My Top 10 From 2022

It’s unlikely I’m going to see another new release until the double whammy of Barbie and Oppenheimer later this week (which I’ll be seeing on opening night in that order, and then reviewing here). So to fill the gap, let’s chat about my top ten movies from last year!

I love making lists. Some of that might have to be my early adulthood coinciding with the heyday of the online listicle, flooding me with links to Buzzfeed and imbuing me with a love of Cracked.com. And sure, there are fair criticisms of the practice of comparing pieces of art, of the idea that the goal is to be “better” (whatever that means) rather than meaningful and impactful and capturing Truth in its own right. But for me, lists provide a framework that forces me to organize my thoughts. I must be able to examine its impact on me: how it made me feel, what thoughts it prompted, how well it stuck with me, etc. I need to think about the technical aspects, the acting, the writing. How well does it all come together? So for me, there is value.

I didn’t get to see as many new releases last year as I’d liked: only 39. For simplicity, I go by Letterboxd release date, which is often the first time it’s released to the public in any form, be it at a festival or in limited release or in another country. For example, almost no one had the chance to see the horror-comedy M3gan until early 2023, but it shows up on Letterboxd as a 2022 movie because its premier was one night in LA in early December. On the flip side, I attended the New Hampshire Film Festival in 2022, so some movies which still haven’t gone wide in the US I think of as from last year. All of which is to say that release dates are messy, and I’m trying a few tactics to address that for 2023, while endeavoring to see more flicks in theaters.

For the past few years, I’ve put together a list of favorite films which were released in the previous year which I also saw in the previous year. While the list of my top ten from a given year will of course change over time, I like to lay down this marker for posterity, to capture my thoughts as the calendar flips. Since the end of 2022, I’ve seen 57 more films which were released in 2022, none are eligible for this list. I actually keep two separate lists on Letterboxd: one which freezes at the end of the year, and one which I’ll periodically update. In fact, half of the films I’m about to talk about have already been displaced, and my number one has changed. I still love all these, though, so they’re worth discussing.

Alright, let’s get to it!

10. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

Nicolas Cage is a wonderful actor. Sure, he’s been in a bunch of random movies of questionable quality, but even then he always seems to give it his all. His career is more or less a meme, as is the sheer volume of work he puts out. If you were ever concerned the public’s perception bothered him, allow this 100 minute buddy comedy to put you at ease. He clearly is well aware of and entertained by his reputation, poking fun at his self-seriousness while also reveling in the earnest love he’s garnered. The movie wastes no time telling you exactly what you’re in for, but even manages to subvert that a few times. Cross that with its bizarre sense of humor, some great meta-jokes, and real heart, and you’re left with a fantastic time.

9. Men

I’ve been quite surprised by the fairly negative reactions this movie has garnered online. I’ll admit, it’s a little one-note in its message, yes. But it expresses that message in some very creative visual ways, culminating in some remarkable and arresting visuals, and distinctly creepy occurrences. There are a few sequences which have been running through my head constantly since my viewing. It’s as much a mood piece as it is a statement, and both main actors (Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear) are doing great work.

For the record, I’d love to screen this as a marathon with mother! and Antichrist.

8. Nope

The marketing for this movie started out incredibly vague, and was careful to never really let us in on what we were in for, but enough to pique our interest. And god damn did it deliver. What looks on its surface like “just” an alien movie ends up with a bunch of layers and complexities and things to say. The visuals are incredible, the themes are very strong, the score rules, the execution is great. And the acting is next level. That neither Keke Palmer nor Daniel Kaluuya were nominated is absurd, and Steven Yuen is also doing fantastic work. It has some of the most upsetting and chilling scenes of the year, which it achieves in very unique ways. I really owe this film a re-watch.

7. The Menu

I went into this movie not expecting much. The trailer portrayed it as a horror movie, which given the premise meant it could only go in one direction. I had a free afternoon and it was playing at my local indie theater, so I figured why not. Almost immediately my apprehension turned to intrigue, as it revealed itself to be a black comedy/satire, greatly opening up its possibilities. And it kept delivering. The slow escalation in directions I didn’t expect while making use of tropes I recognize, albeit in fresh forms, and its sheer boldness and commitment to some really silly scenes made it click. I sadly can’t get into my favorite parts of the movie without giving away some key moments, so I’ll just say the ending is near perfect.

If you’re interested in my spoiler-filled thoughts, you can check out my Letterboxd review.

6. Decision to Leave

Park Chan-wook is an absolutely incredibly director, with fascinating ways of looking at and presenting the world. His characters are unique, his sense of humor is weird and dark, and his storytelling and editing are impeccable (in part owing to working with editor Kim Sang-bum for most of his career). Decision to Leave starts as any normal police procedural with some flare, but the intrigue and obsession slowly ratchets up until you suddenly notice you’ve seamlessly stumbled into an entirely different movie. This was the last film I watched in 2022, and I’m very glad I did.

I was lucky enough to catch it again a few months ago, on the big screen this time, and wrote up a (spolier-filled!) review.

5. The Banshees of Inisherin

With the exception of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Martin McDonough has always been known and revered for his comedy. Rather than the slapstick of In Bruges, The Banshees of Inisherin goes for pitch black and subtle humor. Its characters are all indirectly conversing with each other and the audience, musing on despair and legacy and artistic merit and isolation. It features some of the best performances of the year, despite being deprived of any wins at the Oscars (out of nine nominations!). No matter. Barry Keoghan continues to demonstrate his absurd talent, Kerry Condon is heartbreaking and raw, and Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are perfection as co-leads.

4. Aftersun

Aftersun won’t be for everyone. It’s slow and deliberate, with lots of long, lingering, intense shots. This is a series of snapshots of a father and his daughter on vacation, and you can read all the swirling emotions and events that are left unsaid. It’s clear that there are layers upon layers of subtext, and you start to piece things together as much from their looks as from their words. It’s a huge credit to Charlotte Wells that in her debut feature film, she already has the confidence required to stay with mundane scenes for just long enough that something extra special emerges.

I was fortunate enough to catch this at NHFF, and to re-watch it at my local indie theater a few months ago, after which I wrote a spoiler-filled review.

3. God's Country

There have been a handful of high profile “revenge” films in the past few years, which have used that structure to question the very nature of vengeance. I’m thinking mostly of Pig (my favorite movie of 2021), but also stuff like The Northman. God’s Country takes on the question by centering the anxiety our protagonist feels about the people around her, people who’ve given her reason to worry, and using that to fuel her to act in extreme ways. It asks whether she’s really justified, and wonders if she’s not the cause of this whole situation. And Thandiwe Newton is fantastic, embodying all the conviction and resolution that leads her down her dark path.

2. Moonage Daydream

Having never gotten into David Bowie, all I was looking for with this was to learn. I was also intrigued by the high praise coming out of Cannes. I wasn’t expecting a painting of a human being, trying to capture their personality and desires and phases of career and energy on film. This is Bowie in his own words, giving us a sense of the man and his desires and goals via interview clips as he muses about philosophy and art and life. The thought that went into his public persona(s) was on full display. And for each era, we saw a handful of songs performed in full in front of an audience, balancing out who he was off stage and on it. There’s a dreamlike quality surrounding the whole thing, as there are snippets of surreal animation throughout, hammering home his otherworldly quality.

It’s one of the films I most recommended people see on the big screen if at all possible, due to its visual and auditory grandeur.

1. TÁR

Listen, I know this is a bit tired at this point. But there’s a reason it topped so many critics’ year end lists.

TÁR is an intense film in so many ways, from its themes to its characters to its plot. It engages with the public discourse around powerful and talented people abusing their power, and if that means we should discount their work. With every question it brings up, it lays its cards on the table, using fully realized and realistic and nuanced and messy people to explore it fully and fairly. There are no straw men to be found. As it starts to head towards some answers, it does so in a way that comes across as simply stating an opinion, not presenting it as fact. And even those answers are messy and complicated and fraught. It explores the consequences of one’s actions, asking whether they’re sufficient, asking whether they matter, asking whether that’s the same thing as amends.

As for Blanchett, well, there’s a reason many people came out of the film wondering if Lydia was a real person. She’s imbued with such life, with such depth, with such hypocrisy and intensity and rawness. It is a completely perfect performance, absolutely the best one of the year that I saw in either lead category. Yes, that includes Michelle Yeoh: she was outstanding in EEAAO, but I don’t think her performance elevated that film, whereas Blanchett’s clearly did.

In any case, if you wanna read my spoiler-y thoughts from just after seeing it, head on over to my Letterboxd review.

And if you’re curious what my current 2022 favorites list looks like:

10. Enys Men
9. Decision to Leave
8. No Bears
7. The Banshees of Inisherin
6. Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game
5. Close
4. Aftersun
3. Moonage Daydream
2. TÁR
1. Return to Seoul

I’ll see you later this week!