…………………………………………………

Top Ten Films from 2023

2023 wasn’t the best year for me when it comes to movies as I have already watched the greatest movies of all time years ago, but it was a fine year where I did not watch any five-star movie, but I did watch dozens of movies that came close to that rating. As is usual for this list, the new 2023 releases are discounted as they will be getting their own list in the near future. Without further ado, here are ten best movies I watched this year.

10. My Cousin Vinny

Superbly scripted and wonderfully acted, My Cousin Vinny is a fantastic courtroom movie that ranks among the best comedies of the nineties. Marisa Tomei deserved her Oscar win for her superb comedic performance while Joe Pesci has never been better than as this film’s hilarious central character. It’s one of the most entertaining movies I watched this year.

9. Demon Slayer: Mugen Train

Exhilarating in its brilliantly executed fight sequences and gorgeously animated, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train was a terrific continuation of the titular anime series that not only built upon the first season, but genuinely trumped it in overall quality. I watched the entire show this year, but the movie was objectively the height of the entire franchise and a true anime phenomenon.

8. Macario

Visually dazzling and gorgeously scored, Macario is an early classic of Mexican cinema that is particularly well acted, edited and directed. It represents the type of fable/fairy tale storytelling that we rarely see in Hollywood, but that was superbly crafted here. It’s one of the best movies I watched during my American Cinema Marathon in the fall.

7. Maratonci trce pocasni krug

Maratonci trce pocasni krug is one of the most iconic Serbian movies for a reason. It is a domestic classic due to its unforgettable, hilarious dialogue, phenomenal performances from its outstanding cast and a story that is richly layered in themes and different tones and genres employed. It’s not universal in its appeal, but for those of us born here it’s great.

6. I’m No Angel

I’m No Angel is one of the best and most iconic Mae West movies. She is very charismatic, delightfully playful and provocative, delivering her hilarious lines of dialogue effortlessly well. Cary Grant is also strong here as is the soundtrack. The highlight is the hilarious third act set in the courtroom. It’s such a fun movie.

5. The Man Without a Past

Who knew Finnish people could be this funny? The Man Without a Past is definitely one of this country’s greatest movies and an essential watch. Aki Kaurismaki here presented a potent mixture of serious issues (poverty, living on the fringes of society) and making light of those situations through really well delivered deadpan humor that consistently worked.

4. Carnival of Souls

The very definition of an underrated gem, Carnival of Souls isn’t just a terrific horror movie, but it’s one of the best that that genre had to offer in the sixties. A wonderful mixture of Hitchockian suspense and Twilight Zone-like storytelling, this is a very creepy movie with a phenomenal twist ending.

3. Ko to tamo peva

Ko to tamo peva is one of the classics of Serbian cinema. Wonderfully written and directed, the movie also benefits from a superb ensemble cast with every actor delivering a terrific performance. Its diverse, colorful cast of characters made for such a memorable movie and its dark, brutal ending is iconic. This was the year when I watched a couple of classics that defined the cinema of my country and this was by far the best of the bunch.

2. Zelig

In Zelig, Woody Allen recreated the late twenties in a staggeringly detailed manner. The grainy cinematography, poor sound quality, memorable songs and the brilliant narration from Patrick Horgan all lent this picture unprecedented realism. It genuinely felt like watching a film from that era. It’s a truly idiosyncratic mockumentary that is funny and impressively stylish, leading to one of Allen’s finest features hailing from his most creative era.

1. The Last Detail

Hal Ashby’s The Last Detail is an amazing dramedy that deals with the cynicism and hopelessness of this particular era remarkably well. It’s a phenomenally directed, deftly paced and wonderfully scripted movie that also has outstanding humor at times. The protagonist’s machismo was often very funny, but the depiction of these men’s brokenness made the movie quite touching as well. Jack Nicholson was perfectly cast and it’s hard to imagine anybody else playing this role. For all of these reasons, it was the best movie I watched in 2023.

Honorable Mentions:

Blithe Spirit – Blithe Spirit is definitely mean-spirited, but it works because the performances are great and the humor is excellent. It’s such a playful and fun genre flick.

The Twelve Tasks of Asterix – I watched all Asterix movies in 2023 and this was by far the best and most creative of the bunch.

Antarctica – Antarctica is a wonderful adventure flick focusing on a real event where these dogs stayed on the continent without their owners. It’s such a moving film.