2023 was a great year for Bay Area films and TV shows — here are some of the best

The 2023 film and TV year brought a whole lot of drama.

Strikes usurped productions. Actors went jobless. And star-studded film festivals, often the door openers for upcoming awards seasons, lacked notable star power on the red carpet.

But on screens big and small — where it most mattered for fans — the creative juices flowed on and on, so much that it resulted in one of the most robust and dynamic entertainment years in some time. That held true to Bay Area filmmakers and movies with local ties.

Here are some of best Bay Area-connected films and series that emerged in 2023, all of which you can watch at home now or in the near future.

“I’m a Virgo”: Among the few series this year that has floored viewers with originality is Boots Riley’s seven-part Amazon Prime series. The Oakland resident, a gifted filmmaker, gave us the wildly entertaining “Sorry to Bother You,” and follows it with this tale about an Oakland boy/teen/man Cootie (Jharrel Jerome in a pitch-perfect performance) who is 13-feet tall and breaks free to experience life in a big way: eating specialty burgers, finding romance and meeting his own Hero (Walton Goggins). “I’m a Virgo” is bold, hilarious and addictive. (Available on Amazon Prime)

“Earth Mama”: A welcome new batch of filmmakers didn’t merely wow critics and audiences alike in 2023; they often showed up veteran directors. That applies to director-screenwriter Savanah Leaf, whose Sundance Film Festival debut gave voice to a person ignored by most filmmakers: a pregnant Black woman (Oakland rapper Tia Nomore in a career-making performance) with two kids in foster care who confronts one of the toughest decisions in her life: to keep her new baby or give it to another family. Filled with visual poetry, “Earth Mama” opens a window into the life of an often-forgotten soul. (For rent on Fubo, Apple TV+, Paramount Plus and other platforms)

“Fremont”: Droll and insightful, director Babak Jalali’s black-and-white indie gem presented one of the best characters of the year — Donya, an Afghanistan immigrant and former interpreter who lives in the East Bay city of the movie’s title. Shot in and around the Bay Area, Jalali’s comedy is attuned to what everyday life is like for Donya (played with dead-pan greatness by newcomer Anaita Wali Zada), including her thankless gig at a San Francisco fortune cookie company. “Fremont” effortlessly captures what it’s like to be an immigrant in the Bay Area and beyond and does so with authenticity and humor. (Available on Apple TV+)

“The Disappearance of Shere Hite”: So why have the contributions of one of the most influential sex researchers/scientists, Shere Hite, have been overlooked, even forsaken? Berkeley director Nicole Newnham’s razor-sharp documentary susses out the knotty reasons why, and they’re just as complex as the groundbreaking person herself. Stuffed with interviews, archival footage and photos, the film leaves no stone unturned to get at the truth and sexism at the root. The result? One of the best documentaries of the year. (Available to stream or rent Jan. 9)

“Stephen Curry: Underrated”: Say what? How could the four-time NBA champ and much-loved Golden State Warriors point guard ever be considered an underdog? Peter Nicks’ eye-opening documentary presents a case on why the description applies. The Oakland director not only charts Steph’s collegiate years and fledgling basketball career (2006-09) at Davidson College in North Carolina, but how, under the guidance of coach Bob McKillop, he went from underrated to a top performer. Nicks also cuts between footage from Curry’s Davidson years and the Warriors’ 2021-22 season, when commentators doubted Curry could help pull off another title. Never doubt, Steph, folks. (Available on Apple TV+)

“The Mission”: In one of the most sensitively told, tightrope-walk of a documentary this year, the Bay Area’s Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss look back on the life and tragic death of 26-year-old American missionary John Chau, killed while on a mission to work with an isolated tribe on the North Sentinel Island. McBaine and Moss should be commended for their even-handed approach as they reflect how a devoted Chau viewed it as essential in his very being to spread the word of Jesus Christ. “The Mission” doesn’t take a position on Chau’s commitment to his faith and lets the word of those left behind — including church members and Chau’s dad — do the talking. It’s a documentary imbued with sadness over a regrettable loss. (Available on Disney+ and Hulu)

“Blindspotting”: The second season of the FX series – based on the exceptional 2018 Oakland-set film with Berkeley-born Rafael Casal and Oakland-born Daveed Diggs – turned out to be bittersweet and, sadly, final, with FX canceling it. What a shame. Starring Jasmine Cephas Jones, Casal, Helen Hunt and Margo Hall, among others, it took storytelling risks as it illustrated the challenges when a lover lands in prison and you have a kid to raise. (Streaming on Starz)

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.