My favorite movies last 2023 🎥🍿

1. The Zone of Interest, 2023

⭐️6.0/10

– The Zone of Interest takes a unique angle in approaching the Holocaust. Certainly an angle I haven't seen before in a film. This different approach gives the film a really sinister quality that frames the evils of the Holocaust in a new and terrifying way. It achieves this approach through stark juxtaposition. It compares the relatively banal, matter-of-fact homemaking of the Hoss family against the utterly horrendous tragedy being perpetrated just over their garden wall. By doing this, it is not an overly graphic or in your face film. Instead, the violence and evil is primarily heard and not seen, as the horrifying sounds of the camp constantly bleed into the Hoss family home. It is in this way that the film makes its mark. To have such tragedy and horror ignored by this family and their guests. To normalise the mass murder over the garden wall. The glib and matter of fact way it is treated by them all. That is where the horror lies.

2. Poor Things, 2023

⭐️9.0/10

– Funny, but disturbing. Shocking, but light hearted. Somewhere between Frakenstein's monster and a teenage coming of age film. Having spent days thinking about it, I still don't know what to make of this film, other than that it was thoroughly engaging and as unique as anything I've seen.

As a fairly casual cinema viewer when the film started in black and white with completely abstract scenes, I groaned inwardly. If this was to be the entire film, I honestly believed I would have left before the hour mark.

But slowly, the film took hold. There are some interesting ethical and moral questions included, which the film passes no judgement on, merely leaving it to the viewer. I don't know what to think and this made me love every minute of it. This film is not for everyone and is clearly aimed more at the arts crowd and awards than the average viewer, but as someone who is not an arty type, but enjoys something different, this film fits the bill.

3. All of Us Strangers, 2023

⭐️8.0/10

– I'm posting this mainly dispel something that another reviewer posted. They said that the movie's timeline doesn't make sense, that the scenes with the parents were "supposed to be" in the early 2000s, but they looked like the 80s. That would be because they were: "Always on My Mind" by the Pet Shop Boys came out in the fall of 1987, and we hear a DJ say that it's #4 on the charts in the Christmas scene. Also, when he's writing his script about his parents, the type says, "INT. SUBURBAN HOUSE, 1987" Andrew Scott is 47. If we suppose that Adam is the same age, then Adam was born in about 1975. 1975 + 12 (his age when his parents died) = 1987.

4. The Taste of Things, 2023

⭐️8.0/10

– Juliette Binoche and Benoit Magimel shine in their respective roles as a beautiful cook and her long admiring gourmet lover. The film is a great celebration of food with the first 20 minutes or so being a real feast for the eyes as a sumptuous meal is prepared in intricate detail as we salivate in our seats. This is very skilfully done as with minimal dialogue and accomplished direction we get a deft introduction to the characters involved as they create the mouthwatering dishes. There's a lovely tone to this film which celebrates in equal measure the love between the two lead characters and their shared passion for wonderful food and the lighting and cinematography is exquisite. The sequence where Dodin cooks for Eugiene is a delight as his two great passions come together, not least in the dessert. It was a pleasure to watch this life affirming film though I'd recommend you either eat immediately before it or have food ready immediately after as it will engage your tastebuds. Finally there is a winning performance from Bonnie Chagneau Ravoire as Pauline that is impressive for such a young actress.

5. La Chimera, 2023

⭐️8.0/10

– "La Chimera" is a bittersweet addition to the magical-Italian-realism cinematic universe of director Alice Rohrwacher. Her new parable about Italy that's also a folklore fairytale tells the story of clairvoyant/haunted archeologist/graverobber Arthur, played by Josh O'Connor. Arthur's journey to retrieve the film's buried namesake is not one for glory and it's barely for riches; O'Connor commits both emotionally and physically to a naturalistic portrait of a lost man searching for something that is beyond the tangible. This heavy-hearted quest is balanced thanks to moments orchestrated by Arthur's local gang of merry graverobbers, played by former collaborators from Rohrwacher films. Another great performance is by Isabella Rosellni, playing a women that is connected to Arthur through personal history and in her attachment to living in the past. The film is far less narrative-driven, instead choosing to follow Arthur from one moment to another, a nod to the wandering man of other Italian greats, Pasolini and Felini. The ending, similarly, leaves viewers with the choice of deciding whether Arthur was victorious in fulfilling his wish or not.

Have you seen this film? What did you think of it? Comment below!

#lemon8tainment #movierecommended