.
The Blackening - Director Tim Story dips his toes into the horror genre with this horror comedy that was one of the best times at the movies in June. Set on Juneteenth weekend, the film follows a black friend group celebrating at a cabin together when masked assailants come and try to kill them. While this is by no means the scariest film of the year, it is a ton of fun as it constantly dissects the horror genre especially in regards to the way horror cinema depicts black characters. As a white guy there are definitely jokes that went over my head, but there is so much clever satire here that more than enough hit for me to still have fun. The climax leaves a bit to be desired and I wish all the characters were fleshed out a bit more, but I really loved this cast and had a ton of fun with this movie.
El Conde - This is the latest film from Jackie and Spencer director Pablo Larrain, and it issss nothing like those. El Conde is an out there dark comedy about a vampire who is also a Chilean dictator whose family surrounds him greedily waiting for his death. That's the best I can do for a synopsis, this movie is super weird, and truthfully this will not be for everyone, but I had a blast with it. There's definitely things I didn't pick up on due to my lack of knowledge surrounding Chilean politics, but regardless this is a hilarious time, and even when the comedy isn't hitting this is one of the most visually stunning films of the entire year. Seriously, from the stunning sets to the stark black and white cinematography this is a feast for the eyes and that alone is reason to give it a watch.
The Holdovers - The Holdovers has made a ton of noise critically this year. The last film I saw at TIFF, this is a surefire candidate for some Oscars love and currently sports a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, while critics and cinephiles are loving it, I feel like the general public has no idea about this instant Christmas classic. Alexander Payne's latest effort takes us back to the 70s, with a retro aesthetic that makes the film feel like it was pulled straight from that time. It follows Paul Giamatti as a private school teacher forced to stay over the Christmas break with a student left behind by his family and a grieving cook. Over the course of the holidays we get to see these three unlikely compatriots help each other grow (with some hilarious hijinks along the way). This is probably my favourite movie of the year, and with it's cozy Christmassy setting I think this deserves to be far more widely seen than it has been so far.
How to Blow Up a Pipeline - How to Blow Up a Pipeline may just be the biggest surprise for me this year. While it garnered a good deal of praise from TIFF 2022, my expectations were that it would be the kind of climate drama that while I agree with the politics of I struggle to really enjoy watching. That was not the case, as this is essentially a high octane heist movie for the climate crisis. As the title suggests, the film follows a group of activists as they work to blow up an oil pipeline in an act of protest. The music is fantastic in building the film's rich tension, but the editing is a real standout for me as it is constantly jumping from the main action to scenes giving the backgrounds of all of these people and what led them to this act. By the end you care deeply about all of these characters which only raises the stakes, making this not only one of the more important films of the year but also a deeply thrilling one.
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person - With a title like that, a film has a lot to live up to. Luckily, Ariane Louis-Seize's feature debut is pretty terrific. An under the radar gem from TIFF, this French-Canadian film is exactly as the title suggests, a young vampire who can't muster up the will to kill people searches for someone suicidal to fill her need for blood. This unites her with a young man suffering with depression and planning on ending his life, birthing an unlikely relationship that gives a very touching approach to these very sensitive themes. The film does a good balancing act between hilarious dark humour and a kind of warm hug tenderness that works really well, I loved this and I wish more people saw it.
I Like Movies - This movie takes an obnoxious narcissistic teenage wannabe filmmaker and puts him at the heart of one of the most sincere and endearing movies of the year. This is just a film about loving movies and checking your ego at the door so it really resonated with me. It also helps that not only is this a Canadian film but it's one set in my hometown so there's a ton of niche references that I absolutely loved. While the protagonist Lawrence is frankly pretty annoying, the way those around him help him grow over the course of the film makes dealing with him worthwhile, and the nostalgic feels of old school video stores and cinemas make this a really good watch.
Past Lives - Like The Holdovers, Past Lives is a film that has received a ton of positive reception from critics and cinephiles. As the buzziest film coming out of Sundance, Celine Song's directorial debut was an early Oscars favourite, and while the amount of great films coming since has quieted that noise a bit it still stands out as one of the year's best. The film came out in limited release amidst a crowded June so it just never really had the chance to reach mass audiences, so I'm hoping awards season will help push more eyes on it. This is a film that tackles the tug of war between someone's culture and the new culture they immigrate to, all while giving an extremely powerful story of what ifs and how sometimes reality is better for you than the what if. Great writing, a trio of exceptional performances, and some beautiful filmmaking make this a must watch.
Polite Society - This is another film I didn't think would be up my alley but it wound up being a great time. Polite Society to sum things up briefly is about a British-Pakistani teenager who dreams of becoming a famous martial artist, ultimately putting her skills to the test when she believes she needs to save her sister from an impending marriage. This is a movie that winds up being a bit messy and clearly wears its influences on its sleeves, but regardless it is a very fun time. Priya Kansara is delightful in the leading role, but its the zaniness and terrific stunts that make this one of the best under the radar action comedies in some time.
Rye Lane - Rye Lane is easily the biggest surprise of the year for me. While it garnered a decent bit of attention at Sundance, it was kind of just thrown onto streaming without much fanfare. That's a shame though, because this is a terrific revitalization for the rom com genre. This is a directorial debut for Raine Allen-Miller and she infuses it with so much love for film and especially rom coms, while also creating a beautifully colourful and vibrant portrait of London. David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah are both picture perfect as two recent break-upees that meet and fit together like puzzle pieces even if they don't realize it. This is just bursting with energy and it's a film I could easily recommend to anyone.
Sanctuary - I first saw Sanctuary at TIFF last year (2022) so I have always counted it as a 2022 movie, but the majority of people that have seen it now did so when it was released in May of this year so I'm including it here. This sophomore directorial effort from Zachary Wigon pits the heir to a hotel empire (Christopher Abbott) against his dominatrix (Margaret Qualley) as he tries to end their professional relationship. What ensues is a cat and mouse game showcasing constantly shifting power dynamics and two of the most fun performances you'll see all year. Abbott is terrific as always, but it is the unhinged performance from Qualley that makes this ride so wild all while cementing herself as one of the top talents to watch. This also acts as a pretty perfect chamber piece as basically everything takes place in a brilliantly staged hotel room. I love this movie, and while it's content matter may be too taboo for some, it's a great ride for those who take the chance on it.
Theatre Camp - Theatre Camp is a blast. Released the same weekend as Barbenheimer this naturally struggled to find much of any attention, but those who watched it were treated to one of the most fun movies of the year. Amidst financial woes and a founder falling under a coma, this mockumentary follows a theatre camp in New York. Jimmy Tatro is the founder's finance bro son who tries to keep the place afloat despite knowing absolutely nothing about theatre, and a great cast including Molly Gordon, Ben Platt, Noah Galvin, and Ayo Edibiri all play instructors. I was a drama kid in high school so the jokes here hit consistently, but even if I wasn't this is a hilarious script that has a lot of really touching moments along the way too. Just a ton of fun for an hour and a half, everyone should give this a watch.
They Cloned Tyrone - Another victim of the colossus that was Barbenheimer, They Cloned Tyrone dropped on Netflix the same day everyone was at the theatres so it slipped right under the radar. A shame, because this is one of the wildest rides of the year. John Boyega stars in the leading role alongside great supporting performances from Teyonah Parris and Jamie Foxx. The music is terrific, and stylistically it gives a great blend of a Blaxploitation-era throwback and a modern sci-fi thriller. It's stylish, it's strange, and it's a ton of fun, definitely give this one a watch.
You Hurt My Feelings - And closing out this list is one of those movies with an extremely simple premise executed extremely well. You Hurt My Feelings is about a novelist played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus who overhears her husband telling her brother-in-law that he doesn't like the new book she's working on. This comes after numerous points in which he told her it was great, allowing writer/director Nicole Holofcener to ponder on the complicated nature of how best to support the one you love. It's one of those stories where you easily see both sides, and Holofcener's screenplay nails that balancing act while also delivering some of the best dialogue of the year. I loved Louis-Dreyfus, as well as Tobias Menzies as her husband. The whole cast is really great and the witty awkwardness throughout makes the whole movie feel very authentic. This is one I highly recommend.
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