Continuing my countdown of last year’s best films…
Song of the Day #5,709: ‘Warning Signs’ – Derek Ted
Continuing my countdown of last year’s best films…
Best Films of 2023
#16. You Hurt My Feelings
Before this one, I had somehow never seen a film by writer/director Nicole Holofcener, a blindspot I’ve been meaning to remedy through a deep dive of her filmography.
Well, this was a great start. A hilarious and smart movie about the white lies we tell the people we love, You Hurt My Feelings is buoyed by a wonderful lead performance by Julia Louis Dreyfus.
Song of the Day #5,708: ‘A World of Your Own’ – Timothée Chalamet
Continuing my countdown of last year’s best films…
Best Films of 2023
#18. Wonka
I didn’t go into this musical prequel to Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with high expectations, which is part of why I came out so charmed. I should have put more faith in writer/director Paul King, who worked similar unlikely magic in the Paddington films.
Timothée Chalamet added musical comedy to his growing bag of tricks, fully committing to the whimsy. If his kinder and gentler version of Willy Wonka seems a far cry from the mischievous crank of the original film — a common criticism — that just makes me curious to see a follow-up movie exploring his character development.
Song of the Day #5,707: ‘Destroyer of Worlds’ – Ludwig Goransson
Last year’s movie slate wasn’t high in quantity (a residual effect of the pandemic, I suspect) but it made up for that in quality. I saw 30 fewer films in 2023 than in the prior year, but had an even harder time cramming those titles into a year-end top ten list.
In order to shout out as many good movies as possible, I’m going to dedicate this week to the films in my 11-20 slots, before getting to my top ten in the weeks leading up to the Oscars. Seven of this year’s Best Picture nominees are in my top 20, which is a pretty decent showing by their standards (“you know the Academy, Charlie…“).
Song of the Day #5,706: ‘Jump’ – Van Halen
Throwing back to the week of February 18, 1984, we find Culture Club atop the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Karma Chameleon.’
At #2, and on its way to a five-week stint at #1, was Van Halen’s ‘Jump.’ This was the rock band’s only #1 single, and the only top ten single of the David Lee Roth era. The Sammy Hagar incarnation would reach the top five twice over the next several years.
Meet Me In Montauk 