TOP TEN BEST MOVIES OF 2023

10. WONKA

Director: Paul King

Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Hugh Grant, Sally Hawkins

Making this entry purely based on it being a pure sweet surprise, Wonka is far from an everlasting gobstopper but it is a true surprise of earnestly delivered charm and respect of the 1971 variant that had Gene Wilder in the role. It mimics the Paddington energy where we forget to look for logic or tie-ins to the real world. Rather it invites audiences of possibly all ages to a world of pure imagination. It’s a very aesthetically pleasing movie, with surpassingly catchy songs worthy of a foot tap. At the helm is a very genuine performance from Timothee Chalamet who breathes his own soul into the Willy Wonka wackiness. Whilst every other cast member operates on a C or B-tier level of performance, Chalamet is a clear A. It is a sweet treat to temporarily forget your worries and embrace the whimsical nature of a sweet-natured story. 

9. THE HOLDOVERS

Director: Alexander Payne

Starring Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa

Not every film has to be original and bohemian to be refreshing in a climate dominated by (box-office-failing) blockbusters. The Holdovers is a tale of regrets and a pathway to opportunities through the unlikeliest of bonds, brought to life by the sincerity of Payne's direction, Hemingson's script and Giamatti's performance; the latter of whom will undoubtedly be snubbed for an Oscar nomination, another reason to not take the ceremony seriously. 

8. ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE

Director: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers

Starring: Shamiek Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac

A multifaceted experience that is a truly unique take on Spider-Man and will challenge our preconception of our well-known web-slinger. The pulsating animation will please audiences with hypnotic visuals, assisted by an addictive soundtrack and quick-witted humour. Slightly overhyped because of its stretched-out pace and sudden ending, but I guess that is advantageous to anticipating the next outing. It sets itself apart from other Spider-Man adventures we've seen before, leading to a promise for an equally stellar third outing that will be with us next year.

7. THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY

Director: Hettie MacDonald

Starring: Jim Broadbent and Penelope Wilton 

Harold Fry takes the rut that British films have been in for a while, probably since something fluffy like Phantom of the Open to King Richard, and rejuvenates it to the days of The Full Monty. Incredible and modest yet powerful and
even haunting

6. NIMONA

Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane

Starring: Riz Ahmed and Chloe Grace Mortez 

For those who thought Spider-Verse was the best-animated adventure based on a comic book, Nimona might surprise you! Whilst the vibrancy of its animation, stellar worldbuilding and likeable duet masks the conventional buddy-buddy tropes, the last third flips the script and becomes one of the most powerful of 2023, proving that animation is a genre with a bite. METAL!

5. KILLERS OF THE MOONFLOWER

Director: Martin Scorsese

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, RoberT De Niro, Lily Gladstone

Once again, the master, Martin, is at work with tales of morality, loyalty and corruption, politically, professionally and personally. Ultimately, it surpasses The Irishman as its pacing is far more consistent due to the troubling subject matter concerning racism against the natives. Easily the best Robert De Niro of the decade, joined by his equal, the mesmerising Lily Gladstone, and Scorsese dabbles in his usual love letters to cinema in the opening scenes and delivers such a brilliant way of closing a biopic without the need for the standard text on screen. 

4. ARE YOU THERE, GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET

Director: Kelly Fremon Craig

Starring: Rachel McAdams and Abby Ryder Fortson

I haven’t had this much of a wholesome experience since Yes, God, Yes, another tale of female maturity on the backdrop of religion. Rachel McAdams and Abby Ryder Fortson are such embodiments of perfection both as a duo and on their own

journeys that I’d be damned if they weren’t at least considered for Oscar nominations. 

3. OPPENHEIMER 

Director: Christopher Nolan

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr.

Like the Atomic weaponry, Nolan’s take on a biopic of the father of the most troubling weaponry we created as a species gradually gathers momentum in the power it represents for thought-provoking, expertly crafted scripts housing an army of powerhouse performances that all deserve a respective Oscar nomination.

2. PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH

Director: Joel Crawford

Starring: Antonia Banderas, Salma Hayek, Florence Pugh

Yes, UK releases prevent me from indulging in the fun of DreamWorks' best product since Shrek 2 or Kung Fu Panda 2. That aside, the indomitable sequel to an otherwise uninspired spin-off fires on all cylinders, proving that Disney's reign in animation (and all other categories) is well and truly over! And may it live long (i.e. Shrek 5).

1. GUARDIANS AND THE GALAXY VOL 3

Director: James Gunn

Starring: Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana 

Yes, there are better movies in an objective sense (several I have not yet seen). But no film equals the emotional rollercoaster that James Gunn’s magnificently satisfying conclusion to the best aspect of the vast yet stagnant MCU. Rocket’s development now makes him my fav of the Marvel heroes, this long origin story of pain and acceptance imploded my tear ducts on two occasions. And that leads to one of the best villains of the modern era, putting the last few years of Disney’s lineup to shame… scratch that, this whole movie puts Disney and Marvel alike to shame. Every character has a satisfying conclusion, it makes you laugh and cry when needed without delay and the ending is perhaps my favourite of 2023.