Favorite Movies of 2022

Growing up, one of my favorite weekly traditions was movie night. Every Friday, my family would gather in the living room and watch a movie together. It began with video rentals from our local Blockbuster, then migrated to DVD rentals through the mail, and eventually streaming services. Even with these weekly screenings, there were hundreds of noteworthy films I had yet to see. My parents would routinely reference famous quotes, scenes, and movies, leaving me in the dark.

During my freshman year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I decided enough was enough: it was time to start catching up on movies. I began asking friends and family members for recommendations, perusing WatchMojo rankings, and reading “best-of” lists. My watchlist started to grow. A few months later, the pandemic hit… this was my opportunity, and I watched dozens upon dozens of films that summer. Nearly three years later, I consider myself a cinephile. Throughout 2022, I watched over 200 movies, including about 40 new releases. Here are my top 5 films of the year:

5. Top Gun: Maverick

Top Gun (1986) may not be the greatest movie of all time, but nobody can question its iconic status. When Paramount first announced the release of a sequel, there was doubt amongst the film community. Tentative excitement, sure, but doubt. Would the second installment be able to live up to the original? Was it even worth making a sequel? In retrospect, the simple answer is yes. Absolutely. In the wake of the pandemic, Top Gun: Maverick was the return to theaters that the world desperately needed. Joseph Kosinski’s film harkened back to the days of enormous summer blockbusters, earning over $1.488 billion.

The film did an excellent job of imitating the original, while also weaving a new story. As expected, the film centers around Tom Cruise’s Maverick but also introduces compelling younger characters like Rooster (Miles Teller) and Hangman (Glen Powell). While my dad might disagree, I enjoyed the second installment even more than the first.

4. The Batman

After two decades of superhero movies, the rotating cycle of comic book characters can be overwhelming. The box office has been flooded with a lot of heroes, and a lot of bad heroes at that. For me, however, Batman is a rung above the rest. Whether it’s Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy or Tim Burton’s distinctively gothic interpretation, the caped crusader almost always delivers. The same was true for Matt Reeves’ The Batman, a gritty crime thriller, more akin to the work of David Fincher than the Batman comics of the 1960s.

With a dynamic cast including Robert Pattinson, Paul Dano, Zoë Kravitz, and more, as well as a unique take on the Batman character, the film surpassed my expectations. While The Dark Knight (2008) will likely never be supplanted as my favorite Batman flick, The Batman easily cemented itself among my favorites. I look forward to the second installment of Reeves’ take on the caped crusader.

3. The Fabelmans

My first two entries have been popular box office hits. The Fabelmans, however, was not. Despite being directed by a little-known filmmaker named Steven Spielberg (ever heard of him?), the drama only made about $25 million. Twenty years ago, this movie would’ve raked in cash; the state of movie theaters and the film industry could constitute an entire blog of its own. But this movie couldn’t have been made 20 years ago, as it’s a loose autobiography.

From a certain point of view, this movie could be viewed in a negative light. After all, it’s essentially Spielberg explaining how he became such an amazing director. “Wow, look at me, I’m the greatest American film director of the past fifty years!” But the thing is, he is. He has that right, he’s earned it. And I found his story captivating, even if it is slightly narcissistic.

2. Everything Everywhere All at Once

I’m sure you expected to see this one: 2022’s darling “indie” film (even though it’s technically not). Some people would have you believe it is better than The Godfather (1972); allow me to go out on a limb here… it’s not. But it is very good, and nobody saw it coming. A24’s Everything Everywhere All at Once took audiences by storm in the spring of 2022. Many countries weren’t even able to watch the movie until May, over two months after its initial release. Nobody expected it to be such a hit.

I recently watched a YouTube video that described the film as a “sci-fi, kung fu, action, comedy, existential, family drama.” A delightfully unique movie, Everything Everywhere All at Once blew me away with its originality. Paired with outstanding performances from Michele Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Jamie Lee Curtis, this interdimensional feature isn’t going away anytime soon.

1. TÁR

Two words: Lydia Tár. Did I think this Berlin Philharmonic conductor was a real person? Yes… yes, I did. She is not. Do you know who is though? Cate Blanchett. And, wow, her performance is incredible. This movie certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It begins with a 20-minute New Yorker interview, before diving into the full 157-minute runtime. Despite its length, I was captivated by the film. Blanchett is outstanding as the titular conductor, whose life quickly unravels throughout the movie.

After careful consideration, I find TÁR interestingly similar to Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 film, There Will Be Blood. While the latter centers on Daniel Plainview, a vicious oil prospector during the turn of the century, the main characters have a lot in common. Daniel Day-Lewis’ Daniel Plainview and Cate Blanchett’s Lydia Tár both command and even demand the audience’s attention. While viewers may not like either antihero, there is no denying the greatness of these two performances and their respective films.