A few years ago I began a New Years Resolution Plan called Rosebud. I heard about it on one of the travel podcasts that I follow. The process essentially looks like this:
Step 1: List Three Roses-
This is the stuff that I would consider the greatest strengths, successes or accomplishments of the past year, the stuff that has managed to blossom into a Rose.
Step 2: List One Thorn
This would reflect my greatest personal struggle of the past year.
Step 3: List Three Buds
Based on my “thorn”, this is a list of what I would like to “bud” into potential Roses in the coming year.
Step 4: Come up with a word for the year
This should be a single word that can help reflect the direction I want to head in the coming year, a single word that can give my year a theme or a recognizable focus and narrative.

So, why Rosebud?
I have been asked in the past, why three Roses but only one Thorn? Most of us don’t realize it, but it is often much more diffciult to come up with roses than it is thorns. Also difficult is learning how to speak about thorns in a way that imagines forward movement, seeing it in light of one’s potential for growth. It’s kind of like that old piece of advice that says when you are in an interview for a new job and they ask you about your weaknesses, always give a weakness that you can do something about.

The great part of the Rosebud system is that it allows one to document their struggles and their growth year by year as a kind of working and interactive diary. You can build on the previous year and form an ongoing narrative out of the successes, struggles and hopes. This is not about resolutions persay, at least not in the traditional sense, it is about making space for introspection and observation and forming that into perspective and potential. And it allows one to not just make goals, but to examine what those goals are actual about, the why of our goals.
With that in mind…

A Look Back at Rosebud 2023:

My Three Roses:

1. Commit time to our dog Buddy and help him with some of his struggles

2. Continue to have the necessary hard conversations

3. Seek a greater imagination for how I can and need to reprioritize my life towars the things that matter

My One Thorn: Failed Potential

My Three Buds:

1. Jump start my writing project again

2. Establish further physical and online community

3. Travel to England

My Word For The Year: Imagination

A Reflection on Rosebud 2023:

A Look Ahead to Rosebud 2024

My Three Roses:

1. Made some memories

If reprioritizing my life was a thing in 2023, it involved getting out there and doing things again. Memories from this time last year includeed a spontaneous trip to Minneapolis to see my favorite movie brought to life on the stage (The Little Prince), along with having one of the best new years eve outings in a long while. I also managed to get out to our local theater to see a few stage productions over the course of the year, and celebrated the 25th anniversary of the movie Elf in style with the Winnipeg Symphany Orchestra, while also celebrating the anniversary of Switchfoot’s The Beautiful Letdown by travelling to see them in Birmingham, Alabama. While the final quarter of the year managed to fizzle out in terms of ambition, there certainly was some movement there in terms of breaking out of a funk and finding a spark of life.

2. Took some risks

Took some risks in giving more. I also took a big risk this past summer in doing a solo trip down south through Alabama and across to Savannah and Charleston, before coming back up through the smokey mountains. It was the first time I had ever travelled by myself, and I made it into a pilgrimage, including celebrating the anniversary of Switchfoot’s The Beautiful Letdown and traversing the footsteps of Martin Luther King while reading his new biography. Perhaps this makes up for my failure to get to England, something that I feel is a must at some point in my life. There still needs to be more risks taken in terms of building community.

3. Made some progress on my writing

It wasn’t a lot of progress, but it was some. A lifelong process I’m sure, but one I’m still pressing. Part of a desire, and maybe even a need to put my memories into story.

My One Thorn: Failure to navigate

There is a bit of irony, or perhaps some poetic resonance, to how 2023 started and how it ended. It started off in the light of having faced some hard conversations in the hope of healing and reconciliation. The year has ended with a need to have some hard conversation and make some hard, life defining decisions. It also involves taking some risks, something that I did over the course of 2023. Where one finds successs, one also finds their shortcomings, I suppose.

My Three Buds:

1. Figure out my hard conversations and make some hard choices

This is the number one thing I need to figure out heading into 2023, and therre is a lot to figure out relating to potential transitions and new opportunities.

2. Celebrate our 20th anniversary

Yes, we are headed into our 20th year. And this is something that can be a bit specific, at least in my imagination. Good friends are celebrating their 25th in Toronto, and we have plans to join them in their celebration. Given the important of New York City to the story of our marriage, we also have plans to continue the journey, this time hopefully crossing off the maritime states as well.

3. Invest in my local community

This one is simple. I’ve got a desire to figure out the needs of my local community. My plan is to connect with my MP and get some insight into the major needs, concerns, opportunities. Make a list, see what fits, andNew go from there.

My Word For the Year: Intention

If I had to sum up 2023 in words other than “Barb-enheimer” or “writers strike”, how might I describe it?
There seemed to be much about the uncertainty of our present moment.
There also seemed to be much about the relationship of our present moment to the past.

I’m thinking about films like Asteroid City, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Oppenheimer, which confront the nature of fear in relationship to the human capacity for both progress and destruction. I’m thinking about the way Beau is Afraid took these fears and attached them to the heroes journey, simply one that is flipped on its head and rooted in the growing anxieties of a world gone mad. How this intersects with our own madness is a question that gets equal attention in films like The Eight Mountains and Artifice Girl.

There are moments of optimism though that break through the noise, be it the magic and wonder of Scarlet, the redemptive notes of Flora and Sons, or the strength of relationship and community in The Holdovers, Guardians of the Galaxy 3, and Broker. There’s room to ask the important questions as well, such as the poignant wrestling in Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret, the philosophical challenges of Past Lives, the challenge to sit in the unknowns in Anatomy of a Fall, or the moral crisis of A Good person. And finally there is the power of art to speak to the darkness of our lives, such as the powerful treatment of the artist in Showing Up, or the love letter to film in The Last Film Show.

Every year reflects a journey and captures a unique cultural moment. If 2023 as a say, its that even as the questions linger and the shadows of our histories loom large, there is still reason to hope. And if ever there were a case to be made for the power and importance of film, this would be it.

Elsewhere in this space I have discussed my favorite outliers, my favorite Canadian films, my favorite debuts, and my favorites in the categories of animated, horror and documentary. I now come to my Top 20 favorite films of the year, not including titles in those categories:

My Top 20 Favorite Films of 2023 (In Descending Order)

20. A Good Person
A film about the complex moral crisis that shape much of the way we see this world in terms of good and evil. So much of this is about learning how to be patient with life’s necessary processes, especially when the pain seems too great to bear and the weight too impossible to persist against. Life is rarely, if ever, as neat and tidy as we imagine it should be, and yet within this truth we find certain graces that have the power to push and pull us forward while growing uhe way.
The films title has a double purpose. On one hand it wonders about why God (or life itself) allows horrible things to happen to good people. At the same time it wonders about how it is that we are able to reconcile the parts of our lives and the lives of others we would rather forget and ignore or choose not to forgive. Perhaps it is the first observation that has the power to speak to the latter. Doing the necessary work when it comes to the latter, especially when it feels impossible, can open us up to the former, giving us a sense that engaging the messiness of life can actually lead us somewhere real and true. A powerful sentiment to be sure.

19. Ferrari
Ferrari is a film about the things we can’t control. It’s a film about death and grief and the cruelty of nature. It’s a film about racing, which of course caters to Michael Mann’s sensibilities.
It’s a film that uses all of these things to examine the subtleties of a man and his family silently being torn apart from the inside out. And when life itself is out of your control, what else can you do but decide to build beautiful cars instead. Part of the brilliance of Micheal Mann’s direction here is that he allows this to become the driving allegory underneath the surface, both for the exusting tension and the gradual unravelling. This happens often out of sight, but always making its presence felt and known nonetheless.

18. Artifice Girl
A stunning and sure handed debut that marries the intelligence of its questions with a simple but effective story structure. Best to go in as blind as possible, as I think the way plot unfolds is part of the beauty of the intellectual process at play here. It is an intricate dance between big ideas and broader realities regarding this world and the essential problem of the human condition, and the intimacy of the characters experiences of an uncertain, often feared and always changing world when it comes to technology and AI. The premise itself is intriguing, but it’s the developing relationships between the small cast of character that proves most compelling.

If one of its most pertinent questions is, what does it mean to feel, the Director uses this thematic interest as a way to explore what it means to be human, blurring the lines in all directions and unsettling our point of reference. The film leaves plenty of ambiguity in terms of its humanistic convictions and it’s decentering of such assumptions of uniqueness and exceptionalism, but does so without letting go of the larger questions that bind the human will to either a creator or a process.

17. Last Film Show
An unexpected joy and delight from the previous year stacked with such autobiographical films about filmmakers in their younger years discovering and falling in love with film. It’s a motif that will never get old for me, and the cultural setting here, unfamiliar as it is to me, gives it a fresh perspective and some interesting historical touchpoints.
Loved how it moves through a hands on approach to the way film once was made and produced and discovered. Reminds me of the Fablemans where it subtly explores the craft through the ingenuinity of a young mind simply exploring ideas and possibilities by way of observation.
And the quiet family moments, often framed around cooking and the meal. Beautiful.

16. Broker
Thematic throughlines and touchpoints defined by necessary moral complexity, along with storied scores and rich casts of characters defined in some way shape or form by the idea of family, found family on the margins being a favorite, seem to be the true mark of Koreeda’s cinematic presence, and true to form Broker delves deep into these different aspects by utilizing a fresh concept to explore familiar themes. It’s not his strongest work, but it is every bit his honest voice, designed to confront us with the important questions concerning what it means to be human and to know that we are loved and accepted as such across the dividing lines of our societal constructs.

15. Scarlet
I was swept off my feet by the wonderful Martin Eden, an Italian set film that marries a sense of magic and wonder to an underlying realism. Here he delves even further into a fairy tale approached, soaked as it is in the historical backdrop of the great war. It’s a narrative movement that brings us from darkness to light, material to magic, cynicism to wonder. In Scarlet, the wonder is in the romanticism, daring to give reasoned and rational weight to the seeming irrational.

14. The Eight Mountains

The Eight Mountains wants us to consider how the center remains even as one traverses the circle that makes up the broader world and experiences around it. Can we return to where we were once we’ve left to explore the circle? Certainly the temptation is there to want to do just that. And there is a sense in which the journey to the circle is meant to bring us back to where we started, only as different and transformed persons. To return to where we started is not only to return as someone new, but to return to a place that must look and feel different as well. Further yet, it is to look forward with a different frame of reference, just as we do within the story of the person and work of Jesus. But we do so with that foundation firmly in place. The thing that reminds us that there is a dream and that the promise is being carried through the belief and action of another, a belief and action that claims the power to shape who we are and what this world is.

I remember when Broken Circle Breakdown released I was championing it everywhere I went to as many people as possible. I found the films writing and it’s thematic focus, along with the central performances, to be a profound revelation, especially considering it was the Directors debut. The most striking feature of The Eight Mountains is the way it reframed a similar dedication to the performances and the thematic weight within a much broader cinematic presence and scope. The story is here is sweeping, tracking its main character, a young boy named Pietro from Turin, not only through time, but through the grand backdrop of the mountains employing a contrast of weighty, existential questions and intimate concern.

13. Asteroid City
Reminiscent of Anderson’s earlier work, Asteroid City plays with his familiar style of humor and eclectic framing while sticking to embedded themes rather than reaching for anything overly subversive. What makes his latest effort that much more intriguing however is that, on paper at least, it feels very much like a spiritual sequel to French Dispatch. If French Dispatch reflected on the nature and importance of art and the ensuing relationship between art and artist as a shared relationship, Asteroid City pushes that question further by wondering how it is that the world that produces such art holds meaning, if it does at all.

Two deeply existential stories, one calling back to the earlier days of Anderson’s career, the other the culmination of his present evolution. Taken together it forms an exciting endeavor from one of the world’s most visionary Directors.

12. Flora and Sons
To say this is a charmer would be an understatement. It’s also one of Carny’s most mature films to date, which of course looks backwards to his break out hit Once. He’s a long ways from the very modest budget of that two person indie romance, with Flora and Son exhibiting a bigger story, more expansive camera work and a more polished edit. But the intimacy of its characters and their journey remains fully intact, this time delving into the subject of motherhood and womanhood with the grace of some broad and colorful brushstrokes.

11. Beau is Afriad
The film is structured around the hero’s journey, simply flipped upside down, which positions it as an epic. It’s also, aesthetically and tonally, very much in the vein of a dark fairy tale. This isn’t outright horror, so be prepared for that. But it could be said to be the stuff of nightmares. This is the kind of film that asks a lot of viewers, but if you are willing to give yourself over to it, this proves to have a lot on its mind, exploring pertinent questions about how we see ourselves and how we see the world.

10. Jules
I challenge you to find a more charming, big hearted film than Jules from the current slate of 2023 films. This lovely gem is as effective as it is because of its dedication to the delicate art of simplicity.

9. Linoleum

Destined to be swallowed up by higher profile fare before the year is done, this small, indie, arthouse drama exists as a reminder of what makes the movies so special. It’s quirky presence is bolstered by a unique story, serving the unassuming nature of the Directors vision. Free to carve its own path, it finds a way towards an extremely satisfying emotional premise.

This isn’t the kind of arthouse fare that remains disinterested in accessibility. This is as human as it comes, exploring the nature of failed dreams and their existential challenge. It cuts to the heart of the question of who we are, wondering about how we reconcile this with who we become. A brilliant use of story structure as a plot device slowly sneaks up on the story arc, setting the whole thing up for a true and real gut punch. That it can marry it’s observations of science and reason with something so grounded and mysterious is a testament to the smarts and the thoughtfulness of its script. The awe of space and it’s expanse represents the journey inward, with the imagery of the rocket moving us in both directions at once.

8. The Holdovers
Plays like a warm blanket with a hot drink. Cosy, pared back, simple, heartfelt. It’s also smart, or Aasmartly written character study that gives its two central characters, a cynical aging professor and a castoff delinquent student, plenty of room to develop.

7. Killers of the Flower Moon
If The Irishman turned the camera inward in an examination of Scorsese’s career, Killers turns the lense outwards again, this time towards the Osage people and the harrowing murder mystery that frames its source material. There is a kind of collaborative spirit evidenced in this project that strives to shed light on one of the most pertinent issues of our day- the attrocoities experienced by the indigenous peoples by way of colonization. It reminded me a bit of Silence in its approach, marrying a quiet, reflective undercurrent to the intensity of its unfolding drama. In truth, I didn’t feel or notice the 3 and a half run time at all, it’s that absorbing.

There is so much care given to the craft and attention given to the cultural representation, and it’s the sort of emotional punch that is less interested in evoking easy sentiment and tears and instead approaches that in a more cerebral fashion. If the film is a reminder of how privileged we all are to have this guy still making films, it’s concern and impact is far more powerful in its ability to bring the darkness of its characters experiences to light without losing the beauty and humanity of its subjects in the process.

6. Guardians of the Galaxy 3
A franchise about unlikely friendship grows into a story about found family, taking the time to really explore the weight of their individual stories and struggles and how they fit together. This is a genuine feeler that stands as a reminder of why the MCU has had such a lasting presence in the cinematic landscape.

5. Showing Up
The tagline for this film is “art imitates life”. Perhaps at least part of what this film is wrestling with is the flipside of this notion, “does life imitate art”. Certainly we can see this expressed in our main characters struggle to escape the confines of her own particular prisons.

Reichardt draws out this story of a young woman, a sculptor preparing for a potentially life changing new show, with an attentive eye to that often invisible space between who we see ourselves to be and who we fear others see us to be. We see her art slowly take on the form of her experiences, even as her life begins to look for inspiration in the art, forming a fascinating juxtaposition of ideas. The commentary isn’t reaching into the same places of social concern as First Cow, making this a different sort of film. It clears the intellectual landscape in favor of quiet observation. And it’s from this vantage point that we gain insight on the beauty of the films questions and its subjects.

4.. Past Lives
Celine Song’s Directorial debut exhibits a quiet presence and a confident spirit in its studied look at the “stories” of our lives. Song’s sure handed approach to drawing out these characters is mesmerizing to watch, and given her own background (Korean-Canadian decent who moves to New York to pursue a career in writing), her own story lends it an inspired touch. The camera feels that closely tied to the ebb and flow of the journey.

A beautiful and big hearted film from start to finish. It’s a reminder that The stories we are given, the stories we tell. This is how we make sense of our lives in the now. The now opens up our lives to all that brings us to where we are. I can’t wait to see what Song does next.

3. Opppenheimer
Every so often a film comes around that feels impossible to describe in its details but also feels subsequently monumental in its presence. Oppenheimer occupies this space, with the only true certainty I could glean from it being that I was in the presence of something profound and excpetional. Certainly as  a technical achievement. But also in the way it asks big questions about humanities potential for both progress and destruction. How we think about humanities future relates a good deal to how we think about our past, and if nothing else such histories can help challenge our notions that the enlightenment has proved to be the answer to our problems.

2. Anatomy of a Fall
A film about wrestling with the unknowns of life. A film about being okay with the unknowns of life. A film about making choices and carving out convictions in the midst of the unknowns of life.

1. Are You There God, Its Me Margaret
One of the best coming of age stories to release in a while. Honest and authentic to its core. Perfectly captures what it is to go through puberty with all its uncertainty and struggles, and does so with grace and sensitivity without sacrificing the raw reality of the process. Even where the particularities of this story about a young girl becoming a woman sits outside of my own realm of experience, I think the story itself can translate universally.

Religion becomes the divisive backdrop that echos Blooms own experience growing up. Religion becomes for Margaret a source of hurt and pain, not hope. And yet, whereas the doc would suggest that Bloom found an answer to her struggles by replacing God with a renewed commitment to the “I”, as though stripping God from the equation could solve her personal crisis and get rid of the division, the film never loses sight of the fact that the crisis is born not of religion but of the human experience. To sacrifice God on the alter of our experiences might be the most honest reaction we can find, but I think this film shows that it doesn’t take long for an allegiance to the self to find itself mired in a need to be anchored in something bigger than the “I”.
If there is a message that flows from Margarets own wrestling it is that the graces we need to navigate this thing we call existence often arrive against expectations. Which might just be the most hopeful portrait of God we can find.

I feel like it is fair to say it hasn’t been a stellar year for animation. Part of that has been the story of Disney’s woes at the box office, taking the shine off of what are typically a handful of high profile release. Netflix has been increasing its investment in animation over the last number of years, and typically has, at the very least, a couple amicable cult favorites to mine from the mix, not to mention snagging Del Toro’s Pinocchio last year. This year, the best of the bunch is probably Nimona, which is perfectly fine but far from great, along with the much anticipated follow up to Chicken Run, which sort of fizzled out after somewhat tepid reactions. It doesn’t help either that both Suzume and The Boy and the Heron released to somewhat mixed reception too, Suzume still not getting a digital release despite a very brief and short lived theater run, The Boy and the Heron proving to the be the stronger of the two. These were the films that were supposed to dominate the discussion over the course of 2023, and while The Boy and the Heron can definitely lay claim to occupying a significant part of 2023’s cultural conversation, and remains a significant achievement from one of the greatest living directors, this is still a far cry from where we were with the animated category in the last number of years.

Dig a little though, and there are some gems worth highlighting, giving the obvious nods as well to the big hitters in Across The Spiderverse, and the crowd favorite Super Mario Bros. Shout out as well to The Peasants, one of my most anticipated animated films of the year which I have not yet been able to see due to it not getting a wide release.

1. SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDERVERSE
It would be hard to argue this is not the best animated film of the year given its overall success on a number of levels. Critics loved it. Audiences loved it. And this meant success at the box office, elevating the film to the level of capturing a true cultural moment. Full disclosure- I wasn’t as high on the first one as many others were, so I went into this sequel with some reservations. What I loved about Across the Spiderverse is that it addressed my number one problem with the first film- it incorporated a rich thematic core. It also uses the fan service elements to flesh out a compelling philosophical commentary, and spends time developing its unusually large cast of characters in a way that makes them all feel necessary to the story. All of this comes together to elevate this film above its predecessor, going from good to great

2. ELEMENTAL
We can call this the little film that could, if little could apply to this years high profile Pixar release. If headlines had their way, they would have convinced the masses that this one was dead in the water before it even got started. Rather than the story, it was the films box office woes that dominated the conversation. And yet it kept sticking around, week after week, slowly and steadily bringing in an audience over the course of a lengthy extended run. For my money, and I invested in this one myself, this is because of the simple power of its story. It is from the Director of The Good Dinosaur, a film that often, undeservedly so in my opinion, ends up on the bottom of peoples all time Pixar lists. Here he reaches for something even more expansive. And an older demographic as well. What it ultimately becomes is a wonderful mix of thematic sensibilities, exploring its coming of age context, its underlying love story, discussions about immigration, family and tradition, generational gaps. I was really taken with this from the start, and I was very glad to see it find success.

3. ERNEST AND CELESTINE: A TRIP TO GIBBERITIA
A life without music is unthinkable. So it is with Ernest and Celestine. They make the world a better place. As they fight to bring music and happiness back to Ernest’s home, fighting as one will do, of course, a fascist government regime (take that Pinocchio), they are also fighting for our hearts. Which, frankly put, is not really a battle at all. Whatever darkness lingers in the backdrop of this film’s subtext, what’s far more clear is the abundant optimism that carries it forward and wins the day. It might be tempting to call this comfort food, but that’s not really what this is. It’s as comforting as homemade soup on a winters day. Its also the real deal, like uncovering grandma’s favorite recipe.

4. THE FIRST SLAM DUNK
It’s a phenomenal and quintessential sports movie. As an animated film its also so much more. The pacing is exceptional, building the tension right up to its thrilling climax, and the human drama gets fully fleshed out, offering us endearing characters with real stakes. A definite power player in this years animated slate.

5. THE BOY AND THE HERON
Even lower tier Miyazaki is on a different terrain than most animated fair. This one did end up falling short for me, being too layered for its own good, especially when he is taking so many risks with his storytelling. There is little doubt that the film is coming from a deeply personal place, and the question of legacy looms large here. It also features one of the years best scores, and of course boasts a very creative animation style. Whatever confusion it might evoke in terms of the story beats, which in reading up on the film sounds like it was intentional, is overshadowed by the technical strength. I just really needed a more concrete way into the story for this to fully work, but It is, nevertheless, still Miyazaki, and on that front alone remains a must see and a definite choice for these end of the year lists. One of the greatest living directors without a doubt.

6. RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN
Probably the single animated film to catch me most off guard this year. It really endeared me to its characters and its story, and despite falling off slightly in the third act, features an exceptionally edited and constructed first three quarters. It has a lot going for it, including memorable characters and an old fashioned adventure story revolving around a coming of age scenario and the challenges/lessons of family and peers that flows from this. Perhaps its biggest strength is simply its heart. Authenticity goes a long ways.

7. WISH
A mixed bag, but a film that is much stronger than first appearances might imply. In truth, it is important to support original films such as this, even if the film is imperfect. Wish reflects the look and feel of the Disney classics while forging its own take on a modern fairy tale. It’s a love letter in its own way to what Disney once imagined itself to be, and does its best to carry those values forward, celebrating the strength of an honest story and the imagination. I really liked it, and I personally hope they take more risks on films like this in the future.

8 LAMYA’S POEM
If poetry were a film. Lamya’ Poem would b it, awash as it is in lyrical depth, including an exceptional score, some gorgeous colors, and a compelling story about refugees.

9. THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE
Yes, it’s the popular pick. But hey, it is fun in all the best ways, so what can I say. Loved all the inside takes and easter eggs. Loved that I saw it with someone was able to point that stuff out to me too.

10. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES
If you thought this film might crash and burn in a spectacular fashion, for as feverish as the advertising was leading up to its release, you aren’t alone. What a lovely surprise. I don’t know what the bigger surprise is actually; the fact that the turtles are actually cast as teenagers, or the fact that its as fun as it ends up being. Either way, its worth bringing them back to the big screen in this way, even if the grungy animation style might prove to have a short shelf life. It remains a novelty for the moment though.

As I often say, if animated films and documentary films tend to get their own categories when it comes to end of the year lists, I will always make an argument that horror should too. It is, after all, one of my favorite genres (see Josh Larson’s book Fear Not: A Christian Appreciation of Horror for a great breakown of how to appreicate horror from a Christian perspective, and join The Fear of God community/pocdast for some great discussions on the intersection of faith and fear). So how did 2023 fare on the horror front? I think I might make the case that it is not as strong as previous years. But where it shines, it shines, from the little films to the big hitters, there’s lots of love still to go around. Here are my highlights:

TOP 12 HORROR FILMS OF 2023

1. EMILY
The tag line for this film is, “the imagination behind Wuthering Heights”. It follows the life and story of Emily Bronte as she lives the inspiration for the book. The complex characters here really come to life in a visceral way, taking a lyrical approach to the different tensions the cut through fabric of their shared life and struggle. It is here that we find the different forces fighting for Bronte’s allegiance- community/family and individualism, liberty and Tradition, different kinds of intellectualism, love and hurt, morality and hedonism, faith and doubt, the artist and the educated. It ultimately presents a persistent sense of dysfunction that all boils over into a genuine sense of horror. And It is here, both in the story and in the visuals, that this film weaves those horror notes into some genuine conventions and employment of the genre in some unexpected ways.

2. GODLESS: THE EASTFIELD EXORCISM
Feels like your run of the mill exorcism film going in, but this one was a real gut punch. It finds a way to turn a spotlight on the potential abuses of religion and faith while retaining a level of respect for it. This isn’t about tearing down belief in God, but about wrestling with the tension this creates when it binds itself to the real oppression that does exist in the world at large. This is where religion is contextualized into our lives and experiences, and this is the tension we carry as we navigate a reality where faith and potential oppression coexist.

3. SKINAMARINK
Jury is out on whether one can legitimately call this a film. Its more of an experience, and it will either work or it won’t, depending on how you experience it. Best case scenario- late at night, in complete darkness and silence, no distractions, and with a crowd that’s willing to give themselves over to the exercise. The film’s essential intent is to reach into your psyche and tap into those childhood memories, those buried fears that perhaps you’ve left well behind. This film wants to make you relive them again, and then to ruminate on how they speak to your adult state of mind. A kind of therapy if you will, and full disclosure- this really did a number on me to that end.

4. A HAUNTING IN VENICE
As the third entry into Branagh’s Hercule Poirot saga, Venice is by and large my favorite of the bunch. It’s the most emotionally aware, it is bursting with thematic intrigue, and it’s the most vulnerable and personal of the three, delving deeper into the persona of Poirot and what drives him towards mystery. It is also the one that experiments with the horror genre, which gives it that added edge. Overall, I loved the mystery of the first (Orient), the setting of the second (Nile), and the story of the third. Taken together they work as a cohesive whole, with Venice functioning as a satisfying conclusion (or perhaps not) regarding the horror behind the mystery.

5. DREAM SCENARIO
The relatively recent, although by now well entrenched, Nic Cage renaissance has found the iconic actor willing to give himself over to varied roles and projects, each with their own level of necessary insanity in tow. There is little doubt this has helped make the man into a true cult following of the best kind, with the “anything goes” approach representing his legitimate claim on the concept of a modern artist. That he has managed to do this with the late stage of his career is one of the great mysteries of the universe. Gratitude abounds though, as it gives us projects like Mandy and Pig, and now his most recent title Dream Sequence. This honestly might be one of his best yet. The way he manages something so off the wall while blending in elements of fun, seriousness, tension and sincerity is really quite remarkable. It allows the film to build out a genuine thematic interest, and most importantly to feel relatable to real world experiences. One of the best of the year for sure.

6. TALK TO ME
Arguably the most familiar original horror title of 2023, and the one that fits the bill most succinctly and definitively. This is straight forward formula, but it is formula that works, and even then it is formula that provides the set up for what is perhaps its more noted element- its story. Its got scares, jump scares, intrigue, suspense, and it gives this all some genuine substance by probing and weighing in on the whole spirit-fresh dualism idea.

7. THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER
A controversial and divisive film, but one that I think deserved a fairer shake, especially given some of the disparity between the embrace by general audiences and the less than affectionate critical response. It has some issues, mostly in an uneven second half, but the first half is strong enough to carry the film through those slight missteps, and proves especially effective at carving its own path through the iconic franchises familiar story. It would be impossible for this to replicate the first film, but it finds a way to connect to it while subtly developing its own charcter and style, and that’s something I appreciated quite a bit. And, at its most fundamental level, I simply connected to the story it was telling and the questions it was asking, leaving me with no reservations about championing this film.

8. KNOCK AT THE CABIN
Another controversial title. As M. Night’s latest, this also proves to be one of his more commercial efforts to date. On the level of construction, the technicals here are quite strong. On a story level, and on a thematic level, mileage might vary. For my money, I loved what Night does with the apocalyptic genre, especially where it connects to interpretive discussions of Revelation. Here the commentary is functioning on multiple levels, constructing and reconstructing accepted norms in a way that puts us face to face with some problematic readings of the infamous biblical letter and the end times theology that has developedd from this. It is challenging, sometimes uncomfortable, but also tantalizing and necessary in a world where apocalyptic fears continue to abound and have a grip on wide portions of American Christianity.

9. THE LAST VOYAGE OF DEMETER
Proved to be so much better than I expected, establishing itself as a genuine horror thriller with equal parts sea faring adventure and old world charm. Loved the way it brings in the spiritual crisis, melding it with history and legend while creating some real emotionally heft.

10. THE POPES EXORCIST
If Russell Crowe driving a moped in Italy doesn’t hook you, the genuine campiness of the whole thing should. And hey, don’t look now, but this thing just might be more intelligent than it has any right to be. Make no mistake, this is Russell Crowe’s world, and we are along for the ride. It is guaranteed to be entertaining, and it makes no apologies for tabling some big and important questions along the way.

11. NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU
This one quietly entered the scene, slipping onto Disney+ with little to no advertising or fanfare. Who knew it would be one of the best sci-fi horror films to release in 2023. It is straightforward, to the point, concise, and uses that brief run time to accomplish quite a bit. The design of the film is great, and the execution is extremely effective. It all leads up to a compelling finale that uses its twist to say something of substance. A well rounded horror film on all levels.

12. INFLUENCER
Might not seem like this would amount to much, but underneath the surface level premise, which follows a social media influencer on a solo trip to Thailand (what could possibly go wrong), is a smartly written horror-thriller.

THE OUTLIERS

EVIL DEAD RISE
It is relatively void of any thematic interest, and for that matter a story, but as a well constructed horror sequence this is pretty dang effective.

COBWEB
It’s a bit uneven, but it’s a fascinating film to unpack as a debut. There is a ton to appreciate on a technical level, and it is abounding with potential and a creative imagination. It left me really excited to see where this emergent voice goes next.

Film debuts can be interesting things to dissect, given that they don’t have a clear measure. They tend to invite a different kind of analysis and critique than seasoned filmmakers working against expectations. The best debuts aren’t ones that adhere to certain ideals, but the ones that clearly demonstrate a filmmakers growing potential. They are the ones that operate outside of a need to cater to conventions, and give is a real sense of a filmmakers style an sensibilities.

In many ways, these are some of the most exciting films to uncover year after year, and 2023 is no exception. In fact, this category of film has given us what is undeniably one of the best films of the year in Celine Songs’ Past Lives, along with one of my favorite films of the year in the richly philosophical exploration of Artifice Girl, a film I will be looking at elsewhere. Also not to be lost in the mix is one of my favorite Canadian efforts in I Like Movies, a movie I already highlighted in that space, along with one of my biggest surprises of the year in the fun an vibrant Polite Society. While I will be giving or have already gave those films due spotlight elsewhere, here is a list of additional debuts that I think are deserving of your attention

BLACK, WHITE, AND THE GREYS
I feel like we are past the “is it too soon” question regarding pandemic related/themed films. There has been some outstanding works that have quietly found their way into the film landscape, most, if not all, being largely overlooked. Black, White and the Greys belongs with the best of them, using the context of the pandemic to explore the intricacies of the relationship crisis that sits at its center. It parallels the interpersonal divide with the cultural divide with the racial divide of this interracial couple, allowing this cross section of experiences to play into one another in a way that feels familiar to our overall experience of the pandemic. There’s nothing flashy here, but it demonstrates a sure handed ability when it comes to navigating an intimate character drama, giving the two performances the necessary space to bring the tensions of their relationship to the surface.

FOREVER YOUNG
The fascination here begins with the premise, following a 70 year old woman whom takes a pill that reverses the aging process while her husband faces a terminal illness which is accelerating the progression towards his death. Two opposing trajectories which provide this film with a way into the much bigger questions about life, existence, relationship and meaning. This is a quality hidden gem hiding in the mix of the 2023 slate, featuring a powerful and resonant resolution to its unconventional journey.

UNTIL BRANCHES BEND
Set in the Okanagan valley, the story centers on a factory worker (cannery) who happens across an invasive insect which is a knowing threat to the environment, most immediately to the town she lives in and the agricultural industry that gives it stability. The real strength of this film is its richly drawn cinematic experience that explores the intricacies of its setting, the challenges of its community, and utilizes a visual approach that immerses one in the particular crisis of the moment, using this to draw our attention out to bigger questions and bigger concerns. It follows a less than linear path filled with poetry and symbolism and metaphor, exploring our relationship to the world through the particularities of the political barriers this young woman is facing in her most immediate context. Here conspiracy gives way to enlightenment, pointing us outwards towards a greater interest in the why of these matters.

LITTLE JAR
One of two pandemic related films that I’m highlighting here, this one being less about the pandemic itself and more an exploration of the nature of isolation and solitude. It is unconventional, features some unexpected turns, and provides an emotional climax befitting the tension of the unfolding drama. It might not seem like one could do much with an isolated woman, a jar and an unexpected companion, but the Director understands how far an authentic vision can take a story, imbuing it with plenty of unique flourishes along the way.

BLUE JEAN
The Director utilizes a scaled back approach to achieve a highly realized sense of heightened emotional concern. The dramatic concern flows from the experience of a young teacher trying to survive in a muddled and harsh political climate for the LBGTQ+ community, leading her to particular points of crisis and difficult, altering decisions that mean sacrificing things that matter to her and her life. The messaging of the film does get a bit muddled by the end, trading its concern for oppression and the connection between this young woman’s isolation and her need for community, for easy and superficially drawn appeals to individual liberty as an ideal. It is at its strongest however when depicting the struggle, and it is on this front that Blue Jean proves a compelling indie debut.

THE MAIDEN
The automatic comparisons that this film seems to evoke are to Stand By Me, a film that utilizes a literary approach to delve into the age specific experiences of its characterss. The Maiden is, however, visual storytelling. It is slow cinema with a penchant for capturing layered symbols. It is, by its nature, less a slice of life approach and far more of a deliberate interpretive exercise, exploring the relationship between two boys with very different personas. On a thematic level, the Director wants to explore the dynamic of looking backwards in order to look forwards, trying to bridge these two perspectives as a matter of reconciliation and redemption, drawing out of the disparity a coherent narrative that is able to hold their stories together. And in a powerful way, this reconciliation is not simply of themselves to themselves, but of themselves to the world. It’s a film ripe on this level for contemplation, and the slow cinema approach leaves plenty of room for this to happen.

ALONERS
This would make an excellent double feature with Little Jar, given that both films are interested in exploring the dynamics of isolation. Here, this film is not so much focused on the physical dynamic as it is the emotional an spiritual dynamic, acknowledging that is possible to exist in the world and feel very much alone. I love the way it blends genres, and the way it uses the physical setting of workplace apartment to parallel the necessary relational movements that exist between father and daughter. Thematically speaking, if it can say nothing else about the feeling and experience of aloneness, it acknowledges that any act of finding oneself lost in the world ultimately must find oneself in the world.

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.

Continuing with my 2023 retrospective, this year proved to be quite exceptional for Canadian film. It is a reminder of the importance in investing in and supporting our Country’s film industry. It is easy to fall into the trap of simply seeing the film landscape through the lens of American imports, but there is a healthy and thriving local industry rooted in cities across the nation. And these creatives are bringing their particular perspective and voice to the global landscape. This is part of our collective story.

Here are some of my highlights:

I LIKE MOVIES
I’m certainly willing to admit that my theater experience likely played a big role in elevating this film in my mind. A sold out crowd at my local arthouse made this one of the more memorable theater experiences for me in 2023. However, what makes this film standout for me even more is the way it has lingered for me months afterwards. It’s a good story with a strong emotional backdrop, but more importantly it’s a love letter to people like me. Those of us who never fit in at school with the typical crowds, and who instead found a sense of community and identity hanging out at our local video store. Spending hours browsing for titles. Connecting with others who shared a passion for the art form. Chatting with employees whom we would get to known on a first name basis. This film hit a chord made me feel seen and understood. Which is of course the power of film.

THE SWEARING JAR
If you like films that use music as a storytelling device, and if you like films that use small stakes, an intimate relationship drama, and a small cast of characters to build to a richly earned emotional climax, then this is a film you should definitely check out. Its bursting with wonderful chemistry, and it finds a way to blend the hard hitting nature of its story with something that is undeniably charming and affectionate. Beautiful film that should earn a few tears.

BROTHER
This easily could occupy space with some of the more surprising efforts of 2023 for me. Set in Scarborough, it tells the story of a singular family through the perspective of a pair of siblings, both of whom are navigating their lives as Jamaican-Canadians in a way that separates them based on their differences and bonds them together through their shared blood at the same time. It’s a reminder that matters of race exist here in Canada as well, its rhythmic approach helping make this story a reflective an meditative process on growth and healing in the face of struggle.

BLACKBERRY
Probably the most high profile Canadian film to release in 2023, and for good reason. This is a true indie with an incredible screenplay, some really strong direction, and memorable performances. It takes a story that you might feel would be deeply uninteresting (the story of Blackberry’s rise and fall) and makes it riveting drama. Its so high octane that its legitimately stress inducing, but in the best kind of way.

RICEBOY SLEEPS
This film is similar to Minari, both in its subject matter, which revolves around immigration and family, and in its style and tone. Its drawn out very much like a portrait, but one where we get to narrow in on the different voices that make up this landscape. Its about going on the journey with this family as they find the struggles of living in Canada something that pulls them apart, even as the process also brings them together. Such bonds are formed over this shared experience, even if the different members of this family experience this in slightly different ways. Without a doubt a powerful human drama.

FALCON LAKE
A coming of age story that wants to dig underneath the surface of some commonly held stereotypes and norms regarding what it means to grow up and discover who we are in the largely unfamiliar world that surrounds us. It narrows in on a 14 year old boy and dares to wonder whether he is more than hormones and rebellion. It wants to pull nuance out of the rubble of superficiality, and in the process wonders about how the young boy and young woman at the center of this story can become an allegory for the larger world, or even life itself.

YOU CAN LIVE FOREVER
Tender, kind hearted, and beautiful dealing with questions of gender, religion, and of course humanity.

RETROGRADE
A really strong script anchors this conversational, indie drama. It revels in the awkwardness of its main character and the scenario she finds herself caught up in, and ends up as a really solid commentary on Gen Z. It’s a really fun film, but don’t undersell its themes.

THIS PLACE
As I wrote in my review, this film quietly finds its way through the periphery senses into the heart, following two young woman who’s paths suddenly cross, at once interconnecting their lives and their experiences. It’s a really small budget, but the Director really makes the most out of each shot and sequence. It’s the perfect platform for its two leads to stretch themselves, bound as they are to some pitch perfect chemistry and bound as we are to the films gentle, emotive score. Its all quite mesmerizing as an experience.

It is that time of year again when many of us find ourselves looking backwards in order to rightly and effectively look ahead. And for those of us who are obsessive an perpetual list makers, this could be undeniably be considered our most favorite time of year. For those of us built to reflect, it can also be one of the most meaningful.

Of course, the potential lists are endless- film, books, goals, memories and moments, just to name a few. I have noted this about myself in recent years, but the way I am built I am all about finding the narratives that have shaped my year. This is true for the individual narratives that have made an impact on me in 2023. I am also deeply interested in locating the meta-narratives, which for me is simply asking, how did these individual narratives shape me over the course of the year. How has my perspective changed and been challenged from the beginning of the year to the end.

I will get there. That’s what the space between Christmas and New Years is built for, after all. But it begins with narrowing down to the specifics, which for me begins with looking back at what I watched in 2023 an noting my favorites, or what I consider to be the most standout films of the year. As a way to kick this off, I thought I would give some attention to a category I don’t always acknowledge- the biggest surprises. These would be measured by the following parameters:

1. Something that I was previously unaware of that ended up really catching me off guard
2. Something that I thought would be either not very good or not very interesting which proved otherwise
3. A film that did something entirely unexpected

My Top 5 Biggest Suprises of the Year In Film

WONKA
When news first broke about the latest addition to the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory adaptations, I had plenty of reservations. I questioned the casting of Chalamet. I wondered whether an origins story about Wonka was necessary. I was curious about the decision to approach it as a musical. The fact that all such reservations were put to rest with the opening sequence, which is filled with all the natural whimsy and charm befitting the Paddington Directors style and sensibilities, makes this one of my most favorite surprises of 2023. The film struck a tone and style that fit hand in glove with the beloved classic, transporting me straight back to my childhood memories, while bringing in some fresh and modern flourishes.

TETRIS
If I came into 2023 raising an eyebrow over the apparent trend of biopics about products, it is saying something to note that any number of them could have qualified in this spot. Air was one of the most crowd pleasing movie experiences of the year and a real delight, and Blackberry, which will show up on another of my lists, was phenomenal in its script and its direction. I went with Tetris though, because out of all of them this might be the one came most out of left field. I knew next to nothing about it, and the straight to streaming decision was one that kept this even further outside of my awareness. Turns out it was a blast. A story that I never realized could be that entertaining, and a genuine blockbuster that I think deserved the big screen treatment.

CHEVALIER
I went in dark, having never even heard of the film before rolling the die one evening when I was looking for something to see. And I fell in love with the films heart, soul and energy. It’s a period piece, but one that’s imagined with an inventive touch, employing a mixture of narrow frames and quick moving camera work befitting the musical subtext. The result is a richly entertaining and immersive experience, helping to bring the history to life like an orchestrated symphony or grand opera befitting its amazing score.

POLITE SOCIETY
Might be the most quirky and fun “superhero” film you never saw in 2023. It has an indie flare, an anything goes premise, and a cast that’s all in.

DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES
Count me among the ones who wrote this off completely long before its release.
And then I caught wind of the feverish support that followed its initial release. Took me a few weeks, but when I finally managed to catch it on the big screen the quiet hype made all the sense in the world. Perhaps most impressive is the way it brought hardcore players and fans and those who have never played together in the same experience. This is an old school effort that manages to be a great big nod to the adventure films from back in the day. Fast, fun, funny and deeply entertaining, employing just the right blend of CGI and practical set pieces to function as pure escapism of the best kind

Film Journal 2023: Wonka
Directed by Paul King

From the voice behind the beloved Paddington films comes a colorful new vision of Wonka’s past. This is, if there was a pure defintion of the term, the very defintion of a family film, one that sees its success in bridging that gap between old and young. It captures the spirit of the original while pushing it ever so gently in fresh directions, all in service of the story’s appeal to the imagination.

Any questions about Chalamet’s ability to conjure up the quirky idealism and eccentricities of a young Wonka finding his way are put to rest with the first musical number. He proves a perfect fit for the grand stage and the innate magical realism that surrounds him. This is a world where the simple power of confectionaries and artistic creativity can defy the limits of our cynicism and challebge the trappings of capitalist pursuits. As the film posits, its not about the chocolate, its about the people we share it with, and the backstory that we discover in this film sets the stage for the deeply embedded moral convictions of the mysterious Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Loved the clean cut simplicity of the action and the set design, along with the different musical numbers. It might deviate ever so slightly when it comes to the typical trappings of that third act climax, but it never loses its heart and its soul, nor its charm. I have to imagine that if you grew up with any appreciation of the classic film, this will tap into all those childhold memories and feelings, not as a retread but as a celebration. Its ability to share this and communicate this with a fresh generation using the same geinine and thoughtful artistic commitment that we find in the Paddington films is the thing that bridges that gap.

Reading Journal 2023: Time and Again
Author: Jack Finney

For a book that has been on my must read list for admittedly far too long, this landing in the good not great category might seem like an overt criticism, but it’s not. Good, even at times very good, is the fair assessment, not great is simply my expectations. Afterall, this is a time travel book that functions as a love letter to New York City with elements of Christmas written into the settinng. If there was a book written specifically for me, this would be it. If I could narrow it down, while I loved all the different aspects, including the old photographs, the way it imagines tlhe possibility of time travel, and the historical elements, I feel like I wanted more character and less mystery-adventure. I was ultimately more interested in the ideas and the concepts than the story.

Perhaps this was most felt in the set up, which follows a man facing his thirties with the nagging crisis of feeling like his life has thus far amounted to very little. Wondering about the current state of his life becomes the thing that carries him back into the past, and more specifically to a significant moment for him personally. As it happens, the opportunity to travel into the past comes at the hands of a secret governent project, one that finds his present personal crisis to be something that makes him a fitting candidate for their experiment.

The way the book works itself into the time travel motif is through the power of the mind. Thus there is ample opportunity for the book to explore things like nostalgia, memory, imagination, and our connection with time and place. This comes most alive and most celebrated when the book sinks itself into the old New York setting. Wandering the streets and gaining a sense of its sights and smells and energy is a true highlight of the story. The plot points that pull us back and forth in time tends to accentuate this rather than accenting it. I will say this however. The plotting is nicely structured to bring us to a fitting conclusion, with a particular element of the story functioning as a necessary and appropriate climax and conclusion.

To say it again, I would have been more enamored with a story that was content to narrow in on our main character’s personal journey and his relationship to the past, and even to the relationships he builds in the past, rather than one that is focused equally on the government agency and the different characters that form the larger mystery-adventure surrounding that. I was, however, perfectly content to go along for the ride given the elements we do get that satisfy my obsession with the three things listed above- time travel, New York, and Christmas. Thats the true selling point of Time and Again.