September 2023 Movies Ranked

With September at an end, I wanted to share my thoughts and ranking of the four September new releases that I saw. September was a lighter month for me in terms of movies between a limited amount coming out and me going on vacation. September is usually pretty slow for movies as it is right at the end of the blockbuster season and at the beginning of Oscar season. Regardless, because of the movies this month, I was able to watch through a couple new franchises that I hadn't seen before (Equalizer and Expendables) as well as got to see a big-budget original Sci-Fi film that just doesn't really come out much anymore. With that being said, here are my thoughts and ranking of the four new releases I saw.

4. Expend4bles

Expend4bles is by far the worst film of the month. It has a few good action sequences and a fun enough performance from Jason Statham but beyond that, this movie is just not good. One of the biggest issues is that it utilized CGI way too much in its action scenes and set pieces. Stuff that used to be done on site in the other films was done on green screens and action sequences that were usually done practically were done with CGI. The movie doesn't have any of the fun star power that the other films have and the stars that they do have get sidelines to have the movie center around Jason Statham. I also felt that the new characters were extremely forgettable with little to no chemistry with the original crew along with villains that left no mark on the film. The whole point of the Expendables films is to deliver a movie with big action and 80s star power and this movie completely missed the mark. I also was not a fan of the direction they took the story and the Barney character. It just felt like it defeated the purpose of these films. In the end, this is a film that totally missed its purpose and ultimately failed to live up to the other films in the franchise.

Score: 4/10 Grade: D+

3. A Haunting in Venice

A Haunting in Venice is the third film from Kenneth Branagh based on an Agatha Christie novel and is in my opinion the best of the three. I felt that this movie had a bit more of a streamlined and focused story. It spends just the right amount of time establishing the premise and doesn't take very long to get into the mystery. I thought that this movie did a better job of establishing the setting. As it all takes place in this one house, everything feels a lot more contained and focused. The thing that makes this film stand out is that it brings in this new horror element to tell the story. The movie has this constant feeling of uneasiness to the mystery and adds in some scary moments that make the audience wonder whether something supernatural is actually going on. Finally, I thought the movie moved at a very good pace. It didn't feel like it dragged as much as the previous films. The biggest issue I had was that the characters were all pretty forgettable. They all have their own gimmick but beyond that, they don't have much of a personality. The only character I remember is the Michele Yeoh character and that is only because she is the biggest name in the cast. I also felt that the movie left a few things unexplained at the end specifically why certain characters acted how they did. Overall, this is a good enough murder mystery with an interesting horror skin added on.

Score: 7/10 Grade: B

2. The Equalizer 3

The Equalizer 3 is the newest film in the Equalizer trilogy and a solid way to close out this franchise. I enjoyed that this movie brought things to a small town in Italy which adds in a new type of setting with some great visuals and set pieces. Having the movie set in Italy also brings in some fun aspects of Italian culture. The movie also does a great job of building the relationship Robert has with the town. We get to see the time pass as he slowly grows to care for the people and eventually is willing to defend them. I also liked how the movie essentially makes the town its own character. As we spend more time there, the town grows more and more, and we get to see a big payoff with things at the end of the movie. Finally, I thought the action sequences in this movie were very well done, particularly the compound break-in at the end of the film. One of the main issues I had with this film was the pacing. I felt that the last third of the movie was a bit rushed and that it could have built up to the end a bit better. I also felt that the CIA characters were a bit unnecessary and were a bit disconnected from the main story which may have also contributed to the pacing issue. In the end, this is a solid throwback action film and while it had some pacing issues, I still managed to have a good time.

Score: 7.5/10 Grade: B

1. The Creator

The Creator was by far the best movie of this month. One of the best things about this movie is that it is an original big blockbuster sci-fi epic, something we just don't see in Hollywood these days. This movie tells a great story about a war between the USA and AI. It has a good performance from John David Washington. He manages to bring in such a layered and emotional performance while also having a great dynamic with the AI child. The world-building in this movie is very well done as well. It gives us a lived-in world where we get to see the lives of both humans and AI. I also thought the movie delivered a lot of solid action sequences that kept the film exciting. The visuals in the movie are fantastic. The way the film was shot was just so well done and so original. Gareth Edwards has a very distinct directing style. The CGI is also the best I have seen in a while. With so much poor CGI and green screens lately, it was refreshing to see something that actually looked good. The movie also has a great soundtrack that really matches the tone of the scenes the songs are in. Finally, I thought the movie delivered a lot of emotional moments through a story that keeps you invested from beginning to end. Overall, this movie is a great original film and proof that movies don't need to spend $250 million to make a film with visuals and CGI that looks amazing.

Score: 9/10 Grade: A