Sunday, December 31, 2023

MCBASTARD'S BEST OF 2023 - THE BEST OF NEW FLICKS, STREAMERS, 4K UHD, BLU-RAY, BOX SETS & FILM DISCOVERIES!

MCBASTARD'S BEST OF 2023

Truly, I hate to use 'Best of' for something so subjective as favorite movies and physical media, but these Top 15 lists are unapologetically my favorite feature films, streaming, physical media releases and film discoveries of 2023. There's plenty I didn't get around to see that I wanted to, so there's bound to be some obvious holes, but hey, I can only gauge what I actually saw. Also, as always these are lists of my favorite 15 in no particular order.  

BEST OF NEW FILMS IN 2023 

Here they are, my favorite new flicks of 2023 that I saw both at the cinema and streaming at home - keep in mind, these are in no particular order and there's still a few 2023 flick that I still have not watched yet including the new Godzilla flick. I will say that as far as my favorite theater going experience this year I would give first pace to seeing Eli Roth's long anticipated Thanksgiving, a terrific old school slasher that brought back the whodunit to the Holiday masked-slasher game.  

3. THANKGIVING https://amzn.to/47aA4r2
4. INFINITY POOL https://amzn.to/3RHjJUY
5. M3GAN https://amzn.to/3H0mawY   
6. COCAINE BEAR  https://amzn.to/3v9whNi
7. TOTALLY KILLER
8. IT'S A WONDERFUL KNIFE
9. THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER  https://amzn.to/3vh2pyD
10. NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU
11. TALK TO ME https://amzn.to/3tA8pSE
12. ONYX THE FORTUITOUS AND THE TALISMAN OF SOULS https://amzn.to/48cxhiw
14. LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND 
15. BOSTON STRANGLER  

BEST OF TV & STREAMING SERIES
With as many movies as I watch it's hard to believe I actually find time to watch streaming series, but I do - these are my favorites of series that hit the streaming platforms this year. I thought it was another stellar year of streaming programming - especially for genre fans. As you will see I am a bit of a basic-bitch when it comes to Star Wars series, but easily the best time I had watching a streaming series was Mike Flanagan's phenomenal The Fall of the House of Usher, his modernizing of the Poe tale that wove in elements of many of Poe's stories was breathtaking, I loved it. 
.  
1. THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER (Netflix)
2. THE LAST OF US (HBO) https://amzn.to/3RWt38W
3. BODIES (Netflix) 
4. MONARCH (Apple TV) 
5. GEN V: S1 (Prime Video)
6. INVINCIVBLE: S2 (Prime Video)
7. CREEPSHOW: S4 (Shudder) https://amzn.to/3vhgEUe
8. FARGO: S6 (FX)
9. AHSOKA: S1 (Disney+)
10. BLACK MIRROR: S6 (Netflix) 
11. RESERVATION DOGS: S2 (Hulu) 
12. WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS: S4 (FX)
13. CHUCKY: S3 (USA) 
14. THE MADALORIAN: S3 (Disney+)
15. LOKI: S2 (Disney+)

BEST OF 4K ULTRA HD

We've been hearing about the death of physical media for several years now, yet here we are with another fantastic year that was stuffed to the freaking gills with amazing physical media releases, particaurly re-issues of catalog titles and cult films on 4K UHD. From the obscure to classic major studio releases we were truly spoiled rotten in 2023. These fifteen 4Ks are what excited me most as a cinema fan, more so than a 'Best Of' based on technical or artistic merit, but I will say that I as far as pure excitement it was Dragonslayer which git my nostalgic 80's heart pumping the most. 

1. DRAGONSLAYER (1981) 4K Ultra HD 
2. TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974) 4K Ultra HD (Dark Sky Films) https://amzn.to/47mclUJ
4. MARTIN (1977) 4K Ultra HD (Second Sight Films) https://amzn.to/4aDUOuk
5. THE WARRIORS (1979) Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Arrow Video) https://amzn.to/3RWrHuS
6. CREEPSHOW (1982) Collector's Edition 4K Ultra HD ++ Blu-ray (Scream Factory) https://amzn.to/3NHYNMu
HD + Blu-ray (Cauldron Films) https://amzn.to/3GYU31b
8. GHOULIES (1985) 4K LaserVision Collection 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (MVD Rewind Collection) https://amzn.to/3RWrw2G
10. ROSEMARY'S BABY (1968) 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Paramount) https://amzn.to/3Rz9X7o
11. GORGO (1961) 4K Ultra HD (Vinegar Syndrome) https://amzn.to/41GqMSy
12. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (2022) 4K Ultra HD (Capelight) 
13. DROWNING BY NUMBERS (1988) 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Severin Films) 
14. TOUCH OF EVIL  (1941) 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Eureka Entertainment) 
15. DUEL (1971) 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Warner Bros.) https://amzn.to/3TJ82Qi

BEST OF BLU-RAY 

It was another wonderful year of Blu-ray releases as well, so much terrific stuff getting HD disc release, sone for the first time, and some just getting amazing re-issues. Again, these are in no particular order and cater to my specific tastes, and do not necessarily represent the most technically robust presentations nor the ones with the most prolific extras - though there are plenty that look wonderful and have awesome extras. The main deciding factor is the level of excitement it generated for me, and if I was to pick one title that got me the most giddy it was that 80's highschool slasher Fatal Games (1994) which finally got a  proper disc release from Vinegar Syndrome.

1. FATAL GAMES (1984) Blu-ray (Vinegar Syndrome) 
2. MESSIAH OF EVIL (1974) Blu-ray (Radiance Films) 
3. THE HAUNTING OF JULIA (1977) Blu-ray + CD (Imprint Films)
4. ROBOT MONSTER (1953) 3D Blu-ray (Bayview Entertainment) https://amzn.to/3RUR6oF
5. BIG TIME GAMBLING BOSS (1968) Blu-ray (Radiance Films) 
BEST OF BOXSET & COLLECTIONS

So many wonderful box set this year, collections and multi-film sets that explored everything from low budget cinema auteurs, to classic animation and erotic flicks. I couldn't afford everything I wanted to own, or make time to pour through several sets already sitting on my shelf, so again, its just what I had access to and time to watch. Again, these are in no particular order but if there's one set that absolutely astounded me with it's depth, construction and presentation it's the massive 24-Film, 15-Disc Blu-ray/CD The Sensual World of Emanuelle box set from Severin Films, it's a thing of erotic beauty. 

2. SUPERMAN 5-FILM COLLECTION (1978-1987) 4K Ultra HD Box Set  (Warner Bros.) https://amzn.to/3vgPeOa
3. SAVAGE GUNS: 4 CLASSIC WESTERNS VOL. 3 Blu-ray Box Set (Arrow Video)
4. THE TOXIC AVENGER COLLECTION (1988-2000) 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Box Set (Troma) https://amzn.to/3RDmWoK
5. COSA NOSTRA: FRANCO NERO IN THREE MAFIA TALES BY DAMIANO DAMIANI (1968-1975) Blu-ray Box Set (Radiance) 
https://amzn.to/3TMqiZj
10. ANDRZEJ ŻUŁAWSKI: THREE FILMS Blu-ray Box Set (Eureka) 
11. CUSHING CURIOSITIES (1960-1974) Blu-ray Box Set (Severin Films) https://amzn.to/3RYtO16
12. THE PROPHECY I, II, III (1995-2000) 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Vinegar Syndrome) https://amzn.to/3txXOrs
14. VINEGAR SYNDROM'S LOST PICTURE SHOW Blu-ray Box Set (Vinegar Syndrome) 
15. ESSENTIAL FILM NOIR: COLLECTION 5 (1940-1962) Blu-ray Box Set (Imprint Films) 

FILM DISCOVERIES OF 2023 

A new category for me this year are new releases that didn't make my favorite releases of the year but were first-time watches for me that I would consider absolute gems worth seeking out. 

1. MAGIC COP (1990) Blu-ray (88 Films) 
https://amzn.to/3GYR2xT
2. FEAR (1966) Blu-ray (Mondo Macabro) 
https://amzn.to/3NIwhu1
3. CAGED (1950) Blu-ray (Warner Archive) 
https://amzn.to/3NLFgL7
4. UPTIGHT (1968) Blu-ray (Imprint Films) 
5. BORDER INCIDENT (1949) Blu-ray (Warner Archive) 
https://amzn.to/3tEJ6Pe
6. I'LL SLEEP WHEN I'M DEAD (2003) Blu-ray (Imprint Films)
7. MEATCLEAVER MASSACRE (1976) Blu-ray (101 Films) 
9. THE POSTMAN FIGHTS BACK (1982) Blu-ray (88 Films) 
10. SHANGHAI JOE (1973) Blu-ray (Cauldron Films) 
11. AMNESIA (2001) Blu-ray (Cult Epics) 
https://amzn.to/3v9rOu0
12. DARK POWER (1985) Blu-ray (Kino Cult) 
13. BIKINI BEACH (1964) Blu-ray (MGM)
https://amzn.to/48z26NX
15. GAY PURR-EE (1962) (Warner Archive) 

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