This year, the cinema had many hills and valleys. There was the inevitable collapse of the MCU, the massive success of a blue-collar plumber, the weird obsession with Barbenheimer, and the return of satirical shock comedy.
It was also a great year for faith-based and independent films as the major studios become less important and individualized streaming media takes control. Here are my ten best films of 2023.
1. Nefarious – A fantastic, fresh take on the exorcist narrative that teaches both the psychology of demons and the difficult state of our current world. Despite a slightly disappointing ending, it’s the most illuminating fictional portrayal of demonology since The Screwtape Letters.
2. Wonka – From beginning to end, this film was an absolute delight. It was a fantastic prequel to a classic filled with wonder, heart, British humor, and lots and lots of chocolate. Don’t watch without snacks.
3. Leo – It’s always neat to see an animated masterpiece from neither Disney nor Dreamworks. Written and directed by Robert Smigel, the comic genius behind Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Leo is a class pet who becomes an unexpected therapist to a host of fourth graders…and teaches the adults a thing or two.
4. Mother Teresa and Me – This little viewed film was a biography by proxy about the Saint from the perspective of a Gen Z musician considering an abortion. It’s the best movie made about the little woman from Calcutta.
5. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret – A beautiful adoption of the Judy Blume classic about the pain of growing with grace. It also has an insightful take on an interfaith family that is both honest and respectful.
6. A Man Called Otto – Everybody loves a curmudgeon, though this one has some good reasons for his demeanor. Fortunately, a raggedy cat and lovable immigrant family help him come out of his shell, to ultimately save his soul.
7. Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 – The saddest, darkest, craziest entry of the MCU is also profoundly pro-life and anti-eugenics.
8. Route 60: The Biblical Highway – This travelogue is a beautiful journey through the Holy Land, and also a primer on the intersection of faith and leadership. As good instruction as it was, October 7th made it even more so.
9. Lady Ballers – The first great shock comedy since Tropic Thunder, Lady Ballers–made almost exclusively by Daily Wire employees–features an all-male basketball team that identifies as female to win a woman’s basketball championship. It is gross, bizarre, poignant, timely, and insanely funny.
10. Freud’s Last Session – This little gem is simply a two-hour conversation between Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis, two titans of the 20th century. It could have been four hours long without losing any interest. By the end, neither man has convinced the other, but it’s not hard to see who is right.
Honorable Mentions: Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Jesus Revolution, The Journey: A Musical Special from Andrea Bocelli, Journey to Bethlehem, The Pez Outlaw, Shotgun Wedding, The Sound of Freedom, and The Super Mario Bros Movie.
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I don’t watch many movies – the last time I went to a theater was to see Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, which was good though of course the book was better – but I’m glad you were able to find some that were worth watching.
“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” – When I was younger I read the book and it just made my skin crawl for some reason, so I’ll pass on watching a movie adaptation.
Sound of Freedom, honorable mention???
“A Man Called Otto” was the American version of a Scandinavian movie, and it added a transgender person as a major character. Just noting this for those interested or who would like to know it advance.
I rarely watch movies–I just have problems connecting the scenes into a story. But I did watch A Man Called Otto this year and highly recommend it! Tom Hanks is always a joy to watch–so talented! It’s a great story of how a family in economic straits reaches out to a grumpy old man (and actually prevents him from committing suicide, although they don’t know it)–and it’s so funny, too! The family gives the old man a reason for continuing to live and love–this is a story that can and does happen in real life in the U.S. all the time, when people take the time to reach out to neighbors and other acquaintances. I wouldn’t recommend watching this movie with young children because of the various suicide attempts (that all fail)–but older children and teenagers who are mentally-healthy (not depressed or withdrawn or at risk for suicide) will enjoy the movie and hopefully, families will take it to heart and look for someone to reach out to and love.
A man called Otto glorifies suicide.