Best International Movies 2023

It may have been bested by M3GAN in the Horror category, but Australian supernatural thriller Talk to Me was still one of the big breakout hits of the year, and it ultimately landed at the top of Best International Movies, competing against acclaimed films from Japan, France, Finland, Argentina, and Ukraine.

#1

Talk to Me (2023)
94%

#1

Critics Consensus: With a gripping story and impressive practical effects, Talk to Me spins a terrifically creepy 21st-century horror yarn built on classic foundations.

Synopsis: When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new [More]

Starring: Sophie Wilde , Miranda Otto , Otis Dhanji , Alexandra Jensen

Directed By: Danny Philippou , Michael Philippou

#2

Anatomy of a Fall (2023)
96%

#2

Critics Consensus: A smart, solidly crafted procedural that's anchored in family drama, Anatomy of a Fall finds star Sandra Hüller and director/co-writer Justine Triet operating at peak power.

Synopsis: For the past year, Sandra, her husband Samuel, and their eleven-year-old son Daniel have lived a secluded life in a [More]

Starring: Sandra Hüller , Swann Arlaud , Milo Machado Graner , Antoine Reinartz

Directed By: Justine Triet

#3

The Boy and the Heron (2023)
96%

#3

Critics Consensus: Soulfully exploring thought-provoking themes through a beautifully animated lens, The Boy and the Heron is another Miyazaki masterpiece.

Synopsis: From the legendary Studio Ghibli and Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away) comes a new critically-acclaimed fantasy adventure. After [More]

Starring: Luca Padovan , Christian Bale , Dave Bautista , Gemma Chan

Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki

#4

Godzilla Minus One (2023)
99%

#4

Critics Consensus: With engaging human stories anchoring the action, Godzilla Minus One is one kaiju movie that remains truly compelling between the scenes of mass destruction.

Synopsis: Japan is already devastated by the war when a new crisis emerges in the form of a giant monster. [More]

Starring: Ryûnosuke Kamiki , Minami Hamabe , Munetaka Aoki , Hidetaka Yoshioka

Directed By: Takashi Yamazaki

#5

Fallen Leaves (2023)
97%

#5

Critics Consensus: A quirky tale of star-crossed lovers, Fallen Leaves is a life-affirming gem from Finnish filmmaker Kaurismäki.

Synopsis: In modern-day Helsinki, two lonely souls in search of love meet by chance in a local karaoke bar. However, the [More]

Starring: Alma Pöysti , Jussi Vatanen , Janne Hyytiäinen , Alina Tomnikov

Directed By: Aki Kaurismäki

#6

Passages (2023)
95%

#6

Critics Consensus: Elevated by a remarkable Franz Rogowski performance, Passages adds another smart, deeply humanistic film to director/co-writer Ira Sachs' estimable filmography.

Synopsis: Celebrated filmmaker Ira Sachs (Love is Strange) makes a breathtaking return with PASSAGES, a fresh, honest and brutally funny take [More]

Starring: Franz Rogowski , Ben Whishaw , Adèle Exarchopoulos , Erwan Kepoa Falé

Directed By: Ira Sachs

#7

When Evil Lurks (2023)
96%

#7

Critics Consensus: A hard-hitting horror film whose surface-level frights are just as engaging as its thematic concerns, When Evil Lurks marks a viscerally unsettling addition to the possession horror canon.

Synopsis: When brothers Pedro (Ezequiel Rodríguez) and Jimmy (Demián Salomón) discover that a demonic infection has been festering in a nearby [More]

Starring: Ezequiel Rodríguez , Demián Salomón , Silvina Sabater , Virginia Garófalo

Directed By: Demián Rugna

#8

Monster (2023)
96%

#8

Critics Consensus: Gently devastating in its compassion, Monster is a masterpiece of shifting perspectives that surprises to the end.

Synopsis: When her young son Minato starts to behave strangely, his mother feels that there is something wrong. Discovering that a [More]

Starring: Sakura Andô , Eita Nagayama , Soya Kurokawa , Mitsuki Takahata

Directed By: Hirokazu Koreeda

#9

Suzume (2022)
96%

#9

Critics Consensus: Suzume sees director Makoto Shinkai falling just a bit short of the bar set by previous outings -- but when the results are this visually thrilling and emotionally impactful, it's hard to find much fault.

Synopsis: 17-year-old Suzume's journey begins in a quiet town in Kyushu when she encounters a young man who tells her, "I'm [More]

Starring: Nanoka Hara , Hokuto Matsumura , Eri Fukatsu , Hakuo Matsumoto II

Directed By: Makoto Shinkai

#10

20 Days in Mariupol (2023)
100%

#10

Critics Consensus: 20 Days in Mariupol offers a grueling but vital look at the devastating impact of war.

Synopsis: As the Russian invasion begins, a team of Ukrainian journalists trapped in the besieged city of Mariupol struggle to continue [More]

Starring: Mstyslav Chernov , Evgeniy Maloletka

Directed By: Mstyslav Chernov