The films on this list are comprised of the best films I’ve seen before 6/30/23. One of these has not been released to the general public yet, but I’ve seen it already so it’s part of my list. Some others are technically 2022 films but did not get releases to the public (me) until 2023. So just be cool about it. My rules make sense in my mind and my ranking is as follows. These films are more or less in order.

Sanctuary – A very theatrical two-hander about two manipulative people fighting for the last word. You could call Sanctuary a thriller or a psychodrama or a sex comedy, but it’s really a very biting satire about two awful people one-upping each other, until they land in the rom com heaven or hell (not sure which) of their own making. Complete with deliciously mean performances, icepick sharp writing, incredibly assured direction, films like Sanctuary are the reason I love going to the movies, that I get far too infrequently.

You Hurt My Feelings – A film about the little white lies we tell our loved ones to spare their feelings, but what happens when one finds out you’ve been full of shit this whole time. It’s is absolutely top tier Nicole Holofcener. It’s sharp, it’s hilarious, it’s extremely well-observed, it’s mean but it’s rooted in humanity. I think this should be required viewing for anyone who’s been married longer than, say 10-15 years. You’re bound to have interesting discussions afterwards.

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret – A story about what happens when 11-year-old Margaret starts to ask big questions. Questions about religion, questions about what kind of person she’ll become, questions about the meaning of life in general. And that’s a lot for a 105-minute long film to wrap its arms around. And yet Craig, again, makes every bit of this story feel poignant, lived-in, genuine and universal. Margaret’s experience is extremely specific, and yet Margaret is you, Margaret is me, Margaret is everyone. An uncommonly stellar adaptation of an iconic literary work.

Theater Camp – Early Sundance virtual screening. Plays a lot like Drop Dead Gorgeous for theatre kids. However, that is a market that is untapped! And this is a weird example of a film that caters to my exact interests and yet something that could have mass appeal. And it’s energetic, weird as hell, hilarious and high off it’s own bizarro energy, just like every theatre kid you’ve ever met. Ben Platt, Molly Gordon, Noah Galvin and Ayo Edebiri lead a cast full of hilarious people who all have the same gloriously demented put-on-a-show spirit, are a total joy to behold.

Past Lives – Possibly a perfect film. The relatability of this story and the universality of the person from one’s past who holds this kind of emotional real estate in your mind – is something I think just about anyone could relate to and find incredibly poignant, even though the immigrant story of Past Lives could not be more specific. Greta Lee and Teo Yoo are remarkable star-crossed lovers and Celine Song’s remarkably assured directorial debut handles their love story with the swooniness and giant scope it deserves.

How to Blow Up a Pipeline – I love it when a movie shakes you awake and smacks you across the face repeatedly for 90 minutes, like this. It feels like a furious passion project and it is. I was enveloped in this film from the very beginning and I really appreciated the structure of how you slowly learn more about every character. It also doesn’t feel like it’s making every character too sympathetic. You’re meant to side with them, but the film invites you to question their decisions. And that kind of gray area really elevates this to the next level.

Moving On – A small-scale dramedy about what it means to grow older and how trauma can destroy your soul even when there are decades separating you from the trauma. There are individual sequences in Moving On that are emotionally devastating. The trailer sells this as some lighthearted comedy, and it’s definitely a more serious story about the implications of trauma and what we regret as we grow older. And it helps that Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin are just as great as ever.

AIR – You leave AIR fully aware of why this story was important enough for a movie of it to exist, even if it’s something you never really cared about. It also helps that it’s incredibly written, well directed, expertly performed and moves at a sharp clip and doesn’t go on too long. I think I could recommend this to just about anyone. It helps that this is not really a film about basketball. It’s a film about creative process and the way these deals come together and change history. Most of the drama unfolds in boardrooms and offices and that sounds totally dry, but it’s riveting pretty much from the get go. Alex Convrey’s screenplay is so snappy, so witty and moves along so well. This film is monstrously entertaining from beginning to end.

Polite Society – A total blast. Filled with energy, laughs, anger, joy and boasted by two delightful leading performances by Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya. The feature debut by writer/director Nida Manzoor, this story about two sisters and the lengths one will go to in order to keep the other out of trouble is small yet bombastic, action packed yet thoughtful and heartfelt and always has the same quick, deadpan humor to it. This was a delight.

Sisu – Brings to mind the kind of violently joyful revisionist history films that Quentin Tarantino used to make when he was still enjoying himself as a director. But this doesn’t feel like a cheap knockoff, this feels like the kind of film I needed to see right now. With the rise in antisemitism happening in America right now, seeing a bunch of nazis get brutally murdered hits a bit different. This was so much fun. It’s quick and snappy and never overstays its welcome. It’s a blast.