At the start of 2023, I set a goal to watch a hundred films. Having just now finished my last one of the year on the last day of the year, this round-up comes to you from Seoul, South Korea, where I experienced a white Christmas for the first time in years, and everything feels good and light and dreamy (and cold), like a gorgeous, romantic movie ending.
All I wanted from this hobby milestone was to appreciate more art and to broaden my horizons, making an effort to venture into film corners I don’t normally find myself in. What’s special is that this one hundred goal also became a montage of shared experiences with my friends, marking moments in time where we could sit together—side by side or across synched screens from different cities—and talk afterwards about how these stories made us feel. When I think back on what I’ve watched, I’m also reminded of where I was and who was there with me. How lucky I am to have these memories of the people in my life; how lucky to be someone who gets to end the year with art and gratitude.
As the credits roll for 2023, here are some of my superlatives out of the hundred.
Most Stressful: Uncut Gems (2019)
This movie is poetic cinema, a jittering, lurching, writhing story about what it means to make something of yourself in a world that’s typically unforgiving. It’s a very cynical, very American take on masculinity and early-2010s capitalism, but I love character studies of this genre as long as it’s done with awareness: that a frantic and perpetual pursuit of a Something that will change Everything actually leads nowhere, no matter how desperately one chases. Howard Ratner, a compulsive gambler and liar, spends the entire two hours of this film pushing through life, always moving, always talking, often screaming and fighting and begging and bleeding. If New York City’s Diamond District is Victor Frankenstein, then Howard is The Creature, prevented from achieving peace and meaning by the hand of the capricious society that created him. It’s by far the most stressful thing that I’ve watched this year and also, ever, with Whiplash being the previous titleholder. Every scene, every shot, is overwhelming in its intensity. It’s like being chased by a pack of rabid dogs, and the pack only grows in size with every corner you turn. There’s no relief, for Howard or for the audience. It’s terrible, it’s gripping, it’s perfect. It’s my top film of the year.
Most Overdue: Moonlight (2016)
Never has a film so well captured the Madeleine L’Engle quote, “I am still every age that I have been. Because I was once a child, I am always a child.” Everything here is just gorgeous, following the story of Chiron as he navigates boyhood and loneliness, then vulnerability and sexuality as a teenager, and finally, strength and forgiveness in adulthood. What I love most about Moonlight is the way in which the generational trauma from drug abuse and cycles of forced violence are intercut with scenes that are so emotional and so tender, indicating that there is peace and growth and hope at the end of it all and that black stories are not only about the shadows, but also about moonlight and beauty and the bonds that endure and the compassion that compensates for wherever there is loss. I’m so glad it finally found me this year; I don’t know why I didn’t watch it sooner.
Most Entertaining: In Bruges (2008)
Circling cynical questions to do with personal values and how bitterness can destroy even the best of us, The Banshees of Inisheran was my personal pick for Best Picture in 2022. This is its scrappier and funnier not-prequel, sharing the same director, the two principle actors, and various themes regarding life’s complexities. How do we move on from despair, regret, and ennui? What does it mean to be a good and respected person? How should we navigate the uncertain, grey areas found in morality and friendships? In Bruges is such a well-written dark comedy—heavy on the dark, heavy on the comedy. It offers a memorable story about two hit men and long-time friends that’s saturated with clever, witty lines while also having a strong emotional core, although I can’t promise that my enjoyment of this film isn’t in part due to the very real, romantic feelings I have for Colin Farrell.
Most Beautiful: Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse (2023)
I’ve looked at a lot of end-of-year lists in preparation for this post, and it’s surprising that this second Spider-man often isn’t included. No other film has left me in awe of every shot, so much a labour of love and a testament to the power of artful animation that it’s hard to look away. It’s easy to forget that cinema is also a form of art, sometimes, but there’s no louder reminder of that than Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse. It felt like both a privilege and a disadvantage to have watched this in the cinemas (twice!), because what I really wanted to do was to slow it down, pause it on every second frame, and say: Look at this. Look. There is nothing more important than art.
Most Underrated: Scrapper (2023)
Picture Aftersun, but lighter and there’s a touch of magical realism involved. This is a slow, slice-of-life exploration of grief, studying the awkwardness of a daughter’s new relationship with a young father who doesn’t yet have the language or the experiences of a parent. I’ve heard very little about it critically, but Scrapper ticks a lot of boxes for me: natural, organic dialogue, where some scenes almost feel like they belong in a documentary more than a scripted drama; nuanced and understated acting; a good ending.
Like my dear friend Isobel wrote in her own media round-up, it’s hard to put together (and talk about) the best films of the year without sounding repetitive. But if anyone’s interested, my list of 2023 favourites are:
- Oppenheimer
- Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse
- Killers of the Flower Moon
- Beau is Afraid
- Past Lives
- Asteroid City
- The Boy and The Heron
- Infinity Pool
- Scrapper
- Hidden Blade
And for my top first-time watches:
- Uncut Gems
- Aftersun
- All Quiet on the Western Front
- In Bruges
- Moonlight
- Babylon
- The Lighthouse
- The Fabelmans
- Triangle of Sadness
- The Godfather
amanda 