Movies Update: The absolute best movies of the year

Plus, all is not calm in John Woo's "Silent Night."

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story December 1, 2023 By Mekado Murphy Movies Editor Hey, movie fans! Just as you've completed your Thanksgiving meal, along comes a heaping serving of movie awards and Top 10 lists to digest. This week, the Gotham Awards were handed out, and the New York Film Critics Circle made its selections. As well, our critics, Manohla Dargis and Alissa Wilkinson shared their picks of the year, with Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon" taking the lead slot on both lists. "Oppenheimer" made the cut on each Top 10, while "Barbie" made neither. The two critics also shared a love for the four-hour French chef documentary "Menus-Plaisirs — Les Troisgros" from Frederick Wiseman and praised the work of a variety of female filmmakers, including veterans like Kelly Reichardt, and newcomers like A.V. Rockwell, Celine Song and Anna Hints. These should give you some vibrant options to add to your what-to-watch list. Out in theaters this week, we have one word: Beyoncé. Her new concert movie, "Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé" is grooving into the multiplex. If you missed this summer's concerts (and even if you went, perhaps multiple times), here's a chance to have an up-close experience. But if all you want to do is check out holiday movies, we've got you covered there. Elisabeth Vincentelli dashed through the multiple films spreading Christmas cheer across the streaming services, and featuring stars like Eddie Murphy, Melissa McCarthy, Jennifer Garner and Ludacris. Maybe one holiday, they'll all be in the same film! Enjoy the movies and enjoy the season. Apple TV+ Best Movies of 2023 It was a terrific year for film, whether art house or mainstream, even if the main subject the movies wrestled with was deeply pessimistic. By Manohla Dargis and Alissa Wilkinson Claudette Barius/Prime Video Dashing Through These Films Holiday movies like "Candy Cane Lane" are arriving on streaming at "A Christmas Frequency." Here's a roundup of several to consider. By Elisabeth Vincentelli Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Netflix Critic's Pick 'May December' Review: She'll Be Your Mirror In Todd Haynes's latest, Natalie Portman is an actress studying the real-life model for her character, (Julianne Moore), a woman with a tabloid back story. By Manohla Dargis Jeong Park/Neon Critic's Pick 'Eileen' Review: Sudden Fire, Sudden Danger Thomasin McKenzie and Anne Hathaway star in a period thriller that brings cathartic nastiness to a cold New England Christmas. By Alissa Wilkinson Carlos Latapi/Lionsgate Critic's Pick 'Silent Night' Review: On the First Day of Christmas, Kill. John Woo's latest is as violent and merciless a revenge thriller as you can imagine. By Glenn Kenny Netflix Critic's Pick 'American Symphony' Review: Intimate Harmony This portrait of the musician Jon Batiste and the author Suleika Jaouad follows an artistic couple through ambition and adversity. By Ben Kenigsberg Tyler Graim/Bad Press Critic's Pick 'Bad Press' Review: Defending Journalism in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation The battle to claw back press freedoms is the nerve-racking subject of this civic-minded documentary. By Nicolas Rapold ANATOMY OF A SCENE Francois Duhamel/Netflix Anatomy of a Scene Watch Natalie Portman Study Julianne Moore in 'May December' The director Todd Haynes narrates a sequence from the film where Portman, playing an actress, gets makeup tips from the woman (Moore) she's portraying. By Mekado Murphy Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT MOVIE REVIEWS Kino Lorber 'La Syndicaliste' Review: Power Plays Isabelle Huppert plays a union representative swept up in a byzantine conspiracy in this French movie, which is based on a true crime. By Manohla Dargis Toho Co., Ltd. 'Godzilla Minus One' Review: Bigmouth Strikes Again Japan's famous monster franchise returns with an appetite for destruction but also a notably sober outlook. By Nicolas Rapold HBO 'South to Black Power' Review: Back to a Future In a new documentary, the opinion columnist Charles M. Blow calls for Black Americans to move to the South to gain political footholds. By Lisa Kennedy Array Releasing 'Who We Become' Review: Interrogating Identity and Injustice Three young Filipino women self-document difficult conversations with their families and friends during the first year of the pandemic. By Natalia Winkelman Utopia 'The Sweet East' Review: All-American Girl Starring Talia Ryder and Simon Rex, this shape-shifting satire about modern American subcultures is a curious, and occasionally delightful, object if you can handle its flippant treatment of taboos. By Beatrice Loayza Colleen Hayes/Netflix 'Family Switch' Review: Out of Body Experiences for Everyone Even Pickles the dog gets to trade places in this movie directed by McG, but there are no revelations or bursts of originality here. By Claire Shaffer NEWS & FEATURES Ryan Pfluger for The New York Times The Projectionist Meet Charles Melton, the Breakout Star of 'May December' The ex-"Riverdale" star transformed himself for Todd Haynes's new drama. As an actor, he's caught between wanting to be seen and wanting to disappear. By Kyle Buchanan Ryan Pfluger for The New York Times John Woo Has Seen a Lot in Hollywood. He's Finally Back for More. The director reflects on why he left in the first place, how he was able to work with Tom Cruise and what's next for action films. By Brandon Yu Thea Traff for The New York Times The Projectionist Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos Have Nothing and Everything in Common "I'm a girl from Arizona and he's a guy from Athens. I don't know how this worked," she says. Their latest project, "Poor Things," may be Oscar-bound. By Kyle Buchanan Jamie Mccarthy/Getty Images The Projectionist 'Past Lives' and Lily Gladstone Win Big at the Gotham Awards The movie prize season kicks off with honors for the A24 drama and for the star of "The Unknown Country" (who's better known for "Killers of the Flower Moon"). By Kyle Buchanan Malla Hukkanen/Sputnik Critic's Notebook Can a Rom-Com Make Sense in Dark Times? Yes, When It's From This Master. Aki Kaurismaki's "Fallen Leaves" is both magical and despairing, born of what the Finnish auteur's stars say is an unusual shooting approach. By Esther Zuckerman The New York Times Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' Film: 4 Takeaways From the Premiere The star skipped the red carpet and slipped into the celebrity-filled screening on Saturday night. But the movie pulls back the curtain — a little. By Kyle Buchanan Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS The Criterion Collection Three Great Documentaries to Stream This month's picks include two disturbing looks at domestic dysfunction, and — on a brighter note — a portrait of a brilliant Leonard Bernstein protégée. By Ben Kenigsberg Netflix Five Action Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include devious teen mayhem, female superhero stories, anticapitalist anarchy and more. By Robert Daniels Claudette Barius/Prime Video The Best Movies and TV Shows Coming to Amazon, Disney+, Hulu and More in December Holiday fare arrives, with "Candy Cane Lane," and "Dr. Who" and "Shape Island" specials. "Percy Jackson" and "Culprits" also land this month. By Noel Murray How are we doing? We'd love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email thoughts and suggestions to moviesupdate@nytimes.com. Like this email? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up here. 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