My Top 25 Films Of 2023: One Critic’s Best Of The Year List

After the amazing year for movies that was 2022, by mid-October of this year I was incredibly underwhelmed with this year’s catalog of films. By then I was just scraping by to come up with a top ten list much less a top twenty-five. It probably didn’t help that on a personal level this was a year from hell for me and escapism was going to have to try really hard to help me forget about life’s troubles for two hours. It also didn’t help that this was the first year in a bit that the best titles seem to be reserved for festival premieres and late year awards-friendly calendar releases.

But thankfully in the last two and a half months, 2023’s film slate really started to give us the best it had to offer and a “meh” year for film turned into a decent one overnight. Now granted I think I’d rank the last two years over this one, and I was much more enthused about last year’s awards contenders compared to the likely ones for this year, but all in all 2023 gave us more than a few films that could go on to become classics. From yet another Godzilla movie to what could end up our modern day Lawrence Of Arabia; from a new epic from Martin Scorsese to an audacious feminist steampunk fairy-tale; from musical remakes of two beloved eighties classics to two films that touch on a lasting life partnership; from the first romance from one of Disney’s animation studios in a long while to a surprise fall festivals’ audience hit from a first time feature Director; from the story on how Nike made their biggest deal yet to a potential new holiday classic. Here are my personal choices for my top twenty-five favorite films that I saw from 2023.

To repeat from my similar piece from last year, remember this is a PERSONAL list and you may see some favorites of yours from the year not in here. It doesn’t necessarily mean I didn’t like any of them, I just didn’t have it in my top twenty-five (They might be listed in my honorable mentions towards the end). Remember I’m singling out twenty five narrative films out of two hundred and sixty-plus that I saw this year – not every good to great film can make it in. I’m sure there will be more “Best Films of the Year” articles streaming into the web anyways and they’re all sure to be different in some form or another – which is what makes these fun. Anyhow, without further adieu this humble critic’s choices for the best films I saw in 2023.

 

#25. The Venture Bros.: Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart (Dir. Chris McCulloch; Williams Street)

For the last two decades one of my all-time favorite series has been the adult animated satire on Johnny Quest known as The Venture Bros.. Featuring some of the most interesting and easy to laugh at characters in the now long-running history of Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim lineup, this series has evolved through the years garnering a devoted fanbase that has eagerly awaited every new season. Sadly the series was unexpectedly cancelled a few years ago, but thankfully creators Chris McCulloch and Doc Hammer were given a chance to end it with The Venture Bros.: Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart, a feature film that was able to wrap up all the various character story arcs that had unfolded through the last near-twenty years while wrapping everything up with a satisfying enough conclusion. While I would’ve rather seen another season or two, seeing a show I started watching back when I was in ninth grade come to an end in my mid-thirties at a time too many series get the plug pulled before a proper conclusion was a big treat for me this year.

 

#24. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Dir. Jeff Rowe; Nickelodeon Films)

Unlike many my age I did not grow up the biggest fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and anything I’ve watched from the past regarding the iconic heroes never appealed to me. So you can imagine what a pleasant surprise it was when the latest reboot of the franchise in a new animated film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, ended up one of the most fun experiences I had at the movies this year. Seth Rogen’s new vision in which the turtles actually are and act like teenagers that come of age in this origin story was able to infuse a new vitality and freshness to the franchise that for some had become stale. The soundtrack to the film is one of the year’s best, and the animation is superb alongside a great ensemble of voice work. The film also features one of the absolute best scenes of the year in which the turtles go looking for a supervillain by trying to take down all of his contacts in an edited together splice of action scenes that might outdo almost every other fighting scene in film this year.

 

#23. The Little Mermaid (Dir. Rob Marshall; Walt Disney Pictures)

The live action remakes of the Disney animated classics have become some of the most divisive and derided movies of the last decade. Some films have been hits with me (Cinderella; Beauty And The Beast, The Jungle Book; Aladdin; etc) while others have been woeful imitations (Dumbo; The Lion King; Mulan; Pinocchio; etc). For me The Little Mermaid‘s remake was the first hit from these films in years. Featuring a magnetic Halle Bailey in the lead as Ariel, an actual improvement on the writing of the romance, and great VFX work that brought the eighties animated classic to life, this musical had my theatre audience clapping after every song and my mom raving. Does it ever actually justify its existence and surpass the original? Not quite, but I can’t deny this was one of the more enjoyable experiences at the movies this year for me.

 

#22. Wonka (Dir. Paul King; Warner Brothers)

Paul King’s work in crafting together the two Paddington films are master strokes in how to adapt a children’s IP for film. But when he took up the task of creating a prequel musical about how Willy Wonka came to build his chocolate empire, many including me wondered if he was getting in over his head. While he didn’t quite capture the Paddington films’ magic with this latest venture, Wonka, he somehow pulled off yet another delightful, whimsical tale that the entire family can enjoy. With a strong ensemble featuring Timothee Chalamet as Wonka himself and Hugh Grant as an Oompa-Loompa, not to mention a strong soundtrack, this has the chance to become a future classic that could even climb my ranks with time. King has really proven himself to be the go-to guy for wholesome, colorful, family entertainment.

 

#21. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (Dir. James Gunn; Marvel Studios)

The MCU is in deep trouble these days. While I did have an MCU film in my Top 25 the previous two years, the franchise as a whole has been suffering critically and at the box office as audiences tire of a post Avengers: Endgame catalog of movies with seemingly no cohesive plan to where things are going – and a series of shows that have over-saturated things to a point it feels like homework to catch up. One ray of hope was this year’s Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 helmed by James Gunn who has proven himself a master storyteller in how to deal with a big group of comic book characters that would otherwise be too much to handle for other writer/directors. With Rocket Racoon at the heart of its story and one of the most hate-able movie villains of the year, Gunn gave us a satisfying conclusion to one of the best sci-fi trilogies in film, and the only critically praised MCU movie of the year.

 

#20. Creed III (Dir. Michael B. Jordan; MGM)

Elephant in the room that has been the major downfall of Jonathan Majors’ career this year aside, its honestly kind of a miracle that the Rocky franchise has successfully been followed-up by a spinoff of films following Apollo Creed’s son’s own journey as a boxer. Creed III features our protagonist Adonis grappling with his past returning in the form of a former friend who has been locked up for years, and looking to win the World Heavyweight Championship himself just as Adonis is attempting to leave the ring. Michael B. Jordan doesn’t just star in this film, he also makes his directorial debut and shows incredible promise behind the lens by featuring some innovative looking fight scenes that help this stand out some from not just the other films in this franchise, but even the original Rocky films as well.

 

#19. John Wick: Chapter 4 (Dir. Chad Stahelski; Lionsgate)

2014’s John Wick has spawned one of the best action franchises in film and with the fourth (and seemingly final) entry it took things to another level on a technical standpoint with some of the best cinematography of the year alongside a fitting conclusion for the tragic character. At nearly three hours John Wick: Chapter 4 gives us nearly non-stop action and thrills including an incredible finale that gave us one of the best shot scenes of the year in which the camera literally levitates above the action like we’re playing a video game shooter – not to mention a stairs scene that had my theatre audience gasping at the turn it made half-way through. Add in a charismatic Donnie Yen and Bill Skarsgard once again putting in a great performance as a baddie, and you have a movie that has us come full circle with a quadrilogy of films destined to become classics.

 

#18. The Killer (Dir. David Fincher; Netflix)

Talking about hitmen, David Fincher’s latest film, The Killer, puts us in the head of one as he seeks out retribution for actions made against him after a botched hit – all while he claims its not personal. With incredible sound work and fight scenes, Michael Fassbender’s narration and performance kept my attention as the cold-blooded and efficient assassin went from target to target with no real emotion. As he coldly continually reminds himself throughout, “Stick to your plan. Anticipate, don’t improvise. Trust no one. Never yield an advantage. Fight only the battle you’re paid to fight. Forbid empathy.”

 

#17. Saltburn (Dir. Emerald Fennel; MGM)

Last year I was a major champion of the morally questionable and over indulgent fun mess that was Babylon. This year I found myself loving this year’s version of that with Emerald Fennel’s latest film, Saltburn, in which a troubled young man is invited to stay the Summer with the most popular classmate’s eccentric family at their estate – only for the story to take a dark turn in the third act that will sicken some and grip others. This is like a twisted version of My Man Godfrey in which a rich family takes in an outsider who is not who they might think he is. All culminating in a final scene that will make you appreciate Barry Keoghan’s acting chops in a way you may not have before.

 

#16. The Promised Land (Dir. Nikolaj Arcel; Magnolia Pictures)

Three years ago a Mads Mikkelsen starring Danish film (Another Round) was among my favorites of that year. This year its happened again with The Promised Land – this period piece in which he plays a veteran soldier attempting to farm barren land the King desperately wants to see conquered, which puts him at odds with a sadistic landowner who believes he should control the land instead and thus putting into motion a back and forth game of chess that costs lives and tests our protagonist. Audiences were said to be cheering when things finally came to a head between these two forces, culminating in an inevitable bloody end. This historical epic is one of the best international films I saw this year.

 

#15. Origin (Dir. Ava DuVernay; NEON)

Ava DuVernay’s latest feature, Origin, somehow pulls off the near impossible task of adapting the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by merging the book’s case for the Caste system’s links to bigotry and racism with the personal journey author Isabel Wilkerson (Played by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor in one of the best performances of the year) went through to write it. Some have found its semi-documentarian style off-putting, but I found the globe-hopping journey Wilkerson goes on while juggling at home tragedy to be fascinating. Its a movie that could in time come to be seen as one of the more underrated and underseen of the year.

 

#14. The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (Dir. William Friedkin; Showtime Films)

Director William Friedkin sadly left this plane of existence this year but was able to provide us one last film with his interpretation of the play that accompanies the actual court-martial in The Caine Mutiny. Ironically this also gives us one of the last roles of the late Lance Reddick as the chief judge. While clearly made for TV as a Showtime original, the ensemble in this, lead by Jason Clarke as the conflicted defense attorney and Kiefer Sutherland doing his best impression of Humphrey Bogart in the 1954 accompanying material, had my attention throughout during the testimonies and cross examinations of witnesses. And keep in mind I already knew how things were gonna’ turn out having seen the 1954 film! I’m a sucker for a good courtroom drama and The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial hit all the right spots for me when it came to that kind of movie this year.

 

#13. The Burial (Dir. Margaret Betts; Amazon Studios)

Speaking of courtroom dramas, one of the biggest surprises of the year came from this straight to streamer dramedy in which Jamie Foxx plays real-life mega lawyer Willie E. Gary and his actual successful lawsuit against a funeral company that tried to shutdown the business of a small business Mississippi funeral director. The Burial‘s ability to go back and forth from comedy to drama is only enhanced by Jamie Foxx giving his best performance since his Oscar winning role in Ray twenty years back. A pure crowd pleaser that will do the job and make you laugh and smile by the time the credits hit.

 

#12. Air (Dir. Ben Affleck; Amazon Studios)

Ben Affleck’s latest directorial venture, Air, saw him tell the story of how Nike landed the deal with Michael Jordan that would launch a shoe empire that still dominates the market and pop culture to this day. Featuring a great ensemble of actors like Affleck himself, Matt Damon, Chris Tucker, and the one and only Viola Davis, this is a tight paced film that somehow makes a corporate deal look exciting and fun to watch unfold. My screening audience was laughing throughout and fully engaged, which is all you can ask from a simple crowd pleaser like this one.

 

#11. The Holdovers (Dir. Alexander Payne; Focus Features)

Coming in just outside the proper top ten is what could go on to be a future holiday classic in The Holdovers. Alexander Payne’s latest project features Paul Giamatti in one of his best roles, Da’Vine Joy Randolph in one of the best Supporting performances of the year, and a breakthrough role for Dominic Sessa. Playing and looking like an old-school seventies dramedy this crowd pleaser sees a hated teacher forced to take care of students left behind for Christmas break only for a connection to be made between him and one wayward student. I’d keep an eye on this as a potential Best Picture spoiler at the Oscars based on the kind of feed back I’ve been getting about this one.

 

#10. American Fiction (Dir. Cord Jefferson; MGM)

Kicking off the proper top ten is American Fiction. This surprise hit became such a success with audiences at festivals it was a common winner for audience award prizes at them. Starring Jeffrey Wright in his best performance yet as a down-on-his-luck writer whose parody of black struggle novels becomes an accidental bestseller that’s taken serious, and a show-stealing Sterling K. Brown as his brother, this is a comedy that is able to deliver big laughs while asking big questions about race, identity, and art. Its a merging of over the top comedy (that sometimes goes places that are politically incorrect) and a family drama. This could be a huge promising start for what we see Cord Jefferson adapt to screen for future directorial efforts from him.

 

#9. Poor Things (Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos; Searchlight Pictures)

Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest film, Poor Things, is a feminist steampunk fairy-tale with a dash of gothic sci-fi. Emma Stone as Bella, a baby whose brain has been put into her dead mother’s body, delivers the best performance from an Actress this year as we witness her adventures of coming into her own womanhood and finding her own autonomy. The movie does heavily feature a lot of nudity and sex scenes, but if you can get past that its like watching a naughty coming of age period piece with Wes Anderson like aesthetics that could become a major must watch down the line for future filmmakers. The supporting cast is great as well featuring William DaFoe as a Dr. Frankenstein like figure, Mark Ruffalo as a cad who loses his mental grip as Bella’s independence grows, Kathryn Hunter as an eccentric Brothel owner, and Ramy Youssef as a young town Doctor in love with Bella who is the POV for the audience.

 

#8. The Iron Claw (Dir. Sean Durkin; A24)

One of the most tragic tales in pro-wrestling is that of the Von Erich family that saw its wrestling lineage die off in a series of accidents and tragedy. This has one of the best ensembles of the year with Zac Efron’s lead performance as the sole surviving member of the Von Erichs, Kevin, being the best of this career so far. Any fan of the clash of performance and sports will come to appreciate what Durkin has pulled off here with this wrestling tale of woe and brotherhood that somehow still ends with a ray of hope at the end. With The Iron Claw, Sean Durkin may be on his way to be a major Director and Efron might finally start getting some overdue love for his acting chops.

 

#7. Killers Of The Flower Moon (Dir. Martin Scorsese; Apple Studios)

What might end up being the last film from the maestro of cinema, Martin Scorsese, Killers Of The Flower Moon is an epic three hour and a half western true-crime tragedy of what happens when a group of people are systematically hunted down with the people who are supposed to protect them looking the other way. Lilly Gladstone is the heart of the film as Molly, and Robert DeNiro’s role as the true life evil that was William Hale is the best performance I’ve seen from the man in some time. Leonardo DiCaprio gives a a great performance as well as our troubled protagonist, Jesse Plemmons steals the final act, and a whole ensemble of great character actors make you feel like you’ve been transported back to Oklahoma during the twenties. The film does arguably overstay its welcome a bit, but with this Scorsese only adds to his incredibly impressive library of films that will stand the test of time.

 

#6. Elemental (Dir. Peter Sohn; Pixar Studios)

Pixar has relied too heavily on sequels and prequels and whenever we get actual original stories from them I’m always excited to see what they’re giving us. With Elemental they gave us a romantic story that touches on the melting of cultures, racism, bigotry, inter-race relationships, and family all in a quirky film about living elements of fire, water, earth, and air. Many will point to Spider-Man: Across The Spiderverse as the best animated feature of the year, but for my money this was the best one we got and from a studio that has given us many classics. This is proof Disney can still deliver great original storytelling with a message if they actually put work into the quality of the film they’re trying to make.

 

#5. The Taste Of Things (Dir. Tran Anh Hung; IFC Films)

Many were angry when France chose this over Anatomy Of A Fall as their International submission but I think they chose the better film. A foodie will be in heaven watching this as we are treated to long scenes of merely watching food get prepared, cooked, and even talked about at the dining table. This is also a romantic story of two life partners who are linked by their partnership in the kitchen and impressively performed given our two leads are exes in true life! One major word of caution from me on this one though – whatever you do, don’t watch this on an empty stomach. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

 

#4. Maestro (Dir. Bradley Cooper; Netflix)

Bradley Cooper’s second directorial feature has been maligned by some as obvious Oscar-bait and as another throw away bio-pic about the Bernsteins by others. I couldn’t disagree more. This is ultimately a movie about a marriage between two people who experience the whirlwind of courtship, the reality of what a life partnership actually looks like as the years pass by, all leading to what “Until death do us part” looks like. Cooper gives the best male performance of the year, Carey Mulligan might give her own best as well, and the direction and cinematography are spectacular. On top of all that, with certain things going on in my own personal life this year in regard to life partnerships, this film touched me in a way that left me fighting back tears by the time the credits rolled. This is a beautiful film that Cooper has given us, and I dare say he should give us more directorial work more often than he has.

 

#3. The Color Purple (Dir. Blitz Bazawule; Warner Brothers)

As of this writing, unlike its eighties predecessor, the musical film adaptation (which can also be seen as a semi-remake) to The Color Purple is barely getting any major awards mentions. That’s a damn shame if you ask me and a frustrating continuation of diverse casted films struggling to make it into the Best Picture race. But it deserves a place at the table, because this is the best movie musical we’ve gotten since the magic that was 2021’s In The Heights. This is a film about sisterhood with a soulful soundtrack that had me feeling like I went to Church after my first viewing. The ensemble is the year’s best with a powerhouse showing from Danielle Brooks as Sofia, Taraji P. Henson’s magnetic Shug Avery, and Fantasia Barrino kept me captivated as our protagonist Cellie. Colman Domingo’s Mister and Corey Hawkin’s Harpo are also worthy of note. Its a movie that deals with heavy themes even while giving moments of levity and had me laughing and crying. It’ll be a blight on awards season if this movie doesn’t show up more from here on out.

 

#2. Oppenheimer (Dir. Christopher Nolan; Universal Pictures)

The major pop-culture moment for movies this year was the meme of Barbenheimer when both Barbie and Oppenheimer released on the same day and made over two billion dollars together. The former making tons of cash is to be expected, but the latter to me is the box office story of the year given the perception of such films no longer having drawing power. While I was not a fan of Barbie, I was amazed at what Christopher Nolan pulled off with Oppenheimer. If there is any justice, this will be the movie that wins Best Picture and as I write this it is the frontrunner to do so. This is our generation’s Lawrence Of Arabia. Its an epic historical bio-pic with over seventy speaking roles about a man that changed the world, and how the monster he unleashed on it came to haunt him. If Robert Downey JR does not win an Oscar for his turn as Lewis Strauss then I don’t know what we’re doing. If this isn’t Nolan’s moment to finally get his Oscar for Best Director, then again I have no idea what we’re doing. This is an incredible achievement that will be taught in film schools and become a classic with mainstream audiences to boot – something many modern-day Picture winners can’t claim. In most other years this would easily be my top film of the year. But it just so happens another monster J. Robert Oppenheimer accidently created surpassed him.

 

#1. Godzilla Minus One (Dir. Takashi Yamazaki; Toho)

Those who know me know how important the Godzilla franchise is to me. But admittedly my love for the recent Monsterverse films does come with caveat that they’re not everybody’s cup of tea; as is it is with some of the other iterations we’ve seen of the iconic creature. But with Godzilla Minus One, we have a film in the franchise that has surpassed not just 2016’s Shin Godzilla in awards recognition, but has even raced past the 1954 original in critical acclaim and audience support. Its been surreal to see a Godzilla movie get into the Letterboxd Top 250, get IMDB scores that are up there with Oppenheimer, make it into places like Critics Choice for Best Foreign Language Film among other regional critics group, and actually be in the race for an Oscar for Visual Effects. Its a dream come true for any hardcore Godzilla fan.

The film itself is a masterpiece in my mind, especially for creature feature flicks. It doesn’t just return us to the original interpretation of Godzilla as a symbol of the atomic bomb, but it also gives us the most meaningful and satisfying human story we’ve seen from one of these films. With themes of choosing life over sacrifice, found family, and having to face down and overcome past trauma, this two hour movie only features ten minutes of Godzilla and human elements more than help keep the film adrift for the rest of that running time. Godzilla himself is the most intimating and terrifying he’s ever been and the finale is an amazing mixture of Jaws meets Dunkirk.

This is the movie I always dreamed in my head of doing if I were task with rebooting a new continuity for the franchise. There will be plenty snickering about how over the top next year’s Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire will be (Which itself is extremely likely to show up in my Top 25 list for next year), but for now I can bask in the glow of a Godzilla film being mentioned alongside some of the greatest movies of all time. Takashi Yamazaki has crafted what to this Godzilla super-fan might just be the best movie of the franchise, and is certainly for me the best film of the year overall.

 

Honorable Mentions: All Of Us Strangers; Anatomy Of A Fall; Are You There God? Its Me Margaret; Asteroid City; Blackberry; Blue Beetle; Bottoms; Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves; Flora And Son; Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny; Haunted Mansion; M3GAN; May December; Master Gardner; Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1; Next Goal Wins; Nimona; Nyad; Past Lives; Perfect Days; Priscilla; Quiz Lady; Rustin; Rye Lane; Society Of The Snow; Spider-Man: Across The Spiderverse; Suzume; Tetris; The Blackening; The Boy And The Heron; The Boys In The Boat; The Zone Of Interest; They Cloned Tyrone