Top 10 films of the year, from Barbie to Oppenheimer

The top 10 films of the year, from Barbie to Oppenheimer, curated by our film critic Victoria Luxford

After years of uncertainty, cinema has not only found more stability at the box office this year, but enjoyed a shift in storytelling styles. For the first time since 2013, the highest grossing Hollywood movie isn’t a
sequel, and superhero fatigue may finally be forcing change in our blockbuster landscape.

Read more: Barbie and Oppenheimer gives Everyman a £11m summer boost

There have been some absolute gems in the last 12 months, and here are my top 10 films of the year.

1. Killers Of The Flower Moon
   Martin Scorsese proves he is still capable of making films with the kind of ambition that few other
   filmmakers would even dare. Stunning lead performances from Lily Gladstone, Leonardo DiCaprio
   and Robert DeNiro underpin a story that pulls back the curtain on a violent and ugly chapter in
   American history. Simply staggering to watch, even in a year of thoughtful movies this stands out in
   the crowd.
2. Oppenheimer
   Tied with Barbie in terms of quality and release date, for me Christopher Nolan’s tale of
   The Destroyer of Worlds is a thoroughly captivating watch. From the superb script to Cillian Murphy’s central performance, to the scene stealing moments from Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr, this is a cinephile’s dream.
3. Barbie
   If we were talking cultural impact, this movie would be number one. Greta Gerwig mastered the art of a
   commercial film that can still make you think, as well as laugh hysterically and shed a tear. It spoke
   to women from a variety of backgrounds, articulating rage in a way that felt suited to the bubblegum pink world on screen. Gerwig, Margot Robbie, and Ryan Gosling deserve all the plaudits.
4. Bottoms
   Emma Seligman’s follow up to Shiva Baby is the type of high school movie I wish existed when I was
   growing up. A story of diverse, interesting, and endearingly flawed characters working out the path
   to adulthood is immensely charming, as well as off-the-wall and hilarious.
5. Anatomy of A Fall
   The arthouse favourite of 2023, this exploration of truth and bias digs deep into your mind and
   doesn’t let go for days. Less of a whodunit, and more a meditation on guilt, Sandra Hüller is
   astounding as the woman at the centre of it all. Likely to be a big contender during Oscar season, it’s
   a tough watch but utterly worthwhile.
6. Sisu
   This blood-splattered revenge thriller from Finland spoke to my love of Grindhouse, Tarantino-like
   chaos! There’s not a lot to it in terms of plot (think Rambo but in post-War Finland), but Jalmari
   Helander directs with so much swagger, turning this cat-and-mouse chase into delightfully insane
   carnage.
7. Past Lives
   A love story where the head leads the heart. Mainstream audiences have been trained to expect
   certain tropes from on-screen romance, but this story about two childhood friends reconnecting and questioning their destinies breaks all the rules. This is a delightful tale that bravely, brilliantly avoids melodrama.

8. Asteroid City
   It’s easy to dismiss Wes Anderson as style over substance, but his latest picture (about a junior stargazing
   camp visited by aliens) grew on me over time. Anderson has a particular, perhaps controversial, style, but within the script and performances is a touching comedy that looks at grief and loneliness. It also features maybe the sweetest alien encounter since E.T.
9. Little Richard: I Am Everything
   Little Richard called himself The Architect of Rock and Roll, telling any who would listen about his
   overlooked role in pop history. In this documentary, the evidence for his argument is overwhelming,
   showing a man who gave so much but was, for a long time, viewed as nothing more than an
   eccentric. This piece goes some way to giving him his flowers, and makes for fascinating viewing.
10. Still: A Michael J Fox Story
    Apple’s documentary about the Back To The Future star is told in his own words and with superbly crafted reconstructions. The actor is honest about his flaws, which only emphasises his bravery as he
    talks of his struggles with Parkinson’s Disease. As Fox goes on, it becomes clear that this may also be
    a goodbye, which for anyone who grew up loving his films makes for an emotional experience.