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Best and Worst Films from December 2023

Best Films from December 2023:

3. Variola Vera

Variola Vera is an underrated gem of Serbian cinema and one of the best epidemic movies of all time. It captures what it was like for those doctors and nurses during the outbreak of this virus in Belgrade while benefitting from a particularly strong horror atmosphere and an incredibly effective and creepy score. It’s a wonderfully acted and directed film.

2. Killers of the Flower Moon

Killers of the Flower Moon ended up being one of the best Martin Scorsese movies. Yes, it has a skewed point of view that was quite troublesome, but every single character was well developed and every single acting performance was superb here with the standouts being the horribly evil Robert De Niro and tragic Lily Gladstone. It’s a well made, very important movie that sheds light on not often depicted, horrendous part of US history.

1. Anatomy of a Fall

Masterfully directed by Justine Triet and consistently gripping, Anatomy of a Fall is a great showcase of the power of courtroom dramas and how thrilling they can be when done right. This is a complex and layered story where each new revelation becomes more confounding, leading to an ending that was effectively ambiguous and powerful. While undeniably technically arresting and highly sophisticated in its dialogue with both courtroom and flashback scenes being incredible, the highlight of the movie is Sandra Huller whose powerhouse performance ranks among the finest of 2023.

Worst Films from December 2023:

3. Rustin

Rustin is one of those standard biopics that you forget about immediately after seeing them. Colman Domingo was terrific in the role, but everything else was subpar here, especially its treatment of this interesting figure that deserved a much better and more interesting movie.

2. The First Purge

This Purge sequel is at its best during its well executed action set pieces that are thrilling and fun, but it is at its worst when focusing on social commentary that ended up being simplistic and on-the-nose. The characterization and plot also left a lot to be desired here.

1. The Marvels

While refreshingly short, fun and charming, The Marvels is still one of the worst MCU movies to date. It entirely sidelined Carol Danvers in favor of new, lesser developed characters. The movie is not easy to follow for anybody not acquainted with Marvel shows, which was a terrible choice from the studio. It’s just another lackluster superhero movie that had no reason to exist.