The 20 Best Movies of 2023 So Far

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor
and Keith Kimbell, Metacritic Film Editor – July 1, 2023

Which films impressed critics during the first half of the year? In the gallery on this page we rank the highest-scoring movies debuting in theaters (or straight to VOD/streaming) between January 1, 2023 and June 30, 2023. Titles are ranked by their Metascores as of June 30, 2023 and must have a minimum of 7 reviews from professional critics to be eligible for inclusion.

11 of 21 photo by Fathom Events

85Shin Ultraman

(#10) Screening as a two-night event in the U.S. in January following a successful Japanese run last year, this live-action superhero film is just the latest entry in Japan's legendary Ultraman franchise, which has its origins in a 1960s TV series and has spawned dozens of films and shows. The new film serves as both a series reboot as well as a quasi-sequel to 2016's Shin Godzilla, though newcomers to the franchise should find this as good a place to start as any. Drive My Car star Hidetoshi Nishijima heads the cast as the leader of a taskforce charged with defending Japan against invading kaiju, and he and his team get some unexpected help from a mysterious giant silver extraterrestrial. But don't get hung up on the (often silly) story details: You're here for the spectacle—and the film delivers.

Shin Ultraman will get a VOD release on July 4 before heading to disc on July 11.

“It’s an exciting picture, a smart picture, a fascinating picture, and a wonderfully weird picture.” —William Bibbiani, The Wrap

Where To Buy