Neither of us are typically a “my favorite (fill in the blank) is” kinds of people. We might have current favorites of the moment, but how can we pick an overall favorite band, writer, visual artist, or even a favorite color for that matter? We can obviously tell you if we like something or not, and we do it every week, writing about new release films or shows on streaming services, but as a change of pace, instead of reviewing new media this week, we decided to look back on this year’s films and try to make a list of our favorites, despite our inherent resistance to such endeavors.
That said, it’s also important to note that we didn’t see every film that came out in 2023. We still want to see Ferrari and Poor Things, which are out locally this week, and we missed some critically acclaimed films such as Past Lives, Anatomy of a Fall, The Zone of Interest, and Pricilla. What we have this week—in no particular order—is a list of impossibly brief reviews of some of our favorite films we saw in 2023.
Oppenheimer (Rated R; 180-min.)
Christopher Nolan brilliantly directs this biopic about American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) and his role in developing the atomic bomb. Both proud of and disturbed by his achievements, we meet a man who changed the course of human history. Incredible storytelling and superb acting by an ensemble cast including Robert Downey Jr.
Barbie (Rated PG-13; 114 min.)
Greta Gerwig directs this seemingly lightweight all-surface story but injects it with surprising depth, as the classic but controversial doll, Barbie (Margot Robbie), experiences an existential crisis leading to explorations of patriarchy, misogyny, feminism, and sexism. Likewise, Ken (Ryan Gosling) begins to understand emasculation, jealousy, and inequality.
The Covenant (Rated R; 123 min.)
Macho director Guy Ritchie examines male bonding in wartime in the relationship between a platoon sergeant (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his Afghan interpreter (Dar Salim), who risks his life to carry his injured comrade across enemy terrain, forming an obligation for reciprocation when the sergeant learns his interpreter is at risk. A most intense piece of cinema.
Asteroid City (Rated PG-13; 105 min)
Wes Anderson delivers another highly stylized world within a world following a writer (Edward Norton) and his fictional play about a grieving father (Jason Schwartzman) on vacation with his family in a small rural town for a junior stargazing event that happens to coincide with an alien visitation. Deeply charming with a terrific cast and first-rate use of miniatures.
The Holdovers (Rated R; 133 min.)
Director Alexander Payne reteams with Paul Giamatti (Sideways) for this story about outsiders forming connections. Giamatti is a cranky and unliked history teacher at a remote prep school tasked with looking after a troubled student with nowhere to go over the holidays. Despite their dislike of each other, they discover they have more in common than they thought.
John Wick: Chapter 4 (Rated R; 169 min.)
Directed by former stuntman Chad Stahelski, this guilty pleasure is an absolute bloodbath, a highly choreographed ballet of death and destruction, as assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) must find a way to defeat The High Table before its assassins kill him. Incredible stunts, a relentless storyline, and gorgeous cinematography for the win.
A Thousand and One (Rated R; 117 min.)
A.V. Rockwell helms this gritty drama about a mother’s love. Teyana Taylor stars as Inez de la Paz, who after being released from prison spots her son Terry (played by Aaron Kingsley Adetola at 6, Aven Courtney at 13, and Josiah Cross at 17) living in foster care, and kidnaps him, hoping to give him the love and stability he deserves. A gut-punch ending.
Killers of the Flower Moon (Rated R; 206 min.)
Auteur Martin Scorsese offers an epic, sweeping examination of a dark passage in American history and an exploration of a complicated love between an Osage woman (Lily Gladstone) and her white husband (Leonardo DiCaprio), who under the guidance of his uncle (Robert De Niro) is swept up in a scheme to defraud the oil-rich Osage people.
Maestro (Rated R; 129 min.)
Bradley Cooper directs himself as conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein in a biopic that chronicles his lifelong relationship with actress Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein (Carey Mulligan). Their relationship is complicated by his homosexuality and utter immersion in his art, but their marriage was more than a sham, which we discover when Felicia contracts cancer.
Bottoms (Rated R; 91 min.)
Emma Seligman helms this ribald comedy about two unpopular queer high school students—PJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri)—who concoct a misguided plan to start an all-girl self-defense club to have sex before they graduate. Hilarious, poignant, and at times cringe-inducing, this queer comedy turns out to have a lot of heart and a lot to say about inverting gender politics.
Honorable mentions include Beau is Afraid (Rated R; 179 min.), May December (Rated R; 117 min.), Dream Scenario (Rated R; 102 min.), and The Killer (Rated R; 118 min.). Δ
Contact Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in 2023 Year in Review.