Vic's Top 17 (18) Films of 2023

Thanks to Cinéfest in Sudbury, where I watched 14 excellent films in five days, I feel that I’ve watched most of the 2023 films likely to be strong candidates for my list. Potential strong candidates I was not yet able to watch, and are therefore candidates for 2024, include The Zone of Interest, All of Us Strangers, The Taste of Things and Evil Does Not Exist. It’s been a pretty good year for films, highlighted by the Barbenheimer phenomenon, which I consider a positive contribution to the history of film (see our posts on Barbenheimer - written in August). The only honourable mention this year is Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City, a gorgeous and delightful film that just didn’t engage with me strongly enough to make the list.

Some of the films listed below were released in the US in 2022 but not released in Canada until 2023, making them eligible for this list. Because of Cinéfest, which offers me advance screenings, some of these films will not be released in Canada until 2024. They still qualify because this is a list of new-release films I watched between January 22, 2023 and January 22, 2024. January 22 was yesterday and last night I watched Fallen Leaves, which comes in at number 9 (10) on the list below. Because I wrote this list prior to watching Fallen Leaves, it was just too much work to adjust the list other than to insert Fallen Leaves into the appropriate place. Thus the use of 17 (18). Sorry for any confusion.

My previous post (on the 17th) mentions that my favourite film of 2023 (the big WOW film of the year for me) will be the subject of my next post (coming tomorrow). It has been suggested (by my oldest daughter, to whom any complaints should be directed) that I hold off revealing the name of that film until tomorrow’s post. Since that is in keeping with my quirky personality style, I shall do so. But I’ll provide a teaser: It will be a shocker. I can hardly believe it myself. From the studio to the production company to the style to the subject (both broad and specific) to the target demographic, this is NOT the kind of film one generally finds anywhere on my lists, let alone in the number one position.

Before I offer my list of sixteen of my top seventeen films of 2023, here are a few observations about the list: 

1. Despite the relatively few number of women directors nominated for major awards this year, films directed by women continue to do well on my annual lists. Six of my top seventeen (eighteen) films (a third) were written and directed by women, and eight of the films feature a woman protagonist. 
2. Four of these films feature people of colour in the lead role. 
3. Three of the directors are gay and three of the protagonists are gay.
4. Five of the films are in languages other than English (two German, two French, one Finnish).
5. Only two of my top eight films are American (two are Canadian, two are British, one is German and one is French).
6. One of the Canadian directors, Louise Archambault, made my favourite film of 2019 and continues to impress. Director Ken Loach and writer Paul Laverty have their third straight film on my lists. Christian Petzold has his third film on my list since 2015.

And here is most of my list, counting down from 17:

17. Barbie - I can’t leave Greta Gerwig’s very entertaining and thought-provoking film off my list. I have friends who think Barbie should be close to number one for the way it satirizes our patriarchal society and empowers young women. And I have friends who think Barbie should be nowhere near any such list because of its often-silly humour and lightweight plot, not to mention selling out to capitalism, consumerism and the toy industry. You can find my long review in an August post. While I believe there are flaws, I find Barbie thoroughly enjoyable and believe its heart is very much in the right place.

16. How to Blow Up a Pipeline - This unique thriller by Daniel Goldhaber is so realistic it feels like a documentary. It follows eight young environmental activists who decide to blow up an oil pipeline, carefully exploring their motivations, their stories and the moral implications of such an action (including subjects like ecoterrorism, property damage, etc.). It’s a well-made, defiant and suspenseful film that pulls no punches. I was very impressed. 

15. Blue Jean - This British indie film, written and directed by Georgia Oakley, is entirely about women (hardly a man to be seen - how refreshing is that!). It’s the story of the challenges facing a lesbian teacher (newcomer Rosy McEwen is terrific) in north England in 1988 and it’s scarily relevant 35 years later (which is very sad). Masterful filmmaking.

14. The Old Oak - The latest and possibly final film from the writer/director team of Paul Laverty and Ken Loach, who made my favourite films of the year in 2016 (I, Daniel Blake) and 2020 (Sorry We Missed You). This film about a pub owner (played by Dave Turner) in northern England who befriends Syrian refugees, to the consternation of many of his regulars, is not as good as their last two films but is another humanizing and empathetic attempt to make the world a better place. 

13. War Pony - The best Indigenous film of the year is a first-time-directing effort from two young white women (Riley Keough and Gina Gammell) who solicited the help of two Indigenous men (who inspired the story) to write what is clearly an authentic film about growing up on a Lakota reservation in South Dakota. Filmed on location, War Pony features only locals (almost entirely non-actors) who are all excellent. An amazing achievement.

12. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed - My favourite documentary of 2023 (made in 2022) comes from Laura Poitras, who made one of my favourite films of 2014 (Citizenfour). This film is about photographer/artist Nan Goldin, who supported people with AIDS in 1980s/90s New York City and more recently revealed the power of protest by helping to bring down the Sackler family, whose big Pharma company was responsible in large part for the opioid epidemic that has killed half a million Americans (so far). Very powerful well-made doc.

11. Afire - Christian Petzold’s latest film is a quiet but riveting and haunting drama about an insecure would-be writer (played by Thomas Schubert) who falls in love with a guest (played by Paula Beer) in his friend’s house. Beautifully acted by all concerned, with great cinematography and music. This subtle and thought-provoking film feels unusually natural and authentic.

10. The Holdovers - This may be Alexander Payne’s best film to date, though I needed to watch it twice (knowing where it was going) to feel the magic. Outstanding performance by Paul Giamatti as a depressed and crotchety New England boarding school teacher in 1970 who finds himself looking after stranded students during the Christmas break. A serious Christmas comedy with a wonderful period feel and a great supporting performance by Da’Vine Joy Randolph as the school’s cook. 

(9+). Fallen Leaves - This beautifully-filmed romantic comedy from Aki Kaurismäki is a slow, quiet, life-affirming and very funny film about two lonely and depressed people (one of whom is an alcoholic) living in Helsinki. With minimal dialogue, the two actors playing Ansa and Holappa (Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen) manage to convey a wealth of emotion while the deadpan humour is used brilliantly in the film’s social and political commentary. 

9. Rustin - George C. Wolfe’s underrated Netflix film stars Colman Domingo (who is superb) as Bayard Rustin, one of the most important figures in US history, who was relegated to the sidelines of the civil rights movement because he was gay, but still managed to organize the incredible March on Washington in 1963. It’s time people were introduced to this lifelong champion of peace and justice and I believe everyone should watch this inspiring and truthful film, which has been unfairly dismissed as a conventional biopic. 

8. Empire of Light - Speaking of underrated films, this 2022 (released in Canada in 2023) British romantic drama by Sam Mendes is a gorgeous, thoughtful and poignant film about lonely hurting people working at an old cinema on the English coast in 1980. With its evocative setting, beautifully-drawn characters and amazing performances (Olivia Colman and Michael Ward have the lead roles), Empire of Light had me hooked from the first minute and I’m at a loss to understand why critics largely panned it. 

7. One Summer - Louise Archambault is one of Canada’s finest filmmakers and this quiet French-Canadian comedy-drama provides another example of her skills. A parish priest in Montreal (played perfectly by Patrice Robitaille) takes a group of homeless people on a summer retreat in eastern Quebec. The results may not be unexpected, but the flawless presentation (beautiful cinematography, wonderful music and natural performances) make this humanizing film about community and relationships a must-see.

6. Anatomy of a Fall - Destined to become a classic, this French courtroom drama, written and directed by Justine Triet, concerns a German writer (Sandra, played brilliantly by Sandra Hüller) accused of murdering her French husband in their house in the French Alps. The long courtroom scenes are absolutely riveting. 

5. Oppenheimer - Christopher Nolan’s best film to date (and that’s saying something) needs no introduction. Despite my disappointment with the lack of character development in the critical women’s roles (Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh were a highlight of the film) and the difficulty I had emotionally connecting with the protagonist, I consider Oppenheimer a magnificent achievement: The acting is flawless (Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. deserve Oscars for their roles), the cinematography is stunning, the plot structure and overall writing are amazing, the score is spot-on and I can find no fault with the direction. I’m amazed but pleased that such a long thoughtful film became a blockbuster.

4. The Teacher’s Lounge - This German drama, directed and co-written by Ilker Çatak, concerns a grade-six teacher (Carla Nowak, played perfectly by Leonie Benesch) who discovers the identity of the person responsible for a series of thefts. When she confronts the person, Carla’s life takes a dramatic turn as the school she loves becomes a nightmare. The Teachers’ Lounge is gripping and believable from the first minute to the last, with excellent performances from both children and adults and an exceptionally thought-provoking screenplay.

3. Living - Not released in Canada until 2023, this new British adaptation of the 1952 classic Japanese film Ikiru (which was directed by Akira Kurosawa) is that rare remake that succeeds in becoming a classic in its own right, thanks in large part to a sublime performance by Bill Nighy. Nighy plays a bureaucrat in the Public Works department of 1953 London who learns he has terminal cancer, forcing him to reconsider the meaning of his life and work. Living is a moving and inspiring drama written by Kazuo Ishiguro and directed by Oliver Hermanus.

2. Brother - This largely-unknown Canadian film chronicles the experiences of two brothers growing up in the Scarborough district of Toronto in the early 1990s. Written and directed by Clement Virgo, Brother stars Aaron Pierre and Lamar Johnson (both are terrific) as Francis and Michael, sons of immigrants from Jamaica, who grow up in a neighbourhood prone to gang violence and police brutality. Breathtaking cinematography supplements this brilliant, poignant and haunting film about love and family.

1. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - See my next post (on the 24th) for why I loved this film.