Every Film I Watched In 2023 Ranked

At the start of 2023 I set myself a challenge – I would watch one new movie (i.e. for the first time) a week in order to broaden my cinematic repertoire. Now that the year has come to an end, I can finally say I (barely) reached that goal!

A few disclaimers before we start – the film didn’t have to be a 2023 release, these are all my personal opinion, and there may be some SPOILERS here and there.

Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:

Bad

53 – F9: The Fast Saga

I watched some films that I didn’t particularly like in 2023, but they all had either redeeming factors or some sparks of creative intent. However, there was one film I watched this year that failed as a movie on every conceivable level.

“F9”, coincidentally the ninth film in the Fast & Furious franchise, was bad on all fronts. John Cena was there for some reason. They went to space. The humour falls flat. We’re so far beyond street racing it hurts.

Meh

52 – O Brother, Where Art Thou?

“O Brother, Where Art Thou?” is proof that even if your film is critically acclaimed and beloved by all, there will always be one stuck-up bozo on the internet who didn’t like it.

It’s a bizarre retelling of Homer’s Odyssey with jittery performances and odd musical breaks, with an ending that didn’t sit right with me. At least the cinematography was tight.

51 – Bridesmaids

Another universally beloved film – this time a staple of female comedy – but it never tickled me.

Gross-out humour isn’t my thing so perhaps “Bridesmaids” was a bad choice to begin with, and the singing / dancing wedding ending was cringe as hell.

50 – Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny

My brother forced me to watch “Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny” by claiming it was one of the funniest movies he’d ever seen. Maybe I shouldn’t have got my hopes up.

Jack Black and Kyle Gass are fairly charming, I guess, and some of the songs were decent, but I wasn’t engaged in the story and the humour felt too childish a lot of the time.

49 – The Hangover: Part Three

Whenever I see discourse about the Hangover trilogy online, people always say the third film is better than the second. Those people are wrong.

I appreciated that they tried to break away from the formula and do something different, but this is the least funny Hangover film by a good margin.

OK

48 – Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” was one of the last films I saw this year as my family gathered around the TV for Christmas. We were all underwhelmed.

Harrison Ford is too old, Phoebe Waller Bridge doesn’t fit the style, the plot is bizarre, and it’s missing the Spielberg magic oozing from the other four.

47 – Avatar: The Way Of Water

The very first film I watched this year – me and my family packed into a busy theatre on January 1st 2023 to watch the much-anticipated Avatar blockbuster, and we all nearly fell asleep.

It’s one of the most visually stunning films of 2023, but the bare-bones story and characters left a lot to be desired.

46 – My Neighbour Totoro

I watched a few Studio Ghibli classics in 2023, and I was really impressed with most of them. “My Neighbour Totoro”, on the other hand, is overrated as hell.

It meanders at a snail’s pace and comes across as a kid’s morning cartoon, but at least the Miyazaki magic is there.

45 – Zombieland: Double Tap

“Zombieland was quite something!” I told myself after finishing the first film. “I want to watch the sequel right away. There’s no way they could mess up a premise this fun … right?“

Recycle a few old jokes, add in a few new annoying characters, have a final set-piece that’s nowhere near as good as the original’s, mix ’em all together and you get “Zombieland: Double Tap”.

44 – The Hangover: Part Two

One of the worst things a sequel of any kind can do is copy the original beat for beat and expect the audience not to get bored.

“The Hangover: Part Two” had its funny moments, but some parts of it aged badly and the plot is near-identical to the first’s.

43 – Scary Movie

I was in the mood for a light-hearted horror film during the Halloween season, and lo and behold I found one that fit the exact description.

I understood some of the referential humour, and the ending twist was funny, but the jokes didn’t always land and some of it has aged horribly.

42 – The Killer

“The Killer” is a David Fincher slow-burner starring Michael Fassbender that follows a contract killer. It should’ve been amazing, but it wasn’t.

The first half an hour when the mission goes wrong is where this film peaks, as after that we get ninety minutes of drawn-out revenge and self-narration with an ending that made my eyes roll.

Good

41 – Step Brothers

I do like Will Ferrell and John C Reilley as a comedic duo, but for some reason their films have never struck my funny bone.

“Step Brothers” had some great parts – especially when the titular brothers united against a common foe – but a lot of it was too weird.

40 – The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf

Everyone was waxing lyrical about “The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf” when it released, but I didn’t get the hype.

Vesemir’s origin story wasn’t nearly as captivating as I’d hoped, but the Kaer Moren massacre and the hopeful ending were animated really well.

39 – Last Night In Soho

Edgar Wright could do no wrong in my eyes … up until he ventured into the murky depths of horror, that is.

“Last Night In Soho” is saved by chic directing and performances, as otherwise the story didn’t do it for me in the slightest.

38 – Nobody

“Nobody” was billed as “John Wick but with Bob Odenkirk”, which in hindsight was too high a bar to clear.

Odenkirk himself and the supporting cast are good, and the action was solid, but it was never going to reach John Wick levels.

37 – The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

I love Nicholas Cage and Pedro Pascal for wildly different reasons, so putting their two personalities in a film together was always going to be risky.

“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” had a fun story and funny moments, but it wasn’t exactly the most memorable two hours of my year.

36 – Paprika

“Paprika” came recommended to me by my brother since I was writing a book that shared similar dream-bending ideas, and I enjoyed it.

It got a little too weird at points, and the ending felt too broad for my tastes, but overall I had a good time.

35 – The Hangover

2023 wasn’t a good year for pure comedies, as almost all of them ended up in the bottom portion of my final ranking. The one exception, however, was “The Hangover”.

Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis have incredible chemistry, and I really enjoyed the plot and some of the jokes. It wasn’t perfect, and it shows its age on more than one occasion, but I had a good time nonetheless.

34 – 300

I knew that “300” was a classic going into it, but I was a little disappointed by the final product.

The slow motion effects could get really annoying and some of the cinematography and locations were boring, but the performances and action were really good.

33 – Maestro

“Maestro” was the final film I watched in 2023, and it couldn’t have been more middle-of-the-road if it tried.

Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan give fantastic performances, and the direction and music were phenomenal, but the subject matter itself wasn’t interesting enough over the course of two hours.

32 – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

After watching another John Hughes classic that I’ll talk about later, I couldn’t wait to experience more 80’s cheese. The next logical step was “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, although I had some gripes.

It’s too aimless and plot-less for my personal tastes, but the general goofy vibe and the character dynamics were lots of fun.

31 – Zombieland

Zombies have been done to death (hehe) in the many years since, but I have to give credit to “Zombieland” for providing a unique, comedic experience.

I loved every single character and set-piece in this film, and the tongue-in-cheek nature of the story put a smile on my face.

30 – Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves

I went to see “Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves” in cinemas with a friend who absolutely loved it, but my appreciation was a little more reserved.

The comedy was good, the characters had great chemistry, the story was simple yet effective, so I can’t wait to see how a potential sequel goes bigger and better.

Great

29 – Heat

I, like many in 1995, was already sold on “Heat” with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro on the cast list. It didn’t disappoint.

It’s a great cat-and-mouse crime film with some incredible action scenes, but the ending felt anticlimactic in comparison.

28 – Wes Anderson’s Netflix Short Films

I’ve decided to group Wes Anderson’s four Netflix Short Films into this one entry, so I’ll rank each one worst to best:

4 – The Swan

“The Swan” told one of the most gut-wrenching stories of the four short films, but the stagnant set design made watching it a chore at times (did we really need to walk through a wheat field for ten minutes straight?).

3 – The Rat Catcher

Ralph Fiennes was a delight as the titular “Rat Catcher”, and the ending was suitably gruesome.

2 – Poison

I’ve seen people complain about “Poison” for its derogatory language and slow-burn tension, but that’s exactly what drew me in and immersed me in the spine-chilling story.

1 – The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

The longest of the Wes Anderson short films, and easily the best.

Benedict Cumberbatch is perfect as the titular Henry Sugar, and the story within a story within a story meant the narrative never got stale.

27 – Sicario

I was forced into watching “Sicario” while tired so maybe I didn’t get the best go of it, but I still recognised the immense talent emanating from the screen.

The cinematography is excellent, the performances are heart-breaking, and that border ambush scene had me on the edge of my seat.

26 – Man Of Steel

Considering the recent state of the DC cinematic universe, I thought it would be fun to go back to one of the first ones. They started with a doozy.

“Man Of Steel” has a fantastic leading man performance from Cavill and some great supporting performances from Adams and Shannon, and the origin story in the first half was surprisingly engaging.

25 – Fantastic Mr. Fox

After watching Wes Anderson’s short films I thought I’d dip my toes in one of his feature length hits, and I picked a great one.

“Fantastic Mr. Fox” is eccentric and endearing, with breath-taking stop-motion animation and some memorable vocal performances from a star-studded cast.

24 – Groundhog Day

I’d steered away from “Groundhog Day” out of fear it would be 90’s cheese, but I was oh so wrong.

Bill Murray blew me away with his multi-faceted performance, and the time-loop story takes some impressive and subversive turns with a life-affirming ending.

23 – Prisoners

Denis Villeneuve is one of the titans of directing at the moment, and “Prisoners” is a personal favourite.

Everyone gives career-best performances, and the morbid story of revenge and the darkness that man can steep to left me chilled to my core.

22 – The Father

Anthony Hopkins’ Best Actor win left quite a shock on Hollywood, so I wanted to watch “The Father” to see what the fuss was about. I can confidently say the Academy Award was deserved.

It’s a psychological horror that deeply affected me, with virtuosic acting and an ending that left me on the verge of tears.

21 – There Will Be Blood

Paul Thomas Anderson can be quite methodical with his direction, and Daniel Day Lewis’s intense acting is an acquired taste, but both eccentric facets came together to create a thing of cinematic beauty.

Some scenes could be too slow for my tastes, but others like the ending and the oil pump explosion left me gob-smacked.

20 – Annihilation

I’m a sucker for a good Sci-Fi story, and “Annihilation” is one of the best in recent memory.

The horror aspects could be truly blood-curdling, and while some found the ending to be too artsy and pretentious I thought it hit all the right notes.

19 – Taxi Driver

I can’t believe it took me 22 years of living on this planet to watch Taxi Driver, but now that I have I can finally see why so many deem it a classic.

It didn’t always hit (the off-beat ending was a bit jarring, for a start), but De Niro’s lonely performance and Scorcese’s gritty direction elevated even the dullest of scenes.

18 – Nightcrawler

I’m just going to come out and say it – “Nightcrawler” is a slightly better version of “Taxi Driver”. Here come the angry comments!

Gyllenhaal’s heartless paparazzi character struck much more of a chord with me, and the gruesome reality of news never ceases to disturb me.

17 – Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

I don’t think “Dead Reckoning Part One” was as strong as “Fallout”, but my god was it an entertaining cinema experience.

It’s large-scale action done right, with jaw-dropping stunts and a thought-provoking story centred around the emergence of AI.

16 – The Breakfast Club

Much like with “Groundhog Day”, I initially didn’t want to watch “The Breakfast Club” out of fear it had aged poorly. If anything, it’s more relevant than ever.

The scene of the students admitting to the pressures of growing up was some of the most affecting cinema I’ve seen this year, but the light-hearted comedy and shenanigans of the rest of the film created a well-balanced final product.

15 – Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

I thought I was familiar with the Pinocchio story, but Guillermo del Toro took it to places I could have never imagined.

The soundtrack was great, the visuals were stunning, and the core themes were conveyed really well.

14 – Jaws

Another classic I hadn’t seen before 2023, and another reason why I should delve into the deep waters of classic cinema more often.

“Jaws” could be slow at points, but Spielberg’s magic turned a simple shark attack into a cataclysmic disaster. That scene of Robert Shaw describing the Navy shark attack still haunts me.

13 – Howl’s Moving Castle

I watched “Spirited Away” a few years ago, but my Studio Ghibli experience originally ended there. On a whim I decided to watch “Howl’s Moving Castle”, and that kickstarted a newfound escapade into Miyazaki’s works.

It’s one of the most vibrant films I’ve ever seen, and the fantastic locations and characters fully transported me to another world.

Amazing

12 – Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

A film about a videogame-esque crusade against evil exes seemed cheesy, but I was lapping that cheesy goodness up by the end of “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”.

The visual comedy always hit, the characters were all surprisingly memorable, and Edgar Wright’s lightning-quick direction is second-to-none.

11 – No Country For Old Men

For a film with no soundtrack and long stretches of nothingness, it’s baffling how glued to the screen I was when watching “No Country For Old Men”.

The characters and plot were some of the most engaging of the year, and Anton Chigurh was a horrifying villain.

10 – Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3

In a year where MCU fatigue was felt across the globe, “Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3” proved that comic book movies can still slap if done well.

The soundtrack was phenomenal, the visuals looked fantastic, the plot was actually engrossing, but it was the character-driven emotional moments that left a lasting impression on me.

9 – Princess Mononoke

I wasn’t sure if any Studio Ghibli film was going to get close to the level of “Spirited Away”, but “Princess Mononoke” may have done just that.

It has the best plot of any Ghibli film without question, and the visuals in the final act of the movie made my jaw drop.

8 – Fight Club

I knew the big twist of “Fight Club” going into it, but against all odds I ended up enjoying the film more because of that knowledge.

It’s a really clever plot with themes that are still prominent today, with gruesome violence and some captivating performances.

7 – Drive

An Indie film about a man who sometimes drives a car didn’t seem up my alley at all, but my god did “Drive” hit me like a tone of bricks.

The cast were all amazing, the soundtrack was a bop, and the intensity of the action whenever it arose got my heart pumping.

6 – Parasite

Every movie critic has been waxing lyrical about “Parasite” for years, so I thought I’d give it a go. It’s every bit as good as they say.

Bong Joon Ho makes every frame a petrifyingly intense, thematically-rich experience, to the point where I had to pause the film and go for a walk to calm down on more than one occasion.

5 – Pan’s Labyrinth

Guillermo del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth” has immediately become a new Fantasy favourite.

I wasn’t expecting the gritty story to hit me as hard as it did, and the fantastical elements contrasted really well. The Pale Man will haunt my nightmares forever.

4 – John Wick: Chapter 4

The culmination of four of the best action films in modern cinema, and as crazy as it is to say I thought “John Wick: Chapter 4” was the best one.

The settings were classy, the worldbuilding and character dynamics reached their zenith, and some of the action had me both whooping in delight and wincing in pain. I was going to put this in the “All-Time Great” tier, but there’s only so many steps you can fall down before I lose interest.

All-Time Great

3 – Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

“Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse” had the unfortunate task of following one of the great superhero movies as well as setting up the big finale. The unwanted middle child … and yet it may end up being the best of the trilogy.

I sat in the theatre with my jaw dropped the entire time – the animation and audio were out of this world, and the multiverse story went to places I couldn’t have dreamed of.

2 – Oppenheimer

Christopher Nolan can do no wrong in my books. Every one of his films has stimulated and engrossed me in one way or another, so I’m in awe that “Oppenheimer” may end up going down as his very best.

It’s a three hour epic that hardly drags and makes even the most mundane of courtroom scenes into prime cinema, and if Cillian Murphey’s haunting central performance and Ludwig Goransson’s breath-taking score don’t win their respective Oscars I will riot.

1 – Everything Everywhere All At Once

I laughed. I cried. I questioned what it means to be human, and whether I’m taking my life and emotional connections for granted. For a silly multiverse movie, “Everything Everywhere All At Once” sure did get a lot out of me.

It’s got great action, humour that actually lands, some of the weirdest direction I’ve ever seen, and yet the all-encompassing narrative at its core drives the whole thing to an immensely satisfying conclusion.

Aaaand that’s my list! You can check out some of my latest blog posts below: