With 2023 now behind us, let’s take a moment to reflect on what truly impacted me in sharing my picks for the ten best movies of the year. Hollywood did not have a smooth summer movie season this year due to big-budget flops, the supposed “superhero fatigue” setting in, or the Writers and SAG-AFTRA Strike; however, the second half of the season was strong and had the usual awards potential.

Let me begin by expressing my gratitude to anyone who found enjoyment in my reviews throughout the previous year, during which I merely attempted to express my opinions about different movies. Honestly, though, I realized that I wrote less than I would have liked to since this was the one year I felt less secure in my writing, which made me dislike the things I’d been working on since July. However, despite taking a hiatus from here, there’s always that enjoyment of going to the theater and walking out, loving whatever those two-plus hours gave me.

These best-of lists are always fun to put together, and there were only two I left off. I’ve seen 98 new movies this year, only missing about five (Priscilla, Ferrari, etc.). Without further ado, with those ranging from the only two successful Marvel movies to hopeful Best Picture nominees, here are my top ten favorite films of 2023:

Honorable Mentions: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (#11), Past Lives, The Color Purple, John Wick Chapter 4, Air, Anatomy of a Fall, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Joy Ride, All of Us Strangers & Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

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10. ‘Barbie’

If you don’t understand why Barbie became the highest-grossing film of the year, and for a studio comedy no less, what don’t you get? Nobody ever thought a live-action adaptation of the fashionable Mattel toy line could be remotely entertaining. Still, Greta Gerwig brought this world to life by delivering a thought-provoking message about being a woman and our purpose in life in addition to making it hilarious. Come for the stylish production, stay for the unexpected themes of existentialism. That’s not to say this was a life-changing experience, but this was the fun people needed last summer. A failure this was not as Barbie appealed to everyone with its pitch-perfect performances from Margot Robbie as Barbie and a scene-stealing Ryan Gosling as Ken. Something tells me the discourse will hate on this in the next few months, but you can’t trust somebody who doesn’t love Gosling and his song “I’m Just Ken.” [Full Review]

9. ‘Godzilla Minus One’

One of the best decisions made at the last minute was going to see Godzilla Minus One when everybody else had seen it, and you have to be insane not to find this completely awesome. My knowledge of the lore is minimal. But here’s the thing: I didn’t have to be a hardcore fan of the famous Japanese monster to see how director Takashi Yamazaki and Toho deliver a standout entry among decades of others that have surpassed or failed. The thing nobody expected to come out was how it showed the carnage the radioactive Godzilla had done in the most horrific way within its social commentary in post-war Japan. We also have a monster film with interesting human characters, especially Ryunosuke Kamiki’s Shikishima, the former kamikaze pilot struggling with internal war inside himself. Godzilla Minus One is a blockbuster that outperformed most other movies, and it’s simple to see why when a magnificent monster and war movie are combined into a two-hour effort. [Full Review]

8. ‘The Iron Claw’

The Iron Claw does not require a passion for professional wrestling to love it. Nonetheless, director Sean Durkin accomplished the unthinkable by focusing this drama on the family. The story of the Von Erichs, this dynasty of the wrestling community in Texas, is one I needed to familiarize myself with. Unlike the hardcore sports fans, I never realized the real-life tragedies that plagued each of them outside the ring. I didn’t get to review The Iron Claw, but let me tell you, it’s one of the best sports dramas I’ve seen in a long time. While it’s hard to rewatch, it examines what a family can lose mentally, leading to an emotionally charged tale about the power of brotherhood through these siblings. If you’ve been asking for Zac Efron to take on an outstanding role, it has come true in his career-defining performance as Kevin Van Erich, a role that should give him awards attention. Not to mention Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Stanley Simons, and Holt McCallany rounding out an excellent cast. The ending has stayed with me as a reminder to love those close to you.

7. ‘American Fiction’

Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut, American Fiction, is one of those movies that you can’t stop thinking about for weeks after it’s finished, which is a credit to how good the screenplay was. I enjoyed it after seeing it at Heartland and even more the second time. A satirical take on what happens when one’s idea as a joke goes down a much different path, almost any writer can find relatability with Jeffrey Wright’s frustrated writer, Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, who gives the best performance of his career as a leading man. You can see American Fiction taking a jab at how anyone’s willing not to take themselves seriously. Here, Monk writes a novel that’s an actual “Black book” under a pseudonym, only to backfire when publishers love it. What happens when one finds acclaim when one’s work is anything but appealing? The ending isn’t as perfect as it seemed, but it’s a sharp comedy and a family drama that doesn’t compromise either. Don’t miss out if this isn’t on your radar for the last couple of months. [Full Review]

6. ‘Talk to Me’

We’ve had a solid year for horror once again, and it surprised me to see that Talk to Me, which has been with me since last fall, is the first A24 horror movie on my list of favorites. I didn’t know what to expect since I steered clear of the trailers and thought it would be another run-of-mill possession flick. But what happens when it takes the basics of the Monkey Paw fable and makes it creepier with a mysterious embalmed hand? You get a memorable allegory on addiction that is so haunting for an original concept. Danny and Michael Philippou made an impressive debut by showing their hands outside YouTube, drawing attention to its effective practical effects and a host of characters unaware of the consequences once the hand takes hold of them. This also excited me to see more of Sophia Wilde in more projects since I would gladly see her in another horror film after this incredible performance as Mia. Though word of a sequel leaves me curious about where they’ll go, nothing will stand out more than Talk to Me. [Full Review]

5. ‘Poor Things’

If you thought Yorgos Lanthimos’ last film, The Favourite, was scratching the surface of the ordinary, nothing might prepare anyone for how he’s willing to channel his inner David Lynch or Tim Burton on all of us with Poor Things. This is another picture that will not appeal to everyone’s tastes and will be dismissed, which is unfortunate for them. Emma Stone’s performance as the evolving Bella Baxter is enough to prove why she’s one of the best actresses working in an adaptation of Alasdair Gray’s novel to make you laugh throughout, but have you thinking from a deep philosophical perspective about what makes us human. And with Bella, she’s discovering the power of life, both the good and bad sides of an imperfect world. Describing Poor Things as absurd can contribute ideally from its screenplay by Tony McNamara, production/ costume design, and how it’s an unexpected twist on Frankenstein with a true purpose of character. Also, Mark Ruffalo hasn’t been as great in almost forever as Duncan Wedderburn, providing some of the funniest line deliveries of the film. [Full Review]

4. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

Is there anything the MCU provided us this year that didn’t leave me wanting more? To no one’s surprise, it’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Leave it to James Gunn to cap out this trilogy with all the hallmarks we come to anticipate from this team of intergalactic heroes. I love the original, and the sequel is gaining more respect. With the third installment standing out as my second favorite, this offered the closure I hoped for while staying true to its signature blend of humor, action, and genuinely heartbreaking/heartfelt moments that will leave fans an emotional mess. More importantly, this is Rocket Raccoon’s story, and it demonstrates why he has always been the franchise’s beating heart. In a year that didn’t see the MCU at its greatest, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a saving grace, embracing the fun action, emotional heft connected with these lovable characters since the beginning, and another standout soundtrack with two of the best musical moments courtesy of Beastie Boys and Florence + The Machine. [Full Review]

3. ‘The Holdovers’

If The Holdovers were the embodiment of a person, it would be the most comforting person to sit around and listen to stories from the past. Director Alexander Payne found his mojo again after this disappointing Downsizing when re-teaming with Paul Giamatti in a tremendous comedy-drama that sees a hated professor, a troubled yet brilliant teenager, and a lonely, grift-stricken chief stuck at a boarding school during the holidays and the difficult times simmering over them. You watch this and have it transport anyone to the simpler era of the early 1970s with the wintery aesthetic while never wanting it to no end since these flawed characters warm up to you to no end. Though Payne denies this being called “a Christmas movie,” it damn sure feels like one that’s going to be a yearly watch now. The Holdovers does a fantastic job of capturing the spirit of the time and showing how loneliness can be surmounted by meeting unexpected individuals. Thanks to David Hemingson’s touching script and the best trio you could ask for in Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and newcomer Dominic Sessa as Angus Tully, who I hope doesn’t get forgotten come the Oscars, we got Payne’s absolute best, along with 2004’s Sideways. [Full Review]

2. ‘Oppenheimer’

It takes a visionary like Christopher Nolan to craft an adult-oriented, three-hour, R-rated biographical drama about the father of the atomic bomb, and the outcome is the most fascinating film worth the two IMAX 70mm trips. Oppenheimer marks another cinematic achievement from the acclaimed filmmaker, who could win Best Director, delving into the mind of J. Robert Oppenheimer with the years he and his team planned to test the atomic bomb and with the aftermath of the chain reaction to the event even from a political side. It’s surprising how captivating this story turned out to be, despite not being one of my top five faves of his. The dialogue-heavy film explores whether mistakes were made despite the intended outcomes, and it does it by playing off one of his best screenplays. We’ve all loved what he has done with original sci-fi and comic book moves, but what I always go back with this is this grounded storytelling that didn’t have to go bombastic yet felt so grand simultaneously. Cillian Murphy deserves the Best Actor Oscar in the title role, and he is supported by the largest ensemble of the year, including Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss. From the sound design, the score from Ludwig Göransson, and this tension brimming before they dropped the bomb, you don’t have to understand quantum physics to feel fascinated by Oppenheimer, not bored like some call this when it requires patience. [Full Review]

1. ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’

Sometimes sequels are tricky to outshine the original, especially nowadays with animation. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse nearly surpassed the first, but the feeling of another spectacular installment brought me immense joy. Picking between this and Oppenheimer was more complicated than I imagined. Why I chose one of 2023’s most anticipated sequels is because it pushed the boundaries of what it means to be a superhero movie, an animation, and a unique Spider-Man movie in general. For nothing else, it handles the multiverse aspect of the story with enough care that it doesn’t become convoluted. But it’s another adventure for Miles Morales and the internal conflict of saving one person or everyone in the world with his newfound knowledge of “canon events.”

As someone who loves Into the Spider-Verse and how it subverted my expectations, the filmmakers (Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson) truly stepped up with the animation that’s always beautiful and jaw-dropping by how these talented people brought these dimensions to the big screen without feeling overwhelmed when expanding the universe. The creativity on display throughout the runtime is art in all forms. Even the voice cast can’t do wrong from Shamiek Moore as Miles, Oscar Issac as Miguel O’Hara / Spider-Man 2099, and Hailee Steinfeld, who got the most development as Gwen Stacy. It’s humorous, emotional, and thrilling for everyone. And even though it’s only half of a story, it got me eager for Beyond the Spider-Verse to continue, which should wrap up one of the greatest trilogies of the century. For my money, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is everything I could’ve asked for, not only for the most entertaining superhero movie to come out all year but a brilliant continuation nobody can hate. [Full Review]