23. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES

When “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” was announced, my expectations couldn’t have been lower. And maybe that helped my enjoyment of this film. On almost every level, this film overachieves. It is humorous, there are standout performances (Chris Pine, Sophia Lillis), and the adventure elevates a subject matter I know very little about. A year ago, had you told me that this film would make my best-of list, I would have laughed at you.

Directed by: Jonathan M. Goldstein & John Francis Daley
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: March 31, 2023
Genre: Action
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 2h 14m
Budget: $150 million
Worldwide Box Office: $208,177,026

22. PRISCILLA

Cailee Spaeny is becoming one of my favorite modern actresses. She often brings a unique perspective and charm to her roles and, in “Priscilla,” she does much of the heavy lifting. “Elvis” was on my favorites list last year, and the funny part is that I am not even a giant Elvis Presley fan. I find the drama of these films endlessly entertaining.

Directed by: Sofia Coppola
Studio: A24
Release Date: November 3, 2023
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 1h 53m
Budget: $20 million
Worldwide Box Office: $32,936,704

21. AMERICAN FICTION

I got to work on the marketing for “American Fiction,” and I can say I enjoyed this film the first time I saw it. Jeffrey Wright has a gravitas that demands your attention. The freshness of Cord Jefferson’s screenplay is much appreciated and deserving of his Academy Award. It’s a unique story involving tough subject matter and people of color, which remains funny and entertaining. I cannot wait to see what Jefferson does next.

Directed by: Cord Jefferson
Studio: Amazon MGM Studios + Orion Pictures
Release Date: December 15, 2023
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 1h 57m
Budget: $10 million
Worldwide Box Office: $22,483,370
ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER + 5-TIME NOMINEE

20. THE IRON CLAW

The ensemble cast of “The Iron Claw” is phenomenal. They turn in some of the year’s best scenes, especially those involving Zac Efron. Comparable to “The Wrestler,” this takes a raw look at the demands of professional wrestling and the toll it can take on the entertainers involved.

Directed by: Sean Durkin
Studio: A24
Release Date: December 22, 2023
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 2h 12m
Budget: $15.9 million
Worldwide Box Office: $44,257,861

19. NAPOLEON

Joaquin Phoenix is one of the best actors of our generation. No matter the role, he adds a spice that only he can. He excels in the anti-hero role, where it is easy to dislike him, but you still root for him. “Napoleon” was critically panned, but I tend to disagree, as it captivated and brought to life this under-depicted historical figure.

Directed by: Ridley Scott
Studio: Columbia Pictures + Apple Original Films
Release Date: November 22, 2023
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 2h 38m
Budget: $200 million
Worldwide Box Office: $221,033,011
3-TIME ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINEE

18. THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES

Kudos to Francis Lawrence and Suzanne Collins for diving back into “The Hunger Games” world, as it is ripe with more stories to tell. Often prequels to highly successful franchises can feel like a cash grab, but “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” provided just the right amount of entertainment to feel justified. Casting Viola Davis as the villain was a genius move, and Rachel Zegler’s charisma and magnetism are undeniable. Her chemistry with Tom Blyth is natural, both of whom turn in star-making performances. The lore of this world is captivating, the “games” are action-packed, and, overall, this prequel clicked for me.

Directed by: Francis Lawrence
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: November 17, 2023
Genre: Action
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 2h 37m
Budget: $100 million
Worldwide Box Office: $337,371,917

17. A GOOD PERSON

Florence Pugh is a showstopper. No matter what project she stars in, she ultimately adds a layer of emotion that not many actresses of her generation could replicate. “A Good Person” is Zach Braff’s fourth time directing a feature (“Garden State,” “Wish I Was Here,” “Going In Style”), and he once again proves successful at making you care about his understated characters.

Directed by: Zach Braff
Studio: United Artists Releasing
Release Date: March 24, 2023
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 2h 8m
Budget: $—
Worldwide Box Office: $2,688,568

16. TALK TO ME

“Talk To Me” was one of the 2023 horror films that stuck with me more than any other. Not the most technical horror film ever achieved by A24, this Australian-made feature delivers an intensity and unique perspective lacking in the genre recently. Packed with style and thought-provoking subject matter, people will be talking about this instant classic for decades to come.

Directed by: Danny & Michael Philippou
Studio: A24
Release Date: July 28, 2023
Genre: Horror
Rating: R
Runtime: 1h 35m
Budget: $4.5 million
Worldwide Box Office: $92,181,735

15. 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL

When done well, documentaries are easily some of my favorite films of any given year. “20 Days in Mariupol” was haunting. Journalist Mstyslav Chernov puts his life on the line to capture imagery of Russia invading Ukraine that the entire world needs to see as Russia attacks women and children in hospitals. Simply being on the frontline of the war is enough to draw an audience, but to compile this footage into a heart-pounding, emotional whirlwind is another feat in and of itself.

Directed by: Mstyslav Chernov
Studio: PBS Distribution
Release Date: July 14, 2023
Genre: Documentary
Rating: PG
Runtime: 1h 34m
Budget: $—
Worldwide Box Office: $20,555
ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER

14. TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS

Almost every film in the “Transformers” franchise has made my favorites list in some regard. “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” is no different. Nostalgia is often the key, as the cartoons and toys loomed large in my childhood. I merely love seeing these larger-than-life characters on the big screen. Then, to bring to life the popular “Beast Wars” storyline is another notch on the nostalgia tour. As long as Peter Cullen continues to voice Optimus Prime, I’m not sure I’ll ever stop loving these films. The human characters are mostly forgettable, and Pete Davidson voicing an autobot is an unfortunate byproduct of this film. But overall, I found myself transported to when I was a kid.

Directed by: Steven Caple Jr.
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: June 9, 2023
Genre: Action
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 2h 7m
Budget: $200 million
Worldwide Box Office: $438,966,392

13. ASTEROID CITY

A Wes Anderson film is an event. He may never stray from his shot compositions or vivid production designs, but the changing of his setting and characters is endlessly entertaining. The ensemble cast he amasses is a modern marvel, offering roles for these actors outside anything they’ve ever done. He also spotlights up-and-coming talent that otherwise wouldn’t have a chance to shine. In “Asteroid City,” Scarlett Johansson and Jason Schwartzman are ushered into unique roles, while Jake Ryan is the young star who gets the spotlight. With many of Anderson’s go-to players, like Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, and Adrien Brody, mixed with fresh faces like Sophia Lillis and Maya Hawke, this is one of Wes Anderson’s best.

Directed by: Wes Anderson
Studio: Focus Features
Release Date: June 23, 2023
Genre: Comedy
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 1h 45m
Budget: $25 million
Worldwide Box Office: $53,857,743

12. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM

Much like “Transformers,” it is hard for me not to get invested in a “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle” movie because of my nostalgia for the IP. Putting this in Seth Rogen’s hands, adding a unique animation style, and making the characters into kids again make this film feel special. Had I seen “Mutant Mayhem” as a kid, you can guarantee I would have owned every toy that came out of this movie.

Directed by: Jeff Rowe
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: August 2, 2023
Genre: Animation
Rating: PG
Runtime: 1h 39m
Budget: $70 million
Worldwide Box Office: $180,513,586

11. POOR THINGS

Yorgos Lanthimos is one of the most brilliant minds currently directing films. Ever since his film “Dogtooth,” I have invested in his work. “Poor Things” pairs him with Emma Stone. Together, they deliver a retelling of the Frankenstein tale with feminine undertones and an adventure unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Yorgos and Emma hold nothing back, and you have to admire the ingenuity and risk.

Directed by: Yorgos Lanthimos
Studio: Searchlight Pictures
Release Date: December 8, 2023
Genre: Comedy
Rating: R
Runtime: 2h 21m
Budget: $35 million
Worldwide Box Office: $116,725,471
4-TIME ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER + 11-TIME NOMINEE

10. SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE

What a year for nostalgia and reminiscing about my childhood. “Transformers,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” and “Spider-Man” were my childhood, so to have all of them get big-budget features in 2023 is awe-inspiring. Had a new “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” film come out, the four touchstone pillars of my life would have been complete. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” picks up where “Into The Spider-Verse” left off and explores the different variations of the character. Spider-Man’s struggles are on full display as he pines for Gwen Stacy and a life away from his small community, feeling left out. Yet, the story’s twist shows how unique this character really is. The voice acting is superior, the animation continues to impress, and despite a cliffhanger that leaves this feeling less of a complete thought than the original, this is still the best-animated film of the year.

Directed by: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, & Justin K. Thompson
Studio: Sony + Columbia Pictures
Release Date: June 2, 2023
Genre: Animation
Rating: PG
Runtime: 2h 20m
Budget: $150 million
Worldwide Box Office: $690,897,910
ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINEE

9. OPPENHEIMER

Christopher Nolan can take any subject matter and make it an epic. Who knew the historical figure of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the mind behind the atomic bomb, could hold so much intrigue? Nolan assembles a powerhouse ensemble cast, some of the best cinematography of the year, and an Academy Award Best Picture winner. The world of film needs more visionaries like Christopher Nolan.

Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Studio: Universal Pictures
Release Date: July 21, 2023
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 3h 0m
Budget: $100 million
Worldwide Box Office: $968,213,540
7-TIME ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER & 13-TIME NOMINEE + BEST PICTURE WINNER

8. BARBIE

Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” was my favorite of the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon. As a superfan of Christopher Nolan, I knew I would most likely enjoy “Oppenheimer,” but with “Barbie,” I went in with lower expectations and ended up blown away. There’s a thoughtful moment toward the film’s end with the Oscar-winning Billie Eilish song, “What Was I Made For,” that had me in tears. Margot Robbie’s range is fully displayed, nailing the comedy while exuding emotion. Ryan Gosling is the perfect comic relief, and Will Ferrell adds a level of absurdity that only he can. Even though this film’s success will spawn a deluge of unneeded IP ventures, “Barbie” will always be one of the year’s most memorable films.

Directed by: Greta Gerwig
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: July 21, 2023
Genre: Comedy
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 1h 54m
Budget: $145 million
Worldwide Box Office: $1,445,638,421
ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER + 8-TIME NOMINEE

7. PAST LIVES

More often than not, horror films are the only genre that can keep me on edge for the entire runtime of a film. However, Celine Song’s “Past Lives” does a similar job, as she tiptoes the line between soulmates and regular love. Achieving so much with so little, “Past Lives” features a star-making performance from Greta Lee. It’s some of the most honest and emotional storytelling in recent memory and cements the status of A24 as putting out some of the best movies of any given year.

Directed by: Celine Song
Studio: A24
Release Date: June 30, 2023
Genre: Drama
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 1h 46m
Budget: $12 million
Worldwide Box Office: $38,774,836
2-TIME ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINEE

6. GODZILLA MINUS ONE

Ho-ly crap. “Godzilla Minus One” is the epitome of delivering an epic on a small budget. We’re used to seeing Godzilla portrayed in big-budget studio epics, so to see the monster in a Japanese labor of love that goes above and beyond any previous iterations is cause for celebration. Many graphics-heavy studio blockbusters don’t look half as good as “Godzilla Minus One,” which should speak loudly to Hollywood and its mismanagement of resources. Despite a script soaked in melodrama, the film has its heart in the right place and wowed me endlessly.

Directed by: Takashi Yamazaki
Studio: Toho International
Release Date: December 1, 2023
Genre: Sci-Fi
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 2h 5m
Budget: $12 million
Worldwide Box Office: $115,837,098
ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER

5. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

Leonardo DiCaprio’s screen presence is so magnetic in “Killers of the Flower Moon,” that it’s hard not to fall in love with this film. Pair him with Robert De Niro and a career-making performance from Lily Gladstone (I wish she would have won the Oscar), and you’ve got one of the year’s best casts. Martin Scorsese achieves in making a thought-provoking and eye-opening epic.

Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Studio: Paramount Pictures + Apple Original Films
Release Date: October 20, 2023
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 3h 26m
Budget: $200 million
Worldwide Box Office: $157,026,901
10-TIME ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINEE

4. JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4

Several moments and multiple characters in “John Wick: Chapter 4” effortlessly make it one of my favorites of the year. Keanu Reeves has had four films to make this character his own. Although he sets the film’s foundation, the world around him makes the film shine. I cannot praise Donnie Yen enough. His charisma and the decision to make him a blind fighter involved in Wick’s past make him one of my favorite characters of the year. The fight scenes are phenomenal, as always. The screenplay does a great job placing these unique characters together at opportune moments. Bill Skarsgård is a great villain, Scott Adkins does his best Penguin impersonation, and Shamier Anderson as Mr. Nobody is a delightful addition. Top that off with a great side story involving Hiroyuki Sanada and Rina Sawayama, and it’s just a thrilling epic. Not to mention two of the best sequences from any action movie ever. The first is a video game-style sequence in a house, passing through ceilings and walls as hitmen come out of the woodwork. The second is a long take of John fighting his way up the Rue Foyatier stairs that I can only describe as one of the most impressive set pieces I’ve ever seen. To heap this amount of praise on a John Wick movie should tell you something.

Directed by: Chad Stahelski
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: March 24, 2023
Genre: Action
Rating: R
Runtime: 2h 49m
Budget: $100 million
Worldwide Box Office: $440,157,245

3. SANCTUARY

Throughout this list, I’ve described many actors and actresses as showstoppers or magnetic, but Margaret Qualley might be the most of them all. “Sanctuary” was a film no one was talking about in 2023. It went under the radar, and I haven’t heard anyone speak an opinion on it. But it captivated me as few other films did in 2023, mainly because Qualley commands your attention. Christopher Abbott is also perfectly cast, playing a soon-to-be CEO of a large corporation meeting with a callgirl dominatrix for the last time. Their final “session” starts innocent enough but unravels into an emotional chess match, where the actors show off their range, leaving the viewer to wonder which personas are their true selves. I love it when a film can surprise me to the point of adding it to my favorites, and “Sanctuary” is just intriguing and sexy enough to have done that.

Directed by: Zachary Wigon
Studio: NEON
Release Date: May 19, 2023
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 1h 36m
Budget: $775,281
Worldwide Box Office: $581,423

2. THE ZONE OF INTEREST

The depiction of WWII concentration camps in film is well-trodden. So, to deliver a fresh and disturbing approach is a massive achievement. Jonathan Glazer’s “The Zone of Interest” tells of the atrocities through a German general and his family’s perspective. To heighten the experience, Glazer keeps you outside the camps, as the family lives just beyond the walls. But the camp’s brutality is still experienced from the sounds coming from inside. There’s a scene where a child plays in his room with the window open, and you hear a thwarted escape attempt. The smoke from a crematorium billows in the background, all while the family tries to live normally, having pool parties and playing hide and seek. Glazer parallels current events, asking the viewer to question their own implications in looking the other way. The sounds, the shot compositions, the subject matter, all of it haunts me.

Directed by: Jonathan Glazer
Studio: A24
Release Date: December 15, 2023
Genre: Drama
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 1h 46m
Budget: $15 million
Worldwide Box Office: $43,930,383
2-TIME ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER + 5-TIME NOMINEE

1. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3

No other film in 2023 grabbed my attention as much as “Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.” Now, picking a Marvel film this far into the franchise as my favorite film of the year might seem laughable. But no other movie packed the emotional punch that this one did. When the “Guardians” were first introduced to the MCU, I rolled my eyes, wondering how they would make these characters appealing. Although the first two films were not among my favorites, even in the MCU, this third film genuinely made me care about these lesser-known characters. To get me invested in Rocket Raccoon’s story to the point of bringing me to tears (multiple times) is an achievement, whichever way you want to look at it. With this being James Gunn’s swan song with the characters and this franchise, I believe he turned the emotions up to full throttle. I enjoyed Chukwudi Iwuji’s villain and the side origin story of Rocket. Gunn’s unique humor is all over this film, in the writing, the production design, and the casting (Nathan Fillion). Even the continuation of the MCU storyline was enchanting, as Peter Quill grapples with the fact that this version of Gamora is not the version that he fell in love with, a foreshadowing of what I feel will be the most compelling aspect of the multiverse and the Marvel films to come. So laugh if you want, but no other film invigorated me more to go to the movies than “Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.”

Directed by: James Gunn
Studio: Marvel Studios + Walt Disney Pictures
Release Date: May 5, 2023
Genre: Superhero
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 2h 30m
Budget: $250 million
Worldwide Box Office: $845,555,777
ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINEE

OVERRATED FILMS OF 2023

(Films that everyone was raving about that fell a little flat for me)

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS OF 2023

(Films that I wanted to be good and had tons of potential, but were some of the worst films of the year)

THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER

Not that I had super high hopes for David Gordon Green’s “Exorcist” film, but the original is such a classic, you would have hoped he would have tried a little bit harder to deliver a classic.

Directed by: David Gordon Green
Studio: Universal Pictures
Release Date: October 6, 2023
Genre: Horror

PET SEMATARY: BLOODLINES

The Stephen King adaptation game is pretty shotty, but “Pet Sematary: Bloodlines” was a special kind of depressing. Natalie Alyn Lind deserves better.

Directed by: Lindsey Anderson Beer
Studio: Paramount+
Release Date: October 6, 2023
Genre: Horror

AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM

Jason Momoa continues to be a great casting choice as Aquaman, but the script and characters around him are abysmal.

Directed by: James Wan
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: December 22, 2023
Genre: Superhero

“BEST OF” STATS

MONTH OF RELEASE

FILMS WITH FEMALE OR DIVERSE LEADS / CO-LEADS

16 out of 23

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PASS THE BECHDEL TEST

(1) It has to have at least two [named] women in it
(2) Who talk to each other
(3) About something besides a man

14 out of 23

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FEMALE / DIVERSE / INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORS

14 out of 23

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STUDIO OF RELEASE

ROTTEN TOMATOES RATINGS

GENRE OF RELEASE

RATING OF RELEASE

RUNTIME RANGES

PRODUCTION BUDGETS

WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE

FAVORITES OF 2023

WORST OF 2023

WIDE RELEASE

FESTIVALS | DIGITAL RELEASES