November 2023 Movies Ranked

With November at an end, I wanted to show my thoughts on the 8 new releases that I saw. This month was jam-packed with films. The was an MCU film, a Taika Waititi film, a David Fincher film, a Ridley Scott film, a new Sophia Coppola film, a new Disney animated movie, a Hunger Games Prequel, and a very likely Best Picture nominated film. There were just a lot of great films this month which make this ranking even harder. With that being said, here are my thoughts and ranking of the 8 November releases that I saw.

8. The Marvels

The Marvels is the newest MCU film but also unfortunately one of the weakest. This movie does have a few redeeming qualities. It is unashamedly silly and goofy which makes for a very entertaining film. I also liked how the movie moves at a brisk pace. It doesn't allow for anything to bog it down and just makes for a very simple story. I think that Iman Vellani's Ms. Marvel absolutely steals the show in this movie. She portrays such a fun character and has such great chemistry with everyone she is on screen with. Her family is also very fun every time they are on screen as they steal every scene they are in. I think this movie would have been a lot better as a Ms. Marvel film instead of The Marvels. The whole power-swapping element was also a lot of fun and made for some very fun action sequences. However, the story itself is a bit of a mess. It jumps from place to place giving no time to really develop much of a plot. The movie also doesn't really spend much developing its characters. I think we should have gotten more time with our three main characters together so we could see their relationship grow. I also felt like it didn't spend enough time on some of its better ideas like Kamala's obsession with Captain Marvel. Overall, while this movie was very fun, it was seriously lacking in a plot and story level.

Score: 6.5/10 Grade: B-

7. Wish

Wish is the newest animated film from Disney and the celebration of 100 years of Disney animation. I thought this movie was fine enough. I really enjoyed the basic premise of the movie where there is a town with a king that will grant people's wishes. I quite liked the ideas behind this and the whole conflict about who gets to decide which wishes to get granted. The songs were all very good with This Wish being a standout and likely Oscar contender. I thought Asha was a very likable character and that her voice actress was very talented. I also thought Chris Pine was a great villain. He is written in a way that lets him have valid reasons for doing what he does as well as shows the dangers of dark magic and how it can corrupt people. Finally, I thought the animation was very unique. It is designed in a way that makes the movie look like a storybook come to life. The main thing holding this film back is that I felt like it didn't quite reach the potential of its premise. I liked some of what it did with the whole wish-granting premise but wish it could have done more to build it out. I think it could have been 20-30 minutes longer and really built its world out. I also felt like it didn't live up to the hype of being the 100th-anniversary celebration from Disney. It really needed to be bigger to live up to that title. In the end, while I thought the movie itself was fine, I don't think it fully embraced its premise or lived up to the 100th-year celebration hype.

Score:7/10 Grade: B

6. Next Goal Wins

Next Goal Wins is the newest film from Taika Waititi and follows the American Samoa soccer team after an embarrassing 32-0 loss. As per the usual Taika Waititi style, this was a very funny movie. Taika Waititi does a great job telling stories with a somewhat normal premise and making them extremely goofy. This movie has so many funny lines and goofy moments. The movie provides both laugh-out-loud slapstick moments and more subtle witty dialogue. Michael Fassbender is great as the lead in this movie. He manages to keep it straight in some very goofy moments which manages to make them even funnier. Another great thing about this movie is that it manages to balance both the funny and serious moments with one not undercutting the other. While it is very funny, there are also quite a few sweet or serious moments that still manage to fit with the tone. Finally, the movie does a good job of telling a classic underdog story. It doesn't add anything new to the sports genre but still does it well. It is essentially a classic underdog story with a Taika Waititi skin to it. One of the issues I have with this film is that it tries to establish a few subplots that don't really go anywhere. Mostly between Thomas and his Ex-wife. I also had a hard time connecting with the characters at first as they just came across as so unlikable. It gets better as the story goes on but it is a bit tough at the beginning. In the end, this is a very fun movie that tells a classic underdog story and with a few tweaks could have been even better.

Score: 7.5/10 Grade: B

5. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes

The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is the newest addition to the Hunger Games franchise. It follows a young President Snow as he rises to power in the Capital. The movie does a great job of showing us what life is like in the Capital and that not everyone in the Capital is well off. We also get to see a lot of interesting backstories on how the Hunger Games came to be what they are in the other film. The games themselves are very well done and come across as a lot more primitive than those in other films. The movie also brings in some interesting or fun characters such as Lucy Gray, Dr. Gaul, and Dean Highbottom. All of these characters add a new and compelling influence to Snow's life. This movie also does an excellent job of showing us the tragedy and fall of Snow's character. Starting out, he is a somewhat kind and selfless person but as time goes on and he makes worse and worse decisions, we see him become the person that we know in the Hunger Games. The biggest issues I have really stem from the book itself and not just the movie as the movie was just following the source material. I felt that this was essentially two separate stories combined into one. There was a very clear break on where the 2nd act (1st story) ends and where the 3rd act (second story begins). I also struggled to really see the purpose of the story. Nobody really asked for a Snow backstory and it wasn't anything I was wondering but here it is. Overall, while I did have some issues with the purpose and structure of the source material. The movie does a very good job of telling the story it was given.

Score: 7.5/10 Grade: B

4. Napoleon

Napoleon is by far the most epic movie I saw this month. It has large sweeping battle sequences and many great war moments that just bring this wow factor to the movie. These battles look great and do a great job of showcasing Napoleon's skills as a general. The movie does a great job of not glorifying Napoleon as a man but still showing his great skills as a leader. I thought that Joaquin Phoenix was great as Napoleon. He portrays the confidence and grandeur of Napoleon very well. The movie also gave some information on Napoleon that I did not know before such as his relationship with Josephine. I also thought the way the movie was shot made it look very cool. Apple also manages to make slick-looking films with great visuals and cinematography and this film is no exception. The main issue I had with the film is that it focused too much on the Napoleon-Josephine relationship. I was expecting more of a war epic with some romance but this turned out to be a romance story with some war in it. I also thought the structure was a bit odd in the film. The entire first act is all about Napoleon and Josephine and focuses on resolving their story arc instead of spacing it out across the movie. I think a bit better flow would have made all the difference. In the end, this is a very epic film that just has a few structural issues that keep it from being higher.

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+

3. Priscilla

Priscilla is a very interesting biopic about the wife of Elvis. I thought this movie does a great job of telling her story and what life with Elvis was like. She is always the center of the story and never overshadowed by Elvis. The movie just brings in such a unique perspective to the Elvis-Priscilla relationship as from her perspective, Elvis comes across in a less friendly light and their relationship is slightly more problematic than the Elvis movie portrays. Since Priscilla is kept front and center, we get to see her grow and change, the impact of Elvis on her personality and lifestyle as well her struggles with trying to leave the relationship. The best things about the movie are the performances of Carlee Spaeny and Jacob Eldridge as Priscilla and Elvis. Carlee Spaeny does a great job of playing the love-struck teen who transforms into the struggling Wife. She does a great job of portraying the journey of Priscilla. Jacob Eldridge is great as Elvis as well. He does a great job of capturing Elvis's energy as well as charisma. The biggest issue with the movie was that it was a bit too short. I felt it needed about 20 minutes more to fully establish the married life and Priscilla's struggle to leave it. I felt like the movie was a bit rushed towards the end after Elvis and Priscilla got married. In the end, this is a very interesting movie with great performances that really could have done with being about 20-30 minutes longer.

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+

2. The Killer

The Killer is the newest film from David Fincher. This movie is a very simple story that takes you into the mind of a hired killer after a hit goes wrong. At its core, this is a very simple revenge story but the movie manages to be so much more compelling. One unique thing it does is give voiceovers from the Killer to truly make it feel like we are inside his head while we follow him through this story. While it is very simple, it still manages to be extremely thrilling as each scene is filled with so much tension and suspense. Even something as simple as two people talking at a restaurant. I also quite enjoyed the chapter-like feel of the story with each chapter/sequence taking us to a new location in the world each with a different person the killer needs to take out. It keeps things interesting as well as adds a nice globe-trotting aspect to the film. Finally, I thought that Michael Fassbender (Yes. He was in two movies this month) delivered a great performance as he can portray such a stone-cold killer in just the perfect way. I don't really have any issues with the film. It just doesn't quite reach the highs the other Fincher films have. It's no Fight Club, The Social Network, or Seven. I think he wanted to make a smaller-scale simple thriller and that's what he did. Overall, this was a very exciting yet simple movie that proves that David Fincher can even make a simple film great.

Score: 8.5/10 Grade: A-

I. The Holdovers

The Holdovers is a more traditional movie than the others on this list. The Holdovers follows Paul Hunham, a teacher at an all-boys prep school who is forced to remain on campus over the holiday with a troubled student who has no place to go. This movie is very traditional in the sense that it is made to feel like a movie from the 70s. Everything from the camera style to the score and soundtrack is designed to make this a throwback drama (drama-comedy). This movie is all about three lonely people, a cranky teacher, a grieving mother, and a neglected student who develop a bond throughout the 2-week break. The three main actors all give great performances that portray their respective roles so well. They all convey the undertones of loneliness while putting up a front of either crankiness or rebelliousness. They also had great chemistry together. There are a few scenes that are just them playing off of each other and it works so well. I thought the story itself was very well-paced. We see the evolution of these characters and their bond over the 2 weeks. I also thought the movie did a great job of balancing humor with the dramatic. There are some quite funny moments but also a few emotional scenes and the movie manages to convey them both so well. This movie is overall just such a sweet feel-good story and will most likely get a Best Picture nomination.

Score: 9/10 Grade: A