Owen: From Wes Anderson to Reality Winner, the best films of 2023 so far
Moviegoers have breathing room this weekend to catch up with some big blockbusters before another wave hits this month. Making now an ideal time to take inventory of the year so far and what you should see during this lull.
Since I have already reviewed “Beau is Afraid,” “One Fine Morning,” and “Return to Seoul” — all four-star flicks — I won't mention those insights again except to say each offers a challenging, satisfying viewing experience. No, this column will focus on films I’ve not talked about previously that you can stream and one that's still in theaters.
"Asteroid City"
Despite a narrative structure which sets the story up as a televised play, and which might go down as the most obviously obnoxious concoction of Wes Anderson’s oeuvre, the central tale of a father (Jason Schwartzman) stranded in the titular town during an alien encounter is so beautifully and emotionally satisfying I can forgive this transgression. A story of the isolating power of grief and relying on others to overcome it, I found myself choking up as often as I was laughing. But Anderson brings his other strengths as well: a gorgeous canvas, a game cast, and lots of funny asides. Currently playing at Ragtag Cinema.
"Showing Up"
The work of an artist is generally depicted in cinema as lighting in a bottle; genius unveiled without explanation. Writer-director Kelly Reichardt makes a slow, deliberate film about the challenges of a struggling sculptor (Michelle Williams, as good I’ve seen her in anything) facing the distractions of ordinary life. The story emerges not simply as a piece on the challenges of making art, but of relationships and development during the process of making art. Quiet, reserved, and very funny, “Showing Up” feels genuine enough to be a documentary.
"BlackBerry"
Many bemoan the sudden trend of movies about things — "Tetris," Air Jordans — that make the marketing departments of the corporate world modern heroes. Matt Johnson’s depiction of the rise and fall of the “phone that also lets you email” has been unfairly lumped into this category despite the fact this is not about the triumph of product. It is about how greed and hubris brought down not only a major company, but all the lives it intertwined. The major VIP of “BlackBerry” is Glenn Howerton (from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) who plays one of the most complicated corporate shills you’re likely to ever witness. In a just world, he would be a shoo-in for a best supporting actor nod.
"A Thousand and One"
A woman kidnaps her child from the foster care system and we watch their relationship change over the years. People move in and out. New York City becomes more gentrified as pressure keeps getting placed on the have-nots. A powerful story about family and its place in our modern culture. Filmmaker A.V. Rockwell makes an audacious feature-length debut with a knockout lead performance from Teyana Taylor. Expect to see more of these two more often.
"The Lost King"
Director Stephen Frears and co-writer Steve Coogan reveal the true tale of an amateur historian (Sally Hawkins) who discovers the final resting place of King Richard III, sparking a reassessment of his role in history. A fascinating and charming look at an event I knew little about. Although “The Lost King” never forgets to be a character study even with the story that seems too bizarre to be true.
"Reality"
Sydney Sweeney delivers an understated but powerful performance as real-life leaker Reality Winner. By using actual FBI transcripts, the audience is thrust into a tense, terrifying look at the power and coercion of the government and how it uses regular people as pawns in larger battles. It’s a small film with limited confines that should spark a larger debate. It’s only on the streaming service Max and not available for rent on other services.
A few more flat-out fun flicks
I would be remiss not to mention some just flat-out fun films so far this year. I haven’t laughed harder than at the new Broken Lizard comedy “Quasi,” an extremely loose adaptation of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” I can also report Guy Ritchie’s “Operation Fortune” is a better spy caper than the new “Mission: Impossible” film that comes out next week. As a late addition to this column, the new “Indiana Jones” film is deliriously ambitious and more exciting than it has any right to be. The third act itself will evoke the best of modern science-fiction.
2023 has been a pretty good year so far. Stay inside and soak it in a bit this weekend.
James Owen is the Tribune’s film columnist. In real life, he is a lawyer and executive director of energy policy group Renew Missouri. A graduate of Drury University and the University of Kansas, he created Filmsnobs.com, where he co-hosts a podcast. He enjoyed an extended stint as an on-air film critic for KY3, the NBC affiliate in Springfield, and now regularly guests on Columbia radio station KFRU.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Owen: From Wes Anderson to Reality Winner, the best films of 2023 so far
