by Josh Sewell
When it comes to the world of film, 2022 turned out to be the year of the slow burn. There was a diverse range of stories, genres and tones designed to satisfy and challenge movie lovers of all stripes. However (for me, at least), there were only a handful that immediately struck me as great. Others snuck up on me, slowly working their way into my head and living there much longer than I expected. Some titles on this year’s list earned a spot as soon as they ended. In the case of others, no one is more surprised to find them included than me. With all the disclaimers out of the way, here are my picks for the Top 10 films of 2022, along with 10 honorable mentions.
10. The Woman King
Viola Davis is one of the most inherently watchable actresses in the business. I’ve yet to see her give a bad performance, even if the movie around her is less-than-stellar. That doesn’t apply in the case of director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s rousing adventure, which was inspired by true events. It’s a treat to watch Davis play a formidable action hero in her mid-50s, and the rest of the flick is just as compelling. The battle sequences are exciting, the characters are complex (especially those played by Lashana Lynch and Thuso Mbedu) and, although plenty of dramatic liberties are taken, it sheds light on little-known aspects of history.
This quiet dramedy about a repressed widow (Emma Thompson) seeking the companionship of a kindhearted sex worker (Daryl McCormack) eschews awards-hungry overacting and glamorized sexuality for a much more realistic look at a middle-aged woman finally deciding to take control of her desires. Thompson’s performance is incredibly brave (a clichéd adjective, but it applies here), and it’s matched by equally captivating work from relative newcomer McCormack. Most of the film is simply the two characters talking in a hotel room, but the actors keep it intimate and riveting.
7. The Banshees of Inisherin
Writer-director Martin McDonagh reunites with his In Bruges stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in this darkly comic and deeply sad tale of two longtime pals who find themselves at a crossroads when one abruptly decides the friendship is over. Farrell is great at playing well-meaning screw ups, so he’s in his element; but there’s an added layer of pathos to his work here that might just win him the Oscar for Best Actor. There are also excellent supporting performances from Kerry Condon as Ferrell’s long-suffering sister and Barry Keoghan as the town oddball.
6. Tár
Although its methodical pacing and a focus on the cutthroat orchestra world means filmmaker Todd Field’s latest isn’t for all tastes, the character study/pitch-black comedy features a powerhouse performance from Cate Blanchett that will probably earn her a third Oscar. It’s practically a new genre in every act, with a final scene that had me laughing in disbelief.
4. Top Gun: Maverick
Considering I wasn’t a fan of the original Top Gun and never believed the oft-delayed sequel would happen, I’m stunned at how much I love this exhilarating, nostalgia-tinged flick. I’m not alone, considering it’s still the highest grossing movie of the year – by far. After a string of (admittedly excellent) action-heavy Mission: Impossible sequels, Tom Cruise reminds viewers what a terrific actor he can be with the right material, and his scenes with Miles Teller and Val Kilmer had me brushing away a few tears. The final act has so many cheer-worthy moments that I left the theater exhausted, but ready to immediately watch it again.
3. RRR
The year’s biggest surprise, hands down. This blockbuster epic from India, about two of the country’s real-life freedom fighters reimagined as Marvel-style superheroes (played by the ridiculously charismatic Ram Charan and N.T. Ramo Rao Jr.), became an instant cult hit when it opened in the U.S. back in the spring. Word of mouth has only grown since then, turning into genuine Oscar buzz. My jaw dropped during the first few scenes and I don’t think it closed again for the next three hours. I can almost guarantee you’ve never seen anything like this action/melodrama/buddy comedy/romcom/musical hybrid.
2. The Fabelmans
Collaborating once more with legendary playwright Tony Kushner, the great Steven Spielberg invites viewers into a semi-autobiographical version of his own childhood, from the moment he falls in love with movies until he graduates high school, while his parents’ marriage disintegrates along the way. Gabriel LaBelle (who plays the teenage Sammy Fabelman) is poised to become a breakout star, while veteran actors Michelle Williams, Paul Dano and Seth Rogen deliver some of the best work of their careers. The film also features one of the most perfect final shots I’ve ever seen. It’s a gloriously meta moment that pulls viewers out of the movie right at the last second, which is both heartwarming and gutsy.
1. Everything Everywhere All at Once
Several movies were obsessed with the idea of a multiverse in 2022, but this funny, sweet, oddball saga of a Chinese immigrant family (Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu and James Hong) tasked with saving the world while also being audited was the one that took full creative advantage of the concept. I can’t even imagine the brain-melting narrative work that went into the film, written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (collectively known as Daniels). If you’d told me at the beginning of 2022 that Jamie Lee Curtis would play a terrifying villain, or that googly-eyed rocks who silently communicate via subtitles would make me cry, I would’ve said you were crazy. “EEAAO” proved me wrong.
Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order):
When it comes to the world of film, 2022 turned out to be the year of the slow burn. There was a diverse range of stories, genres and tones designed to satisfy and challenge movie lovers of all stripes. However (for me, at least), there were only a handful that immediately struck me as great. Others snuck up on me, slowly working their way into my head and living there much longer than I expected. Some titles on this year’s list earned a spot as soon as they ended. In the case of others, no one is more surprised to find them included than me. With all the disclaimers out of the way, here are my picks for the Top 10 films of 2022, along with 10 honorable mentions.
10. The Woman King
9. Thirteen Lives
Ron Howard’s harrowing drama about the real-life rescue of a Thai boys’ soccer team trapped in a cave by rising floodwaters might be one of the most admirable career recoveries in cinema history. I can’t believe the same guy who directed 2020’s appalling hagiography Hillbilly Elegy was also responsible for this stellar Paul Greengrass-style docudrama. Strengthened by workmanlike performances from Viggo Mortensen, Joel Edgerton and Colin Farrell (in one of his four astonishing movies this year), as well as intense cinematography and editing, I don’t remember taking a breath for two-and-a-half hours.
8. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
8. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
7. The Banshees of Inisherin
6. Tár
5. Glass Onion
Although I still like Knives Out a tad more, Rian Johnson’s latest mystery with southern-fried detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) comes pretty darn close to matching the charm and creativity of the original. The all-star cast (including Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Dave Bautista and Leslie Odom Jr.) clearly relishes playing a bunch of slimeballs and the whodunit at the center of the plot is full of fun misdirection. I’d be happy with Johnson making one of these every few years – it’s obvious Craig loves playing Blanc way more than James Bond.
4. Top Gun: Maverick
3. RRR
2. The Fabelmans
1. Everything Everywhere All at Once
Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order):
Babylon
Barbarian
Causeway
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Jackass Forever
KIMI
A Man Called Otto
Nope
Return to Seoul
Women Talking
Reach out to Josh Sewell on Twitter @IAmJoshSewell
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