2023 was one of the most memorable years for film. Perhaps even more memorable than the films themselves were the musical scores that accompanied them. From sweeping compositions, epic accompaniments, and subtle yet destructive themes; 2023 has given us some of the most memorable scores in recent years. Here are some of my favorites, listed in no particular order.
Comic books used to be a predominantly white-representative medium, with little to no diversity in their characters. It wasn’t until the latter half of the 20th century when things began to change. Marvel comics introduced characters like Black Panther in the 1960s, as well as the X-men, who serve as a metaphor for minority groups all across the world still to this day. It wasn’t until 1975 when the first mainline Latino comic book character was introduced by Marvel. Hector Ayala A.K.A. White Tiger, a Puerto Rican college student, donned a white suit that, curiously enough, showed nothing of his skin. Whether this was intentional or not, the comic book world had now been introduced to a true Hispanic character for the first time ever, and his creation paved the way for many more beloved Hispanic characters today.
Once I learned about the Criterion Collection: It was game over. A company that literally specializes in putting out the very best, most high-quality versions of great films on physical release was destined to be my new obsession. But what fascinates me the most about Criterion is not just obtaining their beautiful releases in mass buying sprees, but the process behind how their releases come to be.
It’s October 1984. The first true essences of fall have made landfall in the humble town of Hawkins, Indiana. Chilling winds whisper a-top dry corn fields, swaying the stalks ever so slightly. Pumpkin patches thrive as local farmers capitalize on the spookiest time of the year.
The leaves surrender their verdigris shade and don colors of warm brown and soft orange. Melvald’s General store is stocked with spooky halloween decorations, bombarding the shelves for all to partake, as the sheriff watches over the quiet town with a worrisome eye, and only the warmth of his cigarette to bear the cold. These are just a handful of the fall settings portrayed in the second season of Stranger Things, the hit Netflix series created by The Duffer Brothers. As autumn arrives in the real world, there’s no better time to watch (or rewatch) this Halloween-centric season of spooky television.
Stop Making Sense, at its core, is the story of a band. It begins with a solitary man, who is faceless but familiar, walking out onto the stage. As the camera follows his feet out from the backstage shadows and into the limelight, this tolerably titled “concert film” has already made its statement as a higher performative art piece -and it’s just getting started.
