2022 was another fantastic year for movies. Whether it was the exaggerated madness fast train or the grounded emotions of The Banshees by Inisherin, had something for every moviegoer this year. However, these were my personal ten favorite films of the year.
Recognitions: The unbearable weight of massive talent, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, The Fabelmans, to smile, violent night, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, DC League of Super Pets, Cha Cha Real smooth, Marcel the Shell with shoes on.
10. The Adam Project
One of the most underrated films of the year is The Adam Project, a Netflix sci-fi action-adventure starring Ryan Reynolds as a fighter pilot who travels back in time and teams with his past self to save the future. This loving homage to Amblin Entertainment’s films is delightfully Spielberg-esque, blending high-octane action sequences with a healthy dose of emotional drama. Walker Scobell is a revelation as he nails his portrayal of a younger Reynolds, and it’s a shame to see this blockbuster from the star and director of the last year Free guy flew so far under the radar.
9. Brothers
Perhaps the best romantic comedy of the decade brothers is a delight from start to finish. It takes the tropes of the rom-com genre we’re familiar with and shows them with a beautiful, unique sense of humor. Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane are a mismatch made from heaven as two commitment-phobic men who clumsily begin a relationship. Universal Pictures has distributed one of the first rom-coms with an openly LGBTQ+ cast to smashing box office results, but don’t let that stop you from watching this film that will make you laugh and get your heart pumping.
8. The good nurse
The chilling true story of a nurse who discovers her colleague is responsible for many mysterious patient deaths comes to life on Netflix The good nurse. Jessica Chastain plays Amy Loughren perfectly in an understated, naturalistic performance in which she disappears into character. The friendship between her and Charles Cullen (Eddie Redmayne) is heartwarming and makes the second half of the film brutal as the tension mounts. Still, it grabs you from start to finish and doesn’t waste a minute.
7. Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro
An Oscar-winning screenwriter brings an ancient story to life through stop motion. Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro is by far the best adaptation of the classic story out this year. He and co-director Mark Gustafson assemble a world-class voice and animation team to tell the story of a wooden boy who comes to life, with great craftsmanship behind every frame of the image. This film takes the dark nature of this fairy tale and takes place in Fascist Italy. The script is superb and the work that went into bringing this story to the big screen is wonderful.
6. The Batman
The biggest superhero movie of the year is The Batman, a dark, gritty crime thriller from Matt Reeves that tells a brand new story starring comic book characters that have been around for decades. This is a superb 3 hour epic, perfectly told, with Paul Dano and Colin Ferrell delivering incredibly villainous performances, and Robert Pattinson anchoring it all in his fresh take on the character of Bruce Wayne. Coupled with Greig Fraser’s beautiful cinematography and Michael Giacchino’s hard-hitting score, there isn’t a single weak link in this phenomenal DC film.
5. Avatar: The Way of Water
It took James Cameron 13 years to bring us back to Pandora, and it was worth the wait. Stunning, visually stunning and breathtaking from start to finish, Avatar: The Way of Water is proof that years of hard work can pay off. A return to the legendary moon of the Na’vi delivers everything audiences could hope for from a blockbuster of this magnitude, with terrific underwater motion capture work. The film’s final hour is Cameron in classic fashion, giving you the non-stop thrills he once dispensed with titanic and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. He masters the art of the blockbuster to the tee, combining the action with the emotional stakes of each character.
4. Decision to leave
Park Chan-wook works on another level. He tinkers slowly and carefully decision to go, a seductive, romantic crime thriller full of twists and turns. The film follows a detective who investigates the death of a man while finding himself unexpectedly attracted to the man’s wife. The voltage
Between each character, Chan-wook’s command of cinematic imagery and fantastic performances bring an ambitious concept to life. The second half of the film takes what we already know and turns everything on its head, resulting in an unpredictable film you can’t look away from, while also telling a devastating love story.
3.RRR
Call RRR An excellent, noisy time at the movies would be an understatement. This Indian film about two revolutionaries from opposite sides who become best friends mixes an incredible number of genres: action, comedy, drama, history, musical, dance and everything in between. Of course, the friendship between the two main characters is an essential part of what makes this film work, but it’s overwhelming how much this film devotes to the insane action set pieces. Motorcycles, horses, bows and arrows, animals jumping out of cages, and plenty of explosions are just the tip of the iceberg of what this endlessly entertaining film has to offer. It balances the line between lighthearted and dark, bringing you a remarkable experience.
2. Top Gun: Maverick
Even with that, Tom Cruise has cemented himself as one of the greatest action heroes of all time Impossible Mission Franchise. However, he can’t seem to get enough of surpassing himself as he brings back a character he hasn’t played with since 1986 Top Gun: Maverick. A master class in action cinema, this film gives you an absurd amount of hands-on flight sequences. However, what makes this film work is the tear-jerking emotional stakes between the ground-built characters, adding to the breathtaking aerial action. This film is a sleek, mean action machine as the stakes escalate, pulling you to the edge of your seat in a finale that will have you gasping and cheering.
1. Everything everywhere at once
My favorite movie of 2022 might be one that I share with many. Everything everywhere at once is everything a film can and should be. It features exciting martial arts sequences and rich themes about nihilism and existentialism, delivering every emotional aspect imaginable. This is a love story between an aging married couple who have lost their way, a mother-daughter story between two culturally diverse characters, and a woman’s complex relationship with her father. It’s all presented through an absurdly hilarious multiversal premise that portrays Asian-American identity at its best and Michelle Yeoh’s Achievement of the Year. Ke Huy Quan’s groundbreaking return to the big screen and Stephanie Hsu’s ridiculously charismatic performance make this the best movie of 2022 as it will make you laugh and sob and look at life through a pair of wide eyes.