2023: The Good, The Bad, The Surprising, & The Disappointing
It’s time to look back on the year that’s a century away from being OCD approved. The following are my picks for the best and worst Movies, TV Shows, Books, and Video Games that I watched, read, and played in 2023 (Yup, I actually played some games this time around). Just like previous years, this is NOT the best and worst of what was released in 2023, but of what I experienced in 2023. Many of these may have come out years prior, but I just now got around to them. And now, drumroll…
Movies
BEST
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Finally a multiverse movie that actually embraces the concept of a multiverse, rather than just palette swapping every world to a different color. Across the Spider-Verse is perhaps the most visually stunning movie ever made. Into the Spider-Verse was already a visual feast, but this one made it feel like the first movie was playing it safe. Showcasing this is not just the art style, but the artistic variety. The filmmakers let their imagination run wild with every universe looking and feeling vastly different from the one before. And as much as it is a visual roller coaster, the story is an emotional one, and everything is perfectly balanced.
Honorable Mentions
Extraction 2
Action fatigue is real, but the cure for that fatigue is simple in concept but hard to execute: pacing, movement, and variety. Extraction 2 nailed it in a way where I didn’t want that 20 minute oner to end.
Tetris
This was way better than it had any right to be. Who knew that the creation of Tetris would be something so engaging, nuanced, fast-paced, and thrilling?!
WORST
Saaho
RRR spoiled me last year. Saaho’s editing is all over the place to the point incomprehension. The music sequences come out of nowhere with no connection or context to the main film.
Dishonorable Mention
Expend4bles
I commend The Expendables for waiting until the fourth film before loosing its identity.
MOST SURPRISING
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
This movie did not deserve to flop. It's the pure fantasy adventure fun we've always wanted, with the comedic charm Marvel always aims for, and, low-key, some of the best choreographed fight scenes in years.
Honorable Mentions
They Cloned Tyrone
Shadow-dropped on Netflix on the same day that Barbie and Oppenheimer took over theaters and everyone’s social media, They Cloned Tyrone is an amazing stylistic blend of comedy, science fiction, blaxploitation, and thriller.
The Eight Hundred
This may be the most insanely chaotic film you ever see. It’s China's Black Hawk Down.
MOST DISAPPOINTING
Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire
You know those fun and interesting montage scenes in heist movies where the lead characters are going around recruiting their team? Now imagine if that montage wasn’t fun, or interesting, or a montage. That’s Rebel Moon, it spends nearly it’s entire runtime gathering up a crew Mass Effect 2 style, just so they can do nothing in the background. Then, after doing all that while barely justifying its sci-fi setting, it decides to climax with ONLY the main character having a less than mediocre fist fight. But what truly killed Rebel Moon was the year plus of hype leading up it, this was supposed to be Zach Snyder's redemption after having the DCEU taken away from him, this was supposed to be his epic... and it just wasn't.
Dishonorable Mention
Fast X
Vin Diesel's unwillingness to share the spotlight is killing this series. In the midst of an ever-growing ensemble cast, because the writers can't seem to just let people stay dead, the rest of the characters are constantly being sent on a pointless side treks just to give them something to do. And the action is nosediving lower than Vin Diesel's mumble-growl of a voice. Now I'm ok with ridiculous, over-the-top action but the problem with Fast is that the action has become pointless. Take that the fight between Letty and Cipher for example, yeah they have some bad history between them, but there's no reason for them to be fighting in that moment, and when it's over, nothing is solved or changed when it comes to the narrative. This scene is a culmination of series itself, because action.
TV Shows
BEST
The Last of Us (Season 1)
Yes, video game adaptations can be good, great even. Turns out all you have to do is be faithful to the source material, who knew?! But what propelled The Last of Us even further was how it managed to appeal to everyone, you do not have to be a fan of the game, or zombies, to appreciate how good it is.
Honorable Mention
Mythic Quest
The best sitcom no one talks about. Mythic Quest an absolute hidden gem of a comedy, and that's all I'm going to say. I'm just going to tease it because I want you to go watch it.
WORST
Secret Invasion
This show only serves as proof that Marvel and Disney are relying too much on their 15-years of lore, and too scared to do what needs to be done with their MCU series’. Echo was the perspective shift too afraid to innovate, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was the fight against terrorism too afraid to be violent, and Secret Invasion is the political thriller too afraid to actually tackle politics. But more so, the whole thing just felt pointless, it offered nothing to help further the narrative of the MCU, and at this point, it’s apparent fans are only watching the Disney+ shows as homework.
Then there’s Maria Hill, after years of being underutilized, Marvel had a chance to finally let her shine, but instead they killed her off in the first episode.
Dishonorable Mention
Citadel
The most generically boring spy thriller you’ll ever see that wasn’t worth the money spent on it. With a budget $300 million due to extensive reshoots, it makes you wonder what was thrown away.
MOST SURPRISING
Silo (Season 1)
A new kind of conspiracy thriller, a new kind of class warfare, and a new kind of post-apocalyptic underground. Silo reinvents all the familiar genres you’ve become numb to and caps it all off with a very surprising cliffhanger.
Most surprising within the show is episode 3 “Machines”, when the characters have to repair the generator that powers the entire silo. This episode is a masterclass in tension and suspense.
Honorable Mention
Twisted Metal (Season 1)
The lighthearted fun is an unusual shift from the dark, violent, and vulgar humor of the games, but it works.
MOST DISAPPOINTING
The Mandalorian (Season 3)
Somehow, The Mandalorian has already run out of steam only 3 seasons in. The story has become completely aimless, the visual effects are subpar, and the action is horribly choreographed and forgettable. The show has become increasingly unnecessary to watch, and a chore to do so, as every subplot gets annoyingly drawn out while it tries to justify its own existence within the wider lore of the Star Wars universe.
Dishonorable Mentions
One Piece (Season 1)
Yes, it was good and better than I expected, but as a huge fan of the anime, I’m disappointed in the opportunities not taken. Such as the lack of Luffy’s trademark yelling and going into all-out attack mode, and stylistic choices like the imagery of Bellemere’s execution and Shanks losing his arm. But primarily, I stand by the fact that Iñaki Godoy as Luffy was a horrible casting choice, his accent is too off-putting and his acting is way too stiff. I honestly feel, if it wasn’t for him, this show would’ve been even better.
National Treasure: Edge of History
It had none of the factors that made original movies so beloved, and commits the cardinal sin of the main character coincidentally having the skills and connections needed to achieve the goal of the story. On top of that, Disney just had to Disney and plaster their woke agenda all over it.
Books
BEST
Light Bringer (Red Rising, Book 6) by Pierce Brown
The most epic of space battles, the coldest of fight scenes, and Darrow’s speeches making you want to run through a wall. Light Bringer is a contender for one of the best in the series.
Honorable Mention
Fourth Wing (Empyrean, Book 1) by Rebecca Yarros
Yes, it was massively overrated. Yes, it was tedious at times. And yes, it dives head first into the pool of YA fantasy tropes. But even though it's just giving you more of what you already like while offering nothing new, it somehow manages to still be good. SEE FULL REVIEW.
WORST
Mars One by Jonathan Maberry
If you’re expecting a YA version of The Martian, keep moving. Quite simply, this book is a lot of nothing happening. The entire first half is the characters just preparing to get on the ship to leave Earth, but not in the interesting tech and training way. It’s just boring teen drama about leaving their home and it went on for far too long. The twist was stupidly predictable and, in the end, the book had nothing to do with Mars, as it ends with their arrival.
Dishonorable Mention
From Princess To Pornstar by Tasha Reign
Turns out Tasha Reign's life is not as interesting as one would think. Instead, the book relying heavily on her having grown up in Laguna Beach and Orange County, California to make her experiences seem more glamorous than they actually are. But worst of all, it epitomizes the annoyance of privileged people whining about their privilege. SEE FULL REVIEW.
MOST SURPRISING
The Never-Ending End of the World by Ann Christy
With the main character being 17 years old at the beginning of the book, I was fully expecting this to be more of the YA dystopian cringe that has blanketed the once creative genre. But then… It wasn’t. SEE FULL REVIEW.
Honorable Mention
Velocity by Chris Wooding
An interesting blend of Mad Max and Battle Angel Alita.
MOST DISAPPOINTING
Iron Flame (Empyrean, Book 2) by Rebecca Yarros
A 200 page too long disappointment. Never has second book syndrome come down on a series so badly. It tried to do so much and failed at every turn. The biggest question is: How does a book have so much going on and yet have nothing happen? SEE FULL REVIEW.
Dishonorable Mention
When Women Stood by Alexandra Allred
On top of having a misleading subtitle, this book is just disrespectful in it's complete lack of recognition for one of its own: Fabiola "Fabby" da Silva. SEE FULL REVIEW.
Video Games
BEST
Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man continues his dominance as the most reliable superhero putting out quality content. But this was no-doubt going to be a good game. The real question was how much improvement was there going to be from it’s predecessors. The answer: Yes.
It has a bigger open-world, more traversal options, more activities, more enemy types, more robust combat, more action set pieces, and better MJ sequences. You can also switch between playing as Peter or Miles at any time, and both have their own incredibly in-depth story arcs.
Honorable Mentions
Starfield
It’s basically Fallout in space. Which, even though it’s undergone a lot of criticized for being just that, is exactly what people wanted, despite what they may say.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales
While it may be a scaled-down spin off, it is still a must-play Spider-Man experience with an incredibly well told story.
WORST
The Day Before
The Day Before was a disaster of epic proportions that failed in every way possible. The details of which are too extensive to go into here, so I’m just going to redirect you to my previous entry: The Day Before: From Epic Hype to Unprecedented Disaster.
Dishonorable Mention
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum was a bad idea from the moment it became an idea. The only expectation this game had was to be a failure, but nobody anticipated just how epic that failure would be. Already, nobody asked for a LOTR game starring the most annoying and useless character in the franchise, but throw in PS2-era graphics, janky animations, horrible pacing, weak writing, and straight up boring gameplay, this game is an insult to Tolkien. But let's not forget the relentless number of game-breaking bugs to the point where critics had to delay their reviews because they couldn't play the game without it crashing. (Even after being patched, it remained barely playable).
Adding insult to injury, the game was so bad that developer, Daedalic Entertainment, issued an apology online, and shortly after closed its development division. BUT Daedalic didn't actually write the apology. They revealed that publisher, Nacon, released it without consulting them, AND that it was auto-generated using ChatGPT. Wow, this game was a mess!
MOST SURPRISING
Power Wash Simulator
It’s just extremely satisfying.
MOST DISAPPOINTING
Redfall
The game not even the developers wanted to make. Yup, many people at Arkane were actually hoping Redfall would get cancelled after the Microsoft buyout. A lot of this is because of Arkane's history and success with single-player games. Due to the staff's lack of interest in making a multiplayer game, employees left in droves, with roughly 70% of the original staff leaving by the end of the game's development. This led to problem #1: They were perpetually understaffed, having less than 100 employees while making a game in a genre they had very little expertise with.
Problem #2 is that it wasn't bad because it was undercooked, it was bad and undercooked. It was yet another game released in a woefully unfinished state. Whether it's the textures, the collision-detection, the atrocious enemy AI, or being locked at 30fps on consoles (including Xbox Series X), no aspect of this game is without fault. But even if all of Redfall's technical issues were fixed, you're still left with tedious gameplay, unimaginative world design, bland characters, an unrewarding loot system, and a game that just isn't fun.
Dishonorable Mention
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
The Call of Duty franchise is a mere shell of its former self, and MW3 is a testimate to how low standards have gotten. It's the worst-rated game in the series' history and deservedly so as the series has become creatively bankrupt.
Event of the Year
Damar Hamlin goes into cardiac arrest on Monday Night Football
I was going to give my normal explanation, but nothing I can say would do justice to how unprecedented and frightening the situation was as much as this video from Nonstop.
Honorable Mention
OceanGate’s Titan submersible implodes
Not the implosion itself, but the aftermath. The absurd rescue efforts and media coverage compared to other maritime disasters. The investigates that exposed the many cut corners and ignored safety concerns that resulted in the incident and brought a spotlight to an industry that, for the most part, is unregulated.
