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.

12 of 21 photo by MUBI

85Alcarràs

(#9) Spanish director Carla Simón took home the Golden Bear (first prize) at the 2022 Berlin International Film Festival for this follow-up to her well-regarded debut feature Summer 1993. Alcarràs shares its name with the village in northwestern Spain where the director’s Catalan ancestors farmed peaches for generations, inspiring this story about the divisions created within the Solé family when they face the possibility of losing their land. It’s a vibrant blend of the personal and the political.

Stream it now at MUBI.

“Movies about the people who grow our food, who struggle as honest land stewards in a time of heartless industry, are few and far between, making Alcarràs a rare gem. In its unforced, plaintive artistry, it nurtures to a palpable ripeness the beauty and burden in these all-too-hidden lives.” —Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times

Where To Buy