Shane has come back to take stock of the films of 2023.
I really had a tough time nailing down a Top 10 for 2023. In years past I was able to easily craft a Top 10 without much thought. 2023 was different. There were so many great films I enjoyed but only a handful that I really see myself revisiting. Rewatchability is a huge factor for me these days and plays a major role in how I rate a film. That being said, my Top 10 list combines those films and films that are just flat-out great, rewatchability aside.
Disclaimer: I still need to see Godzilla Minus One, Poor Things, Zone of Interest, and American Fiction.
Honorable Mentions: Anatomy of a Fall, Maestro, Across the Spider-Verse, Scream VI, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and Creed III.
10. John Wick: Chapter 4
Pairing up Keanu Reeves and Donnie Yen in a martial arts action spectacle is a recipe for cinematic badassery. Throw in Scott Adkins playing one of the most absurd and hilarious villains in the franchise and you have my attention. Each one of the John Wick films are entertaining in their own ways and in JW4 Stahelski and Reeves put a bow on the proceedings while keeping the audience thoroughly entertained throughout.
9. Society of the Snow
This was the most beautifully photographed film of 2023. From the sweeping vistas to the stark climate, every freezing cold frame is felt. It’s a breathtaking, terrifying, and viscerally realistic example of what we as humans will do to survive. After a brief stint in dinosaur world, J.A. Bayona is BACK!
8. Oppenheimer
2023 is the year of Oppenheimer. It’s a juggernaut. It made a ton of money and is poised to take home a lot of hardware come March. While it’s easy to discredit a front-runner like this, it’s hard not to respect the artwork put into every frame. The performances, cinematography, direction, and script are all top-notch. Seeing this in 70mm was the cinema experience of the year.
7. Talk To Me
2023 was another banner year for horror. So many new voices making their way in the genre and one of the most exciting was Talk to Me from the Philippou brothers. It was original, dread-inducing, and cleverly executed. Excited to see what these guys do next. The horror genre is in a great place and films like Talk to Me are exactly why this genre continues to perform at the box office. Long live horror.
6. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning
One of the best action films of 2023. Keep giving Cruise and McQuarrie all the money to film wild stunts that almost defy the laws of physics. Massive props to Cruise for continuing to put his body and life on the line to film these crazy stunts. My only complaint with the film is breaking it into two parts. It does feel like half a film at the end. Even so it’s one hell of an action film.
5. The Killer
David Fincher released a film in 2023 to Netflix with little fanfare and no major theater release. It’s hard to believe but it’s the nature of business these days, I guess. If I had my way every Fincher film should be released in theaters, and I wish that’s how I saw this one. Even so, this hit on all levels. It’s breezy, funny, and imminently rewatchable which is sometimes all I need from a thriller like this.
4. The Holdovers
I am constantly bemoaning the fact that they don’t make them like they used to. A small to mid-budget film with one or two stars and a great director. The Holdovers really feels like a film out of time and exactly the type of film I was glad to watch at home around the holidays. Already a Christmas classic I can see myself watching during the holidays every year. And of course, Paul Giamatti is rightly getting all the accolades. Hoping he takes home the Oscar.
3. Killers of the Flower Moon
I really hope Scorsese keeps making movies. It’s hard to imagine a time when I won’t get a new Scorsese every few years. To no surprise, Leo and DeNiro are both doing transcendent work here, but the highlight is Lily Gladstone. She gives the female performance of the year in an understated but confident way. She deserves all the recognition she’s received and deserves the Oscar.
2. Barbie
Barbie was the most fun I had in the theater last year. I saw it with my wife and teen daughter in a packed and raucous theater. The perfect viewing experience for this one. Laughs throughout, a clever script and great performances. Greta and company pulled off what I thought impossible, making one of the best films of the year from a Barbie property.
1. The Iron Claw
The film of 2023 for me is The Iron Claw. I left the theater feeling like I had been put on the mat, in a good way. Efron gives the performance of a lifetime in a film where every performance is heartbreakingly realized. All the brothers are heartbreakingly realized. I knew the story going in and I was still floored by each tragedy being doled out frame by frame. It’s a real shame this film wasn’t in the awards season conversation. It’s truly the best of the best.