When it comes to watching all the most buzzed-about movies of the year, we always have such good intentions. But then life (kids, jobs, babysitters that cost $100 a night) always seems to get in the way of getting to the movie theater more than a few times a year. The good news is that now that we are near the end of the year, most of the most talked-about movies of 2023 are available on streaming so we've got no excuses not to get caught up on all those films.
The nominations for the next Academy Awards will come out next month, which means we've got some time to watch some of the biggest box office hits and those critically loved shorter films so we can pick our favorites before the announcement is made. We're not going to lie; we're definitely hoping for some Oscar love for the Barbie movie, but will there be nods for some of the other choices on this list? We'll all have to watch and see!
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'Barbie'
The Barbie movie was clearly the biggest movie of 2023, so it has to be No. 1 on our list. The movie was a hit at the box office (it sold more tickets than any other film) and with critics. Did it make us cry? Yes, yes it did. Did it make us laugh? Of course. Did it renew our crush on Ryan Gosling? YEP!
'May December'
A movie that centers on the aftermath of a teacher who sexually abuses and then later marries a student isn't exactly family movie night fare, but May December is one of the most buzzed-about movies of 2023. Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore are both fantastic in it.
'Creed III'
We don't have to be fans of real-life boxing to appreciate the drama, acting, and amazingly choreographed fight scenes in Creed III, which came out in March 2023. We also don't have to be an actual boxing fan to appreciate getting to see a shirtless Michael B. Jordan. Just saying …
'Rye Lane'
Rye Lane wasn't the biggest box office hit, but that is only because too many people missed out on this utterly charming romantic comedy. The good news is that it is streaming on Hulu now, making it an entertaining option for an at-home date night.
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'Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields'
We love a good documentary, and this intimate portrait of the life of model and actress Brooke Shields was so fascinating. Brooke has been famous for decades, and we're in awe of how strong and down-to-earth she seems considering some of the ways in which Hollywood did her wrong as a very young, very beautiful girl.
'Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse
Being a parent means that we see more than our fair share of animated movies, but Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse is one that we'd have enjoyed even without the kids. The animation is gorgeous, and we love the continuing story of Miles Morales.
'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret'
We were so excited when we heard that there was FINALLY going to be a movie based on the iconic Judy Blume book Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. The fact that the movie turned out to be so well-done and in keeping with the spirit of the book was such a relief.
'Bottoms'
We're never too old for a raunchy teenage comedy, and Bottoms (about an underground high school fight club) pulls no punches. Our favorite part of the movie has to be how funny former football player Marshawn Lynch is as an actor. Watching the movie for him alone is worth it!
'The Eras Tour'
Taylor Swift owned stadiums around the country this summer and then movie theaters this fall with her Eras Tour movie. This was so fun to watch with Swifties in the theater and will be dropping on streaming on December 13, which happens to be Taylor's birthday.
'Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé'
Of course, Taylor wasn't the only pop superstar to drop a major movie in 2023. Beyoncé released her film, chronicling the Renaissance tour, and it is also a joyful musical ride. It's a great way to experience the tour for those of us who weren't lucky enough to catch it live.
'A Haunting in Venice'
Any movie based on an Agatha Christie story is bound to be mysterious, but this one is downright spooky. We love a good mystery and, of course, we're always into a movie starring the iconic actress Michelle Yeoh. The movie is streaming on Hulu now.
'Anatomy of a Fall'
One of the movies that got a ton of buzz at the Cannes film festival was the incredibly tense thriller Anatomy of a Fall. When a man is found dead, the mystery of how he came to fall out of a window leads to even bigger questions about the state of his marriage. This one was done so well.
'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3'
Sometimes we want a tense and intellectual thriller or a thought-provoking documentary, and sometimes we just want a big-budget superhero movie we can just watch while eating way too much popcorn. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was that movie for us this year.
'Ferrari'
OK, so technically, we don't know for sure that Ferrari, starring Adam Driver, will be one of the best movies of the year because it doesn't come out until Christmas day. But c'mon: It stars Adam and Penélope Cruz in a big historical epic. It's gonna be great!
'The Holdovers'
Paul Giamatti stars as a grouchy teacher at a New England prep school who is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students who don't go home for the holidays. Valuable lessons are learned in this period piece, and the acting is terrific.
