My 2023 Movie Lineup
Blockbuster Season
I’m a movie buff. Quotes, trivia, tidbits…I love movies. The past few years, the majority of movies I’ve gone to see in theaters have been superhero or Star Wars movies. But lately, I’ve realized that in the remainder of 2023, there are a lot of movies I still want to see.
I don’t get out much right now. Obviously, my physical limitations is a big reason, but, also, I don’t have a physical workplace. Movies are nice to get out for a bit, and it is something I can enjoy without worrying about my leg, especially since typically you pick your seat now and many theaters have recliners. It is an easy escape from reality.
Also, I don’t mind going alone to the movies. Typically, if it is a Star Wars or superhero movie, my youngest brother and I go; other movies, my mom or a couple friends I know might be interested. But not having someone to go to the movies with won’t deter me. I just signed up for Cinemark’s movie club, and I think this year it’ll definitely be worth the money. I’m still looking for a new role, and movies are my indulgence right now, especially since it is something I can do without hurting.
What’s exciting to me is the range of movies coming out in the remainder of 2023. Typically, the only genre I am not interested in is horror. Also, we have some seriously star-studded casts. I think a lot of these movies are looking for the impact that last year’s Top Gun: Maverick made which marked the return of the summer blockbuster.
Although I want to see The Little Mermaid, I’m waiting until it comes out on Disney+. I do, however, already have the soundtrack on my Apple Music. I love Melissa McCarthy, and I love Halle Bailey’s voice! I’m also going to wait for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Indiana Jones is kind of just meh, but Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen in the cast peaked my interest.
Here we go (it’s kind of long)…
The Machine
Somehow, I just saw the trailer for this the other day, and it was a jaw dropping WTF response. Also, I feel like this might be one I end up going to see alone.
I had never heard of Bert Kreischer or The Machine prior to this, and didn’t think the “story that took the Internet by storm” was a true story. And, yes, obviously, I saw Mark Hamill and said, “Hmm.” But this is Mark Hamill like I have never seen him before and I am here for it.
I don’t think people appreciate the fact that Hamill is freaking hilarious. He is an absolute delight. But my god, the Force Ghost of Carrie Fisher has to be cackling at her space twin.
So, this all goes back to Kreisher’s college, alcohol-infused experience with the Russian mob. I’m not going to watch the stand-up routine before seeing the movie. The movie covers Kreisher’s return to Russia (via kidnapping) along with his estranged father, Albert (Hamill) who doesn’t believe his son’s story.
From there…it looks like utter chaos, including Kreisher’s dad on speed and Kreisher returning to his Machine self and lighting a cigar with a gun (???).
I have no idea what to expect, but I am here for it.
Released May 26.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
I did not know about Miles Morales until 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse. And then I learned there was a lot more variation to the Spider-Man universe. I love it. I love the vastness of the comic book world. From what I am hearing, there are Spider-people in the movie that haven’t been previously seen so I am excited for that.
Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, and Jake Johnson return; new Spider-people include two of my favorite MCU actors Oscar Isaac (Moon Knight / Marc Spector / Steven Grant / Jake Lockey) and Daniel Kaluuya (M’Baku). Definite hype.
June 2
The Flash
I have to be completely honest. There is one reason why I am seeing this movie in theaters, and that would be Michael Keaton as Batman. If Batgirl wasn’t canceled (still pissed), I don’t think I would be going to see The Flash.
There are several reasons as to why, and I’m not getting into Ezra Miller. I don’t think there is much of a career there to continue, but I think WB needs to really think about their strategy when they look at their choices over the last few years.
From what I am hearing, The Flash looks to be the diamond in the rough for DC movies this year. But the plot - Barry messes with time to prevent death, worlds collide, bad guys abound, unexpected heroes.
That’s roughly the same plot of MCU’s 2021 Spider-Man: No Way Home, not least of all the colliding worlds that bring back old friends and fan favorites to the big screen. I am hoping that there is something in The Flash to distinguish itself, but, if not, even if it is DC’s success of the year, I think it will be viewed as an awkward piggyback of the MCU.
I’ll admit it: It’s all about Keaton.
June 16
Asteroid City
The plot for Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City is pretty simple: “World-changing events spectacularly disrupt the itinerary of a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention in an American desert town circa 1955.”
I’ve watched the trailer a few times, and there’s just something that makes me cock my head and say, “Huh.” The group of people stuck in Asteroid City all seem a little quirky, and they have piqued my interest.
But what made me stand up and say “Woah,” is the absolutely brilliant star-studded cast, including: Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Margot Robbie, Maya Hawke, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Jeffrey Wright, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody and Steve Carell. Like, damn dude. What was the payroll budget here?
The humor seems to be very, very dry (no pun intended considering they’re stuck in the desert), and the aesthetic is sharp. I anticipate the cinematography to be pretty good as well. I don’t know Wes Anderson’s work well, but it sounds like it goes with his typical style.
Irony of ironies, it was written during lockdown. A movie written about a lockdown but not that lockdown but during that lockdown.
Deadpan, quirky, offbeat, cosmic comedy, oddball, and bizarre are a few of the adjectives used to describe the film, and that sounds like fun to me.
June 23
Barbie
Greta Gerwig directs and co-wrote (with Noah Baumbach) the upcoming Barbie movie which stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken and Barbie, but Barbie Land is filled with countless Barbies and Kens. Everything is perfect - until it’s not, and Robbie’s Barbie is banished from Barbie Land…with Gosling’s Ken coming along for the ride.
Of course, I played with Barbies as a kid. I had so many (They have a firefighter Barbie now, and I really wish I would’ve had that when I was a kid!). But oh my God, this looks absolutely hilarious. The trailers indicate adult innuendos slightly stronger but still similar to what many Disney movies featured.
Interestingly, Gerwig says it was partially inspired by the book Reviving Ophelia, a 1994 book about challenges faced by adolescent girls. A very interesting choice, considering the perfection persona of Barbie.
It is another star-studded cast of the summer: Helen Mirren, Will Ferrell, Simu Liu, Michael Cera, Rhea Pullman, Kate McKinnon, Ariana Greenblatt, America Ferrera, Issa Rae, Scott Evans, and Ncuti Gatwa.
July 21
Oppenheimer
Barbie will go up against Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer about scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and the development of the atomic bomb. Talk about night and day. It is classified as a thriller, and apparently it is intense. Co-star Matt Damon called Cilian Murphy’s portrayal as the scientist a “marathon” role, with Nolan also saying he was “blown away” by his performance.
The movie also stars Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Plugh, Gary Oldman (As Harry S. Truman!), Josh Hartnett, Jack Quaid, Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek, and Alden Ehrenreich.
It is heavy subject material (Kind of the opposite end of the spectrum from Barbie). Many of the scientists working on the Manhattan Project had no idea what they were working on and were against using it on people once they figured out what they were creating. As vice president, Harry S. Truman wasn’t even read into the program. Much of the history regarding the Manhattan Project isn't widely known. I hope this movie helps raise awareness and understanding of this page in America’s history.
July 21
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
It’s simple: Nothing will top the original 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie.
Still, I’m looking forward to this. Although I hope someday for a live-action TMNT movie (Not CGI either. Henson or nothing), this looks interesting. As far as I know, we’ve always seen the turtles as older, “cool” teens.
Now, Seth Rogen is giving us a look at the ninjas-in-training when they seem a little bit younger, and a little less polished. I was surprised at how young the turtles sounded, but, from what I’ve seen, there’s nothing out specificing their age. Interestingly, this is the first time actual teenagers have been cast as the turtles - Shamon Brown Jr. as Michelangelo, Nicolas Cantu as Leonardo, Brady Noon as Raphael, and Micah Abbey as Donatello.
Jackie Chan is Splinter, John Cena and Seth Rogen play fan favorites Rocksteady and Bebop, respectively, and Ayo Edebiri as April O'Neil. Other cast members include Rose Bryne, Paul Rudd, Giancarlo Esposito, Ice Cube, Maya Rudolph, and Post Malone.
There’s just something about it that makes me think this is going to be a hit and a fun ride. Fingers crossed!
August 4
Blue Beetle
I have to admit that I am definitely more of a MCU fan than DC, and I had never heard of Blue Beetle until my brother sent me the trailer. And it caught my attention.
Xolo Maridueña (I know him as Miguel from Cobra Kai!) stars as Jamie Reyes, a recent college graduate trying to figure out his place in the world (Dude, same) who finds himself chosen by some cool, alien, biotechnology to be its host and now he’s got to figure that out.
Of course, it isn’t as simple as that. Bad guys come along the way. But what I did really like is the inclusion of his family as Jamie becomes, literally in front of their eyes, a superhero. There isn’t a secret identity here, protecting his family from the truth/his burden; they’re also along for the ride.
August 18
The Marvels
Captain Marvel is one of my favorites. Unpopular opinion, I know, but higher, further, faster, baby.
Here’s the synopsis: Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, looks to take revenge against the Supreme Intelligence, which sends her to a wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary. This anomaly entangles her powers with those of Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) and Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) aka Ms. Marvel, causing the three to switch whenever they use their powers.
As we saw in WandaVision, Monica Rambeau, the daughter of Carol’s best friend Maria Rambeau, has some issues with Carol as opposed to her appearance as a girl in Captain Marvel where she looks up to Carol and is thrilled at her return as Carol was thought dead. Meanwhile, Kamala Khan idolizes Captain Marvel and is very much a typical teenager.
It’s going to be a fun dynamic. Plus, we have Samuel L. Jackson returning as Nick Fury.
November 10
Wish
This sounds like the coolest origin story ever. When you wish upon a star? Yup. It’s the star’s origin story.
Asha (Ariana Debose) makes a wish so powerful that it creates a cosmic ball of energy called Star. Of course, there’s a bad guy to face, Rosas’ King Magnifico (Chris Pine). We also get Alan Tudyk as Valentino, Asha’s favorite goat.
It is a story of the magic of the stars and the wonders it can create.
I think this is exactly the kind of movie we need right now. Magic and wonder. Hope. Great timing at the start of the holiday season.
November 22
Ghostbusters Afterlife Sequel
Pretty much nothing is known about this, but I know I’m going to see it. I also won’t be surprised if it gets pushed back.
December 20
Even though we’re almost halfway through 2023 (How???), we still have a full schedule of movies ahead. I can’t wait!
