Tag Archives: Creed

Awards – My Top 20 Films of 2023

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So far, in our awards, we have looked at Action, Animation, Best of Australia & New Zealand, Cinematography, Costumes, Emotion, Fun, Music, Tension, and Worldbuilding.

However, in this last entry into our Best of 2023 awards, we crown our Best Film of 2023.

All films are subjective, so our list might look completely different from yours. Of the 121 films we reviewed last year, 113 had their Australian Theatrical/Streaming Release in 2023. This is the list we draw our entries from, and you can see the complete list of movies HERE.

Much like last year’s list, we have had many staggered releases towards the end of the year in Australia. So we may have films here that were released in 2022 for you but 2023 for us, and there may be some omissions here because we won’t get those films until later in 2024, which is why you won’t see The Holdovers on this list (it will be on the 2024 list)

Highly Commended – Asteroid City, Crater, John Wick: Chapter 4, M3GAN, Nimona, Sweet As & They Cloned Tyrone

Okay, with that out of the way, let’s dive into the first entry in our list of Best Films of 2023.

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Explosions, Guns, and Punches, Oh My. The Best Action of 2023

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A good action sequence is genuinely impressive to watch, as it can be as expansive as explosions crashing across the screen or more intimate, like a duel between two people. This gives the best action scenes such a range, and in 2023, we were given some unique spectacles.

For me, the best action scenes excel in every element, whether that be live actions, special effects, digital effects, or animation, and bring every facet to shine. It is also the category that looks at some of the department’s people don’t often fully understand, like stunt coordination or the 2nd unit.

2023 was the year of action. From personal punch-ups to climatic brawls, we got it all and more.

Our Highly Commended in 2023 are Bring Him To Me, Extraction 2, Godzilla Minus One,  Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant & The Killer

Our Best TV Action in 2023 are Ahsoka: Season 1, The Last of Us: Season 1, Letterkenny: Season 12, The Night Agent: Season 1 & Twisted Metal: Season 1

So, without further ado, these are the moments of action that awed us in 2023. Be warned that there may be slight spoilers for the films in question.

The Nominees Are –

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Creed III – Movie Review

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TL;DR – Creed III is electric, every punch matters, every emotion hits, and I was captivated from start to finish.   

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene

Disclosure – I was invited to a press screening of this film.

Creed III Review –

If there was ever a film to remind you not to judge a book by its cover, it is the first Creed film. Creed I was a film that, on the surface, felt like it would not amount to much. A spin-off of a film series that itself had already gone well past its prime. But boy, was I wrong. That first Creed was an emotional punch to the stomach while also being a technical masterclass in how to film boxing for cinema. Then they followed it up with Creed II, which came out swinging just as much as the first. Now, Creed III is one of my most anticipated films this year as we see if they can pull off a hat trick.    

So to set the scene, since winning his rematch with Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), Adonis “Donnie” Creed (Michael B. Jordan) has been going from strength to strength on and off the ring, especially in his family life with Bianca Taylor (Tessa Thompson) and their daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent). But when he finally retires, his past comes back to haunt him. When Donnie (Thaddeus James Mixson Jr) was young, he had a friend Dame (Spence Moore II). But, unlike Donnie, Dame never got a lifeline and has spent a long time in jail. Now he is out, Dame (Jonathan Majors) is looking to show the world that he deserves to be in the ring, that it was not handed to him, and now former friends find each other on opposite sides.

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Movie Review – Creed II

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TL;DR – While it may tread along a path that is a bit predictable, the commitment of the actors and the emotion make it a must-see film.    

Score – 4.5 out of 5 stars

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene

Creed II. Image Credit: MGM/Warner Bros.

Review –

Back in 2015, I didn’t really have any great desire to go see the first Creed film, a spin-off of a long-running boxing series that had felt like it was running out of steam didn’t seem like an enjoyable time in a world where remake after remake was getting greenlit. However, some people that I trust called me on my reluctance and really recommended it, so reluctantly I went and soon discovered how wrong I was. It was a beautiful film of struggle and triumph, fighting when no one believes in you, and how we battle both are internal and external demons. It was the film that immediately put Michael B.Jordan, Tessa Thompson, and Ryan Coogler on my radar of performers to watch out for and ended up on my Top 10 Films of 2015 list. So when I heard they were doing a sequel I was incredibly excited, when I heard Ryan was not directing or writing it, I got a little concerned, but now I have seen it once again I should have known better.   

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Countdown – My Personal Top 10 Films of All Time List

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TL;DR – Today we countdown my Top 10 films of all time; from towns where there are a lot of ‘accidents’, to all forms of Sci-Fi, to do you know the man with six fingers on his right hand, and everything in between.

Countdown –

Recently I watched the CineFix crew countdown their Top 10 films, and it had me thinking what are mine? Now it was at this point where I of course naturally spiralled as how can you reduce thousands of films that you have seen into only a Top 10. Just before I threw my hands up in resignation and chucked in the towel I happened to catch an episode of Movies with Mikey on how he determined the best sequel. With this in mind I wondered if there was a set of criteria that I could use to categorise the films into a list that I would be happy with, and after some work, I came up with the following criteria that work for me.

  • Films that are beautifully constructed
  • Films that mean something to me
  • Films that are always re-watchable
  • Films that have added to my love of the craft of cinema

With this criterion in mind I went through all the likely candidates and with a bit of a struggle I think I have been able to come to a final list, well at least until I change my mind next week, which is always a chance.

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Movie Review – Black Panther

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TL;DR – Wow, just wow, every part of this film comes together to make something people will be talking for years to come.

Score – 5 out of 5 stars

Post-Credit Scene – There is a mid and end credit sequence

Black Panther banner

Review –

I was expecting Black Panther to be good, all the Marvel films so far have been at least ok and this was tracking to be better than average. However, nothing prepared me for just how good the film was going to be, and also just how challenging it was going to be, it does not hold back, not one single bit. So today we will explore the world of Wakanda, the people, history, and locations. But before we do that, can I suggest if you have not seen the film to go do that right now, without reading on, you will be much better to go into Black Panther with as little pre-knowledge as possible, well other than it is really good.

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Countdown: My Top 10 Films for 2015

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At this time of year top ten lists abound everywhere, so Who am I to disappoint, also I love a good countdown. So with that in mind here are my top ten films of 2015, though just to start here are a few Highly Commended films that fall just out of the Top 10 – Pitch Perfect 2, Jurassic World & Chappie

Mad Max Fury Road. Image Credit: Warner Bros./Roadshow.
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Movie Review – Creed

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TL;DR – Wow what a surprize, did not see that coming, one of my movies of the year.

Score – 4.5 out of 5 stars

Creed. Image Credit: MGM/ Warner Bros.

Review –

So cards on the table, I was not planning to go see Creed. I never really watch the Rocky films, they were always a little before my time and didn’t get the same reruns on TV like movies such as Die Hard. That being said, I know most of the main plot points through clips here and there, impersonations and parodies etc. So not seeing any of the others, combined with it being a sports film, a genre I don’t generally like and the last movie I saw Michael B Jordan in Fantastic Four (see review), his acting was so wooden he could give Chris Pine a run for his money, was a perfect storm of meh, can’t be bothered. But a number of people recommended it to me, and I am glad they did because boy was I wrong.

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