2023 was an unforgettable year with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. It was a year of triumph but also a year of heartbreak. The cinema was my safe haven. It was my weekly temple that allowed me to experience unforgettable stories, explore new worlds, and relive some important moments in history. Looking back on it as a whole, 2023 was one of my personal favorite years for film in a very long time and I’m fortunate enough to be living in what I consider to be a modern golden age of cinema.

Narrowing down this list was no easy task. It involved a lot of rewatches and internal deliberation. A lot of movies that I thought for sure would make the list were sadly cut! So without further ado, here are my top 10 films of 2023.

10. Ferrari (Dir. Michael Mann)

Ferrari was director Michael Mann’s white whale. A movie he has been longing to make since the 90’s, it was an absolute joy to see this film finally happen. Telling a personal story of automaker legend Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) dealing with the struggle of his legacy, Ferrari at once feels like the most unique film in Mann’s filmography but also one that is undeniably the work of him as well. The only thing better than the race sequences in Ferrari is the performance Penelope Cruz delivers as Laura, which brings an emotional weight to the film that elevates the experience to the next level. With Heat 2 as his next project, it gives me a special feeling to know that Mann is back and just as great as he ever was.

9. Priscilla (Dir. Sofia Coppola) 

Priscilla is the most uncomfortable theater experience I had in 2023. A film that dives into the uncomfortable elements of Priscilla and Elvis Presley’s relationship that includes grooming, drug use, gaslighting, and emotional/physical abuse. Coppola expertly portrays Graceland as a prison where Priscilla’s identity is stripped away and she becomes nothing more than a vessel for her partner to lash out his frustrations on. Priscilla works so well mainly because of the performances from Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi that bring an emotional depth to the material that convey a real sense of toxicity and love that culminates into a freight train of an ending shot. 

8. May December (Dir. Todd Haynes)

May December feels like flipping through a tabloid that’s been adapted into a Lifetime film.  An examination on the moral compass of humanity and love while being a thought provoking look at assimilation through craft and the moral ramifications that come with it. Julianne Moore gives a manic performance evocative of Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest, Natalie Portman would slot perfectly into Ingmar Bergman’s Persona, but Charles Melton gives one of the most tragic performances of the modern era that left me destroyed. Beautifully shot and with impeccable sound design, May December is a movie that will linger with me for a very long time.

7. Thanksgiving (Dir. Eli Roth)

Eli Roth’s excellent contribution to Grindhouse finally gets a feature length expansion and I was unsure where it would land for me. Gone is the cheap 80’s aesthetic and in its place is a sleek 90’s slasher look and feel. Roth isn’t afraid to give us a lean and mean slasher that delivers some of the best gore in his films since Hostel: Part II. Taking obscene gore and POV shots from the 80’s and combining it with the smart sensibilities of 90’s films such as Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. Thanksgiving feels like a celebration of the genre as a whole while reminding audiences what made it great in the first place. One of the best slasher films of the new decade, Eli Roth’s best film, and easily one of the best films of 2023.

6. Talk To Me (Dir. Michael and Danny Philippou)

Talk To Me is one of the most frightening films I’ve ever experienced. Scenes in the film start out fun but soon become claustrophobic affairs that deliver frights and tension without ever relying on jumpscares. Pair that strength with a cast of very likable characters, impressive camerawork, jaw-dropping practical gore VFX, and you have a twisted concoction that left me shaken. At one point in the film I felt like I was going to have an anxiety attack, but I was also having a lot of fun? Talk To Me brings up interesting themes about mental health, grief, and drug use but never loses sight of being a fun as hell horror film. I forgot what it was like to be scared by a modern horror film, Talk To Me reminded me what it was like.

5. Sick (Dir. John Hyams)

A slasher film for the COVID-era may sound like an eye-rolling premise and in the hands of almost any other filmmakers, this probably would’ve been a total disaster. Instead John Hyams brings his action film expertise to the slasher genre and delivers a mean as hell, brutally violent cat and mouse chase. Slasher films work best when they’re a reflection of society’s fears at the time of release and Kevin Williamson’s sharp script proves he still has his finger on the pulse of what makes audiences tick. A little bit Scream, a little bit I Know What You Did Last Summer, and a look back at the pandemic that we all experienced a few years back. Sick is the most thrilling and chilling 80 minutes you can experience in the slasher genre today.

4. Killers of the Flower Moon (Dir. Martin Scorsese)

Killers of the Flower Moon is a hard movie to write about. Not because I have nothing to say but because my mind goes to so many places after watching this behemoth of a film. I could sit here and praise performances from Lily Gladstone and Leonardo DiCaprio, the direction of Scorsese, the highlighting of history hidden from textbooks or the absolute knockout of an ending told through a light hearted radio show. Instead I’m sitting here thinking about the resistance of assimilation in overwhelming odds and the inherent evil that exists in human beings. I’ll say this: The coyote and snake are predators but kill out of necessity. Humans kill out of greed and malice.

3. Godzilla Minus One (Dir. Takashi Yamazaki)

A Showa film for the modern age. Godzilla Minus One takes the simple premise of a post-war era Godzilla film and uses that as a platform to explore themes of PTSD, found family, redemption, and love. Godzilla Minus One displays a wonderful amount of craft featuring scenes reminiscent of classic Godzilla film but also delivers new thrills that take inspiration from films such as Jaws. The best Godzilla film since the 1954 original and one that made my heart very happy. See this one BIG and see this one LOUD.

2. The Iron Claw (Dir. Sean Durkin)

The Iron Claw is a haunting southern gothic about toxic masculinity and the burden of expectation through the eyes of americana and brotherly love. The Iron Claw isn’t afraid to wear its heart on its sleeve while bringing the Von Erich legacy to life through breathtaking performances in its ensemble cast. The rare film that had me full on sobbing at multiple points with its portrayal of tragedy and beauty. If anyone deserves an Oscar nomination this year, it’s Zac Efron.

1. Oppenheimer (Dir. Christopher Nolan)

With Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan weaves a rich tapestry of the burdens of genius and moral questioning of conflict. A dance of leftist ideas and service to country that led to an emotionally devastating conclusion that I couldn’t take my eyes off of. Aside from the thematic achievements, Oppenheimer is an absolute technical marvel to behold featuring some of Nolan’s strongest work. From the trinity test sequence to congressional hearings, Nolan manages to make every scene a thrilling spectacle that feels rightfully earned. Oppenheimer also features some of my favorite performances this year from Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr, and Rami Malek. If I had to place a bet for any film winning Best Picture this year, I would be this one. Oppenheimer is the fastest three hours I’ve ever experienced and easily my favorite film of 2023.

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