When I make this list, I’m not trying to actively showcase what I think the 50 best films of 2022 are. After all, it’s impossible to have seen every movie to come out in any given year, maybe the finest piece of cinema is some cheap movie that only a few people know even exists and in some small country premiering in a family’s living room. Who knows? And the idea of trying to put out a list that attempts to say what are definitively the best movies of any year is inherently kind of ridiculous.
What I try to do when putting together this list, is that I take a look at all the films I enjoyed this year, and see which ones can affirmatively answer one of two questions. First, did I enjoy it so much that I can see myself watching it again and again? And two, did something about this film resonate with me on a deep level or stayed with me long after seeing the film? And that is why these movies made it onto this list today. 2022 was not as a downer of a year as some of the past couple, but it has been pretty wild, and I think that is reflected in the collection of films I put together for you.
Just so you’re aware, try as I may, there are some movies I have not gotten around to, lots of docs especially. I wanted to get this out in time for the Oscars, so I had to put a hard stop. I also have some honorable mentions, some movies that almost made the list include: X, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Girl Picture, The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, Turning Red, Wendell & Wild, The Sadness, Laal Singh Chaddha, The Black Phone, The Cursed, All That Breathes, and Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers.
Alright, now with that out of the way, let’s get to the list (in alphabetical order):
A Love Song
Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!
Where To Watch: VOD
Whenever a character actor gets to have a lead role, I am always excited, and I was not let down by the wonderful and subtle and deeply human work from Dale Dickey and Wes Studi in this small yet achingly gorgeous film.
After Yang
Review: N/A Trailer: Click Here!
Where To Watch: Home Media, VOD
Kogonada’s patience and sense of place in relation to character is so deeply felt and brings a unique spin on a sci-fi conceit that manages to bring something new to the table, and it hasn’t left my mind since seeing it.
Ambulance
Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!
Where To Watch: Home Media, Prime Video, VOD
Bay’s bombast at its most exhilarating. A relentless and thoroughly fun and inventive chase thriller that manages to be Bay’s most mature work to date while also serving as a love letter to late era Tony Scott.
Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood
Review: N/A Trailer: Click Here!
Where To Watch: Netflix
The kind of film that will make you wish you were still a young child listening to stories of what your parents or grandparents did when they were your age. Nostalgic filmmaking at its most thoughtful and creative.
Avatar: The Way Of Water
Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!
Where To Watch: Check your local listings.
A masterclass in blockbuster filmmaking and a technical marvel from one of the very best to ever do it. What else can you say? Cameron knows exactly what he’s doing, never doubt him.
Babylon
Review: Click here! Trailer: Click Here!
Where To Watch: Home Media, Paramount+, VOD
Any art that inspires extreme reactions on both the positive and negative is worth exploring, and Babylon is a feast for the senses, a love letter to film and a hate letter to the business and exploitation that often creates the art we love.
Barbarian
Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!
Where To Watch: HBO Max, VOD
Just a delightfully wacky little horror film, one that plays with your expectations, not only on plot, but on tropes, character, and the very actors we are watching. Horror movies should be more playful like this.
Beavis And Butt-Head Do The Universe
Review: N/A Trailer: Click Here!
Where To Watch: Paramount+, VOD
Despite being so of their era, Beavis and Butthead have proven to be a timeless comic duo, and this most recent outing from their legendary creator, Mike Judge, and his various collaborators, is a very hilarious adventure.
Bones And All
Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!
Where To Watch: Home Media, VOD
A beautifully rendered story of young love, of misfits, of misadventure, and the horrors that lurk underneath America’s quaint small towns and beautiful vistas. My favorite Guadagnino film by far.
Confess, Fletch
Review: N/A Trailer: Click Here!
Where To Watch: Home Media, VOD
I could watch a hundred sequels to this with more mysteries featuring Jon Hamm’s instantly iconic take on Gregory Mcdonald’s character, and I would guarantee you, I would never get tired of it.
Crimes Of The Future
Review: N/A Trailer: Click Here!
Where To Watch: Home Media, Hulu, VOD
David Cronenberg hasn’t lost his touch, and in fact, I would dare say he has gotten more interesting as he has gotten older, and this is some of his finest work in years.
Decision To Leave
Review: N/A Trailer: Click Here!
Where To Watch: Home Media, Mubi, VOD
Even mid-tier Park Chan-wook is leagues above the rest. An intriguing Hitchcockian romantic thriller that pulls you through intense and weird twists and turns, and it is incredibly thrilling to see a master at work.
Definition Please
Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!
Where To Watch: Netflix
Sibling rivalry and familial understanding come ahead in Sujata Day’s funny and lived-in directorial debut. A comedy that is willing to get real and weird. A high point for desi filmmaking in 2022.
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness
Review: Click Here! Trailer: Click Here!
Where To Watch: Home Media, Disney+, VOD
Sam Raimi shows everyone how it’s done. Features some of the most dynamic and engaging filmmaking in the MCU to date, and with enough of Raimi’s dark and twisted sensibilities to make for a memorable cinematic experience. Let’s hope he comes back with another one soon.