The best movies of 2023
From blockbuster masterpieces like "Oppenheimer" to animated marvels like "Across the Spider-Verse," the year reminded us why we go to the movies.
2023 was a year of high highs and low lows at the movies.
New installments of long-running franchises — from Fast and Furious to Transformers to the DC Extended Universe — not only face planted at the box office, but stirred up existential dread in me about the state of big-budget moviemaking.
Thankfully, some of the best, and biggest, movies of the year also gave me hope in that regard. Spider-Man, John Wick, and even Godzilla stomped into movie theaters to remind us of the exhilarating wonders of the big screen. So did J. Robert Oppenheimer: though his movie isn’t part of a franchise, director Christopher Nolan is a brand name himself, and he films this three-hour biopic with the same intensity, craftsmanship, and entertainment he brought to the likes of his Batman movies.
Ultimately, at a time when the theatrical industry is still reeling from the pandemic as well as the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes, my favorite movies were also my favorite theater experiences: the bomb in “Oppenheimer” and the (different kind of) bomb in “Godzilla Minus One.” The final chase sequence of “Across the Spider-Verse” and the many riveting action set pieces — chase or otherwise — of “John Wick: Chapter 4.” If 2023 ends up being the year that forced Hollywood to rethink blockbuster filmmaking, then these should be the template.
But it wasn’t all big-budget spectacle at the movies this year. Smaller, quieter dramas effected me, too, from the dramedy of “May December” to the devastation of “The Iron Claw” to the time-spanning love of “Past Lives.” And auteurs like Hayao Miyazaki and Martin Scorsese delivered some of their best work as their decades-long careers reach some sort of conclusion — though they will likely put off retirement as long as possible.
Here are my top 10 movies of 2023:
10. “The Iron Claw”
Director Sean Durkin’s tragic tale of a wrestling family is one that will make you immediately open Wikipedia, only to discover that the real story was even more crushing than what’s on screen. That doesn’t make the film any less effective, though. By the end, you’ll realize the title not only refers to the family’s signature move in the ring, but also to the crushing grasp of toxic masculinity.
How to watch: Still in theaters
9. “Past Lives”
“Past Lives” asks if inexplicable connections can last for years, even decades, and what happens if those memories suddenly uproot your current, content life. First-time feature writer and director Celine Song doesn’t give neat answers, instead letting the chemistry of her cast make magic with her script. The ending is an emotional punch, but like the rest of the film, it’s subtle and may hit you only after the credits role.
How to watch: Available to rent on VOD platforms
8. “May December”
Todd Haynes’ “May December” is loosely inspired by the real-life tabloid scandal of Mary Kay Letourneau, a teacher who had sex with her 12-year-old student and eventually married him after serving time in prison. But the movie contains layers that elevate it above what might have been a simple “inspired by true events” movie. Unlike Natalie Portman’s character, an actress studying to portray a Letorneau-type, the movie is satisfied with the blurred lines between fact and fiction. It’s unsettling, but disguises it with camp — until it doesn’t, and unlocks a breakout performance from Charles Melton.
How to watch: Streaming on Netflix
7. “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Martin Scorsese’s three-and-a-half hour epic, based on David Grann’s excellent true-crime book of the same name, digs deep into the source material to find its beating heart: the relationship between Mollie Burkhart, a member of the Osage Nation, and her white husband, Ernest. Lily Gladstone and Leonardo DiCaprio play the leads, against the backdrop of a killing spree of the wealthy Osage. Scorsese has always been obsessed with the evil that men are capable of in his movies, so it’s no wonder he was drawn to Grann’s book. But this isn’t a typical Scorsese crime movie. Then again, no Scorsese crime movie is “typical.”
How to watch: Streaming on Apple TV+ starting January 12
6. “The Boy and the Heron”
Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki returned from retirement, a decade after his masterpiece (of several) “The Wind Rises,” to deliver what could be his “actual” final film. Though he’s announced his retirement a few times before, I’d forgive anyone who sees “The Boy and the Heron” — a movie most interested in the circular nature of life and death — as having the hallmarks of a swan song. But like most of Miyazaki’s works, it’s best not to concern yourself too much with what the movie’s about and just let it wash over you. The answers may come to you in a dream.
How to watch: Still in theaters
5. “The Killer”
David Fincher’s latest, in which Michael Fassbender plays a hitman who’s having a terrible no-good day, has frustratingly been met with little buzz. Do I have to shout it from the rooftops? THE LATEST FILM FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE SOCIAL NETWORK, SEVEN, AND GONE GIRL. Maybe it’s because it was buried on Netflix. Maybe Fincher doesn’t have as much name appeal anymore (shudder). Maybe the material isn’t “mainstream.” Nevertheless, “The Killer” is one of the most impeccably made and pulse-pounding movies of the year, from a filmmaker who still hasn’t lost touch with what makes him great (and is maybe even poking at his own meticulous diligence a bit in the process).
How to watch: Streaming on Netflix
4. “John Wick: Chapter 4”
These movies rule. There’s no better way to put it. Keanu Reeves leads the (potential?) finale to the slickest and sickest action movie franchise today, reminding us why he’s endured in the pop culture consciousness for so many years. And director Chad Stahelski sets out to make an action epic: three hours of uninterrupted mayhem made with the skill and precision of a veteran surgeon. With each movie, Stahelski has improved his craft, delivering bigger and better stunts and set pieces that never look or feel artificial. This is the real deal.
How to watch: Streaming on Starz and available to rent on VOD platforms
3. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
2018’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is a hard movie to top, but its sequel does a pretty good job at it. The movie takes what was so great about its predecessor, and Spider-Man as a character, and dials it up without ever losing sight of it all — including the animation, which is so exquisite and beautiful that it’s hard to believe. It’s hard not to think that Sony is probably going to blow it all up and that this is leading to a live-action Miles Morales. But for now, this world is a wonder to behold.
How to watch: Streaming on Netflix
2. “Oppenheimer”
There’s not much more to be said of “Oppenheimer” that hasn’t already been said. It’s still incredible that a three-hour long biopic about a scientist made nearly a billion dollars worldwide, following on the heels of Barbie and Mario. Sure, the “Barbenheimer” sensation helped, but the train kept moving long after that craze had died down, signaling that the movie fascinated audiences on its own merits. If Christopher Nolan didn’t have carte blanche to do whatever he wants before, he certainly does now. Thank goodness.
How to watch: Available to rent on VOD platforms
1. “Godzilla Minus One”
I grew up on Godzilla VHS tapes, but this is about more than bias. “Minus One” is probably the most emotionally satisfying Godzilla movie I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying something considering the franchise turns 70 years old this year and has churned out over three dozen movies between Japan and Hollywood. “Minus One” hails from the former; Toho — the Japanese studio responsible for 33 of those films — brings the giant kaiju back to his roots as a terrifying manifestation of Japan’s post-war fears of nuclear war. You won’t find the big guy battling any other monsters this time. The movie is part “War of the Worlds” and part “Jaws” in how it utilizes the title character in maximizing the movie’s dread, and has flourishes of exceptional blockbuster filmmaking from director Takashi Yamazaki that puts many Hollywood tentpoles to shame. But “Minus One’s” power isn’t just in Godzilla as a destructive force. It’s also, surprisingly, in the ways the movie uses its main human characters to explore guilt, sacrifice, and what those mean in Japanese culture.
How to watch: Still in theaters
10 Honorable mentions: “Air”; “Anatomy of a Fall”; “Asteroid City”; “Barbie”; “BlackBerry”; “Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves”; “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”; “The Holdovers”; “How to Blow Up a Pipeline”; “Priscilla”
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