I'll be 45 next week. That's maybe slightly too young to go full-bore into "everything used to be better and the new ways are strange and scary to me" mode, but I like to think I'm usually ahead of the curve. I recently got a hankering to scan the latest releases to see if there were any obscure gems that might belong on this list. Turns out not one of the major streaming services currently allows me to filter my search by year of release, or even by a "New Releases" category. Some of them include a "Newly Added," but that's a jumble of whatever came to the service recently. "The Hustler" doesn't become a new release just because Hulu has the rights to it this month. I miss the new release shelf at my local video store.
All that to say thank heavens movie theaters are back in action, both because the communal viewing experience is one of the holiest experiences in the world of art, and because it's now the only reliable way to find the newest in cinema without having to come up with schemes to fool an algorithm that would strongly prefer me to just watch that dumb-looking new Zack Snyder "Star Wars" rip-off. Here are some of our favorite new things that we managed to catch this year. – Editor Ira
Ruby’s Picks
I count myself extremely fortunate to have gotten to see “The People’s Joker” when it played the Sound Unseen festival in November. “The People’s Joker” is Vera Drew’s trans feminine reimagining of the Batman universe. Despite the fact that huge corporations are set on the idea that superhero stories are our “modern myths,” Warner Bros. hit the movie with major legal action after it debuted to universal acclaim at 2022’s TIFF. The film has struggled to find distribution and has been hard to see outside of the festival circuit, but it's now slated to hit theaters this spring.
If you get the chance, go see this movie! It’s hilarious, with an inventive look born out of a low budget and peak COVID restrictions. The movie is half-animated in a pastiche of different styles, plus some practical sets that look like cartoons. Trans art is often praised for being important and heartfelt, and this absolutely is, but it’s also a zany raucous good time. Maria Bamford plays Lorne Michaels in a world where comedy is illegal! Put this movie on your radar. – Editor Ruby
(P.S. follow me on Letterboxd, the only good social media site, for more movie opinions.)
Ira’s Picks
I mean, of course "The Boy and the Heron" was the best new film I saw this year. It's a perfect work from the greatest living filmmaker.
Both "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" and "John Wick: Chapter Four" showed me action visuals I've never seen on screen before — the former was flat-out one of the most exhilarating in-theater experiences I've ever had.
"Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3" rose far above Marvel's rapidly diminishing returns. The climax of Rocket's origin story was the most I cried in a theater this year.
I don't think I even liked "Infinity Pool," but if you catch me out at a bar I'd be glad to explain at length why it's still one of the most interesting and deeply misunderstood movies of the year, as well as further evidence that Mia Goth is a once-in-a-generation horror actor.
Dishonorable mention for "worst-written trivia questions in a movie nominally about trivia" goes to "Quiz Lady," which I otherwise liked just fine. – Editor Ira
Greg’s Picks
I strapped myself into an N95 mask and an Imax Theatre seat for the first 12 a.m. Friday premiere in years and saw “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” It was a thrill-ride quality experience. More than any series, it’s so great to see fans grow up with Miles and Gwen, and to see the way they invest in their stories with spider-sonas of their own. Shameik Moore and Haylee Steinfeld are also growing into their characters with each installment, and Jason Schwartzman continues to be a top-tier voice talent when you need smarmy-yet-relatable pathos. The cliffhanger stings, but at least we’ll get the third installment in 2024.
“Barbie” took my breath away, with a whip-smart concept and execution. I particularly love the commitment to practical effects that made this movie land so much more tangibly with me than the incomprehensible CGI fricassee of other toy-brand adaptations like the “Transformers” series. Greta Gerwig acknowledged the way Barbie’s fans have invested in her for generations, and integrated the toys’ limitations and quirks into the plot with incredible skill. The stepping-out-of-shoes moments are truly unforgettable. Ryan Gosling’s intense commitment to the role of Ken both on-screen and off simply never disappointed. And if Greta reads our newsletter, please #ReleaseTheGerwigCut! – Event Specialist Greg
Andrea’s Picks
It’s hard to avoid talking about Taylor Swift in any 2023 wrap-up, but I cannot deny how dazzling of a concert film “The Eras Tour” is. Spanning 10 studio albums and countless costume and set changes, this is proof that Miss Americana deserves it all. It was probably my favorite movie theater-going experience in 2023. It was all killer, no filler. “Folklore” is the best TSwift era, in my opinion, but “Reputation” was the best represented in the film.
While I don’t see it aging well (I certainly never want to see it again), there’s a lot to be said about A24 backing up the Brinks truck to Ari Aster’s home and having a film like “Beau is Afraid” come out of it. Aster’s idea of a comedy is a three-hour waking nightmare that he described as “Lord of the Rings but the end destination is my mom’s house.”
I have been looking forward to “The Iron Claw” since the project was announced. It’s two of my worlds colliding – film and professional wrestling. You certainly don’t need to know anything about pro wrestling to enjoy a barefoot and jacked Zac Efron doing a flying crossbody from the top rope. Everything else about Efron’s stellar performance as Dallas wrestling icon Kevin Von Erich will leave you on the floor, weeping. I can only hope that the success of “The Iron Claw” inspires more filmmakers to tell the stories of the Squared Circle in the future. – Editor Andrea
Megan’s Picks
I joined AMC A-List halfway through the year (which I can’t recommend enough if you like movies, have free time, and live near an AMC. $20 a month for three movies a week!), so I saw a lot of movies in the theater this year. Here is my personal no-context, no-explanation ranking of all 29 (broken up by genre-ish).
Animated
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”
“TMNT: Mutant Mayhem”
“Elemental”
Musical
“Waitress” (Broadway pro-shot)
“Dicks: The Musical”
“Wonka”
Biopic/Based on True Events
“Killers of the Flower Moon”
“Priscilla”
“Oppenheimer”
“Next Goal Wins”
“Gran Turismo”
Action
“Godzilla Minus One”
“The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes”
“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”
Drama
“Past Lives”
“Anatomy of a Fall”
“Eileen”
“Saltburn”
“A Haunting in Venice”
Comedy
“Bottoms”
“Theater Camp”
“Barbie”
“Joy Ride”
“No Hard Feelings”
Dramedy
“The Holdovers”
“Asteroid City”
“Landscape with Invisible Hand”
“The Persian Version”
Plus a Bonus Ranking of the Winner of Each Category
“Bottoms”
“Killers of the Flower Moon”
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
“The Holdovers”
“Past Lives”
“Waitress”
“Godzilla Minus One”
Many more are coming out soon, so catch me at AMC approximately every other day! – Editor Megan
And there you have it! All the things your sainted Trivia Mafia editorial team read, watched, heard, felt, and otherwise consumed in a year that I'd say was maybe the best of the decade to date, if only because of its objectively awful competition. Thanks for reading, and here's to a less egregious 2024!
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