Movies of the Year
Gareth Higgins on THE MOVIES OF 2023
The joy of writing a year-end highlights piece is that I get to revisit the cinematic experiences of 2023 in my mind; the challenge is that I sometimes don’t know where to stop. But I’ll try…
I used to hold a clearer distinction between “best” and “favorite” movies, but those lines are blurring for me. The experience of beauty, provocation, learning, and being seen is in the eye of the beholder, and elitist conversation about cinema shrinks community. It’s good to make a case for why something is lovely, but loveliest for me, of course, doesn't have to be loveliest for anyone else. The point of these lists is not to compete with or outdo others, but simply to share what I found moving, life-giving, provocative. I welcome your lists too.
Now that “movies” are available on screens smaller than my hand, or bigger than the wall of Grand Central Station, and “cinema” has influenced television to the point where I’d prefer to watch some TV series in a theatre, we need to expand our definition of “cinematic”. For me “cinematic” means visually creative moving imagery, often (but not always) a self-contained narrative (rather than a series), often something that would be better or at least well placed on a screen bigger than the audience, and/or a moving image experience shared with others.
That said, here are a few of my favorite cinematic experiences of 2023, followed by twelve favorite films.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Soul Telegram: Movies & Meaning to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.