The best movies of 2023 have a lot in common: they're celebratory, they're nostalgic, and they're full of life, which is exactly what entertainment needs right now. I rounded up Brit + Co's favorite picks from this year's summer movies and fall movies to determine exactly what you should watch before the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve. Grab the popcorn!! This year's films are some of the best yet.
What Happens Later
Image via Bleecker Street
Meg Ryan's return to rom-coms is *exactly* what I needed this fall. The movie follows Willa (Meg Ryan) and Bill (David Duchovny), ex-lovers who reconnect when their flights are both delayed. As they figure out what happened in their past, "they begin to wonder if their reunion is mere coincidence, or something more enchanted," according to the official synopsis. What Happens Later is cheeky, romantic, and features plenty of Meg's signature comedy.
The Little Mermaid
Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Anyone who was obsessed with mermaids as a kid will love this updated take on the classic Disney movie. Halle Bailey's Ariel builds on the original character's agency, complexity, and heart in a way that is perfect for modern audiences, while still giving us plenty of nostalgia. Read our The Little Mermaid movie reviewto find out why we love it!
Barbie
Image via Warner Bros. Entertainment.
The Barbie movie (and its cultural relationship with Oppenheimer) totally defined the summer. The aesthetic was bold, bright, and very pink, and the crazy script featured quips about womanhood that nearly had me on the floor with laughter. But not only was it funny, but it was moving, too — especially the Barbie ending. Check out our Barbie Review to hear more about why it's a must-see.
The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes
Image via Murray Close/Lionsgate
The Hunger Games redefined the YA genre, as well as dystopian film, and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes tells a new (well, old) chapter in a story we've come to love. It follows a young President Coriolanus Snow when he's still a student at the Academy. When he's selected as Lucy Gray Baird's mentor for the 10th Hunger Games, his approach to the Games changes everything. Check out our exclusive images of Viola Davis' Dr. Gaul, and our interview with producer Nina Jacobson.
Priscilla
Image via A24
Sofia Coppola is back with another look at the Presley family in Priscilla. Just like all her best movies, this film balances a cunning edge with feminine opulence, and the film (which premiered at the Venice Film Festival) is a new look at the life and love of the iconic women. Aside from the color and texture, the best part of this film is that it's all about her life and her identity — not just her relationship.
Sitting In Bars With Cake
Image via Saeed Adyani/Prime Video
Yara Shahidichanged my GNO game forever with Sitting In Bars With Cake. Because, just like you'd expect from the title, she is *literally* bringing full cakes into bars. This is the kind of energy I'm taking into 2024. Sitting In Bars With Cake follows baker Jane (Shahidi), whose BFF Corinne (Odessa A’zion) convinces Jane to spend the next year bringing her cakes into bars to meet new friends. When Corinne's diagnosed with a life-changing disease, they have to figure out what joy in the hardest of times looks like.
Fingernails
Image via Apple TV+
Fingernails has an incredible cast, with Jeremy Allen White, Jessie Buckley, and Riz Ahmed taking the lead. Anna (Buckley) and Ryan (White) learned their relationship is true love thanks to the new tech that can prove you've found your perfect match. But Anna isn't convinced, especially when she meets Amir (Riz Ahmed). In addition to the cast, the movie's main theme is what really sticks out to me: how do you know whether you're actually in love?
Flamin' Hot
Image via YouTube/Hulu/Disney
I love a good biopic, and this Hot Cheetos origin story stars Jesse Garcia as Richard Montañez, a janitor who introduced the iconic snack to Frito-Lay. Grab a big bag of those spicy, cheesy bites for your watch party because if you ask me, it's the only movie snack that fits the film!
Love At First Sight
Image via Netflix
Jennifer E. Smith's The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sightgot the movie treatment this fall, and it's one of my favorite movies of the year. Hadley (Haley Lu Richardson) and Oliver (Ben Hardy) wind up on the same New York-to-London flight, but they're in the city for wildly different reasons. The film is a refreshing approach to rom-coms, and has such a genuine heart that my roommates and I were in tears.
The Other Zoey
Image via Kent Smith/Prime/Brainstorm Media
The Other Zoey is the other rom-com we got this fall (I couldn't help myself), and the film stars three teen drama icons: After's Josephine Langford, Outer Banks' Drew Starkey, and Shadow & Bone's Archie Renaux. It might seem like your average love triangle, but the film has themes of family, choice, desire, breaking stereotypes, and honesty. Count me in.
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Image via Apple TV+
Killers of the Flower Moon, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone, is a story of love and family, but also how inhumane greed is — and how it can tear communities apart. The film is a massive achievement for director Martin Scorsese (it's a whopping 3 hours and 24 minutes), and every single aspect of the cast, aesthetic, and soundtrack is stellar.
Guardians Of The Galaxy 3
Image via Disney
The final installment in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy was way more emotional than the first two — and I'm talking all kinds of emotion. We laughed, gasped, and cried both happy and sad tears. It was an excellent send off for our favorite chaotic superheroes, and is a must-watch for any MCU fan.
Asteroid City
Image via Universal Pictures India
Wes Anderson's Asteroid City was exactly the kind of wacky fun we needed in our summer. It's full of A-listers like Scarlett Johansson and Margot Robbie, and the teal and orange color palette was absolutely enchanting. The cinematography, production, and costumes feel like a classic Western with Anderson's eclectic spin.
Totally Killer
Image via Prime
If you love Stranger Things andThe Breakfast Club, then this 80s movie will be right up your alley. It follows Jamie (Kiernan Shipka), who finds herself face-to-face with the “Sweet Sixteen Killer,“ a murderer who killed three teens in the '80s. When Jamie accidentally travels back in time (meeting her teen mom in the process), she has to figure out how to get back to the future ;).
Zoey 102
Image via Dana Hawley/Paramount+
I was head over heels for Zoey 101 back in the day, so when Paramount+ announced they were doing a movie with the original cast, I was very excited. The film reunites our favorite PCA students for an over-the-top California wedding. It's funny, it's nostalgic, it's heartfelt, and I really enjoyed it.
Red, White & Royal Blue
Image via Amazon Prime
BookTok fans were thrilled to see this novel was getting the film treatment, and we were equally excited to see the cast! The Kissing Booth's Taylor Zakhar Perez stars as Alex, the President's son, whose disdain for Nicholas Galitzine's Prince Henry quickly becomes something romantic. In addition to our leading men, Uma Thurman also stars as Alex's mom, POTUS Ellen Claremont.
Are You There, God? It's Me Margaret.
Image via Dana Hawley/Lionsgate
Like Barbie, Are you There, God? It’s Me, Margaret (which stars Rachel McAdams and Abby Ryder Fortson) is a commentary on experiences that unite women of all ages and time periods. Just like the novel of the same name, this movie is multigenerational and powerful, but it also represents the growing pains of coming-of-age, and it inspires the childhood wonder we all felt as kids. I can't recommend it enough!
A Good Person
Image via Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.
Florence Pugh (affectionally referred to on the internet as "Miss Flo") brought me to tears this spring in A Good Person. The film, which also stars Morgan Freeman, is about Pugh's Allison, who's recovering from an accident that took the life of Daniel's (Freeman) daughter. The movie (and its soundtrack) is absolutely gut-wrenching, but it also shows off the entire cast's acting chops in a really amazing way.
Past Lives
Image via A24
Celine Song's Past Lives brilliantly captures what happens when two close childhood friends (wrest apart after one family emigrates from South Korea) are reunited in New York two decades later. Themes of missed connections and nostalgic love spring forth from the beautifully shot film, and Greta Lee of The Morning Showshines bright as the central character. The poetic score was composed by Grizzly Bear alums Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen (who also brought us the gut-wrenching Blue Valentine soundtrack).
Other Best Movies Of 2023
Image via AMC Entertainment/Taylor Swift
- She Came To Me
- Fair Play
- Foe
- Love Again
- When You Finish Saving The World
- Emily
- Eras Tour Concert Film
- You Hurt My Feelings
What's your pick for the best movie of 2023? Let us know in the comments!
Lead image via Warner Bros. Pictures
