Well, 2022 has ended, so it's time to reflect on some of the very best films I've seen from this year. Apologies for being largely inactive over the last few months, as I continue my way through university I only just about have time to watch films, so I generally can't make time to write reviews of them on here, against my best wishes. But, I certainly won't allow my current workload to break tradition, so here are my top 10 favourite films of 2022!
First off, a few honourable mentions:
The Menu - a very fun and well directed watch. Some enjoyable social satire and very entertaining performances from Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy. Perhaps not revolutionary, but certainly solid stuff.
Avatar: The Way of Water - the sequel to a film I'd recently grown to love mostly lived up to my high expectations. Some truly unbelievable visuals on display creating another experience that was just spectacular. A bit too long and overstuffed with underdeveloped plot threads, but sitting down to watch something like this is a treat, being simply mesmerised from start to finish. James Cameron is clearly having the time of his life making it, so I'm excited to see what more he gives us as the saga continues.
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio - a retelling of a classic story that doesn't reinvent the material as much as I was hoping, but such is made up for with some intriguing additions and a thoroughly distinct presentation through the remarkable stop motion animation.
Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical - a delightful adaptation of the sensational stage musical that doesn't lose an ounce of its brilliance. The great acting and terrific songs had me laughing, smiling, and even crying throughout!
Aftersun - a film that manages to say a lot all while doing seemingly very little. While it doesn't take complete advantage of its premise in some areas, all the sentiments it raises are expressed very thoughtfully.
I should also mention that, due to when certain films get released here in the UK, there are some 2022 films that I haven't been able to see which would otherwise have probably made it onto this list, such as Babylon, The Fabelmans, and, most significantly, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. So, if you're wondering why one of them or another film isn't on here, it may well be because of this. Anyway, onto the list!
10. Nope
This was such a mesmerising and unsettling watch, excellently crafted, well acted, and leaving me with plenty of food for thought. I'm
not entirely sure if I enjoyed it as much as some of the listed
honourable mentions, but Nope undoubtedly earns a spot on this list as
it is easily one of the films from this year that I'd be most keen to
rewatch, as not only am I sure I'll enjoy it all over again, but I can also fully imagine walking away from a second viewing having picked up on an array of new details or perhaps with a completely different interpretation altogether. I'm still yet to see Jordan Peele's other directorial outputs, but I'm ever so excited to do so if they're anything like as fascinating as this.
9. RRR
One of the biggest surprises of the year for sure. I hadn't remotely heard of RRR in any capacity at the start of 2022, yet it comfortably sits among my favourite films of this year through just how brilliantly it executes all its wildly varying attributes. A seamlessly blended action-adventure romantic comedy musical that's thrilling, dramatic, charming, feel-good, and just about everything I could want packed into a surprisingly brisk three hours. A highly enjoyable film and definitely one I'd be happy to sit through again.
8. Entergalactic
2022 has been a mostly great year for animation, easily outdoing 2021 in that regard. While studios like Disney and Pixar haven't been up to standard, we've seen plenty of greatness elsewhere, and one of the biggest contributors to such is Netflix. Say what you will about them in other regards, but their animated features this year have just been terrific. From the previously mentioned Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, to My Father's Dragon, The Sea Beast, and so much more, they've just been doing great work at giving a platform to some of the most creative and unique voices in the medium. My favourite of their output in this area this year, however, is Entergalactic, a nice, laid back, down-to-earth watch with some gorgeous, distinct visuals and a story featuring very amiable characters and many resonant themes. It's always a pleasure to see more adult-oriented animation in the mainstream world, and, along with films like The Breadwinner and Flee, this is something I'd love to see more of.
7. The Northman
Robert Eggers is undeniably one of the finest filmmakers currently working and The Northman is just more proof of his immense skill. From its magnificent visuals, epic scope, to its abundance of fascinating thematic material, I absolutely love both sitting through and thinking about this one. It may not always be something I'm in the mood to watch as it is very intense and overwhelming at times, but I think that just indicates how amazingly it does what it does. Eggers has reaffirmed all the reasons why I and so many others have got an eye on him.
6. Top Gun: Maverick
If you told me this time last year that at the end of 2022 I'd be regularly humming / whistling the Top Gun theme music in my day-to-day life, I absolutely wouldn't have believed you. But, alas, here we are. I never would've guessed Top Gun: Maverick to be on the list of my favourite films of the year, let alone this high up. A legacy sequel to a film I'd never seen before seemed like it'd have no chance of appealing to me, but, through the dedication of a filmmaking team determined to deliver a film that's simply as engaging, emotional, and entertaining as possible for all audiences, it easily manged to. What only enhances my liking of it is that, similarly to how I praised Dune last year for delivering a marvellous cinematic experience that demonstrated how much we ought to preserve the viewing of films in cinemas during these uncertain times, the exact same can be said for both this as well as Avatar: The Way of Water from this year, which I'm extremely pleased about. There's nothing quite like going to see a new, exciting, big-screen blockbuster in a cinema, and it's important that we have films like Maverick to remind us of that.
5. The Banshees of Inisherin
Everyone has spoken about how great The Banshees of Inisherin is, and all I can do is add to that discussion. Like many of the afore mentioned films, this addresses so many truly understandable thoughts and sentiments that strongly resonated with me, amounting to a really riveting dramatic watch. I often worry about how I might be a dull person and that my friends may some day just move on from associations with me, so I really understood the central conflict with Colin Farrell's character. It's also nice that the film didn't necessarily side with him but also showed understandable reasons for why Brendan Gleeson's character would want to end their friendship, offering a balanced take on the matter. The excellent performances from these two actors as well as the rest of the cast really enhanced the profundity of the story further. But, most impressively, amid all the drama, this manages to also be one of the funniest films of the year too, and not in the slightest to the detriment of the latter. Martin McDonagh is definitely a talented filmmaker when it comes to these black comedy type films, and this is easily my favourite of his and one that has left me keen to see whatever he has in stall for us next!
4. See How They Run
Probably the most underrated film of the year now that I think about it. I can understand why See How They Run might not have worked for many people, with its derivative style compared to that of Wes Anderson as well as perhaps seeming a bit unremarkable as a modern take on whodunnits when compared to a certain other film higher up on the list. But, for me, I found it so damn irresistable. The self-reflexive spin on this genre with a delightfully satirical tone amplified by a wonderful array of performances, especially from the ever-fabulous Saoirse Ronan showing off her strong comedic chops, made this an easy winner for me. I'm still yet to revisit it after my first viewing but I can safely say that whenever I do I'll be in for another round of clever, jolly good fun.
3. The Batman
It's amazing just how unbeatable The Batman has turned out to be when reflecting on the year; being one of the first 2022 films I saw way back in March, and still one of my favourites. This just speaks to how well it did everything it set out to do - reintroducing this character and world in a way that's so unlike any previous version and, on top of that, just unlike many other films from this year, with some immaculate filmmaking and a truly unforgettable score creating an utterly enthralling atmosphere used to convey a thoroughly thought-provoking story. At a time when I'm slowly getting exhausted by franchises and just want to see more standalone material, it's nice that this just exists as its own thing, and although it seems to be the basis for yet another cinematic universe, I'm content with it existing independently as it currently does.
2. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
I've been so excited to discuss this for ages! I managed to see Glass Onion during its time being shown at the London Film Festival in October and it has stuck on my mind ever since. Making a sequel to a film that completely shattered so much of my prior understanding about films and how they can be put together is certainly no easy task, especially with the large risk of plainly riding off of the momentum of the predecessor without trying anything new. But, Rian Johnson, who has quickly become one of my all-time favourite directors, has managed to do it all over again. Everything about this film retains what made Knives Out so wonderful, but also manages to be just as subversive, unpredictable, and exciting in its own ways. The plot is really clever, the structure is insanely intricate and satisfying, and the new cast of characters are all fun and enjoyable. Plus, it's absolutely hysterical, definitely the funniest film of the year, despite not being an outright comedy. After two viewings, I feel I can comfortably say it doesn't all come together in a synthesis quite as perfect as that of the original film, but it's undoubtedly a worthy follow-up and I will gladly eat up any further entries in this series, whether it be for all the stupendously fun twists and turns they may offer, or just to hear more of Daniel Craig's glorious Southern accent.
1. Everything Everywhere All at Once
Chances are you've heard an awful lot of praise directed towards Everything Everywhere All at Once, and you've probably seen it on or at the top of many other people's lists of the best films of 2022. It's so unanimously lauded that I didn't bother reviewing it back when I first saw it as I felt I'd just be merely reiterating everything that everyone else had said, and I can't say I'm too proud of me now labelling it as my favourite film of the year as it does seem like a generic choice. But, the fact of the matter is, it's a generic choice for very clear reasons, and although you probably already know why, here are my words to explain such. This is undeniably one of the most profound, jaw-dropping, and audacious films I've seen in ages, not feeling conventional or comparable to anything I've seen before in the slightest. It takes such a thorough, unique, and inventive approach to the concepts of the multiverse and parallel realities that it's just unbelievable, putting the many other recent explorations of such to shame. Beyond that, it manages to be fun, hilarious, bonkers, exhilarating, heartfelt, visually stunning, but, above all else, I think it impacted me more than any other film this year. I praised films like The Banshees of Inisherin and Entergalactic for their resonant themes, but neither them nor any other film from this year managed to speak to me the way Everything Everywhere All at Once was able to. Throughout 2022, I've found myself going through phases where I'm plagued by existential dread; sometimes fleeting, other times swallowing me up for days or even weeks. I feel so fortunate therefore that this film, which expertly addresses existentialism and nihilism, came around when it did, providing me with completely honest and accurate articulations of how I felt along with much to help guide me moving forward. Whether in complex ways like somehow deriving compelling drama from rocks with googly eyes, or just in stating something simple about life like "there's always something to love." This is just an extraordinary film in so many ways and, honestly, I've barely scratched the surface of why here. Like most entries on this list, I'm also still yet to revisit this, but I cannot wait to do so when the time comes, as it's not only got a lot of what I love and enjoy, but it's also got a lot of what I think I'll always need, a bizarre form of comfort in a daunting world.
Well, that's it, and what a grand year for cinema this was! Many special films I'll be thinking about and revisiting plenty of times. Plus, this is the first time since COVID began that we've had an entire year of traditionally released films! It finally feels like we can say with complete certainty that we're back to normal, and I really hope things stay the same going forward. Speaking of which, the end of one year is merely the start of another, so here are my most anticipated films of the upcoming year, 2023:
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania - begrudgingly not giving up on Marvel just yet
Scream VI - just got into this franchise and can't wait to see where it goes next
The Super Mario Bros. Movie - genuinely looks like an absolute banger
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 - Marvel's last hope, fingers crossed it delivers
Fast X - I mean, sure, why not?
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - better late than never
Elemental - not even really excited for this but... it's Pixar? Does that mean much anymore?
Inidiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny - somehow still going but I'm absolutely here for it
How Do You Live? - Hayao can't commit to retirement but I'm not complaining
Oppenheimer - Nolan is back with a stacked cast, the excitement is formidable
Barbie - Greta Gerwig is also back with a film that looks... interesting
Dune: Part Two - about damn time to finish what was started
