The World's Common Tater

I don’t watch a lot of movies these days. When I do, they are random movies I find on TV or streaming when I am bored. There are five movies, though, that stood out this year and that I made a point to watch.

1. Top Gun Maverick – If we were only allowed to watch one movie this year it would have been this one. It was the only movie that was going to get my wife to pay to go back to the theater. It did not disappoint. It was the perfect sequel. The right amount of nostalgia mixed with a very good new story. Miles Teller was perfect as Rooster. I loved that Val Kilmer came back for a small part. It streams on Paramount Plus starting today.

2. Elvis – I have always been a big Elvis fan. It was hard to wait for this one to hit HBO Max, but I did since no one else in my house thought they wanted to watch it. They also ended up loving it. Austin Butler was very good as Elvis. I was skeptical when I heard they had cast him. I was wrong. I guess there is a first time for everything. It is a long movie, but worth the time.

3. Bullet Train – We saw this one in the theater on National Cinema day when all movie prices were reduced. Another sure way to get my wife to the theater. I’m a Brad Pitt fan. My wife loves action movies. This was perfect for both of us. She loved the action. I loved the comedy and the story. The action movie for people who don’t like action movies. Now on Netflix.

4. Scream – My daughter loves the Scream series. I’m surprised it took us so long to get to this one. A new group of teens is terrorized by a killer in a Ghostface costume. Courtney Cox, David Arquette, and Neve Campbell are back. All of the new characters have connections to the original characters. It was a good way to start a new generation of Scream. Pre-Wednesday Jenna Ortega is one of the stars. If you love the Scream movies, definitely watch. Now on Showtime.

5. Vengeance – I first saw a trailer for this one before Top Gun: Maverick and knew I wanted to see it. I had to wait for the DVD from the library, but I finally watched it. It was very good. Very different from the others on the list. I love a good fish out of water story and BJ Novak is good as the New York writer trying to navigate small-town Texas. One of the best, least talked-about movies of the year. Now streaming on Peacock.

I hope 2023 gets me back to the theater more. My issue is more the cost than anything else. Maybe I need to join the Regal club where I get unlimited movies for $30 a month.