A list of 2023 releases seen this year at theaters in SF and Sydney, and on VOD.

Initial tweet thread-reactions to the higher rated films included. In alphabetical order, by star rating…

– 5⭐ –

Anatomy of a Fall
The credits could’ve rolled after the first five minutes and I’d have left happy.

Inspired, instantly memorable use of 50 Cent’s P.I.M.P!

Justine Triet has directed and co-written a gem that surprises in and out of the courtroom. Sandra Hüller makes a clear case for why she’s up there as the best going around.

The Fabelmans
Spielberg takes his craft and applies it to the most personal of places, giving us a special ode to making and showing movies. Michelle Williams crushes it, delivering some real emotional daggers.

Joyland
It’s exceedingly rare for a film to be so generous with its heart and technically virtuoso at the same time. Flawless. Will go down as a monument of South Asian cinema.

Past Lives
Longing and acceptance are delicately played off against each other in this supremely assured *adult* love story that gets better with every turn.

Return to Seoul
Freddie is the coolest, saddest character you’ll meet all year. An immense performance from Ji-Min Park in her acting debut (WHAT⁉️). The screenplay handles identity delicately, with a singular confidence.

Skinamarink
It’s fine until it’s not! Four bone-chilling words and I was covering my eyes, cowering in my seat, sweating through the rest…and laughing at how brilliant the sound design, and precise and restrained the direction is. Haven’t seen anything scarier.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Frame after frame of astonishing cinema. The amount of craft, creativity, and soul put into this!!

– 4.5⭐ –

Barbie
If anything should’ve been in 70mm IMAX this weekend, it’s these sets, costumes, and musical numbers. Colour overload done right.

Gosling’s 11/10 Kenergy steals every scene.

A loud, proud skewering that’s a real crowd pleaser!

Broker
The sweetest child trafficking tale you’ll see! Kore-eda’s writing is the best there is at putting together misfits and constructing families from them. Can’t think of another actor as versatile as Song Kang Ho.

Four Daughters
The layers of truth and revelations that come with the way this documentary is told is stunning.

So. Many. Complicated. Feelings.

Godzilla Minus One
The definitive blockbuster of 2023! Crazy how fresh and heartfelt this feels, given it’s the 37th Godzilla movie, made on a budget of $15m.

The backdrop of a war-scarred people and their disillusionment with an ineffective government, the ingenuity of the plan, the way the typical rousing speech and definition of heroism gets flipped. The writing shines on this one.

Caps things with two triumphant emotional moments.

How to Blow Up a Pipeline
In today’s world, this is as feel-good and positive as a message gets!

Normally the group that forms in this type of movie are all experts in their field, but the n00bness adds plenty to the tension.

Passages
Ira Sachs has crafted a top tier emotionally destructive and manipulative character! He’s played with such gusto by a boundaryless Franz Rogowski.

Loved hearing the vitriol from the audience as the credits rolled 😂

Actually makes for a great pairing with Afire.

Priscilla
Visionary stuff from Sofia Coppola. She’s crafted a fairy tale abusive relationship.

The intentionality of her choices and how well they work stood out time after time.

Her two leads don’t let her down.

Saltburn
Barry Keoghan, as they say these days, ATE THAT… in many a way.

Demented, stylish, hilarious. Rock on, Emerald Fennell! Supporting cast are a hoot!

– 4⭐ –

Afire

Air

Beau Is Afraid

The Creator

Eo

Fremont

John Wick: Chapter 4

The Killer

Knock at the Cabin

May December

Napoleon

The Quiet Girl

Saint Omer

Sanctuary

Showing Up

Talk to Me

Women Talking

You Hurt My Feelings

– 3.5⭐ –

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Creed III

The Eight Mountains

Extraction 2

The Flash

Full Time

Godland

Killers of the Flowers Moon

Leave the World Behind

M3GAN

Maestro

Polite Society

Poor Things

Rye Lane

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

Walk Up

– 3⭐ –

Bottoms

Enys Men

Fallen Leaves

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

No One Will Save You

Oppenheimer

Saw X

Strange Way of Life

– 2.5⭐ –

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3

– 2⭐ –

Fast X

Holy Spider

Vengeance

– 1⭐ –

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania