The Top Ten Of 2022 (So Far!)
It’s no secret that I’ve been watching a metric ton of movies this year, so I wanted to do a round-up of the best ten I’ve seen so far. I’m not limiting it to just ones that have been released in 2022, because I think that would make me miss a couple of true gems I’ve gotten to watch this calendar year. So here are my favorites, in no particular order.
Everything Everywhere All At Once
I cannot stop telling people to watch this movie. Michelle Yeoh is a force to be reckoned with, and it’s easily one of the most unique films I’ve ever seen. I laughed, I sobbed and I’m not sure a movie has flown by as quickly as this one did for me in quite some time. It took me by surprise, and it’s absolutely one of my top 25.
The Verdict: 4.5/5
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Maybe it’s just due to its location on Apple TV+, but I feel like no one was talking about this Shakespeare adaptation. I heard mixed reviews afterwards, and a lot of the critiques were valid. I just couldn’t think of any issues while it was on my screen. It was incredibly striking, with a stark set really putting focus on each performer. My only wish for it was that I had been able to see it on the stage.
The Verdict: 4.5/5
The Tender Bar
As someone who definitely wrote this movie off at first, I will now absolutely advocate for The Tender Bar. I’m not always the biggest Ben Affleck fan, and yet I was utterly charmed by him. There isn’t any true action or even too much drama, so don’t expect to be on the edge of your seat. It’s a fascinating small window into a life that drew me in really quickly.
The Verdict: 4/5
Ron’s Gone Wrong
One of my all time favorite animated films is Big Hero 6, and Ron is the spiritual successor to my beloved Baymax. I cringed at the awkwardness occasionally, but it was mostly endearing and a lot of fun. I worry the pandemic hid this away, because this would be such a fun movie to watch with the whole family.
The Verdict: 4/5
Belfast
Full disclosure: I absolutely adore Kenneth Branagh, so that bias is extremely present and I have no shame. As someone who doesn’t know too much about The Troubles beyond that they exist and were a conflict between Catholics and Protestants, this was a fascinating - and devastating - look into very recent history.
The Verdict: 4/5
The Harder They Fall
I don’t remember who told me to check this movie out but I think I owe them a basket of cookies. Holy crap. This cast is incredible, the soundtrack absolutely kills it and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a movie like this. I’m not usually a fan of westerns, but I am so bummed that The Power of the Dog got so much hype and this didn’t, especially considering its phenomenal Black cast.
The Verdict: 4/5
Cyrano
I swear when I see movies like this that someone is opening my brain and pulling them out of my dreams. It’s a historical drama. It’s a musical. It stars Peter Dinklage. It’s an adaptation. It’s everything I wanted. I low-key ugly cried throughout the last third of the film and I have zero shame about it. I swooned; I sobbed; I loved it.
The Verdict: 4.5/5
Top Gun: Maverick
If you had told me even two weeks ago that I’d be putting the Top Gun sequel on a top ten list of my recent watches, I would have cracked up. And yet, here I am. I wrote a full review on it, but I was insanely impressed. Tom Cruise is truly a movie star, and he helped steer this film in exactly the right direction. It knew what it needed to be and didn’t try to be more. I wish more movies did that.
The Verdict: 4/5
The Fallout
I’m actually not sure if I know a single person who has seen this movie. It quietly dropped on HBO Max, and given recent events, I’m hesitant to recommend it. The Fallout is about the aftermath of a school shooting. There’s no glamorizing of drama or exploitative gore. It is, however, a sadly real look on what I can only imagine is the mental state of students who had to live through it.
The Verdict: 4/5
The Lost City
Joining the camp of “they understood the assignment” with Maverick and to lighten up the end of this list is The Lost City. It’s silly. It’s ridiculous. It’s got a small Brad Pitt part that pretty much shot to the top of my favorite’s list of his performance. Not to ignore the lead cast, but another welcome and delightful surprise? Daniel Radcliffe. It’s worth watching just for that.
The Verdict: 3.75/5
What are your favorite movies of the year? Let me know in the comments if I missed any of your top ten.