Continuing my countdown of last year’s best films…
Best Films of 2023
#3. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
I enjoyed 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse but didn’t fall head over heels for it the way so many others did. It took this sequel, five years in the making, to fully indoctrinate me into this incarnation of Miles Morales. But I’m all in now, baby.
To an even larger extent than its ground-breaking predecessor, this movie expands the landscape of animated filmmaking, exuding artistry and unbridled imagination in every frame. The film feels like a comic book come to life in four dimensions — I’ve never experienced anything quite like it.
While the Marvel Cinematic Universe has largely botched the multiverse concept, the Spider-Verse films get it just right. Perhaps it’s the creative freedom provided by animation, or maybe it’s just better storytelling. Nothing here is forced, nothing reeks of fan service. Every moment feels thrillingly alive and necessary.
While the first movie brought a gang of alternate universe spider-people to Miles Morales’ Earth, this one brings Miles (and the viewer) to those other universes. The film’s genius lies in how each of those worlds and their inhabitants are captured visually, whether it’s the weeping watercolors of Gwen Stacy’s universe, the Indian-influenced color palette of Mumbattan, or the punk rock aesthetic of Daniel Kaluuya’s Hobie Brown.
Amid all of the hectic, universe-hopping action, the movie also knows when to slow down. Miles (Shameik Moore) shares poignant moments with his father (Brian Tyree Henry), with Gwen, and most memorably with his mother, beautifully voiced by Lauren Vélez. It also finds plenty of time to dive into Gwen’s story — the first 20 minutes belong entirely to her — and Hailee Steinfeld is typically wonderful bringing the heroine to life.
Enough jokes and allusions are packed into the corners of the screen to warrant a dozen viewings. I’ve seen it three times now and I know I’m only beginning to scratch the surface. The movie feels a lot like Everything Everywhere All at Once in that way — you can tell the filmmakers obsessed over every moment, always pushing to include one more gag, one more callback, one more moment of simple beauty.
Across the Spider-Verse is the second in a planned trilogy, and already it feels like the Empire Strikes Back of this series — the complex, emotional second film that becomes everybody’s favorite. I’m dying to see if the concluding chapter — Beyond the Spider-Verse — can live up to this one.
(Metro)[Chorus: Swae Lee]
I just came to my senses (Yeah)
I stay in another dimension
Fear is non-existent (Existent)
Suit up and swing through the city (Ooh, hey)
Annihilate, I’m wide awake, be very afraid (Afraid)
I’m in my own world, give me space
I’m in my own universe, give me space (Space, yeah)
[Verse 1: Lil Wayne]
Weezy Carter, I’m ’bout to go Peter Parker
I’m Spider-Man, if he ain’t me, he just a creepy crawler
Tunechi spark the lighter, pull up in a new Ferrari Spider
Spider web necklace with the diamonds
She’ll turn to Spider-Woman if I bite her
I will not go back and forth with you
I see you got the black widow with you
You should’ve had a black hero with you
I give an opp arachnophobia
I’ve been litty since I flicked the lighter
Since I was an itsy bitsy spider
They’ve been tryna wash the spider out
I got spiders crawlin’ out your mouth, Spider-Verse
[Chorus: Swae Lee]
I just came to my senses (Yeah)
I stay in another dimension
Fear is non-existent (Existent)
Suit up and swing through the city (Ooh, hey)
Annihilate, I’m wide awake, be very afraid (Afraid)
I’m in my own world, give me space
I’m in my own universe, give me space (Space, yeah)
[Verse 2: Offset]
I’m focused, I’m focused (Focused)
I’m chosen, I’m golden (Golden)
I’m stronger, on missions, ain’t no foldin’, a soldier (Soldier)
My vision persistent, I took the game, it’s over (It’s over)
I made a name, it’s global (It’s global), my enemy pass over (Hey)
I took the way to the top (Top), I had to learn to be smart (Smart)
I had to move with my heart, keepin’ my eyes on the part
‘Cause it get evil and dark (Evil and dark)
When it come to my opponents
I know how to beat ’em, I know to defeat ’em (Hey)
Livin’ my life by the moment
Somebody callin’, somebody gon’ need ’em
[Chorus: Swae Lee]
I just came to my senses (Yeah)
I stay in another dimension
Fear is non-existent (Existent)
Suit up and swing through the city (Ooh, hey)
Annihilate, I’m wide awake, be very afraid (Afraid)
I’m in my own world, give me space
I’m in my own universe, give me space (Space, yeah)
[Verse 3: Swae Lee]
Okay, we bounce and shake, we roll and rock
I got to set it straight, the block is hot
Something’s come over me, I hit unlock
And tell my enemies, “I’ll never stop”
No, no, nothing can shake me now
Tell the block I made it now
Yeah, the whole town is talking out
I swear, nothing can stop me now
All this, boosting all my senses
I won’t start, but I finished
I shoot my shot, bet I won’t miss it
Only way to go is go the distance
Nothing can shake me now
Nothing can break me down
Tell the whole town, we popping now
Nothing can shake me now
Meet Me In Montauk 
I’m rather surprised to see this so high on your list.
My family and I all came away feeling relatively unimpressed with this movie as compared to the first one. Perhaps a second viewing would change that, but I don’t see my watching it again.
Number 3 on your list?? Well not being a fan of these movies I guess I can’t understand, but to each his own You really lost me when you compared it to Everything Everywhere yada yada All I can say is at least it’s not your number one
I was one of those who fell hard for the first film, finding it poignant, visually stunning, funny, creative, original, and delightful. Thus, I went into Across with very high expectations, which is always dangerous.
While I appreciate the artistry of the film, it felt over stuffed in a way that detracted from all the charms of the original. Instead of reveling in the images, I felt almost assaulted by them.
I would like to see both films again, back to back, to fully immerse myself in the verse and see if I come away feeling differently.
Something else I’d noted in my initial comment yesterday that got lost in the ether was that this series could more appropriately be titled “my Favorite Films of…”
Nobody would quibble with what you share as your favorite films, but when you declare them the “best” films of the year, you invite debate.
if you were to attempt to create a truly “objective” list of films, I’m curious if that list would be identical to this one. I imagine you’d likely recognize where personal preference and experience leads you to be harder or softer in a film.
As I wrote in the other thread, I find the concept of objectivity in film criticism pointless. I didn’t see any films this year “better” than these ten, so they’re the best. What’s the difference between “best” and “favorite,” anyway?
I asked Dana to rank the films he’d listed as his personal kryptonite, and he quickly and easily put Nothing in Common, a film he adores, at the bottom of that list. If you were to rank Coda, Moana, Pride and Prejudice, Edge of Seventeen, Are You There, G-d, it’s Me, Margaret, etc. you’d get to the difference between best and favorite, I’m guessing.
There are films we love deeply and personally, our favorites, that sometimes are universally appreciated and sometimes not. “Favorite”clearly speaks to one person’s preference, while “best” suggests objective qualities.
And ‘Margaret’ would be near the top of that list, which is why it’s near the top of this one.
Every movie on my top ten list has objective qualities that earn them the spot. So do many movies not on my top ten list. The ones that moved me the most personally are the ones that make the final cut.
Yes, I figured it would. Your list on Letterboxed is in alphabetical order, I believe. I’d be curious to see you rank your cinematic kryptonite.
Well, the movies on that list right now are among my all-time favorites so it would be a rough exercise. I’d have ‘Whale Rider’ and ‘In America’ at the bottom, though that’s largely because I haven’t seen them in years. I just started the list so I haven’t had a chance to put a ‘Nothing in Common’ equivalent there yet. Right now it’s a list of truly excellent movies that fit the criteria, so I don’t think it’s a good example of what you’re talking about.