20 Best Movies Of 2023

18. The Eight Mountains

A recurring theme colouring many of this year's greatest films has been the concept of reunions, following two characters separated by time and circumstance who fatefully reconnect in a life-altering way. Such is the case with The Eight Mountains, a luminous drama about two childhood friends searching for meaning in adulthood.

Shot in the Italian Alps and throughout Nepal, Charlotte Vandermeersch and Felix van Groeningen's visually arresting tale concerns two childhood friends who reunite to build a cabin in the mountains, reconnecting along the way as they confront their philosophies, grief, and shifting relationships.

Deeply atmospheric, its haunting score and quietly devastating performances blend in perfectly with awe-inspiring scenery to craft a story as intimate as it is spiritual and sincere. Anyone who has lost a friend along the way is certain to be bowled over by its conclusions, which sneak up on you with heartbreaking force at every turn.