2023 was an important year for film. There were a lot of highs, but just as many lows. It reminded us that the summer blockbuster still exists and remains a true knockout punch when done right. Strongly written characters stood tall, proving audiences continue to care most about them and their relationships. It was a year filled with impactful independent and low-budget films, a show of force that pushed many traditional big-budget giants aside in favor of artistic leaps of faith, with stories centered on characters we genuinely care about and themes that stick with us. There were a lot of weird, fun movies, too.
I saw 18 movies in theaters in 2023 and streamed a handful. A decent number, to be sure, but there are still plenty I haven’t made it to yet. Among them include Past Lives, Dream Scenario, All of Us Strangers, The Boy and the Heron, Rustin, Beau is Afraid, Asteroid City, The Color Purple, Anatomy of a Fall and Priscilla. Rather than ranking the following films, I decided to instead lay them out with thoughts for each. An honorable mention section is included to highlight a few that just missed the cut. Let’s dive in.
MY favorites
American Fiction (directed by Cord Jefferson)
Standout performances: Jeffrey Wright (Thelonius ‘Monk’ Ellison), Sterling K. Brown (Cliff Ellison), Erika Alexander (Coraline)
If I were ranking these, American Fiction would probably be No. 1 or 2. It’s a triumph in almost every way, and hard to believe it’s Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut (he also wrote the film). One look at his writing credits (Comedy Central, Master of None, The Good Place, Watchmen) proves he was ready for a project like this, and man, what a cast he gets to work with. Jeffrey Wright, often a standout in any project he’s in, finally gets his turn as a leading man and doesn’t look back. As Thelonius ‘Monk’ Ellison, we meet a brilliant writer once full of passion and still capable of producing complex work, with little to show for it. He’s searching for motivation, yes, but he’s also confused at the state of modern black literature and the ways entertainment giants use tired tropes and stereotypes for massive gain. Monk is tired of the system. Together, Jefferson and Wright forge a path forward that doesn't beat audiences over the head with what they're trying to say. Jefferson flexes his comedic roots by making American Fiction genuinely funny, with several jokes and conversations that had myself and a packed theater laughing.
It’s searing, bubbling with tension and yet, there’s a heartwarming quality beneath it all, one that is established by family. Monk’s relationships with his mother, siblings and deceased father are what hold it all together, anchored by wonderful performances from Tracee Ellis Ross and Sterling K. Brown (in one of his most entertaining roles yet as Monk's eccentric brother Cliff). As Monk’s girlfriend, Coraline, Erika Alexander is a friendly source of warmth, but also firm and defiant. I walked away from AF pondering what it means to find purpose, the complexities of familial relationships, the state of entertainment and how we can adapt both during and after hardship. I’m eager to eventually read the book it was based on, Percival Everett’s Erasure. As for Cord Jefferson, we can only wait with excitement for his next project. American Fiction is essential viewing.
The Holdovers (directed by Alexander Payne)
Standout performances: Paul Giamatti (Paul Hunham), Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Mary Lamb), Dominic Sessa (Angus Tully)
I made my way to The Holdovers just days into the new year. I’m almost glad I waited after the hype calmed down because it deserves every bit of it. From the first few minutes, I understood why many had said it had a certain feel to it, a cozy warmth yes, but also something very realistic, something honest. Director Alexander Payne explores the relationships between teacher and student, as well as how students can view (or dispose) of school faculty members who aren’t in their direct orbit. I remember so many of my past teachers and professors who made lasting impressions on me, and I couldn’t help but smile at several smaller moments in The Holdovers. Its magic comes from the trio of Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa, whose turn as Angus Tully is destined to rank among the best acting debuts of all time. Through them, we feel a real sense of human connection in a time when they’re otherwise lonely.
This group embodies the idea of not defining books (or in this case, other human beings) by their covers, where walls are slowly but surely broken down to reveal they’re all a lot more similar than they ever could have thought. It feels like The Holdovers is a film we’ll go back to often because it gives us something to hold on to and a message that is as timeless as the 1970s movies it feels so similar to - that humans yearn for connection, even if it comes from the most unlikely places.
Poor Things (directed by Yorgos Lanthimos)
Standout performances: Emma Stone (Bella Baxter), Mark Ruffalo (Duncan Wedderburn)
Poor Things isn’t for everyone. I could understand why some may take nothing from it, or those who believe its sex scenes are excessive, but I walked away thoroughly satisfied. It takes a lot of risks, it goes for it. This is the kind of movie we should be supporting. It's unlike anything that came out in 2023 or in the last few years. Thanks to incredible performances and an immersive, dream-like visual style, Poor Things offers something so over-the-top that keeps you engaged the entire runtime. It’s gruesome, bizarre and fascinating. It sticks with you after watching it. Emma Stone goes all-in, and it's clear to see why she won a Golden Globe for her commitment. She carries the film’s torch, seeking her path and freedom in a role that feels like only she could have pulled off. Liberation, discovery of one's self, sexual exploration and determining her standing in the world are themes at play, all in a society that disposes of women. Willem Dafoe was such a great choice to play Godwin Baxter, the Dr. Frankenstein-esque figure who breathes life into Stone’s Bella Baxter. He always seems to deliver. Together, they embrace the weirdness and make Poor Things what it is.
It was also incredibly refreshing to see Mark Ruffalo in a role that is so completely different from anything he’s done before. He clearly was given the freedom to match Emma Stone’s bizarre nature, and the results are delightful. He disappears into and embraces the role of Duncan Wedderburn. Check out this interview where he chats about it with Robert Downey Jr. Ramy Youssef’s solid outing can’t be lost in the shuffle, he’s great. Beyond individual performances, I loved the film’s choice to utilize a fisheye lens and wide shots in general. They add to the surreal universe Poor Things exists in. The frequent use of zoom-in shots proved highly effective, too, with many memorable close-ups of Emma Stone. Jerkskin Fendrix’s score is very effective, providing haunting, high-pitched peaks that accompany many key moments. Poor Things is a weird, empowering triumph in all the right ways.
The Iron Claw (directed by Sean Durkin)
Standout performances: Zac Efron (Kevin Von Erich), Holt McCallany (Fritz Von Erich), Jeremy Allen White (Kerry Von Erich)
The Iron Claw was among my most anticipated movies from last year and it delivered in every way for me. It explores the roles family members can be forced into and how the weights of parental pressure and upholding a legacy can stare you in the face and dictate the path your life takes. In the Von Erich’s case, these pressures killed. Director Sean Durkin has said he hopes audiences don’t consider this a wrestling-first film, and he’s right. It’s nearly impossible to walk away from it in that manner. It’s a takedown of toxic masculinity and all of its corrosive effects on individuals and those around them. Zac Efron gives what is likely the strongest performance of his career as the tragic Kevin Von Erich, who watches as he loses his brothers one by one. And for what? This is the question Durkin confronts us with. What is all the loss for? Primarily, to fulfill the lifetime ambitions of the film’s loose antagonist, Fritz Von Erich, who is long past his wrestling prime and without a shot at the World Heavyweight Champion belt. His children pay the ultimate price for trying to capture the glory their father so desperately seeks, even if he masks it by saying it’s for their prosperity as a family and creating a legacy.
It’s my sincere hope that the role of Fritz Von Erich is what propels Holt McCallany into mainstream success in larger films. He nails everything he’s in, whether it’s in Netflix’s Mindhunter or as Fritz, the intimidating and ferocious father determined to be on top. He's easily one of the best parts of The Iron Claw, even if he seems downright evil at points, which is saying something considering how good of a cast this is. You feel the tension he brings when he walks into a room. You’re scared shitless just like his kids are, even if they hide it. The Iron Claw is beautifully shot, too. You feel like part of the Von Erich family with how Durkin and cinematographer Mátyás Erdély capture their ranch home, especially in their recreation of the Dallas Sportatorium wrestling sequences. Several scenes stay with you long after the credits roll, and I think this film touched a lot of people in different ways. The Iron Claw is a cautionary tale.
Godzilla: Minus One (directed by Takashi Yamazaki)
Standout performances: Hidetaka Yoshioka (Kenji Noda), Munetaka Aoki (Sōsaku Tachibana)
Godzilla: Minus One is more than just a great Godzilla/Kaiju film, it’s one of the year’s best movies. It’s entirely different from the Legendary Pictures' Monsterverse. And that’s probably what makes Minus One so exceptional. It presents Godzilla as a terrifying figure. Here, he’s no anti-hero who serves as a protector for humans against other titans. He is destruction. He is mindless death. He is a living version of an atomic bomb. Whenever he appears on screen, you genuinely hope the characters we meet don’t suffer. It's Minus One’s incredible characters that we spend the most time with - but they’re also what make it truly special. Hidetaka Yoshioka’s impassioned turn as Dr. Kenji Noda is a delight, while Munetaka Aoki's Kamikaze technician Sōsaku Tachibana stands out. His relationship with the film’s lead, Kōichi Shikishima (played brilliantly by Ryunosuke Kamiki), is pivotal. Aoki’s humanity in the role perfectly reflects the film’s themes of redemption and what it means to live.
The point has been repeated since Minus One debuted, but it had a budget of just $15M. Godzilla, 2014’s jumpstarter for the United States Monsterverse, had a $160M budget. I’m a casual fan of Godzilla movies and mainly watch them for ‘dumb fun’ as the action/destruction movies they are. I'll be in the theater when Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire comes out. Minus One, however, taught me that Godzilla films can provide genuinely compelling characters with the presence of a looming threat that is truly scary. Watch this if you haven’t seen it. It's a throwback to Godzilla's origins in all the right ways. Subtitles are not a barrier.
Dumb Money (directed by Craig Gillespie)
Standout performances: Paul Dano (Keith Gill), Nick Offerman (Ken Griffin), Seth Rogen (Gabe Plotkin)
I was always fearful Dumb Money wouldn’t get the credit it was due, that it would be forgotten relatively quickly. For the most part, this has stayed true. It made only $20.5M at the box office on a $30M budget. It flopped. The lack of a press tour due to the SAG-AFTRA strike didn’t help. But go beyond the ‘box office bomb’ label that so often and unfairly turn audiences away from worthy films - Dumb Money is a timely, relevant and focused examination of wealth inequality in the United States, showing how much of it is by design. It blends the chaotic timeline of 2021’s GameStop Short Squeeze saga with a handful of very likable characters (I loved Anthony Ramos and America Ferrara in this). Paul Dano, like usual, is great as the cringy but likable Keith Gill. It’s also fascinating to watch this movie given we lived through it in real life not too long ago, even though January 2021 feels like a decade ago. This film feels destined to be looked back upon fondly, perhaps getting the due it deserves a few years down the road (FWIW, I hope this happens with 2022’s Babylon, too). Director Craig Gillespie has you rooting for common folk, delighting in the energy that joining a movement and challenging the status quo can provide. I’ll always sign up for that.
Oppenheimer (directed by Christopher Nolan)
Standout performances: Emily Blunt (Kitty Oppenheimer), David Krumholtz (Isidor Isaac Rabi), Alden Ehrenreich (Senate Aide)
What else needs to be said about the achievement that Oppenheimer represents? It has all the goods we’ve come to expect from Christopher Nolan. Precision production quality. A truly star-studded cast, even by Nolan standards. Some of the smallest side characters are played by massive names (hello, Rami Malek). Above all, it tells a story that couldn’t be more timely, one with a dire message and reminder about the looming threat nuclear annihilation poses to our modern world. Cillian Murphy, fresh off a Golden Globe win for his performance as J. Robert Oppenheimer, is worthy of the universal acclaim he’s received. He is the audience’s guide, a brilliant man weighed down by something none of us can even begin to understand. Robert Downey Jr. is unrecognizable as Lewis Strauss. What a great opportunity this was for him. It’s his Senate assistant, unnamed in the film and played by Alden Ehrenreich, who came away as one of my favorite characters. He brings reserved confidence and a sense of justice to the role, almost serving as the audience's voice who sees through Strauss’ political manipulation and self-serving nature. David Krumholtz’s Isidor Isaac Rabi is one of the film’s best supporting characters. He brings reality checks to Murphy’s Oppenheimer and effortless comedic chops. Oppenheimer was truly an event when it came out. Nolan proved that audiences still show up for deep dives on pivotal moments in history, even if they’re three hours long or jam-packed with scientific language. By focusing on the characters, their relationships and the impact of their decisions on the world we now live in, Oppenheimer is impossible to look away from and impossible to forget.
Air (directed by Ben Affleck)
Standout performances: Chris Messina (David Falk), Jason Bateman (Rob Strasser), Viola Davis (Deloris Jordan)
When I walked out of a screening for Air, I kept thinking I had just seen the sports version of The Big Short (2015). Like Adam McKay's hit, Ben Affleck’s Air locks you in from start to finish and presents you with compelling and often conflicting viewpoints, analyzing an emerging trend from multiple perspectives. It has a smart, quick-moving feel to it, a distinct tone. Somehow, both films grip us despite leading to outcomes we already know from real life. You don’t need to be a financial expert to enjoy The Big Short, and you don’t need to be a basketball (or sports) fan to like Air. For my full thoughts on it, check out the review I wrote here.
Honorable mentions
Ferrari (directed by Michael Mann)
Standout performance: Penelope Cruz (Laura Ferrari)
Penelope Cruz is easily the best part of Michael Mann’s Ferrari. As Laura Ferrari, Enzo’s wife and one of the key players in the company's financial dealings, she displays a quiet (and sometimes not so quiet) ferocity, often translated through biting humor. I enjoyed Adam Driver’s turn as Enzo Ferrari, even if the age gap between them is a significant one. He and Cruz combine for a few standout scenes. There’s an old-school type of feel to Ferrari, with loose camera work that proves effective (though I understand if some may not like it). The race scenes are intense, some downright shocking - making you worry every second when disaster may strike. Add this up with a surprisingly strong supporting cast (looking at you, white-haired Patrick Dempsey) and gorgeous shots of Italy and you have a solid all-around film. Don’t forget Gabriel Leone, who brings a real charm to the role of Alfonso de Portago. Keep your eyes out for him in the upcoming Netflix series based on legendary F1 driver Ayrton Senna.
Ferrari decides to zero in on 1957, with just a few flashbacks to relevant moments in Enzo’s life. I like it when directors take this approach to biopics, rather than attempting to capture the timeline of one’s entire life. Sometimes the latter approach works, but it’s tough to accomplish. Instead, Mann leaves the audiences to ponder the lasting consequences of 1957 and what it meant for Ferrari as an individual, his family, his company and the future of motorsports.
Wonka (directed by Paul King)
Standout performances: Timothee Chalamet (Willy Wonka), but the entire cast has a ton of fun with this movie and its premise
I was instantly intrigued by this project when it was announced. As a big fan of Timothee Chalamet’s work, I was impressed he decided to take on a role of this stature. That’s not to say he hasn’t already taken on big roles, given he’s the leading man in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films and set to portray Bob Dylan in James Mangold’s upcoming biopic. Willy Wonka is a bit different. Thanks to Gene Wilder’s timeless interpretation of Roald Dahl's character, the idea of Willy Wonka himself has generational appeal, a lasting legacy that has been shared from those who saw it in 1971 to younger audiences today. Those aren’t easy shoes to fill. Chalamet did a great job delivering a performance that is uniquely his own, with enough nods to Wilder that aren’t over the top, while bringing to life a new side of his charm as an optimistic youth. There’s enough there to see how this version of Wonka could have eventually become Wilder’s version of the character. Something, though, had to happen between Wonka and the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory to make him the more reclusive and skeptical of society version Wilder embodies. Hugh Grant as the Oompa Loompa is pretty awesome, even if it’s cartoonish and his screen time is somewhat limited. I don’t think the CGI looked bad at all, though. Wonka is a fun, straight-up adventure movie that makes you feel good, with a thrilling feel and catchy score. It's got great rewatch value. The ending got me. There's a lot of good to take away from this one.
Barbie (directed by Greta Gerwig)
Standout performances: Everyone
Above all, I hope Barbie delivered one lasting wake-up call to us all: never miss a Greta Gerwig movie. Seriously, she hasn’t missed. From 2017’s terrific and underrated Lady Bird to 2019’s triumph of Little Women, Gerwig’s selectivity with projects has paid off tremendously, with Barbie delivering levels of success even she or Margot Robbie probably didn’t anticipate. But the hype is worth it. It could have been a gigantic ad for Mattel, and some may still choose to label it as such, but that would be wrong. It blossoms in the hands of Gerwig and co-writer Noah Baumbach. Beyond the gorgeous, vibrant world it provides, audiences are served a story that examines self-perception, loneliness, death, superficial relationships and … oh, right, a toy brand, I guess. It certainly wasn’t what I expected, and I couldn’t have been happier with it. Forget dolls, the color pink and a brand that’s ‘just for girls.’ Barbie has something for everyone.
Killers of the Flower Moon (directed by Martin Scorsese)
Standout performances: Lily Gladstone (Mollie Burkhart), Jesse Plemons (Tom White)
I can’t tell you the next time I’ll watch Killers of the Flower Moon. You feel the three-hour and 26-minute runtime. Martin Scorsese’s decision to tell this story at such a length is, however, necessary. It’s three hours and 26 minutes of brutality, almost all of which occurred in real life, against the Osage nation. Searing and unafraid to turn away from atrocities, KOTFM refuses to end with a resolution or happy ending, because there wasn’t one. Scorsese puts the viewer in the homes of Osage nation members, in the oil fields where their profits boomed, and in the areas where they were murdered by greedy white men. In other words, the director puts us directly next to Leonardo DiCaprio. The superstar delivers one of his most understated and effective performances to date, but the real emotional center rests within Lily Gladstone’s intensity as Mollie Burkhart. She says everything with her eyes. We can only hope to see her in more roles from here on out. It was a pleasure seeing Robert DeNiro bring his best to the part of William Hale. He plays the long game and his ultimate game plan is handled perfectly by the veteran actor, who brings a real believability to the pure evil and hate Hale has within him. I also loved Jesse Plemons’ turn as FBI agent Tom White. He’s always a pleasure to watch. Plemmons is great at playing downright deranged or morally corrupt individuals, but it’s rewarding to see him instead arrive as the one who seeks to find out who is responsible for the killings.
Happy New Year to you. Here's to a great year of movies, TV shows and music.