Most Anticipated Films of 2023

[Silver Nemesis]

2022 was pretty much the worst year ever for western cinema. I've been saying for the past few years that Hollywood is creatively in the worst state it's ever been, and some film buffs are even calling this era the Dark Age of movies. But 2023 can't be as bad, right? There are some definite stinkers heading our way, like Indiana Jones's Direful Destiny. But there are a few films I'm looking forward to. In the interests of starting the year on a positive note, here are some films I plan on seeing in 2023.

John Wick: Chapter 4 (March 2023)

John Wick is one of the two best American action movie franchises around these days. I enjoyed the previous three films a lot and I'm looking forward to this one. Great fight choreography and stunt work, distinctive visual flair, and a healthy sense of humour should make this another strong addition to the series.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (April 2023)

I've been a big Nintendo fan since I was a kid (I'm presently extremely hyped about Fire Emblem: Engage and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, both of which I've pre-ordered), and I even went to see the live action Super Mario Bros. movie back in 1993. I don't know if this new film is going to be any good. The animation looks decent, but I don't like the studio behind it or some of the casting choices. However my eldest nephew has his heart set on seeing it, so I'll probably tag along. I'm not confident it'll be good, but I will see it.

The Flash (June 2023)

One word renders this unmissable: Keaton. This film might be terrible, but I'm still hyped and I'll definitely catch it on the big screen.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (July 2023)

I said John Wick was one of the two best modern American action movie franchises. Mission: Impossible is the other. I've seen every instalment of this franchise on the big screen, going right back to the first movie in 1996, and I won't be missing this one. Cruise knocked it out of the park with Top Gun: Maverick, and I'm sure he'll deliver some equally impressive thrills and breathtaking stunts in this. Dead Reckoning and John Wick 4 should be the two standout action movies of 2023.

How Do You Live? (July 2023)

I don't know much about this, but it's an animated feature film from Studio Ghibli and director Hayao Miyazaki. That's reason enough for me to see it.

Oppenheimer (July 2023)

Christopher Nolan's latest film boasts a strong cast and fascinating subject matter. Nolan said he wanted to recreate the atomic bomb blast using practical special effects. I've no idea how a filmmaker goes about doing that, but I'm excited to see the results. This should be one of the year's best historical dramas.

Dune: Part 2 (November 2023)

I read all of Frank Herbert's Dune novels back when I was a teenager. I've seen all the previous screen adaptations, played through most of the videogames, and I'm a long-time fan of the franchise. I've been waiting years for a good new screen adaptation of the first book, and barring one or two minor quibbles I was largely satisfied with Denis Villeneuve's 2021 film. If the second movie matches the quality of the first, then this will likely be the best science fiction film of 2023.

Killers of the Flower Moon (? 2023)

Directed by Martin Scorsese, this historical crime drama centres on an FBI investigation set in 1920s Oklahoma. It's adapted from the book of the same name by David Grann, and the cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Brendan Fraser and John Lithgow. It sounds promising.


There are some other films I'm potentially interested in seeing this year, but also wary of. These include Creed III, The Expendables IV and The Exorcist. I've enjoyed previous entries in all of those franchises, but I'm not sold on these latest instalments. I'll probably see them eventually, but I might wait until I can watch them for free on television. I'm sceptical about all of them.

What about everyone else? Which movies are you most looking forward to in 2023?

[thecolorsblend]

For me, it's all about Oppenheimer. Can't wait for it.

[The Dark Knight]

The Flash
Dead Reckoning Part I
John Wick Chapter 4

I'm anticipating these movies just about equally, but The Flash a little more due to Keaton.

Cruise and Reeves are the action kings and I have no doubt they will knock it out of the park again. I'm particularly interested to see how Dead Reckoning performs at the box office following the monster success of Top Gun. I wouldn't be surprised to see strong follow up business even if it doesn't reach the same heights of Maverick. It says a lot about the state of modern cinema when these men, Keaton included, are generating the majority of enthusiasm. Nothing else on the 2023 roster excites me in the same way as these three.  I'll be seeing them on opening night.

[Travesty]

Oh wow, I had no idea Scorsese had a new movie coming out.

Overall, that's a solid list. Those all look pretty good. I'm actually really excited about Oppenheimer. But out of all those, I actually think John Wick is my favorite....and Scorsese's, since he's my favorite director. lol

[The Joker]

Cocaine Bear (looks hilarious)

Creed III (liked the first two. Cautiously interested in this one even though Sly isn't involved apparently)

Scream VI (not a die hard fan of the franchise or anything, but I've kept up with it)

John Wick 4 (All the John Wick movies have been aces so far)

Super Mario Bros. (looks pretty good from what I've seen. Much more of a Mario guy than a Sonic guy. I even have a soft spot for the 1993 film)

Renfield (mainly just due to it's Nic Cage as Dracula)

The Flash (mostly due to my boy Keats)

Oppenheimer (very interesting subject, and it's Nolan with Cillian Murphy once again)

Meg 2: The Trench (got a affinity for giant Shark movies, and the 1st one was pretty entertaining)

Expendables 4 (kinda like Scream. I've kept up with the franchise)

The Exorcist 2023 (cautiously optimistic. Hopefully David Gordon Green doesn't go off the rails)

Ghostbusters 4 (really enjoyed GB3 Afterlife, and I'm game for more Winston)

[Silver Nemesis]

There are some definite stinkers heading our way, like Indiana Jones's Direful Destiny.

Well this is off to a good start.

Kathleen Kennedy strikes again.

[thecolorsblend]

It's funny. Spielberg completed Raiders Of The Lost Ark ahead of schedule and under budget. He had something to prove at the time, it's true. But he still did it. Ahead of schedule. Under budget.

Dial Of Destiny is in currently in the top 10 most expensive films of all time. And if the RT score is anything to judge by, this will be another costly fiasco. One has to wonder how many more massive failures Disney can possibly afford anymore. Someone at Disney had better be hoping for a miracle.

[Travesty]

That sucks, because I love James Mangold. He's actually one of my favorite directors working today. But yeah, the writing was on the wall pretty early on. Plus, I've been seeing some of the dialogue come out, and....yikes.

I don't even know if I'll ever watch it? I hated Crystal Skull. I still love the original trilogy, though. Oh well.....

[The Joker]

Following "Captain Marvel", "Cuties", Girlbusters being rated higher than "Ghostbusters: Afterlife", "The Last Jedi" being rated so highly and more recently "Super Mario Bros. Movie" ect ect ect, I find RT to be no more reliable than Weekly World News.

Mind you, I am not defending "Dial of Destiny", in any way, shape, or form. Cause it genuninely doesn't look all that great to be perfectly honest, despite the fact that I did have a little bit of hope with Mangold directing since I liked "Logan" so much. Boy, it really must have missed the mark with these critics.

[Silver Nemesis]

It's funny. Spielberg completed Raiders Of The Lost Ark ahead of schedule and under budget. He had something to prove at the time, it's true. But he still did it. Ahead of schedule. Under budget.

Dial Of Destiny is in currently in the top 10 most expensive films of all time. And if the RT score is anything to judge by, this will be another costly fiasco. One has to wonder how many more massive failures Disney can possibly afford anymore. Someone at Disney had better be hoping for a miracle.

The production budget for Indy 5 is $300 million. Factor in print and advertising costs, and Disney's looking at a break-even point of no less than $800 million worldwide. Given the negative reaction and total lack of hype, I don't see it reaching that goal. Between this and the upcoming Little Mermaid remake, I'm predicting a rough couple of months for the Mouse.

I can't think of another industry that can routinely squander so much money without consequences for the people at the top. It's one of the basic rules of management – if you take the accolades when things go right, then you also have to take the heat when things go wrong. Even if you're not directly responsible, if something happens on your watch then you accept the credit/blame. Apparently this doesn't apply to certain people in the film business.

Lucasfilm is presently being run by talentless political activists and nepo babies who are steadily killing off all the franchises Lucas himself worked so hard to build. They've ruined Star Wars and Willow, and now it looks like they've ruined Indy too. I suppose American Graffiti, Labyrinth and Monkey Island will be next. I'm starting to wonder if this wasn't George's plan all along, to avenge himself against the Fandom Menace.

The sad thing is that Lucas established his company precisely so he could have creative and financial independence from the big Hollywood studios. Now his company has become an appendage of the very monster he was trying to get away from.

I don't even know if I'll ever watch it? I hated Crystal Skull. I still love the original trilogy, though. Oh well.....

I love the original Indiana Jones trilogy, and especially Raiders and Crusade. It's for that reason I have no interest in seeing Indy's Direful Destiny. Disney and Lucasfilm don't care if we like it or not; they just care that we pay to see it. I'm not giving them my money.

Of course I believe in watching a film to have an informed opinion about it, but if a movie has as many red flags as this one does, then I'd rather wait a few years until I can catch it on television without paying. Sometimes the recipe itself is enough to know a meal tastes bad. If the list of ingredients includes faeces then you don't need to eat the finished product to know it tastes like crap.

The ingredients for Indy's Direful Destiny include Kathleen Kennedy, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, too many writers and an 80-year-old Harrison Ford. I don't want to watch one of my childhood heroes trotted out as geriatric nostalgia bait. I don't want to see him get one-upped and emasculated by Kathleen Kennedy's self-insert, played by one of the most unlikeable actors in the industry. I don't want anything this film has to offer. It sounded like a terrible idea from the get go and it should never have been made.

Following "Captain Marvel", "Cuties", Girlbusters being rated higher than "Ghostbusters: Afterlife", "The Last Jedi" being rated so highly and more recently "Super Mario Bros. Movie" ect ect ect, I find RT to be no more reliable than Weekly World News.

Critics are partly to blame for the current state of the film industry. Just like comic book reviewers are to blame for the miserable state of modern comics. The entertainment-media complex creates a positive feedback loop between creators and reviewers that rewards mediocrity as long as it's aligned with the correct ideology.

Diversity and inclusion + correct political messaging + strong female lead + nostalgia + uninspired CG action = positive critical consensus. The fact Indy 5 ticks all these boxes and is still getting torched by critics speaks volumes about its quality.

And yes, I'm aware that The Flash might well end up being precisely the kind of film I've just described, but the ingredients for that particular recipe are a lot more encouraging and I'm cautiously optimistic about the outcome.