The 22 Best Movies of 2022 -Part 1

We came back to the movies in 2022! At least that’s what the narrative seems to be. For most of us, 2022 was the year we came back from COVID, readjusted to social situations and gatherings with a particular fervour after two years of restrictions and cautions. And movies were one of the big institutions to welcome us. 2022 was a big year for movies, and not in the way that other recent years have been. In addition to so many good films from humbler regions, there were multiple really noteworthy success stories at the box office -ones that genuinely breathed a sense of optimism back into the film industry. Top Gun: Maverick was a smash success, beaten at the end-of-year worldwide box office only by Avatar: The Way of Water -both films that technically belong to franchises but stand alone as independent visions that reject several mores of the current Hollywood mainstream. They are blockbusters of a very refreshing kind that advocate a level of ingenuity and ambition not seen on such a scale in years. Those same creative values are also found in the great indie hit of the year, Everything Everywhere All at Once -which might as well be one of the years’ top grossers given how much and how highly it has been talked about ever since it premiered at South by Southwest back in March.

All of these contribute to the movie landscape here at the start of 2023 looking a lot more hopeful -even while most of the same Hollywood problems persist, the self-implosion of Warner Bros among them. But that studio did at least churn out the best superhero movie of the year before that happened -and on the topic it has been nice to note that despite each of the Marvel movies this year being major box office earners (at least two of them in the years’ top ten), they seem to have taken up less cultural oxygen this year; and diminishing critical and audience appraisal seems to speak to at long last some genuine fatigue. It’s resulting in the formula supposedly being reconsidered for the future. If the machine can’t be stopped, perhaps it can at least adapt.

It was a good year for horror, a good year for animation, a good year for indies, and a good year for epics. I’ve seen a round hundred movies from 2022 at the time of writing, and I could possibly compile a top fifty -there were that many good ones. But I’ll resign myself for efficiency’s sake with the Top 22 of 2022, adding one more from my rankings last year. Even with all of that there are still movies I have missed or that have not come to me yet -as is annually the case. And I expect at least a couple from that collection including Women Talking, Return to Seoul, Living, Empire of Light, and EO will disrupt this list and make it outdated once I’ve seen them. But there isn’t much I can do about that.

Naturally before proceeding to the list, here are a selection of honourable mentions: Bones and All (written by David Kajganich, directed by Luca Guadagnino), Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (written by Dean Fleischer Camp, Jenny Slate, and Nick Paley, directed by Dean Fleischer Camp), Triangle of Sadness (written and directed by Ruben Östlund), The Wonder (written by Emma Donoghue, Sebastián Lelio, and Alice Birch, directed by Sebastián Lelio), Turning Red (written by Julia Cho and Domee Shi, directed by Domee Shi), Pearl (written by Ti West and Mia Goth, directed by Ti West), Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (written by Katy Brand, directed by Sophie Hyde), Moonage Daydream (written and directed by Brett Morgen), God’s Creatures (written by Shane Crowley, directed by Saela Davis and Anna Rose Holmer), and of course Night of the Coconut (written by Michael Curran and Jake Torpey, directed by Patrick Willems)!
 
22. The Passengers of the Night -written by Mikhaël Hers, Maude Ameline, and Mariette Désert, directed by Mikhaël Hers

This little French indie flew under pretty much everyone’s radars but mine -hitting in just the right sweet spot for me that a naturalistic coming-of-age family drama I had no expectations for can do. There’s an earnest poignancy pervading this movie about a single mother, her two children, and the homeless girl they take in set against the backdrop of early 1980s Paris. Each of the characters and their stories feels singularly real and compelling as they deal with personal trauma, romantic challenges, health challenges, self-worth, addiction, and loneliness. The atmosphere of the piece is coolly nostalgic in the radiant images of the night radio station or the family apartment -aesthetic artifacts of a different time that immerse you more than any style or cultural reference. And the performances, especially from Charlotte Gainsbourg and Noée Abita, are absolutely endearing. A part of me is sentimental about The Passengers of the Night because I got to see it through a beloved local arthouse theatre that shuttered a few months later. This movie’s poster is one of the last mementos I have of it, and it represents exactly the value in keeping such spaces alive.

The Passengers of the Night is available to rent from iTunes.
 
21. Babylon -written and directed by Damien Chazelle

I had an inkling I would like this movie from the tenor of the negative reviews it got, and while I wasn’t fully on board with some of its’ broad choices and notable script deficiencies, I feel I understood exactly what it was going for and found it succeeded in that regard more often than failed. It’s also just a thrilling time at the movies, seeped in a manic energy and unhinged decadence so rare to see in a movie of its’ financial and creative scale anymore (and due to its’ box office receipts, we’ll probably never see again). But past the elephant shit and cocaine orgies and creepy Tobey Maguire, is a movie about the everlasting but contradictory duality of Hollywood as an institution -a love letter and an indictment in equal measure. The farce and the romance come together in Diego Calva as the man who sees both -the movie asking you to understand how the art and chaos can be reconciled. It is a vivacious movie as it makes such provocations, charting the end of an era with a respectful though crucially not a blind pathos. A thrilling film.

Babylon is currently in wide release.
 
20. Glass Onion -written and directed by Rian Johnson

This might seem a bit low for what was one of the most fun movie experiences of the year for me. That’s mostly because I still find it a touch repetitive and missing the emotional tether of Knives Out. Nonetheless it is still a fantastic sequel that is a joy to watch and re-watch, full of clever plotting, scathing satire, and exhilarating performances -particularly from Daniel Craig whose Benoit Blanc continues to be one of the most enjoyable movie characters in recent memory; and Edward Norton, delivering one of his best showcases as a dimwit billionaire not so subtly inspired by a real-life analogue who is also the victim of his own hype. Of the three movies this year that take aim at the wealthy elite, this one is quietly the most potent, and comes with one of the most electrifyingly subversive climaxes in recent memory. It makes for a decent enough mystery too, if it’s not so concerned with that as it is with the comedy -the one region where the movie undoubtedly outdoes its’ predecessor. The sense of enthusiasm from everyone making it translates palpably, and it fully deserved the box office success Netflix prevented it from attaining.

Glass Onion is available to stream on Netflix.
 
19. Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood -written and directed by Richard Linklater

Is there a filmmaker who has a better memory than Richard Linklater? Certainly few have translated it so directly. In a year when several directors mined their own biographies for movies, Richard Linklater’s Apollo 10½ stands as the most richly detailed and the most vividly articulated. A big part of that is owing to the boundless vision of its’ animation, a sophisticated form of rotoscoping that successfully recreates 1960s Houston and the environment of growing up in such close proximity to NASA at the height of the space race. More than that it allows the film to seamlessly blend a kind of docudrama catalogue of everyday life, experience, and observation for Linklater’s ten-year-old alter ego with the fantasy of a child getting to go to space. Narrated with aplomb by Jack Black, who recalls with charming nostalgia both the real and imaginary as equally valid, the movie understands the power of a child’s mindset better than most. And it has so much fun articulating his perspective. Rotoscope animation is still a relatively untapped art form and I would hope that between things like this movie and Amazon’s excellent series Undone, more folks are encouraged to invest in it.

Apollo 10 ½ is available to stream on Netflix.
 
18. Avatar: The Way of Water -written by James Cameron, Rick Jaffa, and Amanda Silver, directed by James Cameron

Just a few years ago I would have been shocked to see this movie make my year-end ‘Best’ list. And even now it’s a bit of a surprise as I remain not particularly enthused about the thin story beats and uninteresting creative choices that dot Avatar: The Way of Water. But it can’t be denied the triumph of vision that this movie is. Say what you will about its’ plotting, but the technical craft is unparalleled, the scope is dazzling, and the thematic core so much stronger than its’ 2009 predecessor. Artificial though it may be, Cameron has succeeded in making his world immensely rich and versatile. And attached to it is a passionate no-holds-barred denouncement of military colonialism and resource depletion that stings with an efficacy not found in so many other movies that aspire to a similar message. Cameron has perfected the structure of the crowd-pleaser without compromising to the technical or tonal requirements of so many of his blockbuster peers, and that makes it thrilling to see this movie soar so highly where a lot of people, myself included, at one time expected it to fall flat. But never bet against James Cameron.

Avatar: The Way of Water is currently in wide release.
 
17. The Northman -written by Sjón and Robert Eggers, directed by Robert Eggers

Though not as stylishly freaky as his previous two movies, Robert Eggers’ The Northman was a welcome dose of gritty adrenaline in the early part of the year that managed to thread the needle between its’ epic mythic roots as the Nordic legend that inspired Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and a piece of grounded historical realism deeply detailed with authenticity to the most minute fibre. But it’s impressive on more than just its’ period reenactment; the storytelling is grandiose enough to convey the gravity of its’ epic journey, the performances pitched to a scale to match. And the writing, as is typical with Eggers, adopts a voice and vernacular appropriate to its’ context -making the movie feel positively like a Beowulf-calibre text. Alexander Skarsgård doesn’t get enough credit for his performance here, a raw and wild turn yes, with plenty of slovenly shouting -but with a genuine level of depth to find as he grapples with a lust for revenge. Claes Bang, Nicole Kidman, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Ethan Hawke are likewise fantastic -Kidman especially with her standout scene that throws the story’s sense of heroic justice into flux. It’s a subversive movie that challenges as much as depicts classical notions of masculine honour. Maybe the best Viking movie in a generation.

The Northman is available to stream on Crave.
 
16. RRR -written and directed by S.S. Rajamouli

It took a second watch to bump this international juggernaut up to this space on the list. Once I finally did see RRR in its’ original Telugu and had a chance to sit with its’ action scenes more, I came to a better understanding of just how sensational this movie is. Nothing else that came out in 2022 was so, for lack of a batter word, extra. Extreme high-octane action sequences are matched in scope and energy by extraordinarily elaborate musical numbers -including “Naatu Naatu” which I’ll be genuinely disappointed if it doesn’t win Best Song, and an earnest intensity to the friendship that underlines the story. Perhaps most of all is the sheer venom it has for its’ villains and the consequent joy in their  astounding defeat. Not even James Cameron’s hatred of hypothetical space colonialism can match S.S. Rajamouli’s gleeful loathing of real-world British colonialism. Rajamouli ingrains the film with ecstatic style, his visual techniques as amped up for the sake of spectacle as it is possible to be -his film, like its’ stars N.T. Rama Rau Jr. and Ram Charan simply oozing charisma from every pore. As I said before, it proves the U.S. film industry could stand to learn a lot from India.

RRR is available to stream on Netflix dubbed into Hindi, and on ZEE5 in Telugu.
 
15. Broker -written and directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda

While I’ll admit Kore-eda is a soft spot for me in recent years there is something particularly moving and special about his Korean cinema debut that follows a pair of ‘brokers’ stealing unwanted infants to sell to prospective parents. It has such a beautiful soul in its’ tender affection for children, young mothers, and found families -its’ central unit is not unlike that of Shoplifters, and strikes a similar chord of resonating empathy where one might not think to expect. The movie cares deeply about child welfare in an openly political sense, its’ greatest stakes centring on this baby left behind by a mother ill-equipped to raise him being passed on to loving parents -even by those who stand to make a profit off it. Hints of tragedy or trauma colour each of the major characters’ stories, related perfectly through a cast who well embody these dimensions. Of especial note is Lee Ji-eun, as the conflicted mother, but one can’t ignore star Song Kang-ho delivering a performance riddled with both absurdity and a touch of poignancy. Broker is certainly one of Kore-eda’s harsher films thematically, but it’s still characterized by a sweet warmth, an unassuming air, and a resonant melancholy -each of which are drawn to captivating effect like no one else can master.

Broker is not yet available to rent or stream.
 
14. Nope -written and directed by Jordan Peele

It’s going to be a sad day when Jordan Peele eventually fails to deliver, but as of yet he is still the undisputed king of modern horror. And while Nope doesn’t reside as fully in that genre as Get Out or Us, it is still a testament to his stunningly assured craft and captivating creative impulses. A wholly unique and thrilling spin on the flying saucer movie, Nope is a sharply thought-provoking comment and indictment on the nature of spectacle, our voyeuristic fascination with enigma, and the inherent exploitation of the camera in capturing these things. It is a movie that implicates both its’ audience and itself in what amounts to a psychological study of how we respond to chaos. I still think about Steven Yeun’s disturbing character, consciously milking a childhood trauma for fame and success. Some find the Gordy subplot too disjointed from the rest of the movies’ priorities, but it is in fact vital to the point Peele is getting across. Astride all this, the movie is just a fantastic old-school blockbuster in the vein of classic Spielberg –daring and original, funny and exciting, and still with that creeping mood that Peele so smoothly elicits. You love to see it!

Nope is available to rent from iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and YouTube.
 
13. The Batman -written by Matt Reeves and Peter Craig, directed by Matt Reeves

Much as I may bemoan the continued stranglehold of superhero mass culture, once in a while a single film will break through the hegemony and demonstrate what a superhero movie can be given the right vision. The Batman was that movie this year, a smart, solitary examination of the character unlike any that has been seen on film in decades. With a sharp, film noir-by-way-of-David Fincher aesthetic courtesy of director Matt Reeves, and relevant allusions to the class and political structure of Gotham, it is a deeply fascinating and thrilling re-contextualization of that comic book world that rests in a tonal medium of stylized and realism. Perhaps most importantly is its’ conscientious approach to Batman’s psychology, methods, and influence -a rebuttal to how the character often seems to stand in pop culture and a brilliant means to explore the effects of righteous violence on extremism. This is a movie very substantially interested in reflecting the social-political context it was made in. Robert Pattinson offers a refreshing reclusive new take on the billionaire hero, while Zoe Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Paul Dano and John Turturro delight in supporting roles. One of the few wholly fulfilling superhero flicks of the last couple years, The Batman earns its’ definite article.

The Batman is available to stream on Crave.
 
12. All Quiet on the Western Front -written by Edward Berger, Ian Stokell, and Lesley Paterson, directed by Edward Berger

It can be difficult to make war movies in this day and age that convey new insights, reveal new layers to highly documented world conflicts and the experience of being caught up in them. Maybe an innovative technique can be applied, as in 1917, or a thrilling structural device, as in Dunkirk, both to aid in the immersion; but fundamentally nothing profound or different in regards to the story of war is gleaned. Edward Berger’s refreshing new adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front is perhaps the first war movie since Saving Private Ryan to challenge the narrative, presenting the story of the First World War from the devastating point of view of the nation that lost it. The film portrays with cogent horror the unyielding chaos, makes no concessions regarding its’ brutal trauma through harrowing intense sequences that violently dispel any shred of romantic heroism, and corrects the record on Germany’s sole vilification -this was a war in which there were no morally just sides. And yet it revels in the humanity of its’ soldiers as both Felix Kammerer and Albrecht Schuch embody with vigor and soul the tragedy of their characters’ fate. The movie ends with a gut-punch greater than any this year, a harsh and solemn note that drives home the point with a grave sense of lamentation as powerful as any of this genre’s most profound works.

All Quiet on the Western Front is available to stream on Netflix.
 
11. Pinocchio -written by Guillermo del Toro and Patrick McHale, directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson

There is something breathtaking to behold in any shot of Guillermo del Toro’s long-awaited Pinocchio, a movie that makes a pretty good argument for the definitive version of the story, even against the Disney animated classic that inspired its’ creation. Certainly it can be read as a response to that film, espousing the importance of questioning authority and pervasive systems while the earlier interpretation staunchly warned of retribution for straying out of line. It is filled to the brim with del Toro’s characteristic empathy for outcast figures within a structure bent on suppression. His Pinocchio is set in 1930s fascist Italy and he makes brilliant use of that authoritarian atmosphere to highlight Pinocchio’s virtues and to condemn those tenets that live on in too many modern political landscapes. But the most inspired and moving facet of his stop-motion beauty is its’ interest in death and grief -which it addresses with a maturity still palatable to children, and that ultimately finds a spirit of hope, even joy in our mortality. On top of all this it is one of the most exquisite works of stop-motion animation, its’ characters so intricately defined in their features, its’ environments so impressively crafted. The joy of the hand-made form is reflected everywhere -quite often the movie is funny and inventive too. But it is also cinematic poetry like only del Toro can produce.

Pinocchio is available to stream on Netflix.

To be continued tomorrow with the Top Ten of the Year!

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