These are the films I’ve most enjoyed, have lingered in my mind and are likely to be ones I revisit in the years to come. With the aim of making my list accessible, relevant and non-exclusive I’ve only listed films that received a full theatrical or online release in Australia in 2023. Films that only screened at festivals or other special events (especially films with confirmed 2024 Australian release dates) are not included.
Top ten films
My favourite films released in Australia in 2023:
1. Aftersun (Charlotte Wells, 2022) Released February2. Killers of the Flower Moon (Martin Scorsese, 2023) Released October3. Women Talking (Sarah Polley, 2022) Released February4. Till (Chinonye Chukwu, 2022) Released March5. Living (Oliver Hermanus, 2022) Released March6. The Killer (David Fincher, 2023) Released October7. The Old Oak (Ken Loach, 2023) Released November8. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (Christopher McQuarrie, 2023) Released July9. Of an Age (Goran Stolevski, 2022) Released March10. Past Lives (Celine Song, 2023) Released August
Honourable mentions
Twenty more films I loved this year, listed alphabetically:
Asteroid City (Wes Anderson, 2023) Released AugustBarbie (Greta Gerwig, 2023) Released JulyBeurokeo (Broker, Koreeda Hirokazu, 2022) Released MarchBiosphere (Mel Eslyn, 2022) Released SeptemberClose (Lukas Dhont, 2022) Released FebruaryGojira mainasu wan (Godzilla Minus One, Takashi Yamazaki, 2023) Released DecemberGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (James Gunn, 2023) Released May How to Blow Up a Pipeline (Daniel Goldhaber, 2022) Released August 2023John Wick: Chapter 4 (Chad Stahelski, 2023) Released MarchKimitachi wa dô ikiru ka (The Boy and the Heron, Hayao Miyazaki, 2023) Released DecemberLe bleu du caftan (The Blue Caftan, Maryam Touzani, 2022) Released MayLimbo (Ivan Sen, 2023) Released MayMaestro (Bradley Cooper, 2023) Released DecemberMaster Gardener (Paul Schrader, 2022) Released DecemberRevoir Paris (Paris Memories, Alice Winocour, 2022) Released NovemberShayda (Noora Niasari, 2023) Released OctoberSkinamarink (Kyle Edward Ball, 2022) Released FebruarySpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K Thompson, 2023) Released JuneTár (Todd Field, 2022) Released JanuaryThe New Boy (Warwick Thornton, 2023) Released July
Special mentions
I also enjoyed a number of films this year that only played at festivals and to the best of my knowledge don’t currently have a 2024 release date. These are five highlights:
As bestas (The Beasts, Rodrigo Sorogoyen, 2022)Întregalde (Radu Muntean, 2021)Les pires (The Worst Ones, Lise Akoka, Romane Gueret, 2022)Miracol (Miracle, Bogdan George Apetri, 2021)Titina (Kajsa Næss, 2022)
This list was compiled for the upcoming Senses of Cinema 2023 World Poll