2023 was filled with some great movies. There were blockbusters like Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One and Oppenheimer, and some fantastic independent films like Past Lives and The Holdovers.
More than anything, 2023 may have been known as the demise of the superhero genre fad. While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 still did well, films like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, The Flash, and The Marvels all disappointed, signaling a change of interest in audiences.
Luckily, this list features a variety of selections. While there is one superhero movie entry on this list, it's largely devoid of men in tights fighting in front of a green screen (opting for men with the job title “Beach”).
We polled our entertainment team and ranked the best movies of the year. Luckily, the results were varied. Of course, films like Barbie and Oppenheimer got their flowers, but so did No Hard Feelings, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, The Boy and the Heron, and May December.
But the list can only be so long. So we've highlighted our five best movies of 2023.
Just missed the cut
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
Fittingly, the biggest star in the world had one of the biggest films of the year. The concert film grossed $250 million worldwide at the box office. Its $92 million domestic box office opening is one of the biggest of the year.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
The long-awaited sequel to Into the Spider-Verse, Across the Spider-Verse, finally hit theaters in 2023. It made even more money than its predecessor, grossing over $690 million worldwide, and set up another sequel, Beyond the Spider-Verse.
The 5 best movies of 2023
5. Barbie (Dir. Greta Gerwig)
No surprise here, one half of the “Barbenheimer” double feature makes the list. The film made over $1.4 billion at the box office and will probably be a major player at the Oscars.
Barbie follows its titular doll, played by Margot Robbie, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery after she begins questioning her mortality. Ryan Gosling, Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, America Ferrera, and Ariana Greenblatt also star in the film.
Read our review of Barbie.
4. The Holdovers (Dir. Alexander Payne)
Alexander Payne's latest film is the perfect Christmastime movie. It follows a history teacher, played by Paul Giamatti, who is stuck chaperoning a group of students at a boarding school over Christmas break. Newcomer Dominic Sessa bursts onto the scene as Angus Tully, one of the students who's extra difficult to deal with.
Stylistically, Payne replicates the '70s aesthetic of cinema. While other 2023 films like May December also attempted to pay homage to this era, The Holdovers does it 10 times better. It's an excellently shot film with an amazing score.
3. Air (Dir. Ben Affleck)
Luckily, despite rave reviews out of its SXSW premiere, Air has not been lost in the shuffle for viewers. The film follows the inception of the Air Jordan brand for Nike. Ben Affleck pulls double duty as a director and star of the film.
In the past, Affleck has shown his directing capabilities. While Argo and The Town are great films, Air is so breezy and well-paced that it puts those films to shame.
Read our review of Air.
2. Past Lives (Dir. Celine Song)
Anyone paying attention to the independent scene in 2023 is aware of Past Lives. Celine Song's masterful film chronicles the journeys of two childhood “loves” who reconnect years later. It's central motif, “In-yun,” which means that interactions between two in this life are interactions from past lives, is powerful, and this is not a romantic film like When Harry Met Sally.
Past Lives is a powerful piece of cinema. It doesn't give easy answers away and sits with your heart after you watch it.
1. Oppenheimer (Dir. Christopher Nolan)
Oppenheimer, the second half of the “Barbenheimer” craze, came in first place of our list. Christopher Nolan's three-hour epic blew our critics away. Cillian Murphy holds down the titular role in a star-studded ensemble including the likes of Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt, and Robert Downey Jr.
Read our review of Oppenheimer.
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