You know it's a good year for cinema when Greta Gerwig's Barbie - excellent as always - doesn't even make the Top 50, and I loved that film. This is taken from UK releases - so there's no All of Us Are Strangers, Poor Things and The Holdovers, but you can expect them to be on 2024's list as I was lucky enough to see them at the London Film Festival just gone by and they're all fantastic. There's also no Priscilla, but I am looking forward to that one - hopefully seeing it later this week.
Of course, as ever - this is purely opinionated and I wouldn't have it any other way, really - and it speaks to such a vast quantity of great releases that I had to leave the following off: Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves (John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein), Napoleon (Ridley Scott), Infinity Pool (Brandon Cronenberg), Till (Chinonye Chuckwu), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (James Gunn), Air (Ben Affleck), The Damned Don't Cry (Fyzal Boulifa), War Pony (Riley Keough and Gina Gammell), Plane (Jean-Francois Richet), Chile '76 (Manuela Martel), Revoir Paris (Alice Winocour), 20,000 Species of Bees (Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren) and Rodeo (Lola Quivoron). Now without further ado - let's get on with the list:
50. How to Have Sex; Molly Manning Walker
A new British superstar has arrived in the form of Molly Manning Walker - one of the richest new explosions of talent since Lynne Ramsey's Ratcatcher and Morvern Callar. Three British teenagers find themselves on a rites-of-passage holiday, drinking, clubbing and hooking up - yet beneath it all; there's an aftermath of a morning wasteland. Authentic in its capture of the British nightclub experience without feeling the need to condemn nor glamorise, How to Have Sex is perfect in-flight viewing to start any holiday.
Where to Watch: Mubi
49. Three Musketeers: D'artagnan and Milady; Martin Bourboulon
There's a fantastic adaption of the Three Musketeers in there somewhere; wonderfully swept up in a swashbuckling epic that feels like the most authentic one so far - thanks to the sheer charisma of Francois Civil and Eva Green, two of the best actors of their generation. D'artagnan opens up with an introduction to the Musketeers allowing Milady to go deeper into the villain's past - with a devastatingly brutal final showdown. Whilst no third film is confirmed to be in the works yet - these two films capture the spirit and the camadre of the Musketeers perfectly. Alexandre Dumas fans craving something more faithful will be right at home.
Where To Watch: D'artgnan on Now, Milady in select cinemas.
Absolutely my jam. fuck yes. gayest movie of the year - it's a meta commentary on the relationship of social media with influencers and the need to always be saying something - caught in the middle of a comedy of errors; with a healthy dosage of cock and self-aware ketamine to back it up. Love the clever little bits of Sebastian Silva and Jordan Firstman playing themselves - the Total Eclipse of the Heart cover; and the nerve-wracking tension that this movie just builds and builds in a way not seen since Uncut Gems. LOVED THIS - surely the cure to end all cures for writers block.
A rich, gothic horror story that recreates the atmosphere of 70s British horror perfectly, Enys Men arrives as a follow up to Bait, Mark Jenin’s debut film – with a resounding success. A 16mm mood and atmosphere piece that feels as foreboding as just about any horror story that you’ve read late at night – and you know that something sinister or horrifying is going to happen; or maybe, just maybe – it already has. Jenkin’s experimental, non-narrative Roeg-influenced assault of the senses is something that you can’t help but sit back and admire its bravado as one of the most truly original films of the year. Cornish cinema is alive and thriving.
Where to Watch: BFI Player
48. Rotting in the Sun; Sebastián Silva
Absolutely my jam. fuck yes. gayest movie of the year - it's a meta commentary on the relationship of social media with influencers and the need to always be saying something - caught in the middle of a comedy of errors; with a healthy dosage of cock and self-aware ketamine to back it up. Love the clever little bits of Sebastian Silva and Jordan Firstman playing themselves - the Total Eclipse of the Heart cover; and the nerve-wracking tension that this movie just builds and builds in a way not seen since Uncut Gems. LOVED THIS - surely the cure to end all cures for writers block.
Where to Watch: Mubi
2023 has been a pretty good year for horror and Evil Dead Rise continues the franchise's hot streak with appropriate gore and evil bloodletting. This traps a doomed family in a high rise tower block and delights in killing them all off one by one - so much gore, so much - everything - I was in love with this film from its title card and it did not let me down after that – you’ll never look at a cheesegrater quite the same way again.
47. Evil Dead Rise; Lee Cronin
2023 has been a pretty good year for horror and Evil Dead Rise continues the franchise's hot streak with appropriate gore and evil bloodletting. This traps a doomed family in a high rise tower block and delights in killing them all off one by one - so much gore, so much - everything - I was in love with this film from its title card and it did not let me down after that – you’ll never look at a cheesegrater quite the same way again.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Nowhere to Run. A love letter to The Warriors; this film is ambitious as they come - the stylised action sequence in the final act is fearless and a masterful example of the art of fight choreography: Reeves puts Wick up against everything and the film shines because of it - testing the boundaries of the franchise in what should really be its concluding chapter. Love the cinematography here and how well designed the conflict is - everything is trying to rip off the Wick movies right now but there is none better than the original article.
46. John Wick Chapter 4; Chad Stahelski
Nowhere to Run. A love letter to The Warriors; this film is ambitious as they come - the stylised action sequence in the final act is fearless and a masterful example of the art of fight choreography: Reeves puts Wick up against everything and the film shines because of it - testing the boundaries of the franchise in what should really be its concluding chapter. Love the cinematography here and how well designed the conflict is - everything is trying to rip off the Wick movies right now but there is none better than the original article.
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
An odyssey of a donkey-centric drama that harkens back to the days of Bresson but updated for the 21st century gives it such a cutting edge thanks to Mychal Dymek's stunning donkey-eye-view cinematography. Jerzy Skolimowski is 84 and still putting out banger after banger - with a visual eye for brilliance in a film about innocents told from a cruellest heart.
45. EO; Jerzy Skolimowski
An odyssey of a donkey-centric drama that harkens back to the days of Bresson but updated for the 21st century gives it such a cutting edge thanks to Mychal Dymek's stunning donkey-eye-view cinematography. Jerzy Skolimowski is 84 and still putting out banger after banger - with a visual eye for brilliance in a film about innocents told from a cruellest heart.
Where to Watch: BFI Player
A whodunit at a competitive hairdressing contest is a combination of extravagance and bloodshed; in a stylishly cutthroat one location thriller. Its characters are all vibrant and the film's erratic nature gives it a sense of controlled chaos - establishing Thomas Hardiman as a filmmaker to watch.
44. Medusa Deluxe; Thomas Hardiman
A whodunit at a competitive hairdressing contest is a combination of extravagance and bloodshed; in a stylishly cutthroat one location thriller. Its characters are all vibrant and the film's erratic nature gives it a sense of controlled chaos - establishing Thomas Hardiman as a filmmaker to watch.
Where to Watch: Mubi
A movie designed to break you down into tears and have you crying from the word go it shouldn't be seen as anything but manipulative yet Close is utterly devastating and it works so well at being so manipulative, I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried - Lukas Dhont gets the most out of a tender relationship between Eden Dambrine and Gustav De Waele; two talented actors - and looks at the tragic fallout as it runs into the problems of the perceptions of society. Innocence lost, indeed - at such a young age.
Bold, terrifying horror of daring proportions this one sent chills through my spine and refused to let me go. Sophie Wilde was terrific as the film tests the limits with how far a group of friends go with a hand that can contact the afterlife before things finally take a step too far - with horrifying results.
Such a devastating look at aging and the connections that we form in our lives it's hard not to be swept up under the spell of Mia Hansen-Løve’s majestic One Fine Morning - Léa Seydoux's best performance of her career sees her character caught between a new love affair and the failing mind of her father. It's personal for Hansen-Løve and her strengths shine through - navigating the rare balance between making you cry and smile at exactly the same time.
Poking fun at M. Night Shyamalan stopped being funny ever since he started making good movies again. This is such a meditative, humanistic end of the world thriller about the four horsemen sent to kill a family to prevent the end of the world: high stakes yet no big grand twist either - this is Shyamalan reigned in. Dave Bautista and Rupert Grint standout with Paul Tremblay's novel the guiding hand – Bautista arguably putting in one of the strongest performances of the year as a cold and calculated man with an impossible choice.
A 3 hour long nightmare that I absolutely adored; and not just that - it's also Ari Aster's best work to date. Unflinching in its compromise and full of absurdly brilliant situations that test the limits of your imagination - there's nothing quite like Beau is Afraid this year and it may end up being the most unique film of 2023. Certainly the most traumatising from the city sequence alone: it’s like having a never ending panic attack with a gorgeous animated sequence in the middle.
Where to Watch: Now
All praise to Park Ji-min who puts in one of the year’s best performance as Freddie; a 25 year old who decides, like much of her life – on impulse to return to Korea to reconnect with her parents after a lengthy stay in France after she was adopted. In a quest for her biological parents she embarks on a journey that will change her life in ways she never expected to: adapting to the conservative Korean culture with free-spirted energy not understanding its social cues and rules causes havoc in her friend group; and the scene where Freddie dances to the hypnotic beat of Jeremie Arache and Christophe Musset’s Anybody is one of the best of the year. A journey of self-discovery and realisation – in search of contentment and happiness.
Where to Watch: Mubi
A biopic that shows the life of automotive mogul Enzo Ferrari places you in a time in Formula 1 racing when stepping into the high-powered racing cars was a matter of life and death. Anchored by a brilliantly ruthless Adam Driver performance opposite a fiery Penelope Cruz, Ferrari showcases Mann at the top of his game; a late career epic that is best watched knowing nothing about the true story that this film draws from: as one of the most horrifying scenes in a film all year is present in Ferrari and the shock is still present even months removed from watching it; to the point where I don’t think I’ll ever recover.
Compared to the likes of Elena Ferrante; The Eight Mountains is a fascinating exploration of male solitude after two friends, Pietro from Turin, and Bruno – who grew up in an isolated village; are drawn together over the course of several years. The Italian Alps provide the backdrop for this story of self-discovery and of a complex friendship, with a memorable score from Daniel Norgen. It’s about loneliness, ultimately – and the cinematography from Ruben Impens is up there with the best of the year.
43. Close; Lukas Dhont
A movie designed to break you down into tears and have you crying from the word go it shouldn't be seen as anything but manipulative yet Close is utterly devastating and it works so well at being so manipulative, I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried - Lukas Dhont gets the most out of a tender relationship between Eden Dambrine and Gustav De Waele; two talented actors - and looks at the tragic fallout as it runs into the problems of the perceptions of society. Innocence lost, indeed - at such a young age.
Where to Watch: Mubi
42. Talk to Me; Michael Phillippou, Danny Phillipou
Bold, terrifying horror of daring proportions this one sent chills through my spine and refused to let me go. Sophie Wilde was terrific as the film tests the limits with how far a group of friends go with a hand that can contact the afterlife before things finally take a step too far - with horrifying results.
Where to Watch: Rental
An Oscar nomination for Teyana Taylor, please and thank you. What a powerful understated drama about the walls closing in on a family caught in the middle of the New York housing crisis - devastatingly directed by AV Rockwell. This is how a mother and son dynamic should be told - 1990s Harlem brought to life with all the authenticity of a future classic.
41. A Thousand and One; AV Rockwell
Where to Watch: NowTV
Nida Manzour gave us the brilliant We Are Lady Parts which is one of the best modern television shows so to see her fuse Bollywood with a Scott Pilgrim inspired British touch makes it an instant cult classic in my book. It's an ambitious wedding heist of a movie with a fiery performance by Priya Kansara - who has star in the making written all over her.
40. Polite Society; Nida Manzour
Nida Manzour gave us the brilliant We Are Lady Parts which is one of the best modern television shows so to see her fuse Bollywood with a Scott Pilgrim inspired British touch makes it an instant cult classic in my book. It's an ambitious wedding heist of a movie with a fiery performance by Priya Kansara - who has star in the making written all over her.
Where to Watch: Rental
39. One Fine Morning; Mia Hansen-Løve
Such a devastating look at aging and the connections that we form in our lives it's hard not to be swept up under the spell of Mia Hansen-Løve’s majestic One Fine Morning - Léa Seydoux's best performance of her career sees her character caught between a new love affair and the failing mind of her father. It's personal for Hansen-Løve and her strengths shine through - navigating the rare balance between making you cry and smile at exactly the same time.
Where to Watch: Mubi
38. Knock at the Cabin; M. Night Shyamalan
Poking fun at M. Night Shyamalan stopped being funny ever since he started making good movies again. This is such a meditative, humanistic end of the world thriller about the four horsemen sent to kill a family to prevent the end of the world: high stakes yet no big grand twist either - this is Shyamalan reigned in. Dave Bautista and Rupert Grint standout with Paul Tremblay's novel the guiding hand – Bautista arguably putting in one of the strongest performances of the year as a cold and calculated man with an impossible choice.
Where to Watch: Now
Tender and upending tradition at a traditional caftan store in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas; the film looks at the dynamic between Halim and Mina and how it’s changed when Mina notices how Halim is moved by Youssef, a new young hire who joins to aid them. It’s full of the hidden heart and beautifully articulated in a compassionate and artful way; The Blue Caftan is a quiet if familiar success.
37. The Blue Caftan; Maryam Touzani
Tender and upending tradition at a traditional caftan store in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas; the film looks at the dynamic between Halim and Mina and how it’s changed when Mina notices how Halim is moved by Youssef, a new young hire who joins to aid them. It’s full of the hidden heart and beautifully articulated in a compassionate and artful way; The Blue Caftan is a quiet if familiar success.
Where to Watch: Rental
A modern fairytale. Wes Anderson-esque with something that's all too rare in a British social-realist drama these days, colour - Charlotte Regan's film about an absent father facing up to his responsibility shines thanks to the talented Lola Campbell - and the strong themes that make it impossible not to fall in love with.
36. Scrapper; Charlotte Regan
Where to Watch: BFI Player
Few can make you care for a group of loveable child kidnappers like Hirokaza Kore-eda, and beneath the film's sinister overtures a found family emerges - about the family we let go and the ones that we make in the process. Pardon the pun, but Broker broke me - bittersweet and heartfelt as always.
35. Broker; Hirokaza Kore-eda
Where to Watch: Now
An indictment of how hostile Britain has been in the very recent past to the LGBTQ+ community. It doesn't make for pretty watching - it's a hard film to sit through, with Section 28 - which banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools, still present on people's minds today. This displays the dynamic between a closeted teacher and a student with the care to avoid falling victim to another Hollywood ending which is the last thing this film needed - thanks to a powerhouse effort by Georgia Oakley and the incredible Rosy McEwen.
34. Blue Jean; Georgia Oakley
Where to Watch: BFI Player
Charles Melton, who'd have thought? What a performance - capable of holding his own with the brilliant Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman in a twisted psychodrama that Todd Haynes is able to mine in a way that it pulls the rug from under your feet into becoming a horror story - terrifyingly plausible yet hard to pull away from. As evidenced by what comes later: 2023 is a great year for a director to be called Todd.
33. May December; Todd Haynes
Charles Melton, who'd have thought? What a performance - capable of holding his own with the brilliant Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman in a twisted psychodrama that Todd Haynes is able to mine in a way that it pulls the rug from under your feet into becoming a horror story - terrifyingly plausible yet hard to pull away from. As evidenced by what comes later: 2023 is a great year for a director to be called Todd.
Where to Watch: Now
Denis Menochet is your actor's favourite actor and he puts in a tour de force of a performance in this - but the real star is Marina Force who doesn't show how vital she is in the film to a bold, brazen third act. Rodrigo Sorogoyen terrific behind the camera in a brilliant study of local rivalry and xenophobia that spirals out of control.
32. The Beasts; Rodrigo Sorogyen
Denis Menochet is your actor's favourite actor and he puts in a tour de force of a performance in this - but the real star is Marina Force who doesn't show how vital she is in the film to a bold, brazen third act. Rodrigo Sorogoyen terrific behind the camera in a brilliant study of local rivalry and xenophobia that spirals out of control.
Where to Watch: BFI Player
A ghost story; rich in gothic brilliance - unnerving and so coolly executed it's hauntingly rich. Tilda Swinton superb in a dual role; and Joanna Hogg's atmosphere building will send shivers down your spine. Loosely works as a third part to her Souvenir duology but capable of standing on its own two feet - The Eternal Daughter is a masterclass in gothic horror.
Bigmouth strikes again. David Fincher's return to form after the underwhelming Mank is probably the closest we'll get to a Hitman film adaption that's actually good, with Fassbender's cold, calculating and ruthless assassin sent into a spiral after a kill goes wrong. Best watched on the big screen as opposed to Netflix it makes an inventive use of the Smiths songs and a cold, dark melancholic approach to feel like a modern take on Jean-Pierre Melvile’s Le Samourai - arguably a classic as that film itself.
31. The Eternal Daughter; Joanna Hogg
A ghost story; rich in gothic brilliance - unnerving and so coolly executed it's hauntingly rich. Tilda Swinton superb in a dual role; and Joanna Hogg's atmosphere building will send shivers down your spine. Loosely works as a third part to her Souvenir duology but capable of standing on its own two feet - The Eternal Daughter is a masterclass in gothic horror.
30. The Killer; David Fincher
Bigmouth strikes again. David Fincher's return to form after the underwhelming Mank is probably the closest we'll get to a Hitman film adaption that's actually good, with Fassbender's cold, calculating and ruthless assassin sent into a spiral after a kill goes wrong. Best watched on the big screen as opposed to Netflix it makes an inventive use of the Smiths songs and a cold, dark melancholic approach to feel like a modern take on Jean-Pierre Melvile’s Le Samourai - arguably a classic as that film itself.
Where to Watch: Netflix
The French love their courtroom dramas don't they? Saint Omer is such a morally ambiguous film there are no easy answers from the start and it feels so essentially shot it's hard not to fall completely in love with, stripping everything down to its bear essentials. generational trauma front and centre through peerless performances by Kayije Kagame and Guslagie Malanda both - Alice Diop is such a force to be reckoned with.
29. Saint Omer; Alice Diop
Where to Watch: Mubi
Loach’s rallying cry against xenophobia is startingly and terrifyingly realistic as one would expect nothing less from Britain’s premier social realist director; in maybe his final film. A direct response to the systematic racism in the UK – The Old Oak shines a light on community and togetherness in the face of all odds; and is hard to watch but oh so vitally important. As with the best films there’s no easy answer and the film manages to showcase the best and worst of humanity in one film the way Loach can only do best – he caused shockwaves with I, Daniel Blake in 2016 but if anything this is more vital given the current state of the nation.
28. The Old Oak; Ken Loach
Loach’s rallying cry against xenophobia is startingly and terrifyingly realistic as one would expect nothing less from Britain’s premier social realist director; in maybe his final film. A direct response to the systematic racism in the UK – The Old Oak shines a light on community and togetherness in the face of all odds; and is hard to watch but oh so vitally important. As with the best films there’s no easy answer and the film manages to showcase the best and worst of humanity in one film the way Loach can only do best – he caused shockwaves with I, Daniel Blake in 2016 but if anything this is more vital given the current state of the nation.
Where to Watch: Rental
Two childhood friends; Nora and Hae Sung, are reunited 20 years later after Nora’s family emigrates to New York. However times have changed; Nora is now engaged – but Hae Sung’s affections for her has not changed and he still has a crush on her. It’s heartbreaking, and beautifully acted between Greta Lee and Teo Yoo; who share impeccable chemistry on screen. Song’s direction captures New York from the perspective of an outsider, as are all New Yorkers – with the skill and craft of a director ten times her experience – and what a knockout of a debut film this.
27. Past Lives; Celine Song
Two childhood friends; Nora and Hae Sung, are reunited 20 years later after Nora’s family emigrates to New York. However times have changed; Nora is now engaged – but Hae Sung’s affections for her has not changed and he still has a crush on her. It’s heartbreaking, and beautifully acted between Greta Lee and Teo Yoo; who share impeccable chemistry on screen. Song’s direction captures New York from the perspective of an outsider, as are all New Yorkers – with the skill and craft of a director ten times her experience – and what a knockout of a debut film this.
Where to Watch: Rental
A love letter to London, Rye Lane is such a treat and a real modern classic of a romcom! nothing more awkward than having your playlist play on shuffle at a party and the sparks and the vibes are just perfect there. all the praise for Raine Allen-Miller - its characters are so infectiously likeable and awkward and it just goes to show that everyone is human, really. I love this city so much and both David Johnson and Vivian Oparah come from out of nowhere to show that the romcom is very much not only alive but alive and kicking.
26. Rye Lane; Raine Allen-Miller
A love letter to London, Rye Lane is such a treat and a real modern classic of a romcom! nothing more awkward than having your playlist play on shuffle at a party and the sparks and the vibes are just perfect there. all the praise for Raine Allen-Miller - its characters are so infectiously likeable and awkward and it just goes to show that everyone is human, really. I love this city so much and both David Johnson and Vivian Oparah come from out of nowhere to show that the romcom is very much not only alive but alive and kicking.
Where to Watch: Disney+
Crusie control. A return to the spy movie espionage narrative with each action sequence forming a different act of the film culminating in a spectacular motorcycle jump set piece; Dead Reckoning Part One continues Cruise's rallying cry against the evils of artificial intelligence with the best Mission Impossible film yet - explosive, no holds barred and full of spectacular set pieces that make so much use of the dutch angles it's hard not to love. McQuarrie, in going out of his way to become a journeyman director at the cost of being an auteurist has become an auteurist journeyman – and Hollywood is all the better for it. The natural heir to Tony Scott is very high praise indeed.
25. Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One; Christopher McQuarrie
Crusie control. A return to the spy movie espionage narrative with each action sequence forming a different act of the film culminating in a spectacular motorcycle jump set piece; Dead Reckoning Part One continues Cruise's rallying cry against the evils of artificial intelligence with the best Mission Impossible film yet - explosive, no holds barred and full of spectacular set pieces that make so much use of the dutch angles it's hard not to love. McQuarrie, in going out of his way to become a journeyman director at the cost of being an auteurist has become an auteurist journeyman – and Hollywood is all the better for it. The natural heir to Tony Scott is very high praise indeed.
Where to Watch: Rental
ahahaha absolutely fuck yes. Paul Schrader got really into gardening and it shows - delivering a redemptive arc with one of his most unlikeable leads front and centre as part of the loose trilogy of First Reformed and The Card Counter. A romantic search of meditation and absolution in a way for the die-hard Schraderheads only - it's a film about seeking a new path and embracing it whole heartedly no matter what has come before.
24. Master Gardener; Paul Schrader
ahahaha absolutely fuck yes. Paul Schrader got really into gardening and it shows - delivering a redemptive arc with one of his most unlikeable leads front and centre as part of the loose trilogy of First Reformed and The Card Counter. A romantic search of meditation and absolution in a way for the die-hard Schraderheads only - it's a film about seeking a new path and embracing it whole heartedly no matter what has come before.
Where to Watch: Rental
A really fun comedy with madcap energy that obviously calls to mind Booksmart. A queer lesbian fight club spirals out of control and has some of the best set-up to payoff scenes that I've seen in quite some time, and every time a bomb went off I couldn't help but laugh. Hard to imagine the cast not having fun on set and I love Emma Seligman's follow-up to the most stressful film of all-time, Shiva Baby - and This is Ayo Edebiri's movie - and she owns it with one endless best line delivery of 2023 after another. But just like her character Ruby Cruz is key to making the whole thing work.
Christopher Nolan turned a 3 hour biopic into one of the event blockbusters of the summer in the only way Christopher Nolan knows how - a fascinating condemnation of the actions of the United States told through the eyes of Oppenheimer himself; with a stellar performance by Cillian Murphy that has him answer for the weight of America's sins through a study of paranoia, anger and conspiracy.
23. Bottoms; Emma Seligman
A really fun comedy with madcap energy that obviously calls to mind Booksmart. A queer lesbian fight club spirals out of control and has some of the best set-up to payoff scenes that I've seen in quite some time, and every time a bomb went off I couldn't help but laugh. Hard to imagine the cast not having fun on set and I love Emma Seligman's follow-up to the most stressful film of all-time, Shiva Baby - and This is Ayo Edebiri's movie - and she owns it with one endless best line delivery of 2023 after another. But just like her character Ruby Cruz is key to making the whole thing work.
22. Oppenheimer; Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan turned a 3 hour biopic into one of the event blockbusters of the summer in the only way Christopher Nolan knows how - a fascinating condemnation of the actions of the United States told through the eyes of Oppenheimer himself; with a stellar performance by Cillian Murphy that has him answer for the weight of America's sins through a study of paranoia, anger and conspiracy.
Where to Watch: Rental
A wonderful anti-capitalist act of revolution; free spirited youth and progress – a rallying cry for change as an artform is fiercely independent and a fire that sparks a revolution. Ariela Barer, Kristine Froseth, Lukas Gage, Forrest Goodluck, Sasha Lane, all excellent – and the film attempts to portray the various different problems of putting people with different views by putting them in a melting pot and letting them cook together – sparks fly with an unparalleled energy. The synth score, the look and feel of it all – it feels like a fuck you to everyone in charge and deserves all the audience possible.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Christian Petzold has been making German mythology anew for the past decade or so and his film Afire is a wonderful magical realist tale about two friends, Leon and Felix, who arrive at Felix’s holiday home to find a mysterious woman, Nadja – there already – with the threat of a forest fire in the background. Avoiding the manic pixie dream girl trope, Afire is a devastating look at how quickly self-centred narcissism and jealousy can consume even the closest of friends; and Petzold’s muse, Paula Beer – deliver a tremendously multifaceted performance.
21. How to Blow up a Pipeline; Daniel Goldhaber
A wonderful anti-capitalist act of revolution; free spirited youth and progress – a rallying cry for change as an artform is fiercely independent and a fire that sparks a revolution. Ariela Barer, Kristine Froseth, Lukas Gage, Forrest Goodluck, Sasha Lane, all excellent – and the film attempts to portray the various different problems of putting people with different views by putting them in a melting pot and letting them cook together – sparks fly with an unparalleled energy. The synth score, the look and feel of it all – it feels like a fuck you to everyone in charge and deserves all the audience possible.
Where to Watch: Netflix
20. Afire; Christian Petzold
Christian Petzold has been making German mythology anew for the past decade or so and his film Afire is a wonderful magical realist tale about two friends, Leon and Felix, who arrive at Felix’s holiday home to find a mysterious woman, Nadja – there already – with the threat of a forest fire in the background. Avoiding the manic pixie dream girl trope, Afire is a devastating look at how quickly self-centred narcissism and jealousy can consume even the closest of friends; and Petzold’s muse, Paula Beer – deliver a tremendously multifaceted performance.
Where to Watch: Rental
A post colonialism critique of the French, Pacification is an entirely rich labyrinth of an existential drama that plays out like Abel Ferrera's Miami Vice. Bold, visionary - exciting and daring - Pacifiction takes steps to accomplish something truly breathtaking - Benoit Maigmel acts as a centrepiece for the corruption of the state through his central performance, and through him we see such a rampant control of luxury.
19. Pacifiction; Abel Ferrara
A post colonialism critique of the French, Pacification is an entirely rich labyrinth of an existential drama that plays out like Abel Ferrera's Miami Vice. Bold, visionary - exciting and daring - Pacifiction takes steps to accomplish something truly breathtaking - Benoit Maigmel acts as a centrepiece for the corruption of the state through his central performance, and through him we see such a rampant control of luxury.
Where to Watch: Mubi
As romantic as finales get; this is just such a flawless film - Channing Tatum, Salma Hayek, all exceptional - Soderbergh is still just majestic at getting everything right and this teardown of the patriarchy is what we very much needed. That finale is the best ending of the year - and Mike returns for one last dance; it's hard not to fall in love. Love the little scenes like the dance on the London bus - and it's further proof Soderbergh has just perfected the movie artform, few to do it better.
18. Magic Mike’s Last Dance; Steven Soderbergh
As romantic as finales get; this is just such a flawless film - Channing Tatum, Salma Hayek, all exceptional - Soderbergh is still just majestic at getting everything right and this teardown of the patriarchy is what we very much needed. That finale is the best ending of the year - and Mike returns for one last dance; it's hard not to fall in love. Love the little scenes like the dance on the London bus - and it's further proof Soderbergh has just perfected the movie artform, few to do it better.
Where to Watch: Now
17. Beau is Afraid; Ari Aster
A 3 hour long nightmare that I absolutely adored; and not just that - it's also Ari Aster's best work to date. Unflinching in its compromise and full of absurdly brilliant situations that test the limits of your imagination - there's nothing quite like Beau is Afraid this year and it may end up being the most unique film of 2023. Certainly the most traumatising from the city sequence alone: it’s like having a never ending panic attack with a gorgeous animated sequence in the middle.
Where to Watch: Now
16. Return to Seoul; Davy Chou
Where to Watch: Mubi
The cinema date in this transformed my opinion of this film from very good to legendary; and it all starts with a series of missed connections. And what a movie! a dry comedy aware of the lengthy tradition of cinematic dry comedies - so painfully awkward at times and yet never more human. The story of love between two lonely souls.
Miyazaki is back with an intimate sense of wonder and imagination; but well aware of his own mortality and challenging the concept of a farewell film by looking at his legacy whilst making something new. After escaping from the wartorn Tokyo to live in the remote home of his new stepmother Natsuko, Mahito is stalked by a grey heron as the world around him grows forever stranger. Beautifully illustrated with nods from all things from Grave of the Fireflies to Doctor Who’s Partners in Crime (tell me you won’t be reminded of the Adipose after watching this); it’s a grand masterstroke that is the best animated film of the year.
15. Fallen Leaves; Aki Kaurismaki
The cinema date in this transformed my opinion of this film from very good to legendary; and it all starts with a series of missed connections. And what a movie! a dry comedy aware of the lengthy tradition of cinematic dry comedies - so painfully awkward at times and yet never more human. The story of love between two lonely souls.
14. The Boy and the Heron; Hayao Miyazaki
Miyazaki is back with an intimate sense of wonder and imagination; but well aware of his own mortality and challenging the concept of a farewell film by looking at his legacy whilst making something new. After escaping from the wartorn Tokyo to live in the remote home of his new stepmother Natsuko, Mahito is stalked by a grey heron as the world around him grows forever stranger. Beautifully illustrated with nods from all things from Grave of the Fireflies to Doctor Who’s Partners in Crime (tell me you won’t be reminded of the Adipose after watching this); it’s a grand masterstroke that is the best animated film of the year.
Where to Watch: Currently in select cinemas
This is one of the "most" films of the year and the fact that it might be my favourite blockbuster movie tells you something: a harrowing human drama that finally nails non-monster parts of a modern Godzilla story; and absolutely crushes it with the big guy. Best score of the year and a rich anti-war theme that puts most American films to shame. Its critics who call it pro Nationalism couldn’t be further than the truth – this is the most damning statement of Japanese attitudes towards the lack of care for life in World War Two that we could’ve had; and pushing everything towards giving its characters something to fight for the film feels like a real artwork. Legendary have a lot to catch up on.
13. Godzilla: Minus One; Takeshi Yamazaki
Where to Watch: Currently in select cinemas
A movie for the disaster bisexuals! featuring the most awkward meet the parents scene you've ever seen - Franz Rogowski plays Tomas, a German filmmaker who embraces his sexuality when he and his husband Martin are both involved in affairs. Chaos all around with another all-timer of an Adèle Exarchopoulos performance, Passages is much more deserving of The Worst Person in the World title than the film of the same name; but it shows how good Rogowski is of an actor that you can't help but care for him regardless of all the horrible things his character does.
12. Passages; Ira Sachs
A movie for the disaster bisexuals! featuring the most awkward meet the parents scene you've ever seen - Franz Rogowski plays Tomas, a German filmmaker who embraces his sexuality when he and his husband Martin are both involved in affairs. Chaos all around with another all-timer of an Adèle Exarchopoulos performance, Passages is much more deserving of The Worst Person in the World title than the film of the same name; but it shows how good Rogowski is of an actor that you can't help but care for him regardless of all the horrible things his character does.
Where to Watch: Mubi
11. Ferrari; Michael Mann
A biopic that shows the life of automotive mogul Enzo Ferrari places you in a time in Formula 1 racing when stepping into the high-powered racing cars was a matter of life and death. Anchored by a brilliantly ruthless Adam Driver performance opposite a fiery Penelope Cruz, Ferrari showcases Mann at the top of his game; a late career epic that is best watched knowing nothing about the true story that this film draws from: as one of the most horrifying scenes in a film all year is present in Ferrari and the shock is still present even months removed from watching it; to the point where I don’t think I’ll ever recover.
Where to Watch: Cinemas
One of the most vital films to show people why sex scenes in movies are important and why it would be so reductive to erase them just because you don't like the awkwardness of watching something with your parents; a fierce work of art with something to say and a loud voice about the incredible life of Nan Goldin, renowned photographer and activist. It's queer and courageous, a bold act of revolution that has to be seen to be believed.
10. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed; Laura Poitras
Where to Watch: Rental
9. The Eight Mountains; Felix van Groeningen, Charllote Vandermeer
Compared to the likes of Elena Ferrante; The Eight Mountains is a fascinating exploration of male solitude after two friends, Pietro from Turin, and Bruno – who grew up in an isolated village; are drawn together over the course of several years. The Italian Alps provide the backdrop for this story of self-discovery and of a complex friendship, with a memorable score from Daniel Norgen. It’s about loneliness, ultimately – and the cinematography from Ruben Impens is up there with the best of the year.
Where to Watch: Mubi
Call me sentimental perhaps but I loved this one; and late career Spielberg has never been better. Gabriel Labelle portrays a young man who experiences the discovery of a family secret through his filming and editing of his own parents – whilst discovering a love for movie magic and the powers of the movies. It’s a movie about the movies; but one of the most sincere to ever do it: and one of the most beautiful too; Spielberg poured his heart and soul into this. Michelle Williams’ performance is spellbinding, and the way he shoots his war movie as a teen shows something of the genius Spielberg will turn into. Give me a Fabelmans 2 please; about the making of Columbo and Duel – and I love Spielberg’s dedication to paying respect to not just John Ford, but also David Lynch – two of the greatest directors to ever have lived.
8. The Fabelmans; Steven Spielberg
Call me sentimental perhaps but I loved this one; and late career Spielberg has never been better. Gabriel Labelle portrays a young man who experiences the discovery of a family secret through his filming and editing of his own parents – whilst discovering a love for movie magic and the powers of the movies. It’s a movie about the movies; but one of the most sincere to ever do it: and one of the most beautiful too; Spielberg poured his heart and soul into this. Michelle Williams’ performance is spellbinding, and the way he shoots his war movie as a teen shows something of the genius Spielberg will turn into. Give me a Fabelmans 2 please; about the making of Columbo and Duel – and I love Spielberg’s dedication to paying respect to not just John Ford, but also David Lynch – two of the greatest directors to ever have lived.
Where to Watch: Now
A study of colonialism in 19th century Iceland – a young Danish priest heads to a remote part of the country to build a Church and photograph his people. But the landscape is harsh and unforgiving, and can corrupt the morality of anyone. This gives us a tremendous character study with jaw-dropping cinematography of the rugged Iceland landscape by Maria von Hausswolff, and the film captures a realtime experience through history as though we were there with its characters. There are echoes of There Will Be Blood here as it fuses beauty and honesty together as one.
Where to Watch: Mubi
Such a great portrayal of an unlikeable genius it's hard not to fall in love with this spellbinding film that's so aware of everything. Cate Blanchett's performance is a tour-de-force, unrivalled; uncompromising, yet equally uncontrollable - so subtle and intricate every moment feels like art. What a commentary on private vs. public life and the public's perception of both; and that ending is one of the funniest of the year.
7. Godland; Hlynur Pálmason
A study of colonialism in 19th century Iceland – a young Danish priest heads to a remote part of the country to build a Church and photograph his people. But the landscape is harsh and unforgiving, and can corrupt the morality of anyone. This gives us a tremendous character study with jaw-dropping cinematography of the rugged Iceland landscape by Maria von Hausswolff, and the film captures a realtime experience through history as though we were there with its characters. There are echoes of There Will Be Blood here as it fuses beauty and honesty together as one.
Where to Watch: Mubi
6. Tár; Todd Field
Such a great portrayal of an unlikeable genius it's hard not to fall in love with this spellbinding film that's so aware of everything. Cate Blanchett's performance is a tour-de-force, unrivalled; uncompromising, yet equally uncontrollable - so subtle and intricate every moment feels like art. What a commentary on private vs. public life and the public's perception of both; and that ending is one of the funniest of the year.
Where to Watch: Now
Did he fall or was he pushed? Such is the set-up for this provocative courtroom drama from Justine Triet that opens with the death of a husband; and a woman suspected of his murder. The only witness? Their blind son – played by Milo Machado-Graner, who has the keys to her freedom. What follows may not be an entirely new narrative; but it moves like a gut punch all the same, a powerful, hard-hitting film that sees an Oscar-winning worthy performance by Sandra Huller. The film puts the study of art vs. the artist under scrutiny and asks whether they can be separated with a lot of comparisons easily made to Tár – but it’s its own piece of work, such a triumph of morally challenging art that provides no easy answer.
A queer time-travelling ghost story featuring an acting showcase for one of the best to ever do it - Adèle Exarchopoulos – the film explores a past turbulent relationship between her character Joanne, and Swala Emati’s Julia, that led to Julia’s incarceration – that is revisited by Sally Drame’s Vicky, who can travel backwards in time. Two of the best needle drops – one being a sing-along – make this film so vital and heartfelt; I challenge you not to have Total Eclipse of the Heart stuck in your head after this – and it’s a must for lovers of psychosexual drama with plenty of mysteries at its core.
5. Anatomy of a Fall; Justine Triet
4. The Five Devils; Lea Mysius
A queer time-travelling ghost story featuring an acting showcase for one of the best to ever do it - Adèle Exarchopoulos – the film explores a past turbulent relationship between her character Joanne, and Swala Emati’s Julia, that led to Julia’s incarceration – that is revisited by Sally Drame’s Vicky, who can travel backwards in time. Two of the best needle drops – one being a sing-along – make this film so vital and heartfelt; I challenge you not to have Total Eclipse of the Heart stuck in your head after this – and it’s a must for lovers of psychosexual drama with plenty of mysteries at its core.
Where to Watch: Mubi
It's an Almodóvar so you know it's going to be pretty, gay and colourful - without fail when you watch a new Almodovar it's always like discovering colour for the first time. And boy does Strange Way of Life deliver - tearing down the entire masculine western tropes as we explore a past relationship between two lovers; Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal - who find themselves united after several years.
3. Strange Way of Life; Pedro Almodóvar
It's an Almodóvar so you know it's going to be pretty, gay and colourful - without fail when you watch a new Almodovar it's always like discovering colour for the first time. And boy does Strange Way of Life deliver - tearing down the entire masculine western tropes as we explore a past relationship between two lovers; Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal - who find themselves united after several years.
Where to Watch: Mubi
Adapted from David Grann’s true crime novel; Martin Scorsese’s magnificent epic that reunites him with Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro is one for the ages, simply because of how much Lily Gladstone steals the screentime from underneath both of these titans of cinema by being a constant presence as her character Mollie finds herself wrapped up into an horrific scheme that is seeing the Osage people murdered one by one in 1920s Oklahoma. Benefiting from a switch of perspective to the Osage and not glorifying the actions of DiCaprio’s most pathetic character, Ernest Burkhart, Scorsese has created a powerful, true gut punch of a picture that is crafted with the skills of a veteran who has rarely been in better form. Greed and power corrupts – and it’s so effortlessly moving those almost four hours absolutely fly by.
Where to Watch: Rental
2. Killers of the Flower Moon; Martin Scorsese
Adapted from David Grann’s true crime novel; Martin Scorsese’s magnificent epic that reunites him with Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro is one for the ages, simply because of how much Lily Gladstone steals the screentime from underneath both of these titans of cinema by being a constant presence as her character Mollie finds herself wrapped up into an horrific scheme that is seeing the Osage people murdered one by one in 1920s Oklahoma. Benefiting from a switch of perspective to the Osage and not glorifying the actions of DiCaprio’s most pathetic character, Ernest Burkhart, Scorsese has created a powerful, true gut punch of a picture that is crafted with the skills of a veteran who has rarely been in better form. Greed and power corrupts – and it’s so effortlessly moving those almost four hours absolutely fly by.
Where to Watch: Rental
1. Enys Men; Mark Jenkin
A rich, gothic horror story that recreates the atmosphere of 70s British horror perfectly, Enys Men arrives as a follow up to Bait, Mark Jenin’s debut film – with a resounding success. A 16mm mood and atmosphere piece that feels as foreboding as just about any horror story that you’ve read late at night – and you know that something sinister or horrifying is going to happen; or maybe, just maybe – it already has. Jenkin’s experimental, non-narrative Roeg-influenced assault of the senses is something that you can’t help but sit back and admire its bravado as one of the most truly original films of the year. Cornish cinema is alive and thriving.
Where to Watch: BFI Player
