My Favorite Movies of 2022
Let’s just be rocks.
“There’s no ‘something’ without nothing.” — After Yang (2022)
The shocking reality of time is never more prominent than at the end of the year. The exasperated question, “Wait, that was this year?” nearly always accompanies the sheer act of reflection on another year gone by, but in 2022, that malleability felt more pronounced. For one reason or another, the films offered this year portrayed a feeling of an in-between — a moment of transition with lingering remnants of time once viewed as unprecedented.
Movies like Top Gun: Maverick and The Batman — delayed for nearly two years — premiered to much anticipation and fanfare. Films borne out of small, minimalistic and hyper-interior productions like Bodies, Bodies, Bodies and Good Luck To You, Leo Grande emerged as well. It felt impossible to see empty restaurants in a movie like TÁR and not think of the limitations the crew had to potentially navigate. Stephen Soderberg and Claire Denis decided to tackle COVID life head-on in Kimi and Stars At Noon, respectively, to thrilling and disconcerting results.
There is also a growing sense of cynicism in me when it comes to my love of movies. This year, there felt like a small, lightning-quick window of opportunity to catch projects in theaters. Sure, tentpole movies like Maverick, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Jordan Peele’s Nope brought people out to the theater. Even Rian Johnson’s Knives Out follow-up Glass Onion had its week of excitement. But the chance to see something like She Said, The Fabelmans or Confess, Fletch — films you don’t necessarily need to see on the big screen — came and went in a blink.
There was usual mix of big-budget success and failures, smaller scale projects dripping with meaning and movies that fall somewhere in between. Often, I start to see the year’s movie slate in conversation with each other, which is to say it’s hard to watch Wakanda Forever and not visually compare it to Avatar: The Way of Water. Deeper than that, the topic of Asian identity sprung up in Everything Everywhere All At Once (EEAAO), Turning Red and After Yang, while After Yang also connected to Wakanda Forever as they tackled the grief that comes and evolves from losing an older sibling.
The theme I found most poignant in this year’s slate was the push-and-pull between kindness, friendship and decency versus the pursuit of our most accomplished selves that featured in Everything, Everywhere, All at Once and The Banshees of Inisherin. In the face of frantic and at times violent actions for the sake of fulfilled potential, EEAAO and Banshees planted monologues as a counterpoint, instead pleading cases for friendship, for kindness. It was a peculiar moment for the argument found in a pair of drastically different movies, but it landed for me all the same. I’m still thinking about what that might mean, but as Kogonada captured in 2017’s Columbus and After Yang, sometimes the point is knowing how something moves you and choosing whether you investigate that further.
At home, however, it must be noted that my move-watching was bolstered via a Criterion Channel subscription gifted from my partner. What a magical streaming service! I got my fill of everything from challenging and thought-provoking Ingmar Bergman films to collections featuring the best of Myrna Loy and Screwball icons alike.
I tried my best to limit the amount of aimless, often-late-at-night watching to mixed results. I watched 240 movies for the first time this year. More than 70 of those were released this year, but I only watched about 22 of those in a proper theater. Coincidentally, that’s the same amount of new-to-me movies I watched on an airplane this year. The Criterion Channel was my most frequented streaming service (53 watched). I caught three fewer movies in theaters as I did in 2021, and I can’t help but think part of that had to do with availability of options or lack thereof. Between Top Gun and Nope, there was a barren landscape this summer. Meanwhile, the last quarter of the year saw a glut of awards-hopefuls vying for audiences that didn’t show up in droves.
I dragged a few people over to Letterboxd, which is perhaps my favorite social platform at the moment. Over the last few years, I’ve come to enjoy keeping track of these personal numbers and trends because in a way it’s another way of looking back on another trip around the sun. All that said, I’m still not sure whether this movie year can be considered a great one, but it was at least a good one. Everything still feels like it’s coming back into a new center, and there are films here which I loved, and many I liked a great deal.
List-making is both scientific and arbitrary, but these are the movies I liked the best this year. I did do something different this year and break down the list into tiers, which I generally feel like is a more effective way to separate things anyway.
As usual, I used the Oscars/awards-cycle as the arbitrary cutoffs, so a movie like The Worst Person in the World went on last year’s chart. Once again, I am without screeners — if you have a plug, please hit me up, so there’s still a bunch of movies I haven’t had a chance to go to just yet. When I do, I’ll adjust the list accordingly.
2022 Viewing Stats:
Total Movies Watched For The First Time: 240 (-15 from 2021)
In A Theater: 22 (-3)
On a plane: 22 (+14)
On a Streaming Service: 196 (-15)
Most-used Streaming Service: Criterion Channel (53)
Rented: 29
Apologies to: Strange World, Bones And All, Bardo, Living,Decision To Leave, Women Talking, The Whale, Three Thousand Years Of Longing, All The Beauty And The Bloodshed — I’ll get to you eventually
***(List updated on: January 21, 2023)***
Tier 1: The Favorites
1. After Yang
Kogonada’s sophomore offering After Yang is a patient, introspective dive into identity in the face of and under the pressure of grief. This is a movie I generally liked on my first watch, but it’s a movie that rewards multiple viewings. On rewatch, the themes opened up in a radiant way, and it is now a cathartic favorite. The scene in which Collin Farrell discusses why he loves tea is perhaps my favorite of the year.
This also contains my favorite opening scene of 2022.
2. Everything Everywhere All at Once
An absolute sensory overload of a film from The Daniels. While some of its grand scale and maximalism feels like it might teeter over into absolute absurdity, Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu and Ke Huy Quan provide gravity that the heart of the movie can cling to amidst all the chaos. Don’t get it twisted though: none of it works without Yeoh.
In short, I cried during a scene in which two rocks sat silently on a cliff.
3. Aftersun
This heartbreaking two-hander from Charlotte Wells about a daughter reflecting on a childhood holiday with her father is soul-crushing without being manipulative. I have to think that is due to Paul Mescal’s performance. He has an impressive way of allowing deep and significant emotions to seep through his body without calling obvious attention to them.
4. Top Gun: Maverick
Tom Cruise!!! Jets!!! Danger Zone!!! Sexy sports scene on the beach!!!
Maverick did some pilot shit. I loved it. Without a doubt, the most thrilling movie theater experience of the year and the film I saw people watching on an airplane the most.
5. TÁR
A mind-bending film with a breathtaking, disgusting and beautiful performance from Cate Blanchett. This movie begs for multiple viewings, but its first one is a whirlwind experience. Todd Field’s first film in 16 years asks some multi-faceted questions, and when it seems like it is providing its one answer to those questions, it takes a steep, stark turn somewhere else that left me surprised at how much I laughed.
The one-shot scene that takes place at a Julliard class is the thesis of the film, I think. The last sequence, though, left my jaw on the floor.
6. The Banshees of Inisherin
Returning to the duo of Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, Martin McDonagh’s comedic tragedy about the falling out of a friendship off the coast of Ireland is a simple story. That simplicity, with the Irish Civil War in the background, holds so many aspects within it.
I love how much of a weirdo Barry Keoghan is in this smaller role, and Kerry Condon gives an already underappreciated performance as well.
7. The Fabelmans
For the second year in a row, Steven Spielberg goes back in time and comes out with magic. His autobiographical take on his childhood and the ways his parents impacted that journey to filmmaking is not as wide-eyed nor self-indulgent as it was marketed. It is sprawling, sad, and beautiful. The last shot brought me so much joy.
8. Nope
“The point is… fuck the point.”
Jordan Peele’s biggest project yet is maybe his most watchable of his three films. I think there is plenty to parse through in terms of themes, including but not limited to the toll on those asked to perform, the price asked of those who capture and create as well as the lengths Black creators must go to and through.
Mostly, though, I think about the way Keke Palmer hit the Akira slide. And Mark this as another piece of evidence toward Daniel Kaluuya’s eyes being the most potent weapon in cinema today as well.
Tier 2: Ones I Enjoyed And Appreciated
9. Bodies Bodies Bodies
This black comedy slasher is genuinely hilarious, suspenseful and surprising. Another perfect use of Pete Davidson, and another movie in which Rachel Sennott steals the show. Her delivery of “upper middle class” is pitch perfect.
10. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is without a doubt my biggest surprise of 2022. Small, intimate, funny and charming, Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack are a winning duo. This is a movie that feels like a play in the best way.
11. RRR
Probably the best dance movie, action movie and friendship movie of the year.
12. The Batman
The “Battinson” bandwagon got off to a good start. Robert Pattinson is a perfectly brooding and intense Bruce Wayne, and his chemistry with Zoe Kravitz’s Selina Kyle shows he can do more as Gotham’s hero. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I hope we get the Joker in this next film only because I want to see Barry Keoghan cook.
13. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
I had a fun time watching Rian Johnson have fun directing a stacked cast having fun inside this fun film. Daniel Craig is chewing the scenery here with even more gusto than in Knives Out, and I think the cinematography of the film is a unsung hero.
I’ll take eight more of these, please.
14. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
The most charming movie character of the year goes to a tiny shell (wearing shoes) voiced by Jenny Slate. I can’t believe I cried about a family of stop-motion animated shells, and yet, I was a teary mess in the theater.
My favorite part, though, was when a woman behind me told her companion, “What a surprise! Thank you so much for bringing me.”
Movies, man.
15. Anonymous Club
In a world so full of self-produced music documentaries, Anonymous Club is a lovely change-of-pace. Admittedly, I’m biased as a Courtney Barnett fan, but regardless of whether you are keen to her music or not, it’s a genuinely personal portrait of life as a musician.
16. Turning Red
The supreme Pixar entry of 2022, Turning Red captures many things accurately, but particularly that — to steal a phrase from Nicole Kidman — indescribable feeling when the lights begin to dim at a concert. I would do anything to eat the food the main character’s father was cooking.
17. The Sea Beast
Major How To Train Your Dragon energy from this offering from Chris Williams (director of Bolt, Big Hero 6 and co-director of Moana). This swashbuckling story is a fun, open-hearted adventure.
18. Kimi
Once again, Steven Soderbergh delivered a tightly edited, straight-to-streaming banger of a film in the first half of the year. Although a “2022 rendition of Rear Window” sounds more or less terrible, Soderberg and Zoe Kravitz construct a rock-solid thriller.
19. Causeway
Most of the buzz around Causeway centered on Jennifer Lawrence’s return to form. She crushes it, predictably, but so does her co-star Brian Tyree Henry. I’m not sure I enjoy watching anyone deliver dialogue more than him.
20. The Northman
Robert Egger’s intensely athletic rendition of the Nordic legend Amleth is my winner for Movie I Admired More Than I Enjoyed.
Alexander Skarsgard delivers a brutally impressive leading performance. He is truly massive.
21. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
I’m not sure if there’s been a big-budget film with as much weight of expectation as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. From the cathartic way it chose to handle Chadwick Boseman’s death and the impact that had to introducing new characters to both serve the story as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole, it passed an impossibly difficult test.
Tenoch Huerta’s performance as Namor is probably the brightest spot of the film although Winston Duke remains charming as ever.
22. Fire of Love
A documentary about volcanoes that is actually a documentary about two people who share the same passion for each other as they do their work, Fire of Love features an achingly tender narration from Miranda July.
23. The Woman King
Gina Prince-Bythewood showed she could direct an action flick with a real heartbeat when she gave us The Old Guard in 2020, and she proved that twice over with The Woman King. Viola Davis is a commanding lead, but Lashana Lynch feasts on her role as well. The moment when Davis’ character blocks a bullet with her blade and Lynch hands her another one without a word is the coldest split-second of the year.
24. She Said
I’m of the belief that journalism movies live or die by the way they depict editors, and I really enjoy the performances from Patricia Clarkson, Andre Braugher and Frank Wood. That said, Samantha Morton probably wins the movie with her one scene.
25. The Menu
“Eat the rich” but make it funny is essentially the vibe from Mark Mylod’s The Menu. Although there’s nothing particularly surprising about the film, it’s incredibly watchable with solid performances all-around. I didn’t appreciate the s’mores slander, though.
26. Devotion
We are absolutely going to look back on this one as an overlooked gem in about five years as Glen Powell and Jonathan Majors continue to become two of the biggest and best leading men we have. I’m hoping the same goes for Christina Jackson.
Tier 3: Fun, But I Won’t Spend Much More Time Thinking About It
27. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
I wouldn’t have ever guessed Puss in Boots: The Last Wish would be the best movie Florence Pugh participated in during 2022, but here we are anyway.
28. See How They Run
I would genuinely appreciate it if more movies allowed Saoirse Ronan to rip jokes on the regular. Sure, there are better whodunnits out there, but I still appreciated this one for knowing what it was.
29. Confess, Fletch
Finally: a film that uses Jon Hamm to his comedic potential. I feel like Confess, Fletch is prime for a “You know what? We didn’t appreciate this film enough at the time” reappraisal in a few years.
30. Entergalactic
I’m continuously happy Scott Mescudi is with us and continuing to create. The animation-style is fun, the music is liquid and overall, Intergalactic is a fun time spent.
31. Prey
Although I’ve never seen a Predator movie before watching Prey (I know, I know), I was absolutely immersed into the world Dan Trachtenberg built.
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I can’t wait for Amber Midthunder to play someone in the eventual X-Men films.
32. Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul.
Sterling K. Brown and Regina Hall have some special chemistry — both comedic and dramatic — that the movie more or less relies on in full. Hall’s performance is probably going to be underappreciated on a large scale, but she is the only person who I could imagine pulling off many of the scenes in this movie, including one in which she wears mime makeup during a dramatic climax.
33. Avatar: The Way of Water
Big Jim! I can’t believe James Cameron got me to wear 3D glasses for three hours, but that second hour rewarded my slight headache. The story is secondary when it comes to Avatar, but the visuals and action were thrilling and beautiful.
34. Cha Cha Real Smooth
Cooper Raiff sure likes making movies about a young man who loves his mother, which I’m sure many appreciate. Cha Cha Real Smooth is a more ambitious follow-up to Shithouse though not as successful. That said, Raiff has a real sweet chemistry with Vanessa Burghardt.
35. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
At least we got one good Pinocchio movie this year!
In the best way, I couldn’t help but laugh at Ewan McGregor voicing a storytelling cricket.
36. Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood
Even though I couldn’t directly relate to the nostalgia that drives Apollo 10½ , Richard Linklater did make me wonder about the equivalents I might’ve had growing up in the era I did.
37. Armageddon Time
Anthony Hopkins is retroactively earning that Oscar he won for The Father a couple years back, but I couldn’t shake how poorly I thought this movie handled Jaylin Webb’s character. From the writing to the lighting, it felt like Webb was done a disservice.
38. Ticket to Paradise
This is not a diss when I say the funniest parts of this movie are in the bloopers. That said, Ticket to Paradise is a by-the-numbers comedy with George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Kaitlyn Dever featuring Billie Lourd as the best friend. In the best way, this movie is what you expect.
39. Hustle
Some truly thrilling training sequences are the highlight of Hustle, which leans on Adam Sandler’s immense acting ability and refrains from having Juancho Hernangomez say too many lines. The basketball in this movie rocks.
Also, Anthony Edwards is awesome as the antagonist. We need to get him out of Minnesota (sorry, T-Wolves fans).
40. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
I’m glad to see that Nicolas Cage is (apparently) in on the joke. In other not so new news, Pedro Pascal has an objectively loveable face.
41. I Want You Back
I’m glad Manny Jacinto got to be hot in a movie this year after he inexplicably was edited out of Top Gun: Maverick.
42. Dog
Few actors could run around with a dog while yelling, “Dog!” the way Channing Tatum does here. He continues to be a criminally underrated and underutilized comedic talent.
43. Fire Island
Oh, this is an absolute riot. Fire Island is a beautiful movie about friendship, found family and the great ways you can adapt Pride & Prejudice.
Tier 4: I Think I Liked It…
44. “Sr.”
A documentary steeped in bittersweet love and admiration, “Sr.” didn’t necessarily inspire me to watch Robert Downey Sr.’s films, but it did provide a fascinating look into his life, his dynamic with Robert Downey Jr. as well as RDJ’s own relationship to hid family.
Part of the journey is the end.
45. White Noise
I really want to love Noah Baumbach’s latest offering, especially considering it has Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig at the center. I’m also willing to bet I’ll love it more once I return to it.
The end-credits sequence is undoubtedly perfect.
46. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
I liked the MCU’s second Doctor Strange movie less the more I thought about it, but it was still enjoyable enough. I didn’t love the way they handled Wanda, but Elizabeth Olsen was phenomenal with what she had to do. I thought it was best when Sam Raimi got to do Raimi things with Wanda.
The music fight is dope, though.
47. Thor: Love and Thunder
I’m not sure this movie ever took itself any sort of seriously, so it’s hard for me to rate Thor: Love and Thunder all that highly. Somehow, though, my eyes teared up at one point, and I can only point to Natalie Portman for that. Christian Bale’s God Butcher was a highlight as well.
48. Rosaline
I’m totally in on the Kaitlyn Dever train. I think her comedic timing is as good as her dramatic chops, and Rosaline makes the most of that ability inside of this breezy, silly take on Romeo & Juliet.
49. Do Revenge
Although Do Revenge can’t fully shake that weird, half-baked Netflixyness that comes from some of the streamer’s original movie offerings, Maya Hawke and Camila Mendes have an allure to them as leading performers.
The soundtrack is great and will only age better as an of-its-time capsule. Sophie Turner makes the cameo of the year in this film as well.
50. Triangle of Sadness
I probably wasn’t in the right mood for this movie when I watched it, but it was fun seeing Dolly De Leon have several “good for her” moments in the film.
51. Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers
I have no idea how Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers was allowed to make all the references it made, but I had a very fun time watching this while hungover one morning during a trip to see some old college friends.
52. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
Al Yankovic knew he didn’t need a biopic, and he found a fitting way to make one anyway. Daniel Radcliffe is a joy to watch in this sometimes too-goofy movie, and I was happy to see Evan Rachel Wood having a good time as a fictionalized rendition of Madonna.
53. Dual
Riley Stearns has one of those styles where you either buy-in and love it or are generally bored with it. I think I liked it better in The Art of Self Defense, but Karen Gillan still holds the movie together even when it falls a little flat.
54. Elvis
Austin Butler is as good as the titular character as any in a musical biopic, but unfortunately, Tom Hanks is just as bad or at least miscast. You either love Baz Luhrmann’s style or you don’t, but for me, this felt like a long trailer.
55. Stars at Noon
Margaret Qualley gives a fascinating performance in Claire Denis’ at-time perplexing drama, Stars at Noon. I’m not entirely sure what this movie is going for in terms of themes and story, but as (for lack of better term) a vibe, this is a solid, sweaty paranoid drama.
56. The Wonder
I’m glad Florence Pugh was proud of one of her movies this year. She has a deadpan power in this period piece that is sometimes a little slow-moving.
57. Not Okay
Mia Isaac does her best to give Not Okay a likable and determined heart and is impressive in her attempt. I hope Zoey Deutch gets to do some better movies soon.
58. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris
It’s fun watching Lesley Manville have a fun time even if this movie is a bit too sweet for its own good.
Tier 5: Movies I Didn’t Actually Like But Just Wanted To Note That I’d Seen Them (Featuring The Occasional Scattered Thought)
59. Deep Water
I honestly have no idea if this movie is good, but I think it is my winner for “Oh, this has jokes?” movie of the year. I’m glad Adrian Lyne’s return to the erotic thriller also gave us a tangible, non-paparazzi time capsule for the relationship between Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas.
60. The Gray Man
Between this and her eight minutes in No Time To Die in 2021, I’m just waiting for Ana de Armas to get her own action flick.
61. Mr. Malcolm’s List
62. Lightyear
63. Bullet Train
64. Babylon
Damien Chazelle somehow made an $80 million tribute to Singin’ in the Rain an unenjoyable experience.
65. Death on the Nile (2022)
At least Emma Mackey was good!
66. Spiderhead
67. Montana Story
68. Don’t Worry Darling
This feels like a movie that you go and see in a theater.
That said, there was a group of four people sitting behind me when I saw Don’t Worry Darling that were legitimately the worst people ever. They left just in time for me to watch the confounding climactic sequence of this movie in some form of peace.
69. The Lost City
70. Breaking
I wish this movie was just John Boyega and Michael K. Williams talking to one another.
71. Amsterdam
A genuine waste of a stacked cast. Amsterdam felt like watching the dress rehearsal for a movie to be filmed later.
72. Catherine Called Birdy
73. Windfall
74. Uncharted
Tom Holland with yet another perfectly OK movie to watch on a long flight.
75. Where the Crawdads Sing
76. Black Adam
77. On the Count of Three
78. Blonde
The only reason I don’t have this at the bottom is because I didn’t finish Meet Cute.
79. Meet Cute
I actually quit on this movie halfway through, guessed what was going to happen and found out I was right.
