As everything winds down toward the Holiday break, I’m sharing my top picks for the movies of 2023. As a member of the Boston Online Film Critics Association (BOFCA), I submitted picks in many different categories including the top 10 movies of 2023. Some of the movies below are ones I’ve already discussed in earlier newsletters so I’ve reshared comments from those newsletters and linked to them if you’d like to read more.
Again this year I was honored to contribute a list to RogerEbert.com if you’d like to see that list and lists from other journalists who’ve made contributions to the website. Hopefully, you’ll find another good movie to watch because ultimately that’s what lists like these are for.
I think 2023 was a great year for movies and even if you only went to the movies once in 2023 for the great Barbenheimer extravaganza you saw one or two of the best of year.
More: It’s the Pictures Holiday Gift List
10. Killers of the Flower Moon
As some of the finest directors of our generation come to the inevitable end of their careers, there’s always this push to write about their films as if they’re a summation of everything they’ve been known for…That freedom allows Killers of the Flower Moon to flourish and take some unexpected turns, especially in the finale…
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9. The Boy and the Heron
The Boy and the Heron is an absolute stunner of an animated movie…Those who’ve waited this long for Miyazaki’s latest won’t be disappointed. Although it seems selfish to want more movies from him, if The Boy and the Heron proves anything, it’s that he still has magic to share.
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8. The Taste of Things
The French nominee for Best International Feature Film at the 2024 Academy Awards stars Juliette Binoche and Benoit Magimel as Eugenie, a cook, and Dodin, a gourmet chef she has been working with for 20 years. The Taste of Things is not only eye candy for all the food lovers out there as the actors make some truly stunning dishes, but its central romance is leagues more interesting than many that have been depicted on screen in 2023. I fell in love with this intimate movie.
More: ‘The Taste of Things’ Trailer
7. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
It’s Me, Margaret is an exceptional adaptation of a literary classic, one that I believe audiences will discover and cherish forever.
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6. Barbie
What more could be said about Barbie? It’s that rare IP movie that isn’t afraid to make fun of its products’ strange history, while simultaneously understanding the bond and history that audiences carry for their dolls. Leave it to writer/director Greta Gerwig who made the best movie of her career. Barbie shattered records not only because of the IP but because it was a damn good movie too.
5. The Holdovers
…And that’s ultimately what The Holdovers is about, finding that little bit of hope.
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4. Past Lives
Past Lives premiered at Sundance back in January, but its captivating romance continues to enchant viewers. While Past Lives is grounded in reality, it brings forward a question that was posed by last year’s Oscars winner, “If we met on a different timeline, would we be together?” Even in its quietest moments, Past Lives has the power to make the most profound impression. Two people staring into each other’s eyes has never had such an effect.
3. The Zone of Interest
The Zone of Interest isn’t an easy watch, but it’s a profound statement on what evil looks like.
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2. Poor Things
None of it would work without the full commitment of Emma Stone. The character of Bella calls for a physical performance from the way Bella speaks and moves, to even how she adjusts to the world around her. It’s way up there with some of her very best performances.
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1. Oppenheimer
I didn’t think Christopher Nolan had Oppenheimer in him. After having mixed impressions of his last few movies like Dunkirk and Tenet, I didn’t have high expectations for his latest. I was wrong. Oppenheimer is epic filmmaking with an ensemble that constantly showcases one excellent actor after another. Of course, none of that works without the commitment of Cillian Murphy who is at the center of this great film. Kudos to the entire team responsible for bringing this one together. For a director who has plenty of success in his career, Oppenheimer represents his highest achievement yet.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Chad Stahelski’s John Wick: Chapter 4, Andrew Haigh’s All of Us Strangers, Todd Haynes’ May December, Cord Jefferson’s American Fiction, Matt Johnson’s Blackberry, Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall, Frederick Wiseman’s Menus Plaisirs - Les Troisgros, Michael Mann’s Ferrari, Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus One