A moment can make a movie. You’re sitting there, you’re watching something, it’s fine, and then boom: a scene or shot happens, and instantly something you thought was just okay becomes amazing.
That’s the level we were aiming for in the annual rundown of our favorite moments from sci-fi, fantasy, and horror films this year. Moments that stand out among the rest. Moments that elevate a film. Moments that, in the years to come, we’ll still remember when we’ve long forgotten everything else that happens.
From big hits like Barbie and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, to smaller movies like When Evil Lurks and Polite Society, here are our 40 favorite moments from movies in 2023, in no particular order.
Spoiler alert. Obviously.
