Actually, yes. 'You Hurt My Feelings' now that you mention it
But I'll consider forgiving you if you peruse my picks for the best films of 2023 ... so far
This year has seen a lot of sensational films released already. There has been a treasure trove of immense talent on display in front of and behind the camera — and we're only through the first six months. So many good titles are still on the way, some of which might even be playing at your local cinema or on your favorite streaming service as you read this. For now, here are my picks for the best films of the year so far, listed alphabetically. May you find your faves and/or inspiration for your own queue.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Judy Blume's beloved YA novel finally receives the big screen treatment and it's so worth the wait. Kelly Fremon Craig adapted and directed this winning adaptation about 11-year-old Margaret (a terrific Abby Ryder Fortson) as she deals with the trials and triumphs associated with becoming a young woman. Guiding her as best they can are her parents (played perfectly by Rachel McAdams and Benny Safdie) and her grandmother Sylvia (Kathy Bates, stealing every one of her scenes).
Asteroid City
Connection is at the center of Wes Anderson's latest, whether it be familial, professional, creative, romantic, or something other. Disparate groups gather in the titular desert location for a variety of reasons, but this is only one tale in a Matryoshka of storytelling. Anderson continues to serve up a tasty cocktail of fantastic characters perfectly attuned to their particular situations, all of which is delicately infused with heart, humor, and melancholia.
Chevalier
Kelvin Harrison Jr. radiates charisma in his portrayal of Joseph Bologne, the subject of this rousing historical biopic. Born of an African enslaved and a French plantation owner, Bologne didn't allow his illegitimacy to stop him. His desire to rise above his station and his superior talent with a violin helped him achieve the title of Chevalier de Saint-Georges. However, that's only half the story. Director Stephen Williams and screenwriter Stefani Robinson passionately introduce Bologne to a contemporary audience with a reminder that the musician's own struggles still resonate in today's world.
Infinity Pool
Rich people at fancy island resorts always seem to be a disastrous proposition in film— at least for them. Writer-director Brandon Cronenberg reminds us how easy it is to break down some of us to our baser components with this deliciously ghoulish tale of a couple on an island getaway that's less fantasy than they anticipated. Alexander Skarsgård delivers a fascinating turn that nicely flips the handsome author stereotype while Mia Goth lets loose in a rip-roaring performance that makes her recent roles in X and Pearl look studied by comparison.
M3GAN
For a movie about a lifelike doll designed to be a girl's best friend and constant companion — not to mention whose AI component allows her to become sentient — it has a lot to say about women's autotomy, motherhood and the dichotomy between creator and creation. A horror tale that's fun as hell and makes you think? Yes, please! Creating M3GAN as her golden ticket, a robotics engineer thinks she has the perfect real world test subject when her niece comes to live with her. Think of a more possessive Mary Poppins whose spoonful of sugar doesn't always taste as sweet.
Of an Age
Writer-director Goran Stolevski weaves an indelible romantic portrait between an aspiring ballroom dancer and his best friend's older brother during one intense twenty-four period in the summer of 1999. Elias Anton and Thom Green are the lovers who inexplicably meet under less than ideal circumstances yet find themselves in each other's thrall before long. This is a raw, emotional film — featuring incendiary performances by Anton and Green; its potency will stay with you long after the final credits roll.
Past Lives
Certain friendships from the past can have an unexpected hold on us. The mystery of possibility, of what if? carries an allure that lingers like the familiar scent of perfume or aftershave. When childhood friends Nora (a sensational Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (a lovely Teo Yoo) reconnect as adults, the connection between them remains even though those versions of themselves are long gone. Celine Song's gorgeous elegiac film haunts like an old lover who can never be forgotten.
Polite Society
Like a Jane Austen novel ... only with stunt work, action sequences (no zombies!), and a plot reminiscent of The Stepford Wives. Writer-director Nida Manzoor brilliantly captures the flavor of Austen's stories while putting her own twist on the arranged marriage trope. The love story here is between sisters Ria and Lena (wonderfully played by Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya, respectively), who live with their parents in modern day London; their devotion to each other is put to the test in the most delightfully outlandish yet totally relatable way.
Rye Lane
A chance encounter in the restroom of an art gallery. A day hanging out in South London getting to know someone. It's a tried-and-true recipe that is cooked to perfection in Raine Allen-Miller's effervescent romantic comedy. Vivian Oparah and David Jonsson shine as the pair that initially seem like oil and water, only for their differences to act as a bridge allowing them to discover their commonalities. This is a beacon of hope in a genre that can feel like a graveyard of brain dead attempts.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
One of the best comic book movies — not to mention one of the best films — of the past decade, this installment exceeds the lofty expectations set by Into the Spider-Verse. This is a thrilling, daring, emotional kick that levels up the stakes for Miles Morales and everyone in his orbit. If only its live-action counterparts at Marvel, especially lately, and DC could match these two films swing for swing. Gotta love a film that raises your pulse while actually making you invested in every character.
Suzume
Gorgeous animé wherein the titular teenager travels the country helping a mysterious man close portals that are releasing disasters across Japan. Drawn to each other when Suzume's curiosity gets the better of her and she inadvertently interacts with one of the portals, the road trip the pair embark on only solidifies their natural bond. The story has a sweetness at its core while also supplying its share of beats that are equally thrilling and even scary. Writer-director Makoto Shinkai also gifted us with the phenomenal Your Name, which you should also check out.
You Hurt My Feelings
Every writer hates being rejected. So imagine you're crafting your magnum opus; giving every draft to your partner, who's been completely supportive of your entire career, only to overhear them tell a friend that they don't like your latest work. That's the crux of Nicole Holofcener's latest which has the writer-director reteaming with her Enough Said leading lady Julia Louis-Dreyfus for this sharp, funny, nuanced comedy about artists, marriage, and midlife crises. The supporting cast features the terrific trio of Tobias Menzies, Michaela Watkins, and Arian Moayed.
BEST OF THE REST
Cocaine Bear; Emily; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3; John Wick: Chapter 4; and A Man Called Otto.