Here they are! My picks for the best films of 2023. Peep the list of everything (all 180 films) I watched this year down below.
The Holdovers – While this was a long drama, there was enough comedy and hijinks to make this film feel like a warm hug. There was plenty of heart here, too. I think I’d be a fool to not add this to my annual holiday film rotation (and you would be, too).
Saltburn – Emerald Fennell is one twisted lady – and I love her for it! Oliver is a seemingly docile university student who gets sucked into the world of the rich, where he really takes a shine to it. Insane and certainly not for everyone, but I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I saw it. Twice!
Matthias & Maxime – Xavier Dolan is a brilliant filmmaker, so I truly hope he’s not done with it like he claimed on social media recently. Anyway, this 2019 drama shows the complexities in the lives of two best friends and what happens after they are asked to kiss each other for a student film. Beautiful.
Causeway – This quiet drama about two people suffering from different traumas kindle a friendship that couldn’t help but make me feel extremely moved. Both Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry give outstanding performances.
Godzilla: Minus One – Who knew one of the last films I watched this year would make it onto the list? This took the monster genre and infused it with emotionally raw and powerful storylines. I hope we get more!
Fair Play – A Sundance Film Festival entry that I was lucky enough to see finally made it’s way to the masses via Netflix this October, but it’s brilliant in showing that ladies can really have it all and men are as insecure as ever. An erotic thriller that really makes you think!
Susie Searches – I love that this takes place (fictionally) near my hometown, but it takes the whodunnit and flips it on it’s head. This movie had an awesome audience reaction, and I just loved the visuals here. It’s my new The Kid Detective.
Sanctuary – A tense chamber piece where a dominatrix is getting fired, but not before she gets what she’s owed. The end also introduced a new genre – unlike anything I’ve really seen before. And Christopher Abbott stars, so obviously a win.
Red, White and Royal Blue – An excellent book gets an excellent adaptation. It’s so cute I wanted to watch it again as soon as it finished. Alex, the first son, and Henry, Britain’s prince, embark on an enemies to lovers journey and my heart has never been so full.
The Passenger – I went into this movie with virtually no knowledge about it or its stars, but what I got was an intense road drama and a really conflicting relationship. My mind raced with how many different ways I wanted this to end, but this is an indie gem for sure.
Runner-Ups
While I wish I didn’t have to limit my favorites to just ten, I do, so here are some other titles that are totally worth checking out (in no particular order).
Sick – If you like the Scream franchise, thrillers, slashers, and seeing stupid people get what’s coming to them, then check out this COVID horror film. It was slick, fun, and educational.
Theater Camp – Another film I was lucky enough to watch at Sundance, this quirky comedy had me smiling and cackling at any given time. The cast was incredible and talented, and as a person who never had any experience within the theater, even I found this very entertaining. A must watch.
Empire of Light – I was unexpectedly emotionally gutted watching this drama. Hilary, a movie theater manager in 1980s Britain endures countless struggles and also new love with a much younger, black man in her employ. Olivia Coleman continues to prove she’s the best.
The Inspection – Another gut-wrenching drama that also happens to be a true story. Ellis French is a young, gay black man rejected by his mother who decides to join the Marines. His experiences are both a little scary and moving.
Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre – I love a Guy Richie film, and this was no exception. A complex plan to get back some very important data leads to lots of action, laughs, and trickery. Again, Hugh Gran shines here, but the rest of the cast are just as delightful.
Asteroid City – Wes Anderson remains one of my favorite directors, and this year’s film got back on track for me after the slight disappointment I felt with The French Dispatch. Here, a government space camp gets held after encountering an alien. Great fun!
Joy Ride – This is the raunchy comedy of the year, for sure. Audrey heads to China for a business deal, but also gets to find her birth mother thanks to her best friend’s interference. There is a musical number that ended in a shocked audience response that I hope I’ll never forget.
The Blue Caftan – Wow, wow, wow. A beautiful story of woman and her closeted gay husband and their relationship with a new young apprentice. It was heartbreaking at times, but truly beautiful.
Sublime – A very unique approach to the coming of age and coming out tale. Manu and Felipe are two best friends in a band together and are basically inseparable. When the truth starts to bubble to the surface, it’s approached in a way that doesn’t end tragically.
Passages – This indie drama is not for everyone, but it was a really interesting story. Tomas leaves his husband for a woman, and then is mad when neither of them forgive him for his selfishness. Terrific performances all around!
The Worst
Not everything can be great. In fact, some can’t even be good.
Magic Mike’s Last Dance – Good god was this movie boring. Salma Hayek and Channing Tatum may have the least amount of chemistry out there.
About My Father – This comedy roasting the Italian’s was a dud. I know DeNiro can do better.
Showing Up – I saw this on a lot of critics’ “Best of” lists for 2023, but this movie did not resonate. Lizzy is a curmudgeon who kind of shits on everything in her life.
Biosphere – This is another chamber piece, but it did not work for me. Billy and Ray are the last two people on earth, so evolution takes over for some uncomfortable scenes.
It’s a Wonderful Knife – This had so much promise and then fell so, so flat. Check out Thanksgiving if you’re looking for a holiday slasher that does it right.
