It’s finally here, y’all! I watched 209 films in 2023, and I was really pushing myself the last month or so because I needed to get my numbers up at least into the early 200s. Thankfully, I managed that, and was able to see everything I wanted to see, so I feel really good about this list. It was a strong year, and I think this list covers a lot of the many things that made 2023 such a great year for cinema.

As usual, while 50 is already quite the number for a year-end list, there were a few I sadly had to leave out. So, my honorable mentions are: About Dry Grasses, A Still Small Voice, El Conde, Flora And Son, Furies, Nimona, Pathaan, Priscilla, Radical, R.M.N., Saltburn, Shayda, Suitable Flesh, Suzume, The Boy And The Heron, and The Peasants.

Note that as I typically do, I get the information in the “Where To Watch” section from JustWatch.com, it is a great resource to find out where you can currently stream movies, be sure to check it out yourself because what I write here could be out of date after any given time.

 

A Haunting In Venice

Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!

Where To Watch: Home Media, Hulu, VOD

Featuring some of the most adventurous filmmaking in Kenneth Branagh’s career as he takes a more somber and spooky approach to his series of Hercule Poirot films, and it’s easily the best one yet. A melancholic tale of how tragedy can bury itself in the walls around us, consuming everyone who lingers within them. Yet, it still manages to be a genuinely fun and engaging time, not forgetting the delightful appeal of Agatha Christie’s mysteries. Even as someone who has enjoyed all the other entries, I really had a wonderful time with this.

A Thousand And One

Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!

Where To Watch: Home Video, Amazon Prime Video, VOD

A fearless tale of motherhood led by an amazing Teyana Taylor. A grand yet intimate family epic that spans years as you explore the bond between a mother and a son, and the complications that can both bond yet compromise such a relationship. I was so absorbed into the film’s atmosphere, its sense of place, and its characters. A truly engrossing work of cinema that hasn’t left me since I first watched it.

Accused

Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!

Where To Watch: Tubi

Easily one of the most anxiety inducing thrillers I’ve seen all year. Don’t let the Tubi exclusive release fool you. It’s a harrowing story that feels all too real for anyone who is apart of a vulnerable minority, touching on the ticking time bomb that is the intersection of nationalism, prejudice, and internet mobs. Philip Barantini helms the film with an assured hand, and Chaneil Kular is a compelling lead who really draws you into the tension and drama.

All Of Us Strangers

Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!

Where To Watch: Check your local listings.

The latest from Andrew Haigh is his most remarkable work yet. A loving portrait of parents and children and the things we wish we could say to the ones we love, but never receive the opportunity. It features some of the most striking and evocative cinematography I’ve seen all year, and it packs an emotional wallop by the time it gets to the end, and Andrew Scott manages to navigate tricky tonal waters with so much grace. Truly an unforgettable work of filmmaking through and through.

Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret.

Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!

Where To Watch: Home Video, Starz, VOD

Kelly Fremon Craig is so gifted in crafting well realized characters with complex interior lives while in the guise of telling light entertainment. This film is a very breezy watch, but it runs through every possible emotion, exploring the touchstones of girlhood, and the things that each generation can relate to. It’s no wonder this book was as monumental as it was, and the whole team really came to task in capturing that timeless spirit with this. A terrific film that unfortunately fell under the radar.

Asteroid City

Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!

Where To Watch: Home Video, Amazon Prime Video, VOD

While on the surface, it might not seem like the most triumphant work in Wes Anderson’s filmography, the film holds they key to everything that makes him tick. It’s a sort of deconstruction, a self-reflective work that explores Anderson’s fascinations with storytelling, performance, and finding meaning through the art we experience and share. It might seem frivolous, but this might be his most soulful film to date, and it’s one that I’ve thought about quite a bit since seeing it.

Barbie

Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!

Where To Watch: Home Video, Max, VOD

So much has already been said, I don’t think I have much to add. I just want to affirm that it is one of the boldest and assured works of filmmaking to come out of the studio system in quite some time. While there are criticisms to be had with the film’s limitations, it’s also important to recognize it’s ability to resonate so strongly, that even a “basic” message is still one that needs to be told and felt. It’s a really impressive film, and I’m glad it has sparked discussions.

BlackBerry

Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!

Where To Watch: Home Video, AMC+, VOD

In a year where we got an onslaught of films based on products, only one managed to rise above the rest, transcending our general fixation on consumption and worship of corporations. With BlackBerry, Matt Johnson explores ambition, innovation, and the traps of a hyper capitalist system that puts the drive for profits above all else. It’s a funny film for sure, but it’s a fiery film as well, with terrific performances all around, especially from Glenn Howerton.

Brother

Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!

Where To Watch: Netflix, VOD

This under-the-radar drama from Clement Virgo is a moving portrait of the bonds of brotherhood. And while it may indulge in one too many clichés regarding in its exploration of poverty, family, and the Black experience, the filmmaking is so artful and beautiful, and the performances from Lamar Johnson, Aaron Pierre, and Marsha Stephanie Blake hook you into the story so effortlessly. I was deeply moved by my viewing experience. It’s one of those films where I’m shocked it isn’t getting the attention it deserves.

Concrete Utopia

Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!

Where To Watch: Release Information Currently Unavailable

A classic disaster film setup, but with a striking execution in terms of how it explores class and human nature in the face of extreme situations. It’s a harsh film, but one that is willing to dive head first into the lingering moral questions that the characters have to deal with. It is scary what people can be capable of, but it is also inspiring to see that even in the face of that, some will stand up for what is right.

Creed III

Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!

Where To Watch: Home Video, Amazon Prime Video, MGM+, VOD

These films are always going to be my bread and butter, so it’s should be no shock that this made it onto the list. Michael B. Jordan does a remarkable job in his directorial debut, bringing in a unique visual language that works with everything that we associate with the Rocky franchise, while also doing his own thing. It’s a great continuation to this series, with characters that I am deeply invested in, and I can’t wait to see more.

Dream Scenario

Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!

Where To Watch: VOD, Home Video (February 27th)

Not every film I put here is something that I think is flawless, or even lacking in any major flaws. I still feel very strongly that Dream Scenario’s attempt at commenting on “cancel culture,” when it isn’t really relevant to the story it’s telling was a really misguided move. However, it helps that the film outside of that is gorgeous, funny, weird, and anchored by a wonderful lead in Nicolas Cage, whose skills feel so perfectly suited to this material.

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!

Where To Watch: Home Video, Amazon Prime Video, MGM+, Paramount+, VOD

This movie felt like such a revelation, even if you aren’t someone who is already familiar with the extensive lore that comes with something with as extensive a history as Dungeons & Dragons. What John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein remember is that what makes big movies like these so special are the little touches, and this is a film that is filled with little touches that add up to a well crafted, thoroughly hilarious, and rewarding experience.

Evil Dead Rise

Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!

Where To Watch: Home Video, Max, VOD

I don’t think there’s ever been a bad Evil Dead movie. What makes this franchise so great is that each film brings something different to the table. Here, not only do we have a family dynamic at the center of it – especially one involving young kids, but taking the carnage to an apartment complex makes for a refreshing change of pace. I had a blast with the film, and I hope this series continues to have fun and explore new ideas.

Fallen Leaves

Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!

Where To Watch: Mubi, VOD

Finally, a rom-com that is speaking my language. No, I’m not talking about Finnish. I’m talking about as a quiet and awkward man barely scraping by in a late-stage capitalist world that seems to get more bleak by the day. I’ve never seen a rom-com so dismal in its tone and attitude, but it works, and it’s also very funny, albeit in a very dry manner. And as harsh as these characters’ lives are, the film offers hope in the form of human connection. Things don’t look as bad when you’re sharing the hardships with someone by your side.

Ferrari

Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!

Where To Watch: VOD, Home Video (March 12th)

The latest from Michael Mann is a somber reflection on masculinity, ambition, and the cost of that those two have when you fail to realize you don’t have control over everything like you do when perfecting a piece of machinery. Grief looms over the film like a ghost, examining the choices of a flawed man. That one crash scene still lingers in my memory. This is Michael Mann at his most melancholic but also at his most ruthless.

 

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