Filmfare Year-Ender 2023: From Oppenheimer to Past Lives, the Best International Films of the Year

It has been a great year for movies. Period. Between some mind-blowing originals and box office clashes, (Who can forget the drama of Barbenheimer?) a lot happened at the movies. As the audiences’ watchlists get all the more diverse, a range of titles has been drawing attention. While mainstream films like Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer understandably pulled fans into theatres, films like Celine Song’s Past Lives were not to be left behind. As the year comes to a close, here’s a look at some critically acclaimed films that gained popularity in 2023.

Here are some of the best Hollywood and international films of the year:

Killers of the Flower Moon

Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, a 3 hours, 26 minutes long exploration of an almost forgotten chapter of American history - the Osage Nation murders, sounds exhausting but if you give it a chance, it’s also engaging. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and a standout Lily Gladstone, the film is a politically aware about genocide. The white people of Oklahoma carry out a series of crimes against the natives. The film doesn’t drop the ball and plays out a well-thought-out retelling of history.

Past Lives

Celine Song’s Past Lives, a film about two childhood friends reconnecting has a tranquil, almost meditative quality. The film sees Greta Lee’s Nora, who moves to the West from Seoul and Hae Sung (John Magaro) catch up in New York. Through their strolls across the city, we see their chemistry rekindle (although Nora is married). But the film never lets it develop into anything more. Instead, it showcases an out-of-reach fantasy and plays on possibilities and longings. Prepare to be drawn into the deeply moving drama created by Song’s atmospheric world.

Polite Society

The London-set Polite Society directed by We Are Lady Parts fame Nida Manzoor offers a look at a traditional Pakistani community. It revolves around Priya Kansara’s Ria Khan, a wannabe martial artist who is bent on stopping her older sister Lena’s marriage. So she does what any well-meaning family member would do - she attempts a heist. The film is as hilarious as it is charming. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival before getting its theatrical release.

John Wick: Chapter 4

Few sequels can one-up their predecessors. While 2022 had Top Gun: Maverick, 2023 had John Wick: Chapter 4. Keanu Reeves returned to play the relentless assassin in the Chad Stahelski directorial. The film had some of the best action set pieces and stunt work. A breathtaking stairs sequence (with 220 stairs leading up to the Sacre Coeur in Paris) that goes on for almost 20 minutes was the cherry on top, easily one of the best moments from the pacey film. Moreover, the film gave its titular character an emotionally satisfying ending.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

In a year that saw a shortage of good superhero movies, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse did not disappoint. With its impressive animation and star-studded voice cast including Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld and an excellent Oscar Isaac, the film was a joyride from start to finish. It follows Miles Morales as he goes back to save the multiverse. Along the way, he meets several Spider-People from the Spider-Society including stand-outs like Pavitr Prabhakar and Hobie Brown.

Anatomy of a Fall

Justine Triet’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner, Anatomy of a Fall was one of the most-talked-about film festival movies of 2023. Starring German actor Sandra Huller, the film is about a novelist who jumps off his mountain home. His wife becomes the prime suspect in the investigation. The film doesn’t just play out a gripping trial about a murder case but also digs deep into the couple’s marriage and relationship. The film spotlights the tragedy to make for an effective viewing.

Oppenheimer

Barbenheimer caught on like wildfire. The anticipated box office clash between the heavily marketed Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer turned into a box office merger leading to both films filling theatre seats and raking in numbers. The latter, a mesmerising look at the Father of the Atomic Bomb was a masterpiece in storytelling. Led by Cillian Murphy, the film with standout performances from Robert Downey Jr, Matt Damon and more, was a visual spectacle that one couldn’t look away from. The reactions to the moment the bomb explodes onscreen can only be described as dramatic.

Barbie

Greta Gerwig’s Barbie gave the world-famous doll a backstory and a feminist one at that. Starring the delightful Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, the film took Barbie’s existential crisis and turned it into a takedown of patriarchy. With an overload of pink (not that we’re complaining), the film took over theatres globally with its timely and heartfelt messaging.

Monster

Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Monster premiered to a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival where it premiered. The Japanese-language film revolves around a young school-going boy who starts displaying concerning behaviour. When he tells his mother that his teacher hit him, leaving a bleeding wound, the single mom starts asking questions. The answer of the unsettling question comes through shifting perspectives in the beautifully edited film.

Maestro

Before Maestro was even released, the film faced some criticism over Bradley Cooper’s prosthetic nose. However, upon its release, the film impressed viewers. Based on the life and times of ace conductor Leonard Bernstein, the film is a historically accurate drama. Filled with highlights from his personal and professional life, the story leaves out very little and entertains with whatever it packs in. While Cooper wins praise for his role, Carey Mulligan isn't one to be left behind, delivering a career-best performance.

Evil Dead Rise

It’s always good to see a reboot do well. And the latest addition to the Evil Dead franchise which started with Sam Raimi’s iconic 1981 film The Evil Dead, does exceptionally well. Directed and written by Lee Cronin, the film is a gripping, gory ride from start to finish. The film serves a spine-chilling cabin-in-the-woods narrative that seldom skips a beat. .It is as delightful as it is deranged. A satisfying homage to Raimi’s classic.

Asteroid City

Wes Anderson fans were treated to two films this year - Asteroid City and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. The former starring Scarlett Johansson, Maya Hawke, Tom Hanks, Jason Schwartzman, Steve Carell and more in a cast full of Anderson regulars, emerged as a winner. Revolving around an astronomy convention in a desert town, the film unleashes a symmetrical retro-futuristic drama that’s as good as it is good-looking.

Side Note: The year had some great offerings that did not make their way to Indian theatres or OTT platforms. Films like Todd Haynes’ May December, Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things and Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron are yet to release in the country and hence, have been excluded from the list.