Films to Look Forward to in 2023

Now that the Oscars have happened, after about a seven-and-a-halfmonth awards season preceding it, we can now move onto the films of 2023. Sure, we’ve technically had three months of films so far this year, but aside from the brilliant Infinity Pool (and maybe Cocaine Bear, to a lesser extent), those three months consisted of movies the studios had no faith in (and after seeing many of them, I can see why) and holdovers from 2022 looking to win awards and money by going wide. But now the cinematic year of 2023 is officially here. So, without further ado, here are some of the movies I am looking forward to in the coming months.

Showing Up – Directed by Kelly Reichardt (Wendy & Lucy, Old Joy, First Cow, Meek’s Cutoff), one of my favorite filmmakers working today, and starring the director’s longtime collaborator Michelle Williams. A small film that will probably not get much press, but it is sure to be one of the best of the year. (April 7)

Renfield – Nicholas Hoult as the titular undead handyman, and Nicolas Cage as Dracula himself! Do I really need to say any more? Howzabout Awkwafina, too? Yeah, this is gonna be lit, as the kids are saying. (April 14)

Beau is Afraid - This third film from Ari Aster, the man who gave us Hereditary and Midsommar, stars probably the greatest actor working today, Joaquin Phoenix. Just judging from the trailer (and the director’s first two works) this is gonna be one batshit crazy movie – and I cannot wait! (April 21)

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – James Gunn’s third and apparently final film in the space heroes (or anti-heroes) story. Yeah, I know, it’s just another comic book movie, and we have been inundated with those things this past decade, but the first two Guardians films were two of the better in the genre, so this one should not disappoint. (May 5)

No Hard Feelings – Jennifer Lawrence produced this film and stars in it as a woman hired by a couple to date their socially awkward nineteen-year-old son.

Director Gene Stupnitsky’s only solid credits are writing the screenplay for Bad Teacher and writing 15 episodes of The Office, but the trailer looks fun, and Lawrence looks fun in it, so we’ll see. (June 23)

Barbie – A live action Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie as the titular dream doll, and Ryan Gosling as her boy toy, Ken, written by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach, and directed by Gerwig! I cannot articulate just how excited I am about this movie! (July 21)

Oppenheimer – Christopher Nolan’s latest movie stars Cillian Murphy as the man behind the original atom bomb. I am kinda hit and miss on Nolan (loved Memento & his Batman trilogy but am rather lukewarm on Inception & Interstellar) but this looks like it could be quite good. (July 21)

Well, I’m out of space, so let’s stop there. We’ll talk about the second half of the year, and new movies from the likes of Martin Scorsese and Yorgos Lanthimos, on another day. See you at the movies.

Kevyn Knox is a Writer, Artist, Pop Photographer, Film & TV Historian, Pez Collector, and Pop Culturist. He has written film reviews for FilmSpeak, Central PA Voice, and The Burg. His reviews & other ramblings can be found on his blog, www.allthingskevyn. com.

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Tailboard Talk: Put Down Your Phone and Just Drive!

Have you ever taken your eyes off the road for just five seconds to read a text message or see who is calling you? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that if you were driving 55 miles per hour, that is like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. In those five seconds, how many innocent lives have you potentially put in jeopardy?

In 2020, the NHTSA reported that 3,142 people were killed because of vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver. In the year prior, 424,000 people were injured because of distracted drivers, and of those injured, one in five were not even in the vehicle – they were walking, enjoying the outdoors or riding a bike nearby.

Cell phones are not the only cause of distracted driving. Changing the radio station, lighting a cigarette, looking for lip gloss and reaching for your morning coffee are all actions that cause drivers to lose focus on the road ahead. Other distractions can be unseen – running late for a meeting, anticipating a busy day, replaying an argument or thinking about a phone call you forgot to return – any of these can distract you from driving safely.

Driving defensively, obeying speed limits and using caution while driving are excellent tactics. However, these strategies are only entirely effective if practiced by everyone on the road. We owe it to one another to recognize the responsibility we all have when we sit behind the wheel.

Join me this month in recognizing National Distracted Driving Awareness Month by doing one thing while behind the wheel - just drive.

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella was unique – the only musical written for television by the famed composerlyricist team. Originally broadcast live in color in 1957 as a vehicle for Julie Andrews, the musical was largely based on the French version of Cinderella by Charles Perrault and later played onstage. The new Broadway adaptation of the classic musical will be presented by Keystone Theatrics at Allenberry Playhouse – with such beloved songs as “Ten Minutes Ago” and an up-to-date libretto. New characters and new songs by R&H are included in a family-friendly show for all ages. April 21-May 7. Keystonetheatrics.com.

Gamut Theatre Group’s The Jungle Book, based on the Rudyard Kipling story and adapted by Sean Adams for the theatre’s Young Acting Company, runs through April 2. Gamut follows with Shakespeare’s Macbeth, directed by Melissa Nicholson. It traces the terrifying rise and fall of a Scottish lord and lady – turned a ruthless king and queen through unquenchable ambition. Recommended for ages 12 and up, the production is highly accessible, combining The Bard’s original text with modern narrations. Each performance is followed by a talkback discussion with the audience. Student matinee performances are available at deeply discounted rates for school groups. April 14-16. Gamuttheatre.org.

Next at Theatre Harrisburg is the 2014 Broadway revival of Side Show Based on the true story of conjoined twins Violet and Daisy Hilton, who became stars during the Great Depression, it’s a moving portrait of two women joined at the hip whose extraordinary connection brings them fame but denies them love. Told almost entirely in song. At Whitaker Center. Recommended age is 11+. April 28-May 14. Theatreharrisburg. com.

Doubt, a Parable. In this brilliant and powerful award-winning drama by

John Patrick Shanley, Sister Aloysius, a Bronx school principal, takes matters into her own hands when she suspects the young Father Flynn of improper relations with one of the male students. This 2004 drama, to be presented by Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg, was described by NY Newsday as “blunt but manipulative but full of empathy for all sides” and, though set in 1964, very timely. April 21-May 7. Ltmpa.com.

One of Stephen Sondheim’s lesser known, yet both highly esteemed and polarizing works, Passion tells the story of a young soldier stationed at a Milan outpost in 1863 who finds himself entangled between two women. This dynamic forces him to examine the true nature of passion and its difference from obsession -- aided by a beautiful, deliriously romantic score. Book by James Lapine. At Ephrata Performing Arts Center. April 27-May 13. Ephrataperformingartscenter.com.

Footloose: The Musical, based on the 1984 movie with Kevin Bacon, tells the story of a teenager moving from Chicago to small-town Bomont, where the Reverend has convinced the town to ban dancing. Ren must teach the town the wisdom of listening to young people, to have fun … and dance. Hit songs include the title song and “Almost Paradise.” Rated PG-13. At Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, April 7-May 20. Dutchapple.com.

Barbara Trainin Blank is a freelance journalist, book author, editor, and playwright. She grew up in New York City in a house rich in the arts, which are a major focus of her writing. She lived in Harrisburg for 24 years and continues to contribute to regional publications.