(This article is part of our Best of 2023 series.)
2023 was an odd year for me. Much like the previous year, my love of cinema had diminished to the point where I could no longer muster the energy to watch anything. I would go weeks without wanting to put something on and even then, it wasn’t a guarantee I’d even watch something when the mood struck me. If I couldn’t find a thing to watch within 30 minutes, I’d give up and go back to YouTube or video games. It felt like I watched nothing and yet, this holds the record for the most amount of new releases I’ve watched within a year. I watched every single movie I wanted to see minus Zone of Interest. Watched all the Oscar contenders, the critically acclaimed horror movies and indie darlings. Since I saw so many films, I’m going to be splitting this up into three parts and like always, they’ll be ranked worst to best.
These are my five favorite films of 2023 (plus 65 honorable mentions). Check out Part I here and Part II here.
20. They Cloned Tyrone
They Cloned Tyrone really surprised me. I feel like it came out of nowhere, no one watched it and then it disappeared like so many films do into the Netflix ether. If it wasn’t for solid word of mouth, I doubt I ever would’ve discovered it. The best way to describe it is to imagine a bet between Boots Riley and Donald Glover over who could make the best film out of the most absurd plot from a blaxploitation film but played 100% straight. They then proceeded to flip a coin and the winner got to decide whether they wanted to write or direct it. Depending on what you think the best element of the film is, is whoever won the coin toss. Which is to say, ambition butts heads with the amateur throughout the film. It’s uneven but what I liked, I really liked. The cast is easily the stars of the picture. The trio of Boyega, Foxx, and Parris are electric. They have a natural chemistry with one another that makes every scene with them together wholly entertaining. I also like the tonal shifts. The film could’ve easily been a wacky comedy but that’s basically Black Dynamite. This aims for something more grounded and while a lot of viewers bumped up against the whiplash realism and absurdism, I really appreciated that it didn’t go the easy route. It’s an audacious debut and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this director.
19. The Iron Claw
The curse of the Von Erich brothers will go down as the most tragic loss in all of wrestling. They are unfortunately perfect examples of the destructive power of living someone else’s dream. Their father pushed them to be great but also forced them into his life. And in doing so, created a competitive black hole that consumed them all. Three of his six sons (one of which was omitted from the movie) committed suicide, one died at a young age due to an accident, and another from an untreated wrestling wound. He wanted a dynasty of champions but created a legacy of misfortune instead. The film does an excellent job of depicting how uncaring and ruthless he and his pursuit were and how unbreakable the bonds of brotherhood are. The main three brothers are perfectly cast, each giving a great performance. I feel like Efron is getting the most attention simply because a lot of people haven’t been paying attention to his work. He’s been great for a while now but if you’ve skipped everything he’s done outside of the High School Musicals and raunchy comedies, this would be a revelatory performance for you. He gives the movie his all and while he’s tremendous and heartbreaking as the lead, I think the film would’ve been better served if they cut away from his story a bit more. Especially when Kerry von Erich (Jeremy Allen White) had just as big, if not bigger career in wrestling. I would’ve liked to have seen more of the dream and less of the aftermath of the curse but as it stands, it’s still a great film. Just don’t go in looking for a complete story or you’ll be bitterly disappointed.
18. Killers of the Flower Moon
America is a land of greedy wolves. Wolves will do anything, including murder their own loved ones, just to get a bit more money and/or power. Killers of the Flower Moon is a movie about these wolves but it’s also a love story. DiCaprio and De Niro are two of the most despicable, awful monsters in any Scorsese movie, which is saying a lot but I believe them when they talk about their loves. One (DiCaprio) has a wife from the Osage tribe that he loves even though he’s slowly killing her and the other (De Niro) is considered a great man and champion of the tribe despite being a white man who’s leading a secret plot to eventually kill them all and take their land. De Niro kills an Osage man who he claims was his best friend, simply because he was creating drama and he needed him out of the way. Much like the gangsters in Goodfellas who will do whatever they need to simply because its business, these are men who justify their actions because “this is how it’s always been” but unlike that movie, these rivals, these people in the way of their way of life, are their literal neighbors. They’re their friends. I believe De Niro’s character when he says that was his best friend. These are complex characters that prove two things can be true at the same time. You can be a monster and a friend or lover at the same time. It’s a fascinating character study and a look at history that has barely been touched in film. If I’m not mistaken, only one other movie has tackled this dark chapter of American history but did so from the point of view of the FBI investigating it. This is almost what this film was also going to be until Scorsese realized he needed more of the Osage point of view. He completely reworked it to add to their story, not just their tragedy and it is to the film’s benefit but it really should’ve leaned in more in that regard. It’s not that I think they got short shrift in terms of screen time but because Lily Gladstone is so powerful, her performance upends the movie. Every time she’s on screen, I don’t care about anything else. Her story is the movie to me and she’s not in it nearly enough. Once the third act comes around, she’s essentially out of the movie almost entirely and I think it suffers because of it. Make no mistake, I think this is a masterpiece that’s in the upper echelon of Scorsese’s works, I just think for me personally, I would’ve liked it a lot more if the focal point was split evenly between the leads.
17. Sisu
John Wick in WWII but with gold as the driving force instead of a dead dog. That’s basically Sisu in a nutshell and I loved every second of it. Some cinephiles would balk at having an almost plotless action film with near cartoon-y physics and moments that are so over the top, they’re almost impossible to suspend your disbelief to enjoy them over multiple masterpieces but I gotta stay true to myself. Objectively, this is nowhere near as well-made as Killers of the Flower Moon. It does not have performances as strong as Maestro nor does it belong in the same sentence as Oppenheimer in terms of craft. Those, and many other films I have ranked significantly lower than this, are much better films from a technical and artistic standpoint but I also know I will probably never watch them again. There’s nothing about them that created a desire for a rewatch. Just thinking about some of the scenes in Sisu makes me want to watch it again right now. This is one of those films that if you rented for a slumber party for adolescent boys, everyone there would love it so much, they’d just keep rewatching it over and over again and they would probably never get to the other films that were part of the rental stack.
16. Godzilla Minus One
Despite producing a colossal 38 films (including three animated ones), it’s shocking how few of them are outright bad. The vast majority of them are interchangeable in a ranking since most of them are good but the ones that really stick out are the laughably bad ones (the ’98 Godzilla) or the general consensus masterpieces (the ’54 Godzilla). It’s a remarkably consistent franchise that is now split between the Japanese-produced ones and the American ones. We have our own Monsterverse that’s essentially the MCU with Kaijus punching each other that’s entertaining for what it is but they pale in comparison to the last two Japanese ones. Shin Godzilla shocked everyone by how good it was and then they outdid themselves a couple of years later with what is now considered the second best or even the best Godzilla movie ever made. Godzilla Minus One isn’t just a good monster movie. It’s a good movie, period. The story is gripping with memorable characters and has a perfect mixture of action and drama. Western studios take note, this is how you make an epic without breaking the bank.
15. Past Lives
Past Lives is the first movie to capture the feeling I had when I saw Lost in Translation for the first time. The inability of two lost souls that have just bonded to go further because of the cruel mistress of timing, is the hardest thing to watch if it’s something you’ve experienced first-hand. In Past Lives, the two main characters aren’t strangers but are in fact, childhood friends that have now grown apart. They reconnect years later but not in a romantic way. One has been married for years at this point, while the other still carries the hope that one day maybe they can finally be together. The film is an exploration of love versus the power of timing, how important old connections are versus new ones, and if it’s even fair to tell someone your feelings if there’s not a 100% chance something could happen between the two of you. It’s a simple story told beautifully by an impeccable cast and a director hungry to prove themselves.
14. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
This is it. The end of the road. It has been a bumpy ride with some incredible highs and uneven moments but we’ve finally reached the end of the journey. This, more than Endgame, feels like the true ending of the MCU. Because Marvel will make another epic Avengers movie. That’s inevitable. As talented as The Russos are, they aren’t the only directors that can deliver a solid team-up movie that advances and expands on the universe. Endgame was the end of a very long chapter in all of our lives but we will get movies like it again. We will never get a trilogy like this from Marvel. Not like this. Because while The Russos are a dime a dozen, Gunn certainly isn’t. Hiring him is the ballsiest decision they ever made and man did it pay off. Say what you will about his trilogy but the fact remains, they are 100% a creation of him and they will never be duplicated.
I don’t think there’s been a more imitated movie within the MCU than the first Guardians. It has such a unique stamp that everyone immediately tried to imitate. The second wasn’t as successful in some ways (far too many jokes) but it also excels at its villain. Ego is still a top-five Marvel villain. If it was better balanced, it might be the best film in the entire MCU. It’s that strong. Like the two that came before it, Vol. 3 has its problems (it has no idea what to do with Adam Warlock) but it’s about as perfectly balanced as you could ask for. The jokes are thankfully dialed down this time and the villain is actually great. He won’t be as memorable as Ego (no one tops Kurt Russell) but what he lacks in charm, he makes up for in cold-bloodedness.
The High Evolutionary is a no-nonsense psychopath who doesn’t deliver a single joke, which I love. Chukwudi Iwuji gives an intense, oftentimes scary performance that I don’t think received the attention it deserves. It’s the best superhero villain in quite some time. And that’s his flashback scenes with Baby Rocket are some of the best scenes in any superhero movie ever. His origin is so dark and tragic, I’m legit shocked Disney allowed it to happen. I guarantee it traumatized some children in the audience. Gunn doesn’t pull any punches. It’s a hard watch but essential in understanding that character. Because while this is a Guardians movie, at its core, it’s a Rocket Raccoon movie. He’s the real star of the show and every scene involving him is stellar. Another element I love is the handling of Peter and Gamora. It was clearly not Gunn’s plan for her to die and come back but he handles it in the best possible way. Everyone gets their happy ending, they’re just not the endings you would expect for these characters. Which I like. The ending is clearly setting up more adventures with Quill but for the Guardians themselves, I don’t think we’re ever going to see them again and this was a great send-off.
13. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
If you had told me at the beginning of the year that I’d end up liking a Guardians of the Galaxy clone more than the actual Guardians of the Galaxy movie, I wouldn’t have believed it. If you then proceeded to double down and tell me it was based on Dungeons & Dragons, a property I literally could’ve cared less about, I would’ve called the cops on you because you’re clearly an insane person who’s escaped from some facility but you’d also be right. This has everything I’m looking for but not getting in an MCU film. It is funny without feeling like a joke a second, the characters are all memorable without any of them feeling like the cliched comedic relief, the plot never meanders and there’s genuine heart, not just tacked-on emotion. But like the first Guardians movie, it has one glaring flaw and it’s the villain. Hugh Grant is fantastic in this, he was born to play a bad guy but he’s not the main villain. The main villain is some evil witch who’s doing something for some reason. I honestly cannot remember what her deal is but since I like the rest of the movie so much, I really don’t care. It’s very hard for an ensemble-type action movie to nail all of its characters and I’d much rather the main unit be strong than the villain. It’s a real shame this flopped because I am down for many more adventures with this crew.
12. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse pioneered a new style of animation I hope more films are inspired to copy. Mutant Mayhem isn’t a one-to-one comparison in that regard; it’s doing its own thing but it’s also clearly the first of many that were influenced by its visual style. Into the Spider-Verse was designed to imitate the look of old-school comic books whereas Mutant Mayhem looks like pop art graffiti come to life. It’s a subtle distinction but there is a difference. Both are meant to tie into the themes of their respective movies and nothing represents youthful abandon like graffiti. It’s an art form adopted by young lawbreakers to make a statement. I’m not going to try and compare the justifiable vigilantism of these turtles with graffiti when that statement was more often than not little more than just repping a set but the attitude is there. That’s what this film, more than any other adaptation of the source material gets right, the attitude of youth. Because this is the first time the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are actual teens. They talk like teens and they act like teens because they were voiced by teens. That change makes a world of difference.
When Seth Rogen announced he was making a new Turtles movie, I automatically assumed he was going to voice Michelangelo because their attitudes are similar and I’m so glad I was wrong. He’s still in it (as are all of his celebrity pals) but not casting big-name actors in the main roles was the best thing he could’ve done. It truly adds a level of authenticity to their characters and dynamics that no set of four movie stars could ever replicate. It’s just one part of a larger tapestry of great ideas this film has. I also love the casting of Jackie Chan as Splinter and how they deal with his character. I love the Lord and Miller-esque humor. I think the action is top notch and I can’t tell you how happy it made me that Shredder wasn’t the villain again. The only thing I disliked was certain character designs, most notably April O’Neil but that’s a minor nitpick. With this and the Spider-Verse movies crushing it, it doesn’t seem like superhero movies are dead, they’ve just gone animated.
11. John Wick: Chapter 4
I’m pretty sure every John Wick movie has been in my top twenty of whatever year it came out in. You would think I’d be over this franchise by now since each entry is nearly identical to the one that came before it but I’m still in, baby. I don’t think it’s controversial to declare this the greatest action franchise of all time. Mad Max is the only series that comes close but while the second and fourth ones are flawless masterpieces that redefined vehicular action, the first barely has any action in it and the third is merely ok. The John Wick movies are on another level. They’re simple stories filled with big set pieces that are perfectly executed and I think this is the best of the bunch. For four reasons, 1) Donnie Yen is the best character this franchise has produced 2) Scott Adkins is in it and he’s the absolute best 3) the overhead scene inspired by the video game The Hong Kong Massacre is an all-timer and 3) the staircase scene is as badass as it is comically absurd. If they do end up making another one, I really hope they deliver on the bad guy. That’s the one failing of this series, the lack of a great villain. Other than that, they’re about as good as action cinema gets.
Part II | Part IV
What do you think of my ranking so far? Which films from 2023 do you think made my Top 10?
