Ranking my Top 10 Films of 2023: Which Movies Made The Cut?

It’s that time of year again! As we get closer and closer to approaching 2024, I thought it would be the perfect time to count down my Top 10 Films of 2023.

There are still a lot of movies that I have not seen yet, but I wanted to highlight some of my favorites of the year so far!

My Top 10 Films of 2023 are:

10

Totally Killer

If horror comedy films like Happy Death Day and Freaky are your jam, you’ll find plenty to love in Totally Killer, featuring out of this world performances by both Kiernan Shipka and Olivia Holt.

9

The Passenger

Kyle Gallner gives the performance of his career in this dark and emotional film that was one of the most unique entries to cinema I have watched all year. Moving and resonating.

8

Barbie

The movie event of the year! Barbie was so much fun! Ryan Gosling gave one of my favorite performances of the year and I loved the humor sprinkled into this bubble gum pop world.

7

Thanksgiving

Halloween isn’t the only holiday featuring amazing slasher films. Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving channeled 90’s slashers to perfection with plenty of gore and twists around each corner.

6

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

The perfect blend of nostalgia for the generation that grew up playing these classic video games mixed with tons of cute and fun moments for kids now, making this a family friendly film worth your time. Plus, Jack Black KILLS it as Bowser and I think I’ll be singing “Peaches” for a very long time.

5

Plane

Every now and then, there is a non-stop action film that leaves me cheering and Plane is that movie for 2023. I loved it from start to finish and I’ve already re-watched it several times. It’s filled with adrenaline and plenty of bad-ass moments!

4

Unseen

An absolute gem that shouldn’t fly under the radar. Unseen is on the shorter side, but it hooks you from the start and features two strong female leads. If you enjoy simple, but effective thrillers, this one is for you!

3

Scream 6

I didn’t know how I felt about Scream 6 switching up its setting and main character, but it all worked perfectly, making this such a wonderful surprise. It carved its way into the franchise without holding back, creating a bloody good time for Scream fans everywhere.

2

Evil Dead Rise

Maybe not for everyone, but Evil Dead Rise presents horror fans with gore galore and introduces us to a new bad-ass female lead. I love the Evil Dead franchise and although this one had a very different feel to it, I couldn’t look away and that title card will be haunting me for years to come…

Honorable Mentions:

Leave the World Behind

Missing

No One Will Save You

Sick

The Blackening

Drum roll please…

1

Bottoms

Raunchy, laugh-out-loud funny, and so entertaining! Bottoms is my favorite film of the year! It’s been a long time since I truly fell in love with a teen comedy and this one brought that genre back to life and then some!

I hope to see more films from 2023 soon, but I hope you enjoyed the list!

Did you have a favorite film of 2023? If so, drop it in the comments!

I wish you all a happy and healthy new year and can’t wait to review more new films in 2024! Happy viewing!

Spoiler-Free Review of “What Comes Around” on Demand: An Intriguing Watch!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“You don’t really know this guy…”

What Comes Around released on Demand on August 4th 2023. The drama-thriller film stars Kyle Gallner, Grace Van Dien, Summer Phoenix, and Jesse Garcia. It runs for approximately 85 minutes.

An internet love affair spirals out of control when Eric decides to show up at Anna’s house to surprise her for her birthday, leading to an unpredictable game of cat-and-mouse.

Here is the trailer:

What Comes Around is an unconventional romantic thriller that kept me guessing until the end. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

A juicy twist!

Wow…I did not see that coming! At first glance, this film seemed like a modern day version of Fear (starring Mark Wahlberg and Reese Witherspoon), but it took an unexpected turn and went in a completely different direction.

It was shocking and really interesting.

Kyle Gallner does it again!

I just recently watched him in The Passenger (a fantastic performance) and here he goes again with this film! He always immerses himself into whatever role he is playing and I think he elevated this film in a lot of ways.

I’m not sure if I would have liked it as much without him. He really draws you in and makes you think with his performances. There were a lot of moving parts to this particular movie and I think he poured a lot into his character to keep the audience invested until the end.

The Cons:

Needed a little more edge…

There were so many little moments in this film that felt like they were building up to something else. While I didn’t need it to go full Lifetime here, I thought we were going to get some deranged moments, but they never really came.

That being said, I appreciate that this film decided to stay true to its intention, focusing more on the consequences of past actions while using a realistic approach to show the impact of the ending.

I guess I was just expecting something a little more explosive, but it still worked.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

A unique and realistic thriller that makes you contemplate the impact one’s past actions can really have on others.

This film was not what I was expecting, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on What Comes Around in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Passenger” on Demand: Kyle Gallner is Absolutely Brilliant in this Gripping Horror-Thriller

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“You should stop now…”

The Passenger (2023) released on Demand on August 4th 2023. The horror-thriller film stars Kyle Gallner, Johnny Berchtold, and Liza Weil. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-five minutes.

Randy is used to living each day unnoticed at his job, but when one of his co-workers goes on a violent rampage, he must confront his past and figure out a way to stay alive.

Here is the trailer:

The Passenger is captivating and brutal, taking a dark and realistic look into actions that can alter our lives permanently. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

All hail our Scream King…

Kyle Gallner doesn’t get enough credit. He is one of the most versatile actors around and has appeared in plenty of horror flicks over the years. This may be my favorite role by him yet. He was charismatic, unfiltered, and deranged in such a compelling way. He really showed off so much range in this film.

I wouldn’t say that he was a character to root for given the circumstances, but he lit up the screen and made this film what it was.

One of the most powerful performances I witnessed all year. Wow…

A horror deep rooted in reality…

These are the horror films that stick with me the most. The ones that could happen on any given day. They’re terrifying because they are so random and visceral, reminding you that you can’t ever know what’s going on inside of someone else.

I really loved the way this film analyzed how actions (intentional or not) can impact others in so many different ways. They can motivate us to be stronger or they can damage our moral compass permanently. And then there’s the most common way that past actions and trauma can impact us…through non-action…merely allowing things to just happen.

This film explored so many interesting psychological elements, taking us on an unconventional road trip of self-discovery under dire circumstances.

The Cons:

Not your average fast-paced thriller…

This film never felt slow or sluggish to me. But it wasn’t what I expected. If you’re looking for a thriller jam-packed with action, this isn’t that film. That being said, it branched off into something even more spectacular, which held my attention the entire time. Just be aware that this is a different kind of movie.

Also, it should be noted that some scenes depicting gun violence may be triggering for some.