Reality-bending journeys of self-discovery, reinventions of classic genre fare, biopics for products both timeless and dated, and the movie-going double feature that blew up the box office.
By Cody Workman, Joseph Shin, Nathan Alligood, and Reagan Jones
After much deliberation and many arguments, four of our stalwart editors have finally agreed upon a list of the 100 best films of 2023. This list reflects the collective view of these four editors and is unlike any other list you’ve seen this year. Placements vary amongst the hottest films of the year and even some of the coldest of the year, but there was something for everyone in the movie-going landscape of 2023. Please enjoy our picks for the 100 best films released in the United States in 2023.*
*Eligibility based upon U.S. wide release dates, streaming debuts, and whatever screeners made their way to our desks.
100 | Rebel Moon Part 1 – A Child of Fire
At one point intended as a spin-off of Star Wars, Zack Snyder tried his hand at the space opera this year, giving us a perfect example of the popcorn blockbuster, filled with enough guilty pleasures to gorge any fan. Borrowing liberally from Seven Samurai, Snyder starts with a strong narrative round-up to introduce us to his newest pantheon of superhumans. Set pieces chock-full of acrobatics and slow-mo are sprinkled throughout to keep things moving and entertaining, before moving on to the next introduction. It’s certainly plagued by the sorts of problems inherent to any “part one”, lacking a good bit of gravitas in its climactic cliffhanger, but with part two on its way this year, I doubt this will be the last time you see Rebel Moon on this website. – N.A.
99 | Scrapper
Lovely little picture, the type of film that would be fun to say is your favorite film on a dating app. This picture screams quirky and turns out if you scream loud enough, you might just make this old chunk of coal fall for the sweetness. Congratulations to all involved, you made the biggest cynic on staff advocate the hardest to include this film on our list. – C.W.
98 | No One Will Save You
In a year with at least two oddly dialogue-less action features, the one with a sci-fi horror twist certainly stands out. With a plot fit for anyone who thinks they could square up to E.T., Kaitlyn Dever’s Brynn faces down with multiple alien invaders intruding on her home and determined to enslave its only resident, all sans dialogue. While its main gimmick may not have the best raison d’etre, it certainly makes for a tense game of cat-and-mouse, as the mouse consistently finds a way to best parasites, tractor beams, and all manner of alien creatures. Underneath all the action, there’s still a message of self-reliance and moving on from one’s trauma that comes across loud and clear through Dever’s expressive acting and an ending that’s a bit striking in its implications. At the very least, it proves that 20th Century still has some hits left in them, streaming exclusive or not. – N.A.
97 | Kokomo City
Loved this picture, funny and insightful while never ignoring the tremendous disadvantage of Black transgender sex workers in America. D. Smith’s tight pacing and energetic style makes for a breezy watch that ranks as one of the best documentaries of the year. Seek this out folks! – C.W.
96 | The Burial
There is no doubt in this viewer’s mind that the most impressive lead performance of 2023 belongs to Jamie Foxx. The Burial is an exceptional execution of the type of film all of us are familiar with. Strong direction, writing, cinematography, and performances elevate the film to a near masterpiece. Director Margaret Betts bets it all on her two lead actors and wins big with Tommy Lee Jones and Jamie Foxx. Run to this one folks, this is a major motion picture. – C.W.
95 | Occupied City
Clocking in at just over four hours, Steve McQueen’s Occupied City is the best documentary I saw last year and will hopefully find a wider audience despite a tremendous runtime. Featuring footage of Amsterdam shot over lockdown, McQueen explores the city while we learn about its history during Nazi occupation. The result of the experiment is a transcendental experience that is really enhanced by a theatrical viewing. I urge all readers, if possible, to seek this masterpiece of a film out in a cinema. -C.W.
94 | When Evil Lurks
With the multitude of horror films coming out in the multiplex these days, it’s rare to find one that leans into the bleak, hopeless aspect of the genre, a distinction that When Evil Lurks proudly wears on its sleeve. A fascinatingly different take on possession, the film slowly introduces us to a very different world than the one we’re familiar with, one where demonic possession is treated like a communicable disease, complete with rules and authorities to control it. The diseased, which in this case is a bloated, “rotten”, must be dealt with swiftly less a plague of carnage and demons take over the country. These sorts of apocalyptic consequences usually hold little weight, but there’s enough disturbing imagery and violence to reinforce that looming threat many times over. A conventional race-against-time eventually gives way to something much more sinister, never letting up on the misery until the credits roll. It’s certainly the easiest way to ruin your day for just the price of admission. – N.A.
93 |Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
The first Guardians was received rapturously at a time of increased public nostalgia; a time where Stranger Things was innocently received as a loving original rather than regurgitated pastiche of greater ‘80s pop culture. The second Guardians wisely recalibrated, focalizing its attention on Kurt Russell, finding greater character depth for all the galaxytrotters in the process. The purported final Guardians film stands not as any apotheosis of superhero cinema, but at least, a comfortable distance above its contemporaries. James Gunn certainly benefited from the MCU franchise’s very public floundering but that doesn’t alone qualify the film’s inclusion among the pantheon of worthwhile 2023 films. The former Troma auteur has a distinct authorial presence and shepherds the cast towards their best ends (ex: Bradley Cooper gives a finer vocal performance as Rocket Raccoon than his self-directed Leonard Bernstein) though his directorial voice is scattershot in the way that geekdom often confers (cringeworthy needledrops abound from the opening “Creep” to the closing “Dog Days Are Over”). But one senses (certainly PETA did) that his intentions are noble which is enough to free him from the taint of Marvel’s for-hire gulag. -J.S.
92 | 80 for Brady
Hollywood is not known for its kindness towards actresses. Aging actresses . . . even less so. Think of the formidable screen legends Bette Davis and Joan Crawford who in their twilight of their careers had to birth the psycho-biddy genre with Whatever Happened With Baby Jane to create substantial roles in which to play. So it must mark some sort of progress that today we prefer to see our grand dames cavort, partake in wild, innocent shenanigans, and trade slightly-stale witticisms. It’s a cottage industry that’s cranked out two Book Clubs and has kept Diane Keaton in steady employment, which even if box-office had not followed, is worth the entire endeavor. 80 For Brady is the greatest of this cycle, mixing immense talent, a high-concept premise, and a sturdy script to great effect. If he has any brains left after his football career, Tom Brady would rightly assess this as the high water-mark of his time on this earth. -J.S.
91 | Saw X
The Cry Macho of Saw films. No horror film in 2023 had a bigger heart, shocked to find myself the one with the most genuine affection for this picture here at Scrawls. Tobin Bell is astounding here, not since Sly Stallone in Creed has a performer been this fresh in a franchise role. Lovely stuff! – C.W.
90 | Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game
In a world where Fortnite and computer games dominate our youth’s interest, Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game reminds us of a simpler time when pinball machines provided everyone a reprieve from the cruelty of the world. A shockingly political film, Austin and Meridith Bragg’s picture takes a Capra-esque approach to storytelling that will warm any viewer’s heart. Explore the world readers, live the life you deserve. – C.W.
89 | A Good Person
Returning to the writer/director chair after nearly a decade absent, Zach Braff returned last year with A Good Person, a hard-hitting melodrama about addiction and working to maintain sobriety. Some powerhouse performances from Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman are the film’s key to success, giving face to the tragedies one can endure and the dedication required to overcome them. Admittedly, there are enough melodramatic plot twists and revelations to seem a bit much at points, but Pugh and Freeman chew right through it, playing smartly with the cards dealt to them. More often than not though, there’s some quietly touching moments, shared over train sets and perfect worlds, that can warm even the coldest hearts. -N.A.
88 | The Creator
Possibly the best value that studios got this year was director/producer Gareth Edwards making a spectacular sci-fi blockbuster at half the cost with a revolutionary blend of location shooting and smartly placed CGI. This new method of big-budget filmmaking helps bring The Creator’s future, cyberpunk world to life on the big screen. While the story it’s telling may be a hodge-podge of ideas we’ve seen done before, the world they exist in helps to show them in a new light, combining markers of the Vietnam war with a fledgling AI people. The real secret to The Creator’s success is the remarkable cast at the center of it all, adding a real, human element to a fully realized, robotic world. – N.A.
87 | In Water
Hong Sang-Soo’s first entry on our list is a terrific spin on the director’s signature formula. In Water is a foggy, blur of a motion picture that culminates into one of the most memorable endings of the year. Would pair beautifully with Todd Haynes’ May December if any viewer is interested in a double feature. – C.W.
86 | The First Slam Dunk
Sports! Look no one but me saw this and I loved every second. Exceptional sports narrative combined with some beautiful animation makes this one of the many must see animated films of the year. One can only hope our readers seek this film, perhaps then my colleagues will actually watch this amazing motion picture. – C.W.
85 | The Zone of Interest
Jonathan Glazer’s long-awaited return finds the director reinventing his approach yet again, this time taking a Big Brother-esque (his words, not mine) approach to the home life of the Nazi commandant assigned to oversee the extermination camp at Auschwitz. Mica Levi’s sparingly used, bone-rattling score helps provide editorial commentary on the unsettlingly mundane family activities undertaken by the Höss clan as Glazer’s disorientingly plain, hidden-camera-like compositions light the way. A dread-inducing experience that perhaps manages to, astonishingly, reframe the evils of the Holocaust in a new way after 80 years of consistent media representation. – R.J.
84 | Peter Pan & Wendy
David Lowery finally admits to arrested development, a suspicion that he had fostered throughout his career, whether in the childlike fumblings of Robert Redford in The Old Man and the Gun or the initial run at coming to terms with being a Disney Adult with Pete’s Dragon. Peter Pan and Wendy signals its function as mythical correction with its title, restoring Wendy to marquee status but curiously its most important intervention is with its distinctly grown-up attitude: Peter Pan is kind of a dick! And Captain Hook. . . he’s not so bad! Of course, I speak facetiously, as the denouement of the film and its implications for the eternally warring Neverlanders culminates in one of the most moving portrayals of mutual forgiveness in modern times. -J.S.
83 | Mami Wata
Criminally snubbed by the Academy earlier this month, C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi crafts an outstanding folk tale in Mami Wata. Following the events in a small town after the arrival of a stranger, the film provides a harrowing look at the dangers of war and the importance of unity within one’s community. Shot in gorgeous black and white, Mami Wata is a triumph for all involved and will go down as one of the great films of our time. – C.W.
82 | Godland
It doesn’t take long into Godland’s runtime to ascertain why the drama of man against nature is so praised for its cinematography. Jaw-dropping images of Iceland abound as a Danish priest is sent to establish a parish in the remote wilderness, seeking to bring God to a land that seems to already be awash with His presence. There’s a pretty clear dynamic at play between the seemingly civilized and the heathen naturalness that can be seen throughout the film’s story and images, amounting to one of the most impressive visual feats of the year. Godland’s use of time-lapse photography in its closing moments shows the true weight of nature and God’s creation upon us all. -N.A.
81 | Ferrari
The worship at the altar of Mann has always eluded me. I have never found great singularity in his oeuvre of work though I find most of the films at a base level of quality, if not exceptional. Heat is handsome but dull. The Insider is the ideal Oscar film. Public Enemies an arresting exercise in digital filmmaking. Thief (and to a lesser extent, Manhunter) have a garish stylism and internal code that have always most appealed to me and these elements man(n)ifest themselves in his latest and probably most personal, as late period auteurs are wont to do, film. Most fascinating about Ferrari is the way in which it damns the line between one’s working life and private life. Put flippantly, Ferrari is about work-life balance and the impossibility of such. As Adam Driver’s Enzo (a steady presence) says “Two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same moment in time.” It is some tragicomic circularity that Penelope Cruz who is so grievously spurned in the film, in life is done so by the Academy. She smolders as the Ferrari one must really contend with and more than any other character embodies the race cars in corporeal form: beautiful and volatile in equal measure. – J.S.
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