The Best Movies Of 2023 According To Metacritic
While movie theaters continue to struggle, 2023 was still a huge year for movies. Most notably, 2023 was the year of Barbenheimer, the most surprising double feature we can remember. One tells the story of one of the most impactful names of the 20th century, someone who changed modern history forever. The other is Oppenheimer. We're kidding--both are remarkable, fascinating films and in ways that could hardly be more different. We also saw Marvel movies stumble repeatedly. Multiple legendary directors well past the usual age of retirement released major films, too, including Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron, and Ridley Scott's Napoleon.
The list below is a descent through the top ten movies of the year according to GameSpot sister site Metacritic. These are the most critically acclaimed movies according to the aggregated reviews of each film, with scores assigned by reviewers or weighted by Metacritic itself. The list below is as it was at the time of writing--new reviews mean that the list may shift, as it did twice while we were writing it.
10. Mami Wata
Metacritic Score: 88
This black-and-white fantasy thriller, directed by C.J. Obasi, follows two sisters who have to fight to save their people when their village is threatened by influence of the modern world, and to restore faith in the sea goddess, Mami Wata, among their people. The film stars Evelyne Ily Juhen, Uzoamaka Aniunoh, Rita Edochie, and Emeka Amakeze.
9. Poor Things
Metacritic Score: 88
This spin on the Frankenstein story, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, has Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) brought to life by scientist Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). This dark comedy follows Bella as she grows and matures, running off with a lothario lawyer played by Mark Ruffalo, and is filled with lots of sex or, as Bella calls it, "furious jumping."
8. Oppenheimer
Metacritic Score: 89
Christopher Nolan's 2023 biopic needs little introduction. The film follows the life of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who led the Manhattan Project, developing the first nuclear weapons. Oppenheimer stars Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, and Matt Damon.
7. Killers of the Flower Moon
Metacritic Score: 89
At 81 years old, Martin Scorsese should, by all accounts, be enjoying his retirement, spending time with his kids and grandkids, and dropping off the radar. While he's doing one of those, he's still releasing movies, including this year's Killers of the Flower Moon. Killers follows the real-life story of the Osage tribe of Oklahoma. In the early 20th century, oil deposits were discovered on Osage tribal land. The Osage tribe quickly became wealthy, and the female owners of the land began to be married off to outside white men, only to end up dead. As outside influences attempt to plunder the Osage land of its riches, tribe member Molly Burkhart (Lily Gladstone) fights against advice and her declining health to persuade the federal government to investigate the murders. The film also stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert DeNiro, and Jesse Plemons.
6. All of Us Strangers
Metacritic Score: 91
Adam has a chance encounter with a mysterious neighbor, Harry, in his nearly-empty building. As their relationship develops, Adam finds himself drawn back to the town he grew up in, where he discovers his parents, living in his childhood home just as they were 30 years earlier, on the day they died. Directed by Andrew Haigh, All of Us Strangers stars Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Claire Foy, and Jamie Bell.
5. The Boy and the Heron
Metacritic Score: 92
The latest film from legendary director Hayao Miyazaki shows that even when going back to some of his most well-trodden themes, he still has plenty to say. Mahito is a 12-year-old boy who has recently moved to a new town following his mother's death. A talking heron tells Mahito that his mother is still alive, and leads the boy to another world to search for her. The English dub stars Luca Padovan and Robert Pattinson as the titular boy and heron, with the cast also featuring big names like Christian Bale, Florence Pugh, and others.
4. Menus Plaisirs - Les Troisgros
Metacritic Score: 92
This documentary, directed by the now-93-year-old Frederick Wiseman, tells the story of a French restaurant that has held 3 Michelin stars (the best possible Michelin rating) for more than 50 years.
3. Past Lives
Metacritic Score: 94
Nora and Hae Sung, two childhood friends, are separated when Nora's family emigrated from South Korea to Canada. They reunite decades later and are forced to contemplate feelings they thought they'd left behind. The film, written by Celine Song, is also her directorial debut. It stars Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro.
2. The Zone of Interest
Metacritic Score: 94
This historical drama, directed by Jonathan Glazer, tells the story of the household of Auschwitz concentration camp commandant Rudolf Höss, as he tries to build a life for himself and his wife in their home located next to the concentration camp.
1. Our Body
Metacritic Score: 95
Our Body is a documentary about patients in the gynecology ward of a hospital in Paris, following the daily operations of the ward and filming the diversity and beauty of patients in all stages of life, from unwanted pregnancies to cancer screenings. Director Claire Simon is a veteran documentary filmmaker, with this being her 11th.
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