2023 Lookback: The Best Films of the Year, According to Movie Buff Critics

Oscar’s are approaching on Sunday, March 10th, and movie lovers are anticipating what films, actors, and directors will take home the coveted trophies. And with the coming of 2024, looking back on the great films of 2023 is certainly a welcome pastime.

Below, six of our critics highlight their favorites of the year. The major industry moment might have been “Barbenheimer,” but the lists below are a reminder that there are plenty of gems released across the globe. Look around: 2023 was a great movie year. 

Meghann Bigg

1. “Oppenheimer” — No other film this year will beat the “Oppenheimer” cinema experience. Who would have thought a film about the making of the nuclear bomb—which was partially in black and white and 3 hours long—would be the biggest film of the summer and the year! (Read review).

2. “Barbie” — This film hit the stratosphere and changed the cinema landscape. It brought people back to cinema’s and made me oddly emotional for a doll. The film is perfect in every way from Greta Gerwig’s direction to the casting of Margot Robbie as Barbie, she is that character and embodies the only emotional elements to this film which were very surprising. (Read review).

3. “Wonka” — This magical family musical is just what people need this holiday season. It’s packed with pure imagination and songs that will leave you humming going out of the cinema and downloading the soundtrack straight away. 

4. “Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One” — Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt since “Fallout” which was the most successful “Mission” film to date. This one being part one, it makes the audience groan with disappointment. However, this packs a punch and has the most impressive stunts to date in the series and leaves audiences feeling satisfied with the ending and early anticipating a part two. 

5. “M3gan” — This horror changed the game, and it was a phenomenon. Introducing a new horror doll into the genre can be risky. However, M3gan is now a beloved figure and a sequel is already in the works. The film blends the horror genre with comedy. It produces a campy, no holds barred film which excites audiences to see what this doll is up to next. (Read review).

6. “Saltburn” — Emerald Fennell’s second film had a lot to live up too, since his directorial debut. However, “Saltburn” is a gothic, party thriller which leaves you with twists and turns until the very end. (Read review). 

7. “The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” — The prequel to the beloved series of films, is an intense, and thought provoking thriller which delves into the main villain of the previous films and how he became the figure he is. (Read review). 

8. “Thanksgiving” — Eli Roth returns back to his roots, in the goriest slasher of 2023! Thanksgiving is a delight to the horror genre and harps back to the ’90s slasher’s we know and love. Not for the faint hearted, but a good time at the cinema! 

9. “Fair Play” — Chloe Domont’s directorial debut showcases the cut throat world and the corporate system, but is an intense thriller and the two central performances are electric. (Read review). 

10. “Scream 7” — Ghostface returns, but in the Big Apple in this installment of the “Scream” franchise. It’s the biggest and most ambitious one yet. The kills are the most violent and all in broad daylight, which adds a level of intensity like never before. (Read review). 

Kevin Clark

1. “Fallen Leaves” — My favorite film of the year.  A romantic comedy for people who hate romantic comedies.  A lovely little gem of a film with a focus on blue collar characters. (Read review).

2. “Full Time” — One of the most exhilarating films you’ll ever see, as intense as “Run Lola Run” and “Uncut Gems.” Another film this year that casts a spotlight on the hectic life of a blue collar person, in this case, a single mom desperately racing to do a job interview for a better job, risking losing her current job if she gets caught. (Read review). 

3. “Chile ‘76” — A paranoia-filled film that harkens back to ’70s thrillers such as “Klute” and “Serpico,” where an average citizen is pulled into a conspiracy involving the rich and powerful. Not only does it feel like a film from the 1970s, it has the classic look of a film made in the ’70s also. (Read review). 

4. “The Marvels” – The most underrated and unfairly maligned film of the year.  It was the most fun and enjoyable Marvel film in years. Brie Larson and Iman Vellani were dazzling together and the mixture of action and comedy blended perfectly here, as opposed to the awful “Thor: Love and Thunder.” (Read review). 

5. “Next Goal Wins” — Taika Waititi’s story about the American Samoa soccer team is pure joy from start to finish, filled with fascinating characters and awe-inspiring locations.  It’s akin to “A League of Their Own” and “The Bad News Bears,” a great underdog story that’s very touching in places. (Read review).

6. “The Origin of Evil” — Laure Calamy gives a stunning performance in this film that feels like a prime Hitchcock film. There are twists on top of twists and you never know what character you can trust from beginning to end.

7. “El Conde” — A beautiful vampire film shot in stark black and white. Actress Paula Luchsinger is divine in it, looking so much like silent film actress Renee Jeane Falconetti that many of her scenes feel like they came from some magical lost sequel to “The Passion of Joan of Arc.” (Read review). 

8. “Asteroid City” — Wes Anderson’s play within a play is eye-popping and even quirkier than most of his previous films. As with all of Wes Anderson’s films, it rewards multiple viewings. You will always find new details in it on each rewatch. (Read review). 

9. “Emily” — A biography of Emily Brontë with all the trappings of a gothic horror film. Emma Mackey captures the quirkiness of Emily Brontë. At times, the film feels very much like an old Hammer Horror film. (Read review). 

10. “Monica” — Transgender actress Trace Lysette plays the titular character, a trans woman struggling to make ends meet when she has to return home to help take care of her elderly mother. The film doesn’t portray Monica as a flawless perfect human being and that’s the beauty of it. (Read review). 

Matt Decristo

1. “Leave the World Behind” — A Netflix thriller that came out of nowhere at the eleventh hour. Great acting and chilling tension that delivered. (Read review). 

2. “Barbie” — Saw it as a joke, and wasn’t expecting it to be so much fun.

3. “65” — Action adventure film that proves simplicity is usually the way to go. (Read review). 

4. “Dog Gone” — Rob Lowe and Kimberly Williams-Paisley star in this tender and touching family movie. (Read review). 

5. “Exmas” — Amazon entry into cheesy Holiday fun. (Read review). 

6) “Totally Killer” — A fun Halloween dark comedy — and my milestone 700th review. (Read review). 

7. “Knock at the Cabin” — Tension packed thriller from M. Night Shyamalan. (Read review). 

8. “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” — Satisfying conclusion to iconic film series. (Read review). 

 9.  “Family Switch” — Jennifer Garner and Ed Helms in a Christmas rom com… what more could you ask for? (Read review). 

10. “M3GAN” — Not great but typical January horror and the first movie I saw in 2023.

Paul Emmanuel Enicola

1. “Killers of the Flower Moon” — At his best here, Martin Scorsese tells a tragedy of epic proportions. The killings motivated by greed and envy show the worst of humanity, which the film unflinchingly portrays. Top marks go to the cast and crew, led by regular Scorsese collaborators Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. (Read review).

2. “Past Lives” — Navigating the complex nature of relationships with a ‘what if’ narrative is something a few romantic films have mastered. Fewer, still, manage to pull off stories where everyone in the story has everything to lose. Celine Song’s “Past Lives” does that to perfection. (Read review). 

3. “The Zone of Interest” — Jonathan Glazer’s film eerily portrays the compartmentalization of the horrors of war showing the worst of humanity, to focus on the idyllic utopia where nothing bad ever happens. I’ve found the film a metaphor of what people as a collective are willing to do—including looking the other way to the point of desensitization—just to maintain their own little piece of heaven. (Read review).

4. “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” — I’d been delaying watching this film because I wanted to love it (Judy Blume’s novel being one of my favorite books ever). And boy, am I glad that I did: “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” is more than worth my wait. (Read review). 

5. “Anatomy of a Fall” — Justine Triet and Sandra Hüller team up for this courtroom drama that, on paper, could have been just another generic film. However, the film’s opening hooks the audiences in. It makes for a gripping story that underscores the importance of truth and how, ultimately, it becomes subjective to those involved. Hüller is heartbreaking as the accused Sandra. Her performance, complemented by Triet’s direction, makes us root for the same truth that works best for us. (Read review). 

6. “Perfect Days” — “Perfect Days” is Wim Wenders’ best film in ages, a confidently paced character study that requires little to no words at all. This film is a perfect corollary to Yui Kiyohara’s film, “Remembering Every Night,” Kiyohara’s own take on meditative isolation. Kōji Yakusho’s tender performance rocked me to my very core. (Read review). 

7. “Poor Things” — Arguably Yorgos Lanthimos’ most provocative film since “Dogtooth,” this film benefits from Emma Stone’s best—and most—acting of her career. The movie’s themes of one’s pursuit of enlightenment, sexuality, and freedom can be clouded by the fact that such naïveté invited exploitation, and that’s a fair assessment. (Read review). 

8. “All of Us Strangers” — As a meditation of grief, isolation, and yearning, “All of Us Strangers” broke my heart. Because, when stripped bare, this fantasy romantic drama film is an examination of love. Further and more specifically, it’s love that was neither expressed nor shared. Andrew Scott turns in a career-best performance, transcending the conventions of films that tackle filial love and LGBTQ+ romance to connect with all audiences. (Read review). 

9. “The Boy and the Heron” — As a challenging entry in the Studio Ghibli canon, it pays to realize that to dissect Miyazaki’s work with surgical precision is to miss the point entirely. There’s a beauty in the ambiguity of his narratives, a deliberate choice that invites interpretation and introspection. And “The Boy and the Heron” embodies that, delicately juxtaposing life and death to examine grief and loss.

10. “Fallen Leaves” — Finding love in a seemingly hopeless place is one thing. Enjoying it and making it last are different monsters of their own. With “Fallen Leaves,” Aki Kaurismäki tells the story of two people hardened by their lots in life who try to strike up a romantic relationship. 

Arpit Nayak

1. “Maestro”  — The biographical film portrays the legendary conductor’s vivid journey with equal emphasis on his wife, which made it refreshing to watch. The Bernstein composition sequences that were recreated were an awe-inspiring and emotional cinematic experience. (Read review). 

2. “Viduthalai Part 1″ — A world of tribalism, politics, and violence is created by Vetri Maaran, which is brutal and unforgiving. Kumaresan (Soori) is a police officer who must confront his inner conflict to apprehend a local activist named Perumal (Vijay Sethupathi). Despite the promising thrill ride, the almost graphic violence may make you want to turn your eyes away from the screen.

3. “Godzilla Minus One Japan” — The makers’ ability to generate a Godzilla movie that evokes such stirring emotion and humanity is remarkable, even as its lumbering Kaiju protagonist demolishes downtown Tokyo. (Read review). 

4. “Fallen Leaves” — Two lonely souls’ journey to happiness is depicted in “Fallen Leaves,” a timeless, hopeful, and ultimately satisfying love story about how they overcome multiple obstacles. Infused with Aki Kaurismäki’s playful, idiosyncratic style and deadpan humor, the movie takes place in modern Helsinki.

 5. “About Dry Grasses” — The plot revolves around a young teacher’s desire to escape the confines of a small village after completing their mandatory duty. With the support of a colleague, Nuray, the protagonist overcomes the despair of a gloomy life and takes an unexpected turn.

6. “The Holdovers” — The film takes place in the 1970s, with Paul Giamatti and Da’Vine Joy Randolph playing teachers and cooks at a prestigious New England prep school who are forced to stay there during their winter break. A troubled student (Dominic Sessa) comes across them. He challenges their elders’ boundaries, leading to a classic Payne Road trip of healing and discovery. (Read review). 

7. “Polite Society” — “Polite Society” departs from the etiquette book genre to create an enjoyable film that blends Bollywood splendour and British wit.

8. “The Iron Claw” — This sports biographical drama is dedicated to the Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Under the influence of their domineering father and coach, the brothers struggle to attain immortality on the biggest stage in sports, through tragedy and triumph.

9. “Anatomy of a Fall” — The story of true crime always fascinates viewers. This film is one of the most intriguing true crime stories of 2023. The title indicates that there is a fall. Samuel falls from the top floor of the family’s house. While their son was outside walking the family dog, was his wife, Sandra, the one who pushed him?

10. “When Evil Lurks” — The film is a bleak film that keeps things from becoming too heavy with gore and shocks. Two brothers, Ezequiel Rodriguez and Demián Salomon, accidentally unleashed a demon that can possess people and lead to horrible actions in the countryside. Prepare for many disturbing scenes where merciless and malevolent beings tear families apart in a matter of seconds.

10. “Three of Us” — In this romantic drama, Shailaja Patankar (Shefali Shah) takes a unique vacation after being diagnosed with early onset dementia. Her husband, played by Swanand Kirkire, is accompanying her. “Three of Us” has both restraint and nuance, flowing like a steady stream of memories, with the desire to ask, ‘What if?’ held back.

Kevin Parks

1. “Barbie” — Greta Gerwig is now three for three, with an emphatic bullet. Rounding out a stellar, singular trio (“Lady Bird,” “Little Women”) of funny, fearless films, “Barbie” is an endlessly entertaining genre mashup—the music, the dancing!—full of resonant ideas and love for all of its characters. 

2. “Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World” — Director Radu Jude’s latest provocation sprints through its three-hour run time, anchored by the most memorable performance of the year: Ilinca Manolache, as Angela, the gig-economy hustler whose alter-ego Bobita deserves a movie of his own. Startling, fierce and deserving of a much wider audience. (Read review). 

3. “All of Us Strangers” — A wrenching four-hander (all incredible, especially Andrew Scott and Claire Foy) that gives equal time to love and loss, showing that the two can’t exist without each other. Breaks hearts without promising to heal them, and Haigh shows extraordinary balance in giving dead people fair treatment, humanizing them even if that means unveiling the fact that those we have lost aren’t always angels. 

4. “Fallen Leaves” — Pitch-perfect in its solemnity and never losing grip on hope. The acting and scenarios are ideal matches for the mood, and it’s a film that could’ve taken place in any decade since the ‘90s. Timeless? Maybe. 

5. “Ferrari” — Agony, and the thrill of defeat! Michael Mann’s decades-in-the-making biopic tracks a year in the business and marriage lives of Enzo (Adam Driver) and Laura (Penelope) Ferrari, sustaining such heightened tension that the shocking, tragic finale is a perverse form of relief. (Read review). 

6. “May December”  — Splendid performances abound, and Haynes’ ace direction and the menacing score plays tricks, alternating between a mood of whimsy and dread. Natalie Portman’s the standout here, a wily opportunist who gradually descends from hero to villain. (Read review). 

7. “You Hurt My Feelings” — A New York navel gazer’s dream, this mid-2023 release might get boxed out of awards conversations, but it’s an honest, painful depiction of withheld resentment and failures to communicate. And 93 minutes in Holofcener’s mind—and city—is never enough. (Read review). 

8. “Last Summer” — A polished, naughty film that dares not to interrogate the reasons why a successful, middle-aged lawyer would dare have an affair with her teenage stepson. Breillat doesn’t look away, and makes sure the audience doesn’t either. (Read review). 

9. “No Hard Feelings” — Raunchy and not too mawkish, it’s above all the Jennifer Lawrence show. Charismatic, electric and compassionate, she elevates the movie from a collection of Gen Z one-liners to a rude and winning comedy, that’s just the right amount of subversive. (Read review). 

10. “Killers of the Flower Moon” — Adapting David Grann’s bestseller, Martin Scorsese is right in his wheelhouse, telling a tale of ruthless gangsters, whose punishment could never match the crimes of theft and genocide. It’s a wide sweep and Scorsese’s memorable cameo offers a peerless artist’s stamp on a historical nightmare that reverberates to this day.