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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 鈥 think "High Fidelity" only set in a video store 鈥 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 鈥淎ngel Heart.鈥

    "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 鈥 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 Carr茅'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鈥 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 鈥 the break-up-and-make-up story beats are predictable 鈥 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 Top Stories

    BREAKING

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    The ongoing count of absentee ballots in B.C.鈥檚 nail-biting 2024 provincial election has put the NDP ahead of the Conservatives in the Surrey-Guildford riding.

    A group of Cape Breton firefighters are apologizing after four people showed up at a Halloween dance dressed in what appeared to be Ku Klux Klan costumes.

    Marred by several delays, the trial of alleged human traffickers Lauriston and Amber Maloney finally got underway on Monday in a Bradford courtroom, with a woman who worked and lived with the couple testifying.

    Canada

    • A group of Cape Breton firefighters are apologizing after four people showed up at a Halloween dance dressed in what appeared to be Ku Klux Klan costumes.

    • Marred by several delays, the trial of alleged human traffickers Lauriston and Amber Maloney finally got underway on Monday in a Bradford courtroom, with a woman who worked and lived with the couple testifying.

    • A B.C. man who went missing nearly 15 years ago, while facing multiple sexual abuse allegations, has been declared dead by the court 鈥 which found he likely died when a fire engulfed the airplane hangar where he was last seen.

    • Montreal's mayor says a welcome sign depicting a woman wearing a veil that adorns a lobby at city hall will be taken down in the name of secularism.

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    Local Spotlight

    Epcor says it has removed more than 20,000 goldfish from an Edmonton stormwater pond.

    Witches and warlocks have been flocking to New Brunswick waterways this month, as a new Halloween tradition ripples across the province.

    New Brunswicker Jillea Godin鈥檚 elaborate cosplay pieces attract thousands to her online accounts, as well as requests from celebrities for their own pieces.

    A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.

    Hundreds of people ran to the music of German composer and pianist Beethoven Wednesday night in a unique race in Halifax.

    He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

    A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      The ongoing count of absentee ballots in B.C.鈥檚 nail-biting 2024 provincial election has put the NDP ahead of the Conservatives in the Surrey-Guildford riding.

    • The last of three recounts in British Columbia's closely contested provincial election has concluded with B.C. NDP candidate Dana Lajeunesse still leading in the Juan de Fuca-Malahat riding.

    • A British Columbia political scientist says social media questioning of the provincial election's integrity is an "inevitable" result of political "toxicity" and a tight race.

    • A 31-year-old man died in hospital over the weekend after being found critically injured in an underground parking garage in North York late last week.

    • The TTC is sharing details about how it plans to cope with the massive influx of Taylor Swift fans into Toronto鈥檚 core during the superstar鈥檚 six-show stay in the city.

    • An 'iconic' gorilla that has lived at the Toronto Zoo since it first opened in 1974 is experiencing health issues and will be kept from the public as he receives treatment.

    • A provincial income tax cut could be coming for Albertans, along with a reprieve at the pumps, in connection with the price of oil.

    • A Liberal member of Parliament says he's baffled by the Alberta United Conservative government's response to his private member's bill about pandemic preparedness.

    • Calgary鈥檚 Mission Bridge will be closed to motorists for several months as city crews complete rehabilitation work.

    • Some of the people who knew Brkti Berhe, the woman killed in an Ottawa park in what police have said was femicide, are remembering her as a devoted wife, loving mother, and pillar of the community.

    • Grief counsellors are at Perth and District Collegiate Institute in Perth, Ont. today, as family, friends and the community mourn the death of 15-year-old Reese Stanzel.

    • Suspended Ottawa lawyer James Bowie has been ordered to pay $235,000 in damages to a former client after he repeatedly suggested she pay for his legal services with oral sex and released personal details about her online after the allegations were reported by 愛污传媒 Ottawa.

    • A new study suggests Montrealers are going downtown less often with four in 10 saying they go less often than before the pandemic.

    • Advocates for the homeless say moving all centres 250 metres from daycares or schools would mean virtually no centres in Quebec would be able to operate.

    • Ottawa said it will not challenge a Quebec law that allows people to request medical assistance in dying (MAID) in advance.

    • The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission says it is evaluating the relocation of the Camrose Casino after the company that owns it was forced into receivership.

    • Visitors at the West Edmonton Mall will see one less clapping critter at Sea Lions鈥 Rock.

    • A Bonnyville teacher has been accused of trying to lure a boy and his friends to her hotel room.

    • A group of Cape Breton firefighters are apologizing after four people showed up at a Halloween dance dressed in what appeared to be Ku Klux Klan costumes.

    • The Saint John Police Force is asking for the public鈥檚 help in locating a man wanted on a Canada-wide warrant in connection with a shooting incident in the city over the weekend.

    • Halifax Regional Police is investigating two break-and-enters in parking garages early Sunday morning.

    • Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew has honoured first responders for their actions following a fiery bus crash on the Trans-Canada Highway last year that killed 17 people.

    • Manitoba's chief electoral officer is calling for a legal crackdown on disinformation about provincial elections, including the conduct of election officials and electronic vote-counting machines.

    • Three youths were arrested after a senior was shot in the head with a BB gun early Monday morning.

    • Candidates across Saskatchewan have made their final pitches to potential voters as the 2024 campaign comes to a close and election day arrives.

    • With multiple polls suggesting a tight race to the finish for Saskatchewan's major political parties 鈥 here are the ridings where some extra attention may be required.

    • Election day has arrived in Saskatchewan. With it, the last wave of voters prepare to cast their ballots and decide who will form government in the province.

    • What role does ideology play in the sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty to four charges in an attack at the University of Waterloo?

    • The Guelph Police Service is planning to dedicate more resources to ensuring public safety in the city鈥檚 downtown area as part of an ongoing initiative.

    • Police say just before 5 p.m. Friday, the suspects went to an address near Dawson Road and Shelldale Crescent and banged on the door.

    • Candidates across Saskatchewan have made their final pitches to potential voters as the 2024 campaign comes to a close and election day arrives.

    • With multiple polls suggesting a tight race to the finish for Saskatchewan's major political parties 鈥 here are the ridings where some extra attention may be required.

    • A construction worker who was robbed, shot and left for dead last week remains in a Saskatoon hospital awaiting more surgeries.

    • Ontario Premier Doug Ford in Sudbury on Monday afternoon to make an infrastructure funding announcement at a wastewater facility.

    • The province鈥檚 Special Investigations Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 46-year-old man Sunday in Elliot Lake

    • A landlord in Sault Ste. Marie discriminated against a man who is deaf and has limited sight, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal has ruled.

    • A pickup truck and car collided in the Huron County village of Nile this afternoon, sending as many as five people to hospital.

    • The first fully furnished tiny home in St. Thomas, Ont. has been unveiled as part of Project Tiny Hope.

    • The University of Western Ontario is getting a $20-million investment for a new Canadian Severe Storms Laboratory (CSSL).

    • Marred by several delays, the trial of alleged human traffickers Lauriston and Amber Maloney finally got underway on Monday in a Bradford courtroom, with a woman who worked and lived with the couple testifying.

    • Experts say a toxic bacteria may be behind the deaths of hundreds of birds that have washed up along Georgian Bay over the past two weeks.

    • The City of Barrie released data revealing its two automated speed enforcement cameras have helped to significantly curb speeding in community safety zones, with more than 18,000 tickets issued in five months.

    • Windsor police officers are asking for the public鈥檚 help to identify two suspects related to the death of a 69-year-old man in south-central Windsor.

    • The University of Windsor is bracing for tough financial decisions as a growing budget deficit prompts conversations around cuts.

    • The Windsor Essex Community Health Centre (weCHC) in downtown Windsor is on the move, soon relocating from its current Pelissier Street location to a new clinic on University Avenue West.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      The ongoing count of absentee ballots in B.C.鈥檚 nail-biting 2024 provincial election has put the NDP ahead of the Conservatives in the Surrey-Guildford riding.

    • The last of three recounts in British Columbia's closely contested provincial election has concluded with B.C. NDP candidate Dana Lajeunesse still leading in the Juan de Fuca-Malahat riding.

    • A British Columbia political scientist says social media questioning of the provincial election's integrity is an "inevitable" result of political "toxicity" and a tight race.

    • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

    • Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • RCMP say a Medicine Hat man was killed in a collision between an SUV and a motorcycle in southeast Alberta on Sunday evening.

    • A tentative agreement has been reached between the City of Lethbridge and more than 900 employees belonging to CUPE Local 70.

    • The Hurricanes will be happy to be back home in Lethbridge Saturday night after losing their third in a row on the road Friday night, a 4-1 decision to the Broncos in Swift Current.

    • A landlord in Sault Ste. Marie discriminated against a man who is deaf and has limited sight, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal has ruled.

    • One person has been charged after police in the Sault received a report of someone asleep at the wheel last weekend in a parking lot on Bay Street.

    • Ontario Provincial Police say three people have been charged with arson following a fire at a Sioux Lookout apartment building Friday night.

    N.L.

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