The 20 best movies of the year so far
It’s difficult to know how cinema in 2023 will be appreciated by the time December rolls around, after all, by the end of the year, we’ll have all seen new movies from the likes of Martin Scorsese, Jonathan Glazer, Sofia Coppola, Yorgos Lanthimos, Denis Villeneuve, Michael Mann and many more.
Still, having enjoyed over six months of top-quality cinema, we’re here to give you a rundown of the very best movies to have hit the silver screen so far this year.
One significant trend we can see so far seems to be the transition from once-dominant franchises to new, revolutionary ones. We’ve seen Pixar sink to new box-office lows with their commercial disappointment Elemental, DC continue to struggle with the troubled Ezra Miller production The Flash, as well as Disney and LucasFilm see Indiana Jones fail to rouse audiences with the latest entry in the franchise.
All whilst LucasFilm, DC and Pixar have all struggled, Universal Pictures has thrived thanks to the animated release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the only film so far this year to have crossed the billion-dollar mark at the worldwide box office. The success of the film in Hollywood and across the globe has prompted industry insiders to focus on the video game market for their next source of financial gain.
Take a look at our thoughts on the greatest 20 movies of 2023 so far, below.
The 20 best movies of the year so far
20. Extraction 2 (Sam Hargrave)
Following the original 2020 Netflix sleeper hit, Sam Hargrave’s second instalment to what will undoubtedly continue as a franchise confirms a very strange truth: stuntmen and stunt coordinators make absolutely excellent action film directors. Chad Stahelski did it for John Wick, David Leitch did it with Atomic Blonde, and now Hargrave has delivered a smashing sequel that improves on the first one in every way.
The beauty of the Extraction films, particularly with this sequel, is not their plot but the way they use simple narratives as a vehicle for slick, classy, tongue-in-cheek thrills. Following mercenary Tyler Rake (played by the irresistibly charming and annoyingly handsome Chris Hemsworth) after he is brought back from the brink of death, this blood-pumping follow-up offers more guns, gore and exquisitely choreographed and inventively shot action set-pieces. One of the most exciting things about the first one was its Bangladesh setting and authentic feeling depiction of the bustling city of Dhaka. This second one wisely follows suit, and the South Asian backdrop provides a much-needed and refreshing change of scenery to your standard, lower-quality American action fare.
19. Creed 3 (Michael B. Jordan)
When Sylvester Stallone announced that he would not be participating in the third movie in the Creed franchise, we wondered whether the movie’s lead actor, Michael B. Jordan, could stand on his own two feet and take the directorial reigns. Our concerns were quickly answered with a deft one-two blow of a movie. Creed III begins with Adonis Creed in a position of comfort. He’s rich, successful and newly retired. However, he’s soon dragged back into the ring when an old friend comes calling, bringing along Creed’s unwanted past with him.
The fight sequences of Creed are only matched by its tender moments of emotive poignancy. Riotous and moving, a must-watch for any boxing movie fan.
18. Beau is Afraid (Ari Aster)
Ari Aster’s third movie, Beau is Afraid, departs from his earlier efforts, Hereditary and Midsommar, because it eschews the more direct horror feel in favour of a more psychological examination of traumatic terror. It stars Joaquin Phoenix in the lead role of Beau Wasserman, a severely anxious man with serious ‘mommy issues’. By turning away from the horror tropes that served his previous films well, Aster is able to explore far more concepts, such as the addiction of America to medication and the very notion of loss and its resultant effects on the human psyche.
Beau is Afraid is not an easy watch and is bonkers beyond explanation, but it’s a fascinating direction for the famed horror director to head in.
17. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (James Gunn)
Emerging proudly as a distinct entry in an otherwise waning franchise, James Gunn’s final offering for the Guardians of the Galaxy showcases how the Marvel universe can be actually engaging when handed to a competent and imaginative director. Perhaps because of the lukewarm reception to the second, and general fatigue around the MCU in general, it feels like Gunn knew this swansong had to hit differently.
Returning to the majesty of GoTG1, Vol. 3 feels completely separate from the rest of the universe and showcases a singular and distinct directorial vision. The jukebox soundtrack is back, the charming chemistry between humans and aliens is back, and particular attention is given to one of the Guardians, providing the emotional drive for the movie that genuinely may cause you to have to hold back tears. By lowering the stakes and allowing Rocket Racoon’s story to take centre stage, the forced sense of apocalyptic doom that has been so exhausting ever since Avengers: Endgame is removed — instead, audiences are treated to a smaller scale, much more intimate and poignant adventure.
16. Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves (John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein)
There has been plenty of debate recently about the fact that almost every single blockbuster, from Disney’s Marvel franchise to Warner Bros’ DC universe, feels and looks exactly the same. They could learn something from John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein and their recent adaptation of the popular role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves.
A genuinely hilarious, creatively authentic fantasy spectacular, the new movie features quality performances from the likes of Chris Pine, Sophia Lillis, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page and Hugh Grant. It might just be the biggest surprise of the year in cinema so far.
15. Enys Men (Mark Jenkin)
How do you follow up a film like 2019’s minuscule masterpiece, Bait? Some people predicted the Cornish director Mark Jenkin to make a very similar film, yet he went for an entirely different style and tone whilst keeping to his homegrown visual aesthetic. His latest, Enys Men, tells the story of a wildlife volunteer whose life is blown into disarray when her time on an uninhabited English island takes her on a metaphysical journey.
A folk horror nestled in the landscape of English mythology, Enys Men is a wondrous cinematic experiment that wishes to take the viewer on a bizarre introspective journey, not thrill them with an intricate narrative.
14. M3GAN (Gerard Johnstone)
Sometimes, we need to experience pure fun while watching a movie. M3GAN, the comedy-horror from the minds of Gerard Johnstone, Akela Cooper and James Wan, is this year’s most gloriously enjoyable watch. The film follows a roboticist, Gemma, who must care for her niece, Cady, after her parents die in a car accident. Ill-equipped to assume a parental role over her sister’s daughter, Gemma gives Cady a life-size AI doll, M3GAN, who turns out to be more conscious than Gemma initially planned.
While M3GAN is not a cinematic masterpiece, it revels in its stupidity and outrageousness, with the campy killer doll becoming somewhat of a gay icon upon the film’s release. M3GAN’s dramatic facial expressions, bizarre dancing and ruthless kills make for endlessly entertaining fun. Yet, the movie explores themes, like the threat of AI, that feel more relevant than ever.
13. Riotsville, U.S.A. (Sierra Pettengill)
Theatrically released documentaries always seem to fly under the radar when they are released, but Sierra Pettengill’s Riotsville, U.S.A. shouldn’t be ignored by those who have a particular interest in contemporary American politics. Linking the artificiality of modern media with the violence of the American police force, the film tells the story of Riotsville, U.S.A., a fake town constructed in the 1960s which was used to help train law enforcement for inner-city combat.
A fascinating insight into modern American politics, Pettengill deconstructs how fake news has long been worming its way into the consciousness of the country, uncovering how fictional realities are constantly created to pull the wool over the eyes of the people.
12. Infinity Pool (Brandon Cronenberg)
The question still hung in the air of whether Brandon Cronenberg, son of acclaimed director David, could live up to the success of his father’s work. After this year’s Infinity Pool arrived, starring Alexander Skarsgard, Mia Goth and Cleopatra Coleman, the answer looked to be a resounding “yes”. The movie tells of a struggling writer, James Foster, who takes a much-needed vacation with his wife to a luxury resort in the fictional country of Li Tolqa.
Expected relaxation, James is instead met with terror and despair as he discovers the country’s secret. Definite shades of J.G. Ballard here, and we can’t wait to see what comes next.
11. Pearl (Ti West)
Plenty of filmmakers are helping to give the genre a renewed sense of majesty, with Ti West leading the line thanks to his back-to-back successes of X and Pearl. Kicking off a new horror franchise with remarkable ease, West teams up with British actor Mia Goth for Pearl, a prequel to his previous outing, telling the story of a young woman’s descent into madness amid her pursuit of fame.
Very much Mia Goth’s movie (who also co-wrote the script), it is a celebration of traditional horror, the golden age of Hollywood movie-making, and an urgently contemporary thriller.
10. Asteroid City (Wes Anderson, 2023)
Considering Wes Anderson fatigue had started to set in with many of us, it’s an absolute marvel that Asteroid City managed to impress us as much as it did. What’s strange is that Anderson doesn’t really do much differently here, and those who absolutely despise his trademark style certainly won’t be won over, however by transporting his aesthetic to an already pre-established genre of 1950s Americana, the often overwhelming nature of Anderson’s films get dialled down, and give way more to an actual story.
Riffing on Roswell and Area 51, Asteroid City follows the inhabitants of the titular town situated in the middle of a desert, built solely around the tourist attraction that is… a tiny fragment of an asteroid. Also occurring is a zany competition for young brainiacs, with the candidates toting such novel inventions as a device that can project images onto the moon and, of course, the obligatory zapping-laser gun. There’s still an overly bloated cast of A-listers, there are still more panning camera movements and stop-motion/live-action crossovers, and all the characters still feel like their lines could be exchanged for one another and not remotely affect the plot. But, for some reason, Anderson’s eleventh feature manages to bring back all the charm from his early cinematic outings.
9. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (Kelly Fremon Craig)
Kelly Fremon Craig followed her successful coming-of-age comedy The Edge of Seventeen with another exploration of growing up – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Based on the iconic Judy Blume children’s novel, the movie is a comic yet tender exploration of entering adolescence, especially as a girl, all while navigating the confusing world of religion.
Craig depicts Margaret’s coming-of-age with depth and frankness, highlighting topics such as first periods, bras and crushes with adult understanding. Rarely are young girls awarded such relatable depictions of ‘taboo’ yet universal subjects, making the movie an essential watch for all teenagers. Abby Ryder Fortson’s incredible performance as Margaret brings Craig’s screenplay to life, and its relatable humour makes the film appealing to adults and children alike.
8. John Wick: Chapter 4 (Chad Stahelski, 2023)
Keanu Reeves once again strengthened his grip on the title of the greatest action movie star of the 21st Century with the fourth offering in the John Wick franchise. A sterling cast, including regulars Laurence Fishburne and Ian McShane and new players Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgard and Shamier Anderson, elevated the high-octane action to new heights.
One might have worried about John Wick: Chapter 4’s runtime coming in at nearly three hours, but the fight sequences are so beautifully choreographed and performed, and the moments of dialogue so tongue-in-cheek that one simply could not turn away. John Wick continues to be the most important action film franchise out there.
7. Close (Lukas Dhont)
In Lukas Dhont’s second feature Close, the director reckons with society’s view of masculinity by following the inseparable friendship of two 13-year-old boys. Despite the boys possessing a pure, childlike relationship, the unwarranted opinions of their school peers – who assume that the pair must be gay – soon become too much. While one boy retreats into macho hobbies, the other, who prefers music, finds it difficult to process the expectations of gender and masculinity.
Dhont’s film is heartbreaking, depicting the unexplainable, hard-to-process emotions that arise in childhood when the outside world’s opinions begin to affect our perspectives. While the plot is simple and slow-paced, Close is a beautiful film focusing on character development and emotion, making for a challenging yet worthwhile watch.
6. Rye Lane (Raine Allen-Miller)
The romantic-comedy genre is overwhelmingly white and American, so it’s refreshing to watch an entry into the canon consist of a predominantly Black British cast. Directed by Raine Allen-Miller, Rye Lane follows two strangers who, in a style reminiscent of Before Sunrise, spend the day walking around South London, talking and learning about each other’s lives.
However, the similarities stop there, as Rye Lane has a much more experimental visual style, utilising bright colours, symmetry, comedic flashbacks and confronting cinematography. Put simply, Rye Lane is a delightful film that will go down as one of Britain’s greatest romcoms. Not only is the movie thoroughly enjoyable and fast-paced, but it also celebrates the diverse cultures that make London a vibrant city like no other.
5. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson)
As if animated Spidey couldn’t get any better, the second cinematic dose of Miles Morales’ multiverse madness proved to be even more intoxicating than the first. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse managed to surpass even the biggest expectations of the most fanatical followers of our favourite neighbourhood web-slinger. Shameik Moore again voices Miles, alongside Hailee Steinfeld, who returns as Gwen, and Daniel Kaluuya, who comes in as Spider-Punk.
Miles heads deep into the Spider-Verse to meet the Spider Society, but his actions cause a serious existential threat. The real beauty of Across the Spider-Verse, though, lies in its awe-inspiring animation, dazzling in every moment.
4. Sick of Myself (Kristoffer Borgli, 2023)
Venomous, cynical, mean-spirited and generally pessimistic, Kristoffer Borgli’s Norwegian satire is as close to a cultural zeitgeist as we’ve got so far. Sick of Myself is a no-holds-barred, delightfully wicked portrayal of young artists in fierce competition with each other who won’t rule out anything to steal their competitor’s thunder and claw their way back into the limelight. When the chronically narcissistic Signe, working as a barista, finds out her artist boyfriend is gaining rapid celebrity status for his work, she resolves to do her utmost to regain her position as the centre of attention.
What follows is a searing descent into derangement and delirium that completely eviscerates the concept of social media celebrity and challenges the notion of temporary fame. Often hilarious, always uncomfortable, Borgli’s comedy is as black as they come and casts a depressing but nonetheless gleefully enjoyable indictment of the fickleness of millennials and 2020 culture. The pleasure and shock from the film come from the increasingly bad decisions Signe makes, so the exact nature of the plot should be saved for viewing, but stolen furniture and toxic Russian pharmaceuticals play a role, so go figure.
3. Godland (Hlynur Pálmason, 2023)
Channelling a mixture of 2007’s There Will Be Blood, Lucrecia Martel’s 2017 film Zama and an added heavy dose of Werner Herzog’s Aguire: Wrath of God, this exquisite contribution to Scandi cinema is as rich and beautiful as it is desolate and bleak. Charting the 19th-century journey of a Lutheran priest from Denmark to build a church in the wilderness of Iceland, Godland manages to tackle themes of religion, identity, ecology and colonialism whilst never losing sight of its main character, Lucas. Played wonderfully by Elliott Crosset Hove, this ambitious yet neurotic clergyman is ordered by his bishop to travel to an Icelandic community and establish himself as their parish priest.
On top of these lofty goals, Lucas also has a fervent passion for technology — particularly a fixation with photography, lugging a huge tripod and camera across the volcanic terrain. Director Hlynur Pálmason falsely claims the film was inspired by real photographs discovered in Iceland, deepening the intrigue and further blending reality and fiction. Mirroring the medium which Lucas loves so much, Godland is shot in a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, evoking the stills photography which pervades the film and cementing for the audience the idea that we’re watching a selection of photographs.
2. The Beasts (Rodrigo Sorogoyen)
Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s thriller The Beasts takes on a real-life true crime story, which was previously the subject of Andrew Becker and Daniel Mehrer’s documentary Santoalla. However, dramatised for the screen, the hostility quickly bubbles with magnetising effect, and the tension between the middle-class French couple Antoine and Olga and their new Spanish neighbours is thrilling to watch.
The couple, who have big plans to gentrify the small Spanish village, clashes with local brothers who possess only pure hatred and contempt for the new arrivals. Despite the film’s slow-burning quality, creating a terrific sense of atmosphere, The Beasts wastes no time depicting the extremes of human conflict, with Antoine and Olga soon realising they’re out of their depth.
1. Return to Seoul (Davy Chou)
The Cambodian-French filmmaker Davy Chou has made a number of eclectic dramas since the start of the 21st century, helming Golden Slumbers in 2011 and Diamond Island in 2016, but neither were able to make a critical splash. The same cannot be said for Return to Seoul, a magnificent emotional drama that tells the late coming-of-age tale of a 25-year-old woman who returns to the South Korean capital city on a journey to find her biological parents.
It’s all led by Chou’s stellar screenplay and a magnificent central performance from Park Ji-min, who commands the screen with every careful nuance, making Return to Seoul a sensational, transporting drama.
