Best Films of 2023 I’ve Seen so Far

1. Fool’s Paradise-The serendipity of good and bad fortune alike is evoked with the whimsy and physical comedy of Charlie Chaplin. It’s a rare ode to male friendship and features the gone-too-soon Ray Liotta’s best performance. Starring and directed by everyone’s favorite illiterate savant: Charlie (Day) from It’s Always Sunny

2. Asteroid City-Following the bloated misstep of French Dispatch, this charming movie rivals the best directors at creating a strong sense of place: A charming Route 66 Southwest pit stop at the dawn of the nuclear era. Jason Schwartzman and Scarlett Johansson have one of those stoic romances reminiscent of the French new wave; Maya Hawke charms as a teacher with existential insecurities; there are five gangly genius clones of Jason Schwartzman in Rushmore, and many more interesting characters. Unlike French Dispatch, there’s a better sense of scale with the characters.

3. Tetris- It’s hard to understate how impressive it is to take a subject that bores me to tears and make it a gripping thriller. Of course, it helps that the real-life story is equally mind-boggling: In order to acquire the rights for Tetris, Henk Williams mortgaged his house, risked trouble with the KGB, and was initially dependent on a company that was actively trying to screw him. When he finally broke free and secured the rights with the Nintendo company, he realized he didn’t have the rights because he was lied to. Although it’s easy to root for him in retrospect, movies like these often overlook that these bold risk takers…