(This article is part of our Best of 2023 series).
Once again, I failed in my resolution to watch more movies this year. That doesn’t mean I won’t try again in 2024! However, I enjoyed a handful of films quite a bit… the kind that leaves you with a big smile as the credits roll. Maybe the art house/Oscar-bait movies just aren’t for me. I think it’s time I accept that about myself. Anyway! Here are my favorites of 2023!!
Barbie
From the trailers alone, I expected Barbie to be fun, and I fully expected to enjoy it. Both were true, but Barbie was also so much more. Charming, thought-provoking, and bittersweet in its social commentary, Barbie takes on the patriarchy (and, yes, the matriarchy) and gift wraps it in a bold, dazzling pink package. This is one of the few movies to tackle feminism where I truly felt seen. Not everyone is going to “get it”, and that’s fine. The important thing is that this movie got people talking about so much more than plastic toy dolls. And the “I’m Just Ken” sequence is a masterpiece. I’ve seen Barbie three times already, and I don’t plan to stop there. It feels like I see or hear something new with every watch. It 100% deserves its accolades this year.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
I will admit I am not a huge fan of Spider-Man. He’s fine! He provides some fun humor. I watch the movies. But a part of me doesn’t get why he’s so beloved. However, there is something about the Spider-Verse movies that triggers something inside of me. Is it the story? The animation? I have no idea. But Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was one of my favorite movies of 2018 – wow, was it really that long ago!? Of course, I was going to see Across the Spiderverse. And again, I was blown away by what the filmmakers were able to achieve. The animation is superior to anything else I’ve seen this year. The story was exciting and full of heart. And the ending? To say I gasped was an understatement. I cannot wait until Beyond the Spider-Verse.
Scream VI
The Scream franchise has been my favorite horror franchise for quite some time. They’re movies I can watch frequently and never get tired of. Even my least favorite Scream film is still one I actually love to watch. I will see these movies opening weekend in the theater, which is a rarity for me these days. Scream VI was no exception. While the movie has its flaws, it did not disappoint. Gruesome kills, plenty of humor, and at least one brilliant chase scene – give me those things, and I am a happy camper. It’s disappointing what’s become of the franchise toward the end of 2023, as it doesn’t seem as though we’ll be seeing any more of Sam and Tara. But Scream VI‘s final shot of Sam dropping the Ghostface mask to the street seems like a pretty worthy ending for the Carpenter sisters.
Anyone But You
Let’s face it. The rom-com genre has been so up and down over the past years, if not longer. Various networks and studios will churn them out, but the quality is rarely where it should be. However, every now and then, they will strike gold with the right script, director, and leads. In 2023, that was Will Gluck’s Anyone But You. I was so thrilled with this movie. Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney have palpable chemistry, which, first and foremost, is the most crucial aspect of any rom-com. But you’re not going to have a successful rom-com without the rom and the com, and Anyone But You‘s script was bitingly funny and romantic. A modern take on Shakespeare’s Beatrice and Benedick from Much Ado About Nothing, Anyone But You truly captured the couple’s enemies-to-lovers relationship. I adored it, and this movie will end up on my physical media shelf as soon as it’s available.
Red, White & Royal Blue
Of all the books I read in 2019, Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue was one of my favorites. A story of forbidden love between Alex, the POTUS’s son, and Prince Henry of England, Red, White & Royal Blue was sexy, funny, and engaging. Obviously, it deserved an adaptation. Of course, there are always risks to adaptations. Movies rarely live up to their source material. But Red, White & Royal Blue came really close, and I loved it, despite some of the changes made. Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine are perfectly cast as Alex and Henry, and their chemistry made Red, White & Royal Blue so enjoyable. One of the few rom-coms worth watching in 2023!
Honorable Mention: Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
I almost chose The Eras Tour as one of my top five, but since it’s a concert film, I didn’t really think it ought to take one of those slots. However, I did see this film in the theater and loved it as much as any other movie I saw on the list above. Whether you love her or hate her, 2023 was undoubtedly Taylor’s year. The unconventional distribution of the film – where Swifty bypassed Hollywood studios and negotiated directly with AMC to distribute the film, was unprecedented but insanely successful. The Eras Tour broke box office records and became the highest-grossing concert film in history. Say what you want about Swift, she puts on one hell of a show, and her influence is unmatched by any modern performer. The Eras Tour concert film was an unforgettable experience.
What do you think of my favorite films from the past year? Anything you would add?
