Reviews & Dunn Ten Worst Movies of 2023
Sometimes, it’s hard to believe I’m four years into my passion for film criticism. If you know me, you know that one of my quirks is that I usually find one thing I like in a movie. However, there’s always an exception to the rule.
The Boys in The Boat plays it overly safe as a crowd pleaser
Academy Award winner George Clooney ventures into the world of sports for his latest directorial effort, The Boys in The Boat from MGM. Mark L. Smith pens the film’s screenplay, an adaption of the same-titled New York Times bestselling nonfiction novel by Daniel James Brown.
Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney’s chemistry saves Anyone But You
Following his successful modernization of “The Scarlett Letter” with Easy A in 2010, director Will Gluck modernizes another literary classic in his latest film, Anyone but You. Gluck collaborates with Ilana Wolpert for a loose adaption of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado about Nothing.”
Wonka is a whimsical prequel
Warner Bros enlists talented director Paul King to take viewers back to the world of chocolate in Wonka. King penned the screenplay with Simon Farnaby from his idea, which tells of the origin story of Willy Wonka, who we all know was first introduced in the 1964 novel, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” by Roald Dahl, which later received two film adaptations.
Alexander Payne delivers an enjoyable holiday dramedy with The Holdovers
Director Alexander Payne reunites with acclaimed actor Paul Giamatti for his latest film, The Holdovers from Focus Features. David Hemingson pens the film’s screenplay. Paul Hunham (Giamatti), a highly critical and ill-tempered instructor, is assigned to stay on campus during the Christmas break at a New England prep school. He supervises a small group of students who need a place to go during the holiday season.
Michael Mann’s decent direction and Adam Driver’s lead performance keep Ferrari from running out of gas
Following the misfire, 65, Adam Driver teams up with legendary director Michael Mann for Ferrari. Troy Kennedy Martin pens the film’s script based on the 1991 biography Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine by motorsport journalist Brock Yates.
John Woo cuts the dialogue to deliver the action in Silent Night
Following a two-decade hiatus from Hollywood, the iconic action director John Woo makes his return teaming up with the producers of the John Wick franchise for Silent Night from Lionsgate. Robert Archer pens the screenplay for the film, which features limited spoken dialogue.
Eccentric director Yorgos Lanthimos reunites with Oscar winner Emma Stone for the enjoyable Poor Things
While the male cast members, such as Ruffalo and Dafoe, do a commendable job of delivering their usual quips, some viewers may have reservations about Jerrod Carmichael’s portrayal of Harry Astley and his brief arc in the movie. One of the greatest strengths of Poor Things is its ability to strike a perfect balance between an absolutist and investigative approach to understanding humanity. The director achieves this through the skillful use of style, which seamlessly integrates organic variations and elicits laughter, highlighting the talent of both Lanthimos and Stone.
Breakwater drowns in clichés
Following a twenty-five-year hiatus, James Rowe returns to the world of writing and directing in Breakwater from Vertical. The simplistic plot revolves around Dovey, a young and vulnerable ex-convict played by Darren Mann, who is manipulated by his prison mentor, Ray Childress, portrayed by Dermot Mulroney. Ray’s cunning nature leads him to ask Dovey to break his parole and do him a favor. The favor is to track down Ray’s estranged daughter, Eve, played by Alyssa Goss, who lives in another state.
Overlong runtime doesn’t hinder Hunger Games prequel
Director Francis Lawrence returns to helm the latest installment in the iconic Hunger Games franchise, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, produced by Lionsgate. Michael Lesslie and Michael Arndt pen the film’s screenplay, and it serves as an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins.
Jeffrey Wright & director Cord Johnson excel in American Fiction
Television writer Cord Johnson delivers a stunning directorial debut in American Fiction from Orion Pictures. The film is an adaptation of the 2001 novel Erasure by Percival Everett. Jeffrey Wright top lines the film as Monk, a Black novelist and professor who needs a hit. After an incident with an overly privileged student in class, Monk takes a break to visit his sister, Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross), and mother, Agnes (Leslie Uggams). While on a relaxing vacation, Monk, stumbles upon the latest book by his fellow melanin author, Sinatra Golden (Issa Rae), which has become an overnight sensation due to its exaggerated use of stereotypes. Monk, who prides himself on writing about authentic Black experiences, is disappointed by this discovery.
Solid direction and a strong lead performance don’t save A Creature Was Stirring
As the holiday season approaches, director Damien LeVeck hopes to give horror fans the latest horror holiday treat in A Creature Was Stirring from Well Go USA. Shannon Wells wrote the screenplay for the film, and it takes us on a journey to meet Faith (Chrissy Metz), a dedicated nurse looking after her troubled teenage daughter Charm (Annalise Basso) during the holiday season.