Top 10 Best Movies of 2023
#10: “John Wick: Chapter 4” (2023)
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“John Wick” has topped itself with each passing movie, although we can’t imagine another sequel surpassing “Chapter 4.” At just under three hours, Chad Stahelski’s film throws everything it has at the audience and titular character. Yet, it never feels overstuffed. Each scene is draped in atmospheric cinematography, elegant backdrops, and action constantly finding new ways to innovate. While we joke about how John is practically invincible, we feel every blow he takes with each set-piece weighing down on him more. By the time we reach the final lap of this breathless marathon, we’re legitimately concerned that mortality has finally caught up to him. That mix of realism and over-the-top spectacle has made “John Wick” an action staple, “Chapter 4” being the franchise’s definitive entry.
#9: “BlackBerry” (2023)
2023 delved into the fascinating backstories of several products, including Air Jordan. “BlackBerry” was the most surprising in more ways than one. Not only were we caught off guard by just how funny Matt Johnson’s film can be, but we severely underestimated the impact that BlackBerry had on the mobile world. Part of that might be because the iPhone has essentially swiped its competitor’s legacy from our consciousness. The brand may be defunct, but Glenn Howerton’s cut-throat performance as Jim Balsillie will stick with you like the sound of a BlackBerry keyboard typing away. Jay Baruchel also turns in one of his best work as Mike Lazaridis, who loses himself in a sea of corporate greed and a reluctance to see the bigger picture.
#8: “Past Lives” (2023)
How do you grieve what you never had? This question is top of mind throughout Celine Song’s “Past Lives,” the year’s most mature and nuanced romance. Greta Lee delivers a Best Actress-worthy performance as Nora, a married woman who reunites with her childhood sweetheart. Although a love triangle is at the center, “Past Lives” avoids conventional pitfalls. While we empathize with both men in Nora’s life, we know there’s only one practical way for this story to conclude. No matter how you’re hoping for things to turn out, it’s impossible not to experience a sense of loss upon arriving at the inevitable resolution. Whether or not Nora makes the right choice, it’s the “what if” factor that’ll continue to eat away at her and us.
#7: “Talk to Me” (2022)
This Australian horror picture harkens back to W. W. Jacobs’ classic short story, “The Monkey’s Paw.” Instead of granting wishes, though, the sinister hand at the forefront of this film is more like a needle. After one hit, it’s a slippery slope that can leave you possessed. The allegory might be on the nose, but “Talk to Me” executes its genuinely creepy premise with haunting imagery, utterly convincing performances, and some of the finest practical effects that modern horror has to offer. Brothers Danny and Michael Philippo make a riveting transition from YouTube to feature film, infusing their love for the genre into every shot. A hand to hold can be a source of comfort, but always be cautious of what’s on the other end.
#6: “The Holdovers” (2023)
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School is the last place anybody wants to be over the holidays… unless you’re an academic Grinch like Paul Giamatti’s Mr. Hunham. Even his Christmas is spoiled, though, by the presence of Dominic Sessa’s Angus, a student with no home to return to. Da’Vine Joy Randolph rounds out one of the year’s most memorable trios in “The Holdovers,” which meticulously captures the look and tone of a 70s dramedy from the studio logos onward. The Vietnam War era backdrop sets a bleak tone for a film that explores isolation, pessimism, and other feelings that the holidays are prone to summon. At the same time, Alexander Payne has made a warm Christmas classic, bringing out the humanity of the holiday spirit in unexpected places.
#5: “Godzilla Minus One” (2023)
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“Godzilla Minus One” excels where many recent entries to the series have fallen short. Takashi Yamazaki delivers on the kaiju carnage, presenting the most intimidating incarnation of Godzilla in a while. Even more impressive, Yamazaki has made a monster picture where we actually care about the human characters. Ryunosuke Kamiki gives a heartbreaking performance as a former kamikaze pilot who survived World War II, but is still fighting an internal war as he struggles to accept happiness. Yamazaki returns to the franchise’s roots, reminding audiences that the 1954 classic started as an allegory for the atomic bomb. “Godzilla Minus One” builds upon that theme with a story of survivor’s guilt and moments of legitimate terror, producing a war movie first and a monster movie second.
#4: “Killers of the Flower Moon” (2023)
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The only thing more shocking than the injustice at the core of this epic crime drama is how the Osage murders have widely gone overlooked until recently. Martin Scorsese initially conceived this adaptation of David Grann’s nonfiction book with Leonardo DiCaprio leading as Tom White, the agent investigating the conspiracy. “Killers of the Flower Moon” isn’t a whodunit, however. It’s a who-didn’t-do-it, leading to DiCaprio instead playing Ernest Burkhart, a pathetic lackey whose affection for his Osage wife is outweighed by his loyalty to his corrupt uncle. Robert De Niro is chillingly effective in the subtlest ways, but Lily Gladstone gives the film’s best performance as a woman slowly accepting the betrayal happening under her nose. Once again, Scorsese has defined the term masterpiece.
#3: “Barbie” (2023)
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“Barbie” shattered the long-outdated studio mentality that films aimed at female audiences can’t gross over a billion dollars. Just as game-changing, Greta Gerwig prompted a rethinking of what a film based on a popular toy line can be. “Barbie” pulls off a seemingly impossible balancing act: embracing the brand while calling out every criticism, being commercial while being auteur-driven, employing a meaningful message without eclipsing the comedy, appealing to younger demographics while proving more fun for adults. Much like how Barbie can be anything, Gerwig has made a film that works on every level, venturing into bold new territory along the way. Throw in a pitch-perfect cast including Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, “Barbie” was 2023’s most unexpected stepping stone in the evolution of cinema.
#2: “Oppenheimer” (2023)
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From one half of “Barbenheimer” to another, “Oppenheimer” marks another tour de force from Christopher Nolan, delivering what might be his best-looking and best-sounding film to date. It’s what’s below the surface that sticks with us, however. Nolan accomplishes what few storytellers can, making a film about the atomic bomb where the creators, science, and moral complexities are just as engrossing as the explosion. Cillian Murphy obliterates his underrated status as J. Robert Oppenheimer, whose determination to build the bomb sets off several additional explosions, internally and politically. To discuss every performance would take longer than the movie itself, but Robert Downey Jr. deserves Best Supporting Actor consideration for his imposing portrayal of Lewis Strauss. Destroyer of Worlds? Debatable. Savior of the theatrical experience? Certainly. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
“Anatomy of a Fall” (2023)
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“Poor Things” (2023)
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Yorgos Lanthimos’s Most Visually & Thematically Involving Film Yet
“Evil Dead Rise” (2023)
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A Bloody Good Time For the Whole Family… Assuming the Whole Family Is Into Deadites
“Asteroid City” (2023)
Wes Anderson’s Wonderful Space Oddity
“The Boy and the Heron” (2023)
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#1: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (2023)
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There remains an assumption that if a movie is animated, it must be for the kiddie crowd. With “Across the Spider-Verse,” Miles Morales responded, “Nah, I’mma do my own thing.” We’d say that “Across the Spider-Verse” pushes the boundaries of animation, but the truth is that animation has no boundaries. Rather, this film pushes forward to unexplored territory, throwing out the rulebook in the process. Not just the rulebook for what’s expected from animation, but what’s expected from a “Spider-Man” movie. At the same time, to say that the filmmakers’ love for Spidey is on display in every frame would be an understatement. The film is spider-sense overload, serving a visual feast so bountiful that you almost forget another course is coming. That said, we’re hungry for the next chapter!
