With 2023 coming to an end, the list of movies and series ranked among the best have been making rounds around the internet. Starring actors like Robert Downey Jr. or Dwayne Johnson, several movies failed spectacularly while others succeded beyond expectation.
Having no A-list actors in their movies, several films became wildly popular for having a simply iconic storyline and direction at their heart. Often called indie films, here are 5 best movies of 2023 that did not feature any A-listers.
Robert Downey Jr. in a still from Oppenheimer1) Godland
Directed by Hlynur Pálmason, Godland tells the story of a young Danish priest sent into the deeper parts of Iceland to spread the message. Things take a dark and messier turn as the deeper the priest goes, the more unreal things start to happen.
A still from Godland (2023)
The chaos around the priest forces him to reconsider his own faith, the reality of being alive, and his sense of duty in the 2023 film. Receiving a rating of 7.2/10 on IMDB and 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is one of 2023’s best movies.
2) The Delinquents
Morán is a bank employee who steals money from his own firm. Setting up enough cash to never work in his lifetime again, Morán decides to confess everything to his friend and offers him a cut if he hides the cash while Morán confesses everything to the authorities.
A still from The Delinquents (2023)
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Things turn south, however, when his colleague meets a woman who transforms him. Being a comedy/thriller, The Delinquents received a rating of 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and an average rating of 6.9/10 on IMDB.
3) The Peasants
From directors Hugh Welchman and Dorota Kobiela (the directors of Loving Vincent), comes the story of a woman fighting against her village and the old-age patriarchy. Being set in a small Polish town, The Peasants tells the story of Jagna finding herself torn between the village’s richest farmer, his eldest son, and, other men of the village.
The Peasants (2023) has a unique style
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Having a strong message for society and deep-rooted metaphors throughout the movie, The Peasants received a rating of 8.2/10 on IMDB and an average of 60% on Rotten Tomatoes.
4) Talk to Me
Distributed by A24, Talk to Me became one of the highest-grossing horror movies in 2023. Portraying the story of a hand that could allow people to talk to the dead, Talk to Me didn’t need to make sense to enjoy it.
Talk To Me
With no idea where the hand came from, the movie shows Sophie Wilde searching desperately for her deceased mother through the suffering fate of a teenage boy. The movie essentially shows the trolly problem and is a perfect metaphor for who to kill and who to save.
5) Past Lives
Another movie by A24, Past Lives depicts the story of Nora and Hae Sung. When two childhood friends are separated when Nora’s family emigrates to South Korea, the two meet years later for a week.
Teo Yoo and Great Lee in “Past Lives”
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Confronting choices that make life worthwhile, and the fates of love, the movie was directed by Celine Song. Being an iconic movie that deals with the present, past, and future, Past Lives received a rating of 8/10 on IMDB and a whopping 96% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The above lists attest to the fact that a movie doesn’t need star power to be successful as the above movies were quite successful at the box office or the streaming platforms. On the other hand, movies that involved A-listers like Ezra Miller were not that great in terms of story.
