Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. 2023

Screenshot of her Instagram story of recommendations from 2023/2024 so far.
https://imgur.com/gallery/bx7tYDN

Source: https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-movies-of-2023/

Academy, Bafta, Bifa, Critics Choice, DGA, Golden Globes, Gotham, Spirit, PGA, SAG, & Satellite

Vorfreude & Neugier
anticipation & curiosity

(according to Austrian film releases)

87 2023 releases seen.

12 The Creator - While granted, it didn't do much original with the story. For me at least, it was solid world-building, that felt complete and I'll always have a bias to an original IP Sci-fi with a mid-budget that looked as good as it did. Because if you don't support them, enjoy the only sci-fi's we get to be more superhero stuff.

11 How to Blow Up a Pipeline - Small budget, felt real, good messaging without feeling over the top since all the characters had different motivations for the actions.

10 Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. - The first of two coming-of-age movies, set in 1970/1 released in 2023. Heartfelt with some really top-shelf performances, Abby Ryder Fortson and Rachel McAdams.

9 Asteroid City - One that seemed to be quite polarizing, and while I understand why it might not make someone's top list, I have zero clue how it made some people's worst lists. If this is on your worst movies of the year list, you need to watch more things like Expenfourbles.

8 Sisu - Good by John Wick 4, hello Sisu for my top action movie of the year by a significant margin. Not too much to say, apart from its tight 91-minute runtime, loaded full of brutal Nazi murder.

7 Full Time - I saw a trailer for Anatomy of a Fall which it was labeled "The Most Tense Movie of the year", unfortunately for Anatomy of a Fall for me, that award goes firmly to Full Time. I had to pause the movie at a certain point because my nerves needed a break, only to see I was only 20 minutes into the movie. Phenomenal.

6 The Artifice Girl - Small budget, bottle sci-fi movie, tiny cast, tightly written. I am biased with this one, as I love those really small intimate, sci-fi movies set in 1-2 rooms with a small cast.

5 Leave the World Behind - Another one that I know was fairly polarizing, but I know my own biases to movies and games where the viewer/player has the same knowledge as the characters on screen. I went in completely blind to the movie, not knowing a thing, and loved it. Ending was the weakest part, but I also love Netflix making a movie about the pro's of owning physical media.

4 Godzilla Minus One - I like a lot of people were surprised by this one, not only was it a better Godzilla movie than the Western releases, it had a human side that for the first time for me, made me care and invest into those human characters.

3 The Holdovers - The second coming-of-age movie set in 1970/1 to make my list. I adored this movie, it felt like an instant classic, and while there was some obvious nostalgia bait, what they also remembered to do, was tell a good story, with great characters and great performances.

2 Oppenheimer - This was always going to rate pretty high for me as I enjoy that period of history, Space Race, Atomic Race, Cold War etc so getting to see an incredibly produced biopic, all star cast with top tier perfomances.

1 Killers of the Flower Moon - Honestly surprised me that it took top spot, since I first finalise what's on my list and then work out ordering. This one just kept creeping up, didn't love it as much when I walked out of the cinema but it was one that I just kept thinking about long after.

Honourable Mentions:
Godland
Anatomy of a Fall
Shortcomings
Guy Ritchie's The Covenant
Door Mouse
The Killer
Rye Lane
Dream Scenario
Nimona
Past Lives

2024 Critics Choice Awards nominees and winners:
- Best Picture: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10. | 01 - Oppenheimer (Christopher Nolan).
- Best Foreign Language Film: 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. | 11 - Anatomy of a Fall (Justine Triet).
- Best Director: 01, 02, 04, 05, 08, 09. | 01 - Oppenheimer (Christopher Nolan).
- Best Actor: 01, 04, 05, 06, 08, 17. | 04 - The Holdovers (Paul Giamatti).
- Best Actress: 02, 03, 05, 08, 09, 11. | 02 - Poor Things (Emma Stone).
- Best Supporting Actor: 01, 02, 05, 06, 09, 18. | 01 - Oppenheimer (Robert Downey Jr.).
- Best Supporting Actress: 01, 04, 09, 10, 18, 19. | 04 - The Holdovers (Da'Vine Joy Randolph).
- Best Original Screenplay: 02, 03, 08, 09, 18, 20. | 09 - Barbie (Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach).
- Best Adapted Screenplay: 01, 02, 05, 06, 21, 22. | 06 - American Fiction (Cord Jefferson).
- Best Cinematography: 01, 02, 05, 07, 08, 09. | 01 - Oppenheimer (Hoyte Van Hoytema).
- Best Editing: 01, 02, 05, 08, 09, 20. | 01 - Oppenheimer (Jennifer Lame).
- Best Comedy: 02, 03, 06, 09, 23, 24. | 09 - Barbie (Greta Gerwig).
- Best Production Design: 01, 02, 05, 07, 09, 25. | 09 - Barbie *.
- Best Costume Design: 02, 05, 09, 10, 26, 27. | *09** - Barbie *.
- Best Hair & Makeup: 01, 02, 08, 09, 10, 28. | *09** - Barbie *.
- Best Score: 01, 02, 05, 09, 13, 34. | *01** - Oppenheimer (Ludwig Göransson).
- Best Song: 09, 09, 09, 17, 36, 38. | 09 - Barbie ("I'm Just Ken").
- Best Visual Effects: 01, 02, 29, 30, 31, 34. | 01 - Oppenheimer.
- Best Young Actor/Actress: 04, 09, 11, 21, 26, 31. | 04 - The Holdovers (Dominic Sessa).
- Best Acting Ensemble: 01, 04, 05, 09, 10, 20. | 01 - Oppenheimer.
- Best Animated Feature: 32, 33, 34, 35, 36. | 32 - The Boy and the Heron (Hayao Miyazaki).
- Best Comedy Special: 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44. | 39 - John Mulaney: Baby J.

All the movies I watch in 2023, that I had never watched before. Let's try and watch 223 this year.

Recent movies to watch

Family movies and TV shows. Including Hidden Gems.

As listed by Otavio Uga at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYinTXcLS_w
Organized by genre:
1-8 - Action / Adventure
9-16 - Animation
17-24 - Comedy
25-32 - Documentary
33-40 - Drama
41-48 - Foreign drama
49-56 - Suspense
57-64 - Horror

by order of US release date.

52 movies I have never seen before, by the end of this year.

Total: 298 movies*

Jan - 14 movies
Feb - 5 movies
Mar - 36 movies
Apr - 24 movies
May - 30 movies
Jun - 17 movies
Jul - 17 movies
Aug - 14 movies
Sep - 39 movies
Oct - 11 movies
Nov - 19 movies
Dec - 72 movies

*rewatches included

First watched this year: Hereditary (1 jan)
Last watched this year: How to have sex (31 dec)

Every single movie I watched in 2023, in order.