As 2023 winds down and 2024 looms on the horizon, it’s time to look back at the year that was in pop culture. We asked our staff to pick their favorite movies, music and television from the past year, and now we are sharing it with you.
MORE: Glen Powell reveals the best romcom advice from Anyone But You costar Dermot Mulroney
The rules are pretty simple: it had to have released in the calendar year 2023. For television, just one episode had to air for the first time over the last year. To be clear, this list isn’t necessarily the best of the year, it’s our favorites.
This last year was a fun one for movies, as we saw a resurgence of moviegoers head back to the theaters to see flicks like Barbie, Oppenheimer and even Taylor Swift on the big screen.
Here are some of our favorites of the year.
1
Oppenheimer
Christopher Nolan’s titanic historical epic blew audiences away, which is rare for a talky biopic without a lot of action. It’s one of the auteur’s best, anchored by a never-better Cillian Murphy and devastatingly great turn from Robert Downey Jr. — Cory Woodruff
MORE: The art of being ‘That Guy’ and why they were so important in Oppenheimer
2
Barbie
Greta Gerwig’s latest was a perfect counterbalance to Oppenheimer that brought the pink doll icon to the big screen in a way that was funny, thoughtful and downright heartwarming. I didn’t know what to expect when I walked in, but I loved how I felt when I walked out. Plus, it gave us some of the best memes of the year. — Caroline Darney
3
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning
While it ultimately became the first in a long line of movies swallowed up by the Barbenheimer phenomenon, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning deserves praise and attention because it delivered everything audiences have repeatedly asked for in the era of flopping franchises. Clever writing, real stakes for its characters, and of course, above all else, utterly spectacular stunts that can only be achieved by filming real people doing things in real locations. Tom Cruise gave us what we’ve been asking for, his timing was just off this time. — Matt Scalici
4
Beau Is Afraid
Ari Aster’s third feature is one of the year’s boldest works, a three-hour descent into paranoid madness and generational trauma that must be seen to be believed. — Cory Woodruff
5
Killers of the Flower Moon
Martin Scorsese brought the horrible American history of the Osage murders to striking life with one of his better films, one that stretches from the past to present in how it advocates not only for justice in the face of horror, but also for the expansion of diverse storytellers who can keep the tradition of film alive. — Cory Woodruff
6
No Hard Feelings
A raucous, outrageous and excellent full-throated R-rated comedy. No Hard Feelings is, indeed, very funny, but it is also soft and sad in some moments, intentionally cringeworthy in others, a bit chaotic, and it’s also sometimes a commentary on gentrification and how zoomers are being raised. Jennifer Lawrence is absolutely brilliant here with masterful comedic timing and flawless physical comedy, showing she’s willing to do anything for a laugh. Andrew Barth Feldman is great as the second lead here and does his best to match Lawrence, and you should definitely fire up his piano-powered cover of Hall & Oates’ “Maneater.” Last thought: It’s pretty ironic that Ferris Bueller became a helicopter parent, right? — Mitchell Northam
7
The Holdovers
In what’s destined to be a Christmas classic, Alexander Payne’s latest film features one of the most irresistible casts of the year and one of its best scripts, too. You’ll want to fire this one up yearly around the holidays. — Cory Woodruff
8
Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3
This was without question the best comic book movie of the year and an incredibly satisfying ending to the Guardians trilogy. It’s not often that an MCU film nearly moves me to tears, but this one — and more than once — absolutely did. As usual, the soundtrack is an absolute banger. It’s also clear that the CGI and effects were handled with time and care, which is not something that can be said for some other recent MCU entries. Will Poulter makes for a fantastic addition to the crew, and each member of the Guardians gets their chance to shine, especially Bradley Cooper’s Rocket Raccoon, whose origin story winds up being the emotional center of this film (which is pretty wild, considering that before 2014, Rocket was, at-best, a D-lister in Marvel Comics). And it might be the best Chris Pratt’s ever been on the big screen. It’s violent, emotional, and has a few laughs that really land. It’s probably 20 minutes too long, but if that’s the lone complaint here, it’s a real accomplishment for a post-Endgame MCU entry. Bravo, Mr. Gunn. — Mitchell Northam
9
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Dungeons & Dragons might be its own behemoth of a system to get into and understand, but Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves does a wonderful job of keeping things simple and fun for all audiences. The D&D references are still there in full, from locations to spells and creatures that any fanatic can pick out with ease. And yet, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is at its best when giving folks the highlights of a typical D&D adventure, natural ones and all. — Mary Clarke
MORE: Chris Pine joined Dungeons and Dragons cast thanks to this heartwarming ‘bribe’
10
Gran Turismo
One of the most underrated movies of the year for me, behind maybe only Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Archie Madekwe is fantastic as Jann Mardenborough in the story of how he went from video game player to real-life racer. David Harbour and Orlando Bloom are marvelous, and the racing scenes will take your breath away. — Caroline Darney
MORE: Gran Turismo is the surprise feel-good sports movie of the summer
11
Blackberry
The Canadian Social Network, if you will, turned out to be one of the year’s biggest surprises, a success-to-failure cautionary tale with a commanding turn from Glenn Howerton. — Cory Woodruff
12
The Boy and the Heron
As the founder of the world-acclaimed Studio Ghibli, no one does animation quite like Hayao Miyakazi. His tales are always insightful, thought-provoking, and they leave a lasting impact on your psyche and your soul. They are fairy tales. Full stop. The Boy and the Heron is all of these things and more. I’ve seen the film twice and I’m still not quite sure what happened in the plot. I’m still processing its message and its many themes like enduring grief and accepting our responsibility to each other. That’s the point. — Robert Zeglinski
13
May December
While you may initially expect this movie as a story about the Mary Kay Letourneau scandal, it’s actually one of the most fascinating insights into and criticisms of method acting. This was also a breakout performance by Charles Melton, who did an amazing job with a very complicated role. — Bryan Kalbrosky
14
Asteroid City
Wes Anderson never misses, and his latest feature might be one of his best. It’s just everything you love about Anderson and a few things you didn’t know he was capable of. — Cory Woodruff
15
A Man Called Otto
Is it a bit predictable and sappy? Yes. Is it also unpredictably dark and funny? Also yes. A Man Called Otto strikes a balance between sad, delightful and ironic. Tom Hanks is totally committed to this character – a cranky old man who has endured a lot of loss, but unexpectedly finds joy in life again – and it’s one of his best recent performances as he balances the tones of his character and the film. Mariana Trevino really shines in a key supporting role and makes this movie work. It’s an incredibly emotional film that will make you laugh and think while also pulling at your heartstrings. And yes, I cried. — Mitchell Northam
16
The Killer
David Fincher and Michael Fassbender teaming up for a stylistic action thriller about an assassin is a combination I didn’t know I needed. Everything about The Killer is bewitching. From a lengthy prologue about a sociopath’s obsessively patient routine to a literal heavyweight fight — light spoilers, sorry — with a man called “The Brute,” this movie hits every note. And each is more satisfying than the last. — Robert Zeglinski
17
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
Nearly three hours of pure joy and incredible performance, right on the big screen. Taylor Swift had herself a pretty incredible 2023, capped off with a high-grossing blockbuster that had fans singing, dancing and crying in the theaters. If you aren’t a Swiftie, this movie might make you one. — Caroline Darney
MORE: Taylor Swift gave Kobe Bryant’s daughter the sweetest gift during the Eras Tour
18
Past Lives
Celine Song’s masterful debut told of the most devastating almost-romance of the year, bouyed by an impressive cast and some stunning cinematography from Shabier Kirchner. — Cory Woodruff
19
Air
Clever, funny, smart, well-made and well-paced. If you can leave your concerns about commercial propaganda at the door, this is a really great ride — a good film for adults that we don’t get all that much of anymore. It might be even less of a traditional sports movie than Moneyball was, but the two certainly share similarities. When you boil it down, this is film about marketing, pitching, selling, and the man at the center of it — Matt Damon’s Sonny Vaccaro — attempting to fulfill his purpose in life and prove everyone that he’s the smartest guy in the room when it comes to basketball. The script from Alex Convery is sharp and — I mean this as a high compliment — a solid Sorkin imitation with a sprinkling of Soderbergh, which is brought to life by a strong and entertaining supporting cast featuring the likes of Viola Davis, Chris Messina, Jason Bateman and Chris Tucker. Oh, and this has a great soundtrack too. — Mitchell Northam
20
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah
This was such a joy! Adam Sandler and his real-life daughters were fantastic and immediately teleported me back into a time when I was 13 years old and nothing mattered as much as Bar Mitzvah season every Saturday. The characters in this were fantastic and so much fun. — Bryan Kalbrosky
