Wow, 2023 is totally rocking the movie scene! Whether you’re hitting up the theater or chilling on the couch with your favorite streaming service, there are some seriously awesome films to check out. Last year was all about deep, meaningful movies, but this year is all about big-budget blockbusters and killer ensemble casts. Get ready for flicks like Barbie, Oppenheimer, The Little Mermaid, and a whole bunch more. Keep reading to discover 30 of the absolute best movies of the year!
1. Wonka
©Album / Alamy Stock Photo
So excited to see Timothée Chalamet play a young Willy Wonka! The movie will show how Wonka first met the Oompa-Loompas before he started working at the chocolate factory. I can’t wait for it to come out on December 15th – it’s going to be a fun trip down memory lane!
2. Barbie
©Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Hey guys, imagine this: Barbie is getting a whole new makeover in a movie directed by Greta Gerwig! And get this, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are going to play Barbie and Ken. Plus, there are a bunch of other awesome actors like Will Ferrell, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Issa Rae, and America Ferrera in the mix too. This movie is all about girl power and breaking stereotypes about what girls can do. It’s going to be a total hit and a must-watch for all your future sleepovers!
3. Anyone but You
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Did you hear about Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell? They were all over the news this year, but not because of their new movie, Anyone but You. The gossip actually helped promote the film, which is about a bad first date and a surprise meeting at a wedding in Australia. How crazy is that?
4. Dicks: The Musical
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Hey, did you hear that Megan Thee Stallion was in a cool musical movie this year? It’s called Dicks and it’s A24’s first musical. It’s a funny twist on the Parent Trap where two guys find out they’re actually twins and try to get their parents back together. The movie has a bunch of awesome actors like Megan Mullally, Nathan Lane, Bowen Yang, Nick Offerman, and D’Arcy Carden. It’s a must-watch for sure!
5. Ferrari
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Remember that awesome movie Ford v Ferrari? Well, get ready for another epic car movie called Ferrari! It’s based on a book about Enzo Ferrari and a crazy race in Italy. And guess what? The cast is super cool too! We’ve got Adam Driver, Patrick Dempsey, Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Hugh Jackman, and Noomi Rapace. Get ready for some fast cars and amazing actors in this movie!
6. Foe
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Watch Paul Mescal and Saoirse Ronan in the new movie Foe! It’s a super cool sci-fi story about a young couple in a different version of America. Their lives get turned upside down when they meet a mysterious stranger who offers them a chance to change everything. It’s going to make us think about what it means to be human. Can’t wait to see how it all plays out on screen!
7. Maestro
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So there’s this movie about Leonard Bernstein that’s been in the works for a while now. Bradley Cooper was supposed to star in it back in 2018, but now he’s not only acting in it but also directing it. The movie will mainly be about Bernstein’s relationship with his wife, Felicia Montealegre, who will be played by Carey Mulligan. Sounds pretty interesting, right?
8. Past Lives
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Have you heard of the movie Past Lives by writer-director Celine Song? It was a big hit at the Sundance festival this year and has been getting a lot of attention ever since. The movie is all about love, longing, and wondering about the past. It follows a Korean-American woman who reconnects with her childhood crush in Korea. You can watch it in theaters or on demand now!
9. May December
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Todd Haynes’s latest Netflix release on December 1st! Starring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, this gripping tale revisits the scandal of Mary Kay Letourneau. With tensions flaring two decades later, it’s a must-watch clash of characters and emotions.
10. Passages
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Passages is a movie that I can’t stop thinking about ever since I watched it. Directed by Ira Sachs, it tells the story of a gay couple whose relationship falls apart because one of them has an affair with a woman. Adèle Exarchopoulos does an amazing job playing Agathe, and her connection with Ben Whishaw and Franz Rogowski on screen is just incredible.
11. Priscilla
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Sofia Coppola made a movie about Priscilla Presley’s life with Elvis, while Baz Lurhmann made a different movie about Elvis himself. Sofia’s movie is more true to the real story, while Baz’s movie is more like a legend. If you watch both, you might start to think differently about Elvis and his music.
12. Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce
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The Renaissance World Tour was totally life-changing for me and like a million other people this year. Just like Taylor Swift’s concert movie in October, the Renaissance movie will be in theaters for a short time in December. It has awesome footage from the tour and cool behind-the-scenes stuff. This movie is definitely a must-see event of the year!
13. Saltburn
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Saltburn is Jacob Elordi’s second time being mentioned on this list, and it’s totally awesome! Critics are loving this movie that’s like a modern-day Alice in Wonderland, following a super mysterious English family. Plus, it has some other big stars like Rosamund Pike, Carey Mulligan, and Barry Keoghan.
14. You Hurt My Feelings
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I really love Nicole Holofcener’s movies, especially Enough Said. She’s done it again with You Hurt My Feelings, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus is amazing in it! In the movie, Louis-Dreyfus plays Beth, who is a writer. When Beth accidentally hears her husband saying mean things about her book, it makes her start thinking about all the little lies that people tell each other in relationships. It’s a really interesting story that makes you think about honesty and communication.
15. Close
©Hearst Owned
This awesome movie about two best friends who are 13 years old is so emotional and amazing. It shows how close their friendship is and will totally make you feel all the feels. It’s really touching to see how much they care about each other.
16. Knock at the Cabin
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Guess what, guys? M. Night Shyamalan, the guy who loves to surprise us with crazy endings in his movies, has a new thriller coming out! It’s all about this super happy family of three who are just chilling at their cabin in the middle of nowhere when suddenly, four strangers show up and things get really intense. The movie is based on a book called The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay. We don’t know what the threat is or what decision the family has to make, but it’s gonna be a wild ride with Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, and Kristen Cui as the family and Dave Bautista, Rupert Grint, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and Abby Quinn as the mysterious strangers. Get ready for some serious drama!
7. Killers of the Flower Moon
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This super cool movie is all about a bunch of bad guys doing bad stuff in the wild west. It’s got some big-time actors like Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. The story is about some murders that happened back in the 1920s when oil was found on Indian land in Oklahoma. It’s based on a really popular book, so you know it’s gonna be good!
18. Oppenheimer
©Hearst Owned
Get ready to watch an awesome movie about the guy who helped create the atomic bomb! It’s directed by Christopher Nolan and stars some really cool actors like Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Rami Malek, Josh Peck, and Alex Wolff. Even if you’re not a science buff, this movie is sure to keep you entertained!
19. Cat Person
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Have you heard of the super popular short story called Cat Person by Kristen Roupenian? Well, it’s now a movie starring Emilia Jones from CODA as Margot, a college student who starts dating a guy named Robert who’s way older than her. The movie premiered at Sundance and will be out for everyone to see in October. People are talking about it because it shows how power can be uneven in relationships, even before the #MeToo movement started.
20. Magic Mike’s Last Dance
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Get ready for the ultimate Channing Tatum movie about strippers! It’s perfect for a Valentine’s Day movie night with your friends. Don’t miss out on the epic showdown of the best strippers in town. Grab your crew and get ready for the ultimate show!
21. Cocaine Bear
©Universal
Have you ever wondered why there’s a movie called Cocaine Bear that came out recently? Well, you’re not the only one! It’s about a bear who goes crazy after snorting a bunch of cocaine and starts causing chaos. The movie is based on a true story about a bear named “Pablo Eskobear” who died in 1985 after snorting a whole bag of cocaine. It may sound crazy, but trust me, it’s a wild and entertaining ride!
22. M3GAN
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Did you see that creepy doll dancing on TikTok or the eight dolls that looked exactly the same at the movie premiere? Well, it’s no wonder that the horror movie M3GAN was a big hit in 2023! M3GAN is a super realistic doll that can think for itself, created by a scientist named Gemma (played by Allison Williams). She gives the doll to her niece as a gift, but things take a scary turn. It’s like a Chucky movie, but with a cool twist!
23. When You Finish Saving the World
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The new movie from A24 is all about a mom named Evelyn and her son Ziggy. They have a tough time getting along, especially with all the technology and social media stuff going on. Ziggy likes a girl who is into politics, while Evelyn befriends a kid at the shelter where she works. This movie, directed by Jesse Eisenberg, is funny and will make you feel all the feels.
24. Asteroid City
©Vera Anderson – Getty Images
Wes Anderson has a new movie coming out that’s going to be super cool! It’s called Asteroid City and it takes place at a Junior Stargazer convention in the desert. The best part about Wes Anderson’s movies is that you never really know what they’re about until you watch them, which makes it so exciting. Plus, he always has awesome actors in his films, like Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie, Scarlett Johansson, Maya Hawke, Liev Schreiber, Jeff Goldblum, Rita Wilson, and Steve Carell. Get ready for an out-of-this-world adventure with Asteroid City!
25. The Color Purple
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Get ready, because the awesome musical version of Alice Walker’s famous book is hitting the big screen soon! It first premiered on Broadway in 2005 and now it’s coming back with a super talented cast and a director who worked on Beyoncé’s cool visual album Black Is King. Plus, Oprah Winfrey is one of the producers! The story follows Cellie, played by Fantasia, as she grows up as a Black woman in the rural South in the early 1900s. Along the way, she meets lots of different women like Sophia, played by Danielle Brooks, Shug Avery, played by Taraji P. Henson, Mary “Squeak” Agnes, played by H.E.R., and her sister Nettie, played by Halle Bailey or Ciara. It’s going to be an amazing movie that you won’t want to miss!
26. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
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Guess what? Judy Blume’s awesome book for middle schoolers was turned into a movie this year! It talks about religion, growing up, and all the stuff that comes with being a girl. The movie is super nostalgic and will totally make you feel all the feels. Abby Ryder Fortson plays Margaret, and Rachel McAdams and Benny Safdie are her parents in the movie. It’s a must-watch for anyone who loves a good coming-of-age story!
27. Scream VI
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Get ready to scream your head off with the newest Scream movie! This time, the survivors from the last movie are back and facing a whole new terror on a subway train in the city. With a tagline like “In a city of millions, no one hears you scream,” you know you’re in for a wild ride full of thrills and chills that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Don’t miss out on the frights that the next Ghostface has in store for you!
28. The Little Mermaid
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The new movie of The Little Mermaid was even better than we thought it would be! Halle Bailey is amazing as Ariel and she works great with the other actors like Javier Bardem, Awkwafina, Melissa McCarthy, and more. After watching it, you might start to think that mermaids are real!
29. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
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I am so pumped for the new Hunger Games movie prequel! It’s going to be all about a young Coriolanus Snow who falls for a girl from District 12 during the 10th Hunger Games. The cast is amazing too, with Viola Davis, Peter Dinklage, and Hunter Schafer. I can’t wait to see it on the big screen!
30. Bottoms
©Courtesy of ORION Pictures Inc.
Emma Seligman, who made a really awesome movie called Shiva, is back with another film about two not-so-popular girls in high school who decide to start a fight club to get the attention of the cheerleaders they like. It stars Rachel Sennott, Kaia Gerber, and Ayo Edebiri, and it’s the funniest movie of the year for Gen Z!
This is just a taste! Explore the full list of 30 cinematic gems, complete with streaming availability, and get ready for an unforgettable movie marathon. Don’t forget to share your favorites in the comments below!
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