We watched a lot of movies in 2023. Here are the Streaming Now staff favorites in cinema for the year.
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’
Proponents of the standalone Spider-Verse film series agree across the internet: the creators of this second entry to the franchise might have created the best Spider-Man movie of all time with this new expansion of the Spider-Verse. Developing the multiverse fragmentation from a single event to the fate of existence as they know it, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse runs the emotional gamut with as much drama as a still-learning young superhero’s action, science-fiction, and life-navigating adventure could contain in a package that anyone can enjoy.
The comics-inspired art takes on new dimensions with every sequence, and the voice cast of new and old acting favorites (with Oscar Isaac being the top addition) is as much a treat as any animated movie ever made. Aside from its incomplete narrative, this Spider-Verse film has it all.
-Cory Cogley
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is streaming now on Netflix.
‘John Wick: Chapter 4’
At the beginning of the year, if you had asked me if I thought John Wick: Chapter 4 would end up as one of my favorite movies of 2023, I would’ve said no way. I enjoyed the first three movies a lot – in fact, I enjoyed each new entry more than the last, but they were never my favorite movies of the year.
John Wick: Chapter 4 manages to blend everything great about the films that came before it and elevate it to the next level. Right from the opening shot, with the beautiful orange hues and a shadowy figure in the desert, Chapter 4 feels different. It’s not just an action movie with exciting characters and balls-to-the-wall fight scenes – it’s art. While other great movies came out this year, no other movie perfected the blend of art and entertainment quite like John Wick: Chapter 4 did.
-Zach Grey
John Wick: Chapter 4 is streaming now on Starz.
‘Barbie’
Barbie was a global cultural phenomenon. With one of the biggest press tours and the most hype for a movie in recent times, the film had high expectations from, well, everybody, and it met every single one.
Barbie was funny, meaningful, entertaining, and exciting. Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and America Ferrera delivered exceptional performances that showed their range and emotional depth. Greta Gerwig once again proved she’s a fantastic director and writer, and her now-husband, Noah Baumbach, makes an excellent writing partner for Gerwig. The costumes were fantastic and the Barbieland set was a dream come true for anyone who grew up playing with the doll. Barbie couldn’t have been better.
-Acacia Deadrick
Barbie is streaming now on Max.
