Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →There is no single, objective list of 2023’s best films and shows. Two useful guides offer different perspectives: Sight and Sound published a contributor-voted film ranking, while the American Film Institute (AFI) selected an unranked slate of motion pictures and television programs through a jury process. Together with the BFI’s year-end television overview, they point to a year of ambitious films, notable performances, farewell seasons and standout nonfiction.
How to read the year’s “best” lists
The lists below are attributed choices, not a combined consensus. The British Film Institute (BFI) says more than 100 contributors voted in the Sight and Sound film poll. AFI, by contrast, selected 10 motion pictures and 10 TV programs for its 2023 awards through a jury process involving scholars, artists, critics and AFI trustees. The Sight and Sound choices are ranked; AFI’s honorees are not.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Epic (Blu-ray / DVD + Digital Copy) | $9.79 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
![Scary Movie (2000) (Limited Edition Steelbook) [4K UHD + Blu-Ray + Digital Copy]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/416e-dbErBL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Scary Movie (2000) (Limited Edition Steelbook) [4K UHD + Blu-Ray + Digital Copy] | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![1[Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41ebQ+d0N1L._SL160_.jpg)
|
1[Blu-ray] | $20.35 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![Hop [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51zRpExiiFL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Hop [Blu-ray] | $8.48 | Buy on Amazon |
Those different methods serve different purposes. The BFI presents its poll as a way to look beyond films with large marketing budgets and awards campaigns. AFI’s institutional slate offers short rationales for its choices. Neither list measures audience popularity, and combining them into a single score would obscure how they were made.
What were the best films of 2023?
In the top six positions of the Sight and Sound list reported in the BFI’s Winter 2023/24 issue, Killers of the Flower Moon placed first, followed by The Zone of Interest and Past Lives. Poor Things was fourth, while Oppenheimer and Barbie tied at fifth. This is the poll’s ranking, not a universal critical verdict.
#1 Best Overall
- Blu-ray
- Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, AC-3
- English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed)
- 2
- 103
| Sight and Sound position | Film |
|---|---|
| 1 | Killers of the Flower Moon |
| 2 | The Zone of Interest |
| 3 | Past Lives |
| 4 | Poor Things |
| Tied at 5 | Oppenheimer and Barbie |
AFI’s separate motion-picture honorees included American Fiction, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Oppenheimer, Barbie, Maestro, May December and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Its complete slate comprised 10 films; AFI’s page presents the honorees without a ranking.
Which film performances stood out?
AFI’s explanations make its honoree list useful for finding performances as well as films. These are examples named in AFI’s rationales, not a ranked list of the year’s acting.
- American Fiction: AFI highlights Cord Jefferson’s writing and Jeffrey Wright’s performance.
- The Holdovers: AFI calls attention to Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa.
- Killers of the Flower Moon: AFI names Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone.
- Oppenheimer: AFI points to Cillian Murphy.
What were the best TV shows of 2023?
The BFI’s year-end television essay sees the year partly through the lens of endings. It names the final or valedictory seasons of Succession, Top Boy, Happy Valley, Barry, Endeavour and Ghosts, setting those farewells against cancellations of shorter-run series that had promise.
AFI’s unranked television slate offers a different route through the year. Its honorees included The Bear, Beef, The Last of Us, Only Murders in the Building, Poker Face, Reservation Dogs and Succession. AFI’s rationales discuss the ensemble in The Bear, Ali Wong and Steven Yeun in Beef, and Natasha Lyonne in Poker Face.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Rank #3
What nonfiction and documentary work stood out?
The BFI’s television overview singles out several nonfiction works: Nic Young’s How the Holocaust Began, James Bluemel’s Once upon a Time in Northern Ireland and Todd Austin’s The Gold: the Inside Story. It also praises Nolly, led by Helena Bonham Carter, as a blend of fact and drama. These are selections from the BFI essay rather than a comprehensive documentary ranking.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to explore the original lists
The BFI’s Sight and Sound Winter 2023/24 issue, dated December 6, 2023, covered annual selections across films seen at festivals, on streaming and in cinemas, alongside discs, TV series and film books. Its page describes the issue and provides access to a copy and subscription information. Current retail availability is not established there.
Rank #4
- BFI: Sight and Sound film poll
- BFI: The best films of 2023
- BFI: The best TV of 2023
- AFI: 2023 honorees
- BFI: Sight and Sound Winter 2023/24 issue
These are historical 2023 selections. The cited pages do not establish where individual titles can currently be streamed; availability can vary by country and change over time.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
