Lists can be complicated things. On one hand, since every film evokes a different experience, the differences between a number one pick and a number five pick can be mostly arbitrary and a bit insignificant. Perhaps it is a way of simply blocking out degrees of appreciation based on undisclosed measures, and yet, for every film that makes the list there is the inevitable agonizing over the films that didn’t.
At its heart though, list making is simply a way to celebrate an artform that we love. It is meant to be fun. A way of entering into the fray and joining with meaningful discussion about the films that matter to us and to others. And even if, at the end of the day, we end up with an exclusive list of top films, anyone who has ever listened to a podcast discussing the best of the year knows that half the fun comes from opportunities to shout out the outliers. Turn on that tap and you are left wondering if it will ever stop flowing outisde of some manner of intervention. These are the titles that could have made their lists on a different day in a different moment, perhaps with a rewatch or the discovery of an illuminating article/conversation that highlights themes we might have missed or wanted to parse out more fully.
In that spirit, here are my OUTLIERS, films that I genuinely loved and which could have made my top list on a different day in a different moment:
A THOUSAND AND ONE
Of all the outliers, this is the one I wrestled with the most. If nothing else it simply needed a rewatch, and I will revisit it sooner than later. As it stands, it’s a richly captured human drama about the challenges of family, demographics, economics, and race. Perhaps its most striking dynamic is the camera work, creatively bringing to life different time periods of New York City. Its sense of place is, without a doubt, a powerful storytelling device which anchors the human journey through the changes that come with the passage of time.
HANNAH HA HA
A small, and at first glance inconsequential, indie drama that ends up sneaking up on you, packing a powerful punch. It follows the travails of a young woman come of age trying to find her way in the world where the expectations of work and economy become tied to matters of identity. This young woman’s struggle finds its point of crisis in the simple question, am I enslaved to the system or can I supersede it. On its most fundamental level it is probing the question, is life simply a process in which we are born, we work, and then we die? Or is there a way to disrupt the grind without the worlds label’s and demands discarding you in the process? Certainly there are whole generations that have been rewriting the norm when it comes to the notion of a necessary “grind”, but the truth is much of this remains tied to privilege and class, even if redefined and reimagined. The average person is still held captive to the economy, and Hannah Ha Ha is an authentic look at the average, everyday struggles of people stuck in that place between meaning and survival.
MASTER GARDNER
The third entry in his unofficial “man in the room” trilogy might remain my least favorite of the three films, but it is nevertheless a necessary conclusion to the overarching themes that tie the three films together. The issues in the editing and the conceptualization are ultimately superseded by the strength of the whole, inviting the viewer to see Master Gardner in a greater light, allowing the preceding pessimism and existential questions of the first two films to gain a welcome hopeful sentiment.
GODZILLA MINUS ONE
Undeniably one of the best action films to release in 2023, proving the strength of the Japanese entries into this popular franchise. There is no flashy CGI here or over the top depictions of the classic monster, instead going for a raw, earthy, and practical approach that anchors this in realism and the film’s astute sense of the human backdrop. It’s a reminder of the emotional potential of these films when the story and characters are given the necessary room to breathe.
HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE
A thriller true to its name, this is a small indie that knows exactly how to build tension using the most basic tools of its plot. Its edge of your seat stuff, and features some exceptional editing and an explosive finale
YOU HURT MY FEELINGS
The best comedy-drama to release in 2023. It’s the sort of comedy that gains its humor by appealing to the “funny because its true” mantra, giving us a scenario that, at times, feels a bit too close for comfort, and memorable characters to effectively play it out on our behalf. Don’t be surprised if this leaves you with a need for self reflection after its over.
THEATER CAMP
I wasn’t a theater kid, and there is a definite niche audience being targeted with this one, but for me this translated beyond that particular experience, resonating more universally with the idea of being that kid who never quite fit the mold, finding solace instead in the power of art and artistic expression to help us navigate an uncertain world. The themes here are important, and the human experience it captures even more so, but don’t underestimate just how funny and fun this quiet little romp ends up being at the same time. A genuine crowd pleaser that really worked on the big screen.
THE CREATOR
It remains one of the years most astonishing achievements what this film was able to achieve on such a limited budget. The set design, the visual effects, the cinematic presence, its all a nod to the unlimited potential that creativity and the creative approach can hold when a little bit of imagination is applied. At the same time, the human drama that encases the films cinematic accomplishments is what gives this film its substance, telling a story that feels indebted to the classic sci-fi dramas in the best kind of way. It asks big questions, but contextualizes this in the human experience, proving that these original efforts not named Star Wars still have a place.
WAR PONY
Indigenous filmmakers telling indigenous stories set in indigenous histories. This is a big part of the films sense of authenticity, unfolding its coming of age drama through the unique intertwining stories of a young boy and a young man. Loved the story structure in this one, and as a solid indie effort it finds a way to push the art of filmmaking forward in some interesting ways.
THE IRON CLAW
Fresh off a viewing of this film nearing the end of the year, there is little doubt in my mind that this film is going to percolate and grow the more I sit with it. It is, without question, one of the best films of the year, sporting its deeply felt family drama with a story designed to carry an emotional wallop, but I’m looking forward to digging in and unpacking this more as time goes on. For now it sits just on the outside of my end of the year list, but in all honesty the strength of the film could land it anywhere upon further reflection and a rewatch. I know its good. I just need to figure out precisely why its great.
The Stories of my Life 