My Top 20 Films of 2022
2022 was a great year for cinema. It will truly be remembered as one of the greats of this decade. It is a great year because it managed to give us not only great independent movies, but also revitalizing the blockbuster experience in the post pandemic world. Although I may not have watched as many films as I had wished, I was happy with what I managed to get my hands on. This list is obviously missing many films that I haven’t been able to see, including: Babylon, No Bears, EO, Walk Up, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, Return To Seoul, Close, And many more. Regardless here are the top 20 films I enjoyed from 2022.
#20 After Yang
(dir. Kogonada)
Many Sci-Fi films always opt for bleak and depressing when looking at what the future world will be like. Although After Yang is melancholic at times, it is one of the most beautiful Science Fiction films I have seen in a long time. Kogonada is a gem and I know he has more in him that I cant wait to see in the future
#19 Argentina, 1985
(dir. Santiago Mitre)
I'm usually not a fan of courtroom films because once you've seen one you've basically seen it all. However this was very good and polished. Ricardo Darin really carried the film and you can see why he is considered Argentina's greatest actor. Although somewhat lengthy, the pacing was steady and never left room for slumps in between excitement. Just a solid film overall one that I really enjoyed watching
#18 Aftersun
(dir. Charlotte Wells)
Incredibly well executed. Wells is able to put so much meaning into the mundane. A seemingly intimate retelling of a father/daughter trip to Turkey has hidden some really powerful moments. Mescal and Corio are naturals as they effortlessly sell their perfromances. Not once did I doubt the authenticity on screen. But all of that authenticity could not have been as effective if it weren't for Wells' editing, and how she placed everything together. It is a film that I will probably appreciate even more on a second viewing, especially by knowing the ending. Give this a shot, you wont regret it.
#17 Sick of Myself (Syk pike)
(dir. Kristoffer Borgli)
This was such a fun idea. I loved the way Signe’s thoughts were represented throughout the film. It blurred the line between reality and fiction. Borgli was able to hone in on the mind of a narcissist which sounds infuriating, however he made it so entertaining in so many ways. Give this a shot if you just want to watch something enjoyable
#16 Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
(dir. Guillermo del Toro, & Mark Gustafson)
Gorgeous animation. Del Toro brought this classic tale and made it his own. Nothing felt out of place and it all fit inside this universe that he created. More than anything, it feels like a Del Toro world. It never felt disingenuous or insincere. One of the best animated films this year as you could see the passion that went into creating this work.
#15 RRR (రౌద్రం రణం రుధిరం)
(dir. S. S. Rajamouli)
RRR is an explosion of fun, music, action, dance, and absolutely amazing set pieces. It is a movie that you have come to expect from India yet it is perfected in every way possible. Yes it has some shortcomings but cinema hasn’t been this fun in many years and I hope we can get more of this moving forward.
#14 Top Gun Maverick
(dir Joseph Kosinski)
Caught this late in theaters, almost three months after release, but man was I glad that I watched it on the big screen. When remembering 2022 I will definitely fondly look back on it’s ability to constantly bring me back to theaters. If you would have told me last year that a new Top Gun film would be in my top 20 of the year I would have never believed you. But here we are. This film is high octane action that is full to the brim with fun, fun, and more fun. It is exhilarating, over the top, and entertaining all the way through. This is what we need from cinema. This keeps me hopeful for what is to come
#13 Funny Pages
(dir. Owen Kline)
The debut of the year. If this is Kline’s first attempt, the sky’s the limit for what he can achieve with more support and notoriety.
"Isn't imagination more important than craft?"
"Is form more important than soul?"
Who know the sweatiest and grimiest movie I've seen this year can have such a profound message tucked into it. And yes I did say sweatiest, not sweetest. This movie is grimey, disgusting, sweaty, and crass. But hidden beneath that layer of gunk and filth is a story about a kid that just wants to live out his passion. Its also genuinely funny, heartwarming at times, and downright depressing in others. Its one of the weirdest movies I've seen this year but for some reason I enjoyed it
#12 Broker (브로커)
(dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda)
Koreeda's Broker follows the same theme we've seen in all of his films. A non-conventional look into what it means to be a family. Can a group of broken individuals who arent even related constitute as a family. Broken being the key word here. As broker does talk about a child broker/seller but it also represents the broken nature of each character. Sang-Hyun is a broken father who just wants to write the wrong of the past. Dong-Soo is broken about his past and the decisions his mother made, which led him to the path he has taken. Haejin is broken in the fact that he isnt being adopted and all he wants is to be included in a family. So-Young is broken with all the decisions she has made and whether its possible to take them all back. Even though all these characters are broken one way or another, when together they are able to become whole again. Each filling in the gaps that the other is missing. Koreeda is a master at simplicity and nuance. Never overexplaining anything, just letting things happen as they go. The open ended ending was a surprise to be honest but fits with the films ambiguous nature. It may not be as tightly written as Shoplifters but it is still a great film one that has more than can be noticed. Finally I want to end by saying that IU and Kang Dong-Won were both really good. This is saying alot especially in a film that has Song Kang-Ho in it. They both did incredible and I'm glad they are getting their due credit
#11 Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
(dir. Dean Fleischer Camp)
Comfy, adorable, cute, and heartwarming
What's not to love?
If 2022 will be remembered for its grand blockbusters, then Marcel is the hot chocolate by the fireplace you would go to after all the grandiosity wears out.
#10 The Novelist’s Film (소설가의 영화)
(dir. Hong Sang-soo)
Hong Sang Soo staples:
- A director character
- Food / drinking scene
- Still shot into sudden zoom on character
- Female lead with existential crisis
Hong Sang Soo can do all of the above a million times and I will continously watch it. His movies blur the line between reality and fiction. As was said in the movie "He writes from his real life" which I feel is what Hong does all the time. Its obvious he uses his films as a means to express what he is truly feeling. Also as much as I love his colored movies, his B&W ones really hit different. Never change
#9 The Batman
(dir. Matt Reeves)
Top Gun Maverick being in my top films was surprising enough, but a DC film?! That should have been unfathomable but here we are. The Batman is glorious, it doesn’t hold anything back. No backstory, no overarching connection to a bigger cinematic universe, just plain fun action. The opening alone should lead you to understand why this movie is so great, it was like it was straight out of a horror movie. Pattinson’s Batman feels the closest ever on screen to the actual comics. Batman is moody, confused, and clunky. I was thoroughly surprised by this and I was glad to be. It surpassed all my expectations. I know they are working on a sequel but I hope this success does not push Reeves into the wrong direction
#8 Bones and All
(dir. Luca Guadagnino)
The music, the cinematography, and the editing are all amazing. The topic is weird and strange but it works. Rylance's character was incredibly well done, one of the best original characters of the year. My palms were sweating throughout and I didn’t know why. Was it from the beautiful score? The disgusting scenes? The tension? I'm still not sure. All I know is that this struck a chord. I'm not sure which chord. Probably like the weirdest chord, an F# Major or something.
#7 TÁR
(dir. Todd Field)
TÁR is easily the greatest character study of 2022. While many will feel TÁR is simply a film about cancel culture it is so much more. It dives into the mind of a character that is as interesting and intriguing as Lydia Tar. Field manages to flesh out her character so much in the opening interview scene better than many can do in an entire runtime. Couple that writing with Blanchett’s incredible performance and you have a recipe for success.
#6 The Banshees of Inisherin
(dir. Martin McDonagh)
My heart ached the entire time I watched this. The allegory of this crumbling friendship is clear with Ireland’s history. Although it is a powerful message, the surface level story really broke me. Especially with the powerful performances by Gleeson and Farrell. McDonagh cleverly showcases Ireland’s beautiful landscapes without having it take away from the main focus which is the story. The more I think of this movie the better it grows in my mind. I wouldn’t be surprised if years down the line this kept going up in my rankings for 2022
#5 The Northman
(dir. Robert Eggers)
Eggers is an absolute master at his craft. After The Lighthouse I thought this guy would never be able to make anything up to that level again. Though I still prefer The Lighthouse over this, it is still an incredible cinematic experience, one that I will not soon forget.
The attention to detail is stunning. Never did I feel like I was not in this brutal viking world. Eggers delved deep in research on these people and it shows from the end product. I love how many aspects of viking lifestyle/traditions/habits..etc are never spoonfed to the audience. They just happen, and it never felt out of place.
The visuals are stunning. Skarsgård, Anya, Claes, Dafoe, Kidman, Bjork, and everyone else completely sold their roles as well. The story weaves perfectly and I never felt like I missed anything or that something was out of place. It flowed logically and gave off this grandiose feel. I really enjoyed this film and I can't say enough good things about it. Go watch it and experience true cinema
#4 Nope
(dir. Jordan Peele)
This was awesome. Jordan is back after a slump with Us. I thought Get Out may have been a one hit wonder but I'm glad to be proven wrong. Nope is a masterclass in tension and buildup. The film seamlessly and effortlessly weaves in just the right amount of tension to always keep you on the edge of your seat. The mystery kept being mysterious even after the revelation of the "enemy". The final sequence was honestly incredible, everything about it was *chef's kiss* perfect. Keke's performance deserves all the awards, I dont care what anyone says, she was amazing. I know she may not get any but she really deserves them. I just really really enjoyed this movie. It is an original film. A novel idea, one that executes what it sets out to do flawlessly. Honestly 2022 has blessed us with so many great movies and I think we are all taking it for granted. Thank you Jordan Peele for contributing to keeping theaters alive
#3 Mad God
(dir. Phil Tippett)
I'm speechless
Talk about a labour of love. Mad God oozes passion. Its creative. Its disgusting. But most of all its ambitious
The lighting is out of this world. The sound design, and everything else in between is top notch. With a movie with basically zero lines of dialogue, it manages to engross you so easily into this dark and twister world. I have yet to see a stop motion film like this and I probably never will. It took him 30 years to make but I'm pretty sure it was well worth it since the results were absolutely phenomenal
#2 Everything Everywhere All At Once
(dir. Daniel Scheinert, & Daniel Kwan)
How can one talk about everything a second time? It seems counter intuitive. Since I already talked about this movie that talks about everything and everywhere. So how can I talk about it again?!
I'll tell you how. Experiencing everything again is exactly what I needed to put the film into perspective. The first time I watched this I was awake for over 20 hours after a 12 hour shift. I was fighting sleep as I had to switch from day shift to night shift, and I was watching this as a way to keep me awake. It did keep me awake and I loved it, yet I was more intrigued with the concept rather than what the concept actually meant. At the heart of this is a story about a mother and a daughter.
The first time you watch this movie you are confused. Why is he biting lip balm? Why does she have hotdog fingers? Why a bagel? The film goes at break neck speed that you cant really linger onto those questions for a long time as you will miss out on 50 more questions to ponder. Yet experiencing it for a second time lets you look past all those questions and focus on the meat (or bagel) of it all. This crazy adventure is just telling us about this concept that we all already know but never think about. Life is just a bunch of fleeting moments that we cling onto. Yet its these moments that matter so much. Even if we are stuck with boring jobs, eventless nights, or even difficult times. We should just grab onto them and cherish them for what its worth. It seems way too philosophical a topic for a film in which Googly Eyes were a major plot point. But thats the brilliance of cinema. It enables a film about a chinese mother venturing into the multiverse to touch the hearts of millions of people around the world. If thats not brilliance I dont know what is
#1 Decision To Leave (헤어질 결심)
(dir. Park Chan-Wook)
I had to watch this again just to confirm my suspicion that this was the best thing I saw this year, and I was right. The initial viewing caught me off guard in a big way. Going into a Park Chan Wook film, I expected violence, gore, shock, sex, and much more. What I got was his most tame movie. What I didnt expect however is to be absolutely destroyed emotionally. My first viewing was that of confusion. As I was watching I thought to myself "is this Park's memories of murder?". It turned out to be his "In the Mood for Love" which wasn't what I was expecting
Regardless, even after the confusing first viewing I fell in love, but knew that I really needed to watch it again. Months went by and I've seen many films from 2022, yet this is the one I keep thinking of over and over again.
The mountain and the sea. Its all there. The allegory was staring us right in our faces, literally. As Seo Rae's wallpaper even mimics the sea with waves but as you get closer glimpses you may confuse the waves for mountain peaks. It is the ultimate theme of this movie, one that I cant go much into without spoiling it. The ending especially, which was one of the most devastating things to watch in recent memory. A love so complex and destructive that it is the only way it could have thrived.
This film is also the best directed movie of the year. Park goes all in on his style and it works out flawlessly. From the genius editing to the clever use of camera angles and integrating technology into his shots. It was a joy to watch and made me excited for what is to come next. The more I think about this movie the more I fall in love with it. It may be my favorite of his, but Oldboy still holds a special place in my heart.
What I do know however is that this is the movie of the year for me. It is bold, subtle, colorful, subdued, romantic, and heartbreaking all at once. It is the encompassment of years of refinement that you could see culminating on screen. As Park gives a film that is worthy of a seasoned veteran. He is truly a legend and one that needs to be remembered forever
