My 10 Favorite Movies of 2022
10) THE BLACK PHONE
I think the supernatural elements land in a way that’s not immediately obvious but contain firm connections to the story being told here about victims of abuse. Every step of the way, this movie takes tried and true story beats and gives them a slight nudge toward the creative and the thoughtful. It silently subverts so many expectations and quietly lays the groundwork for a story that blends the supernatural with the natural to tell a human story. You’re not bashed over the head with the allegorical elements here, and you’re not spoon-fed how everything connects, but I think there’s a web of connections, buried in layers, with subtext and subtle nods and remarks here and there. I think this may be a simple story brilliantly told.
Or I’m overthinking everything and it’s actually just a simple story told in an overly complicated, convoluted way for the sake of selling it as a supernatural horror movie from the director of Sinister, based on the short story written by the son of Stephen King. That said, I really think my instincts are right about this one.
Finally, I would be absolutely remiss if I didn’t mention the three main actors in this film. There’s a scene early on that required the kids to be at an emotional boiling point before having a sweet moment together. If those performances weren’t nailed, the whole movie falls apart. What ends up on screen are performances so god damn good that you’re ready to follow these kids to the ends of the earth, as long as they end up happy in the end. And Ethan Hawke is such an incredible performer and craftsman that, not only does he give a properly sinister performance in this, but he also never actually shows his face to the camera — yes, that four-time Oscar nominated face never sees the light of day.
9) NOPE
About halfway through this, I wondered: Does this film gain points or lose points because it’s a Jordan Peele movie? At first, I found within myself that it was hurting this film, because of how much I enjoyed his first two. But I caught myself and pulled my head out my ass — by the end of this, Jordan Peele’s third feature film, I came to terms with the fact that it may be my second favorite UFO movie of all time, whatever that’s worth.
8) GLASS ONION
Please, Rian Johnson, keep these movies coming. I want one every two or three years for the rest of my life. It doesn’t have to be you making them, Rian, as surely you have other projects you’d like to work on, but please at least provide some oversight for whoever takes over the reins in the future. You’ve earned my full trust.
The mystery, the comedy, the characters, the satire, the allegory — I love it all. I want to look back at a catalogue of these movies when I’m older. I guess what I’m getting at is that I want a Knives Out Cinematic Universe.
7) THE FABELMANS
So deftly, this film explores the power that art has over us humans, and how their art affects the artist. By this description, one would think that this teeters on the edge of self-indulgence on Spielberg’s part, but it simply never comes close. It’s subtle. It’s efficient. A master’s hand is at work here, telling his story with brushstrokes so smooth that they’re invisible in the portrait that he’s painting for us.
6) THE MENU
At the risk of falling victim to what this movie is criticizing, I must say I greatly admire when writers make their point as clear as day using a fascinatingly unique set of metaphors while also remembering to have fun along the way.
5) BABYLON
Let me tell you something: I would have been going nuts for this film if it were forty minutes shorter — and believe me, it could have been forty minutes shorter.
I loved the micro: Watching each of these characters make a name for themselves, paving their way through Hollywood, or hanging on for dear life as Hollywood tries to push them away. I loved the macro: Watching as Damien Chazelle built this love letter to the movies while showing its not-so-glamorous underbelly — how the business is handled, and how every human being is handled too.
The scenes on set were some of my favorite scenes of the entire year. It was so satisfying watching the war picture culminate in the filmmakers getting the perfect shot and having the movie come together after a half hour of absolute unadulterated chaos. Later on, it was immediately recognizable and hilarious watching the filmmakers get frustrated by all of the troubles that come with talkies, working with microphones in sound stages with a crew.
Near the end, I was thinking about how much more I loved the parts of this movie, as opposed to the whole. But then, Chazelle did a wonderful job wrapping this up, bringing Manny back to Los Angeles after decades away, watching him as he sees how much things have changed, and how much of his life (and the story of this film) built the foundation for everything he was seeing then and everything that we’re seeing now (including Babylon itself).
4) THE BATMAN
As a David Fincher fanboy, it’s impossible for me to not notice the influence that Se7en and Zodiac had on this film. I loved the approach taken by this first installment of what is sure to be a new series of Batman movies. I hope this tone and strategy toward pacing and storytelling remains consistent past this initial entry — I’d hate to see them fall back on tried and true superhero movie tropes. This film pulls off the three-hour runtime well — like many respectable serial killer murder mysteries, slowly and methodically leading up to a satisfying climax.
Robert Pattinson was good as Batman — his twist on the character is one we haven’t seen in live action. Zoe Kravitz, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell, and Jeffrey Wright were all really engaging as their respective characters. The standout performer of the film, Paul Dano, was magnificent as this novel version of the Riddler. The city of Gotham felt as impressive as I’ve ever seen it on the big screen. The rampant corruption always mentioned in Batman stories felt overwhelmingly present and authentic in this one. The cinematography and direction were a pleasure to witness, and the score was one of my favorites in recent memory.
3) THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
Let Martin McDonagh create characters in a small town and watch them come to life. These are fully fleshed out human beings with problems that range from the mundane to the deeply existential. McDonagh really tapped into his playwriting prowess for this one, and it was a pleasure to watch his drama unfold a silver screen. The pace was slow, but such is life for these characters. McDonagh’s comedy remains unmatched — consistently hilarious without telling a single joke. More than anything, I’m in awe, as usual, of this man’s talent with the pen and pad.
2) THE NORTHMAN
This story of a man’s desperate need for revenge juggles active elements familiar to us all from several Shakespearean tales, with an ending that’s so predictable that it’s satisfying in its inevitability. There is so much blood, so much sweat, and a single tear. There are Vikings whose religions and myths are not seen as figments of the characters’ imaginations but as real parts of life, as tangible as the grass in which they lay.
Robert Eggers has cemented himself as one of the best filmmakers working today with this, his third exceptional major motion picture in a row. This one is his biggest, and quite possibly his best. Only time will tell.
1) PEARL
Look, horror is my favorite genre, but I love genre pictures in general. Part of why I love films like this is because there really are no limits to what the artists can do. No in-story limitations and no filmmaking limitations — everything within reason, and often not within reason, is welcomed and accepted. It’s because of this that Mia Goth was free to give this movie absolutely everything she had within her as a performer. It helps that there was a sick, twisted, but fruitful character study for her to work with.
For what it’s worth, I knew watching this prequel (Pearl ) before its predecessor (X ) would make for an interesting viewing experience of the latter, but I did not expect for X to be spun on its head like a Shyamalan film with the very first utterance of the elderly couple’s names. I saw familiar scenery throughout, but I thought it was all just an interesting artistic choice — I was wrong, and I’m glad that I was. For this reason, I think the optimal viewing order for these two movies is the order in which I watched them: The prequel, Pearl, first, then X.