Lists

My Favorites of the Year: 2023 Edition

On my favorite movies, shows, books, comics, podcasts, songs, and projects of the year.

Valerie Ettenhofer

Dec 31, 2023 — 15 min read

Abby Ryder Fortson, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Lionsgate

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At the risk of sounding like a total loser, I think New Year’s Eve might be one of my favorite holidays. I don’t really care about the parties, booze, or countdowns, but I love the end of December for the way it encourages each of us to reflect and take stock of where we’ve been and what’s to come.

With a new year right around the corner, I hope you’ll allow me some space to take stock of all the best 2023 gave me, at least on the pop culture front. While the following lists of podcasts, books, comics, TV shows, movies, songs, and my own bylines are by no means comprehensive or objective, they are deeply representative of the year I’ve had – and therefore, pretty special to me. If you find something you love here, that makes me happy. If you give these lists a read and come away shaking your head about how wrong I am, hey, that makes me happy too.

A few quick caveats: I’m focusing on new-to-me titles here, so you won’t see great podcasts I already mentioned on last year’s list (sorry, If Books Could Kill) or hear about songs I’ve had on repeat for half my life. Since my music taste was so hyper-specific this year, I subbed out my top 10 albums for top 10 songs, and limited each band or artist to just one entry on the list – plus, in some cases, alternate recommendations. Finally, where applicable, I’ve included links to trailers, podcasts, books, songs, and more, so please click through the underlined text if you find something that piques your interest. As always, thanks for reading.

My 10 favorite new release films watched in 2023:

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret - The world-shaking highs and lows of pre-teen life (especially the weird, gendered pressure of going from “kid” to “girl”) have rarely ever been captured with such warm-hearted clarity.
Past Lives - A quietly perfect film about love, companionship, and bad timing. There’s some strong emotional alchemy here that evades all my attempts to put it into words.
May December - This subtle and stunning real life horror story unfolds steadily with the help of a razor-sharp script and some of the year’s best performances.
The Holdovers - A coming-of-age story about melancholy people practicing happiness by working to make each other's lives just a little bit better. I had to watch it twice to realize it’s exactly my cup of tea.
Knock at the Cabin - Come to M. Night Shyamalan’s latest for its high concept premise, stay for the most heart-poundingly authentic portrayal of queer fear and resilience I’ve ever seen. Hit me like a heart attack.
Sanctuary - A thrilling, kinky love-hate story that proves once and for all that Christopher Abbott is James Spader for a new generation.
The Zone of Interest - Evil observed from the corner of one’s eye; this bold, weird stroke of genius about a happy family of Nazis living next door to Auschwitz is unlike any other Holocaust movie.
Oppenheimer - Christopher Nolan’s latest is at once biopic and epic. It juggles enough elements for 3 movies, and somehow pulls off nearly every ambitious thing it tries. Depending on the day and my mood, Killers of the Flower Moon sometimes nabs this spot instead.
Saltburn - As an Emerald Fennell skeptic, I was shocked at how much I dug this stylish, melodramatic, delightfully messed-up pastiche of a half-dozen different mean-spirited classics.
Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse - I’m pretty sure witnessing the visuals of this mind-blowingly beautiful animated masterpiece unlocked parts of my brain I’ve never accessed before or since.

My 10 favorite non-new release films watched in 2023:

Wolfwalkers (2020) - An endlessly dazzling, shockingly emotional fable about kids who can turn into wolves (and also British Imperialism). I love this because it’s amazing, but also because I know it would’ve been the movie of a lifetime for me had I watched it as a child.
Ghostwatch (1992) - Years before Blair Witch put found footage on the map, this genuinely harrowing and smartly executed BBC mockumentary tricked UK viewers into thinking its “live telecast” of a modern possession horrorshow was the real deal.
It Happened One Night (1934) - Fake dating! Enemies to lovers! Close quarters! All the best romance tropes shine in this wildly entertaining pre-code screwball rom-com starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert.
Godzilla (1954) - The people who said this is one of the best movie ever made about the atomic bomb weren’t kidding.
All That Breathes (2022) - A shattering revelation of a documentary about doing something good – in this case, saving birds in New Delhi – for as long as you can in the face of possible destruction.
Perfect Blue (1997) - Satoshi Kon’s classic thriller about fame and identity is a paranoid live wire of a film that will fray your nerves for 81 minutes straight.
Something in the Dirt (2022) - Speaking of paranoid, this weird, trippy little movie about two dudes who witness something strange happening at their apartment is the best representation of how conspiratorial thinking spreads that I’ve ever seen.
River of Grass (1994) - Kelly Reichardt’s feature directorial debut may not be as polished and perfect as her more recent works, but it still has flashes of brilliance – including that gasp-inducing ending.
Song Lang (2018) - THR compared this aching Saigon-set film about an unlikely connection between an opera singer and a mobster to Before Sunset and In The Mood For Love, and I think that’s spot on.
The Blob (1958) - Ridiculous B-movie perfection with some delightful, tricky practical effects. I’ve listened to the theme song approximately a million times since I watched this.

My 10 favorite new release TV shows watched in 2023 [link]

Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Succession, HBO

My 10 favorite non-new release TV shows watched (in whole or part) in 2023:

Roots - Though this “true story” miniseries about an enslaved Gambian man and his descendants shows its age in many ways, it remains timeless in others. It’s got indelible performances, cinematic moments that hit hard, and the kind of nuanced social commentary that Film Twitter would have you believe was just invented a few years ago.
Six Feet Under - Rarely have more annoying characters ever coexisted in one show, but that doesn’t make Six Feet Under any less brilliant. This finely acted, darkly comedic drama makes the subtext of our lives text, staring down (but not always answering) the uncomfortable questions about death and love and suffering that most of us are too afraid to ever ask.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show - A ‘70s sitcom that alternates between feeling safe and groundbreaking, MTM is a joy in large part because of its phenomenal cast and sardonic sense of humor. Moore and Valerie Harper are a comedic match made in heaven, and when the show lets itself get bitchy (it weirdly sometimes feels like a tonal precursor to Seinfeld), it’s funny as hell.
Tales From The Crypt - Every horror anthology has its ups and downs, but this comic-inspired classic produced an unusually high number of bangers thanks to the inclusion of great filmmakers like Walter Hill and Tom Holland.
A Different World - I’m still in the desperately-missing-Lisa-Bonet phase of this sitcom about students at a fictional HBCU, but even early on, the show already planted the seeds of energy, humor, heart, and smarts that eventually led to it being called one of the all-time-best.
Cheers - Hot, talented actors + sharp scripts + a static setting that provides endless opportunities for comedy = one of the most comfortable sitcom comfort watches imaginable.
Gravity Falls - Kids deserve weird, mind-blowing shows too, and that subgenre doesn’t get much better than this case-of-the-week animated series about pre-teen twins (played endearingly by Jason Ritter and Kristen Schaal) spending summer in a town where the rules of reality don’t apply.
Fishing With John - One of the few TV shows ever added to the Criterion Collection, Fishing With John is an ultra-dry mockumentary comedy in which musician John Lurie goes on fishing trips with people like Willem Dafoe, Matt Dillon, and Jim Jarmusch. It starts as a travel show and turns into an absurd odyssey, which is elevated greatly by Robb Webb’s narration.
Free To Be…You And Me - This early ‘70s multimedia TV special geared towards improving kids’ self esteem and breaking down racial and gendered stereotypes warmed my heart. It’s also got such catchy songs! It’s depressing that this would be summarily dismissed as “woke” by a big chunk of the country 50 years later.
Rose Red - One of the only Stephen King projects written directly for television finally hit streaming this year, and while it’s far from his best work, this three-part riff on The Haunting still has some elements that feel like King at his most epic.

My 10 favorite podcasts listened to in 2023:

Stolen: Surviving St. Michael’s - This Pulitzer-winner weaves together a trauma too big to process – the Residential School system’s decades-long abuse of Indigenous kids – and a deeply personal story for reporter Connie Walker, whose late father survived one of the schools but rarely spoke about it. Walker has long-since been my favorite investigative journalist, and she makes a masterpiece here by turning her eye for storytelling towards the particular pain (and, by series’ end, cathartic unburdening) of intergenerational trauma.
Unfinished: Short Creek - This longform investigative podcast isn’t the only docuseries out there about an infamous Mormon cult, but it stands apart thanks to its stubborn tendency to treat everyone its journalists speak with as human. An ethical high-wire act, the series is able to paint a condemning portrait of its villains while still keeping enough of an open mind – and building enough trust between interviewers and subjects – to help listeners understand how corrosive belief spreads.
Decoder Ring - Research rabbit holes have rarely ever been more satisfying than Decoder Ring, a series with the resources to dive ocean-floor-deep on topics like the history of making out, Bart Simpson mania, Cabbage Patch Kids Dolls, and that time Columbo may or may not have influenced the Cold War. The show is best consumed a la carte, with your listening experience guided by the topics that interest you most, but no matter which episode you choose, you’re in for an impossibly fascinating, multi-faceted journey.
Starting a Riot - The history of the riot grrrl movement as told through the most marginalized members of the scene. Pulls together all the strings of what I’m realizing I love about music – raw emotion, DIY spirit, found family, the personal as political, and that indescribable feeling of concerts as church.
You Didn’t See Nothin’ - Part true crime investigation, part memoir, this powerful pod is guided by Chicago writer Yohance Lacour, who re-examines the story of a local hate crime that impacted his formative years. The show is both well-researched and guided by the host’s gut, memorable for both its wild twists and tough conversations about the limitations of restorative justice.
ICYMI - Ostensibly a show about what you might have missed in pop culture and on the internet lately, ICYMI is also a passionate deconstruction of the way discourse evolves (or devolves) in the social media age. Come for an explainer about Booktok hockey drama and that one sick emu, stay for nuanced discussions about late capitalism, media literacy, and much more.
Sold a Story - A niche project that nonetheless impacts us all, Sold a Story continues the stunning research Emily Hanford began years ago, uncovering proof that millions of kids were being taught to read for decades wrong thanks to a whack curriculum based on nonsense “science.” This story is alarming, but luckily, these findings seem to already be changing the teaching world for the better.
The Coldest Case in Laramie - A clever, complicated second look at a murder case that at first seemed easily solvable, The Coldest Case in Laramie makes listeners do the hard work of re-evaluating our own impulse towards confirmation bias as the story takes an unexpected turn.
You Must Remember This: Erotic ‘90s - Karina Longworth’s incredibly well-researched deep dive into shifting attitudes around sexuality on screen wrapped up this year with a detour-happy second half that nonetheless left me feeling 1000% smarter by the end. This podcast remains the best film history education you can get for free.
Who Shat on the Floor at My Wedding? - This comedic investigation pod about a mysterious wedding pooper went viral for its wild title, but the actual show is even funnier thanks to the obsessive yet nonsensical efforts of New Zealand “detective” Lauren Kilby.

My 10 favorite songs listened to in 2023:

“Fourth of July” by Fall Out Boy - This pop-punk mainstay’s acrobatic lyrics and keen self-awareness have been everything to me this year, but no song of theirs has lodged itself in my brain stem quite as firmly as this electrifying ode to a larger-than-life lost love. For another track with clever, earnest emotions and an isolated vocal climax, I recommend “The Kids Aren’t Alright.” Meanwhile, their newest album’s epic opener, “Love From The Other Side,” proves that the band’s still doing some of their best work 2 decades into their career.
“Snakes on a Plane” by Cobra Starship - Before LMFAO, Kesha, and any number of more famous party pop sleaze acts hit the scene, Cobra (and friends) perfectly embodied the young-dumb-fun trifecta with this wildly infectious, raucous novelty song.
“Famous Last Words” by My Chemical Romance - MCR’s operatic, masterful concept album is the gift that’s kept on giving for 17 years and counting. This year, there were few musical moments I treasured more than listening to the project’s climactic, brave, resplendent final song (which I somehow barely heard when the album was new) while reading Hanif Abdurraqib’s utterly soul-expanding essay about The Black Parade.
“Les Temps est Bon” by Isabelle Pierre and Bon Entendeur - The antithesis of the heavier songs on this list, Pierre’s floaty French-language love song feels ready to dissolve like cotton candy on your tongue. As one friend put it: you can tell how happy it is, even if you don’t know what it’s saying.
“Violence” by Frank Iero and The Future Violents - My Chem rhythm guitarist Iero has one of the most artistically interesting solo eras of all the third wave emo band members, and this deliciously poisonous, shivery tune is one of several of his rock offerings that I fell hard for this year. Alternately, the raw musical wail “Oceans” is just as great.
“bad idea right?” by Olivia Rodrigo - Sometimes confessional songwriting is capital-s Serious, but sometimes, if we’re lucky, it’s just an excuse for an artist to make a good-humored banger about all the excuses they’ve ever made up to get back together with a hot ex.
“The Phrase That Pays” by The Academy Is… - This band’s stage presence is off the charts. See them once in concert – or hear them at Emo Nite – and you (like me) might be fated to spend the rest of your days chasing the high of those three minutes you spent bouncing around like a pogo stick while belting out the choruses of songs like this one and “Slow Down.” There’s something to be said for songs that are meant to be belted until you lose your voice. If this one isn’t your vibe, try “Checkmarks,” a track that has the same savagely petty bisexual energy of FOB’s early stuff.
“This is Why” by Paramore - Even if its lyrics didn’t make it the perfect post-2020 anthem (they do), “This is Why” would still be too intoxicating to resist. Punchy, fresh, and offbeat, it’s the Lays potato chip of Paramore songs: impossible to listen to just once.
“Heart of Mine” by The Young Veins - This diddy from a short-lived Panic! At the Disco spinoff band feels so classic that it’s hard to believe I haven’t always known it. It’s pure and retro, with clear British Invasion influences but an energy and balance all its own. How did this band only make one album?!
“Lipstick Lover” by Janelle Monae - The best song on Monae’s new album is playful, sensual, and blush-worthy – a perfect encapsulation of that hazy-lazy endless honeymoon phase feeling.

My 10 favorite graphic novels and comics read in 2023:

Be Gay, Do Comics by various authors - LGBTQ+ history and experience told through the lens of tons of different artists and storytellers. Dynamic, specific, fun, and enlightening, even if you think you know everything about the movements that led us to today.
The Nice House on the Lake by James Tynion IV - Tynion pulls off a truly original, world-exploding premise here with a story that’s best left largely unspoiled, though it’s worth noting that Alvaro Martinez Bueno’s wonderful and horrific illustrations deserve just as much credit.
One Million Tiny Fires by Ashley Robin Franklin - Franklin’s engrossing, short works pack a lot of punch quickly; this one’s somehow body horror and cosmic horror and queer romance all at once, and you can read it in one sitting.
Stray Dogs by Tony Fleecs - Truly the most messed-up thing I witnessed this year: a pulse-pounding comic about kidnapped dogs, told from the perspective of said dogs – only their short-term memory keeps resetting, making the whole situation foggy. Also, it’s in the visual style of All Dogs Go To Heaven, because why not?
Mimosa by Archie Bongiovanni - A relatable, funny, and ultimately bittersweet comic about the shifting dynamic of a 30-something queer friend group growing up and sometimes apart. I wish this was a TV show!
Fruiting Bodies by Ashley Robin Franklin - Another great Franklin joint: this one’s a trippy little sci-fi horror story about a Pacific Northwest road trip gone wrong. I’d love to see Julia Ducournau direct an adaptation of Franklin’s stuff someday.
Basketful of Heads by Joe Hill - Surprisingly, one of my favorite Joe Hill stories isn’t a novel or short, but this compelling comic run about a girl trapped in a previously idyllic island town where everyone wants her dead and only a cursed axe can save her. Like the majority of titles on this comics list, this one’s not for the faint of heart.
Afterlife with Archie by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa - The fact that the fantastic, deliciously self-aware, visually stunning world of Archie Horror remains unfinished all these years later is my villain origin story.
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa - See above. I also read Kelly Thompson’s more cheery and traditional Sabrina comic reboot this year, and that was great too.
The Hazards of Love Vol. 1: Bright World by Stan Stanley - At first glance, this story about a teen being sent to a creepy hidden world looks a little rudimentary, but its familiar elements evolve into a sprawling, captivating, uncanny story with some of the most eerie mirror universe mythology this side of Coraline. I’m beyond invested in what happens next.

My 10 favorite non-comic books read in 2023:

The Color Purple by Alice Walker - A breathtaking masterpiece brimming with pain and joy. I fell down and cried when I finished it. No adaptation even comes close.
A Little Devil in America by Hanif Abdurraqib - Abdurraqib’s writing was the best thing I discovered in 2023, and it’s not particularly close. Part memoir, part cultural commentary, part galvanizing activist text, this is a simply astonishing read. I didn’t finish his book They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us in time for it to make this list, but I wholeheartedly recommend that one, too.
Where Are Your Boys Tonight? By Chris Payne - The book that kickstarted my intense emo music obsession (see: the majority of my songs list above) deftly canonizes an era marked by underdogs and outsiders, retelling the messy, magical, deeply human story of the aughts scene with insights from the people who made it happen.
Hi Honey, I’m Homo by Matt Baume - This insightful, accessible book about LGBTQ+ sitcom history (and its shifting response to real-life politics) feels like it was made for me, so if you like my writing about on-screen representation or TV history, it was probably made for you too.
How To Keep House While Drowning by K.C. Davis - A straightforward yet impressively illuminating book about how to undo the weird, self-hating BS most people internalize about cleaning, hygiene, and self-care. I’ve recommended this essential, game-changing accessibility text more often than any other book this year. It even has a shortcut version for folks who can’t focus on reading for long periods of time!
Sad Happens by Brandon Stosuy and various authors - The first book I’ve ever contributed to would’ve been a great read even if it didn’t mean so much to me. A collection of brief stories about crying (mostly at work), the funny, emotional, offbeat anthology ultimately forms a literary mosaic of comfort and catharsis.
Jackal by Erin E. Adams - A clever thriller that plays its cards impressively close to its chest, Jackal follows a woman returning to her hometown, where Black girls often go missing and something sinister lurks in the woods.
Wifey by Judy Blume - Blume’s first book for adults, written in 1978, is a desperate housewife tale for the ages. It’s disarmingly honest, darkly funny, and teetering right on the verge of totally trashy.
Everything Now: Lessons From the City-State of Los Angeles by Rosecrans Baldwin - A strange and satisfying educational journey through Los Angeles, with an unorthodox structure that’s more about capturing the feeling of the city than relaying information about it. Expect deep dives into self-improvement cults, wildfires, indie film, and more.
Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart - Clear-eyed, captivating prose from Scottish writer Stuart elevates this gut-churning story about an unusual kid growing up in an unsafe world.