Sunday Best: Catholic Skywalker Awards - Best in MOVIES 2023

 Happy New Year's Eve!

With 2023 coming to a close, it is time for us to choose what the best entertainment of the year was.  And just as the Academy Awards have their "Oscars", so too the Catholic Skywalker Awards have their "Kal-El's"

 I have gone through as many movies as possible this year. This year I have seen only about 35 movies to come out this year.  There are some (like Equalizer 3) that I did not get a chance to view before the end of the year.  Also, of the movies I've seen, I will only be counting theatrical movies.  For the last few years I have included streaming-only films as well because COVID limited our choices.  But now that everything is open and has been open for a while, I will no longer be including those streaming movies for award consideration.  

So of the movies  I've seen this year, here are the winners:

(My appreciation and judgment of a film should not be taken as a recommendation. Choosing to watch any of these films is the reader's responsibility)

BEST PICTURE

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part I

I get the feeling that this will not be the number one choice of many people this year.  But I think that this does a disservice to this fantastic movie.  As I wrote when I first reviewed it, I watched all of the Mission: Impossible movies (except for 2) leading up to seeing Dead Reckoning.  In that context, you really feel the strength of this film.  It is the best action spectacle of the year with amazing fight choreography and stunt work.  I am always someone who champions action movies as an under-appreciated genre of cinema.  But the character work here is excellent.  After building up the chemistry and continuity of Ethan and his characters, you feel the stakes in a way higher than in previous films.  You are completely invested in Ethan and his supporting characters and you feel as if the guard rails have been removed and anyone can die.  For that reason, it is gripping from start to finish with wonderful performances by Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Haley Atwell, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Pom Klementieff, and Esai Morales.  The directions by Christopher McQuarrie is not only visceral, but he knows how to give a sense of grandeur beauty to his shots.  Finally, the movie deals with complex themes about humanity and the value of each life.  As I wrote in my review:

"My favorite moment was a part where Ethan tells someone that their life is more important than his.  This responds with "You don't even know me."  To which Ethan simply and sincerely responds: "What difference does that make?"  This exchange is such a wonderful and simple explanation of why Ethan is a real hero.  He puts the lives of others, even those he doesn't know, before his own.  This has the flavor of agape love that Christ calls us to: to love everyone with our lives.  This exchange also helps explain why we keep coming back to this series: 

"We want to see real heroes in real action.

"And that is what you get in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part I."

RUNNERS UP

Godzilla Minus One

Oppenheimer

John Wick: Chapter 4

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

BEST DIRECTOR

Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer

There is a reason that this oddly-paced biopic was one of the biggest hits of the year.  And that has to do with Christopher Nolan's reputation as a film maker.  When you go to one of his movies, you know that you are going to watch something different than most films out there.

As I wrote in my review for the movie:

"Nolan deserves an Oscar nomination for his visual storytelling.  Most people will leave the theater remembering the Trinity atomic bomb test scene.  And too be sure, it is something was one of my favorite IMAX experiences.  When the boom of the explosion hit, everyone (including myself) jumped in their seats.

"But to me, the best scene is the one that takes place at a rally after the successful Trinity test.  Oppenheimer has to lead the group in a congratulations for a job well done.  But the full weight of what he has done presses down upon them.  Instead of taking the easy way out and giving us an internal narration to tell us how he feels, Nolan uses his skill with sight and sound to help us see how he feels.  We see things from Oppenheimer's point of view as must disconnect his internal turmoil from his external enthusiasm."

RUNNERS UP

Christopher McQuarrie - Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part I

Takashi Yamazaki - Godzilla Minus One

Chad Stahelski - John Wick: Chapter 4

Kenneth Branagh - A Haunting in Venice

BEST ACTOR

Cillian Murphy - Oppenheimer

As I wrote in my review, Murphy makes his Oppenheimer "both easy to hate but difficult to dislike."  You behaves with as such an uncaring jerk, but there is enough charm and humanity underneath everything that he does so that you don't write him off.  You are simultaneously repelled and attracted to him.  He is utterly fascinating to watch.  

This is all the more impressive by how restrained the performance is.  There are a few emotional moments, but those are made more powerful by how in control Murphy is with the high levels of agitation that Oppenheimer has throughout the film.  He holds his emotional power as an actor in reserve, but he lets you see it bubbling under the surface.  Great performance.

RUNNERS UP

Tom Cruise - Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part I

Ryonosuke Kamiki - Godzilla Minus One

Zac Effron - The Iron Claw

Timothee Chalomet - Wonka

BEST ACTRESS

Emily Blunt - Oppenheimer

Blunt plays her very flawed character as crushed by life almost to the point of being broken.  She is not a victim, but rather someone who has made some terrible choices and is living with the slow consequences of those choices.  Blunt plays her character Kitty with a cloud of melancholy and despair hovering over her.  But at the same time, there is a core of stoic resolve underneath.  Blunt truly shines in the way she non-verbally reacts to the growing tension around her.  The look of pride and horror that comes upon her through Oppenheimer's successes is riveting.  And her utter shame at having to come face-to-face with her husband's dalliances shows the heroic struggle to retain what shreds of dignity she has left.

RUNNERS UP

Jennifer Lawrence - No Hard Feelings

Margot Robbie - Barbie

Minami Hamabe - Godzilla Minus One

Vanessa Kirby - Napoleon

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Donnie Yen - John Wick: Chapter 4

This is easily one of my favorite performances of the year.  Yen's Caine is someone with so many conflicting attitudes that all play out with complete honesty.  He is fully determined to fulfill his duty to kill his good friend John, but always layered throughout the whole thing is an utter sense of disgust at having to do it.  But in that disgust there is no hesitation.  He hates himself and the situation, but none of that stops him from his goal.  Yen not only does this primarily through the mastery of his voice, but with his incredibly body language.  Playing almost the entire movie through sunglasses, he has to perform this complex character without letting us see his eyes, which is a difficult thing to do.  But Yen knocks it out of the park.

RUNNERS UP
Ryan Gosling - Barbie

Michael Keaton - The Flash

David Harbour - Gran Turismo

Robert Downey Jr. - Oppenheimer

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Hayley Atwell - Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part I

It is difficult to come into a multi-movie franchise and take a prominent place in the narrative.  But Atwell did a fantastic job matching the charisma and chemistry of all the major players.  She had was not simply the damsel in distress, like Ethan's wife Julia.  Nor was she a girl-boss warrior like Ilsa.  Atwell had to straddle both extremes as someone who was incredibly competent in one aspect of this world of espionage, but out of her depth in the more violent areas.  In this way, she was a perfect vehicle for the audience to see themselves both as brave and frightened by the events of the film.  She becomes the emotional heart of a film in a way that would be daunting for any actor, but she pulls it off brilliantly.

RUNNERS UP

Florence Pugh - Oppenheimer

Iman Villani - The Marvels

Tina Fey - A Haunting in Venice

Adrianna Barazza - Blue Beetle

BEST SCREENPLAY

Takashi Yamazaki – Godzilla Minus One

I wrote in my review that "this is the first Godzilla movie I have ever seen where I cared more about the human characters than the main monster.  In fact, I would watch an entire movie about the struggles of these characters in post-war Japan even without Godzilla being in it.  These characters are relatable, vivid, and distinct... That isn't to say that Godzilla is superfluous to the plot.  Like the shark in Jaws, he is the one that pushes the narrative forward and is the vehicle for the characters to act and grow.  And like Jaws, the presence of interesting and layered characters only enhances the scary scenes because you actually care deeply about their fates... Another reason why this Godzilla film works so well is that the monster brings out the rich themes of the story.  The destruction of Japan, particularly the atomic destruction, lingers in the culture.  Godzilla represents the horror and devastation that the war brought to them."

RUNNERS UP

Shay Hatten, Michael Finch, Derek Kolstad - John Wick: Chapter 4

Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer

Bruce Geller, Christopher McQuarrie, Erik Jendresen - Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part I

Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Michael Gilio - Dungeons and Dragons

BEST MAKEUP

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Once again James Gunn and his crew made the Guardians universe something visually stunning and unique with the makeup effects.  This is works in a particularly disturbing way with the High Evolutionary.

RUNNERS-UP

Dungeons and Dragon: Honor Among Thieves

The Flash

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS

Godzilla Minus One

Despite its incredibly small budget, few movies have used their visual effects budget so well.  Hollywood studios spend ten times as much and never get something that feels so viscerally real.  That is because the effects are not the main draw.  They are there to enhance the story to its best effect.  Godzilla is absolutely horrifying and the destruction feels real.  And as I wrote in my review, this is the best example fo his atomic breath I have seen.

RUNNERS-UP

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Dungeons and Dragon: Honor Among Thieves

BEST SCORE

Naoki Sato - Godzilla Minus One

This is a score that is able to seamlessly transform from melodrama to action to horror effortlessly.  And it is one of the best uses of the Godzilla theme that I have heard in a movie.  It was both horrifying and exhilarating.

RUNNERS-UP

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

The Flash

The Sound of Freedom

BEST COSTUMES

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

This was a very close call between this and Dungeons and Dragons.  But it was the utter originality of some of the costumes (especially the flesh suits of the guards) and the vibrant color palette that put this one over the top.

RUNNERS-UP

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

The Flash

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Godzilla Minus One

BEST SONG

"Peaches" - The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Some may call this one too simple.  But it is incredibly effective at not only being extremely funny, but it also acts as an earworm that stays with you.  I have not heard the song in months and yet the chorus still rings in my mind.

Below are the list of all the films of 2023 that I have seen, ranked in order of excellence:

Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning - Part 1

Godzilla Minus 1

John Wick: Chapter 4

Oppenheimer

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

The Bank of Dave

Tetris

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Sound of Freedom

The Flash

A Haunting in Venice

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3

Gran Turismo

Rebel Moon Part I

Wonka

The Boys in the Boat

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Jesus Revolution

Creed 3

The Family Plan

Quiz Lady

About my Father

The Marvels

No Hard Feelings

Shazam: Fury of the Gods

Heart of Stone

Blue Beetle

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

What is a Woman?

The Iron Claw

Air

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Fast X

What Comes Next

Napoleon Puppy Love

Pain Hustlers

Happiness for Beginners

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

Dumb Money Ex-Mass

Barbie

You People

So that is my list and the conclusion of this year's Catholic Skywalker Awards.  

Thoughts?

Catholic Skywalker Awards - Best in TELEVISION 2023

    With 2023 coming to a close, it is time for us to choose what the best entertainment of the year was.  And just as the Academy Awards have their "Oscars", so too the Catholic Skywalker Awards have their "Kal-El's"

To reiterate:  the reasons for choosing a Superman statue as it's award, and not something from Star Wars are 3-fold:

1.  The Catholic Skywalker Awards will cover movies, television, and comic books.  Superman is an icon for all three.
2.  The pose he has here, revealing his inner hero, is symbolic of the revelation of truth and beauty that we should find in all good art.
3.  It's a statue I actually own, so I can use this photo on my blog.

(My appreciation and judgment of a TV show should not be taken as a recommendation. Choosing to watch any of these films is the reader's responsibility)

And now we here at Catholic Skywalker would like to celebrate the best in Television this year.

There are a lot of wonderful (so I'm told) programs out there that, unfortunately, time has not permitted me to see such as  Blue Eyed Samurai.

Shows we watch:

DRAMA	COMEDY	REALITY
Will Trent The Last of Us One Piece The Chosen Poker Face Loki The Rookie The Flash Lucky Hank Picard Superman and Lois The Walking Dead: Dead City The Fall of the House of Usher The Irrational Secret Invasion Ahsoka	Night Court That '90s Show Frasier Shrinking Ted Lasso Only Murders in the Building Goldbergs Animal Control Simpsons	Dancing with the Stars Suvivor The Amazing Race Welcome to Wrexham The Maked Singer Floor is Lava

DISCLAIMER:

More so than in years past, it has been difficult to find television shows that are not morally compromised.  This is not a new problem.  Television throughout the years has portrayed and promoted lifestyles that are contrary to the Gospel.  Shows like Cheers, Night Court, Friends, The Big Bang Theory, etc have characters living in immoral ways without addressing that context.  This is especially true of the comedies.  In drama, you can deal with the complexities of human sin in a more ambiguous way than in the modern comedy.

That does not mean that just because a show has good morals that it is therefore a good piece of art.  But a show with bad morals makes the show less artistically excellent.  In fact, there are many people who will not engage with any of these shows because of their content.  I am someone who does engage with the content.  Particularly in the area of the sitcom, my choice of the best of the year is not something that excuses the content.  It is a statement of the shows excellence in comparison to the other shows in the category.  And as I said, almost every show has something that is morally compromising.  Therefore, keep that in mind when I am awarding the shows.

Best Drama:

Picard

From my review:

Love.

That is what sets this season of Picard apart from nearly anything else Star Trek has produced in the last 25 years.  

Don't get me wrong, there have been some good things in the last few decades.  I greatly enjoyed JJ Abrams Star Trek reboot.  But much of what has been produced lately has been sub-par.  In particular, the first two seasons of Picard were dreadful.  Star Trek seemed determined to give Jean-Luc Picard the Last Jedi treatment.  

You can imagine my total delight and surprise when Star Trek Picard Season 3 made one of the best seasons of TV I've seen in awhile.

And again, it all comes down to love.

Terry Matalas took over the reigns as showrunner.  And you can tell with every frame of film that he loves Star Trek.  He doesn't just love The Next Generation, but he loves all of Star Trek.  This is apparent from the very first shot of the season to the end credits.  And he understands that Star Trek is not simply about the operatic space adventure.  Star Trek is about the characters.  This is what has been missing from so much of recent Trek, including Picard.  In the last two seasons, Jean-Luc has behaved in ways unrecognizable to someone who is familiar with Next Generation.  But now it feels like we got him back...

There are tons of Easter eggs for Trek fans to find.  This could lead a person to accuse the show of fan service.  I'm not against fan service at all.  I think that people who produce a beloved TV show should do what they can to please the fans.  I only object when fan service is a replacement for good storytelling.  Matalas does both.  

He sets the plot up by drawing on threads from not only Next Generation, but also Deep Space Nine and Voyager, as well as the movies.  It is clear that Matalas made this movie with fans of the entire franchise in mind.  This gives the show the advantage of feeling familiar and new at the same time.

As showrunner, Matalas was able to weave in plot points in very creative ways.  He is able to drop important story elements without you even realizing that they will be important later.  It isn't until there is a reveal that you go, "Of course!"

Visually, the show looks fantastic.  You can tell that they used all the advancements in computer graphics to give us a spectacle.  But beyond that, the show is incredibly well-shot, knowing how to frame the characters, when to give us a sense of intimacy or grandeur.

But, of course, the best part of the show are the characters.  Matalas understands that for many of us, the characters we grew up with on Next Generation are not simply imaginary people on TV.  They are our friends.  If that sounds too over-the-top, then let's just say that we have emotional attachment to them in a way that is beyond reason.  We care about them and what happens to them.  We know when they behave in a way that is true and false.

Watching these classic characters bounce off of each other again is a pure joy.  Picard and Riker have a strong friendship, but it does not stop them from butting heads.  Each of them has had experiences that has broken them a bit inside.  But when they are on the same page, they appear unstoppable.  Stewart's and Frakes' chemistry has never been better.  In fact, the fact that they are older makes them appear more as equals, without ever losing that original dynamic completely.  

Runners-up

-The Chosen

-Superman and Lois
-Poker Face

-One Piece

Best Comedy

Fraiser

I am as surprised as you are that the reboot of a show that has been off the air for around 2 decades is the best comedy of the year.  What amazes me even more is that this show has done nothing innovative in terms of its style.  Instead, Frasier feels exactly like the original show.

And that is why it works.

The premise is that Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammar), has retired from a popular TV talk show and has returned to Boston to reconnect with his firefighter son Freddy (Jack Cutmore-Scott).  The show is shot like a traditional four-camera sitcom with a live audience.  The writing is as predictable and tropy as any sitcom to come before.  And yet it works!

It works because they are not trying to do something new and subversive.  Instead, they are trying to remind us why we loved the original so much.  Because of that, the only thing that they seem to care about are the jokes.  They don't care about making some kind social statement.  Instead, everything is geared towards getting chuckles.  

There are actually some real moments of poignancy and insight.  But even these are done at the service of the overall comedic tone.   

Frasier does the most important thing a TV comedy can do: it makes you laugh.

Runners-up

Only Murders in the Building

The Simpsons

Ted Lasso

Jury Duty

Best Actor in a Drama

Patrick Stewart - Picard

Patrick Stewart is not as young as he was when Star Trek: The Next Generation first aired.  Even though he already looked older on that show, he carried with him a powerful physicality that presented itself in moments of crisis or romance.

It is to Stewart's credit that he does not try to play Picard the way he did before.  His Jean-Luc is a man who is looking towards the final chapters of his life.  But he still is able to carry the day with his commanding presence, not by being young and strong, but by presenting himself as someone with the strength of wisdom and character.  That isn't to say that he plays Picard as flawless.  In fact, those flaws make his performance so interesting.  But he stands in the breach as someone who carries the weight and power of the world on his shoulders.

His chemistry with his original team is so potent that they don't need to use words.  As I wrote in my review about a pivotal scene between himself and Gates McFadden:   "There is a scene in an early episode where the two of them lock eyes and have a serious conversation without saying a word.  To be clear, there is no science-fiction-type telepathy going on.  Instead, you have two seasoned actors expressing their deep truths to each other non-verbally.  The impact of that one moment touched me deeply."

Stewart could not have asked for a better finale for Jean-Luc Picard.

 

Runners-up
Bruce Greenwood - The Fall of the House of Usher

Pedro Pascal - The Last of Us

Tom Hiddleston - Loki

Jonathan Roumie - The Chosen

Best Actress in a Drama

Natasha Lyonne - Poker Face

One of the biggest shocks in TV this year was how good Lyonne was in Poker Face.  On the show, she is a human lie detector who goes on the lamb from a mob boss.  Like a weird hybrid of Columbo and The Incredible Hulk, Lyonne's character travels the country and every week gets involved in a new murder mystery.  The set up the show is incredibly enjoyable.  But Lyonne's performance is what really sells it.  She is a no-nonsense underachiever with a heart of gold.  Her power is also her curse.  She wants to just float through life and not get involved, but the lies that she detects keep drawing her deeper into webs of mysteries.  Lyonne herself not only shows incredible charm, but emotional depth as well.  There was an episode in a skiing lodge where she was facing certain death where I could not help being gripped by her performance.  She brought her A-Game to this show and I cannot wait to see more if it.

Runners-up

Mary McDonnell - The Fall of the House of Usher

Elizabeth Tulloch - Superman and Lois

Juno Temple - Fargo

Clemence Poesy - The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon

Best Supporting Actor, Drama

Jonathan Frakes - Picard

This is hands-down the best performance of Frakes as William Riker.

Like Picard, Riker is past his prime and is out in open space seeking adventure.  But when the layers are peeled back, we see a man on the run from his pain and his past.  When faced with certain death, Frakes shows us how broken Riker is by his embrace of oblivion.  This is not the same Riker from the original show, but it is a consistent evolution based on what he has suffered.  And Frakes knows this character so well that he can play that darkness without a false note.  Part of the show's journey is Riker trying to find light in the darkness.  Frakes us takes us through the depths all the while retaining his natural charm and charisma.  

Runners-up

Shahar Isaac -  The Chosen

Mark Hammil - The Fall of the House of Usher

Ke Huy Kwan - Loki

Todd Stashwick - Picard

 

Best Supporting Actress, Drama

Carla Gugino - The Fall of the House of Usher

This was one of the best performances I have seen on TV in years.  Gugino not only plays a kind of Devil character, but she also inhabits lots of different personality types in her manifestations.  Her transformations were so good that there were times I needed to do a double-take to be sure that it was the same actress playing her.  This shows not only incredibly chameleon-like transformative acting powers, but Gugino was also able to give layers and depth to a part that could come across as one-note superficial.  This is best exemplified in a scene where her character has to fulfill a part of a bargain that she does not want to do.  It is a tragic scene that makes you actually feel badly for her even as she does something wicked.  That takes incredible talent and that is what we see in this performance.

Runners-up

Lara Silva -  The Chosen

Emily Rudd - One Piece

Jerry Ryan - Picard

Gates McFadden - Picard

Best Actor, Comedy

Kelsey Grammar - Frasier

The key this revival show's success is Grammar.  Some of the supporting cast is not quite operating at his level.  But it doesn't matter. Grammar is able to carry the entire show on his shoulders.  He knows how to deliver his lines like a pro, knowing the exact inflection to elicit the most laughs.  And he knows when words are not needed.  This is exemplified in the best scene of the season.  Frasier is thinking about quitting his job at Harvard.  His son Freddie hears this and begins to repeat all of the things Frasier said to Freddie when he dropped out of Harvard.  The bit lasts about a minute, but the funniest part is watching Grammar sit there and take the verbal beating.  He is both annoyed, impressed, befuddled, and humiliated in the funniest possible way.  Grammar made me laugh that entire minute without saying a word.  That is a great comedic actor at work.

Runners-up

John Laroquette - Night Court

Martin Short - Only Murders in the Building

Jason Sudeikis - Ted Lasso

Steve Martin - Only Murders in the Building

Best Actress, Comedy

Hannah Waddingham - Ted Lasso

Waddingham has made a complete transformation in her character from Ted Lasso.  She went from vindictive ex-wife to fierce friend.  Over the course of the series we saw how her heart slowly opened to friendship and romance and to herself.  Watching her lose that grip was incredibly compelling.  You could see the fear in her eyes at the prospect of becoming what she was before, but finding the strength to continue to go on.  She has done a star-making turn here and I look forward to her work in the future.

Runners-up

Juno Temple - Ted Lasso

Selena Gomez - Only Murders in the Building

Christa Miller - Shrinking

Edy Modica - Jury Duty

Best Supporting Actor, Comedy

James Marsden - Jury Duty

This show was such a surprise for me.  Part reality show, part sitcom, Marsden plays a satirical version of himself as a pampered celebrity who is forced into jury duty.  It is easy enough to lampoon yourself, but Marsden had to sell it as a reality to the main participant in the show.  He had to make sure to not go too far while at the same time being absurd enough for the maximum comedic effect.  This not only shows his precision as an actor but his comedic instincts.  I think it is one of his best performances.

Runners-up

Nicholas Lyndhurst - Frasier

Kurtwood Smith - That '90's Show

David Brown - Jury Duty

Harrison Ford - Shrinking

Best Supporting Actress, Comedy

Meryl Streep - Only Murders in the Building

Everyone knows that Streep is a great actress.  But here, she both shrinks and shines.  She makes herself small as a woman who has working on the edges of the theater seen barely noticed for decades only to finally get a shot.  And when the emotional moments come, she hits them with all of her dramatic power.  At the same time she is able to keep up with the comedic might of both Steve Martin and Martin Short without skipping a beat.  I was not expecting to like her as much on this show, but she knocked it out of the park.

Runners-up

Vella Lovell - Animal Control

Debra Jo Rupp - That '90's Show

Susan Berger - Jury Duty

Jessica Williams - Shrinking

Stay tuned for the Catholic Skywalker Awards for Best Movies of 2023