What were your favorite films of 2023, an excellent movie year? Click here to tell us and we’ll enter you in a raffle to win Laemmle gift cards! Here’s Greg Laemmle on the year just past and his top ten films:
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While we are still in the process of getting all the numbers together, early projections are that we finally got back into the black in 2023. I know that this post isn’t supposed to be about the economic state of things, but let’s at least take a moment to express thanks that the financial picture for the exhibition business is looking better after three years of less-than-stellar ticket sales.
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Leaving aside the numbers, the following are the films that I found to be the most memorable of 2023. A few are still playing in theatres, so I encourage you to check them out while you can.
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#1 – AFIRE – This summer release from director Christian Petzold may have suffered commercially because it was so hard to define. Was it a drama? Or a comedy? And a comedy from Germany? Whoever heard of such a thing. But while it may be hard to pigeonhole this picture, it should be easy to enjoy and appreciate the complete command the filmmaker has working with a superb cast of actors.
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#2 – ANATOMY OF A FALL – This October release is still playing in theatres. And if there is any justice, it will be recognized on Tuesday with Oscar nominations for writer director Justine Triet, lead performer Sandra Huller, and that rarest of things, a nomination for a foreign language film as Best Picture.
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#3 – SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE – While I appreciated the daring animation style of the preceding film SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE, I was truly wowed by what this film delivered both in terms of further stylistic daring, and a real emotional pull in the storytelling. I believe the film is being brought back this week so if you can, go see it.
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#4 – THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE – Another terrific film from Germany. And this one is the German entry for the Best International Feature category at the Oscars. Look for it to receive a nomination on Tuesday, and make sure to see it when it goes into wider release following the nominations.
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#5 – PAST LIVES – A word-of-mouth hit that played all summer, this wistful romance is a terrific debut for filmmaker Celine Song, and a superb showcase for actress Greta Lee.
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#6 – THE HOLDOVERS – Writer-director Alexander Payne and actor Paul Giamatti re-team nearly 20 years after their success with SIDEWAYS, and the result is a film of deep maturity and thoughtfulness. With a story and visual style (and soundtrack) that beautifully evokes some of now-classic films and filmmakers of the early ’70s, this is one to see.
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#7 – THE TASTE OF THINGS – The pacing in Tran Anh Hung’s film is deliberate. But also perfectly matched to a time period where the world was not in such a rush. So relax and enjoy the exquisite scenes of food preparation, not to mention the pleasure of seeing the luminous Juliette Binoche.
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#8 – THE ZONE OF INTEREST – A monster movie. But a monster movie where the monsters have spouses, children, pressure at work, and all the other things that we can relate to in our everyday lives. Director Jonathan Glazer takes Hannah Arendt’s idea of “the banality of evil” and it is both terrifying and serene.
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#9 – BOBI WINE: THE PEOPLE’S PRESIDENT – I didn’t see as many of this year’s documentaries as I would like. But of the one’s I did see, this is the best.
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#10 – AIR – I love it when Hollywood makes a thoughtful movie for adults. And I especially love it when it makes such a movie without overly stressing the “importance” of the movie. While the Oscar nominations may end up going to other pictures, for my money, this is the best put-together studio film of the year. Kudos to director Ben Affleck, screenwriter Alex Convery, star Matt Damon, and the always fabulous Viola Davis for their work here. Please, Hollywood, send us lots more like this one in the years to come.
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The business is still in the process of recovering from the pandemic closure. But it is recovering. So another request Please keep coming out to see stuff in theatres, and be a part of rebuilding a vibrant moviegoing scene that has something for everyone.