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    • The best movies of 2023, according to CTV film expert Richard Crouse

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    2023 was the year Taylor Swift ruled, while everyone else drooled. On the music charts, in arenas all over the world and even in movie theatres, the "Shake It Off" singer had the Midas touch in a year so stellar her home state of Pennsylvania declared 2023 the Taylor Swift Era.

    She soaked up the lion's share of attention and headlines, but the entertainment gods still found time to bless us with other forms of amusement.

    They gave us many great movies that found their way to the few screens that weren't playing "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour."

    Here is an alphabetical list of my favourite films that screened while Ms. Swift entertained the world.

    THE BEST MOVIES OF THE YEAR

    "Air" is a crowd-pleaser, a movie whose specificity, in this case the story of Air Jordans and Nike, becomes a universal story of inspiration, determination and risk taking.

    "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" perfectly captures Margaret's tentative steps into adolescence and the life-changing power that comes along with each of her discoveries. Like the book, which runs an economical 149 pages, the movie is a small story that tackles big issues.

    Director Cord Jefferson's "American Fiction" asks why stereotypes of Black trauma are so prevalent in entertainment by not so subtly satirizing the process and the people who create the limited view of Black life in books and on screens.

    "Barbie" has both style and substance, and while its story may get overactive and muddled in its last reel, Gerwig's point of view on gender roles and the way that women are treated in society pulls few punches.

    "Beau Is Afraid" swings for the fences, burrowing in on its grandiose emotional ideas even if it often feels like a three-hour panic attack. Unpredictable, unexpected and ultimately, unexplainable, it's challenging cinema that connects on a subconscious level.

    It is a blast to watch Jamie Foxx in full flight, but it is in "The Burial's" quieter moments that his character, Gary, really comes to life.

    "Creed III," of course, leads up to a showdown between two frenemies, but as a director, Michael B. Jordan finds a way to make the inevitable fight more personal, more dynamic than the usual boxing movie finale. It's a knockout climax to a sometimes formulaic, but always heartfelt and entertaining, story of ambition and regret.

    "Dream Scenario" does feature some surreal dream sequences, but it's not really about dreams. It's about life as a modern, viral celebrity on display in the unblinking eye of the public, social media and cancel culture.

    At its core, "Flora and Son" is a love story, but it's not a rom-com. This is about the love of family, music and self and is a rousing crowd-pleaser that breathes the same air as director John Carney's other films, "Sing Street" and "Once."

    "The Holdovers" is a warmhearted coming-of-all-ages movie that never succumbs to cheap melodrama. An uplifting tale of, as Armistead Maupin put it, embracing your logical family instead of your biological one, it avoids overt sentimentality.

    Atmospheric and gothic though "Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person" may be, the movie is actually a tender-hearted story that uses the undead to celebrate life.

    Part workplace comedy — think "High Fidelity" only set in a video store — part character study, "I Like Movies" is sweet-natured, funny film that digs deep to make us feel empathy for Lawrence, a socially awkward character who hides his real feelings behind a facade of bluster and pretension.

    "The Killer" is a slickly made, stylish thriller, with an anxiety inducing score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross that uses the central character's aloofness as a hook to pull you to the edge of your seat.

    Robert De Niro has played dastardly characters before, but he's never been as vile as he is in "Killers of the Flower Moon." And this is an actor who played The Devil in “Angel Heart.â€

    "Leo" presents a kinder, gentler Adam Sandler than the one who got into an on-screen brawl with beloved game show host Bob Barker in Happy Gilmore.

    "Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning" is the ne plus ultra of modern, big-budget studio filmmaking. Director Christopher McQuarrie manages the breathless, super-sized movies with an expert hand, blending old school action movie filmmaking with real stakes.

    "Oppenheimer," the brainiest blockbuster of the season, is a period piece about a man whose moral conundrums regarding power and the way it is wielded resonate just as loudly today as they did when the events took place.

    "Perfect Days" is a contemplative movie that examines the simple pleasures in life. Music, literature and nature are showcased, but this poetic, profound film celebrates finding contentment in all aspects of life.

    In "The Pigeon Tunnel," Errol Morris doesn't attempt to chip away at the facade and get at the underlying truth of John le Carré's life because he knows, in the hands of a master storyteller, a good story is a good story, whether it is true or not.

    An off-kilter "Frankenstein" story, "Poor Things" is a coming-of-age… a long strange journey unlike any other, but one with a strong message of female agency and a spectacular performance from Emma Stone.

    "The Royal Hotel" isn't a travelogue or a Shirley Valentine-style journey of self-discovery. What begins as a lark, an adventure in Australia, soon turns into a cabin-in-the-woods style horror movie, where the boogeyman is toxic male behaviour.

    Your spidey senses won't be the only thing left tingling after "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse."

    It is the focus on Jones as a brilliant musician and not simply another rock 'n' roll casualty that elevates "The Stones and Brian Jones." The story has its sordid moments, but director Nick Bloomfield emphasizes the very heart of Jones' being, the music.

    The 4K "Stop Making Sense" restoration of the four-decade old movie is a joyful, high-energy revisiting of a classic. A document of a band working at the top of its game, it captures the love of music and performance in a way few others have.

    The movie doesn't break much new ground â€“ the break-up-and-make-up story beats are predictable â€“ but the sweet and sassy performances and genuine family vibe make "You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah" a welcome addition to the Sandler Family catalogue.

    Confident in its uneasy, experimental execution, unblinking in its representation of the facilitation of evil, "The Zone of Interest" isn't an easy watch, but will resonate long after the end credits have rolled.

    CTVNews.ca ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

    Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

    Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.

    The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    Canada

    • Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    • The debate over sexual orientation and gender identity education in schools is heating up. Protests both for and against SOGI in the curriculum took place across the country Friday.

    • The parents of a teenager who died after allegedly consuming the poisonous products of a Mississauga man are now suing him, as well as several doctors involved in her care.

    • Relatives of a 60-year-old man who took his own life in a Nova Scotia jail after long periods of confinement in his cell have launched a lawsuit against the province.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    • A Nova Scotia woman has applied for a medically assisted death, saying after years of battling to receive out-of-country surgery for an illness that causes 'indescribable' pain, she struggles to maintain the will to live.

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    • Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    • It was the last show for longtime children's TV star Ron (Buck Shot) Barge Friday as hundreds of family, friends and fans attended a public memorial in Calgary.

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    • The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have won five in a row. The Edmonton Elks have won five of their last six games. They are the two hottest teams in the West. When they meet Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium, something has to give.

    • Agreement in principle has been reached to build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats has been reached between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC), the two sides announced Friday.

    • F1 star Max Verstappen punished over bad word

      Formula One points leader Max Verstappen was ordered to 'accomplish some work of public interest' after uttering an inappropriate word Thursday at the news conference ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

    They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

    A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

    Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

    The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

    It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

    A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.

    • The debate over sexual orientation and gender identity education in schools is heating up. Protests both for and against SOGI in the curriculum took place across the country Friday.

    • A fire that destroyed a historic bridge in Kamloops, B.C., is now being investigated as arson, local Mounties say.

    • A teenager has been charged with multiple offences related to stabbings that occurred in Surrey's Newton neighbourhood last week.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • The parents of a teenager who died after allegedly consuming the poisonous products of a Mississauga man are now suing him, as well as several doctors involved in her care.

    • Michael Ford, Ontario's minister of citizenship and multiculturalism, says he is taking a leave of absence from cabinet to prioritize his health.

    • Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek is urging the Alberta government to preserve pieces of the massive Green Line transit project now being dissolved.

    • A Lethbridge resident is facing charges after police seized drugs and weapons at a traffic stop for bicycle equipment violations.

    • It was the last show for longtime children's TV star Ron (Buck Shot) Barge Friday as hundreds of family, friends and fans attended a public memorial in Calgary.

    • Agreement in principle has been reached to build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats has been reached between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC), the two sides announced Friday.

    • Police say a man, 34, who was taken to hospital in critical condition after being shot Thursday night has died.

    • Ottawa police are investigating a shooting downtown Friday afternoon.

    • Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    • When Bernard Morissette got a call from Loto-Quebec on Sept. 18 and was asked if he was sitting down, he had no idea what was coming his way.

    • "We love you, Eddy!" screamed the 350 students at Terry Fox Elementary School in Pierrefonds. They didn't know the man their school is named after, but they knew Eddy Nolan who would visit regularly and encourage the students to participate in "the Terry Fox Run".

    • Mounties say there was an increased police presence in the Emerald Hills area of Sherwood Park on Friday morning as officers searched for a man who is wanted by police.

    • There's a friendship in the Edmonton Oilers crease between Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard.

    • There are plenty of fun happenings in Edmonton this weekend. It's time to savour that last little bit of the summer season before the leaves really start coming down.

    • A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

    • Relatives of a 60-year-old man who took his own life in a Nova Scotia jail after long periods of confinement in his cell have launched a lawsuit against the province.

    • Family, friends and fans of late hip hop artist and battle rapper, Pat Stay will gather at events held in his honour on Saturday and Sunday.

    • The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    • Pedestrians are getting a step closer to being able to cross Portage and Main.

    • A Manitoba veterinary clinic has two new ways of figuring out what’s causing a horse to be lame.

    • Five Regina schools have been placed in lockdown or secure the building mode following a report of a weapons investigation at Miller High School on Friday.

    • A 21-year-old man from Codette, Sask. is facing numerous charges in connection to a fatal crash near Wapella, Sask. Wednesday night that claimed the life of a 22-year-old Alberta woman.

    • The City of Regina and provincial government have committed a combined $400,000 to Carmichael Outreach for an 80-person warming space set to open no later than Nov. 1.

    • Protests were held in front of Kitchener City Hall on Friday, both for and against LGBTQ2S+ inclusive education and queer rights in schools.

    • Levels of hydrogen sulfide gas are being monitored at Brantford Collegiate Institute after a leak in their geothermal system.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • The Métis Nation of Saskatchewan has pulled out of a national body representing Métis, citing problems with an Ontario group and throwing the future of the Métis National Council into question.

    • The second-degree murder trial of Thomas Hamp is being adjourned until December so an expert witness central to the trial can testify.

    • A 69-year-old woman from Outlook, Saskatchewan is dead and three people are injured after a truck and SUV collided on Highway 15 on Thursday.

    • Emergency crews in northern Ontario found the bodies of four people inside a home where a fire broke out Thursday night.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • A 26-year-old driver from Surrey, B.C., has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm in a crash that killed two youths in northern Ontario last year.

    • A new outdoor music festival is launching this weekend in London - tickets are still available for the inaugural Fairway Fest at East Park.

    • A man is in hospital with life threatening injuries following a collision between a motorcycle and a vehicle on Friday afternoon.

    • Members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and supportetrs greatly outnumbered the people attending a '1 Million March 4 Children' event along Central Avenue.

    • Two men from Barrie have been charged after a deadly shooting at a park in Keswick on Wednesday.

    • A 17-year-old from Markham is facing serious charges after an August 11 shooting at a party in Caledon.

    • Provincial police are investigating vandalism in Huntsville after the "senseless destruction" of flower displays along Main Street East.

    • The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is searching for the occupants of a vehicle caught on security cameras during a fatal police-involved shooting on Goyeau Street.

    • Windsor police say a 25-year-old mother has been charged with the drowning death of her 5-year-old child in the family’s backyard pool.

    • A peaceful transition of power is taking place at the Caldwell First Nation after its recent election held on Sept. 14.

    • New Democrat Leader David Eby has launched his British Columbia election campaign a day early, making the key battle ground of Surrey his first stop.

    • The Old Man Lake wildfire near Sooke is the only one currently burning on Vancouver Island. It’s a region of the province that this year saw a drastic drop in blazes in the backcountry.

    • The debate over sexual orientation and gender identity education in schools is heating up. Protests both for and against SOGI in the curriculum took place across the country Friday.

    • A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.

    • The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

    • Animal protection officers in British Columbia have rescued three pit bulls – including one that gave birth to 10 puppies – from a rat-infested home in Kelowna.

    • A Lethbridge resident is facing charges after police seized drugs and weapons at a traffic stop for bicycle equipment violations.

    • A Vulcan, Alta., man has been charged with a Lethbridge woman's murder after her body was found in the Oyen area.

    • A Lethbridge couple got a good reminder as to why you should keep your vehicle doors locked at all times.

    • A 26-year-old driver from Surrey, B.C., has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm in a crash that killed two youths in northern Ontario last year.

    • Ontario Provincial Police say three suspects from southern Ontario have been charged and drugs worth $300,000 have been seized following a traffic stop Sept. 16.

    • A Brampton driver, 27, was charged this week when northern Ontario police stopped the SUV he was driving on Highway 17 after a reported shooting and found more than $100,000 in cash.

    N.L.

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