Top 10 Films of 2023
The Crimson Arts Board presents its film favorites of 2023, from "Red, White & Royal Blue" to "Killers of the Flower Moon."
10. ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ (dir. Matthew Lopez)
Amazon Prime’s adaptation of the viral novel by Casey McQuiston of the same name met with good critical responses from fans and critics alike. Following the love story of Alex (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the First Son of the United States, and (Nicholas Galitzine), Prince of England, “Red, White & Royal Blue” explores blossoming queer love, coming out in the public eye, and quiet bravery. The film made many minor changes to the novel, smoothing many thorny plot points and aging up all of the main characters to create a more natural story for the small screen. Perez and Galitzine give magnetic performances and wonderfully manage the tone of this happily absurd story. It’s funny, full of heart, and a bright spot among the many great films released this summer. —Millie Mae Healy
9. ‘Saltburn’ (dir. Emerald Fennell)
Rarely does a film’s tagline prove as apt as in the case of “Saltburn”: “We’re all about to lose our minds.” Blurring the lines of genre, the movie combines the best elements of comedy and thriller to deliver an at once absolutely hilarious, awkward — and at times terrifying — tale of a university student invited to summer at a wealthy friend’s estate. Beyond the exaggerated — if undeniably entertaining — depiction of the out of touch rich, there’s nothing typical about the “Saltburn.” Emerald Fennell’s second feature film lives up to the standard of “Promising Young Woman” and makes for an absolutely unforgettable experience — one that might leave the audience more than a bit disgusted. —Zachary J. Lech
We reviewed “Saltburn” and gave it 3.5 stars.
8. ‘May December’ (dir. Todd Haynes)
Produced by Natalie Portman and Will Ferrell, “May December” first premiered at Cannes to great critical reception. Loosely inspired by the true story of Mary Kay Letourneau, this psychological thriller is meta: the story of an actress making a movie based on a story. Starring Portman as the renowned actress Elizabeth Berry, “May December” is unafraid to delve into ethically-fraught areas precisely because, as Berry puts it, “It's the complexity. It's the moral grey areas that are interesting.” While Julianne Moore delivers a complex portrayal of Gracie Atherton-Yoo and Charles Melton is also impressive in his emotional performance of Joe Yoo, Portman steals the show with her incredibly raw and frighteningly convincing depictions of what it means to act. As such, “May December” makes a space for itself in the “movie about a movie” genre amongst such greats as “Hail, Caesar!” (2016) and “The Artist” (2011). —Alisa S. Regassa
7. ‘Little Mermaid’ (dir. Rob Marshall)
As a celebration of both female determination and childhood nostalgia, Rob Marshall’s “The Little Mermaid” is an excellent adaptation of the classic Disney tale. The film is best characterized by the impressive performance of Halle Bailey as Ariel, who stunned viewers with her vocal range and compelling portrayal of the beloved character. While creating an adaptation may be restrictive, “The Little Mermaid” skillfully provided more depth to the original story through its remarkable soundtrack. Through songs such as “For the First Time” and “Part of Your World,” the film’s soundtrack effectively builds on to the already renowned soundtrack of the original. The film took the impressive feat of animating an underwater world, while still executing the convincing realism that a live-action film demands, and excelled. The result was an immersive, engaging journey through Ariel’s story that felt suited for younger and older audiences alike. —Monique I. Vobecky
6. ‘Bottoms’ (dir. Emma Seligman)
As writer-director Emma Seligman’s sophomore film — a follow-up to the critically acclaimed “Shiva Baby” — “Bottoms” does not disappoint. Starring her former NYU classmates Ayo Edebiri of “The Bear” fame and co-writer Rachel Sennott, “Bottoms” is an off-beat satire about the friends you make along the way — if they were in a “Superbad” meets “Fight Club” feature-length film. “Bottoms” follows best friends PJ (Sennott) and Josie (Edebiri) as they found an underground fighting ring in their high school gymnasium, under the guise of female empowerment, but with the ultimate goal of wooing the presumably heterosexual cheerleaders Isabel (Havana Rose Liu) and Brittany (Kaia Gerber). Full of unexpected gore, off-color jokes, and gay canon events, “Bottoms” balances a refreshing authenticity with an unwavering ability to keep viewers on their toes. And it’s funny — hands on belly, throat aching, incredulous eye-contact made across the room with strangers levels of funny. Given that this is only Seligman’s second film, and the third time is always a charm, it will surely go up from here. Luckily for viewers everywhere, the bar is already quite high. —Anya L. Henry
5. ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ (dir. Martin Scorsese)
The film, a retelling of a real-life story of a series of murders of Osage Nation members, is, at times, a slow burn. Paired with its runtime — a whopping three hours and 26 minutes — it could’ve easily proven a failure. But “Killers of the Flower Moon” is infuriating, in the best way possible. What Scorsese excelled at was allowing his audience to identify with the victims. Their powerlessness truly resonates. There’s no way not to get invested in the story. With phenomenal set design and a genuine commitment to accuracy that extends beyond costumes and props to boot — the film features extensive dialogue in Osage and depictions of the Nation’s tradition — “Killers of the Flower Moon” becomes absolutely enthralling. It is Scorsese at his finest: A film simultaneously grand and intimate that despite the seriousness of its subject matter does not bore. —Zachary J. Lech
We reviewed “Killers of the Flower Moon” and gave it 4.5 stars.
4. ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ (dir. Francis Lawrence)
The film that spawned thousands of fan edits. The soundtrack that garnered millions of streams. Based on Suzanne Collins’ 2020 prequel to the Hunger Games trilogy, “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” reawakened dormant fans who grew up reading and watching this popular franchise, sparking a temporary renaissance of the now-nostalgic young adult fandom culture of the 2010s. Starring Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird and Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow, with star-studded supporting castmates Viola Davis, Hunter Schafer, Jason Schwartzman, and Peter Dinklage, this film was destined to capture cultural attention from the moment it was announced. Beyond its media buzz, the movie itself was impressive, with a cohesive soundtrack, deftly adapted scenes from the three distinct acts of the original text, and some standout moments such as Blyth’s descent into paranoid madness and Schwartzman’s memorable mid-game quips. —Stella A. Gilbert
We reviewed “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” and gave it 4 stars.
3. ‘Barbie’ (dir. Greta Gerwig)
Summer 2023 was the summer of the girl, due in large part to Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” a live-action film based on Mattel’s popular fashion dolls. The highest-grossing film of 2023 and the 14th highest-grossing film of all time, “Barbie” follows Barbie and Ken on a journey of self-discovery and existential crisis. The film aptly critiques misogyny and the patriarchy, and it reaches deeply into tenderness and vulnerability — but its greatest power is that it’s delightful, uplifting, and fun. “Barbie” celebrates womanhood with vibrant energy, bright humor, lively music, and an abundance of pink, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. “Barbie” also displays exceptional artistic work. As Barbie and Ken, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, respectively, embody the plastic-perfect quality of their characters while successfully conveying their emotional complexity. Every actor in the film is compelling, convincing, and hilarious. Crucially, Gerwig’s creative vision and its remarkable actualization — through various elements, such as the portrayals of Barbieland, the Mattel brand, and each individual character — not only thrive from impressive acting performances, but also due to impressive cinematography, scenic design, costume design, hair and makeup design, and 1950s-style visual effects. Outstanding in every way, “Barbie” will surely remain a must-see movie for decades to come. —Vivienne N. Germain
2. ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse’ (dirs. Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson)
Miles Morales returned to the big screen this year in the next installment of the franchise, “Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse.” In our introduction to the Spiderverse in 2018, we remained in Miles’s reality — with Gwen and Spider-Man functioning as visitors to his dimension. In this next installment, Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld reprise their roles as Miles and Gwen, and we meet new characters, such as Issa Rae’s Spider-Woman — who happens to be pregnant and riding her motorcycle at all times — and Daniel Kaluuya’s angsty performance as Spider-Punk. The introduction of new characters brings us into the other dimensions of the Spiderverse, each with its own unique animation style. In this film, Miles battles the villain Spot, whose spots represent portals through which to climb into other dimensions. With a deeper inspection of the complexities of multiple realities, “Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse” explores questions such as control over one’s own destiny, inevitability, and the butterfly effect one small decision can have. This visually stunning series returns to tease out these themes in its complex second installment. —Ella L. Jones
We reviewed “Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse” and gave it 4.5 stars.
1. ‘Oppenheimer’ (dir. Christopher Nolan)
The “Barbenheimer” trend that took over this summer was both culturally relevant and record-breaking, but even after this blockbuster hype has faded, “Oppenheimer” still stands out among the films of 2023. The movie is one of Christopher Nolan’s strongest works to date, and every ounce of the director’s passion is apparent. Nolan’s beloved IMAX format made “Oppenheimer" a completely engrossing cinematic experience, which shined when paired with creative visualizations of physics concepts. The soundtrack, composed by Ludwig Göransson, pairs beautifully with this grand cinematography and is still playing in our heads every time we have to solve our latest PSETs. Perhaps most memorably, the film's star-studded cast made for a perfectly acted film. Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt brought in incredible depictions of their historical counterparts Lewis Strauss and Kitty Oppenheimer respectively, and were carried to greatness by frontman Cillian Murphy’s performance as J. Robert Oppenheimer. All of the technical aspects of the film allowed Nolan’s thematic questions about power, the limits of our government’s reach, and responsibility to shine through and deeply impact audiences. While 2023 was a strong year for cinema, we must answer Nolan’s call: Yes, we can hear the music. —Hannah E. Gadway