2022 was quite a year in film. I truly feel like we were spoiled this year with great film after great film. It’s been a very long time since we had a year where I had a very hard time narrowing my best-of-the-year list down to simply just 10. So, with that being said, I decided to go all out and put out 22 films this year that I absolutely loved. So, without further ado, let’s get started on part one of my best movies of the year of our lord 2022. This first part will cover entries #22- #11, check back tomorrow for part two where I will cover #10 -#1.
As far as qualifications, it’s quite simple: if it receives a notable release in 2022, it qualifies. Also, I did not make an article for every film on this list but, I can assure you that I did see every movie that I will be discussing on these lists. I use the Letterboxd to keep track of everything, if you want to see what my thoughts were on any of the films that I’ve discussed here on this list plus others you can follow me there. also, this goes without saying, but everyone’s opinions are obviously different. I might have a movie on this list that you might not care for. I may not have a film on this list that you adored. Expect plenty of Chaotic picks ( especially in this half) but just know that this is completely subjective.
Also, My Honorable Mentions will be listed alongside part 2.
Without further ado, let’s get it on!
22) “Beavis & Butthead Do The Universe”
Remember, when I said that, my list was going to be chaotic? Well, here we are. Ever since the 90s, I’ve had a soft spot for the adorable, moronic duo, various “Beavis and Butthead”. Sure, the shows are incredibly stupid, but Mike Judge never ceases to make me laugh. I also grew up watching “King of the Hill”, and often revisit the classic comedy “Office Space”, a film about quiet quitting.
With “Beavis and Butthead Do The Universe”, I found myself laughing at all of the incredibly juvenile, yet smartly written jokes that the series is well known for. He also does a better job of exploring, the Multiverse, and even Marvel did with “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness“. Sure, it’s an incredibly silly movie and it’s not going to win any conversions by any means necessary but, when it comes to silly and absurd comedy, you could always do far worse. Also, “Beavis and Butthead” is one of those IPs that I can never seem to get tired of.
21) “Bullet Train”
The chaos continues with this incredibly fun action blockbuster. Before 2022. I often wondered if fun movies are just being regulated to CGI superhero slugfests. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy a lot of what both Marvel and DC have had to offer despite the release schedule of the former becoming increasingly egregious. However, in 2022, I found my answer in a couple of films we will be talking about over the course of these two parts. First off, the Brad Pitt-led action spectacular, “Bullet Train”.
Upon the release of the film's trailer, this instantly became my most anticipated of the summer due to the fact that it was going to be two hours of nonstop, unpretentious fun. Unsurprisingly, that’s what I got from “Deadpool 2” and “Atomic Blonde” Director David Leitch. Leitch has made a name for himself in recent years following the success that he and Chad Stilheski had with the 2014 action hit, “John Wick”. He’s clearly demonstrated his ability to make both tense and hard-hitting fight scenes in the underrated “Atomic Blonde” and gleefully ludicrous action sequences such as the entirety of “Hobbs & Shaw”. With bullet train, he continues to bring that same level of fun and chaotic energy that the summer blockbuster landscape desperately needs.
Aside from the film, being graciously over the top, and not taking it Southbury seriously, the cast is what truly elevates this movie. Brad Pitt continues to retain his likable charm, as usual, playing the lead, character ladybug, a hitman who’s gone to therapy. As much as I enjoy seeing Brad Pitt and counter hygiene throughout the film, the supporting cast has even more layers to the film, especially Aaron Taylor Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, and Scorpion himself, Hiroyuki Sanada. perhaps the Mortal Kombat fan in me is a bit biased because I like Sanada, and just about anything but here, he proves himself to be nothing short of a badass and ultimately steals the show for me. The film also has an incredibly kick-ass soundtrack and a gut-busting ludicrous third act. I guess I could call this “elevated junk food cinema“?
20) “Ambulance”
Surprise surprise, a Michael Bay movie has landed on this list. To be quite honest, it’s very well deserved. “Ambulance“ is not only the best movie Michael Bay has done in years, but, also shows him at his arguably most mature. It’s a shame that Universal fumbled the film’s theatrical release because this should’ve been bigger than it was. Also, for a movie that was filmed in an airtight time crunch, it’s actually a miracle to see how well this film turned out.
The cast elevates this film and is ultimately the main reason this movie is on this list. Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II lead with great performances and solid chemistry as the two brothers on a heist gone wrong. Eiza Gonzalez ultimately ends up becoming the heart of the film, however, having the best character arc in the entire film. If it weren’t for its multiple endings or a few of the Micheal Bayisms becoming a bit too egregious, this would’ve been a lot higher on this list.
19) “Black Adam”
My most chaotic pick on this list has arrived. I’m pretty sure that, as of writing this, there are plenty of torches and pitchforks coming my way. Yes, “Black Adam” is dumb. Yes, the plot is generic as hell. Yes, The Rock plays…The Rock. No, I am not sorry for loving this movie. If anything, “Black Adam” is idiotically adorable.
Aside from being campy and unpretentious, “Black Adam” is elevated by its cast. Even though they don’t have too much to do, I enjoy seeing both Noah Cinteneo and Quintessa Swindell as Atom Smasher and Cyclone respectively. Both of them added to the 00s cheesiness that is this film, especially that scene where they give the child sidekick a cape. That shit was kind of wholesome. I really liked Aldis Hodge in the 2020 remake of “Invisible Man” and he’s even better as Hawkman. His charisma and badassery are so strong, you forget that he has the worst lines in the entire movie.
However, the MVP of “Black Adam” is James Bond himself, Pierce Brosnan. Admittedly, I have a bias here because of my undying love for his era of 007 movies. Similar to actors like Idris Elba, Anthony Mackie, & Jenna Ortega (more on her later), including them automatically bumps any movie up for me. Bias aside, Brosnan’s portrayal of Dr. Fate is near perfect: he plays the diplomatic hero with gravitas and finesse that truly elevates this film. Fate is also the best character, approaching the film’s conflict with nuance and actually making efforts to save innocent people in the background. In other words, he’s the kind of hero I wanted Cavill’s Superman to be.
18) “Sonic The Hedgehog 2”
This is probably the most wholesome movie on this massive list. Movies based on video games have come a long way. For the longest, 1995’s “Mortal Kombat”, 2002’s “Resident Evil”, & 2005’s “Silent Hill” were the big 3 in terms of video game movies that didn’t suck. As time has passed, we’ve made some progress, so much so that studios are finally starting to take adapting these games a bit more seriously. All of this started in 2019 with “Detective Pikachu” and continued on with “Sonic” in 2020, & last year’s “Mortal Kombat”. While we still have duds such as 2020’s “Monster Hunter”, the game-to-movie curse is slowly becoming a thing of the past.
“Sonic The Hedgehog 2” manages to do the unthinkable: be both a good video game adaptation and a great sequel. Similar to “Bullet Train” and “Black Adam”, the movie is not afraid to let loose and have fun with itself. This is basically a 90s family adventure movie and I mean that in the best way possible. Speaking of 90s nostalgia, Jim Carrey’s portrayal of Robotnik is once again picture-perfect. If he actually does retire after this, he has definitely gone out on top.
Best of all, “Sonic 2” isn’t just a great video game movie but, a great family film as well. Most kids' movies fall into one of two camps: shamelessly infantilizing (“Chipmunks”, and those goddamn “Minions”) or marketing to 30-year-olds who grew up on older Disney movies. “Sonic 2” feels like a true family film with its themes of brotherhood, growing up, and courage. It’s also a film that shows the adoptive parents of Sonic in a happy and healthy marriage as opposed to most family movies that show the parents constantly on the verge of divorce. That alone is, like “Sonic 2” itself, a breath of fresh air.
17) “X”
Y’all are so lucky I went out of my way to see this movie because “Jackass” almost made this list. In all seriousness though, Ti West had a hell of a year with his two A24 horror hits, “X” and “Pearl”. While I wasn’t too big on “Pearl” at first, I did come around to it more recently. That film was a solid and unsettling character study with an incredible performance from Mia Goth. However, I do slightly prefer “X” over “Pearl” for two reasons: it’s a bit more straightforward and the cast.
Mia Goth is a truly excellent actress and, thanks to Ti West, she finally gets to utilize her potential and display her range. Playing both Maxine and Pearl (in both films), Goth keeps the audience engaged, engrossed, and unsettled. Martin Henderson plays a charming and charismatic film director who despite being a douche, remains likable. Brittany Snow plays your average blonde bombshell, adding plenty of comedy to the film. The two standouts, however, are rapper Kid Cudi and the second coming of Christ herself, Jenna Ortega. Cudi’s Jackson Hole became one of my favorite horror characters this year as a Vietnam veteran turned pornstar. Jenna Ortega literally hit the ground running this year with “Scream” and Netflix’s “Wednesday”. She continues to cement her status as Scream Queen in “X”.
What also elevates “X”, aside from the cast, is the thematic exploration of moral panic, growing old, and religious trauma. For a movie about a group of people going to a farm to film a porno, It’s shockingly complex. Most of the thematic subtext is relegated to the background. Key examples of this include the televangelist blaring in the house as Pearl goes around killing people and the theory that she and Maxine may have suffered some sort of trauma related to religion. Watching “Pearl” has only made this movie even better and I can’t wait until next year to see what Mia Goth and Ti West have in store with “Maxxxine”.
16) “Nope”
This was actually my most anticipated movie of the year based on two things: Jordan Peele and the amount of mystery surrounding this film. Upon my initial viewing, I was a bit let down by the film. Maybe it was inflated expectations or maybe I just didn’t get it. It’s kind of bizarre though, “Nope” was a movie that I really wanted to love but, I just didn’t. Then, time passed and I started to reflect on this film a bit more and, as is the case with “Pearl”, I came around to it. In other words, my 3.5/5 Letterboxd review doesn’t do this film justice.
Jordan Peele forgoes the style he had for his previous efforts, “Us” and “Get Out”, and opts for an homage to the early days of Steven Speilberg. The cast fires on all cylinders. Keke Palmer’s larger-than-life charisma and magnetic energy inject the movie with a ton of life. Daniel Kaluuya plays a very stoic but likable brother to Plamer’s character. I liked Brandon Perea as Angel, a down-on-his-luck electronics store employee who ultimately gets involved in attempting to catch the UFO. It’s also always great to see Michael Wincott in another film. Best known for playing the villainous Top Dollar in “The Crow” (my all-time favorite movie), in “Nope” he plays this movie’s version of Quint from “Jaws”.
As far as the meaning of this film, I was initially underwhelmed and confused. As I reflected on this film, I realized that the film is mostly about spectacle and clout-chasing. Jean Jacket, the villainous UFO, is a symbol of fame and Hollywood itself. I won’t go into too much detail about this because I really want you to see this for yourself but, I will leave you with this: there is a scene involving a monkey that will have you shitting bricks.
15) “Prey”
The “Predator” franchise has been on a massive decline over the past couple of years. I loved the 1987 original starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. While it was a cheesy 80s action vehicle that suddenly shifts into a sci-fi slasher flick but, it felt fresh and new at the time. The quotes and one-liners were also the stuff of legend. I actually liked the 1990 sequel starring Danny Glover. It was campy and goofy but, a fun movie with an interesting concept: putting the predator in the middle of New York City. The other two films (not counting AVP), on the other hand, were far from it. I found “Predators” from 2010 to be absolutely boring and forgettable while the 2018 film, “The Predator”, was flat-out abysmal.
I was a bit skeptical about “Prey” considering how bad the past two “Predator” movies were. However, upon watching this film on Hulu, I was pleasantly surprised with how well this film turned out. Director Dan Trachtenberg takes the iconic hunter and places him in a more intimate environment. As far as the characters go, I really liked Naru a lot. She spends the entire movie trying to prove herself as a capable Commanche warrior and it pays off. The film’s reintroduction to the Predator is both incredible and terrifying, creating stakes for the film’s young protagonist. Amber Midthunder gives a pretty damn good performance as Naru, especially when it comes to the final showdown between herself and the Predator where she ultimately proves to us how much of a badass she has become. If it weren’t for the few but noticeable moments of fan service being crow-barred in, I would’ve had this much higher on my list. Still, “Prey” is an incredible return to form for the “Predator” franchise.
Better yet, the dog survives in this movie.
14) “Elvis”
Another film that grew on me with time, Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis”, is a Baz Luhrmann movie first and a musical biopic second and for that, I love it. I was already burnt out on biopics after both the good but not great “Rocketman” and the flat and mediocre “Bohemian Rhapsody”. “Elvis” on the other hand, brings the right amount of energy and spectacle to the story about the king of Rock and Roll. The overzealous and bombastic energy Luhrmann injects in every frame, the anachronistic soundtrack, and the gleefully chaotic vibes just keep me coming back to this film.
Austin Butler brings the legendary Elvis Pressley to life with a committed and awards-worthy performance. Anyone can be an Elvis impersonator, hell there are plenty of them in Las Vegas but, Butler’s performance is incredibly transcendent. Tom Hanks lays into the campiness with his over-the-top performance as the slimy Colonel Tom Parker. In the opening, when he’s strolling down the halls of a vegas casino in a hospital gown while he’s telling the audience the story from his point of view. Best of all, similar to “Nope”, “Elvis” operates as a cautionary tale about fame and how destructive it can truly be to you and everyone else around you.
13) “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent”
While “Elvis” was a dark and harsh tale about fame, “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is a fun celebration of a famous icon. Some might call “Babylon” a “love letter to cinema” but, “Unbearable Weight” is a love letter to the career of Nicolas Cage. This is the best outcome of post-modern meme culture with Nic Cage at his most Nic Cage yet. There are plenty of references that are weaved in organically as opposed to being thrown in for us to point at the screen as if we’re Leo DiCaprio in “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”. It is unfortunate that audiences did not give this movie a chance but, similar to “Babylon”, a movie celebrating everything Nic Cage is kind of niche. Unlike “Babylon”, I very much enjoyed this film.
This film doesn’t just hinge on Nicolas Cage doing what he does best, it hinges on his chemistry with Pedro Pascal. Pascal’s performance as Nic Cage superfan, Javi, is charming and hilarious. He doesn’t come off as stalkerish or creepy in any way. If anything, the two act as if they’re the best of friends. Whether it’s the ridiculous hijinks that Cage and Pascal have gotten into or the intense car chase finale, I had an overall blast with “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent”.
12) “Barbarian”
2022 has been an excellent year for horror films. From the aforementioned “X” two the return to form for the “Predator” franchise that was “Prey”, horror movies this year have been nothing short of great. However, it’s the more original horror movies that really won this year. We previously discussed Jordan Peele’s homage to “Jaws” with “Nope”, now we have the best unofficial “Resident Evil” movie with “Barbarian”. I wasn’t initially sold on the trailers at first until I went with a buddy of mine to see it on opening night.
I will be brief here because I really want people who experience this film with as little previous knowledge of the plot as possible. I will say that the cast here is great: Georgina Campbell makes for a compelling lead and it’s always great to see Justin Long in a movie. “Barbarian” is a very claustrophobic and atmospheric experience that will bend your expectations. In another set of hands, this film could’ve been a convoluted mess but, in the hands of writer/director Zach Cregger, it makes for a wild and successful swing for the fences. The only reason this film is at #12 and not higher is that I have a personal vendetta against abrupt endings. If you watched “The Sopranos” you would understand.
11) “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
As great of a year for horror movies is 2022 was, comic book movies took a nosedive this year. Between WB going to hell in a hand basket with it’s disastrous merger with Discovery, to Sony’s continued embarrassing attempts to have a universe, Comic Book fatigue might finally be starting up after 15 years. Worst of all, Marvel’s phase 4 continues to limp it’s way across the finish line with only four films and 3 shows that were legitimately good. What doesn’t help this, is their egregious release schedule that refuses to give audiences any breathing room between shows and films. Thankfully, phase 4 came to a close with one of their best films, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”.
Ryan Coogler and the cast and crew were dealt a terrible hand with the untimely passing of Chadwick Boseman. So much so that the script had to be rewritten in a way where they could continue to expand upon the story, pass the torch, and pay tribute to the late legend. Thankfully, they managed to pull it off. The moments where they pay tribute to Chadwick are executed beautifully and feel very genuine. We do not get a talking CGI re-creation of T’Challa but, we get moments that are filled with silence, giving the audience time to mourn the loss of their hero. The film’s mid-credit scene, in particular, calls for a box of tissues.
Paying tribute aside, the rest of the movie works incredibly well. Themes of forgiveness and grief are explored excellently here and its message of nobility is conveyed just about as well as it was last year with “Spider-Man: No Way Home”. Aside from a few moments in the second act, “Wakanda, forever“ stands perfectly on its own. Letitia Wright gives an incredible performance as Shuri, who is no longer the comedic sidekick we saw in the first film, but, a woman who is put through the wringer by the loss of her brother. Franchise newcomer Tenoch Huerta continues Coogler’s winning streak of giving the MCU rock-solid villains as Namor, the iron-fisted leader of Talokan. The main standout, however, is Angela Bassett, who moves the audience with her incredible performance as Queen Ramonda.
The expansion of the story was done so well, it almost feels like the death of T’Challa was part of the plan all along. “Avatar: The Way of Water” may have better use of underwater effects but, “Wakanda Forever” is more moving and has a better, less derivative story. Also, Rihanna’s song on the film’s soundtrack, “Lift Me Up”, is beautifully heartbreaking. Even with all the usual, MCU tropes, “Wakanda Forever” is, along with last year’s “No Way Home”, Marvel at its most earnest.
Check back tomorrow for part 2, where we will cover #10-#1!
Great list man!