Top Ten Movies of the 2023 "Summer Box Office Battle"
As more and more back-to-school commercials haunt my dreams, the inevitable will come soon, so we look back on the summer of 2023 and its blockbuster-filled goodness as we rank all the movies in and out of theaters during the 2023 "Summer Box Office Battle".
Though it didn't exactly meet its expectations, the fifth and final film in the adventure series starring Harrison Ford as everyone's favorite archaeologist was still one to watch, with the action and performances garnering praise from those who were interested in seeing how Indy's story ends.
Yes, we get it, that Spider-Verse Whopper was horrible. But that didn't stop many from going to see the sequel to the top animated film of 2018. Following the events of Into the Spider-Verse, Miles Morales has embraced his identity as the new Spider-Man (and the hijinks that come with it). But when a new villain rises from the ashes of the super collider explosion, Miles is forced to team up with allies old and new to save not only his universe but many more. The fun-loving characters, web-slinging action, and cool animation have many calling it not only the best animated film of 2023 but the best animated film of all time.
The ragtag group of rebels we know as the Guardians of the Galaxy take on one last evil to close out probably the best superhero trilogy in the MCU. Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, and the rest of the crazy crew put on arguably their finest performances. It's no surprise the film was a huge success at the box office and may or may not have led to Florence and The Machine's hit song "Dog Days Are Over" becoming a top 10 radio hit 15 years after its original release.
At least it earned over 800 million dollars at the box office.
One half of the worldwide "Barbenheimer" trend, Cillian Murphy portrays J. Robert Oppenheimer, director of the Manhattan Project, which would create the first nuclear weapons. An impressive performance comes not only from Murphy but also from Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, and many more in the all-star cast Christopher Nolan assembled in this exhilarating story about the father of the atomic bomb.
This movie is going to take the majority of Academy Awards for this year. A great film about one of the most important events in the history of the world. Comparing it to Barbie is just ridiculous.
One half of the worldwide "Barbenheimer" trend, small pictures from the set of this iconic film sent the Internet into a frenzy as Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling lead an all-star cast in the movie based on the Mattel doll. Praised for its colorful visuals and humor, as well as a relatable monologue from America Ferrera's character, Barbie was definitely a slam dunk in the box office battle.
Look at Tom Cruise, doing even more crazy stunts as he returns as Ethan Hunt for the seventh film in the series. More action, more crazy moments, more of me in the theater going "holy crap!" as our favorite IMF team (once again consisting of Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg) attempts to pull it off once more.
Okay, now, yes, the visual effects in this movie are so horrifyingly bad, I'd laugh if it wasn't so pathetic. And yes, Ezra Miller is a menace to society. On the other hand, this was one of Miller's best performances, as his raw emotion gives us a deeper look into the mind of Barry Allen in this oh-so underwhelming-but-still-interesting send off of Zack Snyder's DC Extended Universe. Also, James Gunn, please rehire Sasha Calle. She was wonderful as Supergirl in this movie.
Despite complaints over casting choices and off-putting animation, The Little Mermaid was still a hit at the box office this summer. The live action remake of the 1989 animated classic set the bar pretty high for other contenders in theaters. Despite the apparently underwhelming story, Halle Bailey was praised for her role as Ariel, as was Melissa McCarthy's hilarious take on the evil sea witch Ursula. Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, and Javier Bardem round out the rest of the faces and voices you know in the hit film under the sea.
Poor marketing, competition surrounding the film on all sides, and a rather lame trailer - these were the things that led us to believe the latest Pixar adventure would bomb at the box office. Instead, Elemental stuck around for a little bit (and by a little bit, I mean longer than any other film this summer). Soon, behind the internet jokes claiming a predictable plot, moviegoers were met with wonderful visuals assembled by a team of gifted animators and a beautiful story filled with interesting characters, accentuated by their amazing voice actors. While the film still falls short of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Elemental bounced back from a weak opening and has since become Disney's highest-grossing animated film of the post-COVID era.
Physics and logic are officially out the window, but that did not stop Fast X from being a top contender in the box office battle. As the end of the Fast and Furious franchise draws near, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, and the rest of the family bring hilarious and emotional moments to the table. These moments go well with the fast-paced, high adrenaline action that the franchise has come to be known for. Many singled out Jason Momoa's performance as the flamboyant but homicidal villain Dante as the fans' favorite character and probably everyone's new favorite bad guy.
I love this movie! It's great and funny, yet intense.
