Here’s what you’ve been waiting for: my 2023 cinematic favorites! You can also check out fellow film critic Chad Liffmann’s list here to compare and contrast and see who you agree with more. Will Oscar voters agree with us? We’ll find out when the nominations are announced on January 23rd!
- 10.) A Million Miles Away
Dramatizing a local story with a ton of heart, this Rocky-esque picture about a Central Valley farmworker turned NASA astronaut is one of the year’s most inspiring. Michael Peña, as the fiercely stubborn José Hernández, gives an emotionally true lead performance that cements him as one of our finest actors working today.
This early-year indie may have fallen off Best Of radars, which is a big mistake. Ray Romano’s directorial debut is one of the year’s best family dramas, exploring issues of parenting, growing up, and self-discovery with poignancy and warmth. Terrific supporting turns by the great Laurie Metcalf and the always reliable Sebastian Maniscalco solidify the picture’s Top 10 status.
8.) Fremont
Another film with a local angle, this unassuming, deadpan drama about an Afghan immigrant who works as a writer for a San Francisco fortune cookie factory packs an emotional punch when you least expect it. Sparse and rich at the same time, the picture succeeds in part because of the unexpected chemistry between newcomer Anaita Wali Zada and The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White.
Nicole Holofcener’s subtle but sly dramedy reminds us that sometimes those little white lies we tell each other aren’t just forgivable, but necessary. The stellar quartet of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tobias Menzies, Michaela Watkins, and Arian Moayed superbly captures the pathos and humor of Holofcener’s incisive yet empathetic screenplay.
6.) Showing Up
The art world is lovingly satirized in Kelly Reichardt’s archly comic film, which celebrates the creative impulse even as it gently pokes fun at its trappings. Featuring an outstanding performance from Reichardt muse Michelle Williams, this mid-year release shouldn’t be missed.
5.) Past Lives
What might have been? We’ve all asked ourselves that question at some point, and Korean-Canadian filmmaker Celine Song deftly explores that quandary in this lovely, wistful drama. Greta Lee and Teo Yoo give stand-out performances as childhood friends who reconnect years later, when circumstances and relationships have changed them both.
4.) Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
Fifty-three years after Judy Blume published her seminal coming of age novel, writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig has succeeded in making the movie a generation of women have waited for. Warm, funny, and never condescending to its adolescent protagonist, Fremon Craig’s picture lets us know she not only understands her audience, but is a true Margaret fan herself.
3.) BlackBerry
The creation of the “CrackBerry,” the nickname of the once addictive early mobile phone, makes for a surprisingly entertaining rags-to-riches-to-rags business story. We watch with equal parts fascination and disbelief as good-natured tech nerds devolve into greedy backstabbing narcissists. Glenn Howerton delivers an award-worthy performance as volatile BlackBerry co-CEO Jim Balsillie.
One of the truest movies ever made about loss, grief, trauma, and memory, Andrew Haigh’s achingly beautiful drama will tear your heart out even as it lets you know you’re not alone. Claire Foy, Jamie Bell, and Paul Mescal elevate the heartrending material, but Andrew Scott’s deeply soulful performance carries the picture.
1.) Anatomy of a Fall
French filmmaker Justine Triet’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner earns the top spot for its utterly engrossing, almost spellbinding story and performances. German actress Sandra Hüller is phenomenal as a wife accused of murdering her husband. The picture is a puzzling mystery, a riveting courtroom drama, a piercing relationship study, and so much more. The film is unforgettable, and the year’s best.
Honorable Mentions: The Unknown Country, Air, Barbie, Oppenheimer
