Oppenheimer, Barbie & Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Named the Best Films of 2023 by AFI

The Bear, Abbot Elementary and Jury Duty were among the winners on the television side.

by Jacqueline Coley | December 7, 2023 | Comments

TAGGED AS: Academy Awards, AFI, Awards, Best Films 2023, emmy awards, golden globes, Oscars, Top Films 2023

(Photo by ©Sony Pictures Releasing)

The American Film Institute (AFI) announced its official selections of the top 10 movies and TV shows of 2023 today. Surprisingly, a much-beloved animation tile made the cut against many assumed best-picture candidates. Bucking tradition even further, the quiet indie darling Past Lives beat out the Oprah- and Steven Speilberg-produced The Color Purple and the Obamas-produced Rustin for a spot on the list today.

Universal Pictures and Netflix were the big winners on the film side, taking home two prizes each, including the likely Best Picture showdown candidates of Barbie and Oppenheimer. With an equal mix of blockbusters and indie fare, most moviegoers would likely be pleased if this list translated to the Best Picture lineup. Last year, Everything Everywhere All at Once was honored just days before it took home the top film prize, while the feel-good soccer comedy Ted Lasso and the biting drama Succession were dubbed two of the best shows of 2022 by AFI before their respective repeat Emmy wins in September. We will have to wait until the postponed ceremony in January to find out if that tradition holds true for a three-peat.

Read below for the full list of AFI winners, and if you’re as obsessed with awards as we are, check out our Awards Leaderboard for 2023/2024.