Here are the films, new and old, that I saw and most admired in 2023.
Victor Erice's Close Your Eyes
Erice grapples with his place in cinema and cinema's place in the world. It's a shame that we have so few of his works since there is such a depth of feeling and an epic desire to give us clarity that only a handful of filmmakers today can claim.
Timing is a critical part of appreciating certain works of art. Sometimes you discover them when you're too young, sometimes when you're too old, and sometimes the timing is just right. I have probably watched this early Peckinpah western 2 or 3 other times, never quite clicking with it like some of my peers. But this time it was different. As can be expected with Peckinpah, it takes you into some dark, uncomfortable places (Elsa's wedding night!) What's less expected are the final minutes, the depth of humanity of Peckinpah's characters, and the weight Peckinpah is finally able to leave you with as he pays tribute to the slow disappearance of a certain kind of man in a certain kind of world.
One of these films I thought I had seen until I watched it again. The real star is Byrne who you can't take your eyes off of. And if the measure of a good concert film, and I haven't seen many concert films in general, is if it entertains you while giving you a better sense of what the band looks and feels like then Stop Making Sense is hugely successful.
I have been watching more John Ford of late than I ever have and it is clear I am only beginning to scratch the surface of who he was as a filmmaker. What seems clear to me at this point is that he was deeply interested in America, where we had been and where we might be going. He wanted to tell our history, examine it, and expose our people for the times they fought for unjust causes. The more I watch, the more Ford seems like the narrative version of Wiseman, a filmmaker deeply concerned with our institutions and the very foundation on which this country is supposed to rest.
In one sense, you could say Wiseman is treading familiar ground in a familiar way, which means one of the most masterful observers the cinema has produced is observing the world in his masterful way once again. But I saw new stylistic elements here, whether it was Wiseman's quick cutting and multiple close ups as the intensity ramps up when Michel cooks kidneys or the handheld camera that previously was far less prevalent and noticeable in Wiseman's work. Another full on immersion from Wiseman that says a lot about food, high-end restaurants but most important about our people and our world.
My favorite of the Triet films I have seen thus far. It does what I always wanted to pursue in my work, merging French naturalism with strong plot and mystery elements.
Victor Erice's El Sur
It is Erice's most accessible film I have seen to date. A poetic and beautiful film that primarily explores the relationship between a daughter and her father and the views and feelings the young have for the older generation as they discover their flaws and their humanity.
An extraordinary western that is most impressive in how many later noir films and later westerns it prefigures in its fatalistic setup. King's direction is concise and sharp and it is the emotional weight he infuses into the story that makes the greatest impact.
Adam Price's Borgen
One of the most instructive pieces I have seen on politics and one of the most impressive television shows I have watched. Like The Wire and the first season of True Detective, you have to accept that little to nothing else from the medium will ever deliver at the same level.
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