The Best (and Worst) Movies of 2023

By Rose Caisley '26

Photo Courtesy of Corina Rainer via Unsplash

Another year, another Academy Awards Ceremony. With the Academy in hot water yet again for omitting several movies, it seems more prudent than to look beyond what the Academy selects as the "cream of the crop" and explore the other movies that made a splash this year. Here are some of these movies forgotten by the Oscars and the awards we think they should have won.

Award for Best if You're Into It Your're Into It Movie: Saltburn

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Many things can be said about the movie Saltburn. but if this movie was on your radar, there was probably a reason. I dare not put in print the various sins committed in this film, but if you know you know, and if you're into it I guess you're into it.

Award for Making Facism Sexy Again: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

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Everyone's favorite child-murdering dictator returns in this Hunger Games prequel with one big difference, this time he's sexy. Featuring catchy songs and a fabulous performance by Tom Blyth, you'll forget that this is the very same man who killed all your favorite characters 60 years later.

Award for Best Movie that Infuriated the French: Napoleon

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Napoleon may have received mixed reviews from critics, but it succeeded in making France hate everything it had to say about their former emperor.

Award for Best Invoking of the Uncanny Valley: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

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It started with Princess Leia and now the most recent victim of computer-generated de-aging gone wrong is none other Han Solo himself. Harrison Ford returns as both young and old Indiana Jones in a sequel no one but he asked for.

Award for Best Coked-Up Mammal: Cocaine Bear

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This award is self-explanatory.

Award for Best Movie that Resembles a Warm Cup of Soup: The Boys in the Boat

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Is it deep? Not really. Is it complex? Not particularly. But if you want to watch a feel good movie about a bunch of American underdogs triumphing over a bunch of privileged rich kids during the Great Depression, The Boys in the Boat will have you chanting USA! USA! USA!

Award for Best Original Idea (Finally): The Creator

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In a year rife with adaptations, reboots, and sequels no one asked for its nice to see an original sci-fi movie hit the big screen. Maybe there's hope for Hollywood yet.

Award for Actually Being Funny: Bottoms

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It's good, it's funny, it's underrated. Go watch it.

Award for Best Use of a Cameo: Five Nights at Freddy's

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Finally, no 2023 film list would be complete with this ode to middle school. Five Nights at Freddy's delivered on that sweet pizza flavored nostalgia, but its crowning achievement was the appearance of the internets own MatPat as a waiter in a small town diner. I've never heard a theater cheer louder.