13 Favorite Films of 2023
This could and would change tomorrow, but today this is my list. The 2023 films I liked the most are (in no particular order and I haven’t watched everything)…
They Cloned Tyrone
The rest aren’t in order, but this was my favorite. It’s INSANE to me that this isn’t on every single “Best of 2023” critic list. I am convinced that stylized, silly, pulpy genre films often get punished because they aren’t arthouse enough — especially sci-fi. Get outta here with that. Impeccably written and acted. Unfortunately, it also got lost in the Barbenheimer shuffle. Which probably explains the lack of overall hype. Jamie Foxx murdered his role. Teyonah Parris is a star. The way it subverted Blaxploitation tropes was brilliant. Need to go back and watch TCT again becase this was the most fun I had with a movie this year. Future. Cult. Classic.
Air
Another movie that isn’t getting its proper due. Because critics often punish, or at least dowgrade, movies that are fun — something we need to lean into to save Hollywood. Look, it’s not celebrating late-stage capitalism or what Nike has become. Anybody who is crossing their arms because of that has missed the mark. It’s celebrating Nike when it was David — not Goliath. More than that, it’s celebrating a dumpy basketball outcast clinging to relevancy and an underestimated powerhouse black mother coming together to change sports history. It’s an underdog story. A story about witnessing and celebrating rare greatness. This is very much the Ben Affleck who made Argo. He’s back. Having read this one before watching the eventual movie, Alex Convery’s screenplay sings. It’s probably better than the movie, but the movie hit damn close to the mark. This is my most rewatched film of 2023, and rewatchability is the most underrated movie trait.
Saltburn
No clue why this movie is under fire. Was there a secret cool kids meeting where a dogpile was planned? Bummed I didn’t get an invite. Anyway, after watching it last night, I discussed this one with my screenwriters group. At first, I liked it less than Promising Young Woman, writer/director Emerald Fennell’s first film. Now, PYW will certainly go down as a more of a cultural touchstone. No doubt. Smaller. More independent. More acidic. Yadda yadda yadda. Saltburn, however, has grown on me hour by hour as I digest. The spiritual sequel is just so fully realized, down to the aspect ratio, music choices and production design. The ending clicks a bit better than PYW‘s too. As someone who loves The Talented Mr. Ripley (and Purple Noon… and Ripley’s Game) and Cruel Intentions, this was a fresh coat of paint for that breed of story. It’s not deep or game-changing. It doesn’t nail all of its bold choices either (ahem, necrophiliac American Pie). Who cares? It’s a freaking blast that pushes limits. Patricia Highsmith with an aughts soundtrack that slaps. A cotton-candy class struggle movie (which subverts expectations, BTW) that feels disposable now, but when you see it pop up on Netflix 4-5 years from now you simply won’t be able to resist. Prediction: Saltburn will live on via the memes.
May December
Screenwriter Samy Burch is a force of nature. Cannot wait to watch Coyote vs. Acme and I’m begging for someone to scoop up that film after the Warner Bros. fiasco. Glad so many influential voices rebelled to protect that flick. Anyway, her script here was a perfect match for the Todd Hanyes experience — camp, dollhouses, melodrama but make it all a bit mundane. Haynes doesn’t always hit my taste strike zone, but this one did. Perfectly. The second watch is a different experience. Trust me. Oh yeah, Charles Melton is a star.
BlackBerry
Filmmaker Matt Johnson made The Social Network Lite, which is no knock, for a measly $5 million. Astonishing and an indictment of a business model that too often throws unholy gobs of money at problems instead of ingenuity. Glenn Howerton deserves a goddamn Oscar nom for his role. Period.
Anatomy of a Fall
Not quite Nordic Noir, because it’s French, but it has a similar vibe and aesthetic. Something about the combo of blood and snow always does it for me. Blame Fargo. It’s also more of a procedural than most of those movies, which sounds boring, but it’s by no means boring. Mid-movie, I wondered how director Justine Triet would stick the landing… and she proved she could. For me, it all came together.
Godzilla Minus One
Let’s remake Dunkirk but make it Japanese with actual character development and throw Godzilla in there for shits and giggles. A helluva ride.
Barbie
Was the ending perfect? No. Did it have a few off moments? Yes. Was Will Ferrell uninspired casting among an inspired cast? Yes. That said, this script from Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach turned a two-hour toy commercial and Mattel cash-grab into a memorable movie. It said something of value, sure, even if all the messages didn’t penetrate. The real accomplishment here is creating a comedy that will become Austin Powers-level ubiquitous in the age of social media distraction and a gazillion content options. Kudos to Mattel Studios, actually, for letting artists use their IP to do something new and unexpected. Hoping it becomes a trend.
Oppenheimer
Where Killers of the Flower Moon felt far too long and undisciplined, despite its many strong suits, Oppenheimer was tight and taut. I wasn’t a fan of Christopher Nolan’s previous three efforts — each felt so surgical and sterile that they were cold — but he’s back to his old self. His best outing since Inception.
Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret
Rachel McAdams deserves an award for her pitch-perfect performance here. Just a lovely film that felt like an authentic time capsule. I didn’t expect to love it; I merely expected to like and respect it. Ended up loving it.
Theater Camp
I laughed. A lot. A lot a lot.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
You didn’t really expect me to leave superhero movies entirely off the list, did you? Silly rabbit.
How to Blow Up a Pipeline
Incredible filmmaking. Riveting stuff. This one spoke to me, unsurprisingly.
[Saving potetial spaces for Poor Things, The Holdovers, American Fiction, a boatload of foreign films, etc.]