Simon the Cinephile: My Favorite Movies of 2022

Photo Courtesy of IMBD

I enjoy movies. Always have and always will. They’re exciting, emotional, and offer an escape from regular, everyday life. Movies often tell important stories or convey important messages about the world around us and the people who inhabit it. Storytelling, of which movies are a form, has been around since we first started communicating with one another. It’s foundational to who we are, which is why I think movies are so valuable. They’re storytelling at its best.

Before I talk about my top 10, let’s talk about some other notable films of 2022…

I was mostly disappointed with superhero movies this year. The Thor and Dr. Strange entries into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) were letdowns. However, I did enjoy The Batman in which Robert Pattinson is, fine, but Paul Dano, Zoe Kravitz, and Collin Farrell are fantastic. I also had fun with Wakanda Forever and the introduction of Tenoch Huerta’s Namor into the MCU.

Movies like Cha Cha Real Smooth, Kimi, Bodies Bodies Bodies, and Vengeance offered interesting, sometimes funny, and surely thought-provoking social commentary.

As did Knives Out: Glass Onion, in addition to proving an adult movie franchise can be built outside of the action or horror genres, or a “fandom”.

RRR, an Indian film, is over the top but an epic nonetheless. Elvis was lively, engaging, and while not an exhaustive (or even totally true?) Elvis story, finds an interesting perspective. Hustle, an Adam Sandler drama about recruiting a foreign basketball talent to the NBA, was a good sports movie that had a significant role for my favorite NBA player, Anthony Edwards. And Turning Red, a story about growing up and family dynamics was my favorite animated film of the year.

Prey, which is a movie from Hulu that I really enjoyed was bumped from my list at the last minute due to a late entry into the top 10. I had never seen any movie from the Predator franchise before seeing this film. It works well on its own, and it’s a prequel, so don’t feel like you need to see the other movies before starting this one up. I watched the original afterwards, and preferred the prequel. If you’re looking for an entertaining action flick, this is a very good one!

I didn't know what to do with Marcel The Shell With Shoes On. It's a fantastic mockumentary about the Youtube sensation by the same name. It's cute, charming, genuinely hilarious at times, and had me with a smile on my face or a tear in my eye throughout. I absolutely loved it. Some places say its a 2022 release but others say it's 2021. If it were clearly a 2022 movie it would certainly be in my top 10.

Here’s a ranked list of all the movies released in 2022 that I watched.

I also want to mention a few older movies I saw for the first time this year. Apocalypse Now, a movie about the ravages of the Vietnam War, became one of my favorite movies ever this year. I also really enjoyed classics like Eyes Wide Shut, Heat, and Alien for the first time.

Let’s get to my 10 favorite movies of 2022.

10. Avatar: The Way of Water

I saw it in IMAX 3D. The visuals lived up to the high expectations I had for them, they are truly unlike anything I've seen. The characters, creatures, and environment feel almost tangible, it's incredibly immersive. There are moments when the spectacular nature of the visuals comes apart a bit. A blurry spot, or noticeable rendering, but for the vast majority of the movie I was blown away by how it looked. That said, I do wonder how it’ll play on the tv in my movie room.

The story is solid and the writing is fine, those are certainly the weak points of the film. I enjoyed a number of the characters but there were so many that we didn’t get to spend much time with any one individual. The things that I think are most important to the film are its strengths. Pandora, and the world-building James Cameron has done, is intricate, imaginative, and inspiring. The action is awesome, there are multiple moments in the third act, easily my favorite hour of the movie, that made my jaw drop.

It was a very good time at the movie theater!

9. The Northman

This film plays out as a Viking myth about family, revenge, and the brutality of the era. It’s beautifully shot and I am a big fan of Alexander Skarsgard, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Nicole Kidman in this.

It’s really not much deeper than that. It’s violent, its got testosterone-raising action, and has moments that are incredibly fascinating and engaging.

8. The Woman King

A lot has been said about the historical accuracy of this movie, but frankly, I think that’s unimportant. Whether it’s accurate or not doesn’t really matter so long as people understand that going in.

It’s a unique and powerful story about empowerment and sisterhood set in Africa during the slave trade, and one tribe’s grappling with whether or not to participate. Viola Davis and Thuso Mbedu perform very well, as does John Boyega, but Lashana Lynch was the stand-out for me. Every time she was on screen I was enamored. I found myself wanting to follow her around more as the story progressed. She is a fantastic performer and I’d like to see her in more stuff, hopefully in a leading role.

The Woman King is a very good film that entertains and uplifts.

7. TÁR

This is one of those movies that will get endless praise during awards season but most people won’t see. It’s great, though I think general audiences would find it boring, maybe I’m not giving people enough credit…

TÁR is about a fictional classical composer named Lydia Tár. I mention the fictional piece because apparently some viewers were under the impression that she was a real person. I see that as an indication of the quality of the film. It feels incredibly real. The story, the characters, the situations they're in, what they say to themselves and one another all feels authentic. This is because the writing, acting, directing and editing is spectacular. All led by Cate Blanchett’s magnificent performance as Tár. I would be shocked if she didn’t win the Oscar.

I’ve seen a lot of conversation saying this movie is about cancel culture, and while there are elements of that in the story, I don’t think that’s the point. I think this film is about how we have all these little worlds inside of our culture/society, like the world of classical music/composing, and in each of those worlds there are people who have power. This story is about Lydia Tár, her power, how she uses it, and how it affects her and those around her.

It’s long, and it can be slow at times, but I found it gripping, thought-provoking, and incredibly well done.

6. The Fablemans

During The Fablemans I asked myself, “why am I enjoying this so much?” On its face, it’s an unexciting story about Steven Spielberg’s upbringing, his parents' fraught relationship, and his passion for films from an early age. It was all of those things, except for unexciting, and it was also heartfelt and grounded. The Fablemans conveys deep messages about family, art, obsession, and stardom that I really appreciated and enjoyed.

This is one of many movies about movies made this year. Directors, based on their filmmaking choices and their comments in the media, seem to be reflecting a ton on the history film and the movie industry. The Fablemans is one example of three on this list. I think they are doing this reflection because they are pessimistic about the future of film.

5. Banshees of Inisherin

Banshees of Inisherin is about two friends in Ireland set during the tail end of the Irish Civil War in 1923. One of the friends decides that he no longer wants to be friends anymore, to the others' surprise and confusion.

This movie is obviously about friendship, but deeper than that it’s about purpose, legacy, our fear of leaving nothing behind, and whether any of that is more important than just being nice. It’s very beautifully done, both visually and narratively, and the performances are fantastic. Not only are Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson great, but Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan are as well. Not to mention the dog and the donkey. It’s funny, witty, and outlandish at times.

The return of the In Bruges trio I was waiting for!

4. Top Gun: Maverick

The reason Top Gun: Maverick is so high on my list is because it’s straightforward, entertaining, and fun. The appeal of this movie is simple: don’t think too hard, enjoy beautiful people compete with one another, develop camaraderie, and fly awesomely fast fighter jets.

It’s exactly what you would hope for from a summer action film starring Tom Cruise.

3. Babylon

Babylon is a massive, coke-fueled ride about movies, the industry making them, and the people that industry chews up and spits out.

It’s, in part, a period piece about Hollywood during the transition from silent films to “talkies”. While it is a movie set in the 20s and 30s it really plays fast and loose with the rules and conventions of period pieces in terms of fidelity to the era. This movie is more focused on the people and the industry than it is on historical accuracy.

While it is long, over 3 hours, its fast pace and phenomenal performances keep it fun and engaging. As do the large set pieces, the soundtrack, and the grandiosity of it all.

There were many fascinating scenes. The big set pieces are obviously fun, even awe-inspiring, but calmer scenes that dig into the characters feelings and motivations make the messages in this movie really hit home.

It's simultaneously a love and a hate letter to film and the film industry.

Babylon has a lot of cocaine and tits but I promise you it's deeper than that.

2. Nope

While it’s not my number 1 movie for 2022 it may grow to be. The more I think about it, and the more I watch it, the more enamored by it I become.

Peele clearly loves the movies. There are nods to filmmaking throughout. The family’s connection to the black jockey film, and the film industry generally. The clear influence of filmmakers like Spielberg on Nope. And of course, the Sidney Poutier movie posters, The Scorpion King hoodie, the role of the cinematographer.

Nope, though, is primarily a critique of Hollywood (and our culture in general). Most importantly of our obsession with spectacle, the lengths we will go to capture it, and the trauma going to those lengths often causes.

Nope's powerful and poignant critique of our culture's obsession with spectacle is wrapped up in a big-budget, blockbuster horror movie about a black family and a UFO. The actors, the cinematography, and the twist are all incredible. I thoroughly enjoyed this film, it's one of my favorites ever.

I have a feeling that as I continue to watch this, and my #1 movie for 2022 over the years, Nope may take over the top spot. But for now…

1. Everything Everywhere All At Once (EEAAO)

This movie blew my socks off. Thankfully, as I entered the theater, I had no idea what to expect. When it began I was very skeptical. Thrown immediately into the downtrodden, IRS-burdened life of an older Asian-American woman who owns a laundromat with her family, I thought, “oh man, is this bout to be a slow, monotonous, tear-jerker?” While the last part held true, the rest of the movie was unexpected, to say the least. EEAAO is unlike anything I’ve seen before. It’s sci-fi, it’s drama, it’s comedy. It’s truly unique and wonderful.

Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ke Huy Quan, and Stephanie Hsu all give incredible performances, which may earn each of them Oscar nominations. The editing, pacing, and action are all remarkable. The story, which is simultaneously absurd and grounded, is fun and action-packed, but is also deeply moving and heartfelt.

I’ve never had such a mind-blowing experience at a movie theater.

Those are my favorite movies released in 2022. If you haven’t seen some of these, you should change that. If you want to see my whole 2022 film list check it out here on Letterboxd.