Toby Chen
January 31st, 2023
Ranging from enchanting romantic comedies to action-packed thrillers, there are
certainly countless films to look forward to this year! Due to the fact that we cannot cover
every single newly released film, we decided to narrow down to one movie per month for the
first half of 2023. Our six phenomenal picks include, The Banshees of Insherin, Ant Man and
the Wasp: Quantamania, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Super Mario Bros Movie, The Little
Mermaid and Indiana Jones & the Dial of Destiny.
The Banshees of Inshirin
To start this year off strong, here is a masterpiece- The Banshees of Inshirin", a film
taking place towards the end of the gruesome Irish Civil War. Released on October 21st,
2022, it has since acquired over $24.7 million in the box office, while receiving the Volpi cup
award for best actor. Directed by Martin Mcdonagh, (a British-Irish playwright), this
captivating film features a man named Padraic (Colin Farrell) who resides on a remote island
off the coast of Ireland. One day, Padraic’s close friend Colm (Brendan Gleeson) decides to
not be his friend anymore, and suddenly stops talking to him without even a mere
explanation. This puzzles Padraic greatly, and he tries everything to get Colm to like him
again, yet Colm continues to rebuff him. Their conflict quickly escalates into extreme
violence, ultimately leading to Colm cutting off his own fingers, and Padraic burning Colm’s
house down. Through the two men’s inexplicable fighting, they both ultimately destroyed
themselves and their relationship, revealing the themes of human friendship, and how the
lack of it affects everything. “The Banshees of Insherin” is a poignant, yet riveting film, and
is a must-watch if you enjoy dark comedy.
Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
The next film we want to introduce is “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantamania '', the
upcoming film in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, scheduled to be released on February 17th,
2023. This film opens with Scott Lang (iconically played by Paul Rudd) who is trying to
make up for lost time with his daughter, wife and friends, after being stuck for 5 gruesome
years in the Quantum Realm due to the repercussions of “Endgame”. Things are going
perfect for Scott, until Cassie (his daughter, superbly played by Kathryn Newton) creates a
new satellite for deep space, allowing people on Earth to send signals to the Quantum realm,
which regrettably pulls Scott and Cassie into a hidden universe, before they had the chance to
shut the device off. In this secret universe, Scott and Cassie encounter eccentric creatures, as
well as the infamous villain, Kang the Conqueror- the time traveling, dimension-hopping
nemesis of the Avengers. Kang desperately needs Ant Man’s help to escape the Quantum
realm, with the ultimate goal of having the immense power to rule every single timeline and
every single universe in the multiverse. Throughout this seemingly never-ending conflict,
Scott and Cassie’s relationship also continues to develop, as their bond and mutual respect
strengthens. Not only will this motion picture keep you on the edge of your seat, it will also
present evolving relationships and journeys of self discovery. “Ant Man and the Wasp:
Quantumania” should unquestionably be a must-watch film for 2023.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” (releasing March 17th, 2023), is a highly anticipated
sequel to the 2019 film “Shazam”. Directed by Swedish filmmaker David Sandberg, this
invigorating motion-picture features Billy Batson (outstandingly performed by Asher Angel),
who was chosen by an ancient wizard to be his new successor, granting him the unique
power to transform into a superhero alter-ego, (hilariously played by Zachary Levi)
everytime he declares the word “Shazam!” Additionally, all of Billy’s foster siblings got a
hold of the wizard’s staff as well, granting substantial power to his entire family. Known as
the “Shazam family” Billy and his siblings use their powers to fight crime, as well as bestow
safety and peace in the city. This is until they are faced with a colossal matter—— the
Daughters of Atlas: Anthea (Rachel Zeglar), Kalyso (Lucy Liu) and Hespera (Helen Mirren).
The Daughters of the Greek Titan, Atlas, are furious that Billy’s family stole the power that
was supposed to be theirs, and they were willing to wreak havoc upon the city in order to
receive what they thought was rightfully theirs. A tale involving harsh battles, grappling with
a dragon, and fighting for those you love, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is undoubtedly an
entertaining film filled with surprises and adventures that will take you out of this world.
The Super Mario Bros Movie
“The Super Mario Bros Movie”, one of our top-choice films for 2023, is expected to
release on April 7th! Produced by Illumination and Ninento and directed by Aaron Horvath
and Michael Jelenic, this animated motion picture is based on the popular Super Mario Bros
video game franchise on Nintendo. This distinctive film opens with a dedicated Mario, (Chris
Pratt) along with his comrades Princess Peach (Anya Taylor Joy) and Mushroom Toad
(Keagan Michael Key), who are all on a mission to Mushroom Kingdom to rescue Mario’s
brother, Luigi (Charlie Day), from the notorious Bowser (Jack Black). Bowser envisions
himself ruling the world, and destroying the Mushroom kingdom where all of Mario’s friends
and family live. Keeping Luigi as a captive, Bowser makes his way to the kingdom, while
Mario, Princess Peach and the rest of their small yet strategic team create their master-plan in
defending their kingdom. With numerous scenes in the movie reflecting the Super Mario
Bros racetracks on Nintendo, this lively film not only brings back nostalgic memories, it also
includes an element of originality, like no other movie seen before. The inclusion of quality
music, as well as the abundant attention to detail, make the upcoming Super Mario Bros
movie a sensational motion picture if you are one for fantasy, adventure and comedy films!
The Little Mermaid
“The Little Mermaid” is a fantasy musical film telling the tale of one of the
greatest Disney princesses of all time—— Ariel. Previously performed on Broadway as a
musical and in 1989 as a movie, this heartwarming story is finally coming to theaters on
May 26, 2023, as a live-action remake of the original. This film opens with a stunning
young mermaid, Ariel (Halle Bailey), who meets an attractive prince, Eric, (Jonah
Hauer-King) and ultimately falls in love with him. Desperately wanting to get to know
the prince more, she unknowingly makes a deal with the iniquitous sea witch, Ursula
(Melissa Mcarthy), trading her melodious voice for human legs so she can experience life
on land and impress the prince. Despite the fact that mermaids aren’t supposed to interact
with humans, Ariel decides to follow her heart, potentially endangering her life, as well
as her father's crown. Starring Halle Bailey, an African American actress, as Ariel, this
film signifies the importance of representation in the film industry. Following the
recurring themes of love and self discovery, “The Little Mermaid” will undoubtedly take
you to another universe!
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
A long-awaited sequel to the previous Indiana Jones movie, “Indiana Jones and the
Dial of Destiny'' is an inspiring film directed by James Mangold (an American film and
television director). The film begins with a scene of Jones’s (Harrison Ford) thrilling car
chase, with a voiceover explaining how since then, he has been living a peaceful and
quiet life, working as a professor. However, his monotonous life quickly stirs up when he
is forced to compete with a group of obstinate Nazis in pursuit of a forceful ancient
artifact- the Dial of Destiny. This powerful object has the potential to time travel, which
could be one of the reasons why Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), a Nazi scientist who finds
work at NASA post WWII, is so desperately in need of it——to permit him to entirely
rewrite the history of World War II, making the Nazis the victor in this film. The valiant
Indiana Jones is exceptionally courageous, using his strength and determination to solve
this multifaceted challenge, as well as try to conquer the vicious Voller. Taking place
amid the 1969 Space Race, “Indiana Jones: The Dial of Destiny” is a powerful film filled
with confidential matters and seemingly impossible situations to uncover, recounting yet
another tale of the celebrated Indiana Jones. Releasing on June 30th, 2023, this film will
surely be a staple in your list of films you can’t wait to watch in 2023.
To wrap up, 2023 will be an astonishing year in the film industry, and we are
highly anticipating these upcoming films! Filled with adventure, romance, comedy and
thriller, these 6 motion-pictures will keep you entertained for hours on end. Featuring
celebrated actors and high quality visuals, we cannot emphasize how important it is to
keep these films on your 2023 movie list!
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