2023 was the year cinema came back the hardest since post COVID. And this list will prove it. These are not all the films I watched this year, they are just the ones I thought were worth writing about. Below this list you can find my Oscars picks and predictions which I presented without comment. Here’s to a great 2024 at the movies.
50. A Thousand and One
Shout out NYC. Shout out Harlem. I didn’t know Teyana and it in her and she does. A movie that will make you upset at the system, and overburdened by the horribleness of it all. Really strong performances from everyone involved.
49. M3GAN
The first good movie of 2023, I was shocked and delighted with the fact I enjoyed this. I wish it had a little bit more blood, though I think an R rated version exists somewhere. Cash grab to grab the PG-13 teens and expect me to watch the R in my down time is silly though. Enough of a deviation from its inspirations to be original. I welcome this new franchise.
48. You Hurt My Feelings
Nicole Holofcener co-wrote the best movie of 2021. As such, I spent a lot of 2023 exploring her other works. They’re all great. Adult dramas with comedic tinges that make a lot more sense 30+ than any teen or even young adult may fully get. You Hurt My Feelings follows suit. The dynamics, emotions, and cringe elicited do a good job of mirroring the minor yet consequential factors behind everyday existence.
47. Theater Camp
I realized I was a theater kid way too late. There was even a point in time (college) when the high school theater kids who made their way to the same university as I took me in, and I am thankful. Theater is the most community driven art and that’s why I love it when DWYTAI performs in a theater. The beauty, charm, and intimacy on display in this short is tremendous. It made me miss childhood. Shout out Mr. Phillips.
46. The Blackening
This Juneteenth focused slasher is already an instant classic. I know I will be watching this Juneteenth because why not? Black people love horror films too. This one has some funny commentary on friendships and aging, and obviously on race. Nothing new or groundbreaking content wise, but funny with good kills.
45. No Hard Feelings
Age gap be damned, this movie is good. Jennifer Lawrence is attractive, and I laughed a lot. That alone means I had a good time. I hope we see more of Andrew Barth Feldman. He held his own against an Oscar winner!
44. Saltburn
Zoomer Talented Mr. Ripley, I think I’d be much higher on this if the Andrew Scott mini-series was not right around the corner. Still, it was fun and wild, and great water cooler talk even if teenagers at my school want to talk about it, which I refuse.
43. Priscilla
Not my favorite Sofia, but she continues to be a competent filmmaker. The performances from Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla and Jacob Elordi as Elvis were outstanding. The script could have been somewhat more exciting.
42. Scream VI
My favorite horror franchise from my home city? Hell yeah. This shit was ridiculous, but I mostly loved every minute of it. Despite the controversy surrounding Scream 7 I still want to see it, but the writers need to stop it and knock off ~someone~. No major cast deaths in IV is inexcusable, especially with all the wounds some of them take.
41. Thanksgiving
It won’t dethrone Irishman as my Thanksgiving tradition watch, but I did laugh my ass off at this absurd capitalist driven satire of Black Friday. Like Scream IV, I did not see who the killer was coming, which is also a treat when watching horror. Not sure we need a sequel, but worse things have been green-lit.
40. Origin
I was very moved, but also frustrated by the obviousness of it all. I felt the movie was made for people who would never take the time to watch it. Several (older) people walked out of my viewing! I was shocked. Nothing overtly offensive or influential in its storytelling. Maybe when the book first came out it was.
39. May December
Insanely dark and funny, Portman and Moore are characteristically good, but Melton was the real star. Real potential to join the list of “my guys” that includes Rob Pattinson and Paul Mescal. Todd Haynes is just cleverly good at cutting you to your core. Suddenly, I want hot dogs.
38. Leave the World Behind
A much better movie before Obama told me it was one of the best of the year simply because he made it. Oscar winning talents come together to show how the coastal elite liberal bubbles might look during a doomsday scenario. I’m not buying it would even be this peaceful, but the highs were high. Mr. Ali is always welcome.
37. The Zone of Interest
A movie that sticks with you. It is horrifying, mundane, unpleasant, and stirring. As the world sits by and watches another genocide happen again (as has happened in society many times since the Holocaust), it is a reminder of the genuine awfulness of man, and not just the ones calling the orders.
36. The Royal Hotel
Bronx baddie Julie Garner slumming it up with roughneck Australians is going to be cool, even if she’s the stuck up one! I did not expect that, and it was great to see her as someone meeker and less Ruth-y. The ending was a bit strange, but I didn’t mind it. Every single dude in this story sucked ass in the end. And it be like that.
35. Nimona
A beautiful tale dumped on Netflix, this movie was one of the most underrated animated films in recent years. In a year full of them (which you will see), none address identity in quite the same way. Good for kids, adults, and more! Plus Riz Ahmed always sounds cool.
34. Air
Dudes fucking rock. Not as good as The Last Duel or Good Will Hunting, but definitely as good as Dogma, I am just excited Matt and Ben want to work together again with another movie already announced.
33. Beau is Afraid
Ari Aster is lucky he did not get put into director jail for this Magnolia-esque Oedipus epic. Joaquin is one of the most fun dudes to watch on screen and is on quite the hot streak lately. Not enough people saw this, but it will become a cult classic.
32. The Promised Land
A medieval epic that makes The Northman look silly. Mads is quietly unhinged and the pacing is perfect. I wish we got more movies like these. Shout out to Rob and Timmy in The King.
31. Society of Snow
I hate snow. I hate planes. I love this movie. A true testament to the human spirit. I would have probably tried to walk off the mountain much faster though, but I am built different. I saw the Ethan Hawke version as a kid. Good riddance to that one.
30. Ferrari
Michael Mann needed a bounce back from the only film I do not like by him: Blackhat. He delivered. Still not an Adam Driver guy, but if Mann is backing him for Heat 2, I will back him for Heat 2 and 3 and 4. Go Mann Go. He takes quiet moments of sadness and rips your heart out. The crash scene is more harrowing than words all for. Thank you for reminding me I still have the need.
29. Maestro
Very good every picture is a painting Oscar bait. Stunning, pretty, sad, and downright weird at times. Most years Bradley would get what he’s looking for, but Nolan is just too powerful this time around. Shout out the Snoopy cameo.
28. Sometimes I Think About Dying
I mean, who doesn’t? Daisy Ridley deserves better. She has incredible range in this film. It made me feel extremely human. And like a piece of shit. Again, who doesn’t feel that way? Relationships and work can be so damn awkward, but we can’t avoid them, I guess.
27. The Iron Claw
Oscar snubs abound. Zac was stupendous. The script was stupendous. Every actor absolutely crushed it. I used to be a brother, too. I still am, but not in the same way. Life is counting your losses and being happy you have something to count at all.
26. Napoleon
Haters be damned, I loved this. Joaquin is having a great time and Vanessa Kirby always delivers a strong performance, even if I wish Jodie Comer had not dropped out. I wish it was longer, but it’s looking slow for the Director’s Cut unfortunately. Anyone who expected a serious epic, just learn to live a little. Plus, Gladiator 2 is around the corner.
25. How To Blow Up a Pipeline
Marxist, anti-capitalist, solidarity driven art. We need more of this. I hope we get more of this. The environment must be protected at all costs. No one is safe or innocent from the effects of climate change and neither are those who are causing the bulk of it.
24. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
I had a blast! Just as good as the first one, minus the movie felt like it had 3 different endings. Not sure what happened there, but very excited for part 2. They need to treat those animators right though.
23. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
The best of the big 3 2023 animated NYC movies (Spiderman and Mario included). This felt like it was written by someone from NYC (it wasn’t). Seth Rogen might be the best “superhero” guy in the game right now discreetly.
22. Talk To Me
One of the most original horror films I’ve seen in recent years. It is hard to watch some body horror scenes, but that rules. Making teens the center of your horror plot will almost never go wrong. I have a lot of faith in these creators. Not so excited about the prequel but hyped for the sequel. It has been a good couple of years for original horror tales.
21. Sanctuary
Hot people being weird and sexy is a welcome genre. I love this alternative universe Jon Snow and expect him to keep grinding out good roles. Margaret Qualley is scary as hell in this, but in the most fun way. More adult weird movies I beg of you, film industry.
20. Wonka
Johnson and Sophie reunite from “Peep Show” to support Timmy in this phenomenal musical. I had doubts. I was a hater, and yet I loved every minute of it and cried a bit too. Timmy isn’t in my top 5 yet, but he is begging to be added. A NYC guy too. I must support. Give me Wonka 2 and 3. Not 4. That is overkill.
19. The Killer
I thought I only talked to myself like an egotistical psychopath. Glad I am not alone, but also glad I am not an assassin. It looks stressful. Fincher rebounded from the boring as fuck Mank, but I do miss him not doing Netflix things. Can’t he switch it up? This needed to be seen in theaters. Also shout out Killarney, Ireland. If you know, you know.
18. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
A movie whose title changed after release. TC is the Kanye of the film industry. Adored by many. Hated by many. But unlike Kanye, TC is still delivering. Dead Reckoning is not as good as Fall Out which is the greatest action film of all time, but it is still deeply humorous, engaging, and action packed. It delivers. Barbenheimer be damned, the studio botched this. Now TC is going back to the auteurs, but first he will land MI8. I know it. You know it.
17. John Wick 4
I was iffy on this because JW3 was a little disappointing. How much of the same could I stand to take? A lot it seems cause JW4 fucking whips. The action is top notch. The expanded scope is far more engaging than JW3, and one of my favorite video game looking sequences put to film in 2023. It’s looking slow for the Ballerina. I think JW4 ends perfectly, but if they do a JW5 I will be there. For better or worse.
16. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3
I believe in James Gunn. He has not yet made a bad superhero movie. I was so starved for a good blockbuster I went to see this film two or three times! I truly believe it is a classic and being built around a CGI raccoon is no small feat. I am fully on board for the DCU and dread anything the MCU dares to even make these days. Cool characters are only as cool as the filmmakers and writers behind the scenes. Notice I did not include studio heads.
15. Barbie
This is fun, memorable (aka meme-able), and extremely meta. Minus the absurd car commercial mid movie and the overly wrought America Ferrera speech, it is near flawless. I would like to see IP continue to engage with a smart audience if they are going to IP everything to death. Also, it’s funny that the best actor in the whole film is the guy.
14. Rotting in the Sun
A beautiful queer film produced by Rob Pattinson. If I tried to explain the plot, you’d think I’m crazy. Genuinely one of the most hilarious and absurd things I have ever seen. I need more people to see this so we can talk about it. If you’re reading this, please do the right thing.
13. The Taste of Things
I love food. I love cinema. This movie does both amazingly. Nothing like a decades long situationship to bring me to fucking tears like I’m cutting onions. The French had a great year film wise, as they often do. The reverse age-gap was also a nice touch.
12. Anatomy of a Fall
She did that shit, which in Women’s History Month I won’t criticize. Another great French film that finds a lot of humor in a dark topic. The courtroom scenes are stupendous and made me hype for potentially more courtroom dramas in the coming years. Looking at you Oppenhomies.
11. The Boy and the Heron
A master of his craft, Miyazaki was always going to deliver a cool story. The lack of marketing around it made it even better. The real treat, for me, was the voice actors. Florence Pugh and Rob Pattinson are perfectly unhinged. What can’t those two do? Seriously. Also, if you don’t think this entire movie is Miyazaki dissing his son, I don’t know what to tell you.
10. Perfect Days
A beautiful and harrowing insight into routine, the simplicity of life, and solitude. A movie that made me question my existence and want to declutter, which of course I did not. The soundtrack is full of rippers. Just delivers in every aspect.
9. Poor Things
Yorgos is my favorite director that I consistently leave out of my top 5 and Emma is my favorite actress that I consistently leave out of my top 5. They got 2 more cooking up, with one releasing this year, so that may change soon. This film is pretty and bold with an incredible supporting cast. I hope we get more strange films like this every year.
8. All of Us Strangers
Paul Mescal. The Crown Prince of Ireland. What a lad. What a gent. What a picture. I cried. I’ve had the central song on repeat since then. I will add this to my pantheon of perfect gay love films alongside Brokeback Mountain.
7. Dream Scenario
I’m a Nic Cage guy, but not a Nic Cage stan. I am often left slightly disappointed by his movies in the last decade. Not this time. It all came together. An incredible performance that has been overlooked all year. His weird whims and kooky behavior is so well done he truly became that weirdo he played. Commentary on viral culture, community, and commodification also hit as well.
6. American Fiction
A revelation. Cord Jefferson is up next. The Watchmen TV show was brilliant, but this is next level. He has great actors helping his cause which helps, but that script was so airtight and well crafted he made their job easy.
5. The Holdovers
As someone who works in education, movies about schools are hit or miss. This one though is a grand slam. People are hype over Giamatti’s performance, as they should be, but Dominick Sessa is astounding in his first role. Please, get this kid into anything and everything moving forward. He’s got the juice. And the emotional highs of this movie will remind you what makes that foundational education of our youth so important.
4. Godzilla Minus One
I was always going to like the Godzilla movie, but I did not expect a perfect anti-war tale about redemption that would make my top 5. A perfect double header with Oppenheimer, I think this is the best Godzilla movie ever, and I have seen 90% of them. I am hoping we get a sequel low key, but if we don’t, that’s okay. Let the director run it back anyway. He knows what he is doing.
3. Past Lives
Besides Titanic I don’t think I ever cried this hard during a film. The ideas presented aren’t groundbreaking but find me a film that conveys them as well. And this was a debut film from director Celine Song! I think about Past Lives often. Just as much as I think about the past lives I lived and the ones I could have lived. The entire creative team on this film delivered. If it wasn’t for masters of their craft returning this year, this was easily my #1.
2. Oppenheimer
Nolan owned this year. He did it. Made an instant 3-hour classic with not one wasted minute. The score, the acting, the script pacing. This is a multi-genre film that is mostly people talking for three hours: a horror film, a courtroom drama, a superhero film. It has it all. Nolan is taking himself less seriously and more seriously at the same time. I am a Tenet believer as well, and his current run is maybe the best in business ever. His coronation is coming on Sunday, and he deserves it.
1. Killers of the Flower Moon
My favorite filmmaker of all time sometimes misses, but this was not it. The most important film of 2023 in my opinion. America still refuses to acknowledge and repair the awful genocide of Native Americans. Not many people saw this and blamed the run time. In the same year as Oppenheimer that is bullshit. It is uncomfortable to watch and with good reasons. No movie will remind you of the depravity of man as much. Leo is always so good that we don’t appreciate what he offers, but Lily Gladstone is a revelation. Her grace and presence from this film alone have a grip on me, not to mention I’ve been slowly working through her filmography. KOTFM may come up with few awards on Sunday, but maybe it shouldn’t. Society needs to respond in other ways.
Oscar Predictions
Adapted Screenplay
Will win: Oppenheimer
Should win: Killers of the Flower Moon
Original Screenplay
Will win: Anatomy of a Fall
Should win: Past Lives
Best Actor
Will win: Cillian Murphy
Should win: Leo DiCaprio
Best Actress
Will win: Emma Stone
Should win: Lily Gladstone
Best Supporting Actor
Will win: RDJ
Should win: RDJ
Best Supporting Actress
Will win: Da’Vine Joy Randolph
Should win: Da’Vine Joy Randolph
Best Director
Will win: Chris Nolan
Should win: Chris Nolan
Best Picture
Will win: Oppenheimer
Should win: Killers of the Flower Moon
