2023 Year End Review
This has been quite the year for our digital magazine redesign, with several ups and downs in the film and television departments, not to mention console game reviews. With another year winding down, we take a look back at the best and worst of 2023.
The Best Films of 2023
With the many strikes and overall bad writing/limited film offerings, there was not much Based on this there was not much as far as theatrical releases, but from what we saw these are the best options.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3
This was the third and final Marvel Studios film to be directed by James Gunn, and unlike the first and second chapters, this one is dark and centers around a dying Rocket. What we find out throughout the plot is the true origin of Rocket from his creation to the unique skills he developed with a group of fellow experimented-on creatures that he says are his friends. We are introduced to The High Evolutionary, the man who created Rocket and said group of friends and we see how twisted he is through flashbacks. Now, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 is not a perfect film by any means. Especially with the waste of Adam Warlock’s character and story arch not being used in the entire Infinity Saga’s end only to make him a literal moron. (Though they do make him a hero in the end) It is very clear that this was supposed to be an ending to the franchise as we see an end to Peter Quill’s return to Earth, Rocket becomes the leader of the Guardians, and the rest of the team finds a place and peace in their new respective roles. Sadly this is the best Marvel Studios has to offer…since Avengers: Endgame. (Technically the Spider-Man solo films are Sony films)
Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
We were impressed by by this sequel
1. John Wick: Chapter 4
What can we say about this that we didn’t say in our review? The action scenes seem to be giving Wick a harder time the in previous entries. John Wick: Chapter 4 is a nearly perfect film, and though we did not like the death of said famed assassin, we understood it was the perfect way to end the franchise. Well, that was until the announcement in May that they were in production for John Wick: Chapter 5. So maybe he’s not dead, and the ending is open-ended. We are hoping it’s a prequel, but whatever it is as long as it stars Keanu Reeves we are all in.
Honorable Mention
6. Renfield
5. Air
4. The Last Voyage of the Demeter
3. The Super Mario Bros.
This was by far the most interesting animation to come out in a very long time. Whereas most studios are making template-style superhero movies, Illumination
2. The Equalizer III
The first Equalizer was a good
1. Sisu
The Best Television 2023
6. Ted Lasso (Season 3)
Ted Lasso, like many of our favorite television shows, saw its finale episodes this year, and it was bittersweet. Throughout the season we see many side stories of the staff and many players going through changes/ journeys. From the owner of the team, Rebecca, finding love and a family, more Roy Kent and Jamie becoming best friends Though it was sad to see him leave AFC Richmond, it’s nice to see him get the happy ending he wanted in the first season.
6. Will Nelson & Family
5. Luther: The Fallen Sun
We have been fans of Luther since the first series first aired way back in 2010, but it is also no secret we haven’t been a fan of how the series ended. It seemed like a way to end the series in 2019 rather than wrapping it up in a neat bow. They placed Luther in jail and that was the end of the series, with no hope to end the series. So when we heard that they would make a film about the series to complete the arch of the DCI Luther chatter we were excited, then we heard it would be done via Netflix and we became worried. Based on what they did to Top Boy, we had cause for worry. Fortunately for us, unlike Netflix’ Top Boy,
4. The Killer
3. The Bear
Season one was something of a random success, no one saw it coming but we were glad to see
2. Billions
Though like many television series, Billions, has chosen to end the series. Likely to either the strikes in Hollywood, or the merger between Showtime and the Peacock streaming services many shows are ending. Though we liked season six, we couldn’t help but root for Mike Prince’s downfall. This of course was the opposite for Bobby Axelrod and Chuck Rhoades, which we often root for either one of them based on the episode. Until most of the
1. Extraction 2
The first Extraction was an impressive action offering likened to many great action films of the late 80’s and early 90’s, but this sequel steps it up a notch. Like John Wick, the action sequences are over the top but grounded in realism.
Honorable Mention
Blue Eye Samurai
The Best Games of 2023
4. Mortal Kombat 1
The Worst of 2023
With the best, there is also the worst, here are selections for the worst of all media we consumed in 2023.
The Worst Films of 2023
As we mentioned previously with all the strikes there were not many films this year but from what we did see these are what we consider to be the worst of the year.
Napoleon
disHonorable Mention
As we have honorable mentions for the best of, we sadly have to have the disHonorable mentions. These are all the movies we did not review in theaters before its release but did manage to see at some point in the year.
4. The Creator
Everything about this…should have been great, but it just missed the mark. A futuristic world where robots help humanity and all of mankind have created a peaceful society, all mankind would love. A nuclear attack disrupts the peace and starts a global war between mankind and all robots. Prompting Jon David Washington’s character, Joshua, was interesting an undercover spy working to take down a global threat, who was tasked to get close to the daughter of the world’s most infamous terrorist responsible for the death of millions. Sounds good, right?!?!
3. Blue Beetle
2. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
This is by far the worst cinematic release Marvel Studios has released on the silver screen.
1. The Marvels
The Worst Television of 2023
Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire
It is no secret that Zack Snyder
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
A show about monsters that doesn’t really have monsters in it. To be honest they had talent in the cast but lacked any real substance in the plot. When you think of the company tasked to hunt down and stop Godzilla….you think you’ll actually see them hunting Godzilla. Instead all we got was a weird soap opera style teen drama about useless characters that have absolutely nothing to do with Godzilla or monster action sequences. Our advice if you want to see a drama about Godzilla just see Godzilla Minus One. (at least that has a good balance of drama and action and they spent much less then this whole series.)
Succession
Just like many television shows, Succession seems to be a show that was forced to end quickly and in this final season, this is painfully obvious. The whole season wants to have twists and turns only to end with everyone not only giving up the company but no one in the immediate family is involved with the company their father spent his entire life building. The ending felt rushed coupled with bad writing and an overall unsatisfactory. No one succeeds in the end and everyone is back where they started the only difference the company is sold and only Greg works in the company.
2. Mandalorian (Season 3)
The first season was film of the century compared to the third season. It seems to have gone from a tale of a wondering drifter (who occasionally takes a bounty hunting job), to a weak side kick in his own show. This season centers more around Bo-Katan and her journey to become a leader. Of course at the expense of Mando’s skill set and leadership. Which is not want anyone singed up for. Ultimately the season ends with him retiring in the country side?!? It’s no secret many have canceled their Disney + accounts shortly after 2021, but this season will surely not help with getting people to return.
1. Top Boy
Top Boy, a once unique property, that originally was left open in the air in the last BBC series, and later picked up by Netflix. The first season it on Netflix started with a bang but as the seasons progressed it is very clear that the magic wasn’t there. The second season had a shocking end (as did the series finally) It hurts us to say it but the end of a once great series.
The Worst Games of 2023
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
Spider-Man 2
This one pains us, as it’s well known that Spider-Man we are all huge fans of him, but he is our C.E.O.’s favorite superhero. After playing through and reviewing the first console game we were very excited to play the sequel…..unfortunately it did not live up to the hype. From the many game-breaking bugs, Mary Jane’s bizarre new face design, the weird pacing of the plot, to the awful product placement new Miles Morales Spider-Man costume with a palette swap designed around German shoe brand, Adidas. This has us worried about their upcoming Wolverine stand-alone game. There are rumors that many
Biggest Disappointment of 2023
As previously mentioned we have viewed a lot of entertainment this year and nothing has been more disappointing and unnecessary than this year’s selection.
The Flash
What can be said about The Flash that many fans, our review and just about anyone who was asked…. it was awful, this was particularly disappointing as Guardians of the Galaxy director, James Gunn (now co-head of D.C. films) said this was one of the best superhero films ever made. Was possibly the downfall of his credibility. Many fans were excited to see Michael Keaton return as Batman and many fans have
Photographer of The Year
We love to travel (that is no secret) on of the ways the
Benjamin Mackay
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Instagram Artist of The Year
It’s no secret that we are fans of art, and we are always looking for/appreciating artwork across various mediums. This year Guweiz is our artist of the year.
Guweiz
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Why Guweiz? Well, art is about drawing you in and saying a lot without words, which is unfortunate why we feel his work should be either made into an animation or at least in graphic novel form.
Women of 2023 we have a crush on
Every year while consuming entertainment on various platforms we come across interesting and talented women, all with that special something that made us develop a crush on them.
10. Marion Ratié
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This gorgeous model was a finalist for Miss France 2022 and has a style that caught our eye mid-way through the summer. Her smile and style have kept tapping the heart on Instagram throughout the year.
9. Giulia Costa
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This Italian beauty, first came across our time line in August and we have been following her every since. Her style and love of food have made us all miss Italy.
8. Carolina Freixa
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Toronto native, Carolina, first came across our digital screen in mid-2023, and she makes us all want to just relax on the beach.
7. Ashley Marie Dickerson
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The Mississippi native, Ashley Marie Dickerson, graduated with a degree in marketing, and is a full-time model, content creator, fan of cinema, and a self-proclaimed “little bit of a foodie”. (which is clear based on the image above) Let’s be honest she does make the food look good.
6. Sille Staunstrup
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This Danish model first came to our attention mid-way through the year and hanging out on the seashore, you will discover different pictures from her open-air shoots on the seashore.
5. Emilia Bartoeck
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The German fitness/fashion model, Emila, does it all, from vlogging, fitness routines, and being a host on television, to her very own podcast. It seems she can do it all.
4. Taylor Moreland
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Model Taylor Morland has been modeling since she was a teenager (even competing as a Miss Florida Teen USA Finalist), now at twenty years of age, she can add entrepreneur to the list of her accomplishments. Her style and affinity for golf (which make sense as she has a clothing line centering around the sport), cowboy hats, high fashion, and scenic beach shots are what drew us to her profile.
3. Maria Victoria
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Early on in 2023 Maria (or Kiki as she goes by) started to appear and she was given an immediate follow, for um obvious reasons. Fitness is a must for many of us, and it is for Kiki. There is something sexy about a woman that takes care of herself.
2. Francesca Cuccuru
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Just looking at the image above it’s easy to see how she made our list, that smile caught our attention. As the CEO says, “I’m a sucker for a beautiful smile.”
1. Britanie Manuela
Fitness model, Brit, has been on our timeline for some time and this year she was the #1 considering she was responsible for most of our likes in all 2023.
Final Thoughts
With another year down, the new year will begin in less than twelve hours what will this new year bring.
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