2022 was a fantastic year for cinema. There were so many incredible movies released last year that it was difficult to keep this list to just 10 entries, so I added a bunch of honourable mentions too! Also, I know that I’m almost 4 months late to this, but with the Oscars airing recently, I thought this was as good of a time as any.
A quick disclaimer before we jump in! This list is completely subjective. If I don’t mention a movie that you liked, please feel free to mention it down below along with your own lists so we can compare and discuss! With that being said, here we go…
Honourable Mentions
Scream (2022) – After the passing of legendary filmmaker Wes Craven, the Scream franchise was put on pause. That was until the directors of Ready or Not decided to have a crack at the series in 2022. With a cast of charming new characters, returning favourites, tension and meta humour, Scream 2022 reminds us why the franchise is one of horror’s most beloved.
Jackass Forever – Sometimes we want to switch off and watch something that makes us happy. A bunch of idiotic friends doing dumb things all to make us laugh. Why would you not enjoy this? The funniest (and at times the hardest) movie of 2022 to watch.
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande – To be honest, I wasn’t very intrigued by the premise of this movie but decided to give it a go anyway. We follow Nancy, a retired school teacher, who hires a sex worker named Leo Grande. Primarily set in one location, this film explores someone’s regret about growing old without experiencing simple pleasure. Very funny at times and very well acted throughout. If you were on the fence about watching this movie (like I was) I implore you to give it a chance.
X – ‘It’s a slasher where the main group films porn.’ After reading that, would you believe me if I said that X was one of 2022’s stand-out horror films? Yep, I can’t believe it either. What sets X apart from its contemporaries is the level of care Ti West put into this story. Just like Leo Grande, X features a running commentary about the horror of living your entire life with regret and not living up to what you wanted to be.
Till – Danielle Deadwyler delivered a masterful performance as Maime Till-Mobley, mother of Emmett Till, in a movie that details the true story of her unrelenting pursuit of justice for the brutal killing of her 14-year-old son. While this movie can be difficult to watch at times, it’s also a very important watch.
Hustle – Cliché sports movie about an underdog who needs to make it and a likeable trainer (played by Adam Sandler) who we want to root for. It sounds like I’m insulting Hustle, but the simplicity of the movie is what makes it work.
10. Emergency
When three college students embark on a legendary night filled with partying, drugs and alcohol, everything comes to an abrupt stop when they discover a girl passed out drunk in their living room.
I can’t believe Emergency cracked into my top 10. Every so often, I stumble across a movie that sticks with me and Emergency was one of those movies. Watching these three kids try to save this girl, all the while trying to avoid calling the police is much funnier than it sounds. They understand that calling the police is the right thing to do, but they also know the reality of what doing so could mean for them.
9. She Said
The true story of how two reporters, working for The New York Times, uncovered an ever-widening tale of sexual abuse and cover-ups by Miramax (Harvey Weinstein’s production company) and help launch the MeToo movement.
Very much like Spotlight, She Said explores a corrupt world that seems normal on the outside, but has a very dark and scary interior. As our reporters get further and further into this web of cover-ups, we, as an audience, are continuously shocked at how easily everything we’re seeing was hidden.
8. RRR
The fictional story of how two revolutionary freedom fighters from India fought against their oppressors, with the power of friendship, to liberate their home. A 3-hour epic filled with over-the-top action, heart-breaking flashbacks and one of the best bromances ever put in a film. The closest thing we will get to a real-life anime. This was also a big coming-out party for Tollywood in the West. When talking about the film industry in India, everyone automatically thinks of Bollywood, but RRR showed everyone that there is more to the Indian film industry than just Bollywood.
7. The Menu
The Menu was one of the most surprising films of 2022 for me. I was very excited to watch it after seeing it on Letterboxd but did not expect it to be this good. Not only is it shocking at times, but it is also gut-bursting hilarious with its satirical breakdown of each member present at the restaurant.
6. The Batman
It was a 10 am showing and I had a brand new PS5 waiting for me to be unboxed. No wonder I didn’t enjoy this movie that much at first! It wasn’t until two weeks later, when I was finally able to rewatch it, that I realised how good The Batman actually was (and it had only gotten better). No other Batman film has managed to capture the grittiness of Gotham quite like ‘The Batman’ did and speaking of The Caped Crusader, I now understand this version of Batman. While my first watch left me disappointed with Pattinson’s portrayal, my second watch opened my eyes to the story Matt Reeves is trying to tell here. He isn’t a hero, he’s out for vengeance. It isn’t until the very end of the movie that he realises what he needs to be in order to help Gotham. Gotham doesn’t need Vengeance, it needs hope. Brilliant. Also, the Cinematography is breathtaking, the score is fierce and the acting is just stellar. Does anything else need to be said? Just go watch it! Hopefully, we can get Scarecrow in the second movie. Maybe? PLEASE?!
5. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Rian Johnson is back with the much-anticipated sequel to his incredible 2019 whodunnit thriller, Knives Out. While Glass Onion doesn’t quite match the quality of the first in my opinion, it retains that special vibrancy that made the original so iconic. it’s still a very good mystery crafted with the same level of care and passion that the first had.
4. Pearl
What’s more shocking than X turning out to be an excellent movie? Probably the fact that we got the prequel just a few months later. You know that feeling that you get when you think something is not right about a certain situation? That’s the feeling you have throughout the runtime of this movie. A fascinating and horrifying character study about a girl who wants more from her life, but is trapped in a situation that continuously holds her back. Mia Goth was my favourite performance of 2022 and deserved SO much more recognition for this. She’s able to so eloquently depict this unhinged girl who suppresses all her urges in order to give off this good-girl persona. As the film goes on, you slowly see that persona peel away until she finally breaks. It also features the most terrifying closing credits I’ve ever seen in my entire life.
3. Cha Cha Real Smooth
Andrew, a recent college graduate with no real direction in life, moves back home and befriends a woman named Domino and her daughter, Lola. I’m genuinely surprised that this movie isn’t featured in a lot more top 10 lists simply because of how relatable it is. Do you know that weird time that comes after college life but before full-time work? That time when everyone around you is moving on with their lives, but you’re still trying to figure out what you want to do with yours? Cha Cha Real Smooth expertly shows that with an incredible amount of heart. If you want to feel something, give this one a watch.
2. Top Gun: Maverick
Do you know how everyone was raving about Top Gun Maverick being a generation-defining action movie? I was not one of those people. I hadn’t seen the original and didn’t understand the hype surrounding the new one. The only thing that piqued my interest was seeing how excited my Dad was as he rarely, if ever, gets excited about new movie releases. So we went on Father’s Day and yeah… This movie is a generation-defining action movie. I don’t think I had a better theatre experience all year. It blew me away, from start to finish. The story is just a simple ‘against all odds’ mission, but what sets it apart is that they filmed REAL FLIGHT SEQUENCES. Whenever our characters are flying on screen, they are really flying! This made the action so much more exhilarating, tense and breathtaking. I’m so glad I watched this in the theatre.
1. Everything Everywhere All at Once
The moment I was done watching Everything Everywhere, I said it would be my number one at the end of the year. Well, here we are and it still maintains its spot at the top of the table. Michelle Yeoh already has some fantastic films under her belt, but she has been on a roll lately and this might be her best work yet. Combine that was Ke Huy Quan’s powerful return to acting and Stephanie Hsu’s breakout performance and you have a trio of magnificence. Just in case you’re one of the few people who still haven’t seen this, I won’t explain what it’s about because it needs to be experienced with as little knowledge of the plot as possible.
Cool dude