2023 in Review: Best and Worst Films of the Year

Now that we’re almost halfway into January, I figured it was about time I put together my wrap up lists of films I saw in 2023. I saw 56 classic films, and 59 new films, for a total of 115 in theater experiences. So it’s safe to say I spent a lot of time at the movies, and I have thoughts about what I saw.

Since it’s always fun to rant about what you don’t like, let’s start with the worst films I saw in 2023. Thankfully there were only five I deemed bad enough to include on a list.

5. Five Nights at Freddy’s

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting much from this. The premise seemed silly but I knew the game was a fan favorite. So, I thought how bad could it really be? Apparently really bad. Here’s the thing, I don’t ask too much from my Horror films. I just want some good scares, some gore, and maybe some laughs along the way. If you take it to the next level and get me thinking even better. I wasn’t expecting the last one from Five Nights at Freddy’s but I at least hoped it had some good jump scares. It didn’t. It had some gore but it wasn’t really impactful. It had zero laughs, and the story made no sense so there wasn’t any reason to care about the characters or what happened to them. This was the only new release I saw in theaters in October so it ended up being a massive disappointment.

4. Meg 2: The Trench

Speaking of massive disappointments, this should have been on my other list for the year. It isn’t hard to please me when we’re talking about shark films. I’ll watch any kind, and I get a kick out of even the most ridiculous ones, which is why I loved the first Meg movie so much. It’s a movie about a giant shark breaking loose and hunting down a ton of victims. Oh, and it stars Jason Statham! So why was the sequel such a let down? For starters, they retconned a bunch of things from the first film in a completely unnecessary move. The story made no sense, just getting dumber the farther along we got. To top it off the special effects looked outdated. So the whole reason you’re coming to see a film like this didn’t even deliver.

3. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

I’ll admit I forgot this came out this year. I think it falls inline with most of the other Marvel releases as of late. It simply lost the charm that made this character and corner of the MCU so fun. The characters are all lackluster, they’re stuck in an over CGIed world that loses any impact after the first scene because it’s so over done, and it makes the mistake of trying to drive its story through a character not named in the title. Paul Rudd, and Ant-Man, have been some of my favorite additions to this franchise and it was a little heartbreaking to see that not even he could save this film from falling flat.

2. Infinity Pool

Mia Goth was what made two of my top films from 2022 so great, and why I was so excited for this film. Unfortunately she couldn’t save this anymore than Paul Rudd could save the previous film. What should have been a creepy physiological thriller ended up an over-indulgent mess. The filmmakers got caught up too much in the process and didn’t focus enough time and energy on telling a compelling story.

1. Barbie

I know there will be a lot of people who feature this at the top of their best lists but I thought it was just one big pile of pink coated crap. Perhaps it was another case of expectations let down. I’ll admit I wanted this to be amazing. I’ve embraced the Barbie culture since I was a kid and I couldn’t wait to see what Greta Gerwig did with the character. What ended up being delivered was a bland, not funny opinionated rant using the Barbie culture as the centerpiece of its argument. The world of Barbie should have been a colorful splash but the production design was dull and forgettable. Barbie as a character is inconsistent and so are the rules of this world. The real world portion is cartoonish to an annoying point and makes no sense intertwined with the Barbie one. The first two minutes had one or two laughs but then the rest of the film is dry and flat. As I said in my initial review, it felt like an SNL skit that went on too long.

Now that the least impressive films of 2023 are out of the way, let’s get the bad taste out of our mouths with the best films I saw. We’ll start with some honorable mentions since there were so many good films released last year, and they deserve the love.

Cocaine Bear

While not as over-the-top laugh-out-loud fun like I hoped, it ended up being a pretty solid film, with enough gruesome humor to deliver on my expectations.

The Flash

The universe seemed to be plotting against this film. Covid delays, lead actor drama, a general dislike of DC adaptations, and an emerging fatigue with the superhero genre all collided right when The Flash finally saw its release. This is so unfortunate because Ezra Miller is perfect in the role, and this is one of the most enjoyable of the recent DC enterprises.

Asteroid City

Wes Anderson is an inconsistent director for me. I either love his films or find them irritating. Asteroid City fell into the first category. It was utterly delightful, and Jeff Goldblum was the star on top.

Gran Turismo

The better of the two racing films released this year that are based on true stories. What’s not to love? It’s got incredible odds, an underdog, and Orlando Bloom and David Harbour!

The Killer

This one is sneaking onto the list because I actually caught it in a theater, even though it was a Netflix release. David Fincher films should always be viewed on the big screen. This film is gorgeous, tense, and compelling in its deliberate slowness. It needs a distraction free environment to be truly appreciated.

The Boys in the Boat

Though it feels a little wrong to be rooting for a Washington team, this film is otherwise packed with all sorts of things I love. Once again we have an underdog sports story, pitting them against impossible odds. Throw in some patriotism and feel good plot points and you’ve got yourself a solid film.

Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

Tom Cruise jumping off a cliff from a motorcycle into a parachute deployment. That’s just the tip of the awesome stunts in this non-stop thrill ride. The whole gang is back too so it’s like coming home to a crazy, funny family reunion. Only knock against it is that Part Two doesn’t come out for a year.

10. Plane

Alright, jumping into the top ten list here is one that was a very nice surprise early in the year. Gerard Butler has found his niche corner of the cinematic universe and a crew to work with that compliments his style. Coming in under the two hour mark, this is a tightly knit together tense rollercoaster. There’s plenty of action, some solid hand-to-hand combat, and enough character development to make you actually care what happens to the stranded passengers.

9. Scream VI

It is rare for the sixth entry in a franchise to still deliver on the original premise. It’s even rarer still for it to do so in a horror series. Yet, that is what the Scream films have done. They keep delivering because they know their audience backward and forward. They keep enough to the original tropes to not step on the predecessors but also bring some cool twists each time. The New York setting and opening sequence in the sixth film are beautifully executed. Also, they bring back Kirby, who was the best addition to the series since Timothy Olyphant as Mickey in Scream 2.

8. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

I love a good heist film, even better when it’s in an adventure fantasy setting. This was some of the most fun I had going to see a movie in a long time. The expectations weren’t high but man, did it deliver. Everyone was perfect, the quest the team goes on easy enough to understand and keep up with, and there was plenty of humor sprinkled throughout. I don’t know if it will turn into a series, or if it even needs to but I was very pleased with the final outcome here.

7. Wonka

Did we need another Willy Wonka story? No, not really. Did we need a Wonka film directed by Paul King, the genius behind Paddington and Paddington 2? Yes, yes we did. This was absolutely delightful. Timothée Chalamet was charming as a young Wonka, the production design was very appetizing, and Hugh Grant, despite his clear dislike for the role and its technical requirements, was absolutely perfect. One of the more pleasant Christmas Day screenings I’ve experienced in recent years.

6. Sisu

Finnish revenge film against Nazis? Okay, I’m there. This was another perfect expectations delivery. It features just enough creative gore to satisfy the bloodlust, and is precise in its pacing and tension building. In other words, it’s perfect from start to finish (see what I did there?).

5. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

After several rounds of disappointing Marvel films, we got James Gunn’s final entry into the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. Shouldn’t have worried at all that Gunn knew what he was doing. With a focus on Rocket’s traumatic past, this was perhaps the most emotional of the Guardians films and Gunn handled it wonderfully. We still get plenty of moments of levity, while still being engrossed in the more sobering story. Even the CGI world we’re in feels more real because of the care in which it is crafted. Personally, I feel that each Guardians films is interchangeable in terms of ranking, and that is a testament to Gunn, and the actors that took on these characters, making them their own.

4. Air

Who would have thought a movie about Nike and Michael Jordan, that features little to no basketball could be so compelling? What makes this so successful is an incredible amount of talent (kudos to Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, and Ben Affleck), plus one of those almost too unbelievable to be true stories. It was a perfect alignment of the universe that brought the brand and athlete together for one of the most iconic partnerships. Here, the story is told in a compelling way through precise pacing, clever dialogue, and outstanding performances.

3. Sound of Freedom

There are dark and disturbing corners of the world, and the people who choose to venture into them in order to help the vulnerable are true heroes. Sound of Freedom shines a light on the terrible child human trafficking epidemic. This is yet another film on this list that is based on a true story. It is harrowing and difficult to watch due to the nature of its subject material but it never feels like the filmmakers venture into excess in what they decide to include in the story.

2. The Holdovers

Set in 1970, this feels like a film from that decade. It is a character study that is driven by excellent performances, and at its heart a story of finding shared humanity among unexpected company. Add in that it is set during the holiday season and you get all the bittersweet joy of a classic Christmas film. This is definitely going to be added to the yearly rotation of films in our Christmas movie advent calendar.

1. Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant

A grueling rescue story baked into a war film, this hits particularly hard considering recent events of the last few years. Guy Ritchie knows when to balance action and tension with emotionally heavy storylines. Casting Jake Gyllenhaal is another master move. Few actors can take on the physicality of a role like this without sacrificing the emotional impact. Dar Salim is also incredible in his role as Ahmed. This should be required viewing. There are people that are too good in this world that have been left to suffer at the hands of evil because of the cowardice and incompetence of their so-called friends. This is their story and we owe them so much better than what we’ve given.

Catching Up – Supernatural Season 10

We’ve slowly been making our way through our Supernatural catch up, and are finally ready to dive into the double-digit seasons. Now in Season 10, Dean struggles with the Mark of Cain, Castiel searches for his stolen grace, Sam once again ignores all sense of reason and logic, and Crowley deals with some major mommy issues. Let’s talk about it all in the latest episode of Catching Up!

00:00 – Introduction & Season Recap
04:40 – Favorite Episodes of the Season
25:50 – Honorable Mentions
28:48 – Best Use of Music Licensing
34:55 – Favorite Quotes from the Season
38:48 – Acting Shout Outs
41:30 – Overall Thoughts on the Season
49:33- Final Thoughts and Ratings

Taylor Swift Album Review: Evermore

Second up in my catch up series of Taylor Swift album reviews is Evermore, the follow up surprise release to Folklore. Let’s see if this entry proves any more memorable, or if it’s just more of the same melodrama melancholy of the previous album.

“Willow”

Well, the first track is not an encouraging indication that good things are to come. It’s more of the same as the previous album, lackluster music combined with otherwise interesting lyrics that results in no emotional impact. Maybe it’s the use of all the electronic instrument replacements but it ends up feeling very robotic.

“Champagne Problems”

There’s a hint of “New Year’s Day” in the soft piano chords of this song, which unfortunately draws it into an unflattering comparison. Where “New Year’s Day” finds beauty in the mundane normalities of the everyday that most people can generally relate to, “Champagne Problems” paints a picture that is almost entirely the opposite. It’s even in the title, and downbeat line of the chorus, these are champagne problems, not ordinary, everyday ones. Perhaps because of that the narrator of the song seems very much removed and disinterested, leaving the overall impact wanting in any emotional connection for the listener.

“Gold Rush”

Oh my gosh, she actually has a song featuring a beat! Oh, and it has a musical shift on the verse changes, how exciting! It’s that much more surprising considering this is the first Jack Antonoff collaboration on the album. Usually I’m not a fan of his contributions to her music but this one turns out okay. It’s no “Lover” or “State of Grace” for sure but it is a pretty song that carries some emotional impact and has a slightly memorable chorus.

“‘Tis the Damn Season”

I guess it seems fitting that for her lugubrious era Swift felt it necessary to include a holiday track that matches the despondent nature of her other songs. I will admit that the story telling in this one is interesting but it still lacks the impassioned vibe of her first seven albums. It fits in with the rest of the album but won’t be very far remembered.

“Tolerate It”

This song is almost painful to listen to. It is so slow and boring. Half of the song Swift is just speaking the lyrics over the music, which is just the same repeated piano refrain looped over and over. While some of the other tracks have lacked an emotional punch this one goes even further and drains any emotion the listener may have had before listening to it.

“No Body, No Crime” (featuring Haim)

This is the “The Last Great American Dynasty” of this album. It’s a story song with a good hook, rhythm and clever lyrical word play. Thank goodness for Haim, bringing some actual musical weight to this album. I’m giving them credit here as they are the only differentiating factor from the other tracks on the album, so I have to assume they are the reason this song succeeds.

“Happiness”

This track starts slipping back into the trap of the earlier ones with flat music but jumps slightly ahead with Swift’s inflection on the title word of the song. There’s a little desperation that seeps in, bringing with it more emotional impact. While still not to the level of some of her other comparable previous work (“Treacherous”, “Last Kiss” ), it hit more than other tracks on this album.

“Dorothea”

Evermore’s answer to “Betty” is sadly not as successful, though it still has some charm to appreciate. Swift’s strongest songs in this Folklore/Evermore era end up being the ones where she leans heavily into her Country storytelling roots. More interest is driven in the song when there are characters to latch onto, even when the music may be lacking.

“Coney Island” (featuring the National)

It seems like many of the songs on Evermore are just duplicate attempts at Folklore’s tracks. Some are more successful this time around, others are less so. Then there are the songs like this, which feels like this album’s “Exile” that are just as forgettable. It’s another duet/collaboration that just sits there without drawing any real feeling. It’s not terrible but it’s not great.

“Ivy”

We’re solidly into a monotone groove at this point in the album. There’s nothing inherently worse in this song than the previous three tracks. It just carries on with the one level musical vibe. The lyrics are pretty, and Swift’s voice has a light sing-song quality to it but it’s not very impactful without the musical drive to back it.

“Cowboy like Me”

I think I like the title more than the song itself. There is a nice twangy refrain midway through that’s quite pleasing. Otherwise it is the same issue repeated from the rest of the album, semi-interesting lyrics that disappear under mediocre music.

“Long Story Short”

This is a tricky track. You think there’s going to be some actual rhythm to the music because it’s slightly more upbeat electronica but it ends up being the same repetitive beat. Plus, half the lyrics are just sounds so it doesn’t even have that going for it. 

“Marjorie”

The sentiment behind this track is quite beautiful. A tribute to Swift’s grandmother, who was an opera singer and inspired Swift’s own musical career that samples Majorie Finlay (Swift’s grandmother) in its backing vocals. It is a bit odd though to have a tribute to an opera singer that is so understated in its vocal strains. I suppose the attempt was to highlight the sampling in the music but I think the effect is not quite as successful as it wants to be.

“Closure”

Despite beginning with some gorgeous lyrics, including this diamond of a line “Seeing the shape of your name/still spells out pain,” the song falls back into the same old traps of earlier tracks. It repeats the title word in the chorus as though that’s impact enough but it isn’t. The music is slightly more upbeat but once again there is no change in inflection so it just sits at the same level throughout, never moving itself or the listener forward.

“Evermore” (featuring Bon Iver)

Once again the ending track seems fitting for the low energy album that precedes it. At least the piano in this isn’t electronic. Considering the languid vibe on their Folklore track, it is a bit surprising that Bon Iver brings the most energy in a sudden burst halfway through this song. However, even that doesn’t save it from being fairly forgettable in the end.

Bonus Tracks:

“Right Where You Left Me”

Is it really a Taylor Swift album if there are no bonus tracks? This one could have easily replaced any number of the official tracks. While not jumping with energy it is a lot more upbeat and engaging than at least half the songs that did make the cut. It is also very classic Swift, replaying a breakup over and over trying to make sense of it. It perfectly encapsulates that lost, empty feeling someone would get when the news is delivered that their significant other is no longer interested in continuing the relationship. This could have been a good opener.

“It’s Time to Go”

Unlike the previous bonus song, this one is perfectly fine to remain off the official tracklist. It does fit the same theme and tone of the other songs in being fairly forgettable. There is some interesting lyric structure but it all blends together with the bland music and Swift’s monotone delivery. So actually, it is quite a nice summary of the issues with Evermore as an album. Evermore is dreary mundaneness with an occasional glimpse of sunlight in a slightly stronger track or clever lyric but doesn’t contain anything truly lasting.

Taylor Swift Album Review: Folklore

It’s been awhile since I posted anything so I thought I’d come back with something a little different. Taylor Swift released Midnights in October of last year and her Eras tour has been conquering all Spring and Summer long. I’ve done reviews of all her albums up through Lover. Being the completionist I am, I’ve decided to look at the albums I have yet to review. I’ll get to Midnights eventually but for now let’s start with Folklore.

“The 1”

The first track always sets the tone for the rest of the album and this one lets the listener know right away this isn’t going to be like the other Taylor Swift albums. Her last few records opened with pulsing pop beats promising an hour or so of upbeat candy-coated synth. In contrast, “The 1” is a soft reminiscing of a past relationship, a one-that-got-away story guided more than driven by a low piano rift and almost lazy drums. It’s beautiful and entrancing, and entirely different than anything she’s thrown at us before.

“Cardigan”

If the first track defines the mood, the second must reinforce it, and “Cardigan” does that in abundance. There’s an almost ethereal vibe with these first two tracks, like she’s easing us into this new sonic experience. We do get a glimpse of some classic Taylor songwriting with lines like “Tried to change the ending/Peter losing Wendy” and “I knew you’d haunt all of my what-ifs.” So even though this is new stylistically it’s still the same old Taylor telling stories with heart. Definitely a solid second track.

“The Last Great American Dynasty”

It’s been a minute since we had a good story song from Swift. Unlike “Starlight” from Red this one isn’t dripping with saccharine nostalgia for a time period she hasn’t experienced. Okay, there is a little of that anemoia but it’s not sickly sweet but rather has some bite. This is the story of a woman and the extravagant life she lived after marrying into money. It has no regrets and bounces along at a more lively pace than the tracks before it, suggesting this album might not be all somber reflections. In a beautiful twist at the end it’s revealed that it’s the story of the woman who previously owned Swift’s Rhode Island home. Swift seems to see so many parts of herself in Rebekah, making the whole thing extra meta by being a commentary on the gossip and notoriety of eccentrically famous women.

“Exile (ft. Bon Iver)”

Even after all this time to sit with it I’m not sure I like this song. It’s a little too serious and is missing the charm of her other, and arguably better, duet “The Last Time” from Red. I do like the call and response echo of “you never gave a warning sign/(I gave so many signs),” clearly indicating missed communications in the relationship that are only revealed upon reflection once it has ended. It is a pretty song, it just feels too low a note to hit after the previous song.

“My Tears Ricochet”

I think it’s going to be obvious throughout my reviews that I am not the biggest fan of Swift’s partnership with Jack Antonoff (just wait until we get to Midnights), and unfortunately that means I do not particularly like this song. The music is forgettable and drags down the beauty of so many of the lyrics. The only time we get a breakthrough is when Swift shifts her pitch a little higher, and the music pulls back just enough to let these words sit there in their gloriousness:

“And I still talk to you 

When I’m screaming at the sky 

And when you can’t sleep at night 

You hear my stolen lullabies”

“Mirrorball”

Another Antonoff casualty. There’s a lot of ethereal sounds with no real beat or melody. It does play well into Swift’s light, wispy voice but it lacks any forward momentum. The lyrics are well crafted but no emotional impact is felt because the song stays at the same disengaged level throughout, a theme that repeats itself quite regularly in most of the following tracks.

“Seven”

This has echoes of “It’s Nice to Have a Friend” from Lover, the strange, kind of creepy song near the end of that album. “Seven” is not as successful though because once again there’s almost no emotion to be drawn from the song. In “It’s Nice To Have a Friend” there’s a little bit of tongue-in-cheekness that feels like Swift winking at the listener as though they are in on the joke. This song just passes through without leaving any memorable piece for the listener to hold onto.

“August”

Yet again we get a dreary flat song that just exists as electronic sound with no inflection for impact. If it seems like I’m being repetitive in this point, just listen to the album. It’s another fairly forgettable addition to the album, with the one exception of the line “August sipped away like a bottle of wine.” My complaints around the songs on this album will rarely be directed at the lyrics. The album as a whole contains some of Swift’s most lyrically beautiful work.

“This is Me Trying”

Okay, I’m about to take back what I just said. While most of the tracks on the album at least feature interesting and poignant lyrics, this one does not. There’s nothing clever to find in it, and it continues the tradition of the previous five tracks of running bland musically. So this is perhaps the most forgettable song on the album.

“Illicit Affairs”

I love the way Swift pulls together words in this song but again, it’s lost in the mediocrity of the music. She was really leaning into music that didn’t push her voice beyond its lightness and for that the album suffers. It hardly works if you have the emotion on just one side of the equation. You need both the lyrics to hit, and the music to move.

“Invisible String”

We get a little more musical complexity here, though it still drags quite a bit. I mentioned “It’s Nice to Have a Friend” earlier, and this definitely has some of that almost ghostly whimsy coursing through it. So despite it still running mostly flat, there is a little spark here and there that elevates it beyond most of the other tracks.

“Mad Woman”

I’m curious why Swift decided not to have melodies in the second half on the album. Again, lyrically it’s interesting, telling the story of a scorned woman fighting back against those that called her crazy. The issue is it just sits in its own downess, never giving into the impulse to scream its anger through the music.

“Epiphany”

When I first heard this I was really moved by it but now I think that has more to do with the time it was released. 2020 was a year of uncertainty and this track pulls from that fear and anxiety in a rather subtle but insightful way. The song doesn’t sustain itself past its moment but it hits better than most of the other tracks once again due to the lyrics.

“Betty”

Finally a hook! This leans much more into Swift’s country roots, and showcases why that genre works. It’s a storytelling medium that relies on a call and response lyric to music structure, so it ends up being something you might actually be able to dance to, and sing along with. Swift makes it more interesting by telling it from the point-of-view of the boy who scorned the girl.

“Peace”

This is the rare case on the album where the drawn back music actually helps the emotional impact of the song. The lyrics are a whispered confession of fears Swift is telling her lover. She can’t provide the safety of a traditional relationship but promises to stick by their side if they come along with her. Letting her vocals drive the musical beats actually hits because you can hear the emotion in it clearly.

“Hoax”

The album ends on a rather lackluster note after fighting back to some semblance of rhythmically driven themes in the previous two tracks. “Hoax” is a fairly sleepy song and still has the main issue the rest of the album has of featuring forgettable music that drowns out the otherwise clever lyrics. However, the melancholy it sits in fits with the tone of the rest of the album and so seems a fitting end.

Bonus Track: “The Lakes”

“I want auroras and sad prose.” That about sums up this bonus song, and Folklore as an album. It’s Swift sitting around in her melancholia talking about beautiful images without infusing the emotions she’s written about into the actual music of the song. Much of this album feels like it could have been better delivered as a collection of poems, better to read than listen to. I’m afraid this will become a theme in the review of her next two albums but we’ll get to those soon enough.

The Luminaries by Susan Dennard | Book Review

I read The Luminaries by Susan Dennard and loved it! Check out the video below for my full thoughts.

Panic! at the Disco: A Personal History and Album Ranking

Brendon Urie recently announced that the musical project known as Panic! at the Disco was coming to an end. Some outlets have been reporting it as a band breakup but that seems odd considering the “band” has been a solo project since the release of the fifth album in 2016. Not sure how exactly Urie is expected to have broken up with himself. Either way, this feels very much like the end of an era. As such I thought I would do a sort of retrospective, complete with a ranking of the seven albums from worst to best. Though really there is no such thing as a bad Panic! Album.

Let’s set the stage first with some background on my personal history with the group. I was actually avidly anti-Panic! when their first album came out. I’m definitely going to date myself here. I was a senior in high school. Back in the days where you discovered a band either through the “modern hits” filled soundtrack of the latest teen flick, or the local radio stations. In my case it was what was then known as STAR 98.7 and KROQ 106.7. The former played “alternative” songs while the latter played more rock heavy material. Spotify wasn’t yet a thing and MP3 players were just getting to be trendy.

You might also have heard of a band through a friend sharing their latest musical discovery via burned CDs (I know, I know, way to really date myself). Then, there was the way I learned about Panic! This was when a band became suddenly ubiquitous, with their merch taking over the walls of Hot Topic (by the way, is Hot Topic still a thing?) and you couldn’t escape their logos and faces. All the kids in your class would be wearing their shirts and fake leather wristbands, and talking about how amazingly intellectual this new band with the crazy name that had punctuation really was.

So, when I first heard about Panic! I thought they were incredibly pretentious with their exclamation point and song titles that were full on sentences. I hated them for the sheer attitude that exuded from their music. I mean, I wasn’t wrong. They were really pretentious. But I eventually came to appreciate the often times brilliant creativity buried in what was passed off as mindless pop rock music. I came to identify key moments from my personal life with their music as it became the soundtrack of so many of my memories. I have had the joy of being a fan of their music for fifteen years (I officially converted with the release of the second album), and have had the privilege of seeing them perform live over a dozen times. With that little history out of the way, let’s take a look at the albums of this band I have loved for the past almost two decades.

Coming in at number seven is Pray for the Wicked (2018), the sixth studio album and second to come from the “band” in its solo enterprise days. Let me repeat, there is no such thing as a bad Panic! album in my mind. There are things about Pray for the Wicked that I absolutely adore, and in fact it features my all time favorite Panic! song. Perhaps the reason I feel less enamored of this record is because it is the only one that feels like it was made for the Spotify age. It is a collection of singles rather than a cohesive album. I am a firm believer that music tells the best stories when crafted to take the listener on a journey through complex musical experiences expressed through a strategic series of songs. Pray for the Wicked lacks a strong through line in terms of musical themes and tone, which is why its place is at the bottom of the list.

Best Song: When I first heard “Dying in LA” I ended up sobbing by the end of it. It came to me when I was considering moving from the Los Angeles area after living there my entire life. I love LA but there are many things about it that I find soul crushing, and I really struggled with my decision. The song perfectly captures the conflicting emotions of optimism and despondency that LA seems to evoke in so many people. It is beautiful and sad yet strangely hopeful. It felt like Urie was singing about my own experiences and I was overwhelmed. I’m sure it didn’t affect many others the way it did me but “Dying in LA” still feels like the most emotionally mature Panic! song, and it is a rare gem in an otherwise dare I say mediocre album.

At number six we have the fourth studio album, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! (2013) complete with its own exclamation point. From this point forward I feel that each album has its own musical identity fusing it together, with that telltale Panic! vibe running along the foundation. Too Weird definitely leans more into the electronic side of the Panic! sound, sometimes a little too heavily for my taste but the collection of songs sound like they belong together, and feel like they have a story to tell. “This Is Gospel” is a strong opener and a perfect beginning link for the future albums that use its theme in their singles. With lines like “This is Gospel for the fallen ones/Locked away in permanent slumber/Assembling their philosophies/From pieces of broken memories” it is one of the stronger songs lyrically on the album. Then there is “Miss Jackson” which just has such a killer hook and pulsing guitar rift that you can’t help but want to jump up and dance. I had the chance to hear “Vegas Lights” live on the strip while the casino lights were flashing and there isn’t really another experience like it. The energy that song brings is insane. The rest of the songs run a little calm but still feel like they hold their own with the hits.

Best Song: “Girls / Girls / Boys” has become an anthem of sorts and a tradition was born for the live shows that plays on the old concert ritual of holding a lighter up during particularly emotional songs. Multi-colored paper hearts are passed out by a fan group before the show so that during the performance the audience can hold up their own rainbow backlit with their phone flashlights. The song itself starts off almost at a whisper before building to the chorus where Urie finally belts out the title lyrics, as though he’s no longer able to contain the secret affairs of the girl who is the subject of the piece. It also doesn’t hurt that the music video for the song features a shirtless Urie singing seductively to the camera.

At number five is Vices & Virtues (2011), the third album and first to come out after the departure of founding members Ryan Ross and John Walker. This might lean a little too steampunk for some listeners but the sound of the album is one of the strongest and it begins the evolution of the band from youthful snarkiness to mature musical themes. Once again the album kicks off with a strong opener, “The Ballad of Mona Lisa” showcasing Urie’s signature voice right off to assure fans that despite the loss of two band members it is still the same Panic! Well, perhaps a slightly more polished Panic!. Other strong entries include “Let’s Kill Tonight,” “Hurricane,” and “Trade Mistakes.” Though really each track is a contender for best on the album. They all feel like their own individual piece of a bigger puzzle that fits together to form the very solid Vices & Virtues.

Best Song: “Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)” combines the best of the two essential elements that form a Panic! song, the upbeat musical beats and snappy lyrics. The call and response in the chorus adds to the driving bass and pulsating guitar making it near impossible to not jump up and down while shout-singing the line “I’m ready to go/(Get me out of my mind)/(Get me out of my mind)/I’m ready to go/(Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh).”

Number four on the list is Pretty. Odd. (2008), the second studio album. This time around the pretentiousness goes up a level because while the title of the album features double punctuation the official band name has dropped its punctuation (the exclamation point does return and stays with the release of the third album). The confusing sentence structure of the title and name aside, this album is brilliant both in terms of its music and what it proved for the band’s staying power. This of course is ironic considering it eventually led to the first “breakup” of the group, and I am writing about it in a post celebrating the legacy of a soon to be disbanded entity. What it proved right off was that a band could reinvent themselves musically and still be considered a success. Tonally this album is miles away from the first, clearly influenced by The Beatles and the sound of 60’s and 70’s psychedelic rock. Despite mixing musical genres in the span of a couple songs the album feels cohesive in its incohesiveness. Standout tracks include the initial single “Nine in the Afternoon,” “Northern Downpour,” “Pas de Cheval,” and my personal favorite from the album, “Folkin’ Around.”

Best Song: One of the most beautifully written songs by the band, “When the Day Met the Night” tells the sweet story of the moon and sun falling in love with each other, “in the middle of summer.” At nearly five minutes in length it is the longest of any Panic! song and features full orchestration.

The original Panic! album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out (2005) comes in at number three. I’ll admit I struggled with where to place this album on the list. As I mentioned before, when it first came out I resisted it but like the catchy thing it is it eventually worked its way into my heart. I still think some of it crosses the line between clever and irritating. The “Introduction” and “Intermission” tracks fall into the first category, providing an easing into and midpoint break of the chaotic trip the listener embarks on. The long titles of tracks two, three, seven, and twelve fall into that second category. At the end of the day this is the album that started it all and eighteen years later it is still easy to see why it became the monster hit it did. It would deserve a high ranking for that alone but it is also a creatively clever album that embraces energetic chaos and sonic diversity.

Best Song: “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.” Nothing else needs to be said.

My number two choice may be a bit controversial to some fans, and is perhaps only a little influenced by recency bias. Still, I maintain that the last album, Viva Las Vengeance (2022), will go down in history as one of the best Panic! albums of all time. It is a love letter to classic rock with musical references to bands from the 70s and 80s that created the sound Urie is fixated on, littered throughout the album. “Star Spangled Banger” riffs on the classic Thin Lizzy motif of “talking as singing” in its bridges. “Middle of a Breakup” sounds like The Cars jumped in the recording studio with Urie and he even name drops T. Rex in the chorus. He then name drops ELO in “Sugar Soaker” while evoking Meatloaf vibes. And of course there is “Sad Clown,” which could have been titled “I Love Queen and Here is a Song to Prove It.” There are also writing credits on multiple tracks for the artists that inspired them, including “God Killed Rock and Roll” which essentially steals directly from the Kiss song of a similar name. This album should serve as a starting point of educational material for those not familiar with the bands I just mentioned. Aside from the number one album this is the strongest in terms of musical themes, and in my opinion doesn’t feature a single weak track. Though I am sad the band is done, this is a hell of an album to end on.

Best Song: All of them. Listen to the entire album as it was meant to be heard from start to finish.

Then there was one. Death of a Bachelor (2016) is the fifth studio album and the first to be released as part of the solo enterprise. It is the second most successful in terms of sales and it’s easy to see why. I’ll come right out and say it, this is a perfect rock album. It starts off banging with “Victorious” and doesn’t slow down until it finally allows the listener to take a breath of air with the closing track, “Impossible Year.” Its singles included “Hallelujah,” which feels like a religious experience when you hear it live. Don’t believe me? Just listen to “All My Friends We’re Glorious: Death of a Bachelor Live” album. There is also the title track which is Urie’s very capable ode to Frank Sinatra. We could also talk about the incredible music videos that were created for the album, perhaps most impressive of which is the one for “Emperor’s New Clothes,” featuring Urie in full makeup as a demon king. Or there’s the octopus alien thing from “Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time.” Everything about this album is perfect.

Best Song: As with the previous entry this album is best experienced as a whole, though I will highlight “LA Devotee,” as it features my favorite subject material and is just full of dark moody vibes.

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood | Book Review

Read Ali Hazelwood’s Love on the Brain and had some thoughts. Check them out in the video below.

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles | Book Review

First book review of the year is up! Check out the video below for my full thoughts on Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles.

23 Books I Want to Read in 2023

Decided to jump on the trend of highlighting twenty-three books I want to read this year. Check out the video below for the full list!

2022 in Review: Best and Most Disappointing Films of the Year

2022 was a pretty great year for the movies. We finally saw things return a little more to normal after suffering through the drought of 2020 and 2021. Plus, the quality of films released was outstanding. That’s not to say there weren’t a few duds (there definitely were but we’ll get to that momentarily). I went to the theater plenty throughout the year and saw 45 new releases, along with my usual ventures to visit returning favorites.

As is my tradition I have compiled lists for both my favorite films of the year, as well as my biggest disappointments. Since I like ending on a positive note, let’s start off with those films that did not live up to expectations.

10. Moonfall

I think my exact words after seeing this were, “Wow, was that stupid.” I won’t pretend that I was expecting a masterpiece but I was expecting a little more than what we got, especially considering how many Academy Award winners and nominees were in the film. I went into the film hoping to enjoy some mindless fun action and explosions but unfortunately I couldn’t even do that because the storyline was just too ridiculous, and the action so over-the-top.

9. Ambulance

This was another film I went into with very little expectations and just couldn’t come away feeling like my money was well spent, despite the LA setting and appearance of Jake Gyllenhaal. On top of yet another poorly executed action storyline, the shaky camera effects actually made me sick. It felt a little like Gyllenhaal was trying to step into being this generation’s Nic Cage with this flick so, perhaps that could be the one plus this movie has to offer.

8. Elvis

As is the case with my past bottom of the year lists, there are a few titles on here that are more disappointing than bad films. This is one of those. I was really looking forward to this, as I am a big Baz Lurhmann and Elvis fan. I just thought there were a lot of missed opportunities. The story felt jumbled and inconsistent, the music never got the punches it deserved, and I could not get on board with whatever it was Tom Hanks was doing.

7. Lightyear

I wouldn’t have believed it possible for a Pixar film to feel so devoid of life and joy. The color palette is depressing, consisting of dull grays and desaturated neutrals. The story is overly convoluted and hard enough to follow for an adult audience, let alone the children for whom the film is intended. It hits so much more how much of a letdown this is when considering this is the same studio that brought us Wall-E, a film about a trash collecting robot that opens with a 45 minute dialogue-less section that is more captivating than this entire film.

6. Amsterdam

There was so much here that should have made for a great film, David O. Russell in the director’s chair, a stellar cast, and a gorgeous production design. Sadly it all gets lost in a meandering story and overly stylized acting directions.

5. Don’t Worry Darling

This movie makes zero sense. The only worthwhile part of the experience is the gorgeous cinematography and Florence Pugh’s unreasonably perfect performance considering the material she’s given.

4. Barbarian

A simple concept is all a good horror movie needs to get started. In this case, what would happen if two people “accidentally” book the same AirBnB? The first act of this film sets about answering that question, and does so quite effectively. Both actors are believable and the mood is beautifully set for the next sequence of events. Unfortunately a good start is not all that is needed in order to finish strong, and therein lies the issue with Barbarian. It goes off the rails in the second act, begins strong again at the start of the third, and falls completely apart by the end. It tries to be something else in the middle rather than sticking with the idea that brought it, and in doing so completely loses focus and eventually its impact.

3. The 355

It should not have surprised me that a January release would end up being so disappointing. What should have been a fun girl power spy flick ended up being mind numbingly boring. The performances were all very stiff and no one seemed to get the memo that this was supposed to be a fun action film. Even the action that was there was overdone to the point of also being boring. This was the second film I saw in 2022 and it made me very nervous that it was setting the tone for what was to come. Thankfully it ended up being a fluke.

2. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

This is on my list purely for what it does to Wanda. I know there are plenty of fans that enjoyed where the storyline went but to me it seemed such a disservice to turn this character we have spent a decade with into a villain in the span of one scene. The rest of the plot relies on this one event and as such comes off as weak and contrived. I don’t accept the excuse of “this is what happens in the comics” because this isn’t the comics and we as an audience should require that the level of storytelling is elevated from its source material. I guess this is how fans of Game of Thrones felt about the Daenerys storyline in the final season but at least they had seven seasons leading up to it to get used to the idea.

1. Babylon

How far the mighty fall when given too much creative control. That’s the biggest issue with Babylon. Damien Chazelle is clearly a talented filmmaker, and I’ve loved each of his previous features very much. Unfortunately here, at just over three hours, the film is overloaded with unnecessary sequences and tangents. As a result it loses what beautiful moments it does have to the unbearable weight of excess and debauchery that ends up on screen.

With the “worst of” list finished, let’s dive into the good stuff and get to my favorite films of the year.

10. The Menu

The brilliance of this film is in its execution. It has just the right amount of self-awareness and snark to not come across as too arrogant and indulgent. It does have a bit of commentary running through its veins but it doesn’t let that distract it from delivering a really fun experience supported by an outstanding cast.

9. Vengeance

This will likely be the main source of my Oscars rant this year. Ashton Kutcher deserves a nomination for his surprisingly poignant performance. The rest of the film is also wonderfully funny and insightful. Much like the previous film on the list it has something to say but doesn’t let it get in the way of also telling a clever story.

8. Top Gun: Maverick

In case anyone had any doubts, Tom Cruise showed us once again why he is a true movie star. In one of the rare cases, this was absolutely worth the extra two year wait. The action was incredible, the stunts breathtaking, and all of it supported by a solid story and great supporting performances at its foundation.

7. Devotion

Had to have the two plane films back to back on my list. The reason this one gets a slight bump is the fact that it’s based on a true story. It’s the story of Jesse Brown, the first Black aviator in the U.S. Navy, who helped turn the tide in the Korean War. Yet again at the heart of the film is a strong story, told with great performances. The amazing stunts and beautiful cinematography are just extra on top of that.

6. Bullet Train

This may have been the most fun I had at the theater this year. Unlike the other entries on my list there isn’t necessarily a strong plot at the center of this film but rather what makes the experience is the all-star cast, gorgeous production design, and excellently choreographed stunts.

5. Scream

It is rare for the first good film I see to remain on my top list until the end of the year but that’s what happened with Scream. It was my first film in theaters in 2022, the fifth in a series I love, and my most anticipated movie of the year. It lived up to all my internal hype, and continued with the tradition of the others in the franchise with its ultra insider commentary, which is all I really ask. I laughed out loud, was pleasantly surprised by the turns, and overall very excited to jump back into this world.

4. The Greatest Beer Run Ever

This film snuck onto my list despite being a streaming focused feature because it did have a limited exclusive run in theaters that I was able to take advantage of. Those that only saw it on Apple TV+ missed out on one of its biggest draws, it’s amazing cinematography. You just don’t get the full impact on a small screen. It is another war film based on a true story, this time about a kid from New York who goes on a beer run to cheer up his friends during the Vietnam war. It all comes together thanks to the excellent performances, particularly from Zac Efron as the lead but also Russell Crowe in a surprisingly subdued but effective role as the seasoned journalistic photographer.

3. See How They Run

Once again there was a Whodunit film that came out the same year as a Knives Out film that just did the job so much better. This one takes place in 1950s London and involves a cast of players in the wildly successful Agatha Christie story marking its 100th performance on stage, and that’s about to be made into a film. We get hilarious performances from Sam Rockwell, Adrian Brody, Saoirse Ronan, and so many more. Plus, the mystery was actually really clever. 

2. The Fablemans

A semi-autobiographical story from Steven Spielberg about a young Jewish boy who learns to express himself through film while dealing with a slightly unstable home life. Was there any real doubt this would end up on my favorites list? It is interesting to watch what is a very personal story told through the lens of nostalgia brought to life by the very person whose story it is. It could have gone poorly due to the bias alone but Spielberg brings his unique touch and makes it heartwarming, emotionally moving, and laugh out loud funny all at once.

1. X

Set in 1979, X follows the ill-fated production of an adult film cast and crew as they attempt to create a low budget film in the guesthouse of a farmhouse in Texas. This had everything I love about the Horror genre, a simple premise executed brilliantly that relies on slow building tension for impact. And, as was the theme for most of my list, at its foundation is a strong plot with quality actors. It also has the added benefit of seeing an equally strong sequel released the same year. The only reason Pearl wasn’t on my list is because I feel that film rests entirely on Mia Goth’s performance,  which will be part two of my Oscar’s rant this year. X, on the other hand, is a solid ensemble picture that ends up being a really good, creepy story.