Catch up on the best movies, shows, music and books of 2023

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Friday, Dec. 29. I’m Vanessa Franko, an assistant editor who spends her waking hours immersed in pop culture. Here’s what you need to know to start your day.

• The best movies, music, TV and more from 2023
• A treacherous surf pounds California amid flood advisories
• The 16 best cult documentaries you can stream right now
• And here’s today’s e-newspaper

The best movies, music, TV and more from 2023

Now that Hallmark has stopped luring me in with new holiday movies and nobody is really working this week, it’s time to catch up on all of the great music, movies, TV, books and more that dropped in 2023.

Our team of celebrated critics gets to partake in the yearly joy (or maddening exercise) of whittling down everything they have seen, heard and read into handy best-of lists.

Movies

Film critic Justin Chang’s 10 favorite movies include some that “have already achieved the permanence of old friends, even before they’ve had the chance to really seep into the cultural ether.”

He divided his list of the best movies of 2023 (and where to find them) into themed pairings, one of which connects the heartbreaking drama “All of Us Strangers” with the animated “The Boy and the Heron.”

Justin’s list is so thoughtful that I’ll forgive him for excluding the “Barbie” half of the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon. (Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken” dream ballet plus a reference to the 1995 BBC “Pride and Prejudice,” not to mention America Ferrara’s stirring monologue, made it my favorite of 2023.

Television

There was an abundance of great TV and if you’re finding it difficult to make time to catch up, critic Lorraine Ali wrote that 2024 is your year. Hollywood’s dual strikes have delayed many productions for months, if not years.

“The great programming drought is upon us, turning the last decade of too much content into something that appears closer to manageable.”

Our combined TV critics list will help you when you’re looking for something beyond “Suits” reruns.

Lorraine focused on the best programming of 2023 and Robert Lloyd selected the finest in new programs. The Natasha Lyonne detective series “Poker Face” snagged a spot on both of their lists.

Music

If you prefer your pop culture in 3-minute bursts of, well, pop, don’t miss the 100 best songs of 2023. Compiled by the Times music team of August Brown, Kenan Draughorne and Mikael Wood with an assist from De Los culture columnist Suzy Exposito, this list has everything from Miley Cyrus’ breakup anthem to Grupo Frontera’s collab with Bad Bunny. Listen along with the full playlist.

Mikael also pulled together the 20 best albums of the year, which includes Blondshell’s self-titled release, which he described as: “Fuzzy guitars, mordant songwriting, vocals set to deadpan: The ’90s are most definitely back.”

I am absolutely here for the ‘90s rock revival, particularly the return of power pop trio Marvelous 3, which released its first new album in 20-plus years, “IV,” in October. It didn’t make Mikael’s list, but it has been in heavy rotation on my phone and my turntable ever since.

Books

Music didn’t just dominate streaming platforms, it was also a big theme among the notable books of the year. Titles on Madonna, Lou Reed, Ella Fitzgerald, Sly Stone and many others were new additions to bookshelves.

On the fiction front, we asked three of our contributing critics to select the best of the year, resulting in a list of 13 novels and two short story collections.

But wait, there’s more:

• Art critic Christopher Knight selected the most memorable art installations around L.A. in 2023.
• Theater critic Charles McNulty reflected upon a roller coaster of a year in the region’s theater scene.
• Game critic Todd Martens explored the poignant narratives in this year’s video games.
• Culture columnist and critic Mary McNamara explained why 2023 was the year women saved Hollywood.
• De Los movie critic Carlos Aguilar selected the 20 best Latino films of 2023.
• Photo editors selected their favorite entertainment photos of the year.

What do you say we do it all again next year?

Today’s top stories

A surfer rides a wave at Surfer’s Point on Thursday in Ventura.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Climate and environment

• Amid a high surf and flood advisory along California’s coastline, the National Weather Service advises people to stay away from the water.
• The South Coast Air Quality Management District extended a no-burn order for much of Southern California through Friday amid poor air quality.

From our photo staff

• 2023, the year in photos: Strikes, floods, fire and war.
• Volunteers put final touches on 2024 Rose Parade floats.
• Times features photographers’ favorite moments in 2023.

Politics

• Donald Trump will stay on California GOP presidential primary ballot.
• Bakersfield Republican Assemblymember Vince Fong can run for Kevin McCarthy’s House seat, court rules.

More big stories

• A woman sues L.A., saying her husband sent nude photos of her to co-workers. He’s a cop. So is she.
• Traffic scofflaws beware: Speed cameras will go up next year in Los Angeles, Glendale and Long Beach.
• How problems at two of Skid Row’s largest landlords threaten to worsen L.A.’s homelessness crisis.
• Worried about AI? How California lawmakers plan to tackle the technology’s risks in 2024.
• Ignacio E. Lozano Jr., longtime La Opinión publisher, dies at 96.
• Cher files for conservatorship of son Elijah Blue Allman, citing alleged substance abuse.
• A woman is suing Jermaine Jackson for alleged sexual assault.
  

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Commentary and opinions

• Opinion: Why I’m not wishing you happy holidays.
• Gustavo Arellano: 2023 was the year we said goodbye to too many matriarchs.
• Dylan Hernández: How Shohei Ohtani inspired Yoshinobu Yamamoto to be a Dodger.
• Opinion: What does it feel like to be dehumanized? Just ask any Palestinian.
• LZ Granderson: In 2023, ‘The Last of Us’ told the story that we needed to see.
• Erika D. Smith: In flub over Civil War, Nikki Haley reveals a surprising truth about the culture wars.
• Commentary: Record-breaking holiday travel lightens our spirits but darkens the climate picture.
• Opinion: What does the Rose Parade really show the world about Southern California?

Today’s great reads

People stop to take photos of a mural by artist Gustavo Zermeno Jr. featuring newest Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, left, and Mookie Betts. The artwork is on the side wall of Ocean View Liquor in Hermosa Beach.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Asian Americans go bonkers over Shohei Ohtani for his superhuman baseball prowess — and for shattering stereotypes. Many were already big fans when Ohtani was with the Angels, but his move to a higher-profile team and city, with a chance to win the World Series, has taken Shohei-mania to a new level.

Other great reads

• 9 of the best De Los stories of 2023.
• Did she betray Indigenous Australians or protect them from being ‘victims’?
• At a Filipino-Cuban Nochebuena celebration, cultures blend — but karaoke is a must.
• In war-stricken Gaza, hunger is a constant companion.
• The refreshing rise of USC’s Miller Moss and UCLA’s Ethan Garbers from obscurity to stardom.
• Labor unrest defined Hollywood in 2023. Here’s what we learned from the twin strikes.

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.

For your downtime

(Matt Talbot / For The Times)

Going out

• 🎦 The 27 best movie theaters in Los Angeles.
• 🥃 14 classic L.A. hotel bars for out-of-towners and locals alike.
• 🍴The perfect L.A. restaurant for out-of-town guests.

Staying in

• 📙Why one of Facebook’s few female execs left to write a gritty Malaysian World War II novel.
• 📺 The 16 best cult documentaries you can stream right now.
• 🧑‍🍳 Here’s a recipe for coconut-pina-guava fresca.
• ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.

And finally ... a great photo

Show us your favorite place in California! Send us photos you have taken of spots in California that are special — natural or human-made — and tell us why they’re important to you.

Chan Quach, also known as Chan the Birdman, rides with his Hyacinth macaws, the world’s longest parrots, along the San Gabriel River Trail in Azusa.

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Today’s great photo is from Times photographer Mel Melcon, as part of our features photographers’ recap of their favorite moments of 2023. Pictured is Chan the Birdman, riding with the world’s longest parrots.

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Vanessa Franko, audience engagement assistant editor
Elvia Limón, multiplatform editor
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Laura Blasey, assistant editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters

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