The movie and theater industries may still be struggling to find their footing again, 2023 has continued to take baby steps back to a sense of pre-pandemic normalcy. There’s been some good (Scream VI, Dungeons & Dragons, No Hard Feelings), some bad (Fast X, 65, Ghosted), and some ugly (The Flash), with a handful of movies that are emotionally gripping, heartfelt, thrilling, and beautiful.

With heavy hitters like Barbie, Oppenheimer, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reackoning, Part 1, Killers of the Flower Moon, Dune: Part 2, and Oscar hopefuls still to come, here are my five favorite movies of the year so far.

1. Past Lives

You know a movie is something special when it lives inside your head for days or weeks after you’ve left the theater. Past Lives is one of those movies. It’s a story of what-ifs, possibilities and human connection; part of a lineage that includes all-time classics like Before Sunrise and In the Mood for Love. The story follows Nora, a woman who emigrated from South Korea when she was 12, and Hae Sung, the boy she had a crush on that she had to leave behind. The two come in and out of each other’s lives over the next two decades in a dance of maybes and second chances to discover what their relationship really means and their ultimate destiny.

The movie is stunningly tender and quiet, but there’s an emotional tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat until its final seconds. The lead performances – especially Greta Lee, who plays Nora – are spectacular. The characters realize how our wants and needs change over time, and what it’s like to be reminded of the past and how much you can change.

2. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

In 2018, Into the Spider-Verse knocked us all off our feet and truly changed how we thought about and saw animated movies. After winning the Best Animated Feature Oscar and growing a devoted following, anticipation could not have been higher for its sequel. But Across the Spider-Verse delivers and more.

Where Into told us anyone could wear the mask, Across questions what it means to be Spider-Man at all and if we’re defined by fate or destiny. The sequel introduces us to even more spider people and whether or not certain events have to be a part of a definitive Spider-Man story. Visually, it’s unlike anything you’ve seen before, with clashing animation styles magically working together in each frame. And the cliffhanger ending sets the stage for a shocking finale where Miles Morales will have to face his fears, his enemies, and himself.

3. Asteroid City

My guy Wes Anderson just doesn’t miss. Now I know (from personal experience) that Wes Anderson’s style and tone isn’t for everyone. But I’m all in, and I believe Asteroid City is one of his best. It has all the hallmarks of Wes – a Russian Nesting Doll-style framing device, familiar actors, stunning production design, a quirky sense of humor, and an emotional heartbeat under it all.

Set in the 1950s, Asteroid City is part sci-fi, part western, about space, aliens, storytelling, grief, and loneliness. The way the movie jumps back and forth between the main story and the behind-the-scenes story can be jarring at first, but ultimately informs the emotion of the characters. Anderson stalwart Jason Schwartzman and first-timers Tom Hanks and Scarlet Johansson absolutely crush it.

Plus, the way the alien spaceship shows up and is used within the story is top tier.

4. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

The Guardians of the Galaxy are easily the biggest surprise hit in the entire history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far. James Gunn has injected this family of misfits with more heart and soul than most other superhero stories, and Vol. 3 is easily the most emotional of the bunch, bringing the story of Quill, Gamora, Rocket, Groot, Drax, Nebula and more to an end.

The movie dives deep into Rocket’s origin, showing us the full trauma and heartbreak that made him the Rocket we’ve come to know and love. It’s dark and more intense than what we’ve seen elsewhere in the MCU, but it leads to a truly bittersweet end for our favorite heroes. In a franchise like the MCU, it’s difficult to tell an ending that feels final and complete, but Vol. 3 manages to do so. I’m sure we’ll see some of these characters again in the future, but this trilogy closes a beautiful chapter on our beloved Guardians.

5. John Wick: Chapter 4

I honestly had not seen any of the John Wick movies until about a year ago. His story begins with the death of a loved one before diving deep into an underground world of assassins, crime, and unbelievable action. John Wick’s world has a singular style that most other action movies have been chasing and attempting to duplicate for a decade. The fight choreography in this movie is jaw dropping (you’ll never look at stairs the same way again). It’s mesmerizing and keeps you on the edge of your seat for the nearly three-hour runtime.

Keanu Reeves is otherworldly and truly one of our greatest action stars. It’s unclear where John’s story will go from here, but Chapter 4 will certainly leave a long-lasting impression.