Knock on Wood

2023 was an unexpectedly dynamic year, from two record-setting strikes that rocked the entertainment industry to the massive cultural event that was “Barbenheimer” which, among other accomplishments, proved the potency of self-sufficient internet marketing and provided one of the biggest box office-dominating double features of all time.

We were also treated to new films from Greta Gerwig, Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Glazer, Emma Seligman, Alexander Payne, Andrew Haigh, Hayao Miyazaki, James Gunn, Todd Haynes, William Friedkin, Sofia Coppola, James Mangold, Paul King, Kenneth Branagh, Wes Anderson, Wim Wenders, M. Night Shyamalan, Emerald Fennell, and many more, alongside marvelous debuts from Celine Song, Cord Jefferson, Nida Manzoor, Jingyi Shao, and so many others.

By all accounts, 2023 was an incredible year for film. Our contributors cumulatively saw hundreds of films from January to December, but there were some clear favorites. What follows is the combined Knock on Wood Top 10 of 2023.

10. The Iron Claw

One of the great surprises of 2023, The Iron Claw tells the story of the Von Erich family and the so-called “Von Erich Curse.” On its surface, a wrestling film with a tragic family drama at its center, the true heart of The Iron Claw lies in its depiction of brotherly love. It’s easy to single out Zac Efron’s transformative performance or Sean Durkin’s dynamic direction, but this is an expertly constructed film from beginning to end. The anguish and sorrow experienced by our protagonist is never glossed over — of course, it is the subject of the film for over half its runtime. However, it is in the final 20 minutes of The Iron Claw that the profundity of its approach is revealed. The film is often described as a grueling watch, and understandably so, but what makes the film so special is its final note of hope and love in the face of overwhelming tragedy. It is an inspired choice for a movie that so easily could have let its darker moments overtake the experience, but one that will resonate to all those in possession of a beating heart. (Foster Harlfinger)

9. May December

May December, yes, is one of the movies that would fall into the “Oscar movie” genre if that was a legitimately recognized genre. On any normal basis, I am personally averse to these types of movies. What makes May December special is that there is no sense of unearned importance and simply tells an immensely layered story that earns its awards credibility in every way. It’s about the exploitative way art can be created, the psychological logic in which an abuser can justify the abuse they commit to themselves and a plethora of other things. No one theme or emotional experience can truly box in this movie, and it feels totally representative of what the film is going for. From moment to moment you will be thinking, feeling, and most importantly being engrossed the whole time. Natalie Portman is widely regarded as an Oscar nom lock for a reason, giving one of the darkest and subtly transformative performances of her whole career. I’d be remiss, though, not to mention Charles Melton giving the best performance in a movie with career highlight performances from both Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman. He is a revelation, playing one of the most well-realized, honest, and complex portraits of an utterly broken person I’ve seen so far this decade. Even if this movie isn’t normally your type of thing, you’d be remiss not to watch what simply amounts to being one of the best films of the year. (May Honey)

Available to stream on Netflix.

8. American Fiction

Thelonious ‘Monk’ Ellison is a man who is intelligent, hardworking, and knowledgeable in many different things (certainly more than most of us), but there are certain things that he just doesn’t understand. That is the stage that writer/director Cord Jefferson works with in creating a biting satire as well as a moving drama about a man lost in the world that he does not fully understand or connect to. American Fiction, as promised by all of its marketing, is a hilarious exploration of Black voices in a world run by White audiences. Monk’s joke is to read a novel that is “Black”…as defined by white people. And guess what? They eat it all up. The way this film navigates this awkward and asinine situation is clever and engaging.

But American Fiction is also about (not) connecting to your family and being a lonely island in the sea. Jeffrey Wright delivers the performance of his career as a self-assured and disconnected man who must learn what are the real priorities in life as he navigates a flourishing romance, the death of a loved one, the failing health of his mother, and a distant relationship with his brother. A great supporting cast (including a scene-stealing Sterling K. Brown) helps drive the film moving forward. There are plenty of laughs but also tears in this moving and poignant exploration of genius and the isolation that comes with it. Jefferson has so much to say about the world around him and has plenty of filmmaking magic up his sleeve (the “writing of the book” sequence is a great example). We can only be so lucky to see such a special film that casts a wide net and catches so much along the way. (Shane Conto)

7. Poor Things

Yorgos Lanthimos has quite a bit up his sleeve for his latest awards favorite, Poor Things. Lanthimos is known for his wild concepts that never shy away from tackling complex themes, and he certainly doesn’t leave anything out with his latest science-fiction effort, a twisted and layered mixture of Frankenstein and Pinocchio.

We follow Bella Baxter, a woman born with a baby brain, as she grows through unexpected adventures across the land and seas of a steampunk alternative past. Tony McNamara’s script tackles the classic conflict between the Freudian ideas of the Id, Ego, and SuperEgo. The story sees the evolution of a woman from curious and wide-eyed to sexually explorative to mature with her whole life in the palm of her hand. There are offbeat and unexpected explorations of faith versus sciences as well as deep-seated and varied perspectives of feminism.

Draped in philosophy, you would not expect such a film to be so crazed and fun, but with Lanthimos behind the camera, you get a dark and twisted sense of humor that will challenge the boundaries of its audience. Not only that, there is a sex-positive perspective that fits right in for a film that is never bashful in the way it features sexual expression. This is one of the most unique cinematic experiences you will experience this year. The music is queer and abstract, which is only fitting with the steampunk production design and the ornate and bold costuming. The cinematography gives the film that Lanthimos stamp that audiences come to expect full of strange and uncomfortable shots that help mold the experience. But it is Emma Stone who steals the show with her incredibly layered, complex, and evolving performance that is both daring and impressively crafted. The big and absurd work of Mark Ruffalo as well as the ever-impressive turn of Willem Dafoe are the icing on the cake. This is such a strange experience (as all Lanthimos films are) and it might not resonate with everyone in the same way. But this bold film is what cinema is about and shows the great lengths a filmmaker can go in terms of crafting a whole new world that their audience can explore and learn from. (Shane Conto)

6. The Zone of Interest

Done a disservice because of A24’s limited release strategy, The Zone of Interest is the “white whale” of this year’s awards season. The film itself is unexpectedly understated and more subtle than you might expect, and it’s not an easy subject matter – the central family is that of Rudolf Höss, the Commandant of Auschwitz concentration camp. It takes place in 1943, two years before the end of World War II, with Höss (Christian Friedel) and his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller, who also stars in the recent Palme d’Or winner Anatomy of a Fall) attempting to maintaining a normal life in their house, which lies just over the wall from the camp itself.

But this is not a Holocaust movie. We never actually see the horrors of the camp. That is…never visually. But through the idyllic life of Höss and his family, we’re forced to live in a luxury gained from the suffering of others. The worst thing about it is not the domestic atmosphere complemented by a haunting soundscape of almost-indistinguishable screams and gunfire, it’s that the film itself isn’t as dour as it sounds. You’re almost caught off-guard by the levity of the antics of the family dog or the roughhousing of Höss’ sons before the true nature of their situation sinks in again and again. It’s harrowing and horrifying, but it’s more than that — every single thing about it carries more weight because of its subject matter. Creaks on the stairs, a baby crying, the light shimmering off of a backyard pool, an offhand comment about central heating; everything stands out and gains new significance because of what’s happening in the background every single second. It’s incredibly fine-tuned filmmaking from English director Jonathan Glazer, and a feat of excellence in every regard. Mica Levi’s score is another undeniably chilling standout.

The Zone of Interest is a stunning portrait of accountability and subtle real-world horror that never asks more from its audience than their attention. (Rowan Wood)

5. All of Us Strangers

This blurb contains explicit content.

If Andrew Scott doesn’t get a Best Actor nomination for his work in All of Us Strangers, I will call in a bomb threat to the Oscars ceremony (this is a joke, please don’t come get me, The Government).

It’s a story about a middle-aged screenwriter reconnecting with his parents, who haven’t changed since they died when he was twelve, and falling in love with his only neighbor in an empty apartment complex. It’s about love, loss, grief, being queer (or being gay, if that’s what you prefer to be called), pain, joy, finding love, losing love, missing love, and being afraid to love at all. You can feel how personal the film is for both Andrew Scott and writer/director Andrew Haigh. The framing of every shot is full of intention, sometimes so much so that you don’t even realize until you’ve finished the film. Scott (who, and I cannot stress this enough, gives the greatest acting performance I’ve ever seen – so good I will definitely, for real, call in a bomb threat about it if people disagree) and romantic interest Paul Mescal (who is also very good, and he licks cum off of Andrew Scott’s chest) have great chemistry, both in the two steamy scenes and the genuinely heartbreaking conversations they have while falling in love.

Paul Mescal licks cum off of Andrew Scott, and it’s kind of the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen (fuck you, Saltburn).

An additional anecdote: Knock on Wood founder (and also my boyfriend) Rowan Wood and I watched the movie with my parents, and right after the cum licking scene happened, Rowan, who seemed to think Mescal was just randomly licking Scott’s chest, said “now I know how you got the idea to wake me up this morning” in front of my parents during the cum licking scene. (Davis Mathis)

4. The Holdovers

A new Christmas classic to be, The Holdovers is therapy packaged in the form of a film. At its core, The Holdovers tells the story of three lonely people (portrayed by Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph) who find unexpected companionship with one another over a particularly melancholy holiday season. Writer-director Alexander Payne paints his characters with such compassion that it is impossible not to repeatedly fall in love with each of them at least a dozen times over the course of the film’s runtime. The odd couple (or odd throuple?) structure may not be unique to The Holdovers, but the story’s ultimate destination is one of richly complex emotion. Our central trio learn from and grieve with one another, yes, but more importantly: they see one another; not only for what they are, but for what they could be. Sessa’s character may be at the beginning of his own journey, but Giamatti’s character finds himself at an unexpected turning point that represents a fresh start of his own. The Holdovers is a beautifully shot film with locations to die for, the performances are as heartfelt as they are impressive, and its screenplay is equal parts hilarious and deeply moving. (Foster Harlfinger)

Available to stream on Peacock.

3. Godzilla Minus One

Present on nearly every single one of our contributors’ lists is Godzilla Minus One, the latest kaiju film from Toho, the studio that originated Godzilla himself. I’ll gladly be the thousandth person to say that Minus One strips the story back to basics, focusing more on the human element that was prominent in the original 1954 film. At the center of the emotional core is Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki), a kamikaze pilot who failed to complete his suicide mission during World War II. Upon returning to mainland Japan, he finds his parents gone, and his failure has made him a societal outcast. A chance encounter with Godzilla on an island during the war gives him a unique narrative perspective, and if that wasn’t enough, one of the film’s biggest strengths is that it redefines Godzilla as a metaphor for the manmade disaster that began to pose a major threat to humanity after World War II. On top of all that, it’s emotionally effective, compelling, and the visual effects are astoundingly excellent. More Godzilla from Toho, please – but please keep cranking out cheesy American entries like Godzilla x Kong, too! (Rowan Wood)

2. Oppenheimer

I’ve seen Oppenheimer three times now, and it only continues to get better. I used to say Christopher Nolan was my favorite director, only to change my mind after finding his movies increasingly emotionally weightless (my beloved Interstellar excepted). But Nolan blew me away with what he was able to do in Oppenheimer. It’s not emotional in the sentimental sense of Interstellar — instead, it’s horrifying and harrowing, reminding you just how precarious the safety and freedom in the world is. But somehow, while doing that, Oppenheimer is able to be endlessly kinetic. It’s three hours long, but it hardly feels like half of that, thanks to the editing from Jennifer Lame and Nolan’s propulsive adapted screenplay. You also have to look at the long, long cast of supporting actors, all of whom bring their A-game — Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Alden Ehrenreich, David Krumholtz, Matt Damon… go down the list. But of course none are as great as the lead, Cillian Murphy. Nolan’s longtime supporting character go-to, Murphy gives one of the best performances of the entire year, and he’s the reason that Oppenheimer’s internal struggle is so intriguing — with his layered and nuanced performance, it’s difficult to crack the nut and figure out what he’s actually thinking and feeling. Overall, Oppenheimer is almost more of an achievement than a film, but either way, it’s one of the very best of 2023. (Robert Bouffard)

1. Past Lives

The number one film of the year. Damn, there’s a lot of weight behind such a claim. But don’t worry, Past Lives backs up that claim, and then some.

This romantic drama from debut directorial talent Celine Song is a masterpiece. It is a story about what could have been, what is, and what can be, told through the lens of two young pre-teens in Korea who are separated by an ocean, as one of them moves to Canada just as their puppy love begins to blossom. But it doesn’t end there, because decades later, they reconnect and meet up with each other again. Yet while old flames are rekindled, they each grew up so differently, and are at different stages of their lives, that it makes romance an impossibility without disastrous repercussions. What truly makes this so great is the relatability that this has to an audience, which in turn generates intense levels of empathy. There’s not a single person who didn’t have a crush at some point in their life where things didn’t pan out. Where you sit and wonder to yourself at night, what if? And if you ever saw that crush again later in life? Forget it. Even if you have moved on, there’s no way a small part of you doesn’t twitch inside at the idea of possibility. To see this conveyed with such respect to the concept that so many have experienced, while having such respect for our characters within the film, truly makes this great. At many points this script could’ve crossed a line, taken the easy path, and made regretful mistakes. Instead, this movie chooses respect and understanding, making for a much more profound experience. Couple all of this messaging and relatable of a moving and emotional story with a standout lead performance from Greta Lee, the actress at the center of this all, with Song’s penchant for patience and beautiful visuals, and you truly have a stunning and memorable experience.

Past Lives is an absolute gem. It earns our number one spot atop our Top 10 of 2023 list for a reason, and we unabashedly recommend it to everybody. (Heath Lynch)

Honorable Mentions

• Bottoms
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
• Anatomy of a Fall
• The Boy and the Heron
• Barbie
• Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret
• BlackBerry
• How to Blow Up a Pipeline
• Killers of the Flower Moon