[VIDEO] Asterix and Obelix, The Three Musketeers, Babylon… the films not to miss in the first half of 2023

France, at its best

This has been a recurring criticism since the end of the pandemic: French cinema no longer makes people dream, which is why it no longer attracts crowds. From this point of view, 2023 could be the year of the return of affection. With first, Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Empire : with a huge budget of 65 million euros, the film by Guillaume Canet with his friend Gilles Lellouche (and half of French cinema) is the Gallic blockbuster of the beginning of the year (February 1).

Another beautiful production less obvious but promising, apache, by Romain Quirot with Alice Isaaz and Niels Schneiderm, focuses on anarchist gangs in Belle-Epoque Paris (February 22). With an ultra-chic cast (Tereszkiewicz, Marder, Huppert, Boon, Luchini, Dussolier, Fau…), the new François Ozon, my crimetells the fate of a young actress without talent who becomes a star after being acquitted of a murder in the 1930s (March 8).

Comedy side, we want to believe in the return to form of Dany Boon in front of and behind the camera for life for real, with, nice surprise, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Kad Merad (April 19). But the most ambitious project of the semester (and of the year) remains the new adaptation of three musketeers, by Martin Bourboulon, with Civil, Duris, Cassel, Marmaï, Green, Kreps, Khoudri… (April 25 and December 13). One for all, all for one, the motto of French cinema?

Hollywood recalls its greatest

On the side of American cinema, even disregarding – which they do not necessarily deserve, let’s be fair! – more or less Taylorized franchises (Ant-Man 3, Creed 3, Scream 6, John Wick 4, Shazam 2, Guardians of the Galaxy 3, Fast & Furious 10, Transformers 7, Mission: Impossible 7, Indiana Jones 5…), it’s a steamroller of great authors who will flatten everything in its path.

To start with babylon, the delirious evocation of the birth of Hollywood by Damien Chazelle with Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie (January 18). It is then Steven Spielberg who recounts his childhood in a 50% autobiographical and 100% nostalgic tale in The Fabelmans (February 22).

We cheat: Sam Mendes is not American but English, but his new film, empire of light, talks about love and cinema, then… (March 1). After The fatherthe French playwright Florian Zeller continues his Oscar-winning road in Hollywood and adapts his play The sound with, this time, Hugh Jackman (March 1). Darren Aronofsky done in The whalethe seemingly heartbreaking portrait of an obese literature teacher (Brendan Fraser, for his big comeback) who teaches from a distance and tries to reconnect with his daughter (March 8).

Martin Scorsese finds his two favorite actors (Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio) for Killers of the Flower Moon, a case of the killing of Native Americans in the 1920s (on Apple TV + or/and in theaters in May for Cannes?). Always helped by an incredible host of stars (from Tom Hanks to Bill Murray), Wes Anderson tells us about a contest of scholars in a small American town in asteroid city (21st of June).

Christopher Nolan invites us to discover in Oppenheimer the fate of the father of the atomic bomb… in the hottest of summer (July 19). On the same date, and in a completely different style, Greta Gerwig gives life to the famous eponymous doll (played by Margot Robbie) in the film adaptation of the toy Barbie. And after that, what can I say…

The animation in ambush

Is it the significant time required for their production that imposes greater care prior to their writing? In any case, when the great popular cinema in live action sometimes disappoints expectations, its animated equivalent constantly impresses. We hope for confirmation with ShuzumeMakato Shintai’s new film seven years later Your name (April 12).

more confidential, mad dog will certainly be the craziest and most independent animated film (in volume) of the year, it is signed Phil Tippett, a true genius (April 26). The first opus, Oscar-winning, encouraged us not to despair of superhero films, so we are also betting on Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (May 31st).

With Elementary by Peter Sohn, the Pixar studio returns to the conceptual scenarios that made its legend: after the emotions, it is the elements that come to life (June 21). In Japan, it will be released at the beginning of the next semester (in August), but we have to mention the return of the greatest Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki, 81, ten years later. The wind picks up, with what will be his last film as a director. His title : How do you live? Good question.