Well, it’s that time of year again.

So as you might have notice I haven’t been writing much on this site for several months now. That’s my B. To make up for the lack of updates on this site I decided to write about the TWENTY best films I saw in 2023 as oppose to the usual ten I do each year.

And for those that are new to my site I’d like to preface that I prefer to release my best (and sometimes worst) lists a little later than everyone else since I live in a relatively small town that doesn’t immediately get the hottest indie films for awards season. I’d like to give as many films each year a chance to make an impression on me big or small, and now that this year’s Oscars have concluded I guess it’s as good as any time to talk about the films that stood out to me this past year.

Without further ado, let’s get started:

20) Asteroid City

Directed by: Wes Anderson

Starting off this unusually massive list is Wes Anderson’s latest quirky hipster film. Asteroid City is a film packed with an amazing cast, astounding production design, and that iconic Wes Anderson dialogue fans of his have come to know and love. For my full thoughts on this film you can read my review here.

19) About Dry Grasses

Directed by: Nuri Bilge Ceylan

About Dry Grasses is a slow burn Turkish film directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan that was Turkey’s official submission for this year’s Oscars, and while it ultimately didn’t make the cut it was still an incredibly introspective viewing experience. The performances were spectacular, the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous and thoughtful, and the screenplay is both darkly funny and incredibly nuanced. This is a film that I feel will get better with multiple re-watches and is overall a rewarding film for those willing to stick around for its three hour runtime.

18) Kokomo City

Directed by: D.Smith

Kokomo City is a documentary revolving around the lives of four Black transgender sex workers, how fun. In addition to being uniquely shot and edited, this doc is packed with incredible insight into the sex industry and the stigma revolving around trans sex workers in particular. I’ve had a lot of fun watching this doc and came out learning quite a bit, and for those not turned off by its subject matter this is a rather playful film to check out.

17) The Holdovers

Directed by: Alexander Payne

The feel-good Christmas film of the year, Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers is a lovingly crafted homage to 1970’s cinema. Paul Giamatti gives one of the best performances of the year, Dominic Sessa was also fantastic in his debut role, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph was absolutely exceptional, giving a powerful performance well deserving of her Supporting Actress Oscar. Payne’s direction is great as usual, the screenplay is sharp and heart-warming, and the characters are all incredibly well-rounded and memorable to watch. Check this film out if you haven’t already.

16) Fallen Leaves

Directed by: Aki Kaurismäki

Fallen Leaves, directed by Aki Kaurismäki, was Finland’s official submission for this year’s Oscars. I had quite a blast watching this one; it was well-shot, the screenplay was fun and terrifically written, and I absolutely loved the deadpan performances that’s very reminiscent of the performances you’d see in Jim Jarmusch’s or Wes Anderson’s films. This is a very breezy eighty minutes that I highly recommend everyone to check out.

15) Barbie

Directed by: Greta Gerwig

The highest grossing film of 2023, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie was exactly everything I wanted it to be. Boasting a solid cast, a terrific screenplay, a killer soundtrack, and some of the most dizzying and colorful images I’ve seen on the big screen all year, Barbie was a fun deconstruction of the iconic doll. For my full thoughts on the film you can read my Barbenheimer review right here.

14) Dream Scenario

Directed by: Kristoffer Borgli

I’m a simple man, I see Nic Cage in a surreal low budget film, I enjoy said film. Dream Scenario is an unsettling and weirdly funny take on cancel culture. The direction was solid, the script was excellent, I love what this film has to say about the cost of being an overnight celebrity, and Nicolas Cage gives a fantastic performance that’s quite different from his usual roles. It’s dark, hilarious, awkward to watch at times, and I loved every minute of it.

13) Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret

Directed by: Kelly Fremon Craig

Based on the acclaimed 1970 novel by Judy Blume, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret was a nice surprise for me, featuring two of my favorite topics in film: coming-of-age stories and existentialism. The writing was fantastic, I loved the performances from Abby Ryder Fortson and Rachel McAdams, I love the perspective the film provides on religion and faith, it’s a heartfelt family flick that isn’t afraid to delve into more mature themes. Check this one out if you haven’t already.

12) Four Daughters

Directed by: Kaouther Ben Hania

One of this year’s Oscar-nominated documentaries, Four Daughters tells the tale of a Tunisian family coping with trauma when the two eldest daughters run away from home to join ISIS. What makes this doc unique is the way it’s presented; rather than being a traditional talking heads documentary, the director has the family recreate their memories as a narrative film, re-enacting their story alongside professional actors (similar to Abbas Kiarostami’s 1990 docufiction Close-Up.) It’s a raw and heart-wrenching documentary, made beautifully by director Kaouther Ben Hania, that I highly recommend everyone to check out if they can.

11) Monster

Directed by: Hirokazu Kore-eda

Winner of last year’s Best Screenplay Award at Cannes Film Festival, Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Monster is a significant departure from the Japanese filmmaker’s usual heart-warming filmography. Unlike Kore-eda’s previous films, this film is notably darker in its story and subject matter while still retaining some of that iconic “cute” family moments that Kore-eda is known for. The screenplay is absolutely fantastic, boasting a lot of twists and turns in its narrative, all the performances were solid especially from the young child actors, Kore-eda’s direction was surprisingly outstanding, subtly revealing details in the background that requires multiple re-watches to catch, this was a smart and fantastically made film that more people need to check out.

10) Anatomy of a Fall

Directed by: Justine Triet

And now we get to my Top Ten, and boy was this year pretty solid overall. At the number ten spot is Justine Triet’s Palme d’Or winning film Anatomy of a Fall. I normally don’t vibe very well with courtroom dramas, but this one manages to grab my full attention thanks to Triet’s direction and screenplay as well as the film’s many fantastic performances. Sandra Hüller gives one of my favorite performances of the year and everyone else in the film was also fantastic as well; even the freaking dog gave a masterful performance (I kid you not you’ll believe a dog can give an Oscar-worthy performance by the end of this.) The screenplay is sharp, Triet’s direction is sleek and precise, the editing is purposeful, and the film features a rather inspired use of 50 Cent’s “P.I.M.P.” Overall this film is a masterclass in courtroom dramas and I highly recommend everyone to check it out.

9) Oppenheimer

Directed by: Christopher Nolan

I’m not the biggest fan of Christopher Nolan, but I can’t deny the fact that the man knows how to craft a cinematic event for the theater. Oppenheimer was truly THE movie-going experience of 2023. Nolan’s direction was ambitious, the cinematography was gorgeous, Ludwig Göransson’s score was intense, and the cast all together was fantastic to watch. If for some reason you haven’t seen this film yet go experience it for yourself in the biggest setup possible. For my full thoughts on this film check out my Barbenheimer review right here.

8) All of Us Strangers

Directed by: Andrew Haigh

All of Us Strangers is the newest film from director Andrew Haigh and it was such a beautiful film, not just in visuals. The film revolves around a gay writer who starts a relationship with another tenant in his apartment building, all while coming to terms with the ghosts of his past. Andrew Scott gives such a layered performance, Paul Mescal was also fantastic to watch, and the chemistry between the two felt genuine and pure. The cinematography was excellent and purposeful, I love some of the song choices for certain scenes, and Haigh’s direction is just sublime. It’s a damn shame Disney’s dropping the ball and denying this film a proper physical release because this was one of the most emotionally profound films I’ve seen all year and one everyone needs to check out.

7) May December

Directed by: Todd Haynes

Every now and then there are some films I watch where everything doesn’t exactly “click” for me until a second watch or so, Todd Haynes’s May December was one of those films; I didn’t exactly vibe with the soap opera-esque presentation for this film until I realized it was very much intentional for the story it was telling. Samy Burch’s screenplay was both unsettling and darkly funny, the music was weirdly hypnotic, both Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore were brilliant as usual, and Charles Melton gave such a layered and vulnerable performance. This was one of the most disturbing films I’ve seen all year and I look forward to revisiting it again.

6) Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Directed by: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson

Much like its predecessor, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was one of the most electrifying and visually stimulating films I’ve seen in 2023. It is rare to see an already fantastic first film get outdone by its sequel. Everything from its various unique art-styles to its many colorful and memorable characters makes this franchise one of the best superhero franchises out there today. I cannot wait for Part Two to drop and for the animators’ sake I do hope Sony Animation treat their animators like actual people and not overwork them like they did for this film. For my full thoughts on this film read my review right here.

5) Perfect Days

Directed by: Wim Wenders

I love vibe movies, and the newest film from acclaimed German director Wim Wenders had the best vibe of them all. Wenders’s film can be a bit hit-or-miss for me; his films are usually slow-burn experiences and they can either work wonderfully well or be a bit too slow for my liking. Perfect Days thankfully falls under the former as I was oddly entranced by this story of a man who cleans toilets in Tokyo for a living. Wenders’s protagonist in the film is incredibly well-layered and complex, and the character is made even better by Koji Yakusho’s nuanced performance that won him the Best Actor Award at Cannes. The cinematography is beautiful to watch, the soundtrack is full of character, this movie just sticks with me long after watching it. I love everything about this film and I cannot wait to re-watch it again.

4) The Zone of Interest

Directed by: Jonathan Glazer

Evil has never sounded so good; Jonathan Glazier’s The Zone of Interest was one of the most ingenious auditory experiences I’ve had in the cinema since Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma in 2018. The sound design for this film is truly on another level; every detail on the horrors of the Holocaust is still felt throughout the film despite not seeing a single image of it happening on-screen. Every other aspect of the film is just as masterfully crafted; Glazier’s direction is calculated and precise, the performances were natural and believable, the cinematography is unique, Mica Levi’s score is odd and unsettling, there is just so much going on in this film both on and under the surface. This was one of the most unforgettable films I’ve seen last year and one of the most unique films on the Holocaust I’ve ever seen.

3) Past Lives

Directed by: Celine Song

Celine Song’s Past Lives is one of the most “human” films I’ve seen in a long time. A remarkable debut feature, Song’s film is so tender in its presentation and gives so much to reflect on regarding the themes of destiny and what could’ve been had we made different choices in our own lifetime. The performances were excellent, the cinematography was beautiful, the score is fantastic, this was incredibly close to being my favorite of the year; in fact it might very well be in a couple years from now the longer I let this film sit in my mind. For my full thoughts read my review of this film here.

2) Poor Things

Directed by: Yorgos Lanthimos

What can I say about Yorgos Lanthimos’s latest film? Poor Things is by far the most unique film experience I’ve had all year. Everything about this film is just so bonkers I am just in awe of its creativity. Emma Stone gives perhaps the best performance I’ve seen from her, Mark Ruffalo was an incredible joy to watch, the cinematography was ingenious, I love the weird title cards throughout the film, Jerskin Fendrix’s score was memorable and unique, the production design was outstanding, and Tony McNamara’s screenplay is by far the best of the year. It’s weird, it’s funny, it’s extravagant, it’s one of the best films I’ve seen in a long time. I loved every minute of this film and I’ll continue loving it more with every re-watch.

1) Killers of the Flower Moon

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

So I thought long and hard about what I considered the Best Film of 2023. At one point it was Past Lives, at other times it was Poor Things. Both films I would consider my favorites from 2023 and both could very easily take the top spot in the future. But when I think about what film really made the biggest impression on me about the language of cinema, which film gave me the most to appreciate and think about, Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon has to be that film for me.

This film is indeed an American epic in every sense of the word, showcasing why Scorsese is one of the all-time great filmmakers working today. Rodrigo Prieto’s cinematography is purposeful, Thelma Schoonmaker’s editing makes the film’s three and a half hour runtime fly by, the score from the late Robbie Robertson underscored the dread in every scene beautifully, and the performances all elevate this film to another level. Leonardo DiCaprio was solid, Robert De Niro once again was fantastic just as he always is whenever he collaborates with Scorsese, but Lily Gladstone’s nuanced yet emotionally explosive performance is what gives the film its beating heart. All these masterful elements come together in the end to give us one of the most powerful endings I’ve seen in a film all year.

Could this film worked better with more focus on Gladstone’s character and the Osage tribe in general? It very well could; Scorsese for sure sees it that way, and yet the Osage entrusted him to tell their story. The film could’ve very well been a colder, more procedural crime story just as the novel the film is based on was, but instead we got a tragic love story that shows the complexities of human nature, and that love story is ultimately my pick for the Best Film of 2023.

HONORABLE MENTIONS (Yes there are still honorable mentions for this list can you believe that?!):

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Io Capitano
Occupied City
Priscilla
Robot Dreams
Society of the Snow
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
The Teacher’s Lounge
20 Days in Mariupol