The Brian's Choice 2023 Person of the Year is the 2012 US Women's Gymnastics team more commonly known as the "Fierce Five". If you for one second thought that this award wouldn't go to Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, Gabby Douglas, Kyla Ross and Jordyn Wieber, then you just simply haven't been paying attention. 

These ladies walked so Simone Biles could run. What else is there to say really? They won gold medals, they captured hearts, and defeated Russia in the final team competition. You really have to wonder if President Zelenskyy would have the will to stand up to Russia without drawing inspiration from Aly Raisman's historic floor routine. A true testament to the lasting legacy of the 2012 US Women's Gymnastic team.

I do not adhere to the standard definition of gimmicks. This is not some 2023 fad that I see dying off in the near future. In my circle, gimmicks are the bits and hobbies that round out our personalities, they have a very positive connotation. Therefore it is my honor to announce that the 2023 Gimmick of Year goes to one of my best friends, Brian Rivet, for his original series "Daily Plunge". Rivvy embarked on one of the bravest journeys from September to December where he vowed to do a plunge into the depths of Lake Winnepasaukee everyday until the water froze. The cinematography was flawless, the commentary was minimalistic yet tasteful and the views were incredible. A lot of critics wondered if Rivet was all 'stache and no substance, but his daily plunge was a signature performance that will be remembered for years. Please watch my compilation, it will leave you speechless.

Time Magazine really stole my signature bit by naming Taylor Swift their person of the year. I obviously can't blame them for taking the layup but as a result I am going to have to pivot to the next best option. This isn't really me and I truly want no part in this fan service nomination but my hand has been forced into awarding artist of the year to Noah Kahan. I am not a Kahaniac but  what I do know is that his hit song "Stick Season" is pretty all right. (Olivia Rodrigo's cover is far superior). From what I understand, the best analogy to describe Kahan's music would be if Vermont Coffee Company created a new flavor called "Crunchy Leaves and Carhartt Sleeves".

Ryan of the year is not an award you'll see handed out at many of the major publications. And if I was making a personal choice I'd award this to my close personal friend Ryan Bessette for finishing up his physical therapy grad program. But I feel the need to weigh-in and hopefully end a debate that I have seen across the internet for years by naming Ryan Gosling as the 2023 Ryan of the Year. If you are a Reynolds stan you can stop reading here because he simply doesn't compete. If you think Reynolds could ever have the depth and charisma to play one of Emma Stone's love interests I got bad news for yah pal. La La Land, Barbie, Crazy Stupid Love - Gosling is showcasing talent and poise that Reynolds could only dream of. Stick to trying to sell me on Mint Mobile, Reynolds you bum!
Congrats to Ryan Gosling.

A lot of people really do not like my movie takes. I'm something of connosseiur of the worst that streaming has to offer - Hubie Halloween, Tall Girl, etc. And I am certainly not going to lie to you and tell you that The Godfather won't put you to sleep in the first ten minutes. But with that all being said I am happy to announce that the 2023 Movie of the year is Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. When you really think about it, was there any other choice? I'll definitely allow you to fast forward through all the hobbit scenes but nobody is doing orc battle scenes (the only criteria I judge movies on) better than Peter Jackson in 2023. Shoutout to the OG hottie Orlando Bloom as Legolas, women want him and men want to be him. Not me though, I was always more of a Gimli cosplayer. Mamma Mia would be my second choice for the record, ABBA forever.

Like Jordan 96-97, the Gromit Mug is going back-to-back folks. Fans of practical, easy to use mugs look away because what the Gromit mug lacks in utility it more than makes up for in Je ne sais quoi. I didn't even use it to hold my beverages, I just like to leave it out for display and smirk to myself when I see it every morning.

Tom Brady's Patriots, the Murderer's Row Yankees, the Roman Empire and Yellow. Dynasties that span generations folks. For the 26th consecutive year, Yellow is the color of the year. Imagine life being ROGBIV, what a total joke that'd be. I expect a big year for yellow in 2024. I also weirdly think polka dots have a resurgence for what it's worth.