The State of the Art: Movies 2023

It's been an exciting year for movies! Sometimes, I feel like the types of movies I watch over the course of a year can get too similar to each other; lists in the past have had an overabundance of superhero movies, or light comedies, or historical dramas, or whatever. In 2023, though, the movies I saw were all over the map, and I always feel happier when I've sampled from a wider cultural range.

As ever, the grades I give here are about the quality of the movie and how well it did at accomplishing what it was trying to achieve. If I were grading these purely on the experience of watching them, something like getting together with friends to ingest illicit substances and mock a piece of crap like Queen of the Damned would get an A. Speaking of good grades, it's interesting to note that while this year had double the number of movies in the A range as last year, there were no A+ movies in 2023. That seems about right; an A+ should be extremely rare.

As to my favorite movie of the year, I waffled quite a bit. It took me a long time to reach a decision, but ultimately, I went with one that was not only well-acted and had a tight and suspenseful plot, but cleverly avoided all of the traps and pitfalls that usually afflict romance stories.

Past Lives is remarkable. In 99% of movies, the dramatic tension of the story of a woman (Nora) who immigrated to North America as a child, grew up to marry an American, then reconnects with her old crush from Korea (Hae Sung) would be about the will-they/won't-they of cheating on her husband. This movie is a lot smarter than that, and is more interested in exploring Nora's inner conflicts in reconciling the person she was then with the person she is now. The word "bittersweet" is overused, but definitely applies here. The care taken with these characters' reminiscing about their real emotional connection in the past, while still treating their relationships in the present with intelligence is like an oasis of fresh water after wandering through a desert of hackneyed tropes for decades. It's a beautiful movie that I'm still thinking about, months after seeing it.

Let's get to full 2023 list!

Past Lives (A)

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (A)

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (A-)

Totally Killer (A-)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (B+)

Barbie (B+)

Poor Things (B+)
M3GAN (B+)
Asteroid City (B+)

No One Will Save You (B+)

Joy Ride (B+)

Polite Society (B+)

Roald Dahl shorts (The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar, The Rat Catcher, The Swan, Poison) (B+)
One More Time (B+)

Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3 (B)
Theater Camp (B)

No Hard Feelings (B)

May December (B)

Wonka (B)
One-of-a-Kind Marcie (B)

Elemental (B-)

A Haunting in Venice (C+)

Leave the World Behind (C+)
Magic Mike's Last Dance (C+)
Slotherhouse (C+)

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (C)

And for the pre-2023 movies:

The Shining (1980) (A-)
Tár (2022) (A-)

Theater of Blood (1973) (B+)

RRR (2022) (B+)

Sea Beast (2022) (B+)

The House (2022) (B+)

Triangle of Sadness (2022) (B)
Swiss Army Man (2016) (B)
Matilda the Musical (2022) (B)

Come From Away (2021) (B)

Shiva Baby (2020) (B)

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) (B)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) (B-)

Gremlins (1984) (B-)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) (B-)

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022) (B-)
The Producers (2005) (B-)
7 Days in Hell (2015) (B-)
The Brave Little Toaster (1987) (B-)

Bros (2022) (C+)
Unicorn Store (2017) (C+)

Top Gun: Maverick (2022) (C+)

Scooby Doo on Zombie Island (1998) (C+)

Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) (C+)
Barbarella (1968) (C)
Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996) (C)

Critters (1986) (C)
Twilight* (2008) (C)

Forbidden Planet (1956) (C)

D.E.B.S. (2004) (C-)
Vibes (1988) (C-)

Critters 3 (1991) (C-)

Critters 2 (1988) (C-)

Queen of the Damned (2002) (C-)

Arena (1989) (C-)

Hansel & Gretel (2002) (D+)

Blackenstein (1973) (D)

Critters 4 (1992) (D)

*We watched the Rifftrax version of this to make it palatable - grade reflects the actual movie

The State of the Art: Television 2023

It seems that television and books have swapped places this year. In 2022, there were several books that I loved, but on the whole, TV was entertaining, but not terribly exciting. This year, it was tough to find a book that grabbed my attention (though fortunately it happened), but TV was terrific. If there's an overarching theme to my experiences with television this year, it's that there's just no way to stay current, and I'll always be playing catch-up, even with shows I love. I'll absolutely get to the current seasons of Minx, The Bear, Julia, What We Do in the Shadows, Severance, Somebody Somewhere, etc. But there was absolutely no way to squeeze it all in.

Picking a favorite show is actually pretty agonizing this year. I could make an argument for any of a handful of shows taking the top spot, but ultimately I had to pick one. If you're looking for recommendations, though, there are plenty to choose from here. When picking a favorite, I took a few aspects into account: Obviously, it had to be a show that I loved, but there was only one show that I couldn't stop myself from bingeing. It stars actors I love in other properties. It has a sense of mystery and wonder without jumping up its own ass. I also like highlighting a show that didn't get a lot of attention, so my favorite television show of 2023 has to be:

The Big Door Prize. Never heard of it? You're not alone. I think I first heard this mentioned as a throwaway "here's what I've been watching" kind of comment on one of the podcasts I listen to, and it sounded intriguing enough to check out. Thank goodness I did, because this show is utterly fascinating.

If you've ever read the Machine of Death books (which are great, by the way), you're familiar with the concept of a mysterious machine that shows up without explanation and dispenses information that fundamentally changes people. Instead of informing the townsfolk of how they're going to die, though, the machine in The Big Door Prize gives them a word or phrase that promises to encapsulate their true potential. That sounds less dramatic than mode of death, but upon reading what the universe has decided you can be if you applied yourself, what sort of changes would you make in your life? What if the card is confusing? What if it's upsetting? What if it indicates you'll never be anything more than what you are right now, despite your ambitions? What if embracing your potential means you'll be forced to give up something that you love in the present?

I love a good dose of magical realism when it's done well, and this show does it beautifully. It's acted impeccably, it packs an emotional wallop while still being funny, weaves together a terrific overall story told from multiple points of view, and it spurs a lot of self-reflection about the kinds of people we are and who we want to be. I'm thrilled that it's been renewed for a Season 2.

While we wait for that, though, let's get to the year's full list!

The Big Door Prize (Season 1) (2023) (A)
Schmigadoon! (Season 2) (2023) (A)
Only Murders in the Building (Season 3) (2023) (A)
Poker Face (Season 1) (2023) (A)

The Other Two (Season 3) (2023) (A-)

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Season 1) (2023) (A-)

A Black Lady Sketch Show (Season 4) (2023) (A-) 

Never Have I Ever (Season 3) (2022) (A-)

The Afterparty (Season 1) (2022) (A-)

Harley Quinn (Season 4) (2023) (B+)

Never Have I Ever (Season 4) (2023) (B+)
Survival of the Thickest (Season 1) (2023) (B+)

Bodies (Season 1) (2023) (B+)

Extraordinary (Season 1) (2023) (B+)

Abbott Elementary (Season 2) (2023) (B+)
Schmigadoon! (Season 1) (2021) (B+)
Fright Krewe (Season 1) (2023) (B+)

Julia (Season 1) (2022) (B+)

Insecure (Season 1) (2016) (B+)

Somebody Somewhere (Season 1) (2022) (B+) 
Girls5Eva (Seasons 1-2) (2021-2022) (B+)

Jury Duty (Season 1) (2023) (B+)

Ted Lasso (Season 1) (2020) (B)

Harriet the Spy (Season 1) (2021) (B)

Cunk on Earth (Season 1) (2023) (B)
Bob's Burgers (Season 14) (2023) (B) [still airing]

Bob's Burgers (Season 13) (2023) (B)

Black Mirror (Season 6) (2023) (B)

Beef (Season 1) (2023) (B)

Central Park (Season 1) (2020) (B) 
The Great British Baking Show (Season 14) (B)
Unicorn: Eternal Warriors (Season 1) (2023) (B)

Futurama (Season 11) (2023) (B-)

Clone High (Season 2) (2023) (B-)
Indian Matchmaking (Season 3) (2023) (B-)

Fired on Mars (Season 1) (2023) (B-)

The Changeling (Season 1) (2023) (C+)

And Just Like That (Season 1) (2021) (C+)

Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators (Season 1) (2023) (C+)

Up Here (Season 1) (2023) (C)

The State of the Art: Games 2023

Let's be real: There was no way that this year of gaming would ever be able to match 2022, which was probably the best single year for video games I've ever experienced. That said, there was still a lot to enjoy this year from all over the gaming spectrum! One thing I did for the first time last year was to pick a favorite "left-brained" game, and a favorite "right-brained" game, which I think worked out really well, and that I'll carry forward. Normally, I'd say I'm more of a left-brained person in general, but last year, the right-brained choice took top spot, as it does again this year, because how could I pick anything other than Baldur's Gate 3?

It's exceedingly rare for me to pick a AAA game as my favorite. I tend to like smaller, indie games. Also, I played this game in early access, and wasn't impressed. At the time, I thought that the exponentially-cheaper Solasta had a better user interface than this extremely-hyped, massive game, and I sensed disaster in the offing when this went live. Never have I been happier to be wrong. I don't believe I've ever played a game where there are so many different possible outcomes to your choices. Everyone else I talked to who played this (which was basically everyone who games) conducted themselves in slightly different ways, which led to totally different results. NPCs I became friends with were dead in their games, and vice versa. NPCs who treated my character like dirt were sweet as pie to theirs. 

The attention to detail didn't stop there, as every single NPC (and there are hundreds of them) can be approached and talked to. Even if they don't have full conversation trees, they all have something different to say, making the world feel very lived-in. The graphics are top-notch, it's acted well, and it has an intuitive control system. If you can't play tabletop D&D, this is far and away the next best choice.

As to my favorite left-brained game of the year, it came to me by way of a friend who said "I looked into this game, and it seemed totally annoying to me. It's right up your alley." Boy, was he right. And on top of that, it's free! If logical analysis and late '90s internet research is your thing, be sure you try The Roottrees Are Dead.

It's the late '90s, and Carl Roottree, the billionaire candy company magnate, has just died in a plane crash, along with his wife and three daughters. The inheritance will be a knotty matter, and your mysterious benefactor has charged you with filling in the entire Roottree family tree, based on magazine articles, internet searches, and library books.

This game drew me in like a magnet. I literally put off social plans, because I was thisclose to cracking the information I needed to fill in a branch of this fictional genealogy chart. This is a real if-you-know-you-know type of game, but to the group of folks who are into this type of thing, this is an enthralling experience.

There were certainly other games that are worth your time that I discovered in 2023, from the musical mythological murder mystery Stray Gods, to censoring the news reports in Not For Broadcast, to the battles between rival steampunk carnival troupes in Circus Electrique. There were a lot of fun tabletop gaming experiences this year, too. Standouts include Descent: Legends of the Dark, Cthulhu: Death May Die, and the tabletop version of Fallout. But for the video games, let's get to the loosely-ranked list!

Circus Electrique

Stray Gods

Agatha Christie - Murder on the Orient Express

Final Fantasy XVI

Lord Winklebottom Investigates

The Past Within

Chants of Sennaar

South of the Circle

Venba

Forspoken

Not For Broadcast

The Room

Deathloop

Beacon Pines

Saltsea Chronicles

The Isle Tide Hotel

Dave the Diver

Memoranda

Underdog Detective

Deliver Us the Moon

Vampire - The Masquerade: Swansong

Harvestella

In the past handful of years, gaming has been getting better and better at conveying a rich cultural experience. I certainly never thought that a simple game like South of the Circle, in which you do little more than choose which emotion to express in conversations, could rival prestige television and movies in the ability to tell a compelling story, but with each passing year, video games are starting to overtake their respectable older siblings more and more. I can't wait to see what 2024 brings.

The State of the Art: Books 2023

As I read The Night Circus for the dozenth time (I only allow myself to read it in winter), I'm painfully reminded that for some reason, books seem to have a higher bar than other media to clear in order for me to give them a good grade. 2023, especially, had a few bright spots, but the reading year in general was kind of a shrug. I always like to look over the books I read over the course of a year to see if I can assign a "theme":

2019: "Anywhere But Here"
2020: "Dealing with Loss"
2021: "What We Owe to Each Other"
2022: "Look Behind the Curtain"

For 2023, I'd have to say the theme was "Stay In Your Lane". From unnecessary sequels to disappointing reimaginings of classic characters, this year was rife with books that failed to freshen up old ideas. For the first time in a long time, reading was kind of a chore, leading to a smaller list than in other years. You'll note that I put Louise Fitzhugh in quotes below, because Sport was published by her estate after her death, which goes a long way towards explaining why it's so awful. It wasn't all bad news, though. A few books managed to grip my attention, and happily, they came from different genres, from horror to non-fiction to a cheerful dystopian novel about the strength of community across multiple nations. Hopefully, next year will bring with it a better batch (I'm always open to recommendations). In the meantime, let's get to the list!

The Hacienda (2022) (Isabel Cañas) (A)

Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 (2003) (Stephen Puleo) (A-)

Scattered All Over the Earth (2018) (Yoko Tawada) (A-)

The Candy House (2022) (Jennifer Egan) (B+)

The Devil and the Dark Water (2020) (Stuart Turton) (B+)

Food Fights & Culture Wars (Tom Nealon) (2017) (B)
What is Not Yours is Not Yours (2016) (Helen Oyeyemi) (B)

Emily of New Moon (1923) (L.M. Montgomery) (B)

Marple: Twelve New Mysteries (2022) (Various) (B)

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons (Kate Khavari) (2022) (B)

Exile From Eden (Andrew Smith) (2019) (B)

You Think It, I'll Say It (Curtis Sittenfeld) (2018) (B)

Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century (2022) (Kim Fu) (B-)

The Chinese Groove (Kathryn Ma) (2023) (B-)

The Other Black Girl (2021) (Zakiya Dalila Harris) (B-)

After the People Lights Have Gone Off (2014) (Stephen Graham Jones) (C+)

The Gone World (Tom Sweterlitsch) (2018) (C)

Mycroft Holmes (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anna Waterhouse) (2015) (C)

Sport ("Louise Fitzhugh") (1979) (C-)

Kismet (2018) (Luke Tredget) (D)