I did this last year and everyone seemed to like it, so hereās my entirely unranked, incomplete, and uncategorized list of things that made me a better writer and storyteller in 2023:
- Across the Spider-Verse
A spider-man movie where the narrative is structured around Gwen Stacey is already genius, but when you take surrealist animation and the philosophical deconstruction of āCanonā into considerationā¦ I canāt believe this movie exists.
Kesha has always had an unhinged brilliance, but this is next level of both.
Spectacle shouldnāt be what they remember from your story.
Iām growing obsessed with the idea of a literary, poetic presentation of real lives. Thatās what makes biopics fresh. (See also: VICE)
- The Adventure Zone: Steeplechase
When a storyteller uses any medium to reconcile complicated feelings about things they love, itās the stuff of dreams. People sense it.
No one needs me to provide a Caucastic analysis of this movie, but I always appreciate when meta-aware stories use their meta-awareness to let characters break the tropes society builds for them.
- Lakota Nation vs. The United States
May be the perfect documentary. Gentle but searing imagery.
- Unknown: Cosmic Time Machine
Iām a James Webb Telescope groupie, and this is a celebration of its triumph that made me say āMaybeā¦ maybe weāre exploring more than we give ourselves credit for.ā
Goofy gleefulness and sincerity are really, really not that far apart from each other on the emotional spectrum.
The game is already my favorite story of all time, so Iām biased. But I can think of no higher form of art than presenting a character doing the wrong things for selfish reasons, but doing so in a way that makes you go āyeah, of course, Iād do the same thing.ā
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians
We only have three episodes so far, but Iāve never seen ANY media for kids (even THAT one) that takes kidsā complicated emotions so seriously.
For me as a DM and player, this game did that magical thing where it jumped mediums to give you the best experience both have to offer.
- Super Mario Bros. Movie
