Top 20 Best Films of 2023

2023 has been a mixed year for cinema. While the early half of the year delivered a surprising amount of gems and held tremendous momentum, Hollywood strikes, and a reduced release schedule caused the awards season to crawl. Compared to 2022 where it felt needed to acknowledge 50 films as being the best of the year, 2023 sees only 20 make their way onto the list. Know that even though 245 feature films were viewed this year for this list, there are of course movies that simply didn't have time to be viewed so this is incredibly subjective based on what was able to be seen in time and what qualifies under Buttered Popcorn's own ruling of release date which can differ from other sources. As always, this is also just a subjective opinion and is not meant to be taken objectively. Disagreeing about art is part of the fun and should be encouraged rather than criticized. Without further ado, here are the Top 20 Films of 2023!

If applicable, click on a poster to see my full review of a film!

Honorable Mentions: Afire, Asteroid City, Biosphere, Blue Jean, Down Low, Master Gardener, & Smoke Sauna Sisterhood

#20-Scrapper

A true standout of the Sundance Film Festival, Scrapper is an excellent debut feature from Charlotte Regan that blends personality with emotion with the story of a young girl who has to learn to live with her absent father once he returns after she has lived alone following the death of her mother. Lola Campbell gives one of the best youth performances of the year while Harris Dickinson continues to build onto his already impressive filmography.

#19-Fairyland

Fairyland is a deeply personal queer reflection that sees Alysia Abbott's tribute to her father get adapted to the big screen. Filled with heart and raw honesty about the complex tragic history that has defined far too many queer stories throughout history, the film is a great display of the power found within love and empathy. Considering the film is yet to screen outside of a handful of film festivals, one can hope a larger release is found in the future so more can celebrate it.

#18-Knock at the Cabin

Every time M. Night Shyamalan releases a new feature, there is the immediate question of which side of his filmography the film will fall on. Will it be a chaotic mess, or will it deliver a harrowing and thrilling story? Knock at the Cabin is luckily on the more positive side of things. Seeing some of the most intense and controlled direction to come from Shyamalan alongside one of the best performances of the year by Dave Bautista, this is a film that has stood out from nearly the start of 2023 and is a new bright point for the legendary director.

#17-A Thousand and One

Impressing greatly in her directorial debut, A.V. Rockwell crafts a tragic look at love in A Thousand and One. Teyana Taylor is fantastic here as a mother who wants to give her son the world and has to live with the consequences of how she is forced to act on this desire. Emotionally raw, this is yet another feature to come out early in the year and continue to find audiences and stay relevant for the sheer talent and power on display.

#16-Mamacruz

A liberating look at sexuality in context of both religion and age, Mamacruz is one of the biggest hidden gems of the year! Incredibly funny, touching, and visually inspired, the film, the film hits on all levels and is easily one of the most memorable watches of the year.

#15-Fair Play

An intense look at the role power dynamics play within a relationship, Fair Play is yet another Sundance standout that is especially enhanced by the dueling performances from Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich. A ball of intensity, the film is also another great feature directorial debut and is easily one of the best works released on Netflix this year.

#14-A Haunting in Venice

Kenneth Branagh's series of Hercule Poirot films have provided fun entertainment, particularly with his take on Death on the Nile, but A Haunting in Venice is clearly his best entry in the series to date. A work of art visually and another devilishly clever murder mystery that flawlessly works in what could have been a disastrous supernatural element, the film broods grief and tragedy all the way to a satisfying climax.

#13-La Chimera

Between her 2018 work, Happy as Lazzaro and La Chimera, Alice Rohrwacher is proving herself to be one of the most poetic and imaginative filmmakers currently working. Feeling almost like a modern interpretation of the style and inspired nature found in works of filmmakers of the past such as Jean Cocteau, Rohrwacher builds a rich text here that focuses on the value and power of art. Josh O'Connor also continues to prove himself as one of the finest working actors, something sure to continue next year with his work in Challengers.

#12-The Eternal Memory

The Eternal Memory is a heartbreaking and honest look at the rapid and devastating process of Alzheimer's disease. While COVID-19 clearly altered what the film was meant to be, this shift in direction adds an additional worthy layer of perspective and conversation. While not a fun watch, the film is absolutely a worthwhile one.

#11-Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

Even for those who went to see The Eras Tour live in person, the cinematic capturing and display of the event is not only an incredibly fun experience, but a shocking poignant one at times. Using nostalgia to take a tour through Swift's discography, it is hard for audience's not to reflect on their own growth and journeys in relation to the music being performed.

#10-Orlando, My Political Biography

Orlando, My Political Biography is an incredibly raw and moving look at how art can inspire and give strengths to underrepresented groups. Looking at how art can allow individuals to feel truly seen, the film uses authentic voices to look at the impact of Virginia Woolf's Orlando, specifically when it comes to understanding various identities throughout the gender spectrum. Profound and very well made, this is easily one of the most important documentaries of the year.

#9-The Holdovers

The Holdovers immediately becomes a new holiday tradition. Incredibly charming, personable, and emotional, the film holds both the brisk cold of a snowy winter morning and the warmth of a burning fire. Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph give two of the best performances of the year while newcomer Dominic Sessa manages to hold his own.

#8-Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

After her impressive work in The Edge of Seventeen, Kelly Fremon Craig's sophomore effort, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret., continues to show the talent of Craig. Adapting the titular Judy Blume novel, the film boasts one of the most overlooked ensembles of the year and serves as a both charming and moving coming of age story.

#7-Poor Things

Poor Things is such a special feature. Possibly Yorgos Lanthimos best feature to date, which says something, One of the most visually impressive films of all time, Poor Things is a rich look at sex and social constructs and the power they hold against society. Incredibly well acted, comical, and meaningful, the film has all the elements needed to be one of the best films of the year!

#6-Elemental

While 2024 will undoubtedly go down as one of the most disastrous years for Disney and their extended filmography, Elemental shines as a surprising highlight. With some truly impressive animation, the usage of colors especially, and one of the most effective romances seen from the studio leading to an almost Paul Schrader adjacent capturing of the power of physical touch and intimacy, the film rises above what could have been a more standard and basic premise to deliver a new classic for Pixar!

#5-Oppenheimer

After a disappointing 2020 showing with Tenet, Christoper Nolan returns to greatness with Oppenheimer! A layered and complex look at destruction and responsibility, the film is not only a compelling and haunting biopic but an even deeper expression on the the destructive reality of innovation and how one is forced to live with their role within it. A grand ensemble and stunning practical visuals help push the film even further into the position of being one of the best of the year!

#4-The Stroll

The Stroll is one of the most important cinematic texts of the year. Letting the transgender sex workers of New York's Meatpacking District share their own stories against the larger scope of capturing a rapidly changing city and world, the film is an active fight against the continued lost of LGBTQ+ history. The craft and structure of the film is phenomenal and this is a needed example of how important documentary filmmaking is when it comes to keeping queer history alive and accessible.

#3-The Iron Claw

While Sean Durkin showed a clear talent with 2020's The Nest, The Iron Claw is a full realization of his cinematic talent. Taking a large narrative and boiling it down to a single compelling narrative on generational desire and toxicity, the film is a true American tragedy unlike any other. A stellar ensemble led by possibly Zac Efron's best performance to date brings this story to life and offers some of the best crafted work of the year!

#2-Barbie

Greta Gerwig does it again! While maintaining the bright and entertaining shell many would expect from the project, Barbie morphs into something far deeper and more inspired. Not just a look at the modern state of feminism and the female identity but also on the importance of connection and communication, Barbie is bold and continues to show Gerwig's potential to be one of the defining filmmakers of our time, even on a bigger and more mainstream scale like this.

#1-Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Going into the year, it was almost unfathomable to imagine Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 making it this high on my list. Considering no MCU film has ever come close to reaching this position, the previous films in this specific series felt underwhelming, and the MCU has reached easily its lowest point when it comes to quality, it is even more amazing to see just how special this film ended up being. Shockingly emotional and brutal at times, the film perfectly finds a mixture between a real venom and its comedic chops to deliver a truly flawless feature that is as entertaining as it is moving. Easily taking the spot as the best MCU film to date, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 is one of the films where everything comes together in a way that no other film achieved, making it impossible not to title as the best film of 2023!