65

Top 10 WORST Movies of 2023

Posted on by Jack Drees

Hey everyone, Jack Drees here! It is the start of a new year, which means it is time once again for the end of the year countdowns! I apologize if I am getting these out a bit late. A couple last minute watches came up and I wanted to get them in before making the most definitive lists possible. That said, it is time to count down my top 10 WORST movies of 2023. Before we start the list, let’s get into some ground rules. First off, for a movie to qualify for the list, I must have seen it. Of course. Second, the movie has to be some kind of a theatrical release. If it is a streaming exclusive, straight to TV movie, straight to DVD movie, it does not count. Congratulations to all the shark movies that can be found at Walmart for staying off this list. Not that I watch any of them. I will remind everyone that the movies on this list, not to mention the best list that will be up in a couple days are completely subjective picks. These are just my least favorite movies of the year. I am not trying to pressure anyone into disliking these movies. These are just my recommendations. If you can call them that. Now that we have all this information out of the way, let’s continue by listing a few dishonorable mentions.

Dishonorable Mention: Next Goal Wins

My first dishonorable mention is “Next Goal Wins.” I am not really a sports fan. I am not really a soccer fan. And safe to say, when it comes to this movie, I am not a huge fan of it either. Taika Waititi steps in and directs a comedy that honestly offers very few, if any, genuinely comedic moments. Many of the performances feel stale, the writing is quite bad, and the chemistry between a good portion of the characters happens to feel iffy at best.

Dishonorable Mention: Anyone But You

“Anyone But You” is what happens when you take two stunningly attractive leads, put them in a romantic comedy, and waste them all the while offering very little that feels romantic or funny. I did not like the characters. I did not enjoy the comedy gags. This is the kind of movie that makes me feel tired and sleepy. The story and structure become as cliche as anything. I cannot recommend this one.

Dishonorable Mention: Napoleon

And lastly for the dishonorable mentions is “Napoleon.” “Napoleon” is directed by Ridley Scott. I enjoy many of his movies like “Blade Runner,” “Thelma & Louise,” and even very recently, “The Last Duel.” When I become vastly more interested in learning about the love interest and wanting to know more about her than the titular character, chances are the movie failed to captivate me. The story is poorly structured, poorly paced, and there are only a couple scenes that kept me invested throughout the runtime.

With that said, it is time to talk about these ten movies, hopefully, for the last time in my entire life. These are my top 10 WORST movies of 2023!

#10: A Haunting in Venice

At #10 is “A Haunting in Venice!” I do not have a complete history with the Kenneth Branagh-helmed Hercule Poirot movies, but I was nevertheless intrigued with the marketing of “A Haunting in Venice.” One of the reasons why I was excited to watch this movie was because amongst its stacked cast, there happened to be Michelle Yeoh. I was very excited to see what she was going to do next after being in my favorite movie of 2022, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Safe to say, this was a significant step down as far as she was concerned. Not only that, but if I were in charge of the Razzies, her performance in this film might be a contender for one of the worst of the year. I love Michelle Yeoh, but come on. As for the movie itself, I found myself immensely bored with it. When a murder mystery fails to offer any engagement, that is a significant problem. When I watch a murder mystery I enjoy like “Knives Out” or its recent sequel, “Glass Onion,” I am trying to guess who is going to make the first kill, who is gonna die first, who is the murderer… I keep asking questions like those and might want to change my guess every once in a while. By the time the first person dies in “A Haunting in Venice,” a part of me died too. I wanted to fall asleep. I said in my review that the cast is the biggest problem I have with the film. It is not that everyone in the film puts in abysmal performances or anything. Well, maybe aside from Yeoh. I just came to the conclusion that no one in this movie interested me. When I look back at Branagh’s last movie in this universe, “Death on the Nile,” I remember liking the characters. That simultaneously made me like the story, and therefore the film. “A Haunting in Venice” simply brings together a bunch of big stars without a star-studded feel to back anything up. It is not even that good as a horror movie! I cannot see myself watching this crap next Halloween! Put this back where it came from!

#9: 80 for Brady

They say that Tom Brady is one of the greatest athletes of all time. He honestly should stick to football. “80 for Brady” was one of those experiences that simply made me go berserk. I did not want to see this movie. The thought of this movie by itself made me roll my eyes. My expectations for it could not have been more deflated. But I saw it because I had people in my life who wanted to see it. Safe to say, my low expectations were justified. “80 for Brady” takes a sport that I do not even enjoy, football, and somehow makes me think I should go back and instead watch the football game that inspired this movie to begin with. The film is based on real people with some creative liberties. Having looked into the true story, it is a nice story. But the way the movie adapts it makes for one of the year’s unfunniest comedies. The screenplay of the film is one of the most asinine I have seen in 2023. Even when our main quartet happens to run into something that could be dangerous or potentially tension-inducing, I know not to fear for them because they are either predictability going to get out of whatever pickle they’re in, or have some extremely convenient solution come their way that takes out any drama that the movie could offer. The movie is a set of tired comedy gags, wasted celebrity cameos, and it is essentially a mediocre commercial for the NFL. When I first saw the movie, I listed quite a few positives, but even with those in mind, there is zero replay value for this movie. I do not see a reason for me to go back and watch it a second time. When I watched the film, it was like a car crash. I did not love what I was seeing, but I cannot pretend that it was easy for me to take my eyes off it.

#8: Elemental

2023 was such a great year for animation. There were plenty of films within the medium that I enjoyed. And that makes it extra disappointing to say that “Elemental” could not quite join the ranks. This film is the first Pixar film I disliked. Not only was it bad, it was disappointing. The film looked like it borrowed a lot of what made many other Pixar titles great but it just couldn’t translate those trademarks from those pictures to this one. There was a point in “Elemental” where I almost thought I was watching a Pixar parody movie. “Elemental” is rather inventive in its world building and lore, but its characters across the board are mostly uninteresting. The writing is some of the worst I have come across this year. It felt nearly lazy. The humor mostly relies on puns that just don’t land. They never stop! Like any other Pixar movie, there are things to like about “Elemental.” The animation looks nice, a lot of the voice acting is good, and the story has some decent parts. But it is bombarded with all these tiny little… Elements, if you will, that water down the experience. Between the bad writing, unfunny jokes, tired gags, some unlikable characters, and a much smaller oomph factor than I am used to seeing from Pixar, “Elemental” is easily the worst film from the studio I have seen so far.

#7: Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken

Speaking of atrocious animated movies, hello, “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken!” How I hardly missed thee! Unlike “Elemental,” which I put amongst my most anticipated movies of the year, “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken” was one of those films that had me disengaged from the moment I heard about it. I ended up seeing it at a free advance screening, so I thankfully did not waste money on it. But even then, I felt ripped off. There is one particular positive of the movie that continues to stick in my head, particularly Will Forte’s performance as Captain Gordon Lighthouse. His role is quite small, but his voicework behind the role is excellent. But when I saw this movie I said it was a contender for the most cliche movie I have seen all year. Having seen more movies from this year some time after, that sentiment feels truer than ever. The movie looks nice, but the story is about as predictable as what happens when I throw an Xbox out from the roof of an apartment building. Chances are it’s gonna hit the ground and smash to pieces. Honestly, this film barely feels pieced together to begin with. I barely had any interest in the plot, the characters, anything. Part of me though wants to know what it would have been like to watch this movie as a kid. Would I have liked it? I don’t know. But I bring that up because I think one of the big problems of this movie is that it serves as a decent lesson for children, but as an adult, I can see the lesson, and therefore the story progression, coming from a mile away. I have grown up as a kid watching certain movies that I don’t watch as much anymore because my tastes evolve. But there are certain titles, including other DreamWorks animations like the first two “Shrek” films that stick with me to this day. I really want to know how this movie is going to age for this generation of children. Then again, that is going to be hard to say because the film could not even make its own budget back at the box office!

#6: Meg 2: The Trench

Warner Brothers released the biggest of the phenomenon of the summer, “Barbie.” But a couple weeks later they unveiled a massive travesty to moviegoing audiences like no other, and that my friends, is “Meg 2: The Trench.” When it comes to shark movies, I am fully convinced that we are never going to get anything as good, as iconic, or as memorable as Steven Spielberg’s original “Jaws.” But just because that theory may have merit, does not suggest that future shark movies should not at least try to be the next big thing. For those of you who do not know, I enjoyed the first “Meg” movie. The film is not Shakespeare by any means. In fact to some degree, it takes a bit to get going, but it is quite good. Not only does this sequel take a bit to get going as well, it feels as if it barely gets off the ground. The characters are disposable to the point where if a shark ate them, I could not care less. The shark action in this film is not exciting. In fact it is sometimes boring. And speaking of boring, I know there is a saying not to judge a book by its cover, but everything involving the trench in this film made for an utter snooze-fest. It did not look as eye-popping and mysterious as the movie advertised it to be, and story-wise, I was never invested in anything. This movie is partially set on a place called Fun Island, and yet this movie did not offer a single, solitary ounce of fun whatsoever. If you want a shark movie, just stick to “Jaws.” Heck, even the original “Meg” will do.

#5: Hypnotic

When it comes to picking the worst movies of the year, usually the reason why it ends up on such a list has to do with certain qualities that stand out. When it comes to my next entry, “Hypnotic,” it is the opposite. This movie is beyond forgettable. I will give credit where it is due. “Hypnotic” is a pretty cool concept, but the handling of it could have been a lot better. What makes this even more disappointing is having a charismatic actor and a decent director and attaching them to a movie that wastes their collective skill. “Hypnotic” is by no means offensive, but it feels like wasted potential across the board. At least it is short, so I did not have to suffer for too long. “Hypnotic” has the style of a certain type of Christopher Nolan movie with the pace of a boring baseball game. The film did not make a ton of money when it came out, and frankly, I can see why. Just because you have star power in front of and behind the camera, in addition to a compelling story idea, does mean everything will line up in the end. 

#4: 65

Here’s a fact. In 2022, “Jurassic World: Dominion” did the impossible. Make dinosaurs boring. Now a year later, another movie is continuing that tradition all the while wasting the talents of Adam Driver! How bad does your movie have to be for Adam Driver to come off as horrible in it? “65” can freaking go extinct for all I care. The one good thing about “65” is that the concept at least sounds interesting. But unfortunately, it is sullied as the movie progresses in its short but far from sweet runtime. The directing is some of the stiffest I have seen in any movie this year. I am honestly shocked that we got both a screenplay and a directorial effort as bad as we did because this movie is from the same duo who wrote “A Quiet Place,” I would not say “A Quiet Place” was my favorite horror film from the year it came out. But it happened to be quite a unique feature in more ways than one. “65” on the other hand is uniquely boring. It takes a certain event that everyone has in mind regarding dinosaurs and goes out of its way to describe that same event in a way that is about as amusing as watching my toenails grow.

#3: Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

If you know my relationship with comic book movies, you’d know that this next entry hurts. In fact, throughout 2023, I liked every comic book movie that came out, except for one. And that sole exception is “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.” If you asked me years ago if I wanted to see a sequel to the 2018 “Aquaman” movie, I would have said “absolutely.” The first film, while not revolutionary, offered some of the most fun I had in any movie I saw that year! How can you not like a movie where an octopus plays the drums? Well, unfortunately, one of the worst things about “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” is that it tests that theory and offers disappointing results. Basically, this film takes everything that is good about the first “Aquaman” and offers a saturated version of it. Jason Momoa is not as charming as he once was. Black Manta may have more prominence, but the way they use him is intolerable. The special effects and overall palate of the movie offer as much of a stylistic look and color as they did in the previous film, but they somehow look worse. And oh yeah, did I mention that this movie somehow makes an octopus playing the drums uninteresting?!

Amber Heard is in this movie, and for all I know, they originally wrote her character in a different way or they had scenes featuring her that were deleted, you could basically erase her character from the entire movie and have it feel no different. Sure, the action sequences look kind of cool at times, but just because the action sequences look dope, does not make the movie good. If I were more invested in the characters and story, then chances are I am going to find the action scenes just a bit more appealing. Much of the movie revolves around a specific transition Arthur Curry makes as a person. Specifically, him being a dad. That barely offered anything interesting to the movie, other than maybe him connecting with his dad for some time. But when it comes to anything involving the villain, Atlantis, or King Orm for instance, that is where the movie sinks.

This is the last movie in the DCEU and unfortunately it is probably the worst one in the entire cinematic universe. I literally own every other DCEU movie on Blu-ray at the moment. Even “Wonder Woman 1984,” which I absolutely detested. To be fair though, the Best Buy SteelBook looked kind of nice. This is probably going to end up being the one DCEU movie I watch that I do not end up buying and owning for myself. It’s that bad. I am not experiencing comic book movie fatigue, but even I felt like I drowned in the Atlantic Ocean having watched this terribly tragic travesty on a platter some people might call a movie.

#2: Fast X

If “F9: The Fast Saga” was the death of a franchise, then “Fast X” is its rotting, torn, neglected corpse. Oh my gosh. When it comes to big budget franchises, there is no worse example of quality I have seen this year. When I think bad “Fast & Furious” movies, my mind often goes to “Tokyo Drift.” I watched it once, it was not for me. That said, looking back on it, at least there was a certain novelty to it despite its occasional cliches and predictable storyline. Structurally, it works as a film. “Fast X” does not even work as half a movie! That is what this movie basically is! Half a movie! That would be fine if the movie was good. But it is not! You could make an argument that 2021’s “Dune” is half a movie. I would say that argument is not entirely accurate, as its protagonist witnesses a full arc from start to finish, but the argument is definitely there to make and I would understand why one could make that argument. But in regards to “Fast X,” this film basically shows everything that is wrong with this franchise. And I say this as someone who has enjoyed most of the films in it. Everything from the 2001 original, to the 2009 revival, to even the “Hobbs & Shaw” spinoff. But the franchise is much like “Pirates of the Caribbean.” The bigger it got, the dumber it became. To be honest, “F9” was the tipping point for me. I have not watched it since the theater and I am perfectly happy with that situation. “Fast X” on the other hand takes “F9” and makes it look like a masterpiece.

Now, I must say, the film is occasionally finely shot, quickly edited, some of the locations pop, and I am glad to see an actual street race in this film unlike the last one. But there is not really much else that this film does right. Vin Diesel has zero personality as Dom Toretto. He is basically Superman in this entire film. Only difference, people look up to Superman. When did I ever watch Dom Toretto and think one day I would want to learn to fly? Speaking of Dom Toretto, remember how he has a kid? Oh yeah, he plays a significant role in the film. Did you know he drives now? Of course, it is “Fast & Furious.” Having your characters drive makes total sense. But there is one problem. THE KID IS EIGHT BLOODY YEARS OLD! Why is he driving?! Dom Toretto is a terrible father! He should not be having children. And honestly, I look at young Brian and I am not convinced that the kid is actually Dom’s. I have seen plenty of episodes of “Maury” to see some strange paternity results. But I am honestly convinced a better movie would have been if Dom Toretto wanted to take a test to find out if his kid is actually his. That would have offered more drama, more stakes, and more character development than what we got.

I look back at the worst movie I saw last year, “Morbius,” and I remember one of the reasons why I put that film so high on the list is because the film was already insufferable enough, but it only crippled whatever life was left in it during its last moments. Specifically the material during the credits. Now, “Fast X,” thankfully, has a mid-credits scene that is not as bad. Granted, I did not love it, but it is still is not great. But the ending of this film takes a story and concept that are already atrocious, and enhance that atrociousness by a thousand percent. If you have not seen this movie, I will not spoil the ending for you, but just about everything in it gave me perhaps the angriest reaction to any scene I watched this year. And for those of you who say these movies are supposed to be dumb fun, okay. Make them fun then! This movie was not that fun. It was one of the most intolerable, brain-melting experiences I ever had in a movie theater. Are there occasional moments that get my approval? Sure. That Pete Davidson cameo was pretty cool. I think they improved John Cena’s character from the last film and utilized his comedic talents a bit more. And it is amazing that I am bringing this guy back into the conversation again, Jason Momoa does an okay job as the villain. He is kind of chuckle-worthy at times. But there are serious overwhelming negatives to this picture to the point where it would be an utter chore for me to turn it on again, even on basic cable for the sake of emitting background noise. If you want a good “Fast & Furious” movie, go watch the original. It’s basically “Point Break” with street racing, but it delivers quite a rush. Want one that’s dumb and fun? Watch “Furious 7!” Between the white-knuckle action, creative sequences, and engaging rivalry between the protagonist and antagonist, it might actually be my favorite film of the franchise. If the next “Fast & Furious” movie comes out and it is somehow worse than what we got here, then I might be done with this franchise if they decide to keep going, and I could potentially be done with movies period. But thankfully, I am done with this rant. Now the real question is, what could beat this movie? I did not see “Expend4bles” this year, so congratulations to Jason Statham for not having another movie on this list. But while he may be safe, there is another manly, muscular actor who should worry.

#1: Freelance

I am not going to lie. My #2 and #1 picks are almost interchangeable. #2 could be #1 tomorrow and vice versa. But I put them in the spots in which they lie right now because #2 had more notable positives that I can recall at this point. The positives in this next film barely stand out and if I am being quite honest with you, it is somewhat difficult to point out anything that stands out in this next entry. That said, there was only one movie this year that I ended up giving a 1/10 score to on this blog, and I stand by it completely. The worst movie I saw in 2023 is “Freelance.” This is one of those movies that lacks flair, lacks charm, lacks energy, basically it lacks any semblance of quality whatsoever. Talk about a piece of schlocky garbage full of awkward humor, awkward dialogue, and awkward chemistry! So much so that it may have broken yours truly upon leaving the little slice of Heaven on earth known as AMC Burlington Cinema 10. This movie stars John Cena! Come on! I am not going to pretend John Cena is the greatest actor in the world, but he has been heavily improving his craft, mostly thanks to his work with James Gunn. I thought he was on the right path to balancing his abilities in comedy and drama. In “Freelance,” John Cena is about as interesting as a terms and services agreement. Alison Brie is not that much better. But maybe their characters could be a saving grace… No they are not! John Cena plays arguably the most insufferable, sorriest excuse of a protagonist I have ever seen. Cena’s character sounds like the worst dad in the world when he is talking to his kids. I honestly found his wife, played by Alice Eve, to be more appealing in the first few minutes because she actually sounded like someone who was, I do not know, a genuinely good person. Sure, the movie tries to get you to feel bad for Cena’s character, but it fails miserably. Some of my favorite movies make me ask thought-provoking questions. Those kinds of films have a monumental impact on me. “Freelance” just made me ask “Why?” in almost every other scene. The performances are about as stale as convenience store pizza. The dialogue is some of the most cringe-inducing I have heard all year. Nothing in this movie was funny, thrilling, or exciting. At times it was either a complete bore or an utter chore.

I love a good story where our main hero gets a chance to take on something bigger than themselves. When they get a shot at a dream. When they face significant obstacles. But these aspects are much more likely to work if the character is admirable. If I don’t like the character, why should I care? I did not like anyone in the film. If anything, the closest I got to “liking” a character was whenever Venegas, the dictator, was on screen. He was this film’s closest example to being a scene stealer, but when I say that, I say that generously. If the characters of a movie barely emit any spark or luster, than chances are that the movie I am watching is a waste of time. And unfortunately, this waste of time fails as an action movie. It fails as a thriller. It fails as a comedy. It fails as whatever other random genre it tries to insert from time to time. Why did John Cena decide to do this movie? Was Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson too busy? At least if he starred in it we could have continued joking about the supposed contractual obligation The Rock has about having scenes featuring his character in the jungle.

What really shocks me here, and I am amazed that I almost forgot about this, is that this film is directed by Pierre Morel. If that name sounds familiar, he directed a few films, including one of my favorite Liam Neeson flicks, “Taken.” You know, the one movie he did several years ago that many of the movies he did after feel like they rip off to some degree? Not only was this a shock to me because of how great “Taken” was, but I was shocked that Morel agreed to helm a film where we go from watching a protagonist who could arguably be the father of the year to seeing a lame excuse of a parent as the center. If not for the big stars like John Cena, Alison Brie, and Alice Eve just to name a few, I would not be shocked to find out in another reality that this movie would probably be dumped onto streaming. And I would have been happy about that, because chances are if I had watched it, I would be more likely to forget it. But because I put my time into going to the cinema to watch this movie, it means something more. In fact, if you read my review, you’d know that I had to go to two different theaters to watch this movie because I left my wallet at home and I had to miss the first showtime. I feel like I put ten times the commitment into watching this movie than its screenplay does at delivering a good time. “Freelance” is an eyesore to the tenth degree. It is this year’s finest example of how not to make a movie. It is ultimately the worst film of 2023.

Thanks for reading this countdown! I very much hope you enjoyed looking back at the ten movies I saw this year that made me want to punch myself in the face for having watched them. In the community, there is a stigma if you will against these worst movies lists, saying that they should not be made. The reason why I continue to do them is because I believe in balance. You cannot have the good without the bad. It is my job on Scene Before to tell you which movies you should see, which also means it is my job to be honest when there is a movie you should avoid. So for those who don’t do worst lists, I completely understand why you don’t and I am not gonna rag you for it. I get it. I just think my work would be incomplete if I don’t do this. But pretty soon, we are going to be turning the frown upside down, because next week, it is onto the positives, it is almost time to reveal my top 10 BEST movies of 2023! I am quite excited to share these with you guys. Honestly, this year for movies has been nothing short of thrill-inducing. It is easily one of the best I have done on this blog right next to 2018. I cannot wait to talk about the greatest hits one more time. If you want to see this and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, what are your worst movies of 2023? What are some of the movies you saw this year you found to be nothing but hot garbage? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!

65 (2023): Jurassic Farce

Posted on by Jack Drees

“65” is written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, the duo who also scripted “A Quiet Place” and “A Quiet Place Part II” alongside John Krasinski. This film stars Adam Driver (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Marriage Story) and Ariana Greenblatt (Avengers: Infinity War, Awake) in a story set 65 million years before modern times. In this science fiction adventure, Mills (Driver) crashes on prehistoric earth, which to him is an unfamiliar territory. He discovers within the surroundings of this land, there is intelligent life, specifically a young human girl, and dinosaurs.

“65” is easily one of my most anticipated movies of the year. Yes, it has an early release date. Although it has a lot of promise going into it. Adam Driver is a terrific actor who gives it his all in every project he does. The plot is simple but also engaging enough to not turn me off. Oh, and what was the other thing? A little something called DINOSAURS!

I was not just excited for “65” because dinosaurs were in it, but I happened to be eagerly awaiting to see what precisely “65” would do with these dinosaurs. Because I was hoping we would get a proper use of these creatures after a couple underwhelming “Jurassic World” movies. The last couple were not that great, especially “Dominion,” which I consider an achievement because it somehow managed to make dinosaurs boring. While the trailer for “65” showcased the dinosaurs to some degree, it never fleshed them out. That gave me the impression that the dinosaurs in this movie would be special, they are not going to emit a special kind of staleness. In addition, they will actually come off as scary.

But you know what is also scary? The fact that “65” might just be the worst movie I have seen so far this year.

I am truly disappointed to bring this thought to the table, because I was genuinely excited for this movie. It hurts to watch a movie that sucks. However, it breaks my heart to see a movie that I was rooting for from the beginning turn out as bad as it did. Although I should have seen the writing on the wall. Sony did not do a ton of marketing for this film. While I had no intentions to watch this, mainly because I am not caught up in the franchise, Sony made the decision to release this movie the same weekend as “Scream VI.” “65” is not a pure horror flick, but it has a ton of horror elements wrapped in whatever package it tends to bring forth. Therefore, I would not call it counterprogramming. Maybe Sony thought it could do well as a double feature with its competitor. I am not sure.

Once again, “65” is written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, whose experience with “A Quiet Place” speaks volumes. No pun intended. Much like “A Quiet Place,” “65” is a simple movie with a few characters who are simply trying to survive against dangerous monsters. Or in this case, dinosaurs. Although what made the screenplay for “A Quiet Place” so brilliant compared to a ton of other mainstream films is that it has almost no spoken dialogue. There are a few lines. There is also sign language. But it goes to show the power of film as a visual medium. While “65” does not have a script that insults your intelligence, the way certain lines came to life did not end up coming off in maybe the way I would have hoped. There is one particular exchange between Mills and Koe where the former emits a noise, and there is this awkward pause. Not only is the pause, again, awkward, but the noise sounds almost unnatural. For all I know, maybe Driver was poorly directed in that moment.

“65” is like if “Jurassic Park,” “A Quiet Place,” and “The Midnight Sky” got together to create a lovechild. You have dinosaurs, minimal lines, and an older man/younger girl relationship that moves things along. Except in the case of “65,” they forgot the part where they actually had to make a good movie.

This is not to say there are no positives in “65.” The film’s visual effects look clean and slick. They fit perfect within the film’s environment. The tech looks polished. The dinosaurs look real. I have no problem with the way this movie looks. I would also say some of the shots are screensaver-worthy. Not to beat a dead horse, even though this movie was not executed perfectly, the concept was at least intriguing. There was also some tension to be had in the movie regarding a particular element beyond the main characters’ control. Although I wish the writing happened to be better and the characters had more of a personality than what the movie gave me.

If I had to make a guess, “65” sounded like a great movie on paper, but was ultimately a project whose signs of doom appeared somewhere in the edit. If I pitched a movie to a studio about dinosaurs, I am sure the person on the receiving end would at least be curious. How could they not? Unless they are named Barney, dinosaurs equal instant, guaranteed entertainment. And the “Jurassic World” movies, including “Dominion,” which released two years after COVID-19 ruined everything, made tons of money despite what I and others have to say about them. “65” is not the same movie as “A Quiet Place,” but Beck and Woods evidently use similar techniques from one film to the other. There is not much dialogue, and therefore, there are moments where we are shown things instead of being told them. A basic rule of filmmaking is to show instead of tell, which is part of what makes “A Quiet Place” work like a charm. But what also made “A Quiet Place” work is that I bought into the relationships between its characters. I liked the dynamic between the family. The main duo in “65” barely has any chemistry whatsoever. Both Driver and Greenblatt do their best alongside each other with the material given to them. Although it does not change the fact these two are leads in an awkwardly designed story that I wanted to end as soon as possible.

Also, it says a lot when a movie that only goes for 93 minutes, just over an hour and a half, somehow feels too long, not to mention insufferably boring on occasion. This film is set 65 million years before our times, and yet that is how long this movie sometimes feels. Maybe this film would have made for a good video game. You could go around detailed portions of prehistoric earth. You could fight dinosaurs. You could have cool weaponry. But as a movie, this was a waste of time.

In the end, “65” is a roaring disappoint. What is it with dinosaur movies as of late? “Jurassic World: Dominion” is one of the worst blockbusters to have released in recent memory. And now “65,” which I thought could have given a boost to the dinosaur movie realm, only makes me think that these kinds of movies should be extinct. I am not going to remember “65.” In fact, I frankly think I may have tuned almost all of it out of my head by now. That is how bad this movie is. Go something else if you have the chance. I am going to give “65” a 2/10.

“65” is now playing in theaters everywhere. Tickets are available now.

Thanks for reading this review! My next review is going to be for the latest DC movie, “Shazam!: Fury of the Gods.” I had a chance to watch the movie last Thursday, and I cannot wait to share my thoughts on this sequel. If you want to see this and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “65?” What did you think about it? Or, what is a movie you saw in recent memory, that you were looking forward to, only to have your hopes shattered? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!

Top 10 MOST ANTICIPATED Movies of 2023

Posted on by Jack Drees

Hey everyone, Jack Drees here! It is that time of year again to do my annual countdown streak, and this year is going to be a little bit different. In 2021, I did a most anticipated movies list for that year’s slate. I did not do one last year, but as you can see, it has been brought back this year. We are starting off the countdowns with my top 10 most MOST ANTICIPATED movies of 2023. Yes, the best and worst are coming, there will be more info on that later. Before we start, here are some ground rules. First off, much like my usual best and worst lists, these are completely subjective picks. I am not saying you have to agree with me on these picks, but these are recommendations for movies to check out this year, mostly as a to do list for myself. I do not know how these movies will turn out. In fact, many of you reading this probably are in the same boat. These are just my opinions, just a fair warning. Also, these movies have to be on the verge of a theatrical release. If a project will not be playing in theaters, I will not count it, as I technically call that television. With that said, I am going to list one honorable mention because I like the people behind the film, but I do not know much about it and I think if I knew more, I could potentially put it in my top 10.

Honorable Mention: True Love

While doing research for this list, one project I found is “True Love,” a science fiction film from Gareth Edwards (above). The track record for Gareth Edwards in regards to what I think about his resume is in a word “positive.” Although he directed “Rogue One,” which is one of the best things to have come out of the Disney “Star Wars” era. He knows how to make a film. Plus, not only his he directing “True Love,” he is also writing it. In addition, the cast includes notable names like John David Washington (Tenet, Amsterdam), Gemma Chan (Eternals, Crazy Rich Asians), and Allison Janney (I, Tonya, Mom). This movie has some promise, I just hope to know more about it soon. The film releases this October, so hopefully we get a trailer around the halfway point of the year.

With that out of the way, it is time to count down my top 10 MOST ANTICIPATED movies of 2023!

#10. Wonka

Starting off this list is a film that I almost forgot was coming out, “Wonka!” I love “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” and say what you want about the 2005 “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” I genuinely think it is a great film. I cannot wait to return to the world of Willy Wonka. But this time around we are not seeing another redo of the classic story by Roald Dahl and instead, getting a prequel as to how Wonka got his start. I have no idea what vibe they are going to go for with this. Supposedly this story is about Wonka’s days before he creates his own chocolate factory, which we have seen on screen before, but perhaps not in this much detail. I imagine this will be a magical story for the whole family, but I also wonder if they could go in a darker direction with this story too. After all, if you remember the other stories in this property, children, who to be fair, are kind of rotten, face various near death experiences because of how Wonka sets up his factory. I know this sounds dark, but I want to know if Wonka is setting up certain aspects of his factory on purpose. Remember the boat from “Willy Wonka?” If Augustus did not get sucked in the tube, he and his mother would not have even had a seat on the boat for themselves, it would have exceeded full capacity. Maybe I am overthinking things, but I am sure that whatever kind of story they tell, it has the potential to have the same awe and wonder I had when I read “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” in elementary school. Also, Timothee Chalamet will be playing Willy Wonka this time around, and I do not know how his performance will be, but I have never seen him choose a questionable project, so this must be something special.

#9. John Wick: Chapter 4

Coming in at #9 is “John Wick: Chapter 4!” I have always loved the “John Wick” franchise. While I have not gone back to watch the films a whole ton over the years, I will say that this franchise manages to do something that people often say franchises fail to do, make a sequel that surpasses the original. I think it is fair to say I liked “John Wick: Chapter 2” more than its predecessor. Also, did I like “John Wick: Chapter 3” even more? Dang right, I like it more! Bring on the assassin dogs! I almost do not even care what the plot is at this point. I mean, maybe a little. This time around, John Wick has to trot the globe to defeat a new enemy. The concept does not seem to break new ground, but if you deliver action that is as killer and thriller as the previous installments, this could be worth watching. While I love “The Matrix,” I think Keanu Reeves is better suited to play John Wick than Neo, and I have always loved his portrayal of this character. I’m thinkin’ he is back and better than ever! I have no idea if this film is going to be good. For all I know it could suck. But if we are going by statistics, I think “John Wick: Chapter 4” could end up being a great time.

#8. Elemental

Speaking of statistics, Pixar has yet to make a bad movie. Even recent outings like “Luca” and “Lightyear,” while they are lower tier projects, I will still give them credit for entertaining me. That said, I am very curious about Pixar’s next project, “Elemental.” Pixar over the years has popped the question about what happens if certain things had emotions. What if toys had emotions? What if cars had emotions? What if emotions had emotions like in “Inside Out?” I do not know much about this movie so far. All I know is that the story is likely going to focus on a water being named Wade and fire being named Ember. The two meet unexpectedly and this seems to throttle the story going forward. But the thing is that given how these are different elements, Wade and Ember cannot touch each other. Given how there is an entire story between these two, something seismic is bound to happen. Perhaps a romance plot? That seems very likely. Plus, Peter Sohn, the director behind the project, notes that the movie traces elements of his experience growing up, and I imagine that could add some personality to the table. Here is hoping the movie is yet another win for Pixar.

#7. 65

On the note of actors who always appear in projects I like such as the recently mentioned Timothee Chalamet, let’s talk about a movie featuring the great Adam Driver, “65!” Sony recently released a trailer for this film almost out of nowhere, and I am curious as to what this movie could bring to the table. As much as I love “Jurassic Park,” the franchise has lost its magic it originally had in the 1990s when it made dinosaurs terrifying. This is especially true with the recent “Jurassic World: Dominion,” which is a roaring travesty. “65” looks like it is going to bring something fresh for dinosaur movies. The concept of this movie is that a couple people, including pilot Mills (Driver), crash land on a planet, which happens to be earth from 65 million years ago. The mission is to survive this unfamiliar territory, which includes, yes, dinosaurs. While he is not directing the movie, Sam Raimi is producing it, which seems promising. In fact, Raimi mainstay Danny Elfman is doing the score, and I always enjoy his work. The other thing to keep in mind is that the duo who wrote (and directed) this film also co-wrote “A Quiet Place,” which is an incredible horror movie with some of the scariest moments the genre has delivered in recent times. Scott Beck and Bryan Woods may be delivering one of the year’s highlights this March.

#6. Cocaine Bear

Some of you might beg to ask why I am putting this movie on the list. The reason is because I have been looking forward to it ever since I first heard about the crazy, unbelievable story that inspired this project back in 2021, That movie, my friends, is “Cocaine Bear.” The name alone is worth the curiosity, but the story is worth the attention. For those who do not know, this film, as crazy as it sounds, is based on true events. There are liberties taken in this case, but it is fun to know that this absurd concept is based on something that actually happened. Essentially, millions of dollars worth of cocaine happens to be separated from a plane and a bear ends up eating it. This movie sounds delightfully over the top, and it also looks hysterical. The bear itself looks like it could be the biggest riot of the year. The movie is probably not going to win any Oscars, but this looks like a contender for the year’s most kneeslap-inducing comedy. This film is directed by Elizabeth Banks, who previously directed the 2019 “Charlie’s Angels,” which I honestly was not a fan of. Although I genuinely like her and everything else she does. If you guys are not watching the ABC reboot of “Press Your Luck,” you should. Banks is honestly the best game show host on television right now. The one other caveat that comes to mind is that the movie comes out in February, and the first couple months of the year, with a few exceptions, are usually where movies go to die. I was looking forward to “Moonfall” last year, I thought it could be stupid fun. …It was one of those things, and if you read my thoughts on the movie itself, you could probably figure out which one. All I know is that this film looks ridiculous, it sounds like a strange concept, but as the saying goes, truth is stranger than fiction. Therefore, for all I know we could have a gem on our hands.

#5. Oppenheimer

Sometimes you have to really sell me on a movie to get me in the door, and in others, you just need to use the magic words. The magic words in this case… Christopher Nolan. Ladies and gentlemen, my #5 most anticipated film of the year is “Oppenheimer.” Christopher Nolan is my favorite director working today. With the exception of “Following,” I have seen all of his movies and enjoyed all of them. I even liked “Tenet!” I watched it twice this year when I found it playing on HBO for crying out loud! I have no idea how good “Oppenheimer” will end up being, but I know that it has the potential to be the movie of the summer. One that not only can bring in a big audience. One that not only ends up delivering a one of a kind cinematic experience. One that is not just as technically brilliant as it is solid of a story. But also one that could get people to think after they leave. After all, this movie is centered around Robert J. Oppenheimer and his involvement in developing the atomic bomb. This has the potential to be an emotional ride in more ways than one. Plus you have a stacked cast including Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., and even Kenneth Branagh is making a return to the Nolan-verse. There is massive potential with this movie, and I hope it is executed well when it comes out.

#4. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

James Gunn is a solid filmmaker, especially when it comes to comic book material. That is just one of the reasons why “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is the MCU movie I am perhaps looking forward to more than any other this year. I am looking forward to “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” but I have my reservations. “The Marvels” could be good, but I need to know a little more. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” on the other hand looks like an encapsulation of why I adore these characters, these stories. This is said to be the last “Guardians of the Galaxy” installment with this crew, which could end up contributing to an emotional script and great character moments. This film looks fun, visually stunning, and hysterical. If there is one thing that Gunn does well in his movies, it is delivering a perfect balance between comedy and heart. Yes, it is strangely amusing to see a talking tree who emits one phrase walk amongst a team of heroes, but the first “Guardians of the Galaxy” also uses that tree to induce tears out of people’s eyes. I would not be surprised if we get one or two of those kinds of moments here, especially considering the conclusiveness of this particular chapter. I do want to be careful though because I had monumental expectations for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” and that ended up being a disappointment for me. But Gunn’s resume also consists of the original “Guardians of the Galaxy,” which was hilarious and had a killer soundtrack. Additionally, he made “The Suicide Squad,” which is probably my favorite DC project of all time. Also, recently, he did “Peacemaker” on HBO Max, which in addition to having the greatest opening title sequence in history, is marvelously led by John Cena. Not to mention it is simply a fantastic series. Here is hoping “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is another win for James Gunn.

#3. Dune: Part Two

I really enjoyed the first “Dune” during my few watches. It has my favorite film score of 2021, the visual effects are outstanding, and it totally deserved its Best Picture nomination from the Academy. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that I am looking forward to “Dune: Part Two.” I am not familiar with any of the other “Dune” stories or the source material. But I cannot help but look forward to what is to come. Denis Villeneuve, the director behind the first film, is coming back to helm this one. He is a master of sci-fi storytelling, and I will not be surprised if he ends up churning out a sequel that surpasses the original. Like I said in my description for “Wonka,” Timothee Chalamet is a great actor, and he chooses his films wisely. Good to see him back as Paul Atreides. Rebecca Ferguson is back, so is Stellan Skarsgard, and maybe we will get a bit more of Zendaya. At the same time, we also have newcomers like the gifted Austin Butler and the great Florence Pugh joining the cast, so here is hoping we have a movie as excellent as its talent. I am looking forward to seeing more of this journey, and if the first film showcased anything, this could be a contender for the most technically beautiful film of the year.

#2. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning – Part One

If you guys remember my 2021 most anticipated movies list, you may remember that I had “Mission: Impossible 7” on the #3 spot. Well, that movie has yet to come out, and it has been promoted to the #2 spot. This time, it has an official title, specifically “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning – Part One.” Much like “John Wick,” “Mission: Impossible,” for the most part, is a franchise that gets better with each movie. The first film was great, but I thought the second was a giant step down. The third one was better, but the quality also appeared to increase with the fourth, fifth, and sixth installments too. When I did my best movies of 2018 list, “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” was my #1, and I often flip it back and forth these days with “Avengers: Infinity War,” which at the time was my #2. At the time, I did not know how Tom Cruise, arguably my favorite movie star in the business, could supposedly do a more daredevil-esque stunt than learning how to fly a helicopter just to pull off the film’s climax. Well, it appears Christopher McQuarrie, who is returning for his third “Mission: Impossible” outing, has an answer. I recently watched a behind the scenes video of how they pulled off a specific stunt where Cruise jumps off of a ramp while flying off of a motorcycle. I have no words. I cannot wait to see this on the big screen, this has the potential, like I said about “Oppenheimer,” to be the movie of the summer. “Top Gun: Maverick” made over a billion dollars at the box office last year. If this movie is masterclass material, I can honestly imagine this film outgrossing “Top Gun: Maverick.” I could change my mind, but everything that I have seen in regard to this film so far, looks incredible. This is certainly a mission I will choose to accept.

#1. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

This is a film that not only has earned my spot as my most anticipated movie of the year, it has the potential to be the greatest animated movie of all time. That film is “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” I love “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” It is not my favorite comic book movie of 2018, but it is my favorite animated movie of that year. Miles Morales is a total delight. The film has stellar supporting characters from Peter B. Parker to Gwen Stacy to Jefferson Davis. I loved everyone in it. But that movie not only had great characters with phenomenal voice acting across the board, but some of the most unique, stunning animation in film history. I was not sold on it when I saw the marketing, but when I saw the movie, I wanted more of it. Not only are we getting more of it in this upcoming sequel, but it also appears that the film is going to have several different animation styles for various universes. How many are we talking? Two? Three? NO! TRY SIX! SIX ANIMATION STYLES! WHAT IS HAPPENING?! I was thrilled last year when “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” blended 2D and 3D animation together. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” feels like a different kind of technical ambition. Having Oscar Isaac return to play Miguel O’Hara, otherwise known as the 2099 Spider-Man, is something I did not think would happen, but I am delighted to see him return here. I thought he was just inserted in the last film’s post-credit scene as a one-off joke, guess not. I would not say it matters though, I am happy to see him come back. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the two directors behind “The LEGO Movie,” are writing this outing, and given how much I love their previous work, including their recently produced “The Mitchells vs. the Machines,” it only ups the anticipation a bit more. I will remind everyone reading this that animation is a medium, not a genre. I admittedly have referred to it as a genre sometimes, and I feel guilty when I have. That said, this film looks it could not just define the superhero movie genre, but the animation medium. The trailer that just came out took my expectations to perhaps an unhealthy level. It is the best trailer I have seen in 2022, and for all I know we could get an even better one in 2023. Just for the record, “Spider-Man 2” from 2004 is my favorite comic book movie of all time. If “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” surpasses “Spider-Man 2,” it is a special kind of special movie. It is going to be challenging, but I love a good challenge. And if “Across the Spider-Verse” does surpass “Spider-Man 2,” I will be proud of everyone who worked on this movie for going above and beyond to deliver a great experience. It looks like we have something grand, here is hoping that this return to the Spider-Verse delivers the glory.

Thanks for reading this countdown! I hope you enjoyed reading my picks for my top 10 most anticipated movies of 2023. It is a bit unusual that I am doing this list, but I thought it could make for good material as I am waiting to see “Babylon,” which if I did not see before I did my best and worst of the year, I feel I would be doing a disservice to my audience. Speaking of the top 10 best and worst, we are going to dive into those soon, because my next countdown is going to be for my top 10 WORST movies of 2022. Yes, we are doing the worst before the best this year. The reason for that is because I want to get the bad stuff out of the way, that way I can save the best for last. And in a world where recent information is as snappy as ever, I want people to remember me for the things I love and not the things I hate. If you want to see these countdowns and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, what are the movies you are looking forward to the most in 2023? Do you think I missed anything? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!