2023 proved to be an unpredictable and testing year for cinema — a twelve-month stretch that unfolded very differently from what many expected. After the industry barely recovered from the pandemic shutdowns, tensions rose between studio leadership and creative talent. The year was defined in part by a prolonged stand-off as actors and writers walked out in a dispute over pay, residuals in the streaming era, working conditions, and the threat posed by artificial intelligence to creative work and performers’ likenesses.
With production halted for months and promotional activity curtailed, the release slate was smaller and riskier than usual. Even tentpole franchises and veteran stars could not guarantee success. Yet despite the disruption, 2023 delivered a wealth of strong and memorable films: inventive blockbusters, bold directorial visions, and stories that amplified under-represented voices. Below, based on UK release dates, are my 10 Best Films of 2023.
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10. You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah
This charming, frequently hilarious film captures Gen Z’s coming-of-age anxieties with warmth and insight. Sunny Sandler stars as Stacy Friedman, a girl determined to stage the perfect Bat Mitzvah. As she nears thirteen, the pressure of social media, shifting friendships, and first crushes complicates everything. Director Sammi Cohen and writer Alison Peck render the always-online adolescence of today with naturalistic performances and a sharp cultural eye. The result is a crowd-pleasing, unexpectedly poignant comedy about identity, family, and belonging.
9. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3
James Gunn’s final chapter for this ragtag team of cosmic misfits delivers emotional depth and visual panache. The Guardians are tested like never before: Peter Quill battles grief, Rocket confronts a traumatic past, and the team must decide what — and who — they are willing to save. The film blends meticulous action, heartfelt performances, and Gunn’s trademark affection for oddball characters to reach a satisfying, often melancholy crescendo.
8. Broker
Hirokazu Kore-eda proves his storytelling prowess beyond Japanese-language cinema with this tender, bittersweet look at found family and South Korea’s adoption culture. When a young mother abandons her newborn at a church “baby box,” two illegal adoption brokers set off to find the child a stable future. Kore-eda’s humane gaze, gentle humour, and moral nuance make the film a moving meditation on belonging, responsibility, and the meaning of family.
7. One Fine Morning
Mia Hansen Løve’s quiet, observant drama follows Sandra (Léa Seydoux), a single mother balancing work, caregiving, and loneliness as her father’s health declines. The film confronts universal hardships with a humane, clear-eyed touch, mixing melancholy and muted hope. Seydoux’s performance is deeply naturalistic, anchoring a story about the demands of adulthood, filial duty, and the fragile pursuit of connection.
6. Scrapper
Charlotte Regan’s debut is a grounded, witty portrait of working-class life that avoids sentimentality. After Georgie loses her mother, she copes by petty theft and pretending she’s cared for while fending off social services. When an absent father returns, both of their lives shift. The film balances sharp social observation with warmth and humour, driven by a breakout performance from Lola Campbell and a compelling supporting turn from Harris Dickinson.
5. Godzilla Minus One
Takashi Yamazaki reinvigorates Godzilla by returning to the post-WWII setting and foregrounding human stories alongside the monster’s devastation. A guilt-ridden former pilot navigates a fragile Tokyo as a newly mutated Godzilla wreaks havoc. With impressive visual achievements on a modest budget, the film uses Godzilla as a potent symbol of humanity’s self-inflicted horrors, while treating its human characters with rare care and emotional weight.
4. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
Adapted from Judy Blume’s beloved novel, this film captures the tender confusion of early adolescence with rare honesty. Margaret, uprooted from New York to the suburbs, wrestles with puberty, faith, and identity as her family’s differing beliefs complicate her search for answers. Kelly Fremon Craig’s sensitive direction and a warm ensemble cast make this adaptation a surprisingly wise and moving exploration of growing up.
3. Return to Seoul
Davy Chou’s film examines cultural dislocation through Freddie, a Korean-born woman raised in France who returns to Seoul to confront the life she was given up for. The film is poignantly uneasy and often unpredictably sharp as Freddie navigates identity, intimacy, and mistakes across her twenties. Park Ji-min’s striking performance anchors a film that refuses easy answers and constantly surprises.
2. Rye Lane
Raine Allen-Miller’s vibrant romantic comedy is rooted in South London and anchored by two magnetic leads. After disastrous breakups, Dom and Yas meet by chance and spend a day rediscovering the city and themselves. The film thrives on bright, memorable moments and a vivid sense of place, making it one of the year’s most charming and joyful portrayals of contemporary romance.
1. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
This audacious sequel expands the visual and narrative ambitions of its predecessor. Two years after Miles Morales embraced being Spider-Man, he faces cosmic stakes when multiple Spider-people and a fanatical Spider-Society threaten the multiverse. The film layers dense references, dazzling animation styles, and emotional complexity, offering a richly inventive experience that pushes animated storytelling forward while remaining true to its characters’ humanity.
The film industry endured another turbulent year, much of it driven by internal conflicts and the competing priorities of commerce and creativity. Still, filmmakers and performers who value cinema as art and livelihood persisted, and the year yielded powerful, original films—especially in the indie and arthouse spaces—that resonated with audiences. Here’s hoping 2024 brings renewed stability and a healthier environment for storytelling.