Top 10 – Best Films of 2023

As it turned out 2023 was a rather good year for film, that including cinema releases and films that might have just gone straight to streaming services, although we have hit a time where the turnaround for some films from cinema to streaming services is not long at all. With some films given an advanced release at the cinema, which I am guessing is for people like me who still prefer to see films on that lovely big screen!

The following films made my longlist but not quite into the final ten, this was obviously quite a tough year to decide on: Wonka, One Life, Leave the World Behind, The Great Escaper, Totally Killer, Guardian’s of the Galaxy Vol.3, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Rye Lane and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Now check out which ten films did make the top ten in this years Let’s Go To The Movies Best Films list …

10. NYAD (Review)

An emotional journey with a sport background is always going to draw me in and when you have Annette Bening and Jodie Foster working so very well together it was always going to be enjoyable. The swimming distance was unreal and the water scenes really do leave you gasping for breath.

9. Killers of the Flower Moon (Review)

Scorsese with DiCaprio and De Niro in a rather epic lengthed film was always going to be a good one, for the sheer level of performances and the story they told within this one it makes the list. Although it could well be a film that I won’t ever actually watch again.

8. Anatomy of a Fall (Review)

Easily one of the most talked about films of the year and with good reason, it has such a thrilling edge to it and can we even work out what actually happened? Throwing together how a family works and that when an incident occurs it might not be so easy to work it all out, some powerful court scenes.

7. BlackBerry (Review)

Now with this one I don’t really feel as though it was talked about enough, I thought it was a super interesting look into the rise of BlackBerry which I realise shows my age as yes I did have one! Watching this made me understand why at that point the contract was so expensive and why we had crashes. It changed the fact of smartphones forever, and while the phone doesn’t exist anymore I actually feel as though it would work so well for people now who work from home or hybrid.

6. Air (Review)

I am a total Nike geek so a film based around a shoe was always going to grip my interest. Some very good performances makes it flow nicely. Also interesting to see that Michael Jordan really did save the basketball division of Nike!

5. The Fabelmans (Review)

Having seen this in late January of 2023 I almost forgot to include it in my list of best films, I seriously thought it was so wonderful as a reminder that films and cinema mean so much to people. That magic of creating something and having people enjoy it. Certainly a passion project for Spielberg.

4. Saltburn (Review)

I promise I saw this well before all of the talk around it, and quite frankly some of that is hilarious. Anyway it dares to push those boundaries and given that I was a big fan of Promising Young Woman I was really looking forward to this one. The bathtub scene is most talked about, but there’s another scene that I actually thought was more risky than that one! Barry Keoghan is utterly brilliant and will quite frankly do anything on screen! The whole cast are great as well.

3. Godzilla Minus One (Review)

This was the last film I saw at the cinema going on New Years Eve and I am so pleased I did, the Japanese film really hit home with an amazing Godzilla mixed in so nicely with quite an emotional story and likeable characters that you care about.

2. Barbie (Review)

I guess people won’t always believe just how emotional and brilliant this film is because, well it is Barbie. It has an amazing message at its core, and I saw this for the first time when I really needed a pick me up! I then went on to see it for the second time at the cinema, I loved the silly moments and the performances.

1. Past Lives (Review)

As soon as I had seen this film I knew nothing was going to come close to it as my favourite film of the year and thinking it was the best film. Everything about it just connected with me so deeply and the tragic turning points made it next level. The incredible idea that people you encounter in life and in particular when love is involved are lovers from a past life kinda makes you smile if it doesn’t work out for you, thinking that maybe in some universe it just might have. The performances are wonderful and I really hope this gets enough credit during awards season.

What were your best films of 2023?