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Top Ten Films of 2022

2022 was not a great year for movies unfortunately. Yes, it had its fair share of remarkable achievements to offer, but overall way too many big movies failed to connect, which led to a surprising lack of truly great efforts. This is the year when indies and blockbusters weren’t great and the documentaries mostly ended up being disappointing. However, on my top ten list there is one animated feature, one indie, one blockbuster and almost half of the slate consists of foreign fare, which added to some much needed diversity. Horror movies also shined with one representative and more than a couple in the honorable mentions. Without further ado, here are the best movies released in 2022.

10. Close

Coming in at the very end of this list is this Belgian drama directed by Lukas Dhont. Though this can be considered to be a gay coming-of-age narrative, it is in its approach and execution much more complex and ambiguous than that simple categorization. It’s a movie that depicts just how difficult it is for men and boys to display emotions due to societal pressure. It does have an overly tragic second half, but it remained an emotionally powerful, wonderfully acted movie throughout. It’s a great example of the power of ambiguity in storytelling.

9. The Northman

Similar to Mel Gibson’s ‘Apocalypto’ in its brutality and superb action sequences, but also very much Shakespearean in its fatalistic narrative and poetic dialogue, The Northman is another Robert Eggers masterpiece and a further proof that he is one of the best directors we have right now. Although overly violent, the film is to be respected for its staggering attention to detail in recreating this time period  – the costumes, sets, cinematography and editing are all marvelous. It is a truly epic, artistic piece of genre-bending filmmaking that is a further proof of the importance of historical epics in an era when unfortunately they’ve become too sparse.

8. To Leslie

Overall, last year was better for independent cinema. However, one indie film released in 2022 deserves a placement in the top ten and that is To Leslie. A story about a woman who spirals downward only to eventually spring back to normalcy, To Leslie is different from the current cynical age in its very optimistic happy ending that felt truly refreshing. Strong dialogue coupled with an astonishing, layered central performance from Andrea Riseborough made this indie gem a must see and one of the most underrated movies of the year.

7. Prey

Take an already established, venerable series and do something unique with it while still keeping its core elements intact. The result is Prey, a ‘Predator’ prequel that truly reinvented this struggling franchise. The 18^th century time period coupled with a Native American protagonist made for such a fresh angle while the Predator himself is just as ferocious as ever. Evident attention to period detail along with amazingly executed action sequences made for a genre film that truly fired on all cylinders. It’s the only blockbuster that ended up on this list.

6. Speak No Evil

2022 was an incredible year for horror movies and the best one is actually European. Speak No Evil is a Dutch-Danish co-production and it’s one of the most disturbing movies I’ve seen in quite a while. It certainly has an ending that will leave everybody watching terrified. This is what true horror does – depict pure evil in humans and how helpless you can feel in those situations. This is a very complicated movie in terms of its themes and psychology, resulting in many viewers missing the point and message behind it. It’s a great conversation starter and one of the most exciting things that has happened in the thriller/horror genre in quite a while.

5. Tar

Powered by incredible directing from Todd Field and a powerhouse performance from the Cate Blanchett in what is probably her career-best turn, Tar isn’t the best movie of the year, but it is undoubtedly the most important one that will only get better with time. It is a very timely movie that deals with current issues in Hollywood, in particular focusing on the prevailing dangers of cancer culture and the ever growing importance of remembering that art should be always separated from the artist. It is rare these days to get a film from Hollywood that makes a clear statement, which is why Tar should be especially praised for.

4. Hit the Road

The fourth spot on this list belongs to Hit the Road, which is this Iranian take on ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ that is culturally unique and impressively cinematic. Watching this movie you are reminded that cinema is alive and well these days as the cinematography here is masterful, the acting performances are terrific and the soundtrack is fantastic. Panah Panahi is a talent to watch as he directed the movie with such panache that is rarely seen in a debuting director. This is a tragicomedy that goes through a wide variety of emotions during its runtime and it’s one of the most moving and all-encompassing movies released this year.

3. You Won’t Be Alone

There were many excellent foreign movies released in 2022, but my pick for the best one goes to this underseen Macedonian gem from director Goran Stolevski. This is a horror story about witches only on surface, but it is actually so much more than that. What started as a folk horror tale quickly turned into a period drama that offered a universal exploration of life, humanity and love. It is set in a specific time and place, but it transcended that through the sheer universality of its themes and an epic sweep to the story that felt like a true spectacle. It’s pure cinema and the one movie on this list that more people should seek out.

2. Pinocchio

The second best movie of the year, the second best adaptation of this story and (ahem) the second best movie in this director’s opus, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio will undoubtedly be remembered in the decades to come as one of the best animated movies of the 2020s decade. What del Toro did here is truly remarkable as he infused what was already a timeless story with more unique elements, making it entirely his own thing. Mixing Italian fascism with spirituality and even mythology, this version deals with deeper themes, including life and death, examining what it means to be human, the challenges of parenting and the utmost importance of being aware of the passing of time and the inevitability of death. It features an ending that made me cry how moving it was. It’s also an audio-visual marvel. Pinocchio would be the best film of the year had it not been for…

1. The Banshees of Inisherin

And the number one spot goes to another Martin McDonagh’s masterpiece The Banshees of Inisherin. His movie ‘Three Billboards’ ended up on the top of my 2017 top ten list and here history repeats itself as this writer-director emerges as one of the best filmmakers that we have right now. This is essentially a genre-bender – a black comedy that becomes an existential drama all the while containing some horror/thriller elements as well. It’s a tragicomedy as all life is. The story deals with some fascinating themes, especially focusing on the clash between individuality and communal life, conformity and authenticity, and the extremely confining nature of small town life. The film is an audio-visual feast too while it also benefits from incredible acting across the board with Farrell, Gleeson and Condon all delivering top-notch performances. It’s above all else a truly idiosyncratic picture and one of the most original films that we’ve had in years. Thus, Banshees represents the very best that 2022 has to offer.

Honorable Mentions:

The Batman – One of the best superhero movies that we’ve gotten so far, The Batman finally paid homage to the original source material. It is a true neo-noir with strong detective elements and a fantastic atmosphere. It benefits from great characterization too while the cinematography is phenomenal.

Apollo 10 ½ – Apollo 10 ½ is easily the best animated movie that Richard Linklater has directed so far. This is another take on his usual themes, which include growing up and the passage of time. The nostalgic tone to the movie made it immensely endearing and the attention to detail was mesmerizing.

Three Thousand Years of Longing – In an era when fantasy epics are pretty much dead, we have George Miller to thank for actually going and making one on his own. The emphasis on the power of imagination and storytelling is especially important in this era of nihilism and cynicism. This is such a poetic, wonderful genre film that will undoubtedly be appreciated more in the future than it is now.

X – Ti West’s X represents modern slasher in its highest form. This is a film that features an interesting premise superbly executed with a lot of attention to detail, impressive editing techniques and a strong dual performance by Mia Goth. The screenplay is fantastic as the movie incorporates humor as well as horror while consistently being hugely entertaining.

Barbarian – Probably one of the most purely entertaining movies of the year, Barbarian is another example of the sheer dominance of the horror genre in 2022. While it has its flaws, the sheer unpredictability and originality of the plot was admirable and so was the healthy dose of humor that was injected throughout.

Pearl – Pearl acts as a prequel to X that is undeniably much less entertaining and too artsy for its own sake, but the score and cinematography are pleasantly retro while the performance from Mia Goth is incredible. Ti West should be congratulated for making two movies in the same franchise within the spin of a single year and having them both turn out so strong.