Top 10 Best Films of 2022
Hello, readers! What a wonderful day it is today, ’cause instead of reviewing all the crap that came out last year, we’re now taking a look back at the very best of the best 2022 had to offer. Last year offered us some great movies; in fact, it’s usually around this time, when I start sorting out my top 10 best, that I bounce back from my top 10 worst depression and realize there were actually quite a number of incredible movies that came out all throughout the year. Not only that, last year’s best featured a healthy variety of genres: parodies, character dramas, semi-autobiographical coming-of-age films, thrillers, comic book adaptations, high-concept fantasies and a fantastic banner year for horror.
So, before we heap another round of praise on these ten amazing films, let’s take a look back at some other 2022 films that were so good, they almost made the cut…
After Yang, Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Emily the Criminal, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Hatching, Hellraiser, Hustle, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, No Sudden Move, Nope, Pearl, Prey, The Quiet Girl, Smile, Till, To Leslie, The Whale and X.
Yes, you know it’s a pretty good year for film when even a Hellraiser, Predator and Happy Madison film get mentioned here.
So, with that out of the way, let’s bask in the glory of cinematic majesty, starting with…
10) Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
Based on a Funny or Die short of the same name by director Eric Appel (making his feature film directorial debut here), it should come as no surprise to anyone that a biopic of the greatest parody musical artist to ever live gets parodied itself. Led by Daniel Radcliffe as the titular accordion-playing parodist, Rainn Wilson as Weird Al’s mentor Dr. Demento and a scene-stealing Evan Rachel Wood as the most sinister version of Madonna you’ll ever see, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story hits the mark for biopic accuracy as well as a blind man in a knife-throwing contest, but you’ll be so busy trying not to puncture a lung from laughing so hard you won’t even care.
Which is why this maybe wasn’t the best film to watch when coming off a bout with bronchitis.
Loaded from start to finish with silly references and a dizzying array of hilarious cameos, Weird plays fast and loose with Weird Al’s life as it playfully skewers every biopic trope in the book in a way only someone like Weird Al can get away with.
Well, except maybe Dewey Cox, of course.
Weird may not win points for being the first music biopic parody, but like any great comedy, based on the non-stop laughs it delivers, it’s a bona fide winner.
9) Barbarian
From mainstream efforts like the Hellraiser reboot, the Predator prequel Prey, The Black Phone and Smile to smaller, low-budgeted efforts like X, Pearl and Bodies Bodies Bodies, 2022 turned out to be an incredible year for the horror genre, and at the top of that list is Zach Cregger’s solo directorial debut Barbarian. Led by three strong performances from Georgina Campbell, Justin Long and Bill Skarsgard (who might not be the only Skarsgard appearing on this list), Barbarian is equal parts darkly humorous and bone chillingly horrifying, opening with a quietly unnerving meet-cute before then continuing to take us on a wildly unpredictable ride that shifts drastically with its tone, atmosphere and narrative. That might sound like a recipe for disaster, but Cregger expertly stitches it all together in wickedly harmonious fashion. Cregger also adds weight to his story with explorations of racial and gender themes that avoid being pretentious or heavy-handed, and instead are there to service the story and characters. The film’s primary goal is still to thrill you to the edge of your seat while gripping your armrest, and that it most certainly does.
Normally, I’d provide you with a bit of the film’s synopsis, but, honestly, this is a perfect example of the less you know going into it, the better your experience.
8) The Batman
Robert Pattinson quickly silenced all the naysayers and their adorable little Change.org petitions with his committed, effectively brooding take on the Caped Crusader in writer/director Matt Reeves’s reboot of the crime-fighting Gotham City superhero. While Reeves does channel the grounded realism Christopher Nolan established with his portrayal of the Gotham Guardian, he still adds his own flavor to the mix by transporting Batman from Nolan’s Michael Mann-esque crime thriller world to a trauma-exploring, super-noir, serial killer chase that is unrelentingly grim and bleak, and all the more compelling ’cause of it.
This time around, Riddler decided to drop the cute question mark suits and goofy limerick-based puzzles, and has turned into the Zodiac Killer.
Opposite Pattinson, Paul Dano gives an unsettling performance as the Riddler that is easily the best ever big screen rendition we’ve gotten of the mind-bending Batman villain (yes, you heard me correctly, Jim Carrey fans). In addition to those two, we’re also treated to terrific supporting turns from Andy Serkis, Zoe Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro and a virtually unrecognizable Colin Farrell (having a career year in 2022 with this film, the aforementioned After Yang, and possibly another film that may pop up later on this list) as the Penguin. No doubt, the near-three-hour run-time will certainly test some viewers patience, but those looking for a methodical, slow-burn approach to the legendary superhero that transcends the genre will definitely not be disappointed.
Is it the greatest comic book film of all-time? No, but it’s certainly the best comic book film from last year (then again, with Black Adam and Morbius as competition, that’s not saying much), as well as one of the best of the past decade, and is certainly the best Batman adaptation since Nolan’s The Dark Knight in 2008.
7) The Fabelmans
After being fairly hit-or-miss over the past decade and a half, GOAT filmmaker Steven Spielberg delivers his best film since 2007’s Munich with The Fabelmans. Loosely based on the Oscar-winning director’s own childhood, the coming-of-age drama is brought to wonderful life by way of the strong performances from an Oscar-worthy Michelle Williams, Gabriel LaBelle, Seth Rogen, Judd Hirsch and a refreshingly against-type Paul Dano, here taking a break from the intense creep act for a warm, heartfelt portrayal of the Fabelman patriarch. Spielberg and co-writer Tony Kushner trade away rose-tinted schmaltz for emotional honesty, presenting a poignant portrait of the filmmaker’s upbringing that doesn’t shy away from his family’s failings, and how the magic of film helped him cope through such hard times. Yes, there’s the occasional heartstring tugging we expect from Spielberg, and still in a way he does better than most, but it’s Spielberg’s approach to the titular characters’ humanity that ultimately makes this not only a genuine love letter to the power of film, but, more importantly, a beautiful and deeply affecting tribute to his family.
It may not be his best, or even in his top five, but it’s still a strong reminder of why the greatest to ever sit in the director’s chair hasn’t lost his touch in the slightest and is still the best at what he does.
6) The Northman
Leave it to visionary filmmaker Robert Eggers to follow up The Witch and The Lighthouse with, by far, his most mainstream, commercial film to date and still have it turn out as another bonkers, off-the-wall, bat-shit crazy hellscape. Brutal both in terms of its violent content and nasty tone, The Northman has Eggers blending Norse mythology with Shakespearean vengeance and the result is a visually breathtaking, blood soaked, nihilistic spin on the same story that inspired the Bard of Avon’s classic tale Hamlet. Those looking for a more straightforward, grander-in-scope take on the sword-and-sandals epic may want to look elsewhere, as Eggers’s film is less Ridley Scott’s Gladiator and more a poetic approach to revenge and suffering. Don’t misconstrue “poetic” as art-house fluff, however, ’cause The Northman is still a savage, visceral experience that is sure to provide an exhilarating onslaught on the senses. If anything, the film merits a watch just for the cast alone, as top-notch acting talents like Alexander Skarsgard, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke and Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman all go for broke in delivering their impeccable performances.
They’re not just chewing the scenery here. They’re devouring it whole, and it truly is a wonder to behold.
5) Tar
Two-time Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett has put together a career full of incredible, award-caliber performances. In Tar, the actress pulls off the not-so easy feat by giving arguably the best performance of her career, which could win her a third Oscar. Blanchett is absolutely magnetic as the eponymous fictional composer Lydia Tar, an extremely talented yet self-destructive classical music conductor, who, at times treats others more savagely than Skarsgard’s Northman if they have the audacity to pose any obstacle to her career. Writer/director Todd Field, delivering his first directorial feature since 2006’s Little Children, has crafted a richly-detailed character study that explores obsession, status, power dynamics, predation and cancel culture. As Lydia’s life begins to spiral out of control and she’s forced to face the consequences of her actions, the film ratchet’s up the intensity, which is further aided by Hildur Gudnadottir’s excellent score. Lydia may not be a likable character; in fact, she’s downright cruel and toxic, yet it’s thanks to Field’s superb script and Blanchett’s brilliant performance that Tar is able to find the nuance is such a deeply flawed and complicated character.
Even at a superhero-less two and a half hours, there’s not a dull moment to be found here.
4) Decision to Leave
Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave may be more elegant and less twisted than what we’re accustomed to from him, but don’t let that fool you. Even with a far more quiet, restrained approach this time around, the South Korean filmmaker’s newest neo-noir romance is every bit as riveting as his previous works. The film follows Park Hae-il as an officer investigating an alleged accidental death, but his investigation turns complicated when he suddenly falls for the victim’s alluring widow, played by Tang Wei, who may also be the culprit. Does Decision to Leave reinvent the wheel? Certainly not. Is the premise anything new? Nope, this type of tale goes as far back as Alfred Hitchcock. That said, it’s clear that Park is inspired by Hitchcock here, and what he has done is craft a seamless and mesmerizingly shot homage to the master of the murder mystery. Simmering with tension from beginning to end, this film keeps you guessing as it twists and turns all along the way to its devastating conclusion. It’s the terrific performances from Park and Wei, however, that are the film’s real MVPs, sharing a natural chemistry that has you fully invested in their romance. Wei, in particular, is absolutely stunning, and her magnificent performance alone is worth giving Decision to Leave a watch.
As the saying goes, come for Park Chan-wook, stay for Tang Wei.
3) The Banshees of Inisherin
Finishing up the “Year of Colin Farrell” is In Bruges and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri writer/director Martin McDonagh’s haunting allegory of the Irish Civil War, The Banshees of Inisherin, for which Farrell’s career performance just might win him the Best Actor Oscar, and deservedly so. Reuniting with his In Bruges costar Brendan Gleeson, the two veteran actors play Padraic and Colm, respectively, two Irishmen from the fictional isle of Inisherin who are lifelong friends up until the day Colm no longer wants to be. That’s pretty much it for the plot, yet while it may seem simple on its surface, underneath is a poignant examination of broken friendships, the struggle to let go of the past and how our actions sometimes come with consequences that not only affect ourselves but also those around us.
No man is an island, after all.
Filled with razor-sharp dialogue, richly layered characters and macabre humor, this is not only one of the funniest films of the year but also one of the grimmest, as McDonagh’s trademark melancholic atmosphere soaks up every single frame. With Oscar-worthy turns from Farrell, Gleeson, Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan serving as the heart and soul of McDonagh’s tale, The Banshees of Inisherin is tragicomedy at its very “feckin” best, and adds another masterful effort to McDonagh’s already impressive resume.
And oh. my. God. I never imagined a day would come where a donkey would get me choked up, but… damn this movie, it actually broke me.
2) Everything Everywhere All at Once
When it comes to Everything Everywhere All at Once, the phrase “utter bugfuckery” sums it up perfectly, but in the best, most amazing way possible. After decades of providing countless invaluable character performances, Michelle Yeoh gives an award-worthy, career best here, and is provided equally award-worthy support from a scene-stealing Jamie Lee Curtis, Stephanie Hsu and Short Round himself, Ke Huy Quan, in a wonderful, more than welcome comeback role. Writing/directing duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert give a whole new meaning to throwing everything at the wall and hoping it sticks, exploring multiverses, alternate realities, and existentialism. It’s part sci-fi, part martial arts action, part absurdist comedy, part romance, part fantasy – hell, just pick any genre, and this film does it. It’s enough to make anyone’s head spin, and, for sure, in the wrongs hands this would’ve been an absolute train wreck, but the “Daniels” execute this colossal head trip with flawless precision, bringing everything together and boiling it all down to a personal family drama that is quite touching. I’ll refrain from giving you any plot details; in fact, me attempting to explain the plot couldn’t possibly do any justice to what you’d actually end up seeing.
Like Barbarian, the less you know going in, the better your experience will be.
Well, readers, we’ve finally made it to the top of the mountain, the king of all 2022 movies, the grandest of all that cinema had to offer for last year, the very, absolute best of 2022. God bless Everything Everywhere All at Once. It hung on like a champ to that top spot for most of the year, until I saw this little film near the end of it. And the #1 film of 2022 is…
Halloween Ends… Oops! My fingers accidentally slid across the keyboard and made a typo. Let’s try this again.
Drum roll, please…
1) Aftersun
You might, understandably, be perplexed that after all the big, ambitious entries listed here, how did this little indie flick manage to grab the #1 spot? Well, little as it may be, no film throughout the entirety of 2022 had as profound an emotional effect on me as Aftersun. Delicately crafted by writer/director Charlotte Wells, making her feature film debut, and anchored by two spectacular performances from Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio, Aftersun is set in the late ’90s and captures a single dad and his 11-year-old daughter’s vacation in Turkey through the perspective of the daughter’s memories 20 years later. Wells wisely strips her film of any flash, grand gestures or sweeping emotion, and instead brings a soft, muted touch, resulting in a beautiful, tender and, at times, even bittersweet meditation on grief, loss and memory. At its very core, though, Aftersun is an intimate father-daughter story. Mescal and Corio’s understated, sublimely natural performances capture that relationship in a way that’s heartfelt and achingly poignant, with layers being peeled back through bits and pieces shown as the film progresses, culminating in the most emotionally resonant ending of any film I’ve seen last year. No words are spoken in that moment, and none need to be. Right then and there, in that moment, silence speaks the loudest.
Also, as a Queen fan, I must say excellent use of “Under Pressure”.
Simply put, Wells has created an unforgettable, minimalist masterpiece.
Well, there you have it, readers. Those are my picks and I’m sticking to them. What are some of your picks for the best of 2022? Feel free to comment below and let me know. Until next time, here’s to 2023’s film year being just as great!
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