Perhaps it’s a side effect of living in the age of social media, but it’s hard to argue with the fact thateverything is political these days. Now that we’re nearing the end of2023, it’s another chance to reflect on the state of the world, and another highly polarizing year. Again defined by the horrific conflicts that dominated it, the never-ending way these tragedies were politicized further underscored how divided society has become.
While viral content is king these days, it also means major events are continuously shoved in front of our eyes. With politics pervading virtually every aspect of our daily lives, it’s only natural that cinema and television have become mired inendless political debatestoo.
It can all get pretty annoying at times, and regardless of what one’s political views may be, sometimes all we crave is just a good, old-fashioned movie. Not one that preaches, divides, instructs, or tries to convert us to its political beliefs, but one that simply offers us what we really turn to movies for — an entertaining form of escapism.
If, like so many other viewers, you’re tired of political pandering in films, here’s a list of great recent movies from 2023 with zero politics in them.
10Silent Night
Silent Night
Read MovieWeb’s Review:Silent Night Review: John Woo Returns in an Action-Packed Movie with the Eye of an Auteur
Once one of the most talked-about action directors around with hit films likeFace/OffandMission: Impossible 2,John Woo seemingly disappeared from mainstream movies for decades. After some major flops at the turn of the century, Woo returned to making films in his native China. However, for anyone who missed his frenetic, action-packed films,Silent Nightwas his excellent return to Hollywood.
The film stars Joel Kinnaman (2014’sRobocop, Altered Carbon) and sees him playing a father seeking revenge against a gang after his son is killed during a drive-by.
An Action Film With No Dialogue
Like its director, the film sticks to basics and does it well. There are no deeper themes at play here, just a straight-up action flick that’s well executed. As a novelty,the film features no dialogue, though somehow, it doesn’t suffer for it. If anything, it allows Woo to shine further as a brilliant director, showcasing his eye for balletic action sequences that provide riveting anchors for his films.
Given its good plot, lack of dialogue, and Joel Kinnaman’s penchant for coming across as a strong, stoic type of hero, it was a great film that featured no unnecessary political meditations.
Silent Nightis Currently in Theaters
9The Velveteen Rabbit
Based on an all-time classic children’s book,The Velveteen Rabbitis a live-action animated film, and stars child actor Phoenix Laroche, with the likes of Alex Lawther and Helena Bonham Carter making up its talented voice cast. The film tells the tale of a seven-year-old boy named William who receives a new toy for Christmas: a rabbit made of velvet, who goes on a journey to discover what it means to be real, and to be loved.
A Heartwarming Children’s Tale
With no great departures from the original story, the adaptation proved thata classic can remain a classicwithout needing a modern upgrade purely for the sake of socio-cultural or political reasons. Its quaint setting and great execution made for a film filled with the same charm that made the original story such a hit. With no controversies or political debates marring it, the film can simply be enjoyed for what it is: a timeless children’s tale.
Stream The Velveteen Rabbit on Apple TV+
8Cocaine Bear
Cocaine Bear
Cocaine Bear Review:Elizabeth Banks' B-Movie Blends Your Favorite Genres
Cocaine Bearmay seem like a complete stretch as a concept, yet it’s actually loosely based on a true story. It deals with a large black bear as it stumbles across a large stash of cocaine dumped from a plane flown by a cartel transporter who loses his senses by sampling too much of the product and crashing.
Related:Elizabeth Banks Hopes to Make a Cocaine Bear Sequel
The bear consumes large quantities of the powerful stimulant and goes into a drug-addled rage. In the process, it places everyone from rangers, cops, drug dealers, and an innocent mother and young kids in danger as it rampages through a Georgian national park.
A Fun and Ridiculous Creature-Feature
A mixture of well-timed comedic elements, and a fun and gory creature-feature,Cocaine Bearwas never meant to be taken too seriously — and works perfectly well because of this. With Elizabeth Banks behind the lens, the talented actress proved why she’s just as great as a director. The film was entertaining from start to finish, with its ridiculous elements adding to its appeal. Betweenthe ensemble castand an entertainingly exaggerated version of the real story, the film made for a great watch with no need to overthink any part of it.
Stream Cocaine Bear on Prime Video
The highly anticipated latest installment to come out of the popular horror franchise,Saw Xsaw the return of a cult favorite character: the iconic Tobin Bell as John “Jigsaw” Kramer, a brilliant engineer whose losses in life and brush with terminal cancer sends him down a horrifying path. Wanting others to learn how to appreciate the lives they have, he becomes infamous for kidnapping people and placing them in elaborate traps that force them into making macabre choices to save themselves, or face gory deaths.
This installment saw him return despite being thought dead, as he pursues an experimental treatment for his cancer. While he starts off optimistic, he’s led down a dark path that finds him seeking revenge in some very twisted ways.
A Revitalized Horror Franchise
The return of Bell as John Kramer takes the franchise back to its roots and reinforces him as the focal point of the series. Filled with some great new traps, a story that finds ways to humanize Kramer despite his worst traits, and the franchise’s usual penchant for twists,the film revitalized the franchiseand offered it a path forward. Sticking to its roots also meant it never tried to rope in any unnecessary elements to try and appeal to new audiences.
Rent Saw X on Apple TV+
Another fantastic Netflix original,Reptileis a murder mystery film that sees Benicio Del Toro play a seasoned detective. It follows his investigation after a young real estate agent is found murdered. The film makes fora terrific whodunnitbathed in tension with some great twists along the way.
A Mystery Cop Story Without Any Agenda
Aside from Benicio Del Toro doing a wonderful job anchoring the film, it also featured other very familiar faces, with supporting turns by Alicia Silverstone and Justin Timberlake. The movie keeps you guessing while fleshing out the story at a good pace. Rather than a straight murder mystery, it throws in some added novelty by branching out into a finale that reveals a nest of vipers. While it tackles cop culture, the film does so with its eye on its own plot rather than political agendas that could have easily been roped in, but weren’t.
Stream Reptile on Netflix
Plane Review:Gerard Butler Rules the Sky in Tense Thriller
A great example of a suspenseful action film that sticks to those parameters without feeling the need to venture into any contentious political realms,Planeexemplifieswhy Gerrard Butler is such a bankable star. It sees him play a commercial pilot named Brodie Torrance who’s forced to steer his passengers out of dangerous weather and has to crash-land on an island. Unfortunately, that island is run by a hostile militant group who now turn their ordeal into a new battle for survival.
Crashed on a Dangerous Island
The concept alone would have been sufficient to make for a great film. But then the movie throws in another novelty that gives it more intrigue and adds another element of tension with co-star Mike Colter, who plays an ex-French Foreign Legion soldier being extradited to Canada for murder.
Related:Plane Sequel, Ship, Will See Mike Colter Return for More White Knuckle Action
Now that he’s on the loose with everyone else, Brodie must decide if Colter can be trusted to help him keep everyone safe and salvage the plane. Despite their tense moments, the pair wind up working well together as good, old-fashioned rugged heroes who step up when the group needs leaders.
Rent Plane on Apple TV+
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Review:Blockbuster Action Overcomes Long Runtime
This enduring film franchise may have been based on a classic TV series, but has since become synonymous with Tom Cruise in modern times.Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part Onemarksthe seventh installment, and one steeped in poignancy given that it revolves around a plot involving a sentient AI program. With Ethan Hunt battling an old enemy and a very modern world threat, the film has been critically acclaimed and currently holds a 96% rating.
Tom Cruise and Unbelievable Stunts
While it tackles a very topical concept amid ongoing real-life debates about the dangers of AI, it does so from a humanistic perspective. Rather than dousing the film in political considerations and setting it ablaze, it chose to assess its biggest threat for what it is: a potential problem for all humanity. The fact that it had unbelievable stunts and sublimely executed action sequences were just a bonus, considering how good the story was.
Rent Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One on Apple TV+
3Transfusion
Transfusion
Transfusion Review:Compelling Drama Elevates Rote Action
Essentially an action film with heart,Transfusionstars Sam Worthington as Ryan Logan, an ex-special forces soldier. In order to keep his son from being taken from him, he’s forced to enter the criminal underworld, reluctantly utilizing his skills. Having already faced immense tragedy after losing his wife, Logan is a man desperate to save the only family he has left.
Not a Tame Action Film
Sam Worthington makes for a convincing action hero, amid a film where he feels at home sincehe plays an Australianin it. With plenty of hard-hitting action and a script that doesn’t hold back, the film isn’t a tame one by any standards. However, what it does best is wonderfully weave in a theme of family amid the action and intrigue, with no unnecessary embellishments thrown in.
Stream Transfusion on Hulu
2No One Will Save You
No One Will Save You
No One Will Save You Review:Hulu’s New Alien Invasion Film Is A Terrifying Wordless Wonder
A nightmarish thrill ride,No One Will Save Youis a science-fiction film that brilliantly weaves elements of horror into it. It follows a young woman who lives an isolated life as an exile in a small town. Struggling from crippling anxiety, she spends most of her time alone in a house until a terrifying alien entity shows up and begins hunting her.
Related:10 Movies With Almost No Dialogue to Watch If You Loved No One Will Save You
There Are No Words
There aren’t enough words to adequately describe what a great film this is. Between the amazing performance by its lead, Kaitlyn Dever, the chilling cinematography, and its fantastic pacing, the film was a masterclass in tension building.Another example of its qualityis how creative it is at effective scares, while simultaneously relying on emotive storytelling, since it’s another film that basically has no dialogue.
Here’s a snippet of whyForbes called it the best horror of 2023as it praised Dever’s performance, which helped it earn that title:
“Her panic, confusion, terror, and rage at various moments all felt entirely legitimate, as does her sorrow and loneliness. It’s a performance that juggles so many complex emotions ranging from deep grounded loss to pure reaction fight-or-flight. Lead performances are crucial to horror films, and Dever’s is among the finest in recent memory — again, all without really speaking more than a couple of words in the entire film.”
Stream No One Will Save You on Hulu
1The Killer
The Killer
The Killer Review:David Fincher and Michael Fassbender’s Existential Assassin Thriller
The Killeris a fascinating film based on a French comic book series. Starring the brilliant Michael Fassbender, with other great casting choices like Tilda Swinton. It follows the exploits of a cold and calculated assassin. When he commits his one and only sin by missing a target, his punishment sends him on a rage-filled revenge mission. Brilliant on so many levels, it’s easy to see why this one isconsidered by many to be the best film of the year.
Nuanced and Brilliant Noir
The film’s terrific lead and contemplative tonal nuances are wonderfully portrayed by David Fincher, a director well known forhis brilliantly immersive pictures. Sticking to its plot like a tracer bullet, the film is thought-provoking, yet contains its deeper themes in a manner that allows them to be appreciated across the spectrum on a human level, and not solely if you espouse certain political views.
Stylishly violent,The Killeris modern noir gem with Fassbender again highlighting his outrageous talent by taking what should be another clear villain, and somehow finding a way to present him as a morally ambiguous anti-hero instead.
