By Mark Pukalo
These six movies were in the top 25 after I saw them, and stayed there for a while.
But the 2023 Oscar Year had too many great films for them to hold their spots. Each of them may have been in the top 20 in other years. They all have different qualities.
"The Creator" is an emotional science fiction film, "Ferrari" had amazing, detailed performances, "Jesus Revolution" surprised me with its depth and the stunts in "Mission Impossible" were incredible. Jen-Law made "No Hard Feelings" both fun and smart. "Love at First Sight" might be a forgettable rom-com on Netflix for some and critics panned it as cheesy. But I think it's a real harmless, emotional, hidden gem.
I know the man will forgive me.
Together, they all make up NCAA Tournament guru Joe Lunardi's First Six out of my top 25 movies of 2023.
The top 25 list will be posted before the Oscars on Sunday. It will be Oppenheimer's night in Hollywood I'm sure, but my hope is that many more films get recognized in this great year for cinematic art.
**Below is a also a list of movies I have not seen.** I am currently at 290 for the Oscar Year.
Joe Lunardi's First Six out of the NCAA Tournament and my Top 25 movies of 2023
The Creator - A futuristic story about a war between humans and AI robots is the background as a soldier tries to save a child-like robot with special powers, built by his former lover. It is a strong science fiction drama with a big heart.
Ferrari - Adam Driver and Salma Hayek produced powerhouse performances in this story about the race car legend in Italy. It's more about people than racing, which is what it should have been.
Jesus Revolution - Based on a true story about the spiritual awakening of young people in the 70s with Kelsey Grammer as the preacher at a small church. It was inspiring, but sad. Why did it all end? Maybe we would not be where we are today.
Love at First Sight - Wonderful, touching little rom-com from Netflix with Ben Hardy and Haley Lu Richardson meeting by chance on a plane. I believe I have fallen for Richardson in every movie she's been in. But the script makes this more than your run-of-the-mill love story. Maybe a slightly better ending puts it in the top 25.
Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One - Thought it would be just another action-filled, run-of-the-mill spy drama for Tom Cruise, but it was very compelling and fun. The action was extremely well done.
No Hard Feelings - Jen-Law is funny and sweet in this comedy based on Long Island. Lawrence tries to save her home by helping a young introverted boy of helicopter parents emerge from his shell. Milo the dog was also great.
Movies critics liked, but I was not able to view (Some may be coming out in 2024):
Huesera: The Bone Woman, Jethica, Please Don't Destroy Project, Dad & Step Dad, Handling the Undead, The Incal, La Chimera, Laughter in the Dark, Rothko, One Fine Morning, Palm Trees and Power Lines, Full Time, Sam Now, A Manual for Cleaning Women, Mending the Line, The Artifice Girl, All These Sons, The Adults, Paint, Tori and Lokita, The Domino Revival; Back On the Strip; On Fire, Nimona, Jawan, Monster, All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt, About Dry Grasses Paradise is Burning, Smoke Sauna Sisterhood, Robot Dreams, Passages, Chicken for Linda!, The Monk and the Gun, Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre, The Beasts, The Delinquents, Afire, Totem, What We Do Next, Return to Seoul, Revoir Paris, What Rhymes with Reason, Rotting in the Sun, Shayda, Pacifiction, I Like Movies, I Used to be Funny, Story Avenue, The Sweet East, A Still, Small Voice, Joy Ride, What Happens Later, Godzilla Minus One.
Those I was uninterested to see:
About My Father, After Death, Ambush, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, The Blackening, The Blind, Divinity, Every Body, The Exorcist: Believer, Fear, Five Nights at Freddys, His Only Son, Inspector Sun, Into the Weeds, It Lives Inside, Journey to Bethlehem, Left Behind, The Lost King, The Marsh King's Daughter, The Amazing Maurice, Migration, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, The Oath, The Other Zoey, The Outwater, Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, Radical, Rally Road Racers, Roll With It, Saw X, The School of Magical Animals, Silent Night, Sisu, Sound of Freedom, Suzume, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Trolls Band Together, Mutant Mayhem, Twister, Wish
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