2023 Summer Movie Awards

Summer 2023 is in the rearview and looking back, it was a pretty good one. The season was largely bolstered by the releases of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” but there were quite a few other good flicks out there.

Just a note, I did miss a few of the blockbusters, namely ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” and “The Flash.” However, from what I’ve read, I didn’t miss much.

Based on what I did see, I’m ready to give out my personal awards to the best this summer had to offer.

BEST MOVIE – “PAST LIVES”

“Past Lives” wasn’t just the best movie of the summer, it may end up being the finest film of 2023, depending on what else comes out this year. Wonderfully shot, exceptionally well acted and terrifically written, “Past Lives” is a movie that digs deep into a key part of the human condition.

Everyone has a road they take, and roads not taken, and this thoughtful, emotional picture captures how people reflect on those aspects. The relationships are done very well, too, as they’re all handled in a realistic, mature way, avoiding any melodrama.

Runner-Up: “Oppenheimer”

BEST COMEDY – “You Hurt My Feelings”

This was razor thin, but “You Hurt My Feelings” ended up slightly edging “Asteroid City.” The amount of truth captured in the film is one of the aspects really boosting this picture. The movie is so relatable in how it captures the compromises and lies that exist even in the most loving relationships.

It’s also quite funny, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus certainly doing her part when it comes to the humor. She is always great in balancing and blending comedy and drama, and it’s no different here.

Runer-Up: “Asteroid City.”

BEST FAMILY – “The Little Mermaid”

After several underwhelming live action adaptations of classic animated pictures, Disney released a winner with this year’s “Little Mermaid.” It’s a highly enjoyable fantasy film the whole family can enjoy that lifts from its animated counterpart, but stands as its own film.

The movie’s characters have a great deal of personality and depth, especially the two leads, enhancing the romance at play. The film also looks fantastic and the music is superb, the latter very much assisted by its star Halle Bailey.

Runner-Up: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

BEST ACTION – “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”

The third “Guardians” film didn’t rise up to the level of the first two in the franchise. But despite its flaws, the film was certainly the best action flick released this summer.

It was an emotional journey for many of the characters creating a strong send-off for the team. It’s always enjoyable watching the group banter with each other while going on an adventure with some thrills, and “Vol. 3” has that. It delivered where it counts, making it a good summer watch.

Runner-Up: “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”

BEST ACTOR – Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, “Oppenheimer”

Cillian Murphy was magnificent in the historical epic “Oppenheimer.” Playing the titular figure, Murphy was phenomenal at capturing the many sides of the physicist at several stages of his life.

A movie of this magnitude about a historical figure requires a major performance at its center, and Murphy’s work fits the bill. Audiences get a well-rounded view of the man in large part because of the portrayal.

Runner-Up: Jason Schwartzman as Augie Steenbeck, “Asteroid City”

BEST ACTRESS – Greta Lee as Nora, “Past Lives”

Lee’s performance as the lead character Nora in “Past Lives” was exceptional. Everything about Nora, from the way she interacted with those around her to how she expressed herself, was brought to life so convincingly.

What was especially great about Lee’s work is how much she could get across without words. When there were moments of quiet, and things were left unsaid, a viewer could still tell what the character was going through.

Runner-Up: Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Beth, “You Hurt My Feelings.”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Robert Downey Jr. as Leslie Groves, “Oppenheimer”

Lewis Strauss was a hardened bureaucrat with a hawkish view when it came to national security and foreign policy. He could also be petty when it came to the political playground, and all of that came to a head in his clashes with Oppenheimer.

Robert Downey Jr. does tremendous work in capturing all of these elements. The character’s jockeying for political power and his push for a larger nuclear arsenal as well as his spite toward the scientist was all brought to the screen by the portrayal.

Runner-Up: John Magaro as Arthur, “Past Lives”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Scarlett Johansson as Midge Campbell, “Asteroid City”

Johansson gave a very strong performance in “Asteroid City.” The character she plays has a somber persona. She clearly has gone through heartbreak in her life and approaches situations with a level of cynicism.

The performance Johansson gives nails these aspects of the character and powers some of the more dramatic pieces of the film.

Runner-up: America Ferrera as Gloria in “Barbie”

BEST DIRECTOR – Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer”

“Oppenheimer” is arguably Nolan’s best film. It’s a fine-tuned, well-crafted piece of cinema that succeeds in several areas, all under the direction of Nolan.

There’s that classic large scale that Nolan brings to his films here, even in the quieter character moments. Nolan’s films are also often grounded in their approach, with a very candid, procedural identity, and it definitely works in this case.

Runner-Up: Celine Song, “Past Lives”

BEST ACTION SEQUENCE – Hallway Fight, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”

The climax of “Vol. 3” has the Guardians plowing their way through a hallway of baddies. It’s a blast to watch. Each Guardian gets to show off their powers and abilities, all while they’re working together in harmony to get the job done.

It’s a well-choreographed, fast-paced fight scene full of organized chaos, as a lot is happening but a viewer can keep track of what’s happening. This is how you show a team fighting together in a movie.

Runner-Up: Train sequence, “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning”

BEST SOUND – “Oppenheimer”

Nolan and his crew are usually phenomenal when it comes to the sound work and “Oppenheimer” was no exception. The sound was fantastic, especially during the Trinity Test scene, which was done in a very clever way.

The good sound work wasn’t limited to the nuclear test, though. For example, there’s a scene where the bombs are being hauled off in crates held to trucks by chains, and the rattling of those chains create even more suspense as the audience views weapons of mass destruction going out into the world.

Runner-Up: “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – “Oppenheimer”

Hoyte van Hoytema handled the cinematography for “Oppenheimer” and did wonderful work. Whether it was showing the results of the bomb testing or intimate close-ups to express the characters’ emotions, Hoytema’s work was great.

Runner-Up: “Past Lives”

BEST WRITING – “Past Lives” by Celine Song

Celine Song’s script was powerful, passionate and very real. The relatability and authenticity throughout the film made “Past Lives” a moving, raw experience to watch. The dialogue, as well as the progression of the characters and relationships, made for an emotional, thought-provoking experience.

The vulnerability the characters showed and the way they interacted showed that Song’s script was elite.

Runner-Up: “Asteroid City” by Wes Anderson

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS – “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”

The exploration of different planets, various spaceships and futuristic technologies was all featured in the third “Guardians” flick, which is expected. It certainly makes for a lot of visual entertainment and provides spectacle.

Where the special effects really came into play the best, though, was in the creature design, as the film features several unique beings.

Runner-Up: “The Little Mermaid”

BEST STUNT/CHOREOGRAPHY – “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning”

Tom Cruise is known for wanting to do many of his own stunts in his films, especially in the “Mission: Impossible” series. He certainly did that again in the latest movie, and a big one was included.

Cruise himself rode a motorbike off a cliff before leaping off to use a parachute. That alone earned the movie tons of points, but there are plenty of other examples of stunt work and choreography that helped the film win this category.

Runner-Up: “Barbie”