As much as I have wanted to watch every movie that was released in 2023, there are some major films that I have yet to see. Films like Poor Things, The Zone of Interest, and The Color Purple are ones that I haven’t seen that could potentially belong on this list. Out of the 160+ movies I have seen, these ten stood out due to their creativity and emotional impact.  

Runners-Up (in Alphabetical Order) 

• American Fiction 
• Anatomy of a Fall 
• Dream Scenario 
• Fair Play 
• May December 
• Monster 
• Rye Lane 
• Sanctuary 
• The Taste of Things 
• Theater Camp 

10. All of Us Strangers

Although there are only four central characters, All of Us Strangers is an emotional knockout from beginning to end. The concept of grief has been done to death in movies in recent years, but writer-director Andrew Haigh’s film takes it one step further by physically embodying the meaning of closure and moving forward through catharsis. Jamie D. Ramsay’s cinematography and Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch’s musical score bring a calming nature to the character’s tragedy that drives the emotion as deep as the ideas introduced. Andrew Scott gives a phenomenal lead performance as a struggling writer who learns to cope with the visits of his dead parents. Jamie Bell and Claire Foy, who play Scott’s parents, also give magnificent performances as characters willing to learn despite their lives being behind them. The ghostly aspect may turn off some viewers, but I found it to be a surprisingly empathetic representation of life that moved me to tears by the end.

9. Oppenheimer

Being one-half of the box office smash known as “Barbenheimer,” Oppenheimer is a cinematic achievement on every level. Very few biopics have taken such a grand approach to filmmaking. Christopher Nolan’s precise attention to detail is met with glorious results. I was worried that the three-hour runtime would exhaust me, but the tense editing from Jennifer Lame made this a breezy watch. Nolan’s inherent love of dueling timelines could have been problematic with the subject matter, but the flow of the film is incredible, with scenes transitioning seamlessly without feeling confused. Ludwig Göransson proves he is one of the best composers in the industry with his brilliant use of traditional orchestral instruments and techno sound that provides an intensity I have never seen in a biopic. Cillian Murphy continues to show his versatility as an actor as he makes an introverted character feel larger than life. Although Nolan has an impressive filmography, Oppenheimer will go down as one of his best.  

8. The Holdovers

The Holdovers is a movie I thoroughly enjoyed on my first watch back in October, but it wasn’t until recently that it became one of my favorite movies of the year. Screenwriter David Hemingson may hit some familiar narrative beats, but the characters and their chemistry, and director Alexander Payne’s throwback style perfectly matches the tone and aesthetic of the film. Paul Giamatti gives my favorite performance of his career, and newcomer Dominic Sessa is mesmerizing as a troubled student who has a lot in common with his professor. Da’Vine Joy Randolph has been sweeping critic’s awards, and rightfully so. Her character’s brokenness and fragility are seen perfectly through each of Randolph’s subtleties. There are several dramatic moments, but the film’s heart and comedy bring a warmth that few other films have given me this year. It has slowly become one of my new favorite Christmas movies and one that I will watch with my family for years.  

7. Bottoms

Gen Z needed its own raunchy comedy classic, and Bottoms fulfilled all my desires. The film is a fun ode to 2000s high school comedies while having a personality all its own. Director and co-writer Emma Seligman has a knack for blending genres and creating a new type of experience for the audience, and Bottoms is yet another success in her catalog. Equal parts hilarious and brutal, there has never been a movie with such a specific worldview like Bottoms. The film balances a number of complimentary styles, an outlandish satire about high school cliques and social status told through brutal violence and sexually explicit material. Co-writer Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edibiri are two of the best up-and-coming actors of our generation, and they prove that with their terrific comedic timing and understanding of their characters and Seligman’s vision. Marshawn Lynch is one of the year’s best surprise as a teacher going through a break-up, delivering some of the best lines in the film. It may not work for the older crowd, but as someone in their 20s, this captured my generation and our sense of humor perfectly. This is Gen Z’s American Pie.  

6. Barbie

Barbie was the surprise hit of 2023, and it fully deserved to be. The first half of “Barbenheimer” was equally brilliant in its execution but often the complete opposite of Oppenheimer. While Oppenheimer uses dread to convey emotion, Barbie takes a far more light-hearted approach to tell its story. Whether it is the overacting of the characters or the near-total absence of logic, Greta Gerwig’s film takes a satirical look at the famous toy. While I enjoyed every element of the comedy, I found the dramatic moments to be the most impactful parts of the movie. Its dissection of gender roles and the legacy of the Barbie toy itself is surprisingly deep and heartfelt despite being about a toy for younger kids. Margot Robbie was born to play the titular Barbie, while the scene-stealing Ryan Gosling perfectly encapsulates Ken through his child-like obedience and charm. From the grand production design to the pop-centric soundtrack, and the candy-colored costumes, Gerwig created a film for the ages. Many films will try to replicate the success of Barbie, but I doubt any will come close to the impact it had on the film industry in 2023.  

5. John Wick: Chapter 4

John Wick: Chapter 4 joins the likes of Mad Max: Fury Road, Mission Impossible: Fallout, and Top Gun: Maverick as one of the best action films of the 21^st Century. John Wick is one of the most consistent modern action franchises, and the latest entry stands the highest due to Chad Stahelski’s maximalist filmmaking style and breathtaking action sequences. Movies like this are often light on thematic resonance and plot, but the set pieces – including an unforgettable series of third act scenes – and filmmaking are so well executed that I can ignore a thin script. Especially when Chapter 4 maintains the series’ commitment to practical stunts, making the end result even more impressive. If Chapter 4 is indeed the last film in the franchise, Stahelski & Co. left it all on the (high) table.  

4. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was a milestone in 21^st Century animation. Its unique animation style and rapid pacing changed the animation game forever, with multiple studios attempting to replicate the success. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse takes what worked about its predecessor and builds upon it. The animation and storytelling are much bigger, blending multiple styles while expanding on the multiversal story. Each universe has a specific animation style, which not only adds to the world-building but the character work as well, conveying emotion through color and dimension. While most of the film contains a traditional “superhero vs. supervillain” storyline, it has characters who are going through hardships that I was able to relate to. Whether it is balancing the hardships of life or growing up, the film has a surprising amount of depth and detail with its characters and story that make it easy for anyone to connect with. It may have a massive cliffhanger ending, but Across the Spider-Verse is yet another entertaining and emotional landmark achievement in animation.  

3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

I have grown up watching the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From my countless rentals of Iron Man from Redbox to seeing Avengers: Endgame six times in the theater, the MCU will always have a special place in my heart. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 could have been another disappointing outing in Disney’s recent slew of underwhelming blockbusters, but ended up being a beautiful sendoff for characters I have loved for nearly a decade. Writer-director James Gunn’s story is much darker than the previous two entries, but it is more emotionally satisfying because of it. Its heavy focus on the characters we’ve come to love since their introduction in 2014 makes this stand out above many of the superhero films that have come before it. With inventive action, hilarious moments, and emotional highs, this has everything I want out of a comic book film.  

2. Beau is Afraid

Ari Aster’s Hereditary was the movie that made me view films as an art form. I was blown away by that film’s presentation and themes on grief, and I am still studying it to this day. Beau is Afraid is yet another mind-blowing experience from Aster. At three hours, there is a dense, yet comedic look at anxiety through the eyes of a middle-aged man. Joaquin Phoenix has proven to be a bold and daring actor, and this film tests his range further than he has ever gone before. The production elements are out of this world – sometimes literally – with tons of creative set designs and visual effects that will make your skin crawl. Aster’s horror roots appear throughout, but the film’s comedic approach took me by surprise and made the experience even more uncomfortable. I cannot say I completely understood the movie, but it’s undoubtedly the most ambitious movie of the year. Beau is Afraid is not a movie for everyone, but it was right up my alley. 

1. Past Lives

When making my end-of-the-year lists, it’s always a struggle to rank films higher and lower than each other, as it can often change on a daily basis. This year was different, as I ranked first time writer-director Celine Song’s Past Lives as my number one film from the moment I first saw it. Like all the films on this list, Past Lives has some amazing technical aspects. The performances from Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro, Shabier Kirchner’s cinematography, and Christopher Bear & Daniel Rossen’s musical score work together to create a beautiful, real world that I never wanted to leave. But what makes Past Lives my favorite of the year is how inviting it is. The themes the film presents on moving forward from an important moment in life deeply resonated with me. Although the film’s focus is specifically on a relationship, it’s not hard to interpret the film’s ideas through any moment in life. Whether it’s growing apart from a friend, moving away from home, or getting a new job, Past Lives attempts to look back on the moments that allow people to grow and change, and how it is okay to turn these moments into treasured memories, regardless of how painful it may be. Watching the film for the first time was an extremely cathartic experience for me, as it made me look at what moments led me to be the person I am today. Although I enjoy where I am in life, it made me reminisce about the person I used to be. Even after multiple viewings, I still manage to cry in the film’s final moments. 2023 was one of the best years for films in recent memory, and Past Lives sticks out above them all due to the way it invites the audience to share their own personal experiences with the characters on screen.