From 'Oppenheimer' to 'The Holdovers,' 2023's favorite films showed off remarkable stories

In 2023, Hollywood came this close to returning to the normalcy of pre-COVID film releases and box-office receipts.

But then the writers’ and actors’ strikes happened. Publicity and productions came to a halt. Sure-fire hits flopped or got moved. In the end, the year in film feels frustratingly incomplete.

Despite this, audiences still were treated to a strong roster of great flicks, many of which are available to watch at home. While it seems gauche to label and quantify cinematic achievement, it’s always a good exercise to share the best films of the year as another reminder of movies you should check out. Or to revisit the best moments we all shared in a darkened theater.

10. "The Holdovers"

Three lost souls stuck on a campus over the holidays. Their cynical contempt lingers under the light dusting of snow. Over time, their humanity reveals itself to one another. None of the characters’ circumstances necessarily improve by the end, but they do find themselves a bit. Alexander Payne continues to prove himself not only a great satirist but a great lover of character. It’s a feat of bittersweet holiday sentiment.

9. "A Thousand and One"

A heartbreaking story of a woman (Teyana Taylor, in an amazing breakout) kidnapping her child from the foster care system, this debut feature from A.V. Rockwell captures the struggle of families trying to retain their identity while providing a commentary on the evolution of New York City over the past several decades. With all the skill of Spike Lee and less of the bombast, the film tells a sprawling story with poise.

8. "One Fine Morning"

Speaking of family dramas, Mia Hansen-Løve’s tale of a mother (Léa Seydoux) dealing with an aging parent and messy personal life will remind you of the adult stories of love and life indie filmmakers like John Cassavetes and Woody Allen made as a matter of routine. Seydoux is soulful, perhaps one of the great leading actresses working. Don’t be afraid of the subtitles. You will see a lot of yourself in this well-crafted melodrama.

7. "Dream Scenario"

Nicolas Cage plays a professor who inexplicably starts showing up in everyone’s dreams. At first his presence is benign, then menacing, and this woefully average man finds himself suffering from the demands of unwanted fame. Analogies can be made for social media and cancel culture, but the fantasy taps into something much deeper by exploring how our self-perception is damaged by relying on the perception of others. A movie that gives the audience a lot to ponder, with the clearest signal yet Cage’s best work may still be ahead of him.

6. "Barbie"

I began to second-guess my initial enthusiasm for the Greta Gerwig-helmed hit. Isn’t it just a commercial for toys designed with enough social commentary for liberal moms to get over their reluctance? Yes. But it is also a satire of authoritarianism, a commentary on the saturation of corporate culture, and a tender tale of what it means to be a woman in the modern world. Gerwig took her studio money and made a sharp, pink-soaked miracle of a blockbuster.

5. "Beau is Afraid"

Ari Aster swings for the fences and delivers a wild ride through the psyche of a damaged man (Joaquin Phoenix) trying to reconcile with the death of his mother. While the Freudian overtures are often a bit too obvious, one cannot help but be wowed by the scope and direction of the story. Perfectly tailored to Phoenix’s odd tics as a performer, he is well-supported by the likes of Parker Posey, Nathan Lane, and Amy Ryan. It won’t be for everyone. Even if it’s not, you can’t help but admire it.

4. "Priscilla"

While easy to peg this as a “poor little rich girl” tale, Sofia Coppola digs deep into the infamously doomed romance and finds a horror film in a marriage full of abuse and neglect. It’s a potent mix of glamor and sadness, with great lead performances by Missouri’s own Cailee Spaeny in the title role as well as Jacob Elardi as the King.

3. "The Killer"

After writing a whole column bemoaning the glorification of the hitman this past spring, I find myself doubling back after experiencing David Fincher's character study of an assassin unraveling under the weight of his own need for perfection. Listening to Michael Fassbender elaborate on his life philosophy — over a soundtrack from The Smiths no less — while watching his character violate said philosophy at every turn for two hours is funny and thrilling.

2. "Showing Up"

Art can be painful. Living in near-poverty. Renting an apartment where the hot water doesn’t work. All the while hoping anyone will recognize the blood and sweat you’ve put into a creation. Maybe they’ll even throw some money your way. Kelly Reichardt gets the pain as she documents a sculptor (Michelle Williams) in the day leading up to a gallery show. It’s intimate and relatable, and Williams gives the best performance of her career.

1. "Oppenheimer"

Man’s greatest innovations can also be his annihilation. Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” examines this at a individual level as well as a societal one. Our titular scientist creates his weapon of mass destruction with good intentions. But we all know what those pave, and Oppenheimer pays for his sins after antagonizing those in power. Nolan tackles the American Prometheus with a lot on his mind, making this historical biopic frighteningly relevant. Plus, it’s a technical wonder with a cast to end all casts. The fact this almost made a billion dollars suggests audiences aren’t as stupid as Hollywood usually assumes.

Other notable notables

Notable notables include “El Conde,” “The Royal Hotel,” “Return to Seoul,” “Blackberry,” “A Haunting in Venice," “Shortcomings,” and Wes Anderson’s Roald Dahl shorts on Netflix.

James Owen is the Tribune’s film columnist. In real life, he is a lawyer and executive director of energy policy group Renew Missouri. A graduate of Drury University and the University of Kansas, he created Filmsnobs.com, where he co-hosts a podcast. He enjoyed an extended stint as an on-air film critic for KY3, the NBC affiliate in Springfield, and now regularly guests on Columbia radio station KFRU.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: 2023's favorite films showed off these remarkable stories