This year, Met Radio is taking part in the time-honoured tradition of the year-end top ten list. Throughout the month of December, Met Radio staff and volunteers will be sharing their personal pop culture favourites from the year gone by. Visit the website every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to check out our best of 2023!
Hello! I am Eliana and I’m in my first year of film school.
I love movies, and I sit very close to the TV. It makes the images look bigger. I am particularly
annoying about movies, and so this list is a great outlet to outpour my favourite ones of 2023:
1. Bottoms: This is the most fun I’ve had at a movie theater in a long time. Laughed from
beginning to end. It does not let you go. Banger after banger. Has so many quotable one-liners
and it’s just a wholehearted blast.
2. Barbie: What can I say that hasn’t already been said more eloquently and just plain better?
My mom and I went to see it together and we both cried. It is not saying anything
groundbreaking about the state of women in society but took more risks than I expected such a
Hollywood movie to take. Another Greta Gerwig triumph.
3. Red Rooms: Ouh! Quebecoise cinema holds a special place in my heart but I feel like since
Xavier Dolan has stepped out of the limelight the industry has had a bit of a drought! This is until
Pascal Plante came in with this masterpiece. It is disturbing to show so little. The performances
are incredible. Juliette Gariepy is a beast in her role as the lead actress. Great watch but be
ready for a heavyyyy film. This one stuck with me for a long time after I left the cinema.
4. Asteroid City: I’ve never heard as much hate for a Wes Anderson film as I heard for Asteroid
City. I think this is Wes Anderson at his most comfortable so far. He moves within the setting
swiftly, jumping from story to story. Maybe people didn’t like the fourth-wall aspect of it, but he
has never done it before! It’s quite impressive that with a repertoire as big as Anderson’s there
are still things left undone. Another banger. I never leave a Wes Anderson film not wanting
more.
5. The Little Mermaid: I am usually not the biggest fan of Disney remakes, if I’m quite honest I
haven’t seen almost any of the ones that have come out over the past few years. My mom and I
were visiting Halifax and this was the only movie that was playing at the time that we went to the
theater. I love Haile Bailey from her music stuff, so I was okay with giving it a watch. I cried, I
laughed, I felt! Lots of props to the original story because it is so captivating, but how can you
not love it? One of the greatest love stories of all time!
6. L’Histoire Jugera: It was peak summer, Montreal offers free movie nights at the parks every
day. I was already kind of invested in the news of Colombia’s efforts to make peace with the
guerilla group, FARC, back in 2016 so when I heard there was a documentary about how it all
went down I grabbed my picnic blanket and sat down. It is a rather lengthy documentary but the
images that come out of it! I’m not sure you can get deeper journalism than this. They were in
the guerilla camps, before, during, and after the negotiations of peace. Insane!
7. Saltburn: Either you love it or you hate it. I might have a feeling this one is only for the girls so
don’t take your boyfriend if he is not chill like that. Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan play off each
other’s energy so well. I also love a good female director sophomore film so… go support
Emerald Fennel while it is still in cinemas!
8. Past Lives: You can never go wrong with a subversive romantic film. Past Lives is so raw and
genuine. Some lines stuck with me for so long because I’ve f e l t them. Very true to the
immigrant experience and how that affects your dating life.
9. Solo: Another Montreal pick! I saw this one at TIFF on premiere night (subtle brag) and it was
such a good portrait of Quebec Drag culture. Theodore Pellerin gives such a convincing
performance and it is such a beautiful love letter to chosen family.
10. White Men Can’t Jump: This is a guilty pleasure. I know it isn’t great but Jack Harlow’s
charisma shines through and although this is his first acting role I still think he stole the show.
This is an amazing movie that you put on when you don’t wanna think. No thoughts. And I love
Jack Harlow, did I already say that?
