Ten Best and Worst Films of 2023

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Dec 31

Sommerleigh Pollonais, Senior Writer

Winding down on another year (or up on a new one, if you're a "glass half-full" type) brings us to that time when we movie lovers look back at everything we got and split them up into neat little groups of what we loved and what we wished we never laid eyes on.

Personally, this year was particularly busy for me and I'm ashamed to admit I've yet to catch up on some blockbuster hits (I still haven't seen Top Gun: Maverick or Killers of a Flower Moon!). But with that New Year ball dropping soon I decided to go ahead and give you my impressions of the movies I did manage to see, with a quick shout out as well to the television shows that left a good impression.

With a mild SPOILER ALERT for those of you who are still playing catch up (like myself) here are my picks for the Five Best and Worst Movies of 2023, starting off the worst of the bunch.

#5 Worst - The Expendables 4

Jason Statham after watching Expend4bles

It's not like I expected much from a sequel to a franchise that's basically an excuse to get a bunch of old action stars together on a play date, but I would've at least been satisfied if I got over-the-top action sequences, fun dialogue and a plot line that did more than just the basic "save the world" shtick.

Sadly, none of the above was found here and even Sly Stallone was smart enough to be absent for the bulk of the runtime. The biggest letdown was the fact they had a solid lead in Jason Statham and two of the best modern day action stars in the form of Tony Jaa and Iko Uwais and they totally waste them. Talk about taking the title of your movie literally!

#4 Worst - Rebel Moon Part One - A Child of Fire

SNYDER IN THE EDITING ROOM: Hold up! Hold everything! This scene needs more slo mo

The most recent movie I've watched on this list, the best thing I can say about Part One of Zack Snyder's sci-fi "saga" Rebel Moon A Child of Fire is I didn't hate it.

Some of us were aware this story started out as a possible entry into the Star Wars franchise courtesy the King of Slo-Mo (Snyder) but when he announced his idea to instead create his very own sci-fi epic the likes of Star Wars and Dune, hopes were high (or at least the hopes of his very dedicated fan base) that this was somehow going to be one for the ages.

Instead, what we got was a promising hint at an intriguing world hampered by one-dimensional characters, lacklustre pacing, unimaginative action sequences and an overload of ideas *ahem* "inspired" from other movies that did this much better. Rebel Moon is like the burgers you see in those BK commercials; they may look good on camera but take a bite and it's all bland and flavourless. Here's hoping Part Two at the very least delivers a somewhat satisfying conclusion.

#3 Worst - You People

It could have been worse; you could have been watching Norbit or Pluto Nash

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner did it much better, hell, the 2005 remake Guess Who did it much better, and that movie's only saving grace was the late great Bernie Mac.

You People had a talented cast at its disposal but terrible pacing, jokes that fell flat and a total lack of chemistry between leads Jonah Hill and Lauren London (who come across more like old friends than a new couple) makes this so-called comedy a chore to get through.

#2 Worst - The Exorcist: Believer

Sooooooooo...who's going to tell the girls it's time for bed?

Before I come out swinging with the holy water, I'll admit The Exorcist: Believer had more than a few solid ideas that with a bit more polish could've made it a solid addition to the admittedly shaky sequels that came before. Solid visuals, sound design and having two possessed kids instead of one while also bringing back the original stars Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn were just some of the smart choices made here.

Sadly, they played things too safe (something The Exorcist never did) and wasted the opportunity to have the mother/daughter team of Chris and Regan be a much larger part of the overall story. And all audiences were left with was another mediocre horror movie that most will forget and forgo when revisiting the franchise.

DISHONOURABLE MENTIONS: Ghosted, Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, Magic Mike's Last Dance, Five Nights at Freddy's, Fear the Night

#1 Worst - Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Please, whatever you do, don't open your helmet

While Marvel's Phase Four was shaky it's Phase Five (which is still in progress) has had the roughest start since the MCU officially launched. GOTG Vol 3 was a standout BUT Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which officially launched the fifth phase, stood out for all the wrong reasons.

Simply put Scott Lang a.k.a. Ant-Man is a hero best utilised with smaller stakes that lend to his admittedly ripe-for-comedy power set. Placing him against a villain as powerful as Kang just doesn't make sense. Making less sense is having that villain bested by Lang and his army of ants while also wasting the comedic talents of Paul Rudd, introducing a visually unimaginative realm as well as completely wasting the potential of M.O.D.O.K. by revealing him to be a long thought dead character are just some of the many missteps Marvel Studios made with this entry.

Here's hoping they (Marvel Studios) course corrects soon because, as HBO's Game of Thrones has shown us, people tend to remember a bitter ending more than they do a strong start.

And now on to the Top 5 Best...

#5 Best - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

That hit the Spot

Considering how high introductory outing Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse set the bar, it's astounding how strong this sequel is.

Going bigger in every way, Across the Spider-Verse is visually spectacular, delivering scenes that will require viewers to rewatch it multiple times to catch everything while never forgetting to explore the relationships that make the character so relatable. If any of the major comic book franchises has gotten the multiverse right, it's this one.

#4 Best - John Wick: Chapter 4

Yes, people keep telling me that my face is very punchable

It shouldn't work. Chapter 4 of the John Wick saga doubles down on everything that's come before with the world of assassins and the people who (try to) control them taking center stage. It's Rocky with guns as John Wick's almost superhuman ability to keep going against hordes of bad guys and bullets should feel ridiculous.

But whether it's Keanu's general likeability or the admittedly jaw-dropping action sequences (I still can't get over that overhead shot action sequence) John Wick: Chapter 4 stands out as not just a solid sequel but a standout amongst action movies in general.

#3 Best - Poor Things

You are interrupting my book. I detest that

Of all the directors whose work I follow, Yorgos Lanthimos might just be the most eccentric. His ability to make the absurd relatable and enjoyable is truly fascinating with movies like The Lobster and The Favourite coming to mind. I find it difficult to put into words why I love these movies, only stating you should definitely watch them.

Same goes for his latest outing Poor Things which is his weirdest, most bizarrely beautiful movie to date. Like The Lobster, the movie explores the need for human connection. As one of the newest films on this list I'm not going to go into details but I highly recommend checking it out as Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe as well as all of the supporting cast deliver some of the best work here as quirky and weirdly wonderful characters set against some of the best costume designs and cinematography I've seen outside of my number two choice on this list.

#2 Best - Barbie

Are you going to enjoy this movie? Abs-solutely

What's left to say about this unexpectedly outstanding movie that hasn't already been said?

With an eye to details no Barbie fan could find fault with, while also being relatable enough to general audiences, the writing/directing dynamic duo of Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach are matched on screen by duo Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling who bring Barbie and Ken to glorious life.

It goes without saying the costume designs and cinematography are a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination (and most likely the win) and while the story does a suffer a bit once the living dolls visit the "real world", there's just too many positives to bother nitpicking on the negatives.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: A Haunting in Venice, Quiz Lady, Saw X, No One Will Save You, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, Wonka, Evil Dead Rise, The Killer, Infinity Pool, Creed III, They Cloned Tyrone, The Holdovers

#1 Best - Oppenheimer

Remember the atomic bomb? J. Robert Oppenheimer remembers

If Christopher Nolan never made another movie, this would be the highest note he could go out on. I constantly groan about the runtime of most movies these days but at no point did I feel the weight of this three-hour plus biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer's journey to becoming the father of the atomic bomb.

Spectacular doesn't begin to describe the cinematography and sound design that almost demands one sees this at their nearest IMAX theater. And the performances by the massive cast shows a host of actors who were very aware of the quality screenplay they were a part of. This is a movie that will be discussed for ages to come as an example of not just how to make a compelling biography, but how to create an indelible impact on viewing audiences' period.

So that's my list. What was your favourite movie of 2023? What was your least favourite? And you can check out more movie rankings below:

SEVEN BELATED MOVIE SEQUELS THAT ACTUALLY WORKED

THE SPOOKIES: BEST AND WORST OF HORROR AWARDS 2023

TOP 5 HIGHEST GROSSING FILMS RANKED

Sommerleigh of the House Pollonais. First of Her Name. Sushi Lover, Queen of Horror Movies, Comic Books and Binge-Watching Netflix. Mother of two beautiful black cats named Vader and Kylo. I think eating Popcorn at the movies should be mandatory, PS4 makes the best games ever, and I'll be talking about movies until the zombie apocalypse comes. Double Tap Baby! Read More