The American Film Institute has announced their annual year-end top 10 lists and, as always, it was filled with several awards contenders. This year’s crop of film honorees includes “American Fiction,” “Barbie,” “The Holdovers,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Maestro,” “May December,” “Oppenheimer,” “Past Lives,” “Poor Things” and “Spider-Man: Across the Universe.” The television selections are “Abbott Elementary,” “The Bear,” “Beef,” “Jury Duty,” “The Last of Us,” “The Morning Show,” “Only Murders in the Building,” “Poker Face,” “Reservation Dogs” and “Succession.”
READ MORE: “American Fiction,” “May December” and “Past Lives” top 2024 Spirit Awards Nominations
It should be noted, that the AFI committee is not always the best predictor for a Best Picture nomination. For the past two years, when both organizations recognized 10 films, three films nominated for Best Picture did not make AFI’s Top 10 list (although “Belfast” was given a Special Award in 2021). In 2020 and 2019, four films didn’t make the cut. The committee has also honored films such as “Richard Jewell,” “Mary Poppins Returns,” “Wonder Woman,” and “Tick, Tick…Boom!” in recent years.
The lists are determined by two committees, one for film and television each, made up partially of industry figures (some AMPAS members, not all), critics, and “film scholars” from several universities. It’s unclear how many people actually vote for the honors.
Considering the committees have recognized international films such as “Parasite” and the aforementioned “Belfast” in the past, it’s somewhat shocking that “Anatomy of a Fall” or “The Zone of Interest” were not given a Special Award. Other films that deserved consideration include “All of Us Strangers” (unexpectedly qualified as an American film by their rules), “Air,” and “A Thousand and One.”
The 2023 AFI Top 10 recipients will be celebrated at a luncheon on Friday, January 12 in Beverly HIlls.
This year’s recognized films are as follows.
AFI MOTION PICTURES OF THE YEAR
AMERICAN FICTION
BARBIE
THE HOLDOVERS
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
MAESTRO
MAY DECEMBER
OPPENHEIMER
PAST LIVES
POOR THINGS
SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
AFI TELEVISION PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR
ABBOTT ELEMENTARY
THE BEAR
BEEF
JURY DUTY
THE LAST OF US
THE MORNING SHOW
ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING
POKER FACE
RESERVATION DOGS
SUCCESSION