We’re back with yet another list of the WTTN Best of 2023! I’m so excited to be talking about all of my favorite movies that I watched this year, because there were some good ones! To make this list, we defined “narrative films” as any fictional Movie over 30 minutes long. The best narrative films of 2023 were decided on by Jocelyn, Vania, Aakanksha, and Chinwe. All films received at least a 3.5 star rating by one member of the staff.
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16. Magic Mike’s Last Dance
Genre: Romance / Comedy
Director: Steven Soderbergh
I must admit I love all of the Magic Mike movies. They’re so fun! Channing Tatum is incredibly hot, and watching now brings back a ridiculously high level of nostalgia. This was definitely the worst movie in the franchise, but I appreciate that they officially wrapped it up. —Jocelyn
15. Red, White & Royal Blue
Genre: Romance
Director: Matthew Lopez
While this movie was far less good than the book, it was cute and fun. We (queer people) deserve far more movies like this in our lives. I just want gay smut to become popular enough to get turned into a movie every year! If you go in with low expectations, this will most certainly exceed them. —Jocelyn
14. Joy Ride
Genre: Comedy
Director: Adele Lim
13. Happy Ending
Genre: Comedy / Romance
Director: Joosje Duk
This movie was so incredibly silly but in the best way possible. If you’re looking for a fun and flirty little movie about a woman who can’t decide whether she wants to be with her boyfriend or the woman they both had a threesome with, you’ve come to exactly the right place. —Jocelyn
12. Barbie
Genre: Comedy
Director: Greta Gertwig
There are so many valid criticisms of Barbie and the fact that it’s more or less an introductory course on white feminism. Still, based on the conversations I’ve had with family and friends I think it reached an audience who did in fact need feminism distilled down to them in the most bare bones way possible. Plus, America Ferrera and Ariana Greenblatt were absolutely incredible in their respective roles. —Jocelyn
11. Your Place or Mine
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Director: Aline Brosh McKenna
Was this the best romance movie of the year? No. Was it fun and lighthearted with a good cast? Absolutely yes. I am a simple romance lover at heart and this movie worked for me. —Jocelyn
10. Quiz Lady
Genre: Comedy
Director: Jessica Yu
The second I saw Sandra Oh wearing clothes made for a punk rock teenager, I knew this was a movie I needed to watch. It was weird seeing Oh and Awkwafina play the inverse role of what I’d expect of them, and yet they both did such an incredibly good job. I watched this movie with my sister, and we laughed out loud. —Jocelyn
9. Totally Killer
Genre: Horror / Thriller
Director: Nahnatchka Khan
Time traveling stands as the arch-nemesis in the slasher genre. “Totally Killer” is a lively, blood-soaked ’80s slasher comedy that playfully references “Back To The Future” while incorporating murders. The essence of the film is encapsulated in its final reel—a frenetic showdown at a fairground ride, brimming with energy and clever surprises, leaving little room for prolonged contemplation. For those seeking a nostalgia-infused slasher to watch before Halloween, this is the one. Despite revolving around a serial killer, the true highlight of “Totally Killer” is the sheer enjoyment it delivers. —Vania
8. Theater Camp
Genre: Comedy
Director: Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman
This movie was so quirky and fun. Told through the guise of a documentary film, a group of struggling young adults attempt to save the theater camp where they met years before. This is an ultimate tale of growing up, filled with theater kid antics from start to finish. —Jocelyn
7. Past Lives
Genre: Romance / Drama
Director: Celine Song
6. The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Genre: Action / Dystopian
Director: Francis Lawrence
It’s hard for me to sit through an entire film in the theater, and I didn’t get up once during this one. While there were obviously some parts changed from its book counterpart, I thought it was a well-done adaptation that managed to stay true to the source material. Suzanne Collins is a legendary writer, and Tom Blyth (who played President Snow) was the perfect choice of actor. —Jocelyn
Read Vania’s Analysis
5. Saltburn
Genre: Drama / Thriller / Comedy
Director: Emerald Fennell
I quite literally cannot explain enough how much I enjoyed this movie. It’s certainly not one you want to take your parents to (or perhaps even your friends) but it was so deeply twisted and uncomfortable that I couldn’t look away. In the film, Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) befriends aristocrat Felix (Jacob Elordi). When Oliver goes to Felix’s mansion for the summer, secrets are unveiled. That’s all I can say without spoiling it, but I thought it was a scathing indictment of people who quite simply don’t realize how privileged they are. —Jocelyn
4. Bottoms
Genre: High School Comedy
Director: Emma Seligman
Oh how I love being gay! This incredibly camp high school movie was a parody on a level that other high school movies can only hope to reach. It was silly, quirky, and had me laughing in the theater the entire time. I cannot wait to see more from Emma Seligman and Rachel Sennot. —Jocelyn
3. Oppenheimer
Genre: Historical Drama
Director: Christopher Nolan
2. No Hard Feelings
Genre: Romance / Comedy
Director: Gene Stupintsky
I loved this movie! It was one of the first major romantic comedies of the year and it thoroughly exceeded my expectations. Jennifer Lawrence thrived in this role and it was nice to see her having fun on screen again. Yes, the rich white boy got wayyyy too much sympathy, but if you postpone your feelings on class politics for 90 minutes it’s a silly little romcom. —Jocelyn
1. May December
Genre: Drama
Director: Todd Haynes
This movie was incredibly dark. I didn’t know what to expect going into it, having only seen some people claim that it was “camp”, and after watching I truly do not agree. The story follows a woman (Julianne Moore) and her husband (Charles Melton) who she started an “affair” with when he was only 13. There’s so much trauma and depth to unpack here, and Melton did an exceptional job of bringing that to life on the screen. This was by far my favorite movie of the year, but it’s not one that I ever want to watch again. —Jocelyn
What were your favorite movies of 2023?
